May '98

Southern California

Imperial Beach Pier - Liz, at Cox Bait & Tackle, reports that the pier is closed down while the city builds an amphitheater adjacent to the entrance. Why the pier couldn't have been kept open during the construction is unclear but the closure will last for the next few weeks, and possibly until the end of the month.

Ocean Beach Pier - The pier remains closed because of damage from the winter storms. Apparently some of the concrete is cracked and there has been some sand erosion on the beach.

Crystal Pier - Helen Jun reported that the water was dirty with lots of seaweed when she visited the pier toward the end of the month. She said the only fish being caught were some medium sized walleye surfperch and large smelt (jacksmelt).

Ferry Landing Pier (Coronado) - Helen Jun reported two visits to the pier during evening hours. On her first visit she caught a nice sized sculpin (California scorpionfish) as well as some small bass -- although she said she also lost a bigger bass. Another angler had three spotted sand bass. A later visit, during a very high (6.4 foot) tide, produced some more barely-legal bass and the loss of an estimated 4-pound bass when the bottom hook of her high/low rig broke. She said it was both exciting and disappointing. She also reports that schools of small smelt seem to be around the pier so live bait should be available for halibut, bass, and sharks/rays.

Shelter Island Pier - John, at the Shelter Island Pier Bait & Tackle Shop, says that things have been a little slow. Regulars (those with the know-how) continue to pull in some yellowfin croaker and spotfins on ghost shrimp, as well as a few sand bass. Anchovies are yielding a few halibut and squid is producing some good sized shovelnose sharks (guitarfish). However, the mackerel bite remains very slow. Helen Jun reported a visit toward the end of the month. She said people were catching only a few mackerel and even fewer numbers of barred sand bass on squid, frozen anchovies and ghost shrimp. She did see one 25" halibut and a diamond turbot.

Oceanside Pier - Carl, at the Oceanside Pier Bait & Tackle, reports that fishing was slow with a pretty rough ocean (on the first). Anglers were getting a few mackerel and sardines out toward the end of the long pier, and a smattering of croakers and corbina in the inshore area. A few sand bass, calico bass (kelp bass) and halibut were also beginning to be caught out at the end. Most interesting were the catches of sheephead during the month, including a 12-pounder and a 27-pound fish. Most of the sheephead have been landed on shrimp.

Oceanside Harbor Pier -

San Clemente Pier - Priscilla, at the Pier Tackle Shop, says things are still slow. Anglers continue to land some yellowfin croaker inshore on fresh mussels and anchovies, sargo on mussels or shrimp, and bat rays on a variety of baits. She hasn't seen any mackerel lately. For now, the water remains rough and the tackle shop only opens on the weekend.

Aliso Beach Pier - The pier is closed and probably needs to be rebuilt. Orange County officials are considering their options and trying to figure out where the money will come from.

Newport Pier - No report this month.

Balboa Pier - No report this month.

Huntington Beach Pier - Our reporter Audrey says that April started off with a bang with corbina and spotfin croaker being caught on mussels and bloodworms, and leopard sharks abounding -- but things have turned slow. Most recent action has been on small, throw-'em-back perch. Mackerel action is still slow.

Seal Beach Pier - Janie, at Norm's Big Fish Sportfishing Shop, says that fishing remains fair. Out at the end of the pier, anglers are catching jacksmelt on bait rigs, big sargo on ghost shrimp, and lots of big eyed perch (walleye surfperch). The perch are found between the pilings near the bait shop and most are hitting on bloodworms. Inshore, some corbina, yellowfin croaker and spotfin croaker continue to fall to anglers using ghost shrimp and fresh mussels; some barred surfperch fall to mussels. Janie says there are also a lot of baby sharks, various varieties, showing up. Janie managed to do a little fishing herself (she is one of the true experts on the pier) and landed a 23 1/2 inch halibut while fishing with a small but lively sardine. Most unusual catch of the month was a 20-pound striped bass caught by an angler fishing out by the tower. The striper, which is rare in these waters, was caught on ghost shrimp.

Belmont Pier - Winter, at the Belmont Pier Sportfishing shop, reports that fishing is picking up. Most of the action seems to be taking place out at the end of the pier where anglers are catching some mackerel on bait rigs and strips of squid, sand bass on ghost shrimp , and sand sharks on squid. Inshore, corbina are being landed by regulars using fresh mussels, while in the mid-pier area a few halibut are starting to show up. Try fishing near the blacktop area while using anchovies or live herring (queenfish).

