The California field guide
Ichthyopedia
The most in-depth field guide to California's marine species. It contains every species you'll meet on a Southern California dive, with the rest of the coast in progress. Click a card for nearly every piece of information you could want to know about the species: regulations, seasonality, edibility, the spearfishing brief, and more.
About rarity: each species' rarity is based on how abundant it is at diveable depths and how hard it is to spot. Rarity to a diver can be very different from rarity to a fisherman.
All marine life
219 of 219 species
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KelpSpearfishing
Calico Bass
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Zebra Perch
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Black Perch
KelpSpearfishing
Halfmoon
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Opaleye
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Barred Sand Bass
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Surf Perch
Rocky ReefObserve
Rock Wrasse
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
California Scorpionfish
BaySpearfishing
Spotted Sand Bass
KelpObserve
Garibaldi
KelpObserve
Blacksmith
BayObserve
Leopard Shark
BayObserve
Bat Ray
Rocky ReefObserve
Horn Shark
Surf ZoneHarvest
California Grunion
KelpSpearfishing
Blue Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Gopher Rockfish
KelpSpearfishing
Olive Rockfish
KelpSpearfishing
Kelp Rockfish
Rocky ReefHarvest
California Spiny Lobster
Rocky ReefHarvest
Red Sea Urchin
BayHarvest
Dungeness Crab
Rocky ReefHarvest
Rock Scallop
Rocky ReefObserve
Quillback Rockfish
Rocky ReefHarvest
Purple Sea Urchin
Sandy FlatsObserve
Diamond Stingray
Surf ZoneObserve
Round Stingray
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Yellowtail Rockfish
BayObserve
Shovelnose Guitarfish
KelpObserve
Giant Kelpfish
KelpObserve
SeΓ±orita
BaySpearfishing
Striped Mullet
BayObserve
Topsmelt
PelagicSpearfishing
Pacific Mackerel
BaySpearfishing
Diamond Turbot
Rocky ReefObserve
Salema
BayObserve
Brown Smoothhound
BaySpearfishing
Shiner Perch
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Redtail Surfperch
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Silver Surfperch
Rocky ReefObserve
Dwarf Perch
Sandy FlatsObserve
Thornback Ray
Rocky ReefObserve
California Golden Gorgonian
Rocky ReefObserve
Strawberry Anemone
KelpHarvest
Kellet's Whelk
BayObserve
Moon Jelly
TidepoolsHarvest
California Mussel
Rocky ReefObserve
Giant Keyhole Limpet
KelpHarvest
Wavy Turban Snail
TidepoolsObserve
California Sea Hare
Rocky ReefHarvestObserve
Red Octopus
Rocky ReefHarvestObserve
Giant Pacific Octopus
TidepoolsObserve
Monkeyface Prickleback
TidepoolsObserve
Rock Prickleback
Sandy FlatsObserve
California Lizardfish
Sandy FlatsHarvest
Yellow Rock Crab
Rocky ReefObserve
Warty Sea Cucumber
BayObserve
Spotted Turbot
Rocky ReefObserve
Blackeye Goby
Surf ZoneHarvest
Sand Crab
KelpSpearfishing
California Sheephead
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Yellowfin Croaker
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Sargo
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Pile Perch
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Spotfin Croaker
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
California Corbina
PelagicSpearfishing
California Barracuda
Rocky ReefObserve
Moray Eel
PelagicSpearfishing
Pacific Bonito
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Cabezon
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Lingcod
KelpSpearfishing
Kelp Greenling
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Copper Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Grass Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Treefish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Vermilion Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
China Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Black-and-Yellow Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Brown Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Widow Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Chilipepper Rockfish
Rocky ReefHarvestObserve
Verrill's Two-Spot Octopus
Rocky ReefObserve
Blue-Banded Goby
Rocky ReefObserve
Ochre Sea Star
BaySpearfishing
Jacksmelt
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Rubberlip Seaperch
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Black Croaker
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
White Croaker
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Queenfish
PelagicObserve
Northern Anchovy
PelagicObserve
Pacific Sardine
Sandy FlatsObserve
Sarcastic Fringehead
PelagicHarvest
California Market Squid
BayObserve
Gray Smoothhound
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Walleye Surfperch
KelpObserve
Kelp Perch
BaySpearfishing
White Seaperch
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Rainbow Seaperch
