Southern California
Imperial Beach Pier -John, at Cox Bait & Tackle, reports that things are in the summertime mode. It's mainly mackerel, small queenfish, tom cod (white croaker), and a few perch. Inshore action seems slow on croakers at this time but a few sharks and bat rays are falling to anglers fishing during the evening hours.
Ocean Beach Pier - Bruce, at the Ocean Beach Bait Shop (on the pier), reports that action is good at the pier although most of it is on the smaller species -- queenfish, tomcod (white croaker) and perch. At the end of the pier anglers are catching lots of mackerel, some sand bass, and a surprising number of barracuda (mainly on silver spoons and during the daytime hours). Largest fish lately was a 38-inch halibut caught on a live smelt. Bruce said they're also seeing a few flurries from bonito but they're in and out. So, take along a few bonito lures when you go to the pier. Lastly, a few opaleye continue to be picked up down in the inshore area; try frozen peas or fresh mussels.
Crystal Pier - Russell Grossbard (The English Bloke) reports that fishing has been good at the pier recently with good sized mackerel, some sand bass, and lots of large leopard sharks and stingrays. He also said that some nice sized corbina have been taken in the surf area recently as well as barred surfperch. The surf fish were hitting on ghost shrimp, mussels and blood worms. On the 23rd, a five-foot-long shovelnose shark (guitarfish) was landed, and Russell managed to land several sargo in the 2-3 pound range. In addition, he landed a large stingray and a nice sized croaker -- all on bloodworms. He followed that success up the next day with a large opaleye, several more sargo, five barred surfperch and a sand bass. So, sounds like there is some variety and quality to the action. He does remind anglers to bring a license to the pier since the Fish and Game continue to claim it is a private pier (even though the city disagrees and public funds were used to remodel the pier).
Pepper Park Pier - No report this month.
Ferry Landing Pier (Coronado) - No report this month.
Shelter Island Pier - Joanne, at the Shelter Island Pier Bait & Tackle Shop (on the pier), says that the fishing is starting to improve after a terrible May and early June. Live anchovies are available and anglers are using them to catch halibut, sand bass and some mackerel (although they're still not hot and heavy). Anglers fishing the bottom also are connecting on some yellowfin croaker using fresh mussels or ghost shrimp, and anglers trying squid continue to pull in some bat rays.
Oceanside Pier - Carl, at the Oceanside Pier Bait & Tackle, reports that fishing continues good. Biggest fish recently have been large spotfin croaker and corbina from the inshore surf area and halibut further out on the pier. The corbina and croakers are falling for bloodworms, fresh mussels or sand crabs, while the halibut are hitting on anchovies. He's also seen quite a few big halibut lost by anglers who did not bring nets with them to the pier. The fish can be there, and you can hook them, but you still have to have a way to bring them up onto the pier. Anglers continue to pull in small tom cod (white croaker) and buckets of mackerel when they are in -- although they come and go. Lastly, Carl reports that they continue to pick up quite a few sand bass as well as some good sized bat rays.
Aliso Beach Pier - The pier is closed and 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 - No report this month.
Seal Beach Pier - Janie, at Norm's Big Fish Sportfishing Shop (on the pier), says that the fishing is only fair at this time. The biggest news recently was the capture of another striped bass, the second in two months. The first striper weighed twenty pounds but she didn't have a weight on the second. Janie reports quite a few croakers, both black croakers and yellowfin croakers, in the inshore area -- together with some corbina. Most of the croakers are falling for fresh mussels or ghost shrimp. Out at the end of the pier anglers are catching some mackerel and a few halibut but the action isn't hot. She does report tons of salema under the pier with some anglers filling buckets with the small grunts. Lastly, quite a few bat rays and shovelnose sharks are being landed by people using squid -- especially at night.
