July 2023 Fishing Report, Central California (#286)
San Luis Obispo County Piers
Pismo Beach Pier — No report but some surfperch should be available on the bottom and some jacksmelt or sardines on top. This is also the time of the year when some sharks also show up at night. How To Get There: From the north, take Hwy. 101 to the Five Cities Dr. exit; follow Dolliver into the middle of town, then turn west on Pomeroy and follow it to the pier and parking lot. From the south, take the Pismo Beach Exit (Price St.), follow it to Pomeroy; turn west and follow it to the pier.
Avila Pier – Still closed amidst occasional rumors of being repaired. When? How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to Avila Rd. and go west; turn left off of Avila Rd. on to Front St. and follow it to the pier.
San Luis (Harford) Pier —Savannah at the Patriot Sportfishing says she hasn't seen many fish. Mainly a few jacksmelt and perch. She said the water is still COLD. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to the Avila Rd. turnoff and head west; follow the road to the end and the pier.
Morro Bay T-Piers – A variety of perch and small rockfish should still be available—blackperch, pileperch, and striped perch along with grass, brown, copper, blue and black rockfish. How To Get There: From Highway 1 turn south onto Main Street, follow it to Morro Bay Boulevard, turn left toward the bay and follow it to Embarcadero, turn right and follow Embarcadero to the end of the public parking which adjoins the piers.
Cayucos Pier — Springtime should see some decent fishing for surfperch (barred and calico) when the winds cooperate. Walleye surfperch should be caught under the pier, mid-pier to the end, using small hooks or a Sabiki baited with pieces of worms or other bait. White croaker should be on the bottom (cast out from the pier using pieces of worm, anchovy or strips of squid). Jacksmelt should be in the top-waters all along the pier and most people use Sabikis for the pelagics. Shark action should be picking up. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to either Ocean Boulevard, which is the main street and will take you past the pier, or take the Cayucos Drive exit which will take you straight to the pier.
San Simeon Pier — Expect the usual, a variety of perch inshore (I’ve caught nine different varieties) while mid-pier to the end may see some pelagic action on top—mainly jacksmelt. How To Get There: Highway 1 to the entrance to the park.
Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Mateo County Piers
Monterey Coast Guard Pier — No report although the usual mix of perch and rockfish should be available. How To Get There: From Hwy 1 going north: Take the Aguajito Road exit, turn left at the first traffic signal intersection, which is Aguajito Road, and continue under Highway 1 and cross Fremont Street. At the next traffic signal intersection, which is Del Monte Avenue, turn left. Continue down Del Monte Avenue and under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot. From Hwy 1 going south: Take the Del Monte Avenue exit, continue down Del Monte Avenue for several blocks and go under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot.
Monterey Wharf #2 — No reports and hard to predict. The pier is usually very good or very bad. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the central Monterey exit and follow Del Monte Avenue to Figueroa Street, turn right and follow to the wharf.
Seacliff State Beach Pier — Gone, removed, demolished, destroyed and no longer there—it's history. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the State Park Drive exit; follow the road west to the park entrance.
Capitola Wharf — The pier is closed from winter storms and will not probably not reopen until about May 2014. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the Bay Avenue exit west until it hits Capitola Avenue where you turn right; stay on this to Cliff Drive, turn right and park wherever you can find a spot.
