These are the fish one might expect to see in Northern California. I've excluded from this list any fish that doesn't get larger than 12"/30cm. The links under the Fish column go to the Fishbase website, where you can find information on fish worldwide (although the information there is not 100% correct).
If you find any errors or would like to submit information, please email me.
| Fish | DFG size limit | DFG bag limit | CA sport diving record | Fishbase max size |
| *Bass, Kelp (Calico) | 12" | 10 | 12 lb 1 oz | 72.0 cm TL; 7,000.0 g |
| Cabezon | 15" | 10 | 18 lb 6 oz | 99.0 cm TL; 14 kg |
| California Scorpionfish | 10" | 10 | open | 43.0 cm TL |
| Eel, Monkeyfaced | 4 lb 1 oz | 76.0 cm TL | ||
| Flounder, Starry | open | 91.0 cm TL; 9,100.0 g | ||
| Greenling, Kelp | 12" | 10 | open | 61.0 cm TL; 2,100.0 g |
| Greenling, Rock | 12" | 10 | open | 61.0 cm TL; 830.0 g |
| Halibut, California | 22" | 3 | 72 lb 8 oz | 152.0 cm TL; 33 kg; |
| Lingcod | 26" | 2 | 36 lb 0 oz | 152.0 cm TL; 4,500.0 g |
| *Opaleye | 6 lb 8 oz | 66.0 cm TL | ||
| Perch, Pile (Split tail) | open | 44.2 cm SL | ||
| Rockfish, Black | none | 10** | 6 lb 9 oz | 63.0 cm TL; 4,800.0 g |
| Rockfish, Blue | none | 10** | open | 53.0 cm TL; 1,130.0 g |
| Rockfish, Black and Yellow | none | 10** | open | 39.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Brown | none | 10** | open | 56.0 cm |
| Rockfish, Canary | none | 10** | open | 76.0 cm FL; 4,530.0 g |
| Rockfish, China | none | 10** | open | 45.0 cm TL; 700.0 g |
| Rockfish, Copper | none | 10** | 9 lb 5 oz | 58.0 cm TL; 2,600.0 g |
| Rockfish, Flag | none | 10** | open | 51.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Gopher | none | 10** | open | 39.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Grass | none | 10** | 5 lb 9 oz | 56.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Kelp | none | 10** | open | 42.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Olive | none | 10** | 6 lb 0 oz | 61.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Quillback | none | 10** | open | 61.0 cm TL; 2,580.0 g |
| Rockfish, Red Stripe | none | 10** | open | 61.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Rosy | none | 10** | open | 36.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Tiger | none | 10** | open | 61.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Vermilion | none | 10** | 10 lb 6 oz | 91.0 cm TL; 6,800.0 g |
| Rockfish, Widow | none | 10** | open | 60.0 cm TL |
| Rockfish, Yelloweye | none | 10** | open | 91.0 cm TL; 9,630.0 g; |
| Rockfish, Yellowtail | none | 10** | open | 66.0 cm TL; 2,510.0 g; |
| Seaperch, Black | none | open | 39.0 cm TL; 700.0 g | |
| Seaperch, Rubberlip | none | 2 lb 12 oz | 47.0 cm TL | |
| Seaperch, Striped | none | open | 38.0 cm TL | |
| Seaperch, Redtail | none | open | 41.0 cm TL | |
| *Sheephead | 12" | 5 | 40 lb 7 oz | 91.0 cm TL; 16 kg |
| Wolf-eel | open | 240.0 cm TL; 18 kg |
* Fish that don't come north of SF. Typically these are stranded here after
el Nino years.
** DFG bag limit for rockfish is 10 fish in combined species.
If you are interested in setting a CA Sport Diving record see the links below. Note that these records are for freediving or SCUBA (shame on you!).
For information on setting an IUSA record, see the link below. Note that IUSA rules are for freediving only, and the minimum weight for any fish not listed is 10 pounds.
These are the fish that were taken at the Spearfishing Nationals at Russian Gulch, 2000. It is interesting to note the number of fish taken from each specie.
| Fish | Number |
| Blue Rockfish |
207 |
| Kelp Greenling | 141 |
| Black Rockfish | 103 |
| Striped Surfperch |
75 |
| Vermillion Rockfish | 71 |
| Lingcod | 48 |
| Cabezon | 36 |
| Olive Rockfish | 33 |
| Pile Surfperch | 19 |
| Gopher Rockfish | 1 |
| China Rockfish | 1 |
