Fish

Spotted sand bass

Cabrilla de roca (cabrilla pintada)

Paralabrax maculatofasciatus

SaltwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

1–2 lb.

Depth

3–30 ft.

Best time

Morning and evening.

Found in

3 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Olive-brown bass covered with small black spots, with darker vertical bars on the sides; the third dorsal spine is the longest.
Typical size: 1–2 lb.
Maximum size: About 2 ft.
Diet: Crabs, clams, shrimp and small fish.
Behavior: Lives in calm bays over eelgrass, sand and rocks; bites lures and baits readily.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Southern California, Baja & Sea of Cortez and Pacific Mexico. Bays, harbors and lagoons from southern California (San Diego, Mission and Newport bays) to Mexico, including the Gulf of California.
Habitat: Bays, harbors and lagoons from southern California (San Diego, Mission and Newport bays) to Mexico, including the Gulf of California.
Depth: 3–30 ft.
Fishing depth: 5–20 ft over eelgrass and rocks.
Best season: Spring through fall.
Best time: Morning and evening.
Best tides: Moving tide.
Best weather / conditions: Calm, warm days.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Live bait, shrimp, ghost shrimp and squid.
Best artificial lures: Small soft plastics on a jig head, Carolina rigs and small crankbaits.
Tackle setup: Light to medium spinning rod.
Hook size: 1–2/0.
Line: 8–15 lb.
Leader: 10–15 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

As an Amazon Associate, BigJoe earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep this guide free.

Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Bays, harbors and lagoons from southern California (San Diego, Mission and Newport bays) to Mexico, including the Gulf of California.
Rig up: Light to medium spinning rod. 10–15 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Live bait, shrimp, ghost shrimp and squid. Lures: Small soft plastics on a jig head, Carolina rigs and small crankbaits.
Fish it: Drag small soft plastics slowly over eelgrass and sand in the bays, like bass fishing in a lake.
Time it: Morning and evening. Moving tide.

Fishing techniques: Drag small soft plastics slowly over eelgrass and sand in the bays, like bass fishing in a lake.
BigJoe's tip: Many San Diego anglers release them; they're a great light-tackle fish.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Mild, white meat; fried or in fish tacos.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp dorsal spines.
Regulations: California sets a minimum size and bag limit for sand bass; Mexico has its own rules. Licenses, size and bag limits and seasons are set by each state — the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (wildlife.ca.gov), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (myodfw.com) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (wdfw.wa.gov) — together with NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Rules change often, and many areas are no-take marine reserves: check before you go.
Conservation: Bay habitat is sensitive to pollution.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits