October 2020 Fishing Report, Southern California (259)

Ken Jones

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Staff member
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Still waiting for some reports —

October 2020 Fishing Report, SoCal (#259)

Remember — Lobster season will open this weeekend. Follow all regulations and make sure you have a lobster card in possession.

San Diego County Piers

Imperial Beach Pier – Waiting for a report. How To Get There: From I-5 take the Palm Ave. (Hwy. 75) exit and follow it to where Palm Ave. and Hwy. 75 divide. Follow Palm Ave. to Seacoast Dr., turn left and it will take you right to the pier.

Ocean Beach Pier — Seth at the Ocean Beach Pier Bait Shop & Café, on the pier said action has slowed somewhat. The bonito have been in and out along with the mackerel. Some threshers have shown along with one sevengill shark on the bottom (at night). It’s slow on halibut and other bottom fish. Expectations are high for the lobster season that opens this weekend. How To Get There: From the north, take I-5 to the Sea World Dr. exit and follow it until it turns off to Sunset Cliffs Blvd. From the south, take I- 5 to the Nimitz Blvd. exit, then follow that road to Sunset Cliffs Blvd. Follow Sunset Cliffs Blvd. to Newport Ave., turn right and follow the road to the pier parking lot.

Crystal Pier – Hunter at the Crystal Pier Bay & Tackle said action remains decent although not hot. There’s still a lot of mackerel with the bonito coming and going. Some yellowfin croaker are on the bottom; ditto the bat rays. Lots of lobsters are being caught on rod and reel (which of course are illegal on rods) and the lobster season doesn’t open until this weekend. Luckily the people have been returning them to the water. How To get There: Take I-5 to Garnet Ave. then take Garnet west to the foot of the pier.

Pepper Park Pier — No report. We need a reporter! How To Get There: From I-5 take the 24th Street off-ramp west to Tidelands Avenue and go left (south) on Tidelands to the end.

Bayside Park Pier — No report. We need a reporter. How To Get There: From I-5 take the J Street off ramp and go west. Take J Street to Tidelands Ave., turn right. Take Tidelands to Sandpiper Way, turn right. Take Sandpiper to Bayside Parkway, turn left and follow the road to the park.

Embarcadero Marina Pier — Richard, at “Burgers, Bait & Beer” (at the foot of the pier), reports that anglers continue to pull in good numbers of mackerel along with some spotted bay bass and rays (stingrays and bat rays). He says the typical baits (anchovies and squid) will take the fish but most of the spotted bay bass are hitting on “Hookup Baits” which are made in San Diego (and which he sells). Halibut too are showing up but not in any great numbers. How To Get There: From the I-5 south, take the Front Street exit south to Market (just stay on Front Street, it runs into Market), take Market west to Harbor Dr. Turn left on Harbor Dr. and take it to 8th Ave., turn right onto Convention Way (formerly Harbor St.). Follow it a short block to 5th Ave. and the pier. It seems that with the new Convention Center the city is constantly working on these streets near the pier and renaming them; if you get confused remember that the park and pier are immediately to the southwest of the Convention Center. From I-5 North, approaching from the south, take the J Street exit, then go straight, three blocks up to Market, turn left and take it from there.

Ferry Landing Pier (Coronado) — Need a reporter although bass (a variety) always seem to be around as well as a mix of sharays (mostly round stingrays). How To Get There: From San Diego, take the Coronado Bay Bridge (Highway 75) to Coronado. Once over the bridge you are on Third Street. Simply follow it to B Avenue, turn right, and follow it to the front of The Old Ferry Landing — the intersection of First Street and B Avenue. The pier sits behind the shops in the complex.

Shelter Island Pier — Michael, at Angler’s Choice, 1910 Rosecrans St., said anglers are getting a few bass and even a few halibut but the action on top water species is slow. How To Get There: Take I-5 or I-8 to Rosecrans (Hwy. 209) and go west, turn left at Shelter Island Dr. and follow the road until you see the pier and the entrance to the parking lot.

Oceanside Pier — Bill at the Oceanside Pier Bait and Tackle shop on the pier, said anglers are picking up good numbers of leopard sharks and a lot of sardines when fishing the top water. Mackerel continue to show but the bonito action has slowed. Inshore, small yellowfin croaker are showing up along with quite a few shortfin corvina (for some reason). Sharay action has slowed although some guitarfish and bat rays still are showing up. Lobster season starts this weekend but the pier’s hours, now closing at 10 p.m. will be a big change for year’s past. How To Get There: From I-5 take the Harbor Dr. exit off the freeway, follow it and it will wind down to the harbor; where the road splits stay to the right on North Harbor Dr., and follow it to the pier.

