Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 5.00 - Black Bass

It is unlawful to take or possess black bass except as provided in this section:

(NOTE: Some waters are closed to all fishing under Sections 7.40 and 7.50.)

(a) General Statewide Restrictions:

(1) Lakes/Reservoirs and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: The following waters, except for those listed in subsection (b), are open to fishing all year, with a 12-inch total length minimum size limit and a five-fish daily bag limit: All lakes and reservoirs in the State, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (see Section 1.71 for definition of the Delta).

(2) Rivers/Streams and Private Ponds: Rivers, streams, canals, and lakes or ponds entirely on private lands that are not listed in subsection (b) are open all year with no size limit and a five-fish daily bag limit.

(b) Special Regulations: Counties and individual waters listed below are those having regulations different from the General Statewide Restrictions in subsection (a).

DISTRICTS AND COUNTIES WITH SPECIAL REGULATIONS

Area or Body of Water	Open Season	Size (total length)	Bag Limit
(1) Colorado River District: All waters (Bag and size limits conform with Arizona regulations.).	All year.	13-inch minimum.	6
(2) Inyo Co.: All streams east of Highway 395 from the southern Inyo Co. line north to the junction of Highway 6 and east of Highway 6 to the Mono Co. line, except those streams listed by name in Section 7.50(b), Special Fishing Regulations.	All year.	12-inch minimum.	5
The remaining streams of Inyo Co., except those waters listed in Section 7.50(b), Special Fishing Regulations.	Last Sat. in Apr. through Nov. 15. Closed to bass fishing from Nov. 16 through the Fri. preceding the last Sat. in Apr.	12-inch minimum.	5
All Lakes, Big Pine Canal, Fish Spring Canal, and Millpond in Inyo Co.	All year.	12-inch minimum.	5
(3) Mono Co.: All streams except for Fish Slough (see subsection (b)(10)) and those waters listed by name in Section 7.50(b), Special Fishing Regulations.	Last Sat. in Apr. through Nov. 15. Closed to bass fishing from Nov. 16 through the Fri. preceding the last Sat. in Apr.	No size limit.	5
(4) Plumas Co.: All waters.	All year.	No size limit.	5

INDIVIDUAL BODIES OF WATER WITH SPECIAL REGULATIONS

Area or Body of Water	Open Season	Size (total length)	Bag Limit
(5) Barrett Lake (San Diego Co.) (Also see Section 2.08.)	All year.	Catch and Release only.	0
(6) Casitas Lake	All year.	12-inch minimum	5
(Ventura Co.)		No more than one over 22 inches.
(7) Castaic Lake (Los Angeles Co.).	All year.	15-inch minimum.	5
(8) Cuyamaca Lake (San Diego Co.).	All year.	No size limit for Largemouth Bass. Catch and Release only for Smallmouth Bass.	5
(9) Fish Slough (Mono Co.), except the fenced portions of Fish Slough within the BLM Spring, which are closed to all fishing all year. See Section 7.50(b)(49), Special Fishing Regulations.	All year.	No size limit.	5
(10) Hodges Lake (San Diego Co.).	All year.	15-inch minimum.	5
(11) Lett's Lake (Colusa Co.).	All year.	No size limit.	5
(12) Plaskett Meadows lakes, upper and lower (Glenn Co.).	All year.	No size limit.	5
(13) Shaver Lake (Fresno Co.).	All year.	No size limit.	5
(14) Upper Otay Lake (San Diego Co.). (Also see Section 2.08.)	All year.	Catch and Release only.	0

