Passport Awards and Recognition

California is home to a great diversity of freshwater and saltwater finfish and shellfish. To encourage anglers to pursue the tremendous variety of fishing experiences California has to offer, the California Department of Fish and Game has developed the Fishing Passport program to assist and guide anglers through a lifetime of fishing adventures.

The California Fishing Passport is the centerpiece of the program. This booklet helps anglers track all of their California fishing experiences by providing a place to record the date, place, and other information for each type of fish caught. Each catch is verified through a witness signature or a photo of the catch, and the passport is stamped by an official stamping agent.

Earning new stamps in your passport identifies you as a versatile, adventurous angler who is adept at successfully tackling new fishing opportunities throughout the state. To recognize the achievements of participating anglers, the California Fishing Passport program provides different levels of awards and recognition as anglers catch new species and gather more stamps. Basically, the more stamps you earn, the more awards and recognition you become eligible to receive!