April '97
[Archived]

Imperial Beach Pier - John Munoz at Cox Bait & Tackle says fishing is starting to pick up. Most interesting news of late has been the catch of thresher sharks with several approaching 6-feet in length being landed in the past couple of weeks. Anglers fishing the surf area continue to land barred surfperch and yellowfin croaker, and some of the perch have been good sized fish, up to about three pounds in weight. Most of the perch and croaker are being landed on fresh mussels or bloodworms. Deeper water areas continue to produce some sculpin (California scorpionfish) and shovelnose sharks (guitarfish) for bait fishermen, while a few bonito have begun to hit lures. Action is still somewhat spotty on the smaller species like walleye and queenfish. As for halibut, although John has heard of a few being landed, he hasn't seen any legal fish recently.

Shelter Island Pier - Buddy Hanks at his Shelter Island Pier Bait & Tackle reports a good run of bonito has excited his anglers for the past week (including 30 the day of the report). The bonehead are falling for lures and live sardines (anchovies are still unavailable). Mackerel are also present; they are hitting strips of squid. Fisherman trying the bottom are connecting on sand bass and have started picking up a few more halibut - including two keepers this week. Most of the smaller schooling species are absent but a few anglers are still nabbing some perch and opaleye; most perch are hitting squid while the opaleye hit frozen peas.

Oceanside Pier - George at the Oceanside Pier Bait & Tackle shop reports cold water and overall slow fishing. Action lately has sort of been come and go as schools move in and out from the area. Two weeks ago there was a run of small mackerel at the end of the pier - now they're gone. A week ago there was a nice run of good-sized yellowfin croaker and spotfin croaker (to 8 pounds) inshore - and now they're gone. Barred surfperch action has slowed as has action on sharks and rays. Even the tom cod (white croaker) and herring (queenfish) are few in number. There have been some halibut but almost all are shorties, under 22 inches in length. The water is crystal clear but only 60 degrees; warm it up a few degrees and fishing should improve. Until then check out all the new tackle in the stores or, even better, check out the Pier Fishing in California web site.

Seal Beach Pier - Bob at the Seal Beach Sportfishing shop on the pier reports a mixed bag of fish. Mackerel have been hitting pretty good out at the end on a combination of cut anchovies, strips of squid, and even artificals like Lucky Lura riggings. Herring (queenfish) and jacksmelt are also present with most of them being caught on bait rigs. Inshore, there has been a pretty good run of yellowfin croaker and most are being landed with fresh mussels as bait. Only a few halibut and most of them are short. However, quite a number of shovelnose sharks have been landed, as well as a few round stingray, but few if any bat rays.

Redondo Beach Sportfishing Pier (King Harbor) - Matt at Redondo Beach Sportfishing says the bonito continue to bite and most are nice fish up to around five pounds in weight. (As I mentioned last month, this is the best place to fish for bonito in California during the cold water months. Two warm-water outlets from the nearby Southern California Edison plant warm the harbor waters and produce temperatures 5-10 degrees warmer than in the open ocean.) Most of the bonito are falling for the live bait which is available on the pier. Bottom fishermen continue to pull in a mixed bag of fish, mostly perch and perch-like species but also a few bass and sculpin. Matt says he has seen opaleye, blacksmith, and blue perch (halfmoon) recently as well as a spotted sand bass that weighed nearly 4 pounds. There has also been a continued good catch of spider crabs at the pier. Lastly, Matt corrected me. I had written of the broomtail grouper which have become residents in the harbor. I mentioned that most seemed to be 30-60 pounds in weight; Matt says he has seen several that would easily top 100 pounds in weight. I keep having visions of catching a 100-pound grouper and then telling my wife how I had to toss it back because it was illegal. I can see the look on her face now. Nevertheless, if you do hook one of the fish remember to put it back, the fish need to live and the alternative is also a very costly fine.