Belmont Pier - Jimmy, at the Belmont Pier Sportfishing shop (on the pier), reports that the halibut action remains good at several different spots on the pier and that mackerel and sardines remain strong at the end of the pier. For the mackerel and sardines, use bait rigs; for the halibut, use a live sardine or anchovies. Inshore, anglers continue to pick up a few corbina, while further out on the pier there are ample numbers of tom cod (white croaker), and yellowfin croaker, with lesser numbers of sand bass. Shark action has been good. Most of the sharks are sand sharks (shovelnose guitarfish), gray sharks (gray smoothhounds), or bat rays. The sharks seem to be hitting during both daytime and nighttime hours.
Cabrillo Pier - Chad visited the pier on the 27th and 28th and reports the following: Sat. 6-27-98, "Started fishing at 6:00 a.m. A lot of mackerel and smelt action on the top water (some smelt being over 10 inches), and deeper water is revealing quite a few sand bass and queenfish. The best method for bottom fishing here is a double hook and leader method above a 2 oz. pyramid sinker on the bottom. All in all, it was a pretty good fishing day." Sun. 6-28-98, "Started fishing at 8:00 a.m. The bite seemed to turn off today, we only nailed one small smelt, a few mackerel and one small sand bass. What was strange was the fact that there were twice as many people at the pier today than yesterday."
Redondo Beach Pier - No report this month.
Redondo Beach Sportfishing Pier (King Harbor) - Tim (TC), at Redondo Sportfishing (on the pier), says that the mackerel action has heated up, mostly in the late afternoon, and anglers can catch all they want. Some bonito have also been seen, but so far they aren't biting. The bait of choice remains live anchovies and small sardines -- and they're available on the pier. There has also been good fishing recently for bay bass (spotted sand bass) and sand bass. They only show up around 5-7 a.m. in the morning, and then again in the evening, and hit best on an incoming tide. What to use? Plastics are the answer, especially worm kings. There's also some perch and smelt under the pier but they're getting harder and harder to get. Finally, those big 60-80 pound broomtail grouper that have adopted the harbor as home base continue to hang out under the bait barge. Tim says the little submarine that gives the tour around the harbor sees them every day. I guess they are also hungry! The day I called they had been so anxious to get some spilled anchovies that they had actually splashed the bait boys on the barge. Guess they were REALLY hungry. AND REMEMBER, IT IS ILLEGAL TO CATCH BROOMTAIL GROUPER SO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.
Hermosa Beach Pier - Don, at Just Fishing by Pete (near the front of the pier), says that the fishing is about the same as last month. Lots of mackerel are around, but fewer numbers of calico bass (kelp bass), sand bass, and halibut. Shark action has been dead (partly because the pier is closed at night) and inshore action is slow at this time with few if any croakers making an appearance.
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 (on the pier), reports they had a great Father's Day Fishing Contest. The winner was a 25-inch halibut that gained extra points because it was returned to the water, while just after the contest concluded another angler landed a 38-inch halibut. In addition, some large, 5-6 pound opaleye perch have been showing up as well as big sargo. Small sand bass are also making an appearance but mackerel have been slow -- in one day and gone the next. Surprisingly, a number of barracuda have also been landed recently, mostly on spoons. No shark action was reported.
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 - Carlos, at the Hueneme Bait and Tackle Shop (near the foot of the pier), reports that anglers are getting Spanish mackerel, sardines, Pacific mackerel and jacksmelt while using the locally produced Filipino jigs (although the sardines are primarily showing from the afternoon to the evening hours). In addition, some halibut and sea trout (white seabass) are being caught on live sardines used as bait. MAKE SURE THE WHITE SEABASS ARE LEGAL SIZE! Inshore, a few yellowfin croaker and barred surfperch add variety, as do spider crabs out at the end of the pier. Finally, bat rays up to about 100 pounds in size have shown up recently and once again live sardines seem to be a bait that works fairly well (although squid is more traditional). Carlos says the various schools move in and out and you simply have to be at the pier when they appear.
Ventura Pier - No report this month -- I need a reporter for this pier.
