Oyster Point Fishing Pier
This small pier juts out from the artificial Oyster Point Peninsula, a landfill area. As such, it serves as another lesson for what has happened to much of San Francisco Bay. Looking towards shore from the end of the pier you'll see the Oyster Point Marina to the right and a cove between two points of land off to the left. Looking past the water of the cove to the left you'll notice that the shoreline has areas that appear to be white. This is the original shoreline which existed before these artificial peninsulas were built. The white is the remains of oyster beds and shells (although I'm not sure if these were the original small native oysters or the larger, more valuable "Eastern" oysters introduced by man and commercially grown for nearly 40 years). This was once a tremendously rich area of water and one which still presents oysters and shelf areas from which to fish (if you know where they are). But nowhere is the fertility anything like it was back in the "olden" days -- times, for instance, like the 1890s when Jack London sailed these waters on his sloop the Razzle Dazzle and gained the title he cherished, "Prince of the Oyster Pirates." Man has shaped and reshaped the shoreline of the bay to meet his needs and these needs often differ from the needs of the true bay inhabitants: the fish and other wildlife which were common to these waters long before the coming of man.

Environment
The pier is small, being only 170 feet long, and sits primarily over a mud bottom. The water here is fairly shallow but receives a good tidal movement as the water sweeps around the rock-studded point upon which the pier sits. As such, it is the type of area favorable to topsmelt and jacksmelt which are two of the main types of fish taken here. It is also an area which sees many sharks, primarily small brown smoothhound sharks, but also a lot of leopard sharks, bat rays and a few skates. To the north of the pier sits a marina and shipping lanes, but neither appears to have much influence on the pier itself. Inshore, there are some rocks around the shallower waters; as a result, this area will seasonally yield a few seaperch and sometimes it is the best area for striped bass. Pilings themselves are concrete and have little growth on them even though the pier has been here since 1983. Green moss can be a problem, especially during the late summer and fall months. At times the moss covers the bottom around the pier and makes fishing almost impossible. At other times the moss is growing further out in deeper water and doesn't present a problem until the incoming tide begins to bring patches of the moss inshore. Pretty soon every cast yields a sinker covered with moss; hooks and bait are enveloped in the green hair; and your line itself begins to attract the moss. Generally when such conditions arise it's time to leave -- although the moss doesn't seem to faze some of the regulars. I have primariuly noticed these concentrations of moss during late summer visits. This can also be a very windy spot so aways bring a jacket with you to the pier.

Fishing Tips
This pier is a favorite of shark anglers so you might want to concentrate on sharks. Bring a heavier pole, 20-40 pound test line, and heavy leaders (even wire leaders). Use live midshipmen, squid, or an oily fish such as mackerel or sardine for bait, and cast out to the right or left from the end of the pier. Large leopard sharks are the favorite quarry, but brown smoothhounds are more common. Occasionally a 7-gill shark will also be caught but most of these are babies, not the monster-size adults. A second alternative would be to fish the top of the water with a multi-hook jacksmelt rigging. Fish mid-pier to the end on the side of the pier from which the water is flowing away. Use small pieces of pile worms or shrimp and small size 8-6 hooks. Fish under and around the pier with a high/low leader, size 6-4 hooks, and small strips of anchovy for silver surfperch and walleye surfperch; cast further out for white croaker (kingfish). Fish the inshore area in the winter to spring, using a high/low leader, size 6 hooks, and pile worms or grass shrimp as bait to catch black seaperch, rubberlip seaperch, pileperch, white seaperch and even an occasional redtail surfperch.

As at the two piers to the north, fishing for starry flounder from late January to March may show good results, although the numbers of the starries has been down for quite a few years. The best bait for flounders will be grass shrimp, ghost shrimp or cut anchovies fished on the bottom with a flounder rigging. A similar rigging in the spring to fall months may yield a halibut.

May to September will often yield striped bass. Live bullheads (staghorn sculpin), shinerperch, and small smelt are the ideal baits for the stripers but grass shrimp, pile worms, and frozen anchovies will also yield some fish. Many anglers here will use artificals for the stripers with spoons like Kastmasters and Krocodiles probably producing the most fish. Although the time to fish most piers is just before and after the high tide, this pier really seems to produce the most fish on the outgoing tide. Nighttime is also often the prime time for the stripers. Sometimes a summer or fall day will seem almost dead with few fish being caught. Then, when the sun begins to go down, the stripers go on the prowl around the pier and the regulars with the know how will be waiting for them. I've heard tales of anglers catching over a dozen fish in one evening with most of the fish being over ten pounds in size.

Sturgeon are also a possibility at this pier, primarily showing up the same time as the local herring spawns. The sturgeon like to vacum up the eggs from the bottom and luckily for local anglers will also ingest a few riggings presented with the proper baits. I have seen the pier surrounded by boats and witnessed multiple hookups taking place both on the boats and on the pier. Action isn't always that fast but it does happen. Timing is the key and during the right months it is critical to keep in touch with local anglers or bait shops so that you can find out when the runs begin. Also, remember to bring the right baits and the "au natural" choice would be herring and/or herring eggs during these times. It's also good to bring along a buddy to help you net the fish that you hook since it is very tough to bring a large sturgeon up onto a pier. Lastly, remember to follow the rules; the only legal size sturgeon are those between 46-72 inches.

Always bring a net! Bat rays and sturgeon exceeding 100 pounds have been landed at the pier as have stripers over 40 pounds and a 38-pound halibut.

Oyster Point Fishing Pier Facts

Hours: Open from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M.with signs on the pier saying closure at 9:40 p.m.

Facilities: Restrooms are located on land at the front of the pier. There are lights and a fish cleaning station on the pier. There are no food facilities or bait and tackle available. Limited free parking.

Handicapped Facilities: Handicapped restrooms but no handicapped parking. Accessible by wheelchair and crutches. Not posted for handicapped.