December 2020 Fishing Report, CenCal (#261)
San Luis Obispo County Piers
Pismo Beach Pier — Surfperch (on the bottom) and jacksmelt (on the top), should be available most days. How To Get There: From the north, take Hwy. 101 to the Five Cities Dr. exit; follow Dolliver into the middle of town, then turn west on Pomeroy and follow it to the pier and parking lot. From the south, take the Pismo Beach Exit (Price St.), follow it to Pomeroy; turn west and follow it to the pier.
Avila Pier – The pier is currently only open about half way out. Some surfperch should be available. PFIC received a report from fishman fishman who said there wasn't much fishing access. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to Avila Rd. and go west; turn left off of Avila Rd. on to Front St. and follow it to the pier.
San Luis (Harford) Pier — Debbie at Patriot Sportfishing (on the pier) said the fishing has gone dead. It happened about two weeks ago and between the cold water, wind, and big swells there just isn’t much going on. Sounds like it’s that time of the year. A PFIC report from fishman fishman reported a skunk. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to the Avila Rd. turnoff and head west; follow the road to the end and the pier. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to the Avila Rd. turnoff and head west; follow the road to the end and the pier.
Morro Bay T-Piers – A variety of perch and small rockfish should still be available—blackperch, pileperch, and striped perch along with grass, brown, copper, blue and black rockfish. How To Get There: From Highway 1 turn south onto Main Street, follow it to Morro Bay Boulevard, turn left toward the bay and follow it to Embarcadero, turn right and follow Embarcadero to the end of the public parking which adjoins the piers.
Cayucos Pier — Expect a variety of perch inshore. Top-water action should mainly see jacksmelt. A few sharays, sharks and rays, may be available but their numbers will be down from those seen in summer. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to either Ocean Boulevard, which is the main street and will take you past the pier, or take the Cayucos Drive exit which will take you straight to the pier.
San Simeon Pier — Expect the usual, a variety of perch inshore while mid-pier to the end may see some pelagic action on top—mainly jacksmelt. How To Get There: Highway 1 to the entrance to the park.
Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Mateo County Piers
Monterey Coast Guard Pier — No report, but perch, rockfish, cabezon, and an occasional lingcod should still be available. How To Get There: From Hwy 1 going north: Take the Aguajito Road exit, turn left at the first traffic signal intersection, which is Aguajito Road, and continue under Highway 1 and cross Fremont Street. At the next traffic signal intersection, which is Del Monte Avenue, turn left. Continue down Del Monte Avenue and under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot. From Hwy 1 going south: Take the Del Monte Avenue exit, continue down Del Monte Avenue for several blocks and go under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot.
Monterey Wharf #2 — No reports and hard to predict. It tends to be a hit or miss pier and the last time I was there nothing was being caught. Wish we had a reliable reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the central Monterey exit and follow Del Monte Avenue to Figueroa Street, turn right and follow to the wharf.
Seacliff State Beach Pier — Ed at the Capitola Boat & Bait, said he’s not getting many reports but he did hear of one thresher shark caught about a week ago. Surfperch are available in the surf area. Unfortunately the pier is today just a short stub about half the size it was just a few years ago. How To Get There: How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the State Park Drive exit; follow the road west to the park entrance.
Capitola Wharf — Ed at the Capitola Boat & Bait, on the pier, said things have slowed although the pier is still surrounded by anchovies and smelt and the pelicans are doing their dive bombing routines. He says kingfish (white croaker) are available at the end along with some perch under the pier. Midway out people can also expect some jacksmelt while inshore sees some surfperch. He says there was a nice run of bat rays about a week ago with a number of good-sized mud marlin, 60-70 pounds, being caught. There was also a run of steelhead with most, but not all, of the fish being released. He says the boaters are still getting good fish, including decent numbers of lingcod but only a few halibut. The pier and boat rental will be open on Thanksgiving Day. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the Bay Avenue exit west until it hits Capitola Avenue where you turn right; stay on this to Cliff Drive, turn right and park wherever you can find a spot.
Santa Cruz Wharf — Ashley, at the Santa Cruz Boat Rental (on the wharf), said things have really slowed. People were seeing a lot of baitfish the day I called—sardines and anchovies, but even they had been slow lately. Jacksmelt, including some big ones, were also being caught but most of the other fish, including perch, kingfish (white croaker) and halibut have slowed. How to Get There: Ocean Street south from Highway 1; when you get to Laurel Street turn right and follow it to Pacific Street, turn left and follow Pacific to the wharf.
Pillar Point Pier — No report, need a reporter. Small rockfish should be available around the pier while jacksmelt should be available in the top-water areas. How To Get There: From Highway 1 simply take the Pillar Point Harbor turnoff and follow the road down to the main parking lot. This pier is to the far right of the parking lot
Pacifica Pier — Stephanie, at Gus’ Tackle, 3710 Balboa St., San Francisco, says the reports she getting, all having to do with crabbing for Dungeness instead of fishing, is that the crabbing from the pier has been terrible. As a result, most people are looking for shore spots that will produce. With the recent death of Marque at Coastside #2 Bait and Tackle I’m looking for a new reporter. Although this time of the year is primarily the time for Dungeness, some fish, especially surfperch, should still be available. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to Pacifica, take the Paloma Avenue-Francisco Boulevard exit, take Paloma west to Beach Road, turn left and proceed a short way until you see markers indicating the way to Fort Point, turn left on Long Avenue and it will take you down to the pier.
