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23+ Best Fishing Spots for Kids in Orange County

23+ Best Fishing Spots for Kids in Orange County

When asked for the best fishing spots for kids in Orange County, I decided to cover all the places to fish in Orange County — and leave it up to you to decide if it’s kid-friendly since everyone has different definitions of this when it comes to fishing.

I’ve been asked this question a lot over the years, so I am happy to finally publish this list! Thanks to all of you who helped me get the list going! I’ll dive deep into:

  • programs to introduce kids to fishing,
  • pier fishing in OC,
  • where to fish in Orange County (listed by north, central, south + outside OC),
  • fish planting schedules,
  • some basic fishing safety and etiquette,
  • whether you need fishing licenses for kids,
  • instances when you might not need a license,
  • how to get fishing licenses,
  • and the cost of licenses.

Programs to Introduce Kids to Fishing

Fishing in the City (California Fish and Wildlife) – has a lot of great resources for Teaching Your Child to fish and even videos and fishing clinics offered regionally.

Dana Wharf Sunday Kids Fishing Clinic – “Dana Wharf Sportfishing invites children under 14 years of age to join us dockside for an educational fishing clinic. Kids will learn hands-on-fishing techniques from our expert- anglers. After each Sunday clinic concludes, Dana Wharf will be running a fishing trip from 12:45 – 5:15; Adults are $61.00 and Minors (under 14) are $55.00.” Prices subject to change.

OC Parks FREE Kids Fishing Derby’s happen at different parks throughout the year. The best way to find out about them are to follow their OCParks social media. The next one on the calendar is:

Pier Fishing in Orange County

Where can I fish in Orange County?

The wisdom is that you start somewhere that you are sure to catch something and that will build the interest and patience to fish elsewhere. Unfortunately, I can’t personally vouch for any of these spots, but many were recommended to me by parents.

North Orange County Fishing Spots

Carbon Canyon Regional Park – 4-acre lake with two piers for fishing. $3-$5 fee for parking (higher for some holidays and events). Restrooms available.

Laguna Lake in Fullerton – Free parking. Restrooms available.

Yorba Regional Park Lake in Anaheim near Yorba Linda – Series of 4 lakes available for fishing. $3-$5 fee for parking (higher for some holidays and events). Restrooms available.

Clark Regional Park Lake in Buena Park – Fishing in stocked 3-acre lake. $3-$5 fee for parking (higher for some holidays and events). Restrooms available.

Craig Regional Park in Fullerton – 3-acre lake with fishing for catfish and bluegill. $3-$5 fee for parking (higher for some holidays and events). Restrooms available.

Tri-City Park Lake in Placentia – 8-acre lake with fishing for catfish and bluegill. Free parking. Restrooms available.

Central Orange County Fishing Spots

Irvine Lake run by OC Parks – Open to shoreline fishing only, Fridays through Sundays. No fishing license required, but fishing limits apply. Definitely read all the rules & regulations about rods per person and approved baits before you go. Parking is $5. Portable toilets.

Mile Square Park Lake in Fountain Valley – 2 fishing lakes. $3-$5 fee for parking (higher for some holidays and events). Restrooms available.

Woodbridge Lake in Irvine (catch & release only for Woodbridge residents with fishing permits only)

Carr Park Lake in Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach Central Park – Fishing is permitted in Huntington Lake (west side of the park) and Talbert Lake (library side of the park). Fish from shore. Free parking. Restrooms available. Info specifically on fishing lakes can be found on the City of HB website.

Huckleberry Pond in Anaheim (Santa Ana River Lakes) – One of the top recommendations is to start kids at Huckleberry Pond at Santa Ana Fishing Lakes. So this spot is definitely a top choice for kids, although it’s kind of a more “park setting” fishing experience and it will cost you $7 entrance, $10 rod rental, and fish are $12 per pound (no catch & release). Open only on weekends from 9am-3pm – but always check official website to make sure they are open on the day you choose to go.

Santa Ana River Lakes in Anaheim – This is a pay-to-fish option with admission fees with lots of rules & regulations, but no fishing license required. You can rent pontoon boats here and there is sometimes overnight camping and night fishing offered. For instance, for Labor Day weekend they are advertising this: “Now here is the Big News: DOUBLE STOCKING THIS WEEK – Santa Ana River Lakes will be stocking TWICE this week. One truck with catfish & tilapia will come Thursday and ANOTHER truck with more Imperial Catfish will come Saturday. We will have overnight sessions Friday, Saturday & a BONUS overnight session on Sunday for the Labor Day weekend. Fish & camp from 5pm to 4pm the next day. Fish overnight, fish right next to your camp site!“

Eisenhower Park Lake in Orange

South Orange County Fishing Spots

Laguna Niguel Regional Park Lake – 44-acre lake with fishing for trout, (winter only) and bass and catfish, (year-round). Note that access to east side of the lake is closed “due to Phase 1 construction of the Moulton Niguel Water District Regional Force Main Replacement Project.”  However, fishing is generally along the west side of the lake anyways. $3-$5 fee for parking (higher for some holidays and events). Restrooms available.

