How to Go on a Grunion Run

What to expect

Grunion are not folklore, and they really do run. The following steps guide you to the best places and times to view the grunion (Leuresthes tenuis) running and how to create optimal conditions for viewing. If you plan to fish, there is guidance about the law and caution about grunion's precarious place in the ecosystem.

Things You'll Need

• Grunion run schedule
• Flashlight
• Fishing license
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Research where and when grunion run. They run, or spawn, along the coast of Southern California but come to shore as far north as San Francisco. Peak of the season is generally April through June. Best times of night to hit the beaches range from 9:15 p.m. to after midnight. Since grunion spawning is consistent, predictions and schedules are released a year in advance. The California Department of Fish and Game Marine Region provides hard-copy schedules and posts them on their website. For a paper copy, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Grunion, California Department of Fish and Game Marine Region, 4665 Lampson Avenue, Suite C, Los Alamitos, CA 90720, or visit the Fish and Game website (see Resources below).

2. 

   Find a lightly populated end of a beach. This may not be easy to do, but try. Keep fires and other lights to a minimum. When a wave recedes, you can use a flashlight to see the fish.

3. 

   Don't give up too soon. People leave too early and miss the spectacle. Be patient. Go early, leave late.

4. If you plan to fish, bring a current fishing license. You cannot dig holes to try to catch grunion. You are allowed to try to catch them with your hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Grunion are not abundant. They are threatened by pollution and harbor construction. Consider attending a grunion run for the spectacle and preserve the fish.

Resources

• California Fish and Game Marine Region website, grunion pages
• Cabrillo Marine Aquarium grunion page
• Grunion.org