← All species·§4.4a in SPECIES-EVIDENCE.md

Yellowfin Croaker

◯

Umbrina roncador

Sciaenidae (drums and croakers)Prefers 62–72°F

Habitat & range

Where they live

CA range

Magdalena Bay → Point Conception

Habitat types

Sandy surf zoneSandy pier

Water temp

62–72°F preferred

Life history

Biology

Lifespan~7 years

Size at maturityReaches 20"; common 12–15"

SpawningSummer (June–August)

DietSand crabs, clams, worms

Behavior

When they bite

Tide preferenceIncoming + outgoing equally — surf-zone scavenger

Time of dayDawn, dusk, night

Pressure biasAny

Field ID

How to identify

Yellow fins (vivid); silvery body with diagonal wavy stripes; single chin barbel

Look-alikes

Spotfin croaker (black spot on gill cover); White croaker (cooler-water specialist, has pencil-line markings); Corbina (longer body, different fin coloring)

Robert's pick

How to catch

Best baitGhost shrimp > mussel > bloodworm > soft-shell sand crab

Best rigHigh-low 2-hook rig, 1/2–1 oz pyramid weight, #6 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks

California regulations

No min size, no bag limit specifically; combined Sciaenidae limits apply

Always verify current regulations on the CDFW site.

Where to fish for Yellowfin Croaker

SoCal hotspots

Top spots from the doc: Hermosa Beach Pier (specifically called out by local angler reports) · every sandy surf beach in summer

All spots in the TideRead catalog that target YF Croaker (3):

Hermosa Beach Pier

Hermosa Beach · Los Angeles

Redondo–Torrance Beach (incl. RAT)

Torrance · Los Angeles

Topaz Street Jetty

Redondo Beach · Los Angeles

Sources

· CDFW Croaker family page

Full citations + cross-references in SPECIES-EVIDENCE.md §4.4a.

Yellowfin Croaker

How to catch a yellowfin croaker

Yellowfin Croaker

Where they live

Biology

When they bite

How to identify

How to catch

SoCal hotspots