Lobster season opens Friday, Oct 2 at 6 PM
California's recreational spiny lobster season opens Friday evening and runs through March 17. Here are the dates, the key rules and the conditions to check before you dive.
- Opens
- Fri, Oct 2, 6 PM
- Closes
- Wed, Mar 17
- Daily limit
- 7 lobsters
The 2026-27 recreational spiny lobster season opens at 6 PM on Friday, Oct 2, and closes at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. The opener falls on a Friday evening, so many divers start with a night dive.
The key rules
- Report card: everyone fishing for lobster needs a Spiny Lobster Report Card, at any age. Anyone 16 or older also needs a fishing license.
- Limit: 7 lobsters per person per day.
- Size: the carapace must be at least 3¼ inches. Measure before you bag it.
- Divers take lobster by hand only.
Rules change, so check the CDFW lobster page before you go.
Conditions to check
Small surf is not always calm water underwater. Before a dive, look at three things on the forecast:
- Swell and period: long-period swell makes surge on shallow reefs even when the surf looks small.
- Wind: afternoon onshore wind chops up the surface and makes entries and boat rides rough. Mornings and evenings are usually calmer.
- Water temperature: each region page shows the latest reading and a wetsuit call.
Visibility drops after rain and after a big swell stirs up the bottom, so give it a few calm days if you can.
Santa Barbara
The Channel Islands hold some of the best lobster habitat in the state. No boat? Santa Barbara Boat Charters runs 8 hour day and night lobster trips from Santa Barbara Harbor.