Question: Is it legal to gaff a keeper salmon in the ocean instead of using a net?

Answer:
In ocean waters it would be legal to gaff a legal-sized salmon pursuant to the California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 28.65(d), but you must still have a landing net that is at least 18 inches in diameter on board to land any undersized fish. In inland waters, CCR Title 14, Section 2.06 makes it illegal to use or possess a gaff throughout California with one exception, which is a section of the Sacramento River below the Deschutes Road Bridge where gaffs three feet or less in length may be used to land legal-sized fish. This exception only applies to anglers fishing from a boat.