Southern California
Imperial Beach Pier - John at Cox Bait & Tackle, says that a few barred surfperch and yellowfin croakers are showing up in the inshore waters and hitting on ghost shrimp, bloodworms and fresh mussels. A few sharks are also falling to squid or pieces of mackerel, and mackerel themselves are hitting at the end of the pier but most of them have been small recently.
Ocean Beach Pier - David Goings visited the pier on the 29th and reported it closed. He said he couldn't see any damage but read that repairs would not begin until the El Nino storms are over.
Ferry Landing Pier (Coronado) - Rich Reano reports that things are getting interesting at this small but popular pier. Recently, during some grunion runs, the fishing for decent sized rays has been good. In addition, he saw a nice sized barracuda caught by an angler using a Salas iron jig on the surface. Unfortunately live bait is hard to get, some smelt are still around the pier but most are too big to use for bait. Although Rich says fishing is still somewhat slow it is improving and with all the nearby shops and eateries it's always a great place to hang out.
Shelter Island Pier - John, at the Shelter Island Pier Bait & Tackle Shop, says halibut action is heating up; lots of the fish are biting and some keepers are being landed. He also reported a couple of flounders (which probably were diamond turbot). There isn't any live bait so the flatfish are mainly falling to frozen anchovies -- although what you really should do is snag some small smelt for bait. Anglers fishing on the bottom continue to pull in some yellowfin croaker, sargo and sand bass -- all on ghost shrimp. A few bat rays are also showing, mostly at night, and most are falling to squid. Flurries of mackerel action are common with the best bites apparently being at night or in the early evening hours. Most of the Macs are falling to strips of squid fished near the surface of the water.
David Goings visited this pier and the Embarcadero Marina Pier on the 29th and reported that the weather was bad and the fisherman were catching absolutely nothing.
Oceanside Pier - No report this month (couldn't get hold of them).
San Clemente Pier - No report this month (couldn't get hold of them).
Aliso Beach Pier - The pier is closed and probably needs to be rebuilt.
Newport Pier - Shawn Cotton reported mid-month that "the sculpin (California scorpionfish) are still hitting pretty hard at night. And, the sand sharks are going nuts. Both are hitting on anchovies but the sand sharks are hitting better on the cut mackerel if you can get it. I do not think any mackerel are being caught on the pier. Also a few jacksmelt are hitting anchovies. And in the surf, the fisherman are catching some perch on small pieces of anchovies. Also, saw another spider crab caught on a rod 'n reel."
Balboa Pier - No report this month.
Huntington Beach Pier - Our reporter Audrey says that things are starting to pick up at the pier. Perch, spotfin croaker and corbina are beginning to show, some big fish are included in the mix, and they're less picky about baits than they have been recently. She does say many of the perch are pregnant with live birth babies so most anglers are letting them live.
Seal Beach Pier - Janie, at Norm's Big Fish Sportfishing Shop at the end of the pier, says that anglers out at the end of the pier are taking LOTS of tom cod (white croaker); they're hitting on bloodworms. Inshore, anglers are still catching yellowfin croaker on fresh mussels and ghost shrimp and recently some big corbina have also made a nice showing. Out toward the bait shop, halibut have also begun to show whenever the grunion make a local appearance. Best bait for the bottom fish is a small smelt (if you can snag one), otherwise try anchovies on the bottom. Anglers also continue to pull in some bat rays and shovelnose sharks (guitarfish) and an angler lost a big bat ray just before I called on the 29th. It had headed up and down the pier and finally decided to tangle up some other lines together with a trip around a piling -- such is big game fishing on a pier.
Cabrillo Pier - No report this month.
Redondo Beach Pier - Our reporters Chad and Steve visited the pier on the 29th when it was freezing cold. Nevertheless, they still caught a few fish. Steve caught a baby corbina while Chad brought in a 5-pound bat ray; both fish were caught on anchovies. Meanwhile, the guy next to them caught a shovelnose shark (guitarfish) and a couple of mackerel. They also saw a guy with six BIG corbina, all caught on squid using a fish finder rig.