San Luis Obispo County Piers
Pismo Beach Pier — Surfperch (on the bottom) and jacksmelt (on the top), should be available most days. How To Get There: From the north, take Hwy. 101 to the Five Cities Dr. exit; follow Dolliver into the middle of town, then turn west on Pomeroy and follow it to the pier and parking lot. From the south, take the Pismo Beach Exit (Price St.), follow it to Pomeroy; turn west and follow it to the pier.
Avila Pier – The pier is currently only open about half way out. Some surfperch should be available. PFIC received a report from fishman fishman who said there wasn't much fishing access. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to Avila Rd. and go west; turn left off of Avila Rd. on to Front St. and follow it to the pier.
San Luis (Harford) Pier — Debbie at Patriot Sportfishing (on the pier) said the fishing has gone dead. It happened about two weeks ago and between the cold water, wind, and big swells there just isn’t much going on. Sounds like it’s that time of the year. A PFIC report from fishman fishman reported a skunk. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to the Avila Rd. turnoff and head west; follow the road to the end and the pier. How To Get There: Take Hwy. 101 to the Avila Rd. turnoff and head west; follow the road to the end and the pier.
Morro Bay T-Piers – A variety of perch and small rockfish should still be available—blackperch, pileperch, and striped perch along with grass, brown, copper, blue and black rockfish. How To Get There: From Highway 1 turn south onto Main Street, follow it to Morro Bay Boulevard, turn left toward the bay and follow it to Embarcadero, turn right and follow Embarcadero to the end of the public parking which adjoins the piers.
Cayucos Pier — Expect a variety of perch inshore. Top-water action should mainly see jacksmelt. A few sharays, sharks and rays, may be available but their numbers will be down from those seen in summer. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to either Ocean Boulevard, which is the main street and will take you past the pier, or take the Cayucos Drive exit which will take you straight to the pier.
San Simeon Pier — Expect the usual, a variety of perch inshore while mid-pier to the end may see some pelagic action on top—mainly jacksmelt. How To Get There: Highway 1 to the entrance to the park.
Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Mateo County Piers
Monterey Coast Guard Pier — No report, but perch, rockfish, cabezon, and an occasional lingcod should still be available. How To Get There: From Hwy 1 going north: Take the Aguajito Road exit, turn left at the first traffic signal intersection, which is Aguajito Road, and continue under Highway 1 and cross Fremont Street. At the next traffic signal intersection, which is Del Monte Avenue, turn left. Continue down Del Monte Avenue and under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot. From Hwy 1 going south: Take the Del Monte Avenue exit, continue down Del Monte Avenue for several blocks and go under the tunnel where the street turns into Lighthouse Avenue. Get into the right-hand lane. As the street veers to the right it turns into Foam Street. Continue on Foam Street to the first right and turn into the parking lot.
Monterey Wharf #2 — No reports and hard to predict. It tends to be a hit or miss pier and the last time I was there nothing was being caught. Wish we had a reliable reporter. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the central Monterey exit and follow Del Monte Avenue to Figueroa Street, turn right and follow to the wharf.
Seacliff State Beach Pier — Ed at the Capitola Boat & Bait, said he’s not getting many reports but he did hear of one thresher shark caught about a week ago. Surfperch are available in the surf area. Unfortunately the pier is today just a short stub about half the size it was just a few years ago. How To Get There: How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the State Park Drive exit; follow the road west to the park entrance.
Capitola Wharf — Ed at the Capitola Boat & Bait, on the pier, said things have slowed although the pier is still surrounded by anchovies and smelt and the pelicans are doing their dive bombing routines. He says kingfish (white croaker) are available at the end along with some perch under the pier. Midway out people can also expect some jacksmelt while inshore sees some surfperch. He says there was a nice run of bat rays about a week ago with a number of good-sized mud marlin, 60-70 pounds, being caught. There was also a run of steelhead with most, but not all, of the fish being released. He says the boaters are still getting good fish, including decent numbers of lingcod but only a few halibut. The pier and boat rental will be open on Thanksgiving Day. How To Get There: From Highway 1 take the Bay Avenue exit west until it hits Capitola Avenue where you turn right; stay on this to Cliff Drive, turn right and park wherever you can find a spot.
Santa Cruz Wharf — Ashley, at the Santa Cruz Boat Rental (on the wharf), said things have really slowed. People were seeing a lot of baitfish the day I called—sardines and anchovies, but even they had been slow lately. Jacksmelt, including some big ones, were also being caught but most of the other fish, including perch, kingfish (white croaker) and halibut have slowed. How to Get There: Ocean Street south from Highway 1; when you get to Laurel Street turn right and follow it to Pacific Street, turn left and follow Pacific to the wharf.
Pillar Point Pier — No report, need a reporter. Small rockfish should be available around the pier while jacksmelt should be available in the top-water areas. How To Get There: From Highway 1 simply take the Pillar Point Harbor turnoff and follow the road down to the main parking lot. This pier is to the far right of the parking lot
Pacifica Pier — Stephanie, at Gus’ Tackle, 3710 Balboa St., San Francisco, says the reports she getting, all having to do with crabbing for Dungeness instead of fishing, is that the crabbing from the pier has been terrible. As a result, most people are looking for shore spots that will produce. With the recent death of Marque at Coastside #2 Bait and Tackle I’m looking for a new reporter. Although this time of the year is primarily the time for Dungeness, some fish, especially surfperch, should still be available. How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to Pacifica, take the Paloma Avenue-Francisco Boulevard exit, take Paloma west to Beach Road, turn left and proceed a short way until you see markers indicating the way to Fort Point, turn left on Long Avenue and it will take you down to the pier.