After spawning, the males immediately retreat toward the water while the female twists free and returns with the next wave. While spawning may take only 30 seconds, some fish remain stranded on the beach for several minutes. Spawning occurs from March through August, and occasionally in February and September. Peak spawning period is between late March and early June. Once mature, an individual may spawn during successive runs at about 15-day intervals.
Females can spawn as many as six times during a season.
Mature females lay between 1,600 and 3,600 eggs during one spawn, with the larger females producing more eggs. The eggs are deposited during the highest tides of the month and incubate in the sand during the lower tide levels, safe from the disturbance of wave action. The eggs are kept moist by residual water in the sand. The eggs hatch during the next high tide series when they are inundated with sea water and agitated by rising surf. This occurs after about 10 days.