Spearfishing at Little Corona?

[Prodigal Son]

Does anyone know if spearfishing is still legal at Little Corona? Years ago, I used to spearfish there. However, I now see an orange sign posted saying that it's a marine preserve with a $500 fine for any game taken. But when I contacted the Newport Beach Lifeguard post, they said spearfishing was legal so long as you did it oustide the public swimming area marked by the buoys. Also, a recently published book detailing Calif. dive spots stated that game gathering was legal there. Does anyone know the truth?

[Blackfoot]

ok, here is the deal with little corona. you can spearfish it, but as long as you stay outside of the "swimmers area." But the only problem is, if the beach is packed they will not let you launch from the beach with your speargun. the sign/rule states you are not allowed to transport anything metallic/hard, etc across the beach into the water. I know this because i floattube fish that area alot for halibut. if you go early in the morning before the lifegaurds get there then your fine... you will have to share the water with the scuba classes they have there almost every morning. When floattube fishing the area we would be fine till the lifegaurds got there... then they would tell us to move outside of the swimmers area or come back in...then we would move outside of the swimmers area... fish for a bit....but then have to come back in on the beach to land our tubes. The lifegaurds would ALWAYS come hassle us.... but we would argue with them that they say nothing to scuba divers that are there every morning.... its kind of "just look the other way" attitude. But just remember, if you go there and they hassle you and there are divers then they have to tell the divers to get out as well. But they will never call the Game Wardens. But honestly, i would look for other areas to dive, its all sandy, i have NEVER caught a legal halibut there and there are LOTS and LOTS of sand sharks and leopard sharks. i hope this helps.

sask

[Prodigal Son]

Thanks Sask! That info helps a lot.

[DanR]

Hye Prod,
I grew up poleing all along that stretch of coast and Sask is right about little corona, mostly sand and picked over by lots of folks for years. If you can do the drive, go to the Dana Point break wall/harbor. It lists all the fish that you arent' able to take on a sign, and most of them have gone for years anyway. If you are willing to walk out a ways on the breakwall not even many fisherman go there and the rocks are filled with opal eye and sometimes sheepshead (my fav). There is also a marine research museum there and they will be able to tell you exactly what you can or can't take (and probably show you too). Good luck!

[Prodigal Son]

Thanks Dan. I've never spearfished Dana Point. Just visited it (Doheny) after along hiatus. Are boats a problem in the area you just described? How far is it from Doheny beach?