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 5.00

1. Amendment filed 2-21-84; designated effective 3-1-84 (Register 84, No. 8).
2. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 2-28-85 as an emergency; designated effective 3-1-85. Certificate of Compliance included (Register 85, No. 11).
3. Amendment filed 1-22-86; designated effective 3-1-86 (Register 86, No. 6).
4. New subsections (b)(4) and (c)(3) filed 4-16-86 as an emergency; effective upon filing (Register 86, No. 16). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL within 120 days or emergency language will be repealed on 8-14-86.
5. Certificate of Compliance transmitted to OAL 8-13-86 and filed 8-14-86 (Register 86, No. 33).
6. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 2-11-87; designated effective 3-1-87 (Register 87, No. 9).
7. Amendment filed 1-26-88; operative 3-1-88 (Register 88, No. 6).
8. New subsection (b)(5) filed 9-11-89 as an emergency; operative 9-11-89 (Register 89, No. 37). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL within 120 days or emergency language will be repealed on 1-9-90.
9. Subsection (b)(5) repealed by operation of law on 1-1-90. Amendment filed 3-1-90; operative 3-1-90 (Register 90, No. 10).
10. Amendment of subsections (a), (o), (q) and (r) filed 1-17-91; operative 1-17-91 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 91, No. 8).
11. Amendment filed 3-12-92; operative 3-12-92 (Register 92, No. 20).
12. Amendment filed 3-7-94; operative 3-7-94 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 94, No. 10).
13. Editorial correction of subsections (c)(9)-(10) (Register 95, No. 13).
14. Amendment of subsection (c)(3), new subsection (c)(4), subsection renumbering, and amendment of subsection (c)(7) filed 3-28-95; operative 3-28-95 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 95, No. 13).
15. Amendment of subsections (a), (b)(2) and (c)(1), new subsection (c)(3) and subsection renumbering, new subsections (c)(9) and (c)10) and subsection renumbering, and new subsection (c)(17) filed 2-9-96; operative 2-9-96 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 205 (Register 96, No. 6).
16. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 2-5-98; operative 3-1-98 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 98, No. 6).
17. Amendment of subsection (d)(20) filed 12-22-98; operative 12-22-98 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 98, No. 52).
18. Amendment filed 2-18-2000; operative 3-1-2000 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 2000, No. 7).
19. Amendment of subsection (b)(1), repealer of subsections (b)(9) and (b)(28), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (b)(33) filed 1-10-2002; operative 1-1-2002 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 2002, No. 2).
20. Amendment of subsection (a)(1), new subsection (b)(12), subsection renumbering, repealer of former subsection (b)(25) and amendment of subsection (b)(33) filed 2-24-2004; operative 3-1-2004 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2004, No. 9).
21. Amendment of subsection (a)(1) filed 4-7-2005; operative 5-7-2005 (Register 2005, No. 14).
22. Amendment of subsections (b)(2)-(5) and (b)(7), new subsection (b)(9), repealer of subsection (b)(16) and subsection renumbering filed 2-28-2007; operative 2-28-2007 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2007, No. 9).
23. Amendment of subsections (b), (b)(4)-(5), (b)(7) and (b)(9), new subsection (b)(26), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (b)(33) filed 2-9-2010; operative 3-1-2010 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2010, No. 7).
24. Repealer of subsections (b)(22)-(25) and (b)(30) and subsection renumbering filed 12-27-2012; operative 1-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2012, No. 52).
25. Amendment of subsections (b)(10) and (b)(15) filed 2-23-2015; operative 2-23-2015 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2015, No. 9).
26. Amendment of subsection (b)(22) and amendment of NOTE filed 2-25-2019; operative 3-1-2019 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2019, No. 9).
27. Amendment filed 3-1-2021; operative 3-1-2021 pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 265 (Register 2021, No. 10). (Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20.)
28. Amendment of subsections (b)(5) and (b)(8), repealer of subsections (b)(9), (b)(11), (b)(13)-(14) and (b)(18), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (b)(14) filed 12-6-2022; operative 12-6-2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) and Fish and Game Code section 265 (Register 2022, No. 49).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 205, 265, 270 and 275, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 200 and 205, Fish and Game Code.