Goleta Pier - Unfortunately I have to report that we've lost our local reporter Boyd Grant. Boyd was transferred back East and we will truly miss his interesting reports. Best wishes Boyd! Zoy Hann visited the pier on the 18th and fished for sharks and rays but unfortunately did not get a single bite, nor apparently did anyone else.
Gaviota Pier - Zoy Hann reported on several trips to the pier this month and said people should be aware of several restrictions at the park from the El Nino winter storm damage: (1) The park is only open 7 a.m. to sundown, (2) The pier is only half open with the end section being closed, (3) the boat ramp is closed, (4) there is no running water and porta-potties only, (5) there is no camping, and (6) the fee is $3.00 for access to the park and pier. Zoy visited the pier on the 18th and said there were no diving birds and the ocean showed three distinct zones of color -- green, aqua-marine blue, and at the end of the pier, and out of reach, very deep blue water. The right side of the pier produced nothing but the left side provided a mackerel swarm on Lucky Laura rigs. He said the bite then changed to sardines that were about a foot long and you could catch them at will (some anglers were getting six at a time). He finally left from exhaustion. However, bigger fish and birds were notably absent. He next fished the pier on the 22nd to take advantage of the high new moon tides and said fishing was good using Sabinki Rigs at the end with a Crocodile 2 1/4 ounce spoon for weight. He caught a mix of fish which included BIG Sardines, smelt, and mackerel. He said there were also swarms of juvenile lingcod about 4 inches long that looked like little eels. He said if you got your rig into them they hit every hook. He said he also caught some small sting rays and that ALL of the fish were caught on the left side of the pier. Inshore, other fishers were catching big perch and small bat rays 5 to 10 pounds in size on mussels (on the right side of the pier towards the rocks). A final visit was made to the pier on the 27th when he caught a guitarfish and an angel shark. Zoy said basically all that was caught that day were sharks and rays.
Central California
Pismo Beach Pier - No report this month.
Port San Luis Pier - Mike, at Avila Beach Sportfishing (on the pier), said a few halibut are finally beginning to be landed by fishermen fishing on the bottom. More common though are green mackerel (Pacific mackerel) that are being landed at the end of the pier and sardines that are being taken from the sides of the pier. Fishing still isn't hot but it is getting better as is the weather.
Cayucos Pier - Lorna, at the Tidepool (near the front of the pier), reports that fishing is wonderful. Lots and lots of big perch (barred surfperch and calico surfperch) are being caught on bloodworms, and a couple of nice sized halibut have added spice to the action. Thresher sharks also appear to be making a run and she said several 6-8 fish sharks have been landed -- mostly at night. The sharks are hitting on mackerel and squid.
San Simeon Pier - Harry at Virg's San Simeon Landing (near the front of the pier), says that anglers are pulling in some perch (barred, walleye and silver) while using fresh mussels, sand crabs and blood worms. He's also seen a few Spanish mackerel (jack mackerel) but the schools are in and out. It looks like the boat landing on the side of the pier will not be fixed until this fall at the earliest.
Monterey Wharf #2 - Frank, at the Compass at the front of the wharf, says that things are slow. Most of the action has been on Spanish mackerel (jack mackerel), blue mackerel (Pacific mackerel) and jacksmelt but none are offering a reliable, sustained fishery. All of the species are in one day and then gone the next. Anglers do continue to pull in a few rubberlip perch on grubs and fresh mussels and there are tiny sanddabs down on the bottom.
Capitola Wharf - Anna, at the Capitola Boat and Bait Shop (on the wharf), reported that most of the attention recently has been on halibut with fish up to 28 inches and 12 pounds being landed. The bait of choice is live anchovies or squid. Schools of Spanish mackerel (jack mackerel) and herring offer excitement to anglers when they appear as do jacksmelt, but perch action is fairly slow, only a few small barred surfperch and walleye surfperch. Some bat rays (big and small) have been landed recently but that's about it. No flounder have shown up and only two rock cod.
