Question: I like to catch mudsuckers for eating but can’t figure out if they have a limit. I’ve been told there is a bag limit but the book does not state anything. (Truong A.)

Answer: While some species have fishing regulations that pertain only to them (rockfish, salmon, etc.), there are other species that do not. Species for which there are no specific regulations, such as longjaw mudsuckers, are covered under section 27.60 on page 34 in the current Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet. The daily bag limit for species covered by subsection 27.60(a) is 10 fish of any one species, with a total daily bag limit of 20 fish. This means you can take up to 10 longjaw mudsuckers, plus 10 other fish per day, for a total of 20 fish.

Fish that fall under section 27.60 have no closed fishing seasons (open year-round) or size limits. Regulations pertaining to longjaw mudsuckers can be found in a table at the back of the regulations booklet (see pg. 100). http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/ocean/regulations/sport-fishing.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at [email protected].