Oceanside Harbor Pier — Awaiting the report. How To Get There: From I-5 take the Harbor Dr. exit off the freeway, follow it and it will wind down to the harbor; where the road splits stay to the right on North Harbor Dr., and follow it to the pier.

Orange County Piers

San Clemente Pier — Awaiting a report. How to Get There: From I-5 take any of several exit streets west to El Camino Real, follow it to the center of town, and from there take Del Mar down to the pier.

Dana Harbor Pier — Awaiting the report. How To Get There: The pier is located in the Dana Cove Park area of Dana Point Harbor. From the Pacific Coast Highway take Green Lantern Road south to the harbor, turn left on Cove Road, and follow it to the pier.

Balboa Pier — Our reporter Snookie said, “Yes, things are picking up. Can't say we caught a lot of good fish, but we did get a lot of good strikes. My 12-pound halibut was the only keeper caught this month, but some good size bonito are being caught. There was a horn shark caught yesterday. I hadn't seen one of those for a long time. Lots of butterfly rays are being caught, probably because of the rugged water. Saw some yellowfin croakers and small white seabass caught. Of course the mackerel are being caught, and thornbacks. Yesterday it was supposed to be a hot day, but the pier was cold enough for a jacket because of the wind. When my friend got home he had 96 degree temperature at his house. Made us appreciate our cold air. We have had lots of bait such as smelt plus a few sardines. Some days it is all sardines, but it varies.” How To Get There: From the Pacific Coast Highway take Newport Blvd. which will turn into Balboa Blvd., follow it west to Palm Street. Turn right and follow it to the pier and the adjacent parking lot.

Newport Pier — Generally the action mirrors, for the most part, that seen at Balboa. How To Get There: From the Pacific Coast Highway take the Newport Blvd. turnoff and proceed west watching for signs directing traffic to the pier. The pier sits at the foot of McFadden Place.

Huntington Beach Pier — Josh at Let's Go Fishing (on the pier) reports that some decent numbers of sardines are being caught, but the bonito come and go and the mackerel have been largely gone. Inshore some croaker are still showing up but it seems like most of the sharary action (sharks and rays) have slowed. It sounds fair to middlin’ to me. How To Get There: Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) to Huntington Beach and the pier.

Seal Beach Pier —Ron at “Big Fish Bait and Tackle in Seal Beach” reports things are basically slow at the pier. He says people are still buying bait but he isn’t getting any reports of fish. How To Get There: From the Pacific Coast Highway simply take Main St. west and follow it to the pier.

Los Angeles County Piers

Belmont Pier — Ron at “Big Fish Bait and Tackle in Seal Beach” reports things are slow at the pier. How To Get There: From the north take I-405 to the Lakewood Boulevard turnoff, and then go south to 7th Street, turn west (right) until you come to Ximeno Ave. and then turn left. Follow it to Livingston Dr. and go west. You will see signs by Ocean Ave. and Termino Ave. indicating the pier. From the south take the Pacific Coast Highway to 2nd. Street (Westminister becomes 2nd. Street when it crosses PCH), go west, follow to Livingston Dr. Follow it to signs by Ocean Ave. and Termino Ave. indicating the pier and parking lot.

Shoreline Aquatic Park Piers — No report this month but expect some perch, sargo and croaker while fishing the inshore shallower waters. Mackerel and white croaker should be available with a cast out from the pier. How to Get There: From downtown Long Beach, take Pine Avenue south to Shoreline Drive. For the northernmost pier #1 follow Shoreline Avenue west and follow it around the lagoon to where the street ends. For the southernmost piers #2-#5 follow Shoreline Drive east to the markings for Shoreline Village, continue past the shopping complex, and follow the road out to near the end of the peninsula. You will see the piers.

Cabrillo Pier (San Pedro) — Alex at the Rusty Hook (245 N Gaffey St., San Pedro) says the pier continues to be closed. His Lordship, the mayor of Los Angeles, continues to keep the Los Angeles piers under his jurisdiction—Venice and Cabrillo Beach, closed. Last two piers in the entire state as far as I know. How To Get There: Take the Harbor Freeway (I-110) south; it will turn into Gaffey St. Follow it to 22nd Street and turn left. Follow 22nd St. to Pacific Ave. and turn right. Follow Pacific Ave. to 36th Street and the entrance to Cabrillo Park.

