Southern California Archives - Pier Fishing in California

Capistrano Beach Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

For many years a large pier was located on the sandy seashore between Dana Point and San Clemente. It was the Capistrano Beach Pier, a pier built in 1929 by Edward (Ned) Doheny Jr. and the Capistrano Beach Company. The wooden pier was 1,180 foot…

Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier — San Diego — No Fishing Allowed

Frustration thy name is the Ellen Browning Memorial Pier. One of my long-time goals has been to fish from every California piers (or at least as many as possible) so a visit on 2009 to the pier was both great and frustrating. Hashem, a friend…

Hotel del Coronado Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

Although piers and wharves have lined Coronado’s bayside shoreline over the years, the most famous pier at Coronado was the oceanfront pier that sat adjacent to the iconic Hotel del Coronado for over a third of a century. Hotel guests and people who stayed at…

Redondo Wharf No. 1 (Santa Fe Wharf), 1888-1915 — Gone But Not Forgotten

An Angler’s history of Redondo’s Wharf #1 The story of Redondo and its early wharves is one that is far more complex than that seen at the typical California seaside towns that sprang up in the late 1800s. The plan by the Redondo Beach Company…

Del Mar Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

Although today’s Oceanside Pier is the first pier to be encountered north of San Diego, that hasn’t always been the case. The north county area saw several wharves and “pleasure piers” come and go over the years, piers at Del Mar, Carlsbad and Cardiff by…

Point Mugu Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

Although the history of California’s coastline includes many piers that are today just traces of history, few lasted as long, or saw as many challenges and changes, as the pier at Point Mugu. It is also less known than some piers even though it was…

Sycamore Cove Pier aka Big Sycamore Canyon Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

Sycamore Cove Beach (9000 Pacific Coast Highway) is located three miles east of Point Mugu and four miles up the coast northwest from the south corner of Ventura County. It sits at the mouth of the Big Sycamore Canyon and today is the site of…

Redondo Beach Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required The Redondo Beach Pier seems far more than just a pier, it’s part of a huge complex that contains shops, restaurants, fresh fish markets, amusement games, a large underground parking lot, areas reserved for viewing, and our favorite…

Seal Beach Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required I’ve known several people over the years that considered themselves experts at everything. In common vernacular they were know-it-alls. Rarely did their knowledge actually match their egos. However, I have also known a couple of people whose knowledge…

Cabrillo Pier — San Pedro

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required Late that night the steamer got to San Pedro, and you may be sure Tom and Retta were up early the next morning. As they came off the boat, there was a crowd of people on the wharf…