Santa Cruz Wharf — Jason at the Santa Cruz Boat Rental & Bait, on the wharf, said the fishing from the wharf has been real good. The hot fish is halibut and the place to catch them is right around the bait shop (where the pier widens). The halibut, and many if not most are legal-size are falling to live bait and swimbaits (i.e., HiTec). He said one of the best halibut baits has been small perch, walleye and barred surfperch. He said quite a few legal-size lingcod have also been taken on both live bait and lures. He says there are a lot of jacksmelt in the top-water but other than the jacksmelt most baitfish are missing. He says the waters by the Capitola Pier are loaded with jack mackerel but they haven’t moved over to Santa Cruz just yet. He says the usual small perch and small rockfish are also available. However, they haven’t seen very many kingfish (white croaker) or sanddab which usually are thick at the pier. We also got two PFIC reports this month. On June 24 Grandwrath reported, “Hit the SC Wharf with my wife and son for the second weekend in a row. We fished from 10:30 to 330pm. The "Woodies on the Wharf" car event was in full swing so parking was at a premium... There were a few fishing spots with signs marked "No fishing or crabbing" due to the event in addition to the parking hassle. Gearheads and fisherman got along just fine as all posted rules were followed and the mutual goal of a fun Saturday appeared to be had by all present. We even shared some bait with an attending gearhead who broke out his rod and reel when the car event finished. The fishing was so-so. The wind came up around noon, a full two hours ahead of the forecast... We toughed it out and managed many jacksmelt in the 6 to 12 inch range all returned as they were too big for live bait. Late in the afternoon, a school of sanddab moved in to the area we fished and my son managed a few on the border of eating size. Given the glut of tasty little flat fish in the freezer from our party boat venture earlier in the year, a stay of execution was passed down and all were returned. The highlight of the day was yet another salmonid, caught by my wife this time; During our post fishing pizza session, my wife did some research and found an article regarding a release of juvenile salmon at the wharf. Perhaps that was the source of this fish? This fish looks a bit different and was about twice as large as the smolt from our previous session. This fish was minimally handled and returned to the water asap.” Earlier, on June 20, Grandwrath reported on a 6/18 visit to the pier, “Hit the pier with my Wife and Son in the early afternoon. The pier was busy, lots of tourists and lots of people fishing. We found a spot on the rail near the Dolphin and dropped our hoops and lines. A Sabiki dropped straight down yielded small shiner perch and baby bocaccio with relative regularity. Adding a bit of shrimp and casting out to work the Sabiki back yielded Jacksmelt on occasion. The smelt seemed to be cruising up and down the pier as they normally do. Most smelt landed were 5 to 8 inch range all returned expect 2 or 3 who were damaged when hooked, those were used for bait. My son managed to land a big smelt (about 14 inches) which was gifted to a neighbor looking to have a meal. Mixed among the smelt was what appears to be a coho smolt. This fish was minimally handled and returned to the water asap so the photo is not the best. If this is indeed a coho, this bodes well for the area IMO. Maybe they can make a comeback? Maybe the conservation efforts are working? A few hours in to the session, a school of small blue rockfish moved in to the area and we caught 8 or so in the 5 to 9 inch range, all returned. My son managed another interesting catch, a 15-inch lingcod. This ling went for the baby bocaccio that my son had hooked initially which was still kicking in the toothy jaws when we landed the ling. The ling proceeded to lose the rest of its stomach contents, which included a mostly digested small rockfish and a mostly intact shiner perch. The ling was returned after a few photos. Our hoop nets yielded mostly slender crabs and hermit crabs. One big red rock crab did come up but it had no claws and was a female so it was returned. Despite the wind and swell we made a day of it. Though there was nothing for the pot or pan we came home with some great stories which are the best thing to bring home when you go fishing.” How to Get There: Ocean Street south from Highway 1; when you get to Laurel Street turn right and follow it to Pacific Street, turn left and follow Pacific to the wharf.
Johnson Pier (Pillar Point Harbor) — No report. Need a reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 1 simply take the Pillar Point Harbor turnoff and follow the road down to the main parking lot.
Pillar Point Pier (Pillar Point Harbor) — No report. Need a reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 1 simply take the Pillar Point Harbor turnoff and follow the road down to the main parking lot. This pier is to the far right of the parking lot
Pacifica Pier — Unable to get a report. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to Pacifica, take the Paloma Avenue-Francisco Boulevard exit, take Paloma west to Beach Road, turn left and proceed a short way until you see markers indicating the way to Fort Point, turn left on Long Avenue and it will take you down to the pier.