Redondo Beach Sportfishing Pier (King Harbor) - Tim (TC), at Redondo Sportfishing, says that there has been a good run of sargo recently at the pier. (In fact, the morning I called it was too rough for the boats to go out so several anglers decided to fish from the pier. Lo and behold, they pulled in a plethora of 1/2 to 2 1/2 pound sargos.) The bait to use for the sargo seems to be live ghost shrimp (which are available at the shop). In addition, opaleye are still hitting as are a few spotted sand bass and barred sand bass (although more of the barred sand bass are being caught from the adjacent rocks). The bass are also hitting on ghost shrimp. A few forktail perch (pileperch) are being landed on mussels and worms. The bonito never really showed up this year which TC attributes to the great number of sea lions in the harbor waters. With the severe El Nino-generated storms, the seals and sea lions have seemed to use the harbor as a safe haven and over populated the waters to the detriment of fishing. Whenever bonito or mackerel tried to make an appearance they were quickly chased away (or eaten?).
Hermosa Beach Pier - Pete, at Just Fishing by Pete (near the front of the pier), says that anglers are getting a few halibut when they use live bait (smelt), as well as leopard sharks (on squid). Anglers out toward the end are catching some jacksmelt and mackerel on Lucky Lura bait rigs. Inshore, anglers are seeing corbina but they're wary and not too many are being hooked. He says the water temperature was 62 degrees when I called on the 28th but also very, very windy.
Venice Pier - Bob at the Santa Monica Pier Bait & Tackle Company, says he's heard of a few halibut being landed at Venice Pier but that's about all. Apparently the pier is open from 5 a.m. till midnight but there is no bait shop on the pier.
Santa Monica Pier - Bob at the Santa Monica Pier Bait & Tackle Company, reports a mixed bag of fish recently. Halibut have begun to bite in the past 2-3 weeks (I called on the 29th) and they're probably the favorite fish for locals. The flatties hit best on live bait (like a small topsmelt) but they're also hitting on frozen anchovies. There was a pretty good bite on sargo (all around the pier), and both barred surfperch and corbina inshore (on fresh mussels and ghost shrimp). Opaleye continue to fall for fresh mussels and moss around the pilings under the pier (Santa Monica has some low elevation fishing platforms that allow you to fish these areas). Sand bass have also made an occasional showing with most falling to anchovies. Lastly, the shark and ray action has been sporadic; a few leopard sharks and bat rays but no threshers.
Malibu Pier - closed for repairs.
Port Hueneme Pier - Andy, at the Hueneme Bait and Tackle Shop at the foot of the pier, reports that anglers continue to pull in fair numbers of jacksmelt and a few mackerel on the locally produced Filipino Jigs. Two halibut also were caught this past week using small smelt snagged up for live bait. As usual, a few sand sharks are also falling to anglers using squid on the bottom.
Santa Barbara Wharf - Mike Katz, at Mikes Bait & Tackle on the wharf, says that all the news this month is bad. The work on the pier that was supposed to be done by the end of February is still not done. The end of the pier is closed to anglers as pilings and boards are replaced and basically Mike is out of business. The wharf is allowing fishing in the inshore areas and in some areas that are marked "no fishing" but the confusion is simply forcing most anglers to go elsewhere. Mike says things SHOULD be back to normal by mid-April but don't hold your breath. In addition, it's been almost too windy to fish!
Goleta Pier - Zoy Hann visited the pier mid-month and reported that the fishing was feast or famine. He said that although there were no perch, smelt, rays, sharks, halibut or any other unusual fish, he did manage to catch two big sculpins 2-3 pounds each, six mackerel, and a 5-inch rockfish. One guy fishing on the other side of the pier caught a bonito on a strip of squid -- while fishing on the bottom -- strange.
Robert Karapet visited the pier on the 28th when the waves were big and it was COLD. He and his buddy managed to catch some small bat rays, some ronkies (white croakers), one decent sized shovelnose shark (guitarfish), a small leopard shark, and a 4-foot long smoothhound shark.
Gaviota Pier - Zoy Hann reported that the pier is closed. Evidently the pier lost some pilings in the storms and the Parks Department says it will be closed for at least two months -- until the middle of May.