Lago Santa Margarita in Rancho Santa Margarita – 11.5-acre lake with multiple fishing points for SAMLARC residents. Residents will know there is fishing from the grassy areas in the shade or on the rocky spots. There are benches in some places, just pay attention to any “No Fishing” markings on the sidewalk. Signs also ask you to: “Properly dispose of all fishing hooks & lines” and tell the story that “Unattended hooks and lines in the water and along the shoreline have caused injuries and fatalities to wildlife.”

Outside Orange County

Over the water cabins at Santee Lakes in San Diego County

El Dorado Park in Long Beach – fish at two stocked fishing lakes

Don Knabe Community Regional Park Lake in Cerritos

La Mirada Regional Park in LA County

Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas – “ALL California Department of Fish & Game laws are strictly enforced. A valid California Fishing License is required for every person 16 years of age and older. Fishing is allowed around the lake except off of the sand beaches, boat docks and within 100 feet of any launch ramp. Catch Limits – Trout: 5 / Catfish: 10 / Bass: 5 -must be 12″ or longer to keep.”

Fishing Safety & Regulations

Keep water safety in mind and keep your eyes on your child. For instance, the CDFW recommends: “If fishing from a pier, boat or near deep water, wear a properly sized U.S. Coast Guard approved floatation device.”

Always be careful of hooks! Especially with the kids, there are barbs on the hooks that make them painful to get out!

Dispose of any used line or hooks so as not to harm other wildlife. See the white pipe in the photo below? That’s the spot to dispose of any used fishing line or hooks. It’s a huge problem and everyone can do their part to protect these natural places!

It is important to know how to identify the fish you caught and if it’s a legal catch — meaning you are allowed to take that species and that it meets the required measurement. I remember my dad had a fishing ruler/identification guide that we could lie down on the ground and lay the fish on to measure it and see if it met the size limits. Looked something like this one from Salty Bones (for West Coast fish!) but just make sure it fits for your freshwater or saltwater fishing.

Be aware of California Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) of the Pacific Ocean and shoreline where fishing or collecting is NEVER allowed.

Fish Planting Schedules

Do kids need a fishing license?

In California, kids under 16 years of age do NOT need a fishing license. If you are fishing with them and reeling in the fish, then you may need a valid license. Always check official sources to confirm!

Can I fish without a license?

According to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, the requirement is for: “A sport fishing license is required for any person attempting to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians, or reptiles in inland or ocean waters. Additional validations and report cards are required for certain species and areas.“

  • A fishing license is NOT required if you are under age 16.
  • There are also TWO “Free Fishing Days” offered by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. For 2024, they are July 6th (already passed) and August 31st. So we still can take advantage of August 31st which is the Saturday of Labor Day weekend!
    • It is only the license requirement that is loosened on these days. The CA-DFW says: “While all fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect, there are two days each year when anyone can fish without purchasing a fishing license.”
  • If you are ages 16 and up, the only places in Orange County a fishing license is NOT required are:
    • Ocean piers – where the rules say: “When recreationally fishing from a “public pier” in ocean or bay waters, a fishing license is not required.” Here is the official website.
    • Irvine Lake (Friday through Sunday)
  • When in doubt, ALWAYS check the official information from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife which enforces the regulations.

How to get a fishing license

Be ready to show your fishing license and ID whenever asked.

  • Before you buy, know WHERE you are planning to fish — and will it be just for a day or two or are you planning to make this your hobby this year? Will you be freshwater fishing or ocean fishing? There may be different costs & requirements for your license depending on your answers. (For instance, if you get a 365 day fishing license and you want to fish in the ocean you will need to add on an “Ocean Enhancement Validation.”)
  • You used to only be able to get your license via going to a tackle shop or special retailers. Now you can get your sport fishing license online for immediate use. An official one will come in the mail, but you can print your temporary proof if you are going to be fishing right away.

How much does the fishing license cost if you are 16 years of age and older?

  • It’s generally going to cost around $20 for a day, around $30 for two days, and about $60 for 365 days. If you are planning to fish on the ocean, there’s that $7 validation to add to make it just under $70 for the year.
  • Residents and non-residents of California pay the same for the one day or two day licenses. But if you are going to get the 365 day license, non-residents pay over $100 more.
  • There are Reduced-Fee options for: disabled veterans, recovering service members, low income seniors, low income Native Americans, and also for mobility impaired, blind, or developmentally-disabled.

So this blog post is by no means a recommendation for any of these spots and shouldn’t be taken as official word on rules and regulations. It’s your responsibility to always refer to official websites linked here when possible to get your official information. I hope it’s at least a starting point for fishing fun! Thanks to all the parents for their recommendations when I asked on Instagram!