San Luis Obispo County Piers
Pismo Beach Pier — Surfperch and jacksmelt, should be available most of the day and while the action on sharks has slowed, some sharks and rays shouild still be available. 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 closed. 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 — The last report we had said a few perch are being taken inshore and out at the end of the pier. Jacksmelt should also be available. 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 rockfish should be available—blackperch, pileperch, and striped perch along with grass, brown, copper, blue and black and yellow 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 along with too many small bullheads (staghorn sculpin). Top-water action sees mainly sees jacksmelt. A few sharays, sharks and rays, should still be available but their numbers are 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 sees more pelagic action on top—mackerel (some days) and jacksmelt. An occasional flatfish or rockfish may make a visit but not too many. How To Get There: Highway 1 to the entrance to the park.
Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Mateo County Piers
Monterey Coast Guard Pier — The pier has reopened but the only reports from the pier this month said the fishing was slow — or dead. 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 — A report from StripeDoc said the pier action was completely “dead.” 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 assumes the regulars there are catching fish since they haven't come over to Capitola like they do when things are slow. Unfortunately there’s not much of a pier left so it can be crowded and there are a zillion kelp flies so I rarely recommend the pier any longer. A few barred surfperch and calico surfperch should also be available in the surf area, along with some walleye perch. 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 the fishing has slowed down. He says it’s mostly perch fishing at this time. Barred surfperch and walleye surfperch are available inshore while some splittails and blackperch are available in deeper water. He said the perch are joined by some kingfish (white croaker) and jacksmelt. He says the pier is still surrounded by pinhead-size anchovies but the striped bass and halibut are both missing. 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 — Liza, at the Santa Cruz Boat Rental (on the wharf), said most of the action has been on jacksmelt and kingfish (white croaker) although a couple of legal halibut have also been taken. Most unusual was the catch of a couple of legal-size red rock cod (rockfish) which are more normally found out in deeper waters. She said the pier had pretty rough swells for a few days and she wondered if that brought the fish in. 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 — Perch and small rockfish should be available as well as a variety of crabs. 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 — Marque at Coastside #2 Bait and Tackle, 1604 Francisco Blvd, said the fishing is slow and the crabbing for Dungeness crabs isn’t much better. The crabbing should be better considering it’s just the start of the season but apparently it’s been slow to. PFIC reports indicate the same slow action on crabs. [Also see PFIC reports.] 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.
Pismo Beach Pier — Surfperch and jacksmelt, should be available most of the day and while the action on sharks has slowed, some sharks and rays shouild still be available. 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 closed. 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 — The last report we had said a few perch are being taken inshore and out at the end of the pier. Jacksmelt should also be available. 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 rockfish should be available—blackperch, pileperch, and striped perch along with grass, brown, copper, blue and black and yellow 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 along with too many small bullheads (staghorn sculpin). Top-water action sees mainly sees jacksmelt. A few sharays, sharks and rays, should still be available but their numbers are 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 sees more pelagic action on top—mackerel (some days) and jacksmelt. An occasional flatfish or rockfish may make a visit but not too many. How To Get There: Highway 1 to the entrance to the park.
Monterey-Santa Cruz-San Mateo County Piers
Monterey Coast Guard Pier — The pier has reopened but the only reports from the pier this month said the fishing was slow — or dead. 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 — A report from StripeDoc said the pier action was completely “dead.” 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 assumes the regulars there are catching fish since they haven't come over to Capitola like they do when things are slow. Unfortunately there’s not much of a pier left so it can be crowded and there are a zillion kelp flies so I rarely recommend the pier any longer. A few barred surfperch and calico surfperch should also be available in the surf area, along with some walleye perch. 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 the fishing has slowed down. He says it’s mostly perch fishing at this time. Barred surfperch and walleye surfperch are available inshore while some splittails and blackperch are available in deeper water. He said the perch are joined by some kingfish (white croaker) and jacksmelt. He says the pier is still surrounded by pinhead-size anchovies but the striped bass and halibut are both missing. 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 — Liza, at the Santa Cruz Boat Rental (on the wharf), said most of the action has been on jacksmelt and kingfish (white croaker) although a couple of legal halibut have also been taken. Most unusual was the catch of a couple of legal-size red rock cod (rockfish) which are more normally found out in deeper waters. She said the pier had pretty rough swells for a few days and she wondered if that brought the fish in. 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 — Perch and small rockfish should be available as well as a variety of crabs. 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 — Marque at Coastside #2 Bait and Tackle, 1604 Francisco Blvd, said the fishing is slow and the crabbing for Dungeness crabs isn’t much better. The crabbing should be better considering it’s just the start of the season but apparently it’s been slow to. PFIC reports indicate the same slow action on crabs. [Also see PFIC reports.] 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.