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Calico Surfperch
Rocky ReefObserve
Reef Perch
Rocky ReefObserve
Red Gorgonian
Rocky ReefObserve
Giant Green Anemone
Rocky ReefHarvest
Sheep Crab
KelpObserve
Bat Star
Rocky ReefObserve
Wolf-Eel
TidepoolsHarvestObserve
California Two-Spot Octopus
Rocky ReefHarvest
Brown Rock Crab
Sandy FlatsObserve
Hornyhead Turbot
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Fantail Sole
Sandy FlatsObserve
California Tonguefish
Rocky ReefObserve
Zebra Goby
Rocky ReefObserve
Island Kelpfish
KelpObserve
Spotted Kelpfish
Surf ZoneHarvest
Pismo Clam
Sandy FlatsObserve
Plainfin Midshipman
Rocky ReefObserve
Giant-spined Sea Star
BayObserve
Pacific Staghorn Sculpin
Sandy FlatsObserve
Onespot Fringehead
PelagicSpearfishing
Jack Mackerel
PelagicObserve
California Flyingfish
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Pacific Butterfish
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
C-O Sole
TidepoolsObserve
Crevice Kelpfish
Rocky ReefObserve
Mussel Blenny
BayObserve
Bay Blenny
TidepoolsObserve
Rockpool Blenny
PelagicObserve
Round Herring
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
English Sole
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Sand Sole
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Southern Rock Sole
Uncommon
Sandy FlatsObserve
Xantus' Swimming Crab
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Ocean Whitefish
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
Shortfin Corvina
PelagicSpearfishing
California Yellowtail
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Black Rockfish
Rocky ReefObserve
Yelloweye Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Rock Greenling
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Rosy Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Starry Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Honeycomb Rockfish
Sandy FlatsObserve
Calico Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Bocaccio
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Canary Rockfish
Rocky ReefObserve
Cowcod
Rocky ReefObserve
Bronzespotted Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Squarespot Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Greenstriped Rockfish
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Redbanded Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Flag Rockfish
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Greenspotted Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Greenblotched Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Speckled Rockfish
Sandy FlatsObserve
Halfbanded Rockfish
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Sunset Rockfish
Rocky ReefObserve
Swell Shark
KelpObserve
Sevengill Shark
PelagicObserve
Soupfin Shark
PelagicSpearfishing
Dorado
BaySpearfishing
Striped Bass
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Pacific Sanddab
PelagicObserve
Ocean Sunfish
PelagicObserve
Blue Shark
PelagicObserve
Pacific Spiny Dogfish
PelagicObserve
Smooth Hammerhead
PelagicObserve
Bigeye Thresher
KelpSpearfishing
Sharpnose Seaperch
Rocky ReefSpearfishing
Striped Seaperch
Surf ZoneObserve
Spotfin Surfperch
Rocky ReefObserve
Pink Seaperch
Sandy FlatsObserve
Pacific Electric Ray
BayObserve
California Butterfly Ray
Sandy FlatsObserve
Banded Guitarfish
Sandy FlatsObserve
Big Skate
BayObserve
California Skate
Rocky ReefObserve
Spotted Ratfish
PelagicObserve
Pelagic Stingray
Rocky ReefObserve
Spanish Shawl
PelagicObserve
Purple-Striped Jelly
Sandy FlatsObserve
Speckled Sanddab
Rocky ReefHarvest
Red Rock Crab
Sandy FlatsObserve
Longfin Sanddab
Sandy FlatsObserve
Hardtail Conger
BayObserve
East Pacific Green Sea Turtle
BaySpearfishing
Starry Flounder
BayObserve
Pacific Herring
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Petrale Sole
PelagicObserve
Pelagic Red Crab
BayObserve
Longjaw Mudsucker
BayObserve
Whitebait Smelt
Surf ZoneObserve
Surf Smelt
Surf ZoneObserve
Night Smelt
BayObserve
California Bonefish
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Bigmouth Sole
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Butter Sole
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Curlfin Sole
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Northern Rock Sole
KelpSpearfishing
White Seabass
Surf ZoneSpearfishing
California Halibut
KelpObserve
Giant Black Sea Bass
PelagicSpearfishing
Yellowfin Tuna
Sandy FlatsObserve
Pacific Angel Shark
Rocky ReefObserve
Red Abalone
PelagicSpearfishing
Pacific Bluefin Tuna
PelagicObserve
Common Thresher Shark
PelagicObserve
Shortfin Mako Shark
PelagicObserve
White Shark
PelagicObserve
Basking Shark
Rocky ReefObserve
Sunflower Star
PelagicSpearfishing
Wahoo
PelagicSpearfishing
Albacore Tuna
PelagicSpearfishing
Bigeye Tuna
PelagicObserve
Swordfish
PelagicObserve
Striped Marlin
PelagicObserve
Blue Marlin
PelagicObserve
Black Marlin
PelagicObserve
Opah
PelagicSpearfishing
Pompano Dolphinfish
Sandy FlatsSpearfishing
Pacific Halibut

Spearfishing