August 2024 Fishing Report, Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and West Delta (#296)
Remember — Sturgeon Regulations: There is currently a (temporary?) closure on all sturgeon fishing.
Eckley Pier — No reports but striped bass should be available and this time of the year a few more saltier water species like jacksmelt and bat rays. Expect a few sturgeon as well. How To Get There: From I80, take the Crockett exit, turn east on Pomona Dr. which becomes Carquinez Scenic Dr., travel 1.5 miles to the Bull Valley Staging area entrance to the park. From I680 take Hwy 4 to the Cummings Skyway. Take the Crockett Blvd. exit and turn right on Pomona Dr. which becomes Carquinez Scenic Dr., travel 1.5 miles to the entrance of the park.
Martinez Pier — Apparently the bait shop is closed so no report but traditionally a few striped bass should be available from the pier. As a rule most of the stripers hit on anchovies, pile worms or grass shrimp. How To Get There: The pier is found at the foot of North Court Street. From I680, take the Marina Vista exit west off of the freeway, continue to the middle of the downtown area to Ferry Street and turn right, follow Ferry Street to Joe DiMaggio Road where you take another right, follow it a short distance to North Court Street, turn left, and follow the street through the Martinez Shoreline Park out to the pier parking lot. From Highway 4, take the Alhambra exit north and follow it to Escobar Street, turn right and follow it to Ferry Street, turn left and follow to Joe DiMaggio Drive, turn right and follow it to North Court Street, turn left and follow it out to the pier.
Benicia 9th Street Pier – Pam at Benicia Bait & Tackle. 509 Claverie Way, says most of the action is on stripers, a few legal size fish and a lot of shorts. She says they are also seeing some jacksmelt and some bat rays (so it sounds like there’s some saltwater intrusion into the area). Bloodworms and grass shrimp seem to be producing the most fish. How To Get There: From I780 take the Seventh Street exit south to Military Street, turn right and follow to Ninth Street, turn left and follow it to the end of the street and the pier.
City of Benicia Fishing Pier/First Street — Basically the same report as the 9th St. Pier. How To Get There: From Interstate 780, take the Second Street exit south to Military Street, turn right and follow it west to First Street, turn left and then follow it south to the end of the street., Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and
Antioch Pier – Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports a drop in the number of anglers now that sturgeon fishing is closed. Nevertheless, stripers are still available and if you use the right bait, i.e., live minnows some decent-sized fish have been taken. Cut bait will also attract the stripers. (anchovies and sardines) although I imagine some are also being taken on pile worms. How To Get There: The pier is located at the foot of H Street in downtown Antioch. From Highway 4, go north on G. Street; follow it to Second Street where you will turn left; follow Second Street about a block to the free public parking lot near the Jerome Waldie Plaza. A short walk through the park and down the hill will take you to the foot of the pier.
Antioch Marina Pier – Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports it’s the same story as at the Antioch Pier. A drop in the number of anglers now that sturgeon fishing is closed. Nevertheless, stripers are still available and if you use the right bait, i.e., live minnows some decent-sized fish have been taken. Cut bait will also attract the stripers. (anchovies and sardines) although I imagine some are also being taken on pile worms. How To Get There: From Highway 4, take the G Street exit and go north to Sixth Street; turn left and follow Sixth to L Street; turn right on L Street and simply follow it to the Antioch Public Marina and Marina Plaza Drive which takes you straight to the pier. The pier is to the right of the large restaurant.
Antioch Bridge Pier — Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports a LOT of small, illegal-size stripers (as has been true for at least the past 30 years). The majority of the stripers are being caught on cut anchovies or sardines. He did say there was a recent derby put on by someone who supposedly has a pier fishing website that charged a $35 entry fee and was won by a 26-inch fish. Another pier fishing site? He also said he now has live minnows back in stock. They are good for larger stripers and for fishing for largemouth bass in the shallows. I remember people also used to use small bluegills for the largemouth. [I remember years ago when I fished the pier I considered it a slow day if I didn’t get at least 50 stripers but almost all were too small to keep. The high number accounted for my 14.1 fish per hour stat. However, most days would only see 1-2 legal-size fish.] How To Get There: Follow Highway 4 east until it turns into Highway 160; just before you get to the bridge take the Wilbur Avenue off ramp (it is the last exit before the bridge), then turn left on Bridgehead Road and follow it to the entrance to the Antioch Regional Shoreline Park - the pier is the main feature of the park.
Rio Vista Pier — No report this month although stripers should be available during most days and catfish can show up at night. How To Get There: The pier is located near the west end of the Rio Vista Bridge (the Rio Vista side of the bridge). Going east on HY 12 take the last exit right before the bridge. Go one block until you see Front Street, turn left, and the entrance to the pier parking lot is approximately one half block on your right. Going west on HY 12 continue past the bridge until you can turn left safely. You can turn around and continue to the last exit or go through the downtown area until you hit Front Street. Turn left on Front Street and follow it to the pier parking lot.
