News Archive

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and its partners have initiated a second year of spring-run Chinook salmon reintroduction efforts into historic habitat in the North Yuba River.

Capitalizing on good weather and even better fishing, the 7,500 Chinook fall harvest guideline was reached during the Sept. 4-7 recreational ocean salmon fishery. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates that 12,000 Chinook salmon were taken by 12,400 anglers in the brief fall season between Pt. Reyes and Pt. Sur. The National Marine Fisheries Service took in-season action on Sept. 17 to close the remaining 2025 fall dates of Sept 29-30, October 1-5, and October 27-31.

California’s June 7-8 Ocean salmon season offered some of the best fishing many longtime anglers can remember. Fast action, quick limits and bustling harbors characterized the weekend along much of the coast with a hot salmon bite reported as far south as San Luis Obispo County. Excellent ocean conditions from Crescent City all the way down to Avila Beach allowed anglers to get out both days and try to catch the iconic sport fish in ocean waters for the first time since 2022.

After two years of closure, the recreational ocean salmon fishery will open statewide for two days on June 7-8, 2025.

On Friday, May 16, 2025, the National Marine Fisheries Service published the annual West Coast salmon fishing regulations for federal waters, including those for California’s limited ocean recreational salmon season.