Santa Cruz Wharf - Andre, at Andy's Bait and Tackle (at the end of the wharf), says things have started to pick up! He's seeing halibut daily and although some are sub-legal size, others are larger -- to 27 inches. There's also been quite a few mackerel and the biggest jacksmelt he has seen in several years. As usual, there are also some kingfish (white croaker) on the bottom and he's spotted a few rockfish and green lingcod recently. Almost all of the lings are being caught out toward the end of the pier on the left side. Biggest news recently was the guy who decided to take some revenge on the sea lions that sleep on the pier's bracing. Seems a guy had his dingy anchored near the wharf and sea lions kept climbing into the boat. Finally the guy had had enough -- both from the sea lions and the alcohol he was consuming. He rowed over to the wharf and proceeded to bash in the heads of several sea lions with his oar (and evidently killed at least one pup). People saw him and yelled at him but he told them he had a permit for his actions. Obviously he didn't and soon he was arrested. He's now looking at major jail/prison time as well as a multi-multi thousand dollar fine. Stupid!!!
Piller Point Pier - No report this month.
Pacifica Pier - Jaye, at the Community Bait & Tackle shop (near the entrance to the pier), said that fishing is still only fair at this time. Some king salmon are being hooked but many are attacked by sea lions (and lost) before they can be brought up onto the pier. Jaye said most of the salmon that are landed are keeper-size fish. Some striped bass are also being caught but more are being caught by surf anglers. Action on kingfish and small perch (walleys and silvers) remains good while jacksmelt and other species seem to come and go. A few people continue to drop nets for Dungeness crabs. Matt Shockney reported a visit to the pier on the 6th and said the pier was under attack from a large school of jacksmelt. Matt and a friend caught over 40 of the large smelt which were promptly released or given away to less fortunate anglers. People at the end of the pier were catching salmon! Most of the kings were shakers but a guy in a wheelchair hooked onto a huge salmon that he got to the top of the water (allowing the people to see it) -- but then his luck ran out. Before it could be netted the salmon decided to circle the piling and, as so often happens, it soon broke free to fight another day. Another angler hooked something big which turned out to be an estimated five-to-six-foot-long thresher shark! Matt said the fish looked huge but just before they were going to net it the fish made a powerful run which the guy's drag couldn't handle and the line snapped. Matt made a final visit on the 29th; he said the score was fishermen = 2 salmon, sea lions = 27 salmon. The fish are there but how do you get them up to the pier before the sea lions attack?
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Shoreline Piers - Hippo, at Hi's Tackle Box in San Francisco, said that a lot of striped bass continue to excite local anglers (in fact he says it is almost like the good old days). Stripers are being taken off the Fort Point Pier as well as shoreline areas using anchovies, sardines or artificial lures like Hair Raisers. Some salmon are being landed off the Fort Point and Fort Baker piers while jacksmelt are making a good showing at the Muni Pier. Action on the majestic kingfish, sharks and rays remains slow. Lastly, action remains strong on large sardines on many different piers in the bay -- use bait rigs for the bait fish.
South San Francisco Bay Piers - No report this month. Can anyone help me out here?
Dumbarton Pier - No report this month.
San Mateo Pier - Closed until November.
Ravenswood Pier - Closed and may not reopen.
Berkeley Pier - Bruce, at the Berkeley Marina Sport Center (near the pier), reports that a lot of halibut and striped bass are falling to anglers using live bait. What this means at this time is live anchovies since the shinerperch are in short supply at the pier. Luckily you can get live anchovies at the Sport Center but remember you'll need a bucket and aerator to keep the bait alive. If you don't have the means to get the live bait or keep it alive, buy some frozen anchovies and try them. Jacksmelt are also plentiful and when the schools swing by the pier buckets will be filled with the tasty and good fighting "horse" smelt. Action on sharks and rays is fairly slow at this time.
Point Pinole Pier - The Anglers' Edge reported that a few striped bass and sturgeon continue to be caught by anglers using anchovies but the overall fishing is somewhat slow.
