Who is down for a Grunion Run (March 14-16th, 2025)

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Grunion

Fr    3/14    10:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Sa    3/15    10:50 p.m. - 12:50 a.m.
Su    3/16    11:10 p.m. - 1:10 a.m.
Mo    3/17    11:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.

Who might be interested in an old fashioned grunion run this year?  The first dates are in ~6 weeks so plenty of time to plan. We scored next to zero on our first attempt years ago    Maybe find a spot down south where grunion are more abundant?  Reply if you are at all interested!

Interested, if location is not too far from Monterey.

Sounds like fun but not sure where we would have to go....?

Troy

Looks like it's south of Morro Bay. Long drive for 30 tiny fish.

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Grunion

I'm down.  Grew up in SoCal and always wanted to try this ....

I did this a few years ago in Monterey and got 1. Yes, just 1...

I did this a few years ago in Monterey and got 1. Yes, just 1...

At least you got 1.  I tried and no show!

Combine it with the lobster closer and you've hedged your bets. Both nighttime activities though...

Grunion can be found from Tomales Bay, California to Bahia Magdalena, Baja California and are most abundant south of Point Conception.

Well, one at a time I guess it could still be fun 


Rick has the better idea, head down for the lobster opener and give both a try! 

Last time I scored on grunions was in 1975 in Redondo Beach. People standing in the water could see the grunion massed off shore but they were not coming in. I told them to get out of the water and wait for the SECOND wave to hit the beach. Seemed like the first wave was testing issues. Several minutes after the small first wave, they all came in all along the beach. I ended up with a 5 gallon bucketful...all caught by hand (no tools allowed).

Can't fill up a bucket anymore. The current daily limit is 30.

I didn’t even know what a grunion was until now. I’d love to see a run.  But I’m a lazy man and don’t want to drive (…well it’s more the work / family thing preventing me. But I’m lazy too).  If you get them to come farther north, I’ll be there!

Its funner to just kick back and drink.

I might be down for this, but where we talking?

I've witnessed these runs 2 times and it really is awesome to see a whole beach sparkling at night. Its so cool how they manage to bury themselves ass first, do their thang, and swim out with the next wave.   

Well the DFG has this to say on locations:

Best Locations

Grunion runs will occur on most Southern California beaches, but may not occur every night on the same beaches and may be limited to small areas of any one beach. The ends of beaches are often the best spots. Some of the beaches in Southern California that are known to have runs are: the beach between Morro Bay and Cayucos, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa Beach, Cabrillo Beach, Long Beach, Belmont Shore, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Doheny Beach, Del Mar, La Jolla, Mission Beach and the Coronado Strand. The beaches near Ensenada in Baja California also have good runs.

I dont know squat about these locations, I rarely go anywhere south (maybe 3-4 times in my life).  I would be down for a overnight or weekend trip to do this, I'd even drive a Muggle down with me or two to do it    We of course would sit back and drink waiting for the right time to pounce