Hermosa Beach Pier - Don at Just Fishing by Pete says that fishing is a little slow. Although there are still some smelt and sardines around, most of the bait fish are remaining out in deeper water and consequently there have been few large fish landed. The only fish of note was a 30-pound thresher shark which was landed last week. There have been, however, a lot of large spider crabs brought up and the spiny lobster season (which ended Wednesday, the 19th) was excellent. Don says that he and some friends fished three nights for the lobster during the last week and caught 57 lobster; 2/3 limits for all those involved. There are still some barred surfperch to be had with most being caught from the surf area to about 1/3 out on the pier. Regulars are landing most of the bigger perch on 2" clear, red flake grubs; bait fisherman are catching perch on fresh mussels and bloodworms. A few more mackerel are showing up, and the walleye surfperch continue in good supply. Ditto the shovelnose sharks (guitarfish) and a few gray smoothhound sharks. Action on bat rays has been slow. The surface temperature has reached 63-64 degrees so fishing should start picking up. Don also says that the pier usually has a run of zebra perch each spring. It hasn't happened yet so maybe....

Venice Pier - closed for repairs.

Santa Monica Pier - Manny at the Santa Monica Pier Bait & Tackle Company reports a good bite on halibut; one regular had caught five in the past few days including two legal-sized fish. Manny says there continues to be a lot of bait in the water. He has been using snag lines to catch walleye surfperch, smelt, and sardines which are then used as live bait for the halibut. The surf area is kicking out both corbina and yellowfin croaker but barred surfperch have slowed. The corbina are falling for live sand crabs, the croaker are hitting on fresh mussels. At the end of the pier, fisherman are landing more and more mackerel. Most are small to medium-sized fish and most anglers are using light freshwater tackle. Use a small hook, bait it with a strip of squid or a small piece of mackerel, and put a split shot sinker about three feet up from the end. That's all you need. Some fishermen also use a bobber but once you get the "feel" you'll know what to do. Angling for pileperch and rubberlip seaperch has slowed but schools of the smaller perch (like walleyes) are around the pier. So, switch over to "Lucky Lura" leaders and catch some panfish (or use them for the bigger halibut). Shark fishing is picking up! Most of the sharks have been leopard sharks, and most have been under the 36" legal size; however, one of the regulars has had bruisers break his line three times in recent nights - and those aren't leopards. Some bigger fish are out there so go get them!

Malibu Pier - closed for repairs.

Santa Barbara Wharf - Mike at Mikes Bait & Tackle reports a lot of action at the pier but it's not all about fishing. Lots of "giant" spider crabs continue to be taken (the largest he has ever seen at the pier) but there are really too many of the crabs. People are coming to the pier, dropping down 3-5 crab nets, and then selling the prolific crabs to the tourists. It's all illegal of course but because relations have become strained between the "legal" anglers and game wardens, no one has really reported the activity. Damned if you do, damned if you don't - sort of speak! Poachers are also taking some huge corbina down in the surf area. The large fish are hanging out in the shallows and poachers are using large treble hook snag lines to snag the fish. They bait a couple of hooks with mussels to attract the fish, and then when the corbina are sniffing out the mussels they give the line a quick yank and snag the fish. Again, the wardens appear to be uninformed. Legal anglers meanwhile are using sand crabs, bloodworms and fresh mussels to take a few of the large fish.

      Mackerel are putting on a good show further out on the pier. The 1-2 pound fish are mainly falling to anglers using light lines and strips of squid for bait. Mike says when he has a chance he takes out a 1/2 ounce silver Kastmaster lure and the mackerel chase each other to the lure. A few small sculpin (scorpionfish) are also being landed but bass fishing is slow; it's still too early in the year. Same with the halibut, a number of short 14-17 inch fish are being caught but few if any legal 22 inch fish. Shark action has improved. Lots of gray smoothhound sharks, thornback rays and shovelnose sharks (guitarfish) are being landed with the shovelnose going to about 4 feet in length. Mike adds that a lot of baby bat rays (which some people call monkeyface rays) are also being landed - and returned to the water. I asked Mike about the Goleta Pier; he says the reports he is getting indicate good crabbing off the pier but slow, slow action for most species of fish.

