The Best Fishing Spots in California
California offers diverse recreational fishing from mountain streams to the open Pacific, with opportunities year-round for anglers of all skill levels. Freshwater waters hold rainbow trout, steelhead, Chinook and Coho salmon, and warmwater species like largemouth bass, striped bass and channel catfish in rivers, reservoirs and the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
Along the coast anglers target nearshore and offshore species such as halibut, lingcod, rockfish, coastal pelagics like yellowtail and bonito, and larger tuna including bluefin, while bays and estuaries can produce trophy white sturgeon.
Fishing methods span shore and pier casting, fly fishing, boat trolling and bottom fishing, making California a versatile destination for recreational anglers.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Alameda
(1 km to coast)
Aliso Viejo
(7 km to coast)
Antioch
(2 km to coast)
Bellflower
(17 km to coast)
Berkeley
(4 km to coast)
Brentwood
(11 km to coast)
Camarillo
(17 km to coast)
Carlsbad
(1 km to coast)
Carson
(9 km to coast)
Castro Valley
(9 km to coast)
Cerritos
(16 km to coast)
Chinatown
(1 km to coast)
Chula Vista
(3 km to coast)
Compton
(17 km to coast)
Concord
(11 km to coast)
Costa Mesa
(4 km to coast)
Culver City
(10 km to coast)
Cupertino
(18 km to coast)
Cypress
(13 km to coast)
Daly City
(4 km to coast)
Encinitas
(1 km to coast)
Encino
(17 km to coast)
Fairfield
(16 km to coast)
Fountain Valley
(9 km to coast)
Fremont
(10 km to coast)
Gardena
(11 km to coast)
Garden Grove
(16 km to coast)
Hawthorne
(8 km to coast)
Hayward
(9 km to coast)
Huntington Beach
(1 km to coast)
Inglewood
(10 km to coast)
Irvine
(12 km to coast)
Laguna Niguel
(6 km to coast)
La Jolla
(0 km to coast)
Lake Forest
(18 km to coast)
Lakewood
(13 km to coast)
La Mesa
(16 km to coast)
Lompoc
(17 km to coast)
Long Beach
(1 km to coast)
Martinez
(1 km to coast)
Mid-City
(15 km to coast)
Milpitas
(15 km to coast)
Mira Mesa
(13 km to coast)
Mission District
(4 km to coast)
Mission Viejo
(15 km to coast)
Mountain View
(9 km to coast)
National City
(2 km to coast)
Newark
(5 km to coast)
Newport Beach
(1 km to coast)
Novato
(8 km to coast)
Oakland
(5 km to coast)
Oakley
(2 km to coast)
Oceanside
(1 km to coast)
Oxnard
(7 km to coast)
Pacifica
(1 km to coast)
Palo Alto
(5 km to coast)
Paramount
(17 km to coast)
Pittsburg
(1 km to coast)
Rancho Palos Verdes
(1 km to coast)
Rancho Penasquitos
(17 km to coast)
Redondo Beach
(1 km to coast)
Redwood City
(6 km to coast)
Richmond
(4 km to coast)
Salinas
(14 km to coast)
San Bruno
(3 km to coast)
San Clemente
(2 km to coast)
San Diego
(1 km to coast)
San Francisco
(4 km to coast)
San Leandro
(5 km to coast)
San Luis Obispo
(16 km to coast)
San Marcos
(18 km to coast)
San Mateo
(3 km to coast)
San Pedro
(2 km to coast)
San Rafael
(4 km to coast)
Santa Ana
(19 km to coast)
Santa Barbara
(2 km to coast)
Santa Clara
(16 km to coast)
Santa Cruz
(2 km to coast)
Santa Monica
(1 km to coast)
Sawtelle
(6 km to coast)
Sherman Oaks
(18 km to coast)
South San Francisco
(3 km to coast)
Stanton
(14 km to coast)
Stockton
(18 km to coast)
Sunnyvale
(11 km to coast)
Thousand Oaks
(18 km to coast)
Torrance
(6 km to coast)
Union City
(13 km to coast)
Vallejo
(4 km to coast)
Venice
(2 km to coast)
Ventura
(1 km to coast)
Vermont Square
(18 km to coast)
Vista
(14 km to coast)
Walnut Creek
(19 km to coast)
Watsonville
(9 km to coast)
Westminster
(9 km to coast)
Wilmington
(2 km to coast)
Woodland Hills
(17 km to coast)
River Fishing
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Bodega Bay
Rugged North Coast waters with productive reefs for rockfish and lingcod, plus nearshore salmon in season; boats run out of the harbor while shore casters work surf and the Doran Beach jetty system.