Central California
Pismo Beach Pier - Troy, from Sheldon's Clam Stand, reports that the fishing for barred surfperch remains good. A few jacksmelt are being caught as well as a few sharks and rays but it has also been windy.
Blaine Birch visited the pier on March 12 and reported the following: "The perch seemed to be back in full force at the Pismo Pier. I went down today on the way home from work and this guy had the biggest barred perch I ever saw. They say they took it to the concession stand and weighed it at 4 lbs. but I have caught a lot of 4 lb. spotted and largemouth bass in my day and I swear that sucker looked a lot bigger than 4 pounds. Anyway, a lot of folks had some decent perch in their buckets."
Port San Luis Pier - Mike, at Avila Beach Sportfishing on the pier says that things are slow. A few anglers continue to pursue the big jacksmelt with bait rigs under a float, while some barred surfperch along with smaller shinerperch and silver perch are hitting down around the pilings; the perch are hitting on motor oil colored grubs. No halibut to speak of and no mackerel recently. Mike says it has been cold and windy.
Morro Bay Wharf - June at Virg's Landing next to the wharf reports that anglers are pulling in a variety of small fish at the T-Pier. The mix includes barred surfperch, jacksmelt and some kingfish (white croaker). The fish are falling to bloodworms, shrimp and cut anchovies and all are available at Virg's.
Cayucos Pier - Glenda, at the Tidepool (near the front of the pier) reports that fishing is WONDERFUL. Anglers have been getting gobs and gobs of nice sized barred surfperch while fishing with bloodworms and cut salted anchovies. In addition, the regulars have been picking up lots of leopard sharks and quite a few soupfin sharks (to 25 pounds) while using mackerel on the bottom for bait. As I recall, the pier had a run of soupfins last spring also -- up to about 70 pounds. So, there may be more and bigger fish out there.
San Simeon Pier - Virg's Landing, near the front of the pier, is still closed for the winter season so there isn't a report.
Monterey Wharf #2 - Frank, at the Compass at the front of the wharf, says that things are slow and not too many people are fishing because of the windy and cold weather. He says that those that do give it a try are landing a few rubberlip seaperch on mussels down around the pilings, and that jacksmelt are still to be found on the top of the water. The big smelt are landed by people using the Pscador bait rigs. Everything else is slow.
Capitola Wharf - Ed, at the Capitola Boat and Bait Shop, reports that a lot of dog sharks/hornback sharks (are these dogfish or horn sharks?) are being caught by anglers fishing on the bottom with squid. The sharks are small but very numerous. Some good sized sand sole have also been landed with cut anchovies being the best bait. A few grass rockfish and lingcod have also been landed on anchovies with the two biggest lingcod being measured at 23 1/2 inches each, 1/2 inch short of legal size -- and they were returned to the water. As usual, there are also a lot of small kingfish (white croaker) and bullheads in the water but they don't count. Lastly, some splittail perch (white seaperch?) and barred surfperch are being landed but not in any great numbers; the water is flat and they prefer it a little rougher. Ed says to remind people that they still cannot drive their trucks and boats out onto the pier although rental boats are still available on the pier.
Santa Cruz Wharf - Andre, at Andy's Bait and Tackle, at the end of the wharf, says that a few halibut and starry flounder have hit recently; the halibut biting on anchovies and the flounder falling to squid. As usual, there are also a lot of kingfish (white croaker) but he hasn't seen too many perch with the exception of the smaller shinerperch and walleye surfperch. Crabbing has been on the slow side! Biggest fish he saw recently was a 7-foot, 65-pound thresher shark caught next to the pier on a boat.
Piller Point Pier - Matt Shockney reports that things are slow at the Pillar Point Pier. His most recent trip yielded one single little 4-inch rockfish using a bait rig with pile worms -- and he was the only angler to catch a fish.
