San Francisco Bay Area Archives - Pier Fishing in California

Judge John Sutter Pier — Oakland

The Judge John Sutter Pier, part of the larger Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline Park and Pier, is one of the newest piers in the state opening in October 2020. I’ve only fished it once so these are preliminary notes/recommendations mainly based on reports from…

Chevys Pier — Emeryville

Public Access Area — Status Unclear — Fishing License May Be Required There are many small piers scattered along the shoreline of the East Bay, many not technically built for fishing but offering platforms for those who chose the piscatorial arts. This is one such…

Long Wharf — Oakland Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

The Long Wharf as seen from Goat Island, now called Yerba Buena Island The Oakland Long Wharf also later known as the Oakland Pier and South Pacific (SP) Mole was an 11,000-foot long railroad wharf and ferry pier in Oakland, one of the most important…

Red Rock Marina Pier — Richmond — Gone But Not Forgotten

The marina and pier were located just left of the bridge in this picture. Piers can be seen poking out from the shoreline. One of the most interesting components of the pier building process in California has been the utilization of previously built structures. This…

Fort Baker Pier — Sausalito

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required Like its counterpart across the bay, the Fort Point Pier, this pier offers not only decent fishing but one of the world’s most interesting and beautiful views. Look up to your right and you are looking into the…

Ravenswood Pier — Palo Alto — Gone But Not Forgotten

Sometimes it’s hard to fight for a pier when you hear ongoing, almost non-stop stories of people (anglers and non-anglers alike) vandalizing and committing a variety of crimes at the pier. Eventually the poor behavior and crimes seen at this pier helped define the pier…

Warm Water Cove Pier — San Francisco — Gone But Not Forgotten

I’m not sure if the music was punk, grunge or something altogether different, but it was corybantic, loud, obnoxious to these old ears and terribly off key (I think). Yet it somehow seemed perfectly suited for the area. There I was in this industrial, dirty…

South Beach Harbor Marina Pier — San Francisco

Public Access Area — Status Unclear — Fishing License May Be Required O.K., so how many piers have a major league baseball stadium practically connected to the pier? Or, on how many piers can you look over your shoulder and see a huge baseball mitt—or…

Heron’s Head Park Pier — San Francisco

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required The first date, the first kiss…the first visit to a new pier, all offer intrigue and hope for the future. And then reality sits in. Here my first visit offered a mixed message. The park itself was certainly…

Shorebird Park and Chevy’s Pier — Emeryville

Public Access Area — Status Unclear — Fishing License May Be Required Although undoubtedly seen by many among the thousands of commuters who pass along this stretch of shoreline daily, two small piers exist in Emeryville that are virtually unused (if not unknown) by local…