Creel Quick answer: The 2026 predicted-run calendar ran from March 3 to August 30 and is finished — the last runs were August 28–30. CDFW publishes the following year’s predictions in early spring, so the 2027 dates will land before the March runs begin. The rules do not change: grunion run on predicted nights after the highest tides following a full or new moon, take is closed April 1 through June 30, and outside that closure they may be taken by hand only. No nets, no buckets used as traps, no digging holes. The limit is 30 fish per person, there is no size limit, and anyone 16 or older needs a California fishing license unless they are on a public pier.
Grunion are the only fish in California you catch with your bare hands, standing in the surf at midnight. That is also why the rules are so specific — and why enforcement focuses on method rather than numbers.
The 2026 season is over
CDFW’s 2026 predicted-run calendar covered 51 nights between March 3 and August 30. The last runs were the nights of August 28–30. There are no further predicted runs in 2026.
The next calendar lands in early spring 2027, before the March runs begin.
Runs happen on the nights following the highest tides after a full or new moon. Fish typically arrive in the second hour of the predicted window, not the first. A predicted run is a forecast: a strong run one night can be followed by nothing the next.
Why the moon drives this, and the other California night fisheries →
The rules that actually get enforced
- By hand only. No nets. No traps. No buckets used to scoop or corral fish. No holes dug in the sand to catch them. You may hold caught fish in a container.
- 30 fish per person. No size limit, no minimum.
- Closed April 1 through June 30. Total closure during the peak spawn — no take at all.
- Fishing license required at 16 and over, except from a public pier.
- Commercial take and sale of grunion is banned in California.
The distinction that catches people out: in August the season is open, so a crowd on the beach with buckets looks legal at a glance. It is the method that is illegal. Spotlights, nets and 20-gallon buckets are the tell.
Reporting poaching
CDFW’s CalTIP line is 1-888-334-2258, staffed 24 hours. You can also text a tip: send CALTIP
followed by your message to 847411.
Local police at a beach usually will not write a Fish and Game citation themselves, but their dispatch can radio a game warden — asking for that is more effective than asking the officer to act directly.
Where runs happen
Grunion spawn on sandy beaches from roughly Point Conception south to Baja, with San Diego, Los Angeles County beaches and San Pedro among the most consistently reported spots. Runs are also recorded further north in warm years. Beach access rules, parking closures and fire restrictions apply independently of fishing regulations — several beaches close their lots before the run window even opens.
Creel tracks the run calendar
Creel carries CDFW’s predicted grunion run nights and times alongside the hands-only rule, the 30-fish limit and the closed-season dates, so you can check the next run and the current rules in one place — offline, standing on the sand at 11 p.m. with no signal.
Predicted runs are forecasts from CDFW and grunion may not appear. Always confirm current regulations with CDFW before taking any fish.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next grunion run in California?
Not until spring 2027. The 2026 predicted-run calendar had 51 nights between March 3 and August 30 and is now finished. CDFW publishes the next year’s predictions in early spring. Runs are predictions, not guarantees: even on a listed night the fish may show early, late, in small numbers, or not at all.
Can you use a net to catch grunion in California?
No. Grunion may be taken by hand only. No nets of any kind, no buckets or containers used to trap fish, and no digging holes in the sand to entrap them. This is the single most commonly broken grunion rule and the one wardens actually cite. You may carry a container to hold fish you have already caught by hand.
What is the grunion limit in California?
Thirty grunion per person per day, with no size limit. The 30-fish limit was introduced to curb the buckets-and-nets harvesting that used to strip entire runs.
Is grunion season closed right now?
Not in August. Take of California grunion is unlawful from April 1 through June 30 each year, which protects the peak spawning period. Outside that window the fishery is open, subject to the hands-only rule and the 30-fish limit.
Do you need a fishing license to catch grunion?
Yes, if you are 16 or older — unless you are fishing from a public pier, where no license is required. Most grunion runs happen on open beach, so in practice almost everyone on the sand needs a license.