Monterey Bay
Deep canyons and kelp edges hold rockfish, lingcod, summer halibut, and migrating salmon; anglers work reefs off Santa Cruz and the rips near Moss Landing by kayak, charter, or from accessible beaches and jetties.
Morro Bay
Sheltered estuary and nearby reefs yield rockfish, lingcod, halibut, and year-round surfperch; kayaks and charters stage from the harbor, with easy access around Morro Rock and sandy spits for shore fishing.
San Diego Bay
Sheltered waters deliver steady action for spotted bay bass, halibut, corvina, and elusive bonefish, with productive stretches near Shelter Island and Coronado offering year-round bites from docks, shorelines, and skiffs.
San Francisco Bay
A vast urban estuary famed for striped bass, California halibut, seasonal salmon, and leopard shark; spring through fall sees strong bites around Alcatraz Island , Angel Island , and the central bay shoals, with plentiful shore access and charter options.
Santa Catalina Island
Clear island waters known for pelagics and kelp-line favorites including yellowtail, white seabass, bonito, and calico bass; boats and kayaks prowl points and coves, with excellent pier access around Avalon .
Santa Cruz Island
Part of the northern Channel Islands, its kelp forests and reefy points produce white seabass, yellowtail, and quality rockfish; charters and private boats target lee-side coves like Scorpion Anchorage and headlands on weather windows.
Santa Monica Bay
Kelp lines and sandy flats produce calico bass, sand bass, halibut, and summer runs of bonito and barracuda; beach and pier anglers work Santa Monica Pier and Venice while boats target reefs and hard-bottom.
Long Beach Harbor
Breakwalls and inner basins hold calico bass, sand bass, barracuda, and halibut; boats work the wall and rock piles, while shore anglers cast near landmarks like the Queen Mary and public piers.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Big Bear Lake
High-elevation waters stocked with rainbow trout and home to largemouth bass deliver steady action from spring through fall; shore anglers work dam and public piers while trollers run the center basin near Big Bear City .
Kern River
Sierra freestone sections and canyon pools harbor wild and stocked rainbow trout with chances at browns; pocket water, deep slots, and tailouts near Kernville are prime for drifting hardware or flies from shore and raft.
Lake Berryessa
Clear, deep coves support spotted bass, largemouth, smallmouth, plus spring/summer kokanee and king salmon; trollers and finesse anglers focus on island tops and the Putah Creek arm with abundant boat and shore access.
Lake Tahoe
Crystal-clear alpine water produces deep-dwelling mackinaw (lake trout), plus rainbow, brown, and summer kokanee; trolling and jigging excel off drop-offs near South Lake Tahoe with good shore shots at creek mouths in spring and fall.
Shasta Lake
A sprawling reservoir with arms holding rainbow trout, spotted and smallmouth bass, and summer kokanee; work points and submerged structure from houseboats or shore pullouts, with popular launches around Bridge Bay .
Crowley Lake
Eastern Sierra stillwater famous for fat rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout; spring chironomid hatches and fall browns draw boat and float-tube anglers to productive bays like Hilton Bay and points like Sandy Point .
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
American River
A celebrated urban fishery with winter steelhead, fall salmon, spring American shad, and roaming striped bass; waders and rafts work riffles and runs from Fair Oaks toward confluences in Sacramento .
Sacramento River
California’s largest river offers migratory salmon and steelhead, plus resident striped bass and trout; popular drifts and bank access extend from Redding downstream through broad runs and deep holes.