San Luis Obispo County Piers
Pismo Beach Pier — No report but some surfperch should be available on the bottom and some jacksmelt or sardines on top. This is also the time of the year when some sharks also show up at night. How To Get There: From the north, take Hwy. 101 to the Five Cities Dr. exit; follow Dolliver into the middle of town, then turn west on Pomeroy and follow it to the pier and parking lot. From the south, take the Pismo Beach Exit (Price St.), follow it to Pomeroy; turn west and follow it to the pier.
Avila Pier – Still closed amidst occasional rumors of being repaired. When? How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to Avila Rd. and go west; turn left off of Avila Rd. on to Front St. and follow it to the pier.
San Luis (Harford) Pier —Savannah at the Patriot Sportfishing says she hasn't seen many fish. Mainly a few jacksmelt and perch. She said the water is still COLD. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to the Avila Rd. turnoff and head west; follow the road to the end and the pier.
Morro Bay T-Piers – A variety of perch and small rockfish should still be available—blackperch, pileperch, and striped perch along with grass, brown, copper, blue and black rockfish. How To Get There: From Highway 1 turn south onto Main Street, follow it to Morro Bay Boulevard, turn left toward the bay and follow it to Embarcadero, turn right and follow Embarcadero to the end of the public parking which adjoins the piers.
Cayucos Pier — Springtime should see some decent fishing for surfperch (barred and calico) when the winds cooperate. Walleye surfperch should be caught under the pier, mid-pier to the end, using small hooks or a Sabiki baited with pieces of worms or other bait. White croaker should be on the bottom (cast out from the pier using pieces of worm, anchovy or strips of squid). Jacksmelt should be in the top-waters all along the pier and most people use Sabikis for the pelagics. Shark action should be picking up. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to either Ocean Boulevard, which is the main street and will take you past the pier, or take the Cayucos Drive exit which will take you straight to the pier.
San Simeon Pier — Expect the usual, a variety of perch inshore (I’ve caught nine different varieties) while mid-pier to the end may see some pelagic action on top—mainly jacksmelt. How To Get There: Highway 1 to the entrance to the park.
Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Mateo County Piers
Monterey Coast Guard Pier — No report although the usual mix of perch and rockfish should be available. How To Get There: From Hwy 1 going north: Take the Aguajito Road exit, turn left at the first traffic signal intersection, which is Aguajito Road, and continue under Highway 1 and cross Fremont Street. At the next traffic signal intersection, which is Del Monte Avenue, turn left. Continue down Del Monte Avenue and under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot. From Hwy 1 going south: Take the Del Monte Avenue exit, continue down Del Monte Avenue for several blocks and go under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot.
Monterey Wharf #2 — No reports and hard to predict. The pier is usually very good or very bad. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the central Monterey exit and follow Del Monte Avenue to Figueroa Street, turn right and follow to the wharf.
Seacliff State Beach Pier — Gone, removed, demolished, destroyed and no longer there—it's history. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the State Park Drive exit; follow the road west to the park entrance.
Capitola Wharf — The pier is closed from winter storms and will not probably not reopen until about May 2014. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the Bay Avenue exit west until it hits Capitola Avenue where you turn right; stay on this to Cliff Drive, turn right and park wherever you can find a spot.