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 Marina Pier - No report this month.
Antioch Pier - Mark Grim reported that "fishing here remains slow. I was able to catch a couple of small striped bass with frozen anchovies. Bites were few and far between. I seemed to have the best luck at the turn of the pier on the west end near the restrooms (now closed due to vandalism.) A new bait shop opened in town near this pier. It is on 2nd Street right across from City Hall and is called "Mello's Bait Shop." They have live and frozen bait and some tackle.
Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier - No report this month.
McNear Beach Fishing Pier (San Rafael) - John, at Western Boat & Tackle, says the fishing is great at this time for (white) sturgeon. Anglers are flocking to the McNear Pier using live grass shrimp and are getting quite a few keepers. They're also reporting lots of kingfish on pieces of anchovy. Stripers are only so-so -- more are being caught from the boats. Paradise Pier is seeing quite a few nice halibut falling to anglers using whole anchovies fished on a sliding rig. In addition, some stripers are also showing at that pier. The Fort Baker Pier is seeing some salmon being caught on anchovies fished under a bobber while tons of jacksmelt are falling to anglers using Lucky Lura-type bait rigs (with no. 4 size hooks). Finally, anglers fishing from the shoreline near the Elephant Rock Pier (still closed but being repaired) are hooking lots of good-sized striped bass. The anglers are fishing the last two hours of incoming tides and are getting most of their action using lures or bouncing anchovies on the bottom.
Elephant Rock Pier - Closed for repairs but hopefully should reopen by the end of July.
Northern California
Lawson's Landing - No report this month.
Spud Point Marina Pier (Bodega Bay) - No report this month although jacksmelt and perch should be available.
Point Arena Pier - Normal summertime mix of perch (mainly striped, but also a few small silver surfperch and an occasional calico surfperch), together with some seatrout (kelp greenling), kelp rockfish, and lingcod. Occasionally a school of smelt will also show so take along a bait rig and catch some bait. A few cabezon have also been reported lately although most were fairly small.
Del Norte Street Fishing Pier (Eureka) - Alan at Bucksport Tackle reports the usual June mix of fish at the pier. Redtail surfperch and pileperch are being landed on tube worms, shrimp or jigs (mini jigs). Jacksmelt are also showing up and they're landed on tube worms or small jigs. Sharks and bat rays continue to bite (both in the day and evening hours), but the action is only so-so. Lastly, those more interested in crabs continue to pull in lots of legal-size Dungeness crabs.
Trinidad Pier - Denise, at Bob's Boat Basin (at the foot of the pier), said that it is kind of slow for the pier anglers. A few perch (striped and pile) are being picked up on shrimp or tube worms but only a few. A few sea trout (greenling) also fall to anglers using tube worms, pieces or squid or small jigs. People continue to concentrate on crabs and they're getting both rock crabs and Dungeness crabs.
Citizen's Dock (Crescent City) - Leonard, at Englund Marine (near the front of the pier), says that anglers are picking up a few striped seaperch, some snappers, and lingcod from the dock although the perch fishing has slowed. Most of the lingcod are being caught on Scampi's fished with a leadhead jig. Halibut are also being caught from the dock by people using Scampi tails, frozen sardines, herring or anchovies (but there aren't too many anchovies available). The weather has improved but it is still windy most days. People at the "B" Street Pier are primarily crabbing and getting quite a few legal-size Dungeness crabs.
I would like to thank the following people who have bought
books and thus help to keep this site alive:
Kevin Atwell (Loxley, Alabama) Thanks for your support and hope you liked the books!
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 and the "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.
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)
Tsutomu Kagiyama (Westminister, Colorado)
Mark Von Seggern (Grass Valley, California)
John Siembieda (Santa Cruz, California)
Anastacio Herrera (Cathedral City, California)
Fred Goorjian (Sunland, California)
Craig Grim (Sunnyvale, California)
Takahiro Hirai (Placentia, California)
I need reporters for the following piers: