Question: I do a lot of fishing/crabbing off the beach in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve heard from my fellow anglers that you can have as many poles on the beach as long as you can manage them. Is this true? What’s the rule on how many lines/poles you can have on the beach for one person? (Leslie)

Answer: Generally, an angler can use as many lines as they’d like while fishing in the ocean. However, there are exceptions – one of which definitely applies to your question if you’re fishing inside the Bay. When fishing for finfish in the San Francisco Bay, only one line with no more than three hooks may be used, per California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, section 28.65(a). Also, Dungeness crab may not be taken from or possessed if taken from San Francisco Bay (CCR Title 14, section 28.85(a)(1)).

As far as the number of lines an angler can use, the following rules apply statewide: 1) When fishing on a public pier, no more than two rods and lines, two hand lines, or two nets or traps or other fishing appliances may be used to take crabs (CCR Title 14, section 28.65(b)). 2) When fishing for, or in possession of, rockfish, lingcod, greenlings, Pacific halibut, white sturgeon or cabezon, only one line may be used (CCR Title 14, sections 28.65(c), 28.20(d)(1) and 27.90(d)). 3) Only one line may be used when fishing for, or in possession of, salmon north of Point Conception (CCR Title 14, section 28.65(e)).