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Serranidae
Barred Sand Bass
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Field guide · §4.7

Barred Sand Bass

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Paralabrax nebulifer
Serranidae
Water
62-72°F
Best time
Crepuscular
Tide
Incoming
14" minBag 5 combined (Calico + Sand + Spotted)
Robert's pick

How to catch a barred sand bass

Bait
4" swimbait on a 1/2 oz leadhead
Rig
Leadhead + swimbait combo, brown/smoke/pearl colors
Technique
Cast parallel to structure, slow retrieve along sand-rock interface. Drag-and-pause on the bottom.
When they bite
Tide preference
Incoming, slack-high (moves onto structure with rising water)
Time of day
Crepuscular — dawn/dusk peaks
Pressure
Rising
Moon bias
Any
Sources
  • · CDFW Sand Bass species account + Nearshore FMP
  • · CDFW spawning closure history (2013)
Full citations in SPECIES-EVIDENCE.md §4.7.
← All species·§4.7 in SPECIES-EVIDENCE.md

Barred Sand Bass

◆
Paralabrax nebulifer
SerranidaePrefers 62–72°F14" minBag: 5 combined (Calico + Sand + Spotted)
Habitat & range

Where they live

CA range
Bahía Magdalena → Santa Cruz
Habitat types
Inner harborJetty into sandSandy pier (deep)
Water temp
62–72°F preferred
Life history

Biology

Lifespan24+ years
Size at maturity~9–10" / ~3 years
SpawningLate spring–summer (June–August) in deep-water aggregations 60–120 ft. CDFW closed targeted fishing on these aggregations in 2013 due to declines.
DietAnchovy, smelt, squid, octopus, crustaceans
PredatorsSea lions, large halibut
Behavior

When they bite

Tide preferenceIncoming, slack-high (moves onto structure with rising water)
Time of dayCrepuscular — dawn/dusk peaks
Pressure biasRising
Moon biasAny
Field ID

How to identify

Uniform brown-gray, faint vertical bars on sides, large mouth, body more elongated than calico

Look-alikes

Calico (more mottled, has pale dorsal spots); Spotted Bay Bass (spotted, smaller)

Robert's pick

How to catch

Best bait4" swimbait on a 1/2 oz leadhead
Best rigLeadhead + swimbait combo, brown/smoke/pearl colors
TechniqueCast parallel to structure, slow retrieve along sand-rock interface. Drag-and-pause on the bottom.
California regulations
Min size14"
Bag limit5 combined (Calico + Sand + Spotted)

Always verify current regulations on the CDFW site.

Where to fish for Barred Sand Bass

SoCal hotspots

Top spots from the doc: Cabrillo Pier · King Harbor · Alamitos Bay · Newport Harbor · OB Jetty
All spots in the TideRead catalog that target Sand Bass (12):
Alamitos Bay
Long Beach · Los Angeles
Belmont Pier
Long Beach · Los Angeles
Cabrillo Pier · San Pedro
San Pedro · Los Angeles
Channel Islands Harbor
Oxnard · Ventura
Long Beach Breakwater
Long Beach · Los Angeles
Marina del Rey Jetty
Marina del Rey · Los Angeles
Newport Harbor Jetty
Newport Beach · Orange County
OB Jetty
Ocean Beach · San Diego
Oceanside Harbor
Oceanside · San Diego
Redondo Beach Pier
Redondo Beach · Los Angeles
Seal Beach Pier
Seal Beach · Orange County
Topaz Street Jetty
Redondo Beach · Los Angeles
Did you know

Barred sand bass form huge offshore spawning aggregations in summer — once a major sport fishery but now voluntarily off-limits during spawn to allow population recovery.

Sources
  • · CDFW Sand Bass species account + Nearshore FMP
  • · CDFW spawning closure history (2013)
Full citations + cross-references in SPECIES-EVIDENCE.md §4.7.