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San Diego Lobster Diving Season: Dates, Limits, and Best Spots

Everything San Diego divers need for lobster season: opening dates, bag limits, size rules, best spots, and gear tips for spiny lobster diving.

By Element Team 7 min read
#lobster diving#san diego#spiny lobster#california fishing season#night diving

San Diego Lobster Diving Season: Dates, Limits, and Best Spots

San Diego lobster diving season is the most anticipated event on the California diver calendar. Opening night — the first Saturday in October — sees hundreds of divers entering the water at midnight across the San Diego coast, torches blazing, bags ready. If you’re new to chasing spiny lobster in San Diego, this guide covers everything: the legal framework, the best spots, the gear you need, and how to read conditions for a productive season.

California spiny lobster season runs from the first Saturday in October to the first Wednesday after March 15 the following year. The CDFW announces exact dates annually — confirm before you plan any dive.

Key regulations every San Diego lobster diver must know:

  • Daily bag limit: 7 lobster per person per day
  • Minimum carapace length: 3¼ inches (rear edge of eye socket to rear edge of carapace, along the midline)
  • Measuring gauge: Required to be in your possession — not optional. Lobster measuring gauges are widely available at San Diego dive shops for a few dollars.
  • No take of soft-shelled lobster: Lobster in moult have soft shells and cannot be taken
  • No take of egg-bearing females: Females with visible egg masses on the underside of the tail must be immediately returned
  • No spearing: Lobster must be taken by hand only. Spears, hooks, and traps are not legal for recreational take by divers.

Marine Protected Areas: The La Jolla SMCA, Point Loma State Marine Reserve, and other no-take zones are closed to lobster take year-round, even during open season. MPA boundaries do not change for lobster season.

Best Spots for Lobster Diving in San Diego

Point Loma Rocky Reef

The rocky reef complex off Point Loma — accessible by boat from Mission Bay or Ocean Beach area ramps — is one of San Diego’s most productive lobster grounds. The reef structure from 20 to 60 feet holds lobster in crevices, ledges, and under boulder overhangs.

Point Loma lobster hunting tips:

  • Work the transition zones where flat sand meets rocky structure
  • Bring a powerful torch — crevices go deep and bugs sit well back
  • The outer reef in 40–60 feet produces larger lobster on average; the shallower zones get hammered on opening night

Sunset Cliffs

The Sunset Cliffs reef and crevice system is one of San Diego’s best shore-accessible lobster spots. Entry from the various cliff entry points requires experience — surge assessment before entry is essential. The shallow reef from 10 to 30 feet produces good lobster throughout the season.

Best approach at Sunset Cliffs:

  • Night dives during low or incoming tide for easiest crevice access
  • Bring a secondary light — lobster in deep crevices require angled illumination
  • Work systematically along the base of the cliff faces; lobster often cluster in the same spots season after season

La Jolla Area Reefs (Outside SMCA)

The reefs north of the La Jolla SMCA, including Blacks Beach and Torrey Pines offshore structure, hold lobster throughout the season. Boat or kayak access. The areas closer to the SMCA boundary tend to hold larger animals — but know the line precisely before diving.

Offshore Kelp Beds and Pinnacles

Boat-accessible offshore pinnacles and kelp bed edges beyond the nearshore zones can produce trophy-sized lobster. These spots see less pressure and the lobster are typically larger. Targeting water in the 40–70 foot range on structure at least 2–3 miles offshore rewards the extra fuel cost.

Night Diving for Lobster: What to Expect

Lobster are primarily nocturnal. They leave their shelter crevices after dark to forage. Night dives during lobster season are significantly more productive than daytime dives.

Setup for a productive lobster night dive:

  • Primary torch: High-lumen canister or handheld with at least 2-hour burn time at full output
  • Backup torch: Mandatory. Not a suggestion.
  • Catch bag: Mesh bag that clips to your BCD or weight belt — keep both hands free
  • Gloves: Thick neoprene — lobster antennae and carapace edges are sharp

San Diego night diving specific advice:

  • Inform someone: Always leave a dive plan with a shore contact for night dives
  • Boat traffic: San Diego harbour entrance and nearshore areas have vessel traffic around the clock. Flag and light your diver-down marker clearly.
  • Buddy system: Night diving solo is a serious risk. Dive with a buddy.

Opening Night: The First Saturday in October

Opening night at Point Loma and Sunset Cliffs is a spectacle. By 11:30 PM on the last Friday in September, divers are gearing up on the beach. By midnight there are dozens of lights in the water from the clifftops above Sunset Cliffs.

Opening night produces good results in San Diego, but there are trade-offs:

  • Crowded spots: Popular entry points at Sunset Cliffs and OB will have multiple groups in the water
  • Spooked lobster: The first hour sees a lot of activity — lobster get wise quickly in heavily dived areas
  • Full bag opportunities: Because lobster have been undisturbed since March, the first night often produces limits

Strategy for opening night: pick a spot that isn’t the most popular access point. An extra 10-minute walk or a short paddle can put you in uncrowded water with naive lobster.

Reading Conditions for Lobster Season

Lobster diving is less visibility-dependent than fish spearfishing — you’re hunting with a torch regardless — but conditions still matter:

  • Surge: Low surge is critical for safe crevice work. High surge makes reaching deep into ledges dangerous.
  • Water temperature: San Diego water drops through lobster season, from mid-60s in October to low-to-mid 50s in February. Dress accordingly — a 7mm suit is recommended for November onward.
  • Visibility: Aim for at least 10 feet. Post-storm murk reduces your ability to spot lobster eyes reflecting in the torch beam.

Check the Element app conditions score before each lobster dive. Surge and swell forecasts are especially important for shore entries at spots like Sunset Cliffs — a 4-foot swell that looks manageable from above can create violent surge inside the crevice system.

A Productive San Diego Lobster Season

The combination of San Diego’s rocky reef structure, consistent lobster populations, and accessible dive sites makes local lobster season a highlight of the diver year. Know the regulations cold, carry your gauge every dive, respect the MPA boundaries, and check conditions with the Element app before every entry. Limit after limit is available to the prepared diver.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does lobster season open in San Diego?

California spiny lobster season typically opens the first Saturday in October and runs through the first Wednesday after the 15th of March the following year. The exact dates change annually — always verify with CDFW before diving. The opening night is one of the biggest events on the San Diego diver calendar.

What is the bag limit for spiny lobster in San Diego?

The daily bag limit for California spiny lobster is 7 per person. The minimum carapace length is 3¼ inches, measured from the rear edge of the eye socket along the centre of the carapace to the rear edge. A measuring gauge is required to be in your possession while diving for lobster. Do not take soft or egg-bearing females.

What are the best spots for lobster diving in San Diego?

Top San Diego lobster diving spots include Point Loma kelp beds and rocky reef, Sunset Cliffs crevice systems, La Jolla area reefs outside the SMCA, and offshore kelp beds reachable by boat. Rocky structure, crevices, and ledges in 20–60 feet of water produce the best lobster catches.