Pacifica Pier - Jo Ann, at the Community Bait & Tackle shop, said that the regulars are concentrating on striped bass and the bite has been pretty good for the past week (I called on the 29th). Lots of fish over ten pounds have been landed and one lucky angler nabbed a 35-pound lineside. Most of the stripers have been caught on anchovies. There have also been some perch and kingfish caught but the bigger fish are getting most of the attention. Dungness crab remain in good supply but it depends on the weather and the day I called it was too windy to be heaving the crab pots over the side.
Our local reporter Matt Shockney visited the pier mid-month and reported one lady caught a 13-pound striper but the wind came up and made the pier unfishable. He then made another visit on the 28th and sent the following report: "Hey Ken, Just your Pillar Point reporter here. I visited Pacifica yesterday and the 35 mph hour winds just about scared everyone off the pier. There were still quite a few brave anglers going for stripers. Stripers this early? Well, I saw one guy hand line in a nice 20'' keeper and some other guy was hauling out leopard sharks right out of the surfline. The waves were strong but not too big I guess. I was about midway out with my medium outfit fishing a high low leader with anchovies when I had a tremendous bite. I started to fight the fish and I drew a small crowd of people. After about 5 minutes I got the huge striper to the surface. It was estimated by me and everyone to be about 36-40 inches in length. It was my first striped bass! Well, we all had difficulty getting it up to the pier. After a failing attempt with a screwed up crab trap, and trying to lift him up ( a ranger who helped me couldn't even lift the striper out of the water), a large wave came and took the striper away and broke my 30-pound test. I was shattered! Well, I also visited Pier 7 that same day but I only caught a kingfish. The tide was so strong that you would have to use an airplane as a weight to keep your bait in one place. People were catching some nice big rock crabs so now's the time to get out there and throw some nets down. Only a couple of kingfish were caught by some other guys. No sharks today. Anyway, after breakfast today, I am going to hit Pacifica again. It is a beautiful day and I think the wind has calmed. I am going to catch that monster again. Wish me luck!"
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Shoreline Piers - Hi's Tackle Box in San Francisco - no report this month (couldn't get hold of them).
South San Francisco Bay Piers - Mark, at Sun Valley Bait & Tackle in San Mateo, reports that action is centering on sturgeon, jacksmelt, a few perch and kingfish (white croaker). Anglers at the Dumbarton Pier are catching a few sturgeon on mud shrimp, grass shrimp and herring. Things are a little slow at the Oyster Point Pier, mainly just some jacksmelt, a few kingfish and an occasional flounder. A few sturgeon are reported at the Candlestick Point Pier together with some small halibut and jacksmelt. A few barred surfperch and pileperch are being landed on grass shrimp and pile worms while an occasional starry flounder may also show at the pier. The Brisbane Pier on Sierra Point is mainly seeing a few jacksmelt. Action on sharks and rays is still slow.
Dumbarton Pier - Cary Gatchet reports that several trips to the pier this month were fruitless, little or no fish -- and none of the big sturgeon he was seeking.San Mateo Pier - Closed until November.
Ravenswood Pier - Closed and may not reopen.
Berkeley Pier - Bob, one of the new owners at the Berkeley Marina Sport Center, near the pier, reports that there has been a pretty good bite on striped bass recently with fish to 26" falling to chunks of anchovy. He also heard of a few halibut (four keepers on one day) but the water turned a little murky this week and fishing seemed to slow for the flatties. Live shinerperch by the way is the bait for the halibut. Anglers are also catching a few starry flounder and pogies (pileperch) on pile worms but the action on kingfish (white croaker) has slowed somewhat. The bite on rays and sharks is still slow but should start picking up. Bob says that once the water clears he expects the fishing to pick up -- especially for the halibut.
Point Pinole Pier - The Angler's Edge reported mid-month that sturgeon fishing was good with 2-5 sturgeon being landed each day. The diamondbacks were being caught on outgoing tides with anchovies or pile worms. A few stripers were also showing up but action seemed to taper off at the end of the month. Action on both species as well as on kingfish was predicted to improve in April.
Vallejo Pier - It no longer exists -- will it be rebuilt?
Antioch Bridge Fishing Pier - The Angler's Edge reported that action on striped bass had picked up at the end of March and that stripers to 27 inches were falling to sardines and anchovies.
Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier - Keith Korsgal says there has been a pretty good bite on striped bass recently with fish up to 30 pounds being landed. He's also seeing sanddabs and an occasional sturgeon.
McNear Beach Fishing Pier (San Rafael) - John, at Western Boat & Tackle, says that the sturgeon have began to put on a pretty good bite at the McNear Pier with some nice keepers included in the mix. LOTS of smallish-sized striped bass are also being caught along with a few legal-size fish. The sturgeon are hitting on mud shrimp and the bass on pile worms (since grass shrimp are still scarce). A few kingfish are also returning to the area now that the freshwater has decreased somewhat. At the Paradise Beach Pier anglers aren't doing much on stripers or sturgeon but they are pulling in some rubberlip perch and pogies with pile worms again the bait of choice. Ditto in Sausalito where there's been a good perch bite at local docks and piers. At the Fort Baker Pier, the bat rays are back (normal for this time of year) and locals are buying boxes of squid for the good fighting bottom dwellers.
Elephant Rock Pier - closed for repairs.
Northern California
Spud Point Marina Pier (Bodega Bay) - Will, at Will's Bait & Tackle, says that schools of striped seaperch are in the bay and that they're thick around local piers and rocks (says he used 50 boxes of pile worms last week alone -- mostly for perch fishermen). He says regulars are also landing bat rays on squid -- one a nice 55-pounder, while good numbers of jacksmelt continue to fall to anglers using pile worms and bait rigs. When I called on the 28th, it was too windy for his boats to get out but he says the rock cod fishing has been great. He said he also spotted a big pod of killer whales the other day, stopped the boat, and the fifteen or so killer whales came right over to the boat and entertained his passengers for quite some time. He says the people were really excited.
Point Arena Pier - Fishing has improved with the weather. Anglers are getting a mixture of striped seaperch, kelp greenling, cabezon and lingcod -- with several of the lings being at or near legal size.
Mike Mogler reported mid-month that his son Chene had caught several small lings while fishing with squid.
Del Norte Street Fishing Pier (Eureka) - Greg at Bucksport Sporting Goods reports that anglers are mainly getting pileperch and sharks. The pileperch are falling to tube worms and small shrimp while the sharks are hitting on squid. The sharks include leopard sharks, sand sharks (brown smoothhounds), and cow sharks (7-gill sharks). Anglers also continue to pull in a nice mixture of Dungeness and rock crabs.
"B" Street Pier (Crescent City) - No report this month.
Citizen's Dock (Crescent City) - Jim, at Englund Marine, says the wind is still putting a damper on fishing although a few perch are starting to show.
I would like to thank the following people who have bought books and thus help to keep this site alive:
Kevin Atwell (Loxley, Alabama)
Richard Kenway (Flint, Michigan)
David Thornton (Mobile, Alabama)
Daniel Franks (Sparks, Nevada)
Gordon Holland (Vinita, Oklahoma)
Patrick Whalen (Canoga Park, California)
David Goings (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Joyce Evans (Suisun City, California)
Robert Galvin Jr. (Boulder Creek, California)
Bud Raridon (Dana Point, California)
Ariel Blason (Walnut Creek, California)
Scott Strickland (San Jose, California)
Henry Chi (Los Angeles, California)
Jeff Green (Oakland, California)
Gil Sperry (San Clemente, California)
Joe Malat ( Nags Head, North Carolina)
Elizabeth Shockney (Montara, California)
Janet Fram (Rupert, Vermont)
Richard Brewer Jr. (Santa Maria, California)
Cal Mock (Vacaville, California)
Mark Spangler (Quartz Hill, California)
Barb Storms (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)
Mary Silver (Santa Cruz, California)
Cristina Pelina (San Francisco, California)
David Cottrell (Pacifica, California).
Thanks for your support and hope you liked the books!
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If you're a "pier rat," a regular who fishes on one of these piers, knows the ins-and-outs of the pier, and knows what is being caught, send me a message and I'll make you a monthly reporter. You may not make any money, and you may not get much glory, but at least you'll help make this the best pier fishing site in the universe.