Sheephead
Semicossyphus pulcher
Eating Quality
Fight Rating
Catch Heatmap (28 days)
About
Striking fish with males showing black head/tail and red body. Start as females, change sex. Lobster-like white meat.
California SheepheadFathead
Typical Catch Size
5 lbs
avg weight
2–20
weight range (lbs)
12–36"
length
CA Regulations (CDFW)
12"
minimum keep length
5
daily bag limit
📋 5 per day; 12" minimum
⚠️ Regulations change — always verify with CDFW before your trip.
Habitat & Season
🌊
Habitat
Rocky reefs and kelp beds, 10–280ft.
📅
Season
Year-round
Data Sources
SportfishingReport.com
Daily catch data · Dock reports · Party boat totals
CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW)
Official regulations · Bag limits · Size minimums
W
Wikipedia
Biology · Distribution · Taxonomy
Catch statistics aggregated from public sportfishing reports. Size/weight data represents typical party boat catches in SoCal waters.
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