SeeCalifornia.com

This 4th of July is a very special time that visitors to California beaches rarely see. After the fireworks have ended the grunion are expected to arrive and begin their tasks of digging their little bodies into the sand to spawn thousands of eggs. While the “grunion run” open season happens approx. 31 days per year (spread over the months of March to September) this 4th of July the State of California Fish & Wildlife Department has designated the 4th as a free fishing day opportunity, only one of two for the entire year!  So, for a brief half hour during the expected run that begins on July 4 at 11:30 p.m. and ends on July 5 at 1:30 a.m.  the fishing opportunity is free. Normally you’d have to purchase a fishing license to catch these slippery fish with your bare hands and put them in a bucket for cooking & eating.

The epicenter of Grunion Running is San Pedro (pictured above) where the annual New Year’s Cabrillo Beach Polar Bear Swim honors grunion with the popular Grunion Dance. What a hoot watching Congresswoman Janice Hahn (pictured in blue swimsuit) try her hand at the Grunion Dance. California beaches are steeped in grunion culture. Old black & white photos show Grunion Runs dating back more than 60 years. So crazy is this unique, annual phenomenon that three episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies included story lines about the grunion on Southern California beaches. If you make it to the Pacific Ocean this holiday your chance of seeing grunion is best between San Diego and Santa Barbara Counties.