“ASHORE TO SPAWN” ON ALL CALIFORNIA BEACHES

The grunion is running nightly on the beaches in LA, from approximately 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm. This phenomenon happens every couple of weeks during the Spring and Summer all along the Coast of Southern California. Grunion come up onto the beach by the hundreds, to lay and fertilize their eggs.  This is an experience you just won’t want to miss!

GRUNION RUN SCHEDULE 2023

MAY (OBSERVATION ONLY) DO NOT TOUCH THE FISH 

• 5/5 Fri  9:30 pm – 11:30 pm
• 5/6 Sat  10:05 pm – 12:05 am
• 5/7 Sun  10:40 pm – 12:40 am
• 5/8 Mon  11:20 pm – 1:20 am

• 5/19 Fri  9:30 pm – 11:30 pm
• 5/20 Sat  10:00 pm – 11:59 pm
• 5/21 Sun  10:35 pm – 12:35 am
• 5/22 Mon  11:10 pm – 1:10 am

JUNE (OBSERVATION ONLY)

• 6/4 Sun  9:45 pm – 11:45 pm
• 6/5 Mon  10:30 pm – 12:30 am
• 6/6 Tue  11:20 pm – 1:20 am
• 6/7 Wed  12:15 am – 2:15 am*

• 6/18 Sun  9:45 pm – 11:45 pm
• 6/19 Mon  10:20 pm – 12:20 am
• 6/20 Tue  10:55 pm – 12:55 am
• 6/21 Wed  11:35 pm – 1:35 am

JULY

• 7/3 Mon  9:40 pm – 11:40 pm
• 7/4 Tue  10:30 pm – 12:30 am
• 7/5 Wed  11:15 pm – 1:15 am
• 7/6 Thu  12:10 am – 2:10 am*

• 7/17 Mon  9:35 pm – 11:30 pm
• 7/18 Tue  10:10 pm – 12:10 am
• 7/19 Wed  10:40 pm – 12:40 am
• 7/20 Thu  11:15 pm – 1:15 am

AUGUST

• 8/1 Tue  9:35 pm – 11:35 pm
• 8/2 Wed  10:20 pm – 12:20 am
• 8/3 Thu  11:10 pm – 1:10 am
• 8/4 Fri  11:59 pm – 2:00 am

• 8/16 Wed  9:55 pm – 11:55 pm
• 8/17 Sun  10:25 pm – 12:25 am
• 8/18 Mon  10:55 pm – 12:55 am
• 8/19 Tues  11:30 pm – 1:30 am

* Where the run starts after midnight, the date of the previous evening is shown.

The Grunion Run is a Natural Phenomenon

The most remarkable life cycles in the sea are completed when the grunion comes ashore to spawn on California beaches. The grunion has been known to many Southern Californians for more than 100 years, but there are still those who are skeptical of its existence. To be invited out in the middle of the night to go and watch fish does sound a little ridiculous, but in reality, this is the only way to observe this natural phenomenon.

California grunions are small, silvery fish found only along the coast of Southern California and northern Baja California. Most people would be unaware of their existence were it not for the unique spawning behavior of these fish. Unlike other fish, grunion comes completely out of the water to lay their eggs in the wet sand of the beach. As if this behavior were not strange enough, grunion make these excursions only on particular nights, and with such regularity that the time of their arrival on the beach can be predicted a year in advance. This phenomenon can be seen on many beaches in Southern California. Shortly after high tide, on certain nights, sections of these beaches are sometimes covered with thousands of grunion depositing their eggs in the sand.

Grunion watching has become a popular sport in Southern California. Since these fish leave the water to deposit their eggs, they may be observed on shore while they are briefly stranded.

For additional information, visit the website @

https://www.californiabeaches.com/grunion-run-schedule/

Find more