Do you need a special stamp to fish at the beach?

[cyama]

It is so hot I am thinking about heading to the beach to maybe catch some perch or stripers. Do you need a special stamp to fish at the beach?

[Bob Smith]

No and today is free fishing day so a license is not required as well....

[mattv-mcfly]

Only if you're fishing south of Point Arguello in Santa Barbara County.

[Larry S]

It appears that you only need the Ocean Enhancement Validation stamp if fishing
in waters south of Point Arguello (Santa Barbara County.)

[cyama]

Thanks I finally ended up looking up the regulation. I think at one point everyone had to buy an Ocean Enhancement stamp because the last time I went rock fishing about 10 years or so ago you had to buy an ocean stamp. While looking up the regs I found out that all around the Sonoma Coast they have a ton of closed areas called MPAs. They are all along the coast. Pt Reyes, Bodega Head, Double Point, Russian River, Drakes Estero... I spent so much time trying to figure out where you can fish I woke up late. Luckily I think my buddy is going to the Delta early tomorrow.

[tascaso]

Each MPA will have its own set of specific regulations, many will allow surf fishing for finned critters. Not the official jargon but close enough. Just google and look them up.

[Larry S]

FishAlerts is a free (I think) app for your phone. It uses your phone's GPS to show if you
are inside an MPA. Doesn't give restrictions for any MPA; you had best check with locals
or obtain documents from the DFG. Promised follow-up studies have been slow in coming and ,
IMHO, might be suspect. For example, surf perch have virtually disappeared from the San Diego
beaches in spite of large beds of crabs and bean clams. Our salvation has been the croaker
fishing; especially the yellow fin which follow the bait fish around. The perch certainly
were not over fished in this area. Puzzling why we don't see them much lately. Water temps
range from the low 60's to the mid 70's.