Remember — Sturgeon Regulations: There is currently a (temporary?) closure on all sturgeon fishing.
Eckley Pier — No reports but striped bass should be available and this time of the year a few more saltier water species like jacksmelt and bat rays. Expect a few sturgeon as well. How To Get There: From I80, take the Crockett exit, turn east on Pomona Dr. which becomes Carquinez Scenic Dr., travel 1.5 miles to the Bull Valley Staging area entrance to the park. From I680 take Hwy 4 to the Cummings Skyway. Take the Crockett Blvd. exit and turn right on Pomona Dr. which becomes Carquinez Scenic Dr., travel 1.5 miles to the entrance of the park.
Martinez Pier — Apparently the bait shop is closed so no report but traditionally a few striped bass should be available from the pier. As a rule most of the stripers hit on anchovies, pile worms or grass shrimp. How To Get There: The pier is found at the foot of North Court Street. From I680, take the Marina Vista exit west off of the freeway, continue to the middle of the downtown area to Ferry Street and turn right, follow Ferry Street to Joe DiMaggio Road where you take another right, follow it a short distance to North Court Street, turn left, and follow the street through the Martinez Shoreline Park out to the pier parking lot. From Highway 4, take the Alhambra exit north and follow it to Escobar Street, turn right and follow it to Ferry Street, turn left and follow to Joe DiMaggio Drive, turn right and follow it to North Court Street, turn left and follow it out to the pier.
Benicia 9th Street Pier – Pam at Benicia Bait & Tackle. 509 Claverie Way, says most of the action is on stripers, a few legal size fish and a lot of shorts. She says they are also seeing some jacksmelt and some bat rays (so it sounds like there’s some saltwater intrusion into the area). Bloodworms and grass shrimp seem to be producing the most fish. How To Get There: From I780 take the Seventh Street exit south to Military Street, turn right and follow to Ninth Street, turn left and follow it to the end of the street and the pier.
City of Benicia Fishing Pier/First Street — Basically the same report as the 9th St. Pier. How To Get There: From Interstate 780, take the Second Street exit south to Military Street, turn right and follow it west to First Street, turn left and then follow it south to the end of the street., Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and
Antioch Pier – Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports a drop in the number of anglers now that sturgeon fishing is closed. Nevertheless, stripers are still available and if you use the right bait, i.e., live minnows some decent-sized fish have been taken. Cut bait will also attract the stripers. (anchovies and sardines) although I imagine some are also being taken on pile worms. How To Get There: The pier is located at the foot of H Street in downtown Antioch. From Highway 4, go north on G. Street; follow it to Second Street where you will turn left; follow Second Street about a block to the free public parking lot near the Jerome Waldie Plaza. A short walk through the park and down the hill will take you to the foot of the pier.
Antioch Marina Pier – Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports it’s the same story as at the Antioch Pier. A drop in the number of anglers now that sturgeon fishing is closed. Nevertheless, stripers are still available and if you use the right bait, i.e., live minnows some decent-sized fish have been taken. Cut bait will also attract the stripers. (anchovies and sardines) although I imagine some are also being taken on pile worms. How To Get There: From Highway 4, take the G Street exit and go north to Sixth Street; turn left and follow Sixth to L Street; turn right on L Street and simply follow it to the Antioch Public Marina and Marina Plaza Drive which takes you straight to the pier. The pier is to the right of the large restaurant.
Antioch Bridge Pier — Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports a LOT of small, illegal-size stripers (as has been true for at least the past 30 years). The majority of the stripers are being caught on cut anchovies or sardines. He did say there was a recent derby put on by someone who supposedly has a pier fishing website that charged a $35 entry fee and was won by a 26-inch fish. Another pier fishing site? He also said he now has live minnows back in stock. They are good for larger stripers and for fishing for largemouth bass in the shallows. I remember people also used to use small bluegills for the largemouth. [I remember years ago when I fished the pier I considered it a slow day if I didn’t get at least 50 stripers but almost all were too small to keep. The high number accounted for my 14.1 fish per hour stat. However, most days would only see 1-2 legal-size fish.] How To Get There: Follow Highway 4 east until it turns into Highway 160; just before you get to the bridge take the Wilbur Avenue off ramp (it is the last exit before the bridge), then turn left on Bridgehead Road and follow it to the entrance to the Antioch Regional Shoreline Park - the pier is the main feature of the park.
Rio Vista Pier — No report this month although stripers should be available during most days and catfish can show up at night. How To Get There: The pier is located near the west end of the Rio Vista Bridge (the Rio Vista side of the bridge). Going east on HY 12 take the last exit right before the bridge. Go one block until you see Front Street, turn left, and the entrance to the pier parking lot is approximately one half block on your right. Going west on HY 12 continue past the bridge until you can turn left safely. You can turn around and continue to the last exit or go through the downtown area until you hit Front Street. Turn left on Front Street and follow it to the pier parking lot.