Santa Cruz Wharf — Jason at the Santa Cruz Boat Rental & Bait, on the wharf, said the fishing from the wharf has been real good. The hot fish is halibut and the place to catch them is right around the bait shop (where the pier widens). The halibut, and many if not most are legal-size are falling to live bait and swimbaits (i.e., HiTec). He said one of the best halibut baits has been small perch, walleye and barred surfperch. He said quite a few legal-size lingcod have also been taken on both live bait and lures. He says there are a lot of jacksmelt in the top-water but other than the jacksmelt most baitfish are missing. He says the waters by the Capitola Pier are loaded with jack mackerel but they haven’t moved over to Santa Cruz just yet. He says the usual small perch and small rockfish are also available. However, they haven’t seen very many kingfish (white croaker) or sanddab which usually are thick at the pier. We also got two PFIC reports this month. On June 24 Grandwrath reported, “Hit the SC Wharf with my wife and son for the second weekend in a row. We fished from 10:30 to 330pm. The "Woodies on the Wharf" car event was in full swing so parking was at a premium... There were a few fishing spots with signs marked "No fishing or crabbing" due to the event in addition to the parking hassle. Gearheads and fisherman got along just fine as all posted rules were followed and the mutual goal of a fun Saturday appeared to be had by all present. We even shared some bait with an attending gearhead who broke out his rod and reel when the car event finished. The fishing was so-so. The wind came up around noon, a full two hours ahead of the forecast... We toughed it out and managed many jacksmelt in the 6 to 12 inch range all returned as they were too big for live bait. Late in the afternoon, a school of sanddab moved in to the area we fished and my son managed a few on the border of eating size. Given the glut of tasty little flat fish in the freezer from our party boat venture earlier in the year, a stay of execution was passed down and all were returned. The highlight of the day was yet another salmonid, caught by my wife this time; During our post fishing pizza session, my wife did some research and found an article regarding a release of juvenile salmon at the wharf. Perhaps that was the source of this fish? This fish looks a bit different and was about twice as large as the smolt from our previous session. This fish was minimally handled and returned to the water asap.” Earlier, on June 20, Grandwrath reported on a 6/18 visit to the pier, “Hit the pier with my Wife and Son in the early afternoon. The pier was busy, lots of tourists and lots of people fishing. We found a spot on the rail near the Dolphin and dropped our hoops and lines. A Sabiki dropped straight down yielded small shiner perch and baby bocaccio with relative regularity. Adding a bit of shrimp and casting out to work the Sabiki back yielded Jacksmelt on occasion. The smelt seemed to be cruising up and down the pier as they normally do. Most smelt landed were 5 to 8 inch range all returned expect 2 or 3 who were damaged when hooked, those were used for bait. My son managed to land a big smelt (about 14 inches) which was gifted to a neighbor looking to have a meal. Mixed among the smelt was what appears to be a coho smolt. This fish was minimally handled and returned to the water asap so the photo is not the best. If this is indeed a coho, this bodes well for the area IMO. Maybe they can make a comeback? Maybe the conservation efforts are working? A few hours in to the session, a school of small blue rockfish moved in to the area and we caught 8 or so in the 5 to 9 inch range, all returned. My son managed another interesting catch, a 15-inch lingcod. This ling went for the baby bocaccio that my son had hooked initially which was still kicking in the toothy jaws when we landed the ling. The ling proceeded to lose the rest of its stomach contents, which included a mostly digested small rockfish and a mostly intact shiner perch. The ling was returned after a few photos. Our hoop nets yielded mostly slender crabs and hermit crabs. One big red rock crab did come up but it had no claws and was a female so it was returned. Despite the wind and swell we made a day of it. Though there was nothing for the pot or pan we came home with some great stories which are the best thing to bring home when you go fishing.” How to Get There: Ocean Street south from Highway 1; when you get to Laurel Street turn right and follow it to Pacific Street, turn left and follow Pacific to the wharf.
Johnson Pier (Pillar Point Harbor) — No report. Need a reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 1 simply take the Pillar Point Harbor turnoff and follow the road down to the main parking lot.
Pillar Point Pier (Pillar Point Harbor) — No report. Need a reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 1 simply take the Pillar Point Harbor turnoff and follow the road down to the main parking lot. This pier is to the far right of the parking lot
Pacifica Pier — Unable to get a report. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to Pacifica, take the Paloma Avenue-Francisco Boulevard exit, take Paloma west to Beach Road, turn left and proceed a short way until you see markers indicating the way to Fort Point, turn left on Long Avenue and it will take you down to the pier.