California's saltwater fishing rules are spread across hundreds of pages of regulation, and they change by species, by season, and by exactly where you are standing. FishinBud answers the question that actually matters on the water: can I keep this fish, right here, today?
- Know before you cast Pick a spot and a date on the map to see what is open, what is closed, and what the bag and size limits are for that location — including marine protected areas and seasonal groundfish closures.
- Identify your catch Photograph a fish and get an identification drawn from a curated database of California species, along with its current legal status.
- Keep a log Record catches with photos, length and weight, then track your season with per-species statistics.
- Compare notes Share fishing reports and swap local knowledge with other anglers working the same coast.
We are testing with a small group of anglers before a wider release.
Ask about the betaAlways verify before you keep a fish. FishinBud is a planning aid, not a legal authority. Regulations change, and the final word belongs to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.