January 2021 Fishing Report, Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and West Delta (#262)
Sturgeon regulations: Sturgeon must be between 40 and 60 inches (fork length) to keep.
Eckley Pier — Personal reports from several sources have reported both schoolie-sized striped bass and sturgeon being caught. 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 — Not sure if the pier is open but probably not. The city has applied for a grant from the state to renovate the pier and is awaiting word on if they will get the money. If so, they can begin to plan (including dates) the repair to the pier. 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 anglers are still picking up some striped bass while starry flounder are showing up in increasing numbers. 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 — Pam, at Benicia Bait & Tackle. 509 Claverie Way, says some stripers and flounder are available but the pier is hard to fish and she directs most people down to the 9th street 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.
Pittsburg Pier — No report but stripers seem to always be available. How To Get There: From Highway 4 take the Railroad Exit north toward the center of Pittsburg; when Railroad ends, turn left on Third Street and follow it to Marina Boulevard; at Marina turn left and follow to Bay Side Drive; now turn right and follow it to Riverview Park Drive. Turn left and follow it to the parking lot.
Antioch Pier – Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports some stripers and sturgeon are available. He does urge people to be cautious if fishing at night, there have been a few problems from the homeless. 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 some stripers and sturgeon are available. He does urge people to be cautious if fishing at night, there have been a few problems from the homeless. 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 continued good fishing for shaker-size stripers as well as the occasional larger fish. Biggest fish recently was 35-inch, 18-pound striper. The fish was taken on a live splittail that the angler had caught at the pier. [Sacramento Splittail — Pogonichthys macrolepidotus]. 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 — Jeanette at Rio Vista Bait and Tackle (510 CA-12), says anglers are still pulling in stripers with the biggest lately being a 36-inch fish; most are hitting on shad. Some sturgeon are also showing (on ghost shrimp and salmon roe) but all of the recent fish have been under-sized. 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.
Sturgeon regulations: Sturgeon must be between 40 and 60 inches (fork length) to keep.
Eckley Pier — Personal reports from several sources have reported both schoolie-sized striped bass and sturgeon being caught. 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 — Not sure if the pier is open but probably not. The city has applied for a grant from the state to renovate the pier and is awaiting word on if they will get the money. If so, they can begin to plan (including dates) the repair to the pier. 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 anglers are still picking up some striped bass while starry flounder are showing up in increasing numbers. 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 — Pam, at Benicia Bait & Tackle. 509 Claverie Way, says some stripers and flounder are available but the pier is hard to fish and she directs most people down to the 9th street 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.
Pittsburg Pier — No report but stripers seem to always be available. How To Get There: From Highway 4 take the Railroad Exit north toward the center of Pittsburg; when Railroad ends, turn left on Third Street and follow it to Marina Boulevard; at Marina turn left and follow to Bay Side Drive; now turn right and follow it to Riverview Park Drive. Turn left and follow it to the parking lot.
Antioch Pier – Matt at Gotcha Bait and Tackle (3500 18th St., Antioch), reports some stripers and sturgeon are available. He does urge people to be cautious if fishing at night, there have been a few problems from the homeless. 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 some stripers and sturgeon are available. He does urge people to be cautious if fishing at night, there have been a few problems from the homeless. 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 continued good fishing for shaker-size stripers as well as the occasional larger fish. Biggest fish recently was 35-inch, 18-pound striper. The fish was taken on a live splittail that the angler had caught at the pier. [Sacramento Splittail — Pogonichthys macrolepidotus]. 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 — Jeanette at Rio Vista Bait and Tackle (510 CA-12), says anglers are still pulling in stripers with the biggest lately being a 36-inch fish; most are hitting on shad. Some sturgeon are also showing (on ghost shrimp and salmon roe) but all of the recent fish have been under-sized. 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.