Cabrillo Pier - No report this month.

Redondo Beach Sportfishing Pier (King Harbor) - Riley, at Redondo Sportfishing, says that most of the action is on bay bass (spotted sand bass) and sargo with both fish falling to ghost shrimp. He hasn't seen any bonito and only a few mackerel. The bonito run never took place this year.

Hermosa Beach Pier - Pete, at Just Fishing by Pete, (near the front of the pier), says that things are slow. Regulars continue to haul in a few mackerel, jacksmelt, sand bass and halibut but they really have to work for the fish.

Venice Pier - No report this month.

Burton Chace Park Fishing Dock (Marina Del Ray) -

Santa Monica Pier - Karen at the Santa Monica Pier Bait & Tackle Company, reports that fishing is slow. A few mackerel are landed on bait rigs, some calico (kelp) bass and sand bass hit on anchovies and a few short halibut are falling to anchovies. Little in the way of perch action and not much recent action on either sharks or rays.

Malibu Pier - the pier remains closed as officials try to figure out where to get the money needed to rebuild the pier.

Port Hueneme Pier - Andy, at the Hueneme Bait and Tackle Shop at the foot of the pier, reports that some mackerel are falling to anglers using Filipino jigs, lots of jacksmelt are also entering the action, and some sand sharks are hitting on squid fished in the mid-pier area. He said he's only heard of one keeper halibut lately, an eight pounder that grabbed an anchovy. Andy says there is also a pretty good run of spider crabs at the pier and some are good sized.

Santa Barbara Wharf - Mike Katz, at Mikes Bait & Tackle on the wharf, said the weather and seas remain rough. On the first of the month anglers were mainly catching tiny mackerel and perch -- buttermouth and barred. A mid-month note from Mike had reported the reopening of the end of the pier and that anglers were catching a lot of buttermouth perch, some short halibut, and small red rock crabs averaging 6-7 inches across. Mike himself managed to latch on to a 9-pound spider crabs. Fishing should improve if the weather ever calms down.

Goleta Pier - Boyd Grant managed a late-month trip to the pier but said the water was only 56 degrees and bait fish were absent. Boyd did manage to catch one fish, a 14-inch calico bass (kelp bass). He said he checked with Fernando (a regular who almost always manages to catch perch and corbina) and even he was empty handed. Boyd says a couple of short halibut were caught during the week. Boyd did spot some porpoises and whales working the bottom at the end of the pier so something may have been around.

Gaviota Pier - Boyd Grant reports that the pier remains closed from winter storm damage. He also sent me an interesting article about a gray whale that recently got stuck between the pilings at the pier. Apparently the large creature could not unwedge itself from the pilings and died. Rangers planned to tow the carcass away from the pier and allow it to wash up on a beach further north.

Central California

Pismo Beach Pier - Troy, from Sheldon's Clam Stand, reports that fishing is slow although there are still some nice flurries of action on the barred surfperch. Troy said that surf fishermen are having better luck on the local beaches down by Oceano. Troy did say some regulars have been getting a variety of perch including one man who caught rubberlip, striped, and what sounded like zebra perch while fishing sand crabs down around the pilings. He also reported the catch of a large sand shark the day I called. I asked him about the huge barred surfperch which I heard he had weighed at his shop. He confirmed that the fish (which was caught about a month ago) weighed almost four pounds on his scale and that he took a picture of the fish. The state record for barred surfperch is 4 pounds, 2 ounces, so I will try to get a copy of his picture for the web site.

Port San Luis Pier - Ben, at Avila Beach Sportfishing on the pier, said that the weather remains rough and not too many people were fishing from the pier. About all he had seen lately were a few perch; no halibut, mackerel or halibut.

Morro Bay Wharf - Don, at Virg's Landing next to the wharf, reports that action is slow at the T-pier. Mainly a few mackerel -- rubberlip seaperch on bait and small shinerperch.

Cayucos Pier - Glenda, at the Tidepool near the front of the pier, reports that fishing is slow and the water is rough. Even so, there has been some pretty good periods of action on sanddabs, some starry flounder landed, and a few short halibut. Bloodworms were also producing some barred surfperch and walleye surfperch. Squid was producing a few small puffer sharks (swell sharks). Glenda said salmon are being caught a quarter of a mile off the beach and she hoped to go out and catch some of the bigger fish this week (although she prefers cabezon and lingcod on the bottom).