Green Pleasure Pier (Avalon, Catalina Island) – I talked to the Harbor Master and the pier is open but hotels and restaurants in Avalon are hit and miss, some open, some not. Given that the Mole is closed, pier fishing is restricted to the pleasure pier but he said it’s usually not crowded. When open it’s the normal mix of fish—kelp bass, opaleye, halfmoon, rock wrasse, senorita, sheephead, etc. How To Get There: The trick here is to get to Catalina. Ships and helicopters make the journey several times a day from the Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Newport Beach. Information is available on all of these by calling the Avalon Chamber of Commerce on the Pleasure Pier (213) 510-1520 or the Visitor's Information & Service Center (213) 510-2500. Once in Avalon there should be no problem in finding the pier, which is located at the foot of Catalina Avenue.

Cabrillo Mole (Avalon, Catalina Island) — The Mole is closed for repair and reopening dates are unclear. How To Get There: The trick is to get to Catalina. Ships and helicopters make the journey several times a day from the Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Newport Beach. Information is available on all of these by calling the Avalon Chamber of Commerce on the Pleasure Pier (213) 510-1520 or the Visitor's Information & Service Center (213) 510-2500. Once in Avalon there should be no problem in finding the mole that sits right where most boats disembark.

Redondo Beach Pier — Joanna, at the Redondo Pier Tackle (on the pier), said people continue to catch good numbers of mackerel along with a few bonito. Apparently there’s not much action on bottom species. How To Get There: From the Pacific Coast Highway, take Torrance Blvd. west to the foot of the pier and the parking lot.

Hermosa Beach Pier — No report this month PFIC reports have shown a few mini-bonito and mackerel and a few halibut. How To Get There: Take the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) to Pier Avenue and follow Pier Avenue west to the pier.

Venice Pier — His Lordship the mayor of Los Angeles continues to keep the Los Angeles piers under his jurisdiction—Venice and Cabrillo Beach, closed. Only piers I think that are closed in the state. How To Get There: Highway 1 to Washington St., turn west and follow Washington St. to the pier.

Santa Monica Pier — John at the Santa Monica Pier Bait & Tackle shop towards the end of the pier reports fairly slow fishing. A few yellowfin croaker are taken inshore, some perch show up under the pier, and jacksmelt and (some days) mackerel are taken out at the end. Sharay action seems to have slowed. This weekend the lobster season opens which should mean the pier will be crowded. How to Get There: From I-405 take Santa Monica Blvd. west to Ocean Ave. Turn left, go to Colorado Ave., and turn right onto the pier.

Malibu Pier — Ginny at Wylie’s Bait & Tackle (18757 Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu) said the fishing has slowed somewhat. Mackerel are still hitting, as well as small perch, but most of the other species have slowed. How To Get There: The pier fronts on the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) so just drive until you see it.

Paradise Cove Pier — No report. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to Paradise Cove Dr., turn west, and follow the road back into the parking lot.

Ventura & Santa Barbara County Piers

Port Hueneme Pier — No report. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take Hueneme Rd. west until it turns into Port. At Ventura Rd turn left and follow it to Surfside Dr. Turn left again and follow it to the park.

Ventura Pier — No report. Need a reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 101 take the Seaward Drive exit west to Harbor Drive, turn right and follow it to the pier.

Stearns Wharf —Mike at the Stearns Wharf Bait Shop on the wharf says the weather is good but the fish are hit and miss. Mornings do seem to see quite a few bat rays while some halibut show up during the day. Thresher shark fishing continues to be decent with the sharks showing up almost every day but strangely they are showing up at the end of each day just before dusk. Mackerel and bonito show up every other day but most are on the small side. Baitfish, smelt and sardines, are abundant and they too are on the small side, perfect for bait but too small to eat. A finaDon’t hold your breath waiting for the state to reopen th pier. If you do you’ll be dead. l fish are the kelp bass which are still showing in decent numbers. How To Get There: From Highway 101 take Castillo St. or State St. west to the beach and follow signs to the pier.

Goleta Pier — It sounds like the fishing has been decent. The pipe-reef continues to yield small rockfish and a smattering of other species while mackerel come and go and the usual sharay species continue to show, mostly at night. How To Get There: From Highway 101 take the Hwy. 217/Airport exit. Follow it to Sandspit Rd. and the Goleta Beach Park turnoff. Follow this to the park and the pier.

Gaviota Pier — Don’t hold your breath waiting for the state to fix and reopen the pier (or you’ll be dead). It’s now been closed for six years. Ridiculous! How To Get There: From Highway 101 simply take the Gaviota State Park turnoff down to the beach and pier