I missed most of the weekend here as friends invited me and my wife to the California Waterfowl Association's Gold Country Banquet in Auburn. We had a good time and won a few things, and Ron Johnson bid on and won a couple of nights camping at Lawson's Landing. Thanks for supporting a good cause, Ron. and we'll see you this summer. In other news...

Regulations for Recreational Groundfish Approved

On April 19, 2024, the California Office of Administrative Law approved the recreational groundfish fishing regulations adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission on March 26, 2024; the regulations are now effective and complement regulations for these species in federal waters, which went into effect April 1, 2024.

• In the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco, and Central – North of 36° N lat. groundfish management areas (GMAs), the regulations prescribe a season structure that is closed January 1 through March 31, open seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line for shelf rockfish, slope rockfish, and lingcod from April 1 through April 30, October 1 through October 31, and December 1 through December 31, and open shoreward of the 20-fathom boundary line from May 1 through September 30, and November 1 through November 30.
• In the Central – South of 36° N lat. and Southern GMAs, the regulations prescribe a season structure that is closed January 1 through March 31, open in all depths from April 1 through June 30, open shoreward of the 50-fathom boundary line from July 1 through September 30, and open seaward of the 50-fathom boundary line for shelf rockfish, slope rockfish, and lingcod from October 1 through December 31.
• The sub-bag limit for vermilion rockfish will remain four fish in the Northern GMA and is reduced to two fish in the Mendocino, San Francisco, Central – North of 36° N lat., Central – South of 36° N lat., and Southern GMAs.
• The cowcod conservation areas off southern California were repealed and replaced with a series of eight smaller closed areas (groundfish exclusion areas).
• A descending device must be carried aboard and available for immediate use on any vessel taking or possessing any species of federal groundfish.

The approved regulatory language and other rulemaking documents are available on the Commission's website at https://fgc.ca.gov/Regulations/2024-New-and-Proposed#27.20.

Sincerely, 

Sherrie Fonbuena
Regulatory Analyst

   Finally. Yes, the State said you could fish in deep-enough federal waters, but now the rules are official. You've got a few more days for the deep, weather providing, and then nearshore is the game until October. Unless they close it early. Remember to research what a quillback looks like, so that you won't keep one and so that you can answer properly when asked, that you didn't release one either. Also, remember to get a proper descender and have it rigged and ready to go so that you may legally fish for rockfish.