1. Amendment filed 2-21-84; designated effective 3-1-84 (Register 84, No. 8).
2. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 2-28-85 as an emergency; designated effective 3-1-85. Certificate of Compliance included (Register 85, No. 11).
3. Amendment filed 1-22-86; designated effective 3-1-86 (Register 86, No. 6).
4. New subsections (b)(4) and (c)(3) filed 4-16-86 as an emergency; effective upon filing (Register 86, No. 16). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL within 120 days or emergency language will be repealed on 8-14-86.
5. Certificate of Compliance transmitted to OAL 8-13-86 and filed 8-14-86 (Register 86, No. 33).
6. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 2-11-87; designated effective 3-1-87 (Register 87, No. 9).
7. Amendment filed 1-26-88; operative 3-1-88 (Register 88, No. 6).
8. New subsection (b)(5) filed 9-11-89 as an emergency; operative 9-11-89 (Register 89, No. 37). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL within 120 days or emergency language will be repealed on 1-9-90.
9. Subsection (b)(5) repealed by operation of law on 1-1-90. Amendment filed 3-1-90; operative 3-1-90 (Register 90, No. 10).
10. Amendment of subsections (a), (o), (q) and (r) filed 1-17-91; operative 1-17-91 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 91, No. 8).
11. Amendment filed 3-12-92; operative 3-12-92 (Register 92, No. 20).
12. Amendment filed 3-7-94; operative 3-7-94 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215(Register 94, No. 10).
13. Editorial correction of subsections (c)(9)-(10) (Register 95, No. 13).
14. Amendment of subsection (c)(3), new subsection (c)(4), subsection renumbering, and amendment of subsection (c)(7) filed 3-28-95; operative 3-28-95 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 95, No. 13).
15. Amendment of subsections (a), (b)(2) and (c)(1), new subsection (c)(3) and subsection renumbering, new subsections (c)(9) and (c)10) and subsection renumbering, and new subsection (c)(17) filed 2-9-96; operative 2-9-96 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 205(Register 96, No. 6).
16. Amendment of section and Note filed 2-5-98; operative 3-1-98 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215(Register 98, No. 6).
17. Amendment of subsection (d)(20) filed 12-22-98; operative 12-22-98 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215(Register 98, No. 52).
18. Amendment filed 2-18-2000; operative 3-1-2000 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215(Register 2000, No. 7).
19. Amendment of subsection (b)(1), repealer of subsections (b)(9) and (b)(28), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (b)(33) filed 1-10-2002; operative 1-1-2002 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215(Register 2002, No. 2).
20. Amendment of subsection (a)(1), new subsection (b)(12), subsection renumbering, repealer of former subsection (b)(25) and amendment of subsection (b)(33) filed 2-24-2004; operative 3-1-2004 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2004, No. 9).
21. Amendment of subsection (a)(1) filed 4-7-2005; operative 5-7-2005 (Register 2005, No. 14).
22. Amendment of subsections (b)(2)-(5) and (b)(7), new subsection (b)(9), repealer of subsection (b)(16) and subsection renumbering filed 2-28-2007; operative 2-28-2007 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2007, No. 9).
23. Amendment of subsections (b), (b)(4)-(5), (b)(7) and (b)(9), new subsection (b)(26), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (b)(33) filed 2-9-2010; operative 3-1-2010 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2010, No. 7).
24. Repealer of subsections (b)(22)-(25) and (b)(30) and subsection renumbering filed 12-27-2012; operative 1-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(Register 2012, No. 52).
25. Amendment of subsections (b)(10) and (b)(15) filed 2-23-2015; operative 2/23/2015 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2015, No. 9).
26. Amendment of subsection (b)(22) and amendment of Note filed 2-25-2019; operative 3/1/2019 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2019, No. 9).
27. Amendment filed 3-1-2021; operative 3/1/2021 pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 265 (Register 2021, No. 10). (Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20.)
28. Amendment of subsections (b)(5) and (b)(8), repealer of subsections (b)(9), (b)(11), (b)(13)-(14) and (b)(18), subsection renumbering and amendment of newly designated subsection (b)(14) filed 12-6-2022; operative 12/6/2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) and Fish and Game Code section 265 (Register 2022, No. 49).