San Simeon Pier - Virg's San Simeon Landing, near the front of the pier, remains closed because of damage to the landing on the side of the pier. The pier itself remains open and appears undamaged. No report on how the fishing has been.

Monterey Wharf #2 - Frank, at the Compass at the front of the wharf, says the last month was slow but fishing seems to be picking up. He said anglers are starting to catch Spanish mackerel on bait rigs during periods of high tides and that are also getting a few jacksmelt. Anglers fishing fresh mussels also continue to get a few rubberlip seaperch down around the pilings. Lastly, he heard of a couple of halibut being landed but they were both short of being legal sized.

Capitola Wharf - Ed, at the Capitola Boat and Bait Shop, reported that a 90-pound bat ray was caught on squid, and released after weighing, the morning I called (May 2). Ed said anglers continue to catch some barred surfperch and walleye surfperch on pieces of squid, bait rigs and grubs. The day before, two under-sized striped bass had also been landed, while a striper, estimated at ten pounds, was lost just before it got to the railing of the pier. As usual, kingfish (white croaker) and small sharks (dog sharks and leopard sharks) continue to be around the pier. Little action on fish like mackerel and sardines so far this year. Ed reported that he also heard of some stripers being landed at the Seacliff State Beach Pier which sits just downshore to the south of Capitola.

Santa Cruz Wharf - Andre, at Andy's Bait and Tackle at the end of the wharf, says things are dead. Although anglers continue to land a FEW kingfish, jacksmelt and mackerel, it's a day to day thing and some days he isn't seeing any fish at all. Even the crabbing is poor. Andre says he talked to one of the local biologists checking water samples and was told that the number of organisms in the water is way down (I assume he means the little critters like plankton which are food for the larger organisms). He said he didn't want to blame it on El Nino but what else?

Piller Point Pier - No report this month.

Pacifica Pier -Windy, at the Community Bait & Tackle shop near the entrance to the pier, said it was very slow the day I called (May 2). Anglers were continuing to catch some keeper-sized striped bass and some kingfish (white croaker) on anchovies and pile worms but the numbers had really slowed. Perch action had also slowed and crabbing was difficult because of the wind. I asked her about the rumors that the city of Pacifica was threatening to close the pier when their new sewage plant is finished. She said the city will not tell them anything. Local anglers have been filling out petitions in support of the pier and it would be a real tragedy if this happened. Pacifica is, in my opinion, the top pier in the state as far as fishing. Our local reporter Matt Shockney visited the pier mid-month and reported that anglers continued to catch lots and lots of stripers. (However, things have slowed down as mentioned above.)

San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Shoreline Piers - Hippo, at Hi's Tackle Box in San Francisco, said that fishing is really slow at this time. He hasn't really heard of any action at local piers. The recent runs of sanddabs and kingfish have both stopped and nothing new has taken their place. He did report that halibut and striped bass are starting to bite off of Crissy Field so there may be some fish down at the Fort Point Pier, the Fort Mason Piers and the Municipal Pier.

South San Francisco Bay Piers -No report this month.

Dumbarton Pier - No report this month.

San Mateo Pier - Closed until November.

Ravenswood Pier - Closed and may not reopen.

Berkeley Pier - The people at the Berkeley Marina Sport Center, near the pier, reported slow action at the pier. Jeff Green also reported that things are slow at the pier. He said the main catch lately has been kingfish -- although he did see one striped bass. He hasn't seen any sharks lately and feels that the large amount of fresh water entering (and flushing out) the bay may be hurting the fishing.

Point Pinole Pier - The Anglers' Edge reported that striped bass action is good. Stripers to 30 inches are being caught on shrimp and anchovies on incoming tides. Kingfish (white croaker) are also hitting on the incoming tides.

Vallejo Pier - The pier has been torn down and the Vallejo Recreation Department is apparently discussing the feasibility of rebuilding the pier -- and trying to find the money.

Antioch Pier - Mark Grim reports that he caught two small striped bass on his last visit to the pier. He also saw some larger fish jumping out of the water near the center of the river --unfortunately out of casting distance. He says he rarely ever sees anyone fishing from the pier even though he always manages to catch at least a couple of fish. (I imagine that may be because the fishing is better, and the access easier, at the Antioch Bridge Pier.)

