Creel Quick answer: The 2026–27 California spiny lobster season opens at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026 and closes at 11:59:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. The rule is 6 p.m. on the Friday preceding the first Wednesday in October, through the first Wednesday after March 15. The daily bag limit is 7 lobsters per person, minimum size 3¼-inch carapace measured in the water, and every angler needs a sport fishing license plus a $12.70 Spiny Lobster Report Card.
California spiny lobster (“bugs” to locals) has one of the most anticipated openers of the year — and one of the most enforcement-heavy. Here’s exactly how the season works.
Season dates
The recreational season opens at 6:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the first Wednesday in October and closes at 11:59:59 p.m. on the first Wednesday after March 15.
For 2026–27 that is 6:00 p.m. Friday, October 2, 2026 through 11:59:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 17, 2027.
Note the evening opener. A lot of sources say Saturday — the season goes live at 6 p.m. on the Friday, which is why Southern California harbors empty out on Friday afternoon rather than Saturday morning.
Everything about the October 2 opener →
The limits that matter
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Daily bag & possession | 7 lobsters per person |
| Minimum size | 3¼-inch carapace (body shell), measured in the water |
| Required documents | Sport fishing license + Spiny Lobster Report Card ($12.70) |
| Legal methods | Hoop nets, or bare hands (diving) — no traps, spears or hooked devices |
| Gauge | Required — you must carry a measuring gauge and check before keeping |
Undersized lobster must go back immediately, at the point of capture — transporting a short lobster to the boat “to measure later” is itself a violation. Tail-only possession is also illegal in the field; lobsters must remain whole until you’re ashore.
The report card
The Spiny Lobster Report Card is where most accidental violations happen:
- You must record your location and catch before leaving the water each session.
- Cards must be returned or reported online by April 30 after the season — miss it and you pay a non-return fee (~$21.60) with your next card.
- Every person taking lobster needs their own card, including divers.
Hoop netting vs diving
Hoop nets (piers, jetties, boats at night) may be used up to 5 nets per person, maximum 10 per vessel in Southern California waters. Divers take lobster strictly by hand — usually on night dives when bugs walk out of the reef. Both methods share the same season, bag limit and size rules.
MPAs: the closed-zone trap
A big share of lobster citations aren’t about size — they’re about place. Many of Southern California’s best lobster reefs sit inside Marine Protected Areas where take is banned or restricted (Point Lobos, Laguna Beach, La Jolla’s reserves…). Know the boundary before you drop a hoop net; “the fish don’t know it’s an MPA” but the warden does.
Check tonight’s status in Creel
Creel shows spiny lobster’s live status for your region — open or closed today, the 7-bug limit, the 3¼” carapace rule and the report card requirement in one card, plus California’s full MPA map so you can confirm the reef you’re hooping isn’t a no-take zone. Updated daily from CDFW, cached offline for night sessions on the water.
Always confirm current regulations with CDFW before taking lobster — emergency closures and MPA boundaries are enforced hard in this fishery.
Frequently asked questions
How many lobsters are you allowed to catch in California?
Seven spiny lobsters per person per day, and no more than seven in possession at any time. Every lobster must measure at least 3¼ inches across the carapace, and short lobsters must be released immediately at the spot of capture.
Do I need a report card for lobster in California?
Yes. Everyone taking or attempting to take spiny lobster needs a Spiny Lobster Report Card ($12.70 in 2026) in addition to a fishing license — including divers and anyone tending a hoop net. You must record your catch and return/report the card by April 30 or pay a non-return fee the next season.
Can you take lobster while diving in California?
Yes — by hand only. Divers may not use any hooked device, spear or trap to take lobster, and the 3¼-inch carapace minimum must be checked with a gauge in the water before surfacing with the lobster.
Are California spiny lobsters good to eat?
Excellent — spiny lobster is prized for sweet tail meat (they lack the large claws of Maine lobster). Most of the legal catch comes from Southern California reefs and jetties between Point Conception and the border.