I live in Crescent City. I'm retired and thinking about a trip south to catch species that we don't have up here. I would be sleeping in my camper van and fishing from piers. I'd like to the trip to avoid overbooked camping areas while still having fish to chase. Does anyone have any suggestions of when/where I could go?
Out of town traveler
- Thread starter 123Dwight
- Start date
- Crescent City has most of the species of Central California except striped bass, sturgeon, and a few warm water species from Southern California.
- The most pursued gamefish in your entire trek of the California coast would probably be the California halibut.
- I don’t know how far south you were thinking of going, but by the time you drive down 101 to the SF Bay, you can catch California halibut, striped bass and, a long-shot, white sturgeon.
- Paradise Pier along Highway 101 if you can make it on a weekday for striped bass and California halibut. $5 parking open 8am-7pm. Live shiners, jacksmelt, or anchovies are the best baits. But I have actually out fished guys with live shiners with good quality bag-bait anchovies hanging bait straight down over the rail (head down) under a 1 ounce egg weight 2 feet off the bottom with a circle hook. Rod loaded up and set in the rod holder. Right side of the pier on the front corner is what you want. Tell Ranger Kevin I sent you.
- From there any further south, it’s up to you and what sites you want to see. I have fished the majority of piers all the way to the San Diego border with limited success (Ken Jones has fished more).
- For instance, if you wanted to go 101 all the way down the coast and take 5 back. I found Monterey Bay Aquarium fascinating because it is comprised of every bay species of fish in it with a few pelagics. The Coast Guard Pier located behind the aquarium near Carl’s Jr. has quite a variety of rockfish you see in Crescent City but also sometimes off shore fish you find in SoCal like opal eye.
- From there, the hours drive through the Central Valley until you pass Morro Bay and maybe stop at Avila Pier or Shell Beach in San Luis Obisbo. If you continue south, Pismo Beach Pier and/or Hartford Pier. Further south Goleta Pier/Santa Barbara, maybe Stearns Wharf. Another trek across the valley and past Ventura and maybe trip to Malibu Pier onto Santa Monica and you are in L.A. at the 410 freeway. Left is Highway 5, and right, you’re headed to Longbeach passing Venice, Hermosa, Manhattan Beach Piers a few miles from the freeway.
- Again, it depends on what sites you want to see as the fishing could really be hit or miss (as far as target species). Good luck! Ken Jones has a map of all the piers in California. Some are closed due to last year’s storm.
Last edited: