Our goals were to describe community structure for larval and juvenile fish, and its temporal and spatial variation in the surf zone of a sandy beach on Si Jiao Island. Fieldwork was conducted monthly at eight stations along the coast of Si Jiao Island from August 2010 to August 2011. Samples were collected using small trawls (1 m × 4 m, 1 mm mesh size) and sampling was repeated three times at each station. Water temperature and salinity were measured at the sampling times. Specimens were fixed in 5% formalin in a seawater solution. A total of 1718 larval and juvenile fish representing 46 species from 28 families was collected. The maximum annual fish catch (634 individuals) was collected at Station 7, whereas the maximum annual species richness occurred at Station 5, where 26 species were collected. However, there was no catch at most stations during winter. The larval and juvenile fish community exhibited significant temporal differences among monthly percentages of the seven most dominant species (dominance index ≥ 0.02).Mugil cephalus was collected from March to May, and was the predominant species in March when it accounted for 96.61% of the catch. Lateolabrax maculatus was collected from March to June, and was predominant in April, accounting for 84.68% of the catch. Engraulis japonicus was collected from May to July and was predominant in May, accounting for 86.54% of the catch. Sagamia geneionema was collected only in May and made up 5.23% of the catch.Terapon jarbua was collected in August and September 2010, and June to August 2011. This species was predominant in September, making up 50.00% of the catch. Liza haematocheila was collected from June to August 2011 and was predominant in July, being 42.00% of the catch. Stolephorus chinensis was collected in August 2010, October 2010, and August 2011, being predominant in August 2011 when it accounted for 84.16％ of the catch. According to cluster and MDS analysis (based on fish species and abundance) the eight sampling months were best divided into 2 groups: March, April, and May of 2011 in group Ⅰ and the remaining months in group Ⅱ. Spatial variation of the larval and juvenile fish community suggested they preferred moderately protected sandy beaches. However, there were also differences in the distribution of the top seven dominant species.E. japonicus occurred mainly at Stations 1, 2, 7, and 8, and accounted for 56.45%, 72.49%, 84.23%, and 46.74% of the catch per station, respectively. L. maculatus occurred primarily at Stations 5, 6, 7, and 8, making up 10.00%, 29.37%, 1.58%, and 16.30% of the catch at each station, respectively. M. cephalus occurred primarily at Stations.1-3, and 6, and was 14.52%, 13.75%, 23.81%, and 13.49% of the catch at each station, respectively. S. chinensis occurred primarily at Stations 5 and 6, making up 30.91% and 23.02% of the catch, respectively. L. haematocheila occurred primarily at Stations 7 and 8, making up 2.05% and 22.83% of the catch per station, respectively. S. geneionema occurred primarily at Stations 1, 2, and 7, and made up 11.29%, 3.44%, and 4.57% of the catch, respectively. T. jarbua mainly occurred only at Station 5 and made up 9.55% of the catch at that station. According to cluster and MDS analysis (based on fish species and abundance), the eight sampling stations were best divided into 4 groups: group I consisted of Stations 1, 2, 7, and 8. Stations 5 and 6 were in group Ⅱ, and Station 3 and 4 constituted group Ⅲ and Ⅳ, respectively. The pattern of temporal use and preference for sandy beach sites by larval and juvenile fish inhabiting the surf zone of Si Jiao Island were species-specific. The factors influencing the preferences require further investigation.