      In regards to the "great spotted flounder controversy" from last month, Mike checked out my pictures and reports that the fish were probably fantail sole (although bigmouth sole are a possibility). Both species are relatively rare on piers although Mike's anglers were catching lots of the spotted fish during February and March. In all the years I've been fishing on piers, I've only landed two fantail sole; one at the Pismo Beach Pier and one at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Gaviota Pier Wildhorse reports that action is slow at Gaviota. He said that in his last visit he saw more fishermen than fish.

Pismo Beach Pier - Troy from Sheldon's Clam Stand on the pier says that the water is a little cold and fishing is a little slow right now. Anglers at the end of the pier continue to reel in jacksmelt and walleye surfperch, while inshore fishermen are still catching some barred surfperch. The jacksmelt and walleye are being caught on bait (small pieces of mackerel or clams) or on multi-hook bait-riggings like Lucky Luras (sometimes sweetened with a small piece of bait). Inshore, the locals are knocking out the barred perch using a variety of bait - fresh mussels, cut mackerel, bloodworms, clams and sand crabs - although some continue to score using plastic grubs. Troy said he hasn't seen any rays, skates or sharks in recent weeks. The wind needs to die down and water needs to warm up.

Port San Luis Pier - Dave from Avila Beach Sportfishing on the pier says that action is very slow. All he has seen lately has been barred surfperch and almost all of them were landed on red worms. He says there are no mackerel, no kingfish, no sharks, nada...

Cayucos Pier - Lorna at The Tidepool in Cayucos reports that anglers are still catching a lot of perch in the surf area, both barred surfperch and calico surfperch. Most of the fish are falling for bloodworms (although fresh mussels should also work). Further out on the pier, the biggest news has been the arrival of a good school of shovelnose sharks (shovelnose guitarfish). The fish are ranging up to nearly 4 feet in length and are falling primarily for squid; other sharks and rays have deserted the pier. Smaller fish round out the action; species include walleye surfperch, silver surfperch, and kingfish (white croaker). Lorna says the kingfish are there 365 days of the year but remember, every forth year has 366 days. I asked her about Snowflake, the resident harbor seal, who is a favorite of the tourists but sometimes a pain in the a-- to local fisherman. She says he's still there, and still steals a few fish when he feels like it. Most of the time he doesn't need to risk a felony since the tourists feed him so much food. She did tell me that locals will shake a yellow towel at him when they want him to go away. Sounds something like a Pittsburgh Steeler game with all those Steeler fans waving their terrible towels. Back to fishing -- a few halibut are showing and one this week was even legal! Pelagics like Pacific mackerel and jack mackerel are absent as are the jacksmelt.

San Simeon Pier - Ann from Virg's Landing, San Simeon, says that the boats didn't start operating from the pier until mid-March (so she is still a little new at the site for this year). However, she has seen a few fish on the pier, mostly barred surfperch. Bait fishermen are using bloodworms, clams or fresh mussels with the bloodworms producing the most fish. Those that know what to do are using motor oil colored grubs and pulling in some nice fish. She hasn't heard of many other fish although regulars are hoping for a repeat of last year when they caught a number of salmon at the pier. The secret - watch for the diving birds. When the bait fish - and birds - are around the pier, the salmon will move in.

Monterey Wharf #2 - The good folks at the Elves' Wharf Cafe and Boat Hoist say that nothing is hitting on the wharf with the exception of a few perch out toward the end. However, anglers are catching some rockfish when fishing at the Coast Guard Pier. So, if I were you I would go to...

Santa Cruz Wharf - Cintra at Andy's Bait & Tackle on the wharf reports that fishing has slowed down! Most of the current attention is given to small perch, some kingfish (white croaker), and a few halibut. Most of the halibut are under-sized but she did see a 25" keeper the other day. A few sand sharks (brown smoothhounds) have been caught at night and a couple of skates were landed but, as said, things are relatively slow. Inshore, by the surf line, a few surfperch are falling for baits and grubs but it is slower than last month.