Antioch Marina Fishing Piers - Mark Grim reports that the catfish were hitting on recent visits to the pier. He caught the whiskered denizens on worms and anchovies while fishing the left side of the pier toward Humphrey's Restaurant. He said he also hooked a couple of small striped bass on anchovies.

Antioch Bridge Fishing Pier - Mark Grim reports that fishing is picking up. He says the striped bass are back and many small shakers are keeping anglers busy at the pier. He also said a few larger fish to 25 inches are also being occasionally landed on anchovies and sardines. On one recent trip Mark went through a pound of frozen anchovies in an hour and a half and was getting bites within moments of the baited hook hitting the bottom. He said he saw one just barely 19-inch fish caught that day and heard reports of a 29-inch fish being caught earlier in the morning. However, there is still a lot of debris in the water from the El Nino storms. Cary Gatchet reported a mid-month visit produced a lot of little bass but not too much else. He also reports that a new bait and tackle shop has opened up at 3500 East 18th Street. Thinks the name is Catch's but isn't sure. That's good news because the locally popular Bale's Bait and Tackle closed last month.

Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier - No report this month.

McNear Beach Fishing Pier (San Rafael) - John, at Western Boat & Tackle, says that anglers continue to hook white sturgeon out at the McNears Pier and that the kingfish (white croaker) seem to be back. Both species are primarily falling to anchovies. John says he doesn't know why more of the pier anglers don't use the better sturgeon baits-- ghost shrimp and mud shrimp. He said he hasn't heard any reports from the Paradise Pier but has heard that the Fort Baker Pier is producing pretty good action on perch and jacksmelt.

Elephant Rock Pier - closed for repairs but should open by the end of July.

Northern California

Lawson's Landing - Keith Korsgaard reported a visit to this tiny pier mid-month. People fishing with pile worms and mussels were catch starry flounders and perch during the high tides. Low tides produced a pier sitting over mostly mud -- and thus no fish. I visited the nearby Miller Park Pier during the month but didn't see any fish.

Spud Point Marina Pier (Bodega Bay) - No report this month. However, I visited the Lucas Wharf during the month and had some excellent action on BIG sized (13-16 inch) jacksmelt.

Point Arena Pier - I fished the pier mid-month and caught some striped seaperch and one small cabezon. Talked to fishermen who said the perch are in one day and out the next. May is usually the top month for the striped seaperch while the seatrout (kelp greenling), cabezon and lingcod are about the same year round.

Del Norte Street Fishing Pier (Eureka) - Alan, at Bucksport Sporting Goods, reports that the main action at the pier has been on perch -- redtail and shiner, together with jacksmelt. Most of the fish are hitting on tube worms. Shark action has been slow but crabbing for rock crabs has been very good.

Trinidad Pier - Bob Hallmark, at Bob's Boat Basin (at the foot of the pier), says not too many anglers have been fishing from the pier because of the rough weather. However, the few that have been fishing have landed some tomcod (Pacific tomcod), silver surfperch and a few starry flounder. People who are crabbing have also been able to get quite a few Dungeness crabs and most seem to be males so far this year (don't know why). Not too much action although things should improve with the weather.

Citizen's Dock (Crescent City) -Chris, at Englund Marine, says that the fishing for striped seaperch has been fairly good with most of the fish hitting on tube worms or shrimp. Not much else is showing and the herring never did appear this winter. As for the "B" Street Pier, the fishing is slow but the crabbing has been fairly good.

I would like to thank the following people who have bought books and thus help to keep this site alive:

L.M. Pepper Park Pier	Embarcadero Marina Park Pier	Oceanside Small Craft Harbor Pier
Dana Point Harbor Pier	Balboa Pier	Newport Pier
Green Pleasure Pier at Avalon	Redondo Beach Pier	Manhattan Beach Pier
Burton Chace Park Pier	Venice Pier	Paradise Cove Pier
Ventura Pier	Morro Bay Piers	Seacliff State Beach Pier
Fort Point Pier	San Francisco Municipal Pier	Pier 7
Agua Vista Park Pier	Candlestick Point Pier	Brisbane Pier
Oyster Point Pier	San Mateo Pier	Dumbarton Pier
San Leandro Marina Pier	Fruitvale Bridge Pier	San Antonio Pier
Franklin D. Roosevelt Pier	Port View Park Pier	Point Pinole Pier
Angel Island Pier	Sausalito Public Pier	Lawson's Landing Pier
	"B" Street Pier in Crescent City

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.