Pacifica Pier - Joe at the Community Bait & Tackle says he thinks it will be an early season for both king salmon and striped bass. Anglers already have taken a few shaker salmon and a few stripers, all on bait, and conditions look optimistic for a good year. Most fishermen currently are fishing for perch or dropping nets for crabs. Lots of barred surfperch and walleye surfperch are being caught along with a few calico and redtail surfperch. Interestingly, the perch are being caught almost everywhere around the pier (although the bigger fish are typically near the surf area). Most of the perch are falling for pile worms or fresh mussels although the walleye like pieces of anchovy and a lot of the small fish are caught on Lucky-Lura type bait rigs. There continue to be kingfish (white croaker) and jacksmelt but most other species are sparse. Night fisherman have been landing a few sharks, mainly sand sharks (brown smoothhounds), but one angler did land a small thresher shark last week. Action on Dungness crabs remains strong and many are large sized crabs.

San Francisco Shoreline Piers - Doug at Hi's Tackle Box in San Francisco says that things are still a little slow at local piers. In San Francisco, perch have been hitting at the Fort Point Pier, both splittails (white seaperch or pileperch) and rainbow seaperch. Small sharks, mainly brown smoothhounds, are gulping bait at both the Ferry Landing Pier and at Pier 7. A few cabezon have been landed at Fort Point but kingfish (white croaker) and jacksmelt seem to be on vacation. Piers are still seeing some fish in the South Bay. The Oyster Point Pier produced a couple of halibut last week while it and other shorefront piers are seeing some small schoolie-sized striped bass (although more stripers are falling to plug casters fishing from the shore). Most of the stripers that fell to pier anglers have hit on pile worms, grass shrimp, or anchovies. The San Mateo Pier continues to yield a few white sturgeon (but nothing like six weeks ago) as does the Dumbarton Pier (including a 40 pounder). However, both piers seem devoid of other species; hardly any starry flounder or even any sharks or rays.

My daughter, Kimberly, reports that anglers fishing at the Robert E. Woolley Peninsula Park Pier in Burlingame continue to catch a few jacksmelt when using multi-hook leaders, small size 8 hooks, floats, and pile worms for bait. Anglers who use anchovies, and a long cast, continue to pull in a few striped bass. She said a number of stripers have been caught at the Oyster Point Pier and anglers there agreed that anchovies have been the bait of choice. A trip to the Pillar Point Harbor Pier proved fruitless, she didn't see a single fish at the pier.

Berkeley Pier - The Berkeley Marina Sports Center has lost their lease so we need a new reporter for this pier. Anyone interested? The latest report we had said some school sized stripers were beginning to show up as well as halibut. Most of the stripers were inshore and falling for pile worms or cut anchovies. Out toward the end of the 3,000-foot-long pier, some lucky anglers had landed halibut using frozen anchovies (or live shinerperch) as bait. Although fishermen reported a stray pileperch or two, perch action remains slow. Kingfish (white croakers), small sharks and a few bat rays round out the picture.

Point Pinole Pier - Things have slowed according to The Anglers' Edge. While kingfish (white croaker) have showed an upsurge in action, both sturgeon counts and striped bass counts have dropped. The kingfish and stripers are being caught on incoming tides while the sturgeon are being caught on slack tides. Use pile worms or grass shrimp for the sturgeon, pile worms or anchovies for the stripers, and almost any bait for the kingfish. Action is still slow on rays and sharks.

Vallejo Pier - closed for repairs.

McNear Beach Fishing Pier (San Rafael) - John at Western Boat & Tackle reports an increasing number of striped bass being taken at the pier. Most have been between 6-8 pounds and they are falling for the usual baits: pile worms, grass shrimp, or anchovies. An occasional sturgeon will hit on grass shrimp as will a few starry flounder. Paradise Beach Pier is producing quite a few perch and it's a nice mixture including white seaperch, pileperch, striped seaperch, rainbows, and even a few redtail surfperch. Ditto the small pier next to the Horizon Restaurant in Sausalito. That pier is seeing a plethora of perch, all of above mentioned variety, as well as black seaperch, rubberlip perch, a few rockfish and a stray cabezon or two. Monkeyface eels are also a possibility at that pier. Most of the perch are falling for pile worms or grass shrimp. As usual, regulars with the know-how continue to knock out large rubberlip perch using artificials like grubs and Baby Kastmasters.

Elephant Rock Pier - closed for repairs.

Spud Point Marina Pier (Bodega Bay) - Judy at Wil's Bait & Tackle says that with the improved weather anglers are finally out and about. They're buying lots of bait and catching lots of fish! Lucas Wharf and The Tides Wharf both seem to be yielding perch and they sound like pileperch or, more probable, white seaperch. Where there are rocks, anglers are also pulling in striped seaperch and rainbow seaperch. Out along the Spud Point Marina Pier, anglers are catching these same fish along with a few black seaperch and evidently quite a few red rock crabs. Surprisingly she hasn't heard of any sharks or bat rays even though I consider the areas by Lucas Wharf and The Tides Wharf as excellent areas for bat rays.

Point Arena Pier - Striped seaperch tend to dominate action this time of the year. The fish, and some are very nice size - up to 3 pounds, are falling for small pieces of shrimp and live shore crabs. Weather has been unpredictable, nice one day and windy the next, but the rains plainly seem to be at an end. For those in search of bigger prey, cabezon and lingcod are still around the pier; you just have to find them. The cabezon prefer something a little tasty like fresh and lively ghost shrimp, while the lings prefer a more epicurean delight such as a small greenling or a perch. However, don't forget that the seatrout (kelp greenling) themselves are fun to catch and that the fillets from the bigger fish are delicious. (See the Pier of the Month page)

Del Norte Street Fishing Pier (Eureka) - Greg at Bucksport Sporting Goods says most locals have deserted the piers and are concentrating their attention on rocky areas and the mouths of streams; the attraction is a pretty good concentration of perch. A few redtail surfperch are hitting on tube worms at the Del Norte Street Pier but action probably will not be fast until mid-April. Some anglers do continue to fish at night for sharks from the pier and they have seen a pretty consistent production of fish. Sand sharks (brown smoothhound) and leopard sharks fall to anglers using squid as do a few stingrays (bat rays). Crabbers continue to pull in Dungness crabs; most people will pull in a 1/2 dozen or so keeper sized crabs during an incoming tide.

Trinidad Pier - The crew at Salty's Bait and Tackle in Trinidad (Robbie, Don and Rosie) report a mixed bag of fish is available at this time. Rainbow perch (striped seaperch) lead the hit parade with quite a few being caught near the rocks on the left side of the pier. The time to fish is high tide and the best bait is small pieces of shrimp. Some seatrout (kelp greenling) and brown colored rockfish (grass rockfish and brown rockfish) are also hitting baits but most of them are falling for squid. Anglers fishing out at the end continue to catch lingcod but most are under the 22" legal size so must be returned to the water. I asked Rosie about her famous skate from last summer, the fish labeled "The Creature From The Black Lagoon" by one of the witnesses. It was a 100+ pound big skate (and it was big) which was 4 1/2' wide and 5 1/2' long. Rosie was fishing on the north side of the pier, using a chunk of herring for bait, and using an Abu-Garcia loaded with 20 pound test line. It took Rosie, and several of her friends, 45 minutes to land the obstinate critter which apparently did not want to end up in Rosie's kitchen (but it did). Robbie, by the way, said it continues to be windy as heck - although he didn't exactly say heck.

"B" Street Pier (Crescent City) - Some improvement in weather but some days still see high winds and rough water. Dungeness crabs continue to be caught at both the "B" Street Pier and at Citizens Dock while fishing varies by location. Striped seaperch are available in rocky areas around the Citizens Dock while a few redtail surfperch are available at "B" Street. Give it another month to six weeks and the redtail action should break wide open.