September 2018 Fishing Report, CenCal (#240)
San Luis Obispo County Piers
Pismo Beach Pier — The pier is closed for renovation but scheduled to open on October 20 during the annual Clam Fest so there will be a million people. 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 and will not reopen for several more years. The Harbor District says they need $10-12 million to rebuild the pier. 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 — Fairly slow action but both jacksmelt and sardines are available (but they come and go). One halibut was reported. 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 few perch have shown but much of the action is on bat rays and sharks at night. 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 — Things have been slow but a few perch, mainly barred and calico, do make an appearance while nighttime action still sees a few sharks. 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 — Surfperch are showing, mainly barred and calico. Both mackerel and sardines have also been seen but they are in and out, you just have to be there when they show up. 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 this month although the normal species should be available—perch, small rockfish, and, if you’re lucky, possibly a cabezon or lingcod. 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 report this month although bonito were reported as being caught close to the wharf so perhaps they will make a showing. 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 the surf area is seeing a few surfperch (mostly small) while locals with the know how are also pulling in some striped bass farther out on the pier. 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 action is fair. The normal perch are showing, blackperch, walleyes and a few shiners and the anglers who catch small perch use them as live bait for halibut. Quite a few halibut have been landed including some legal size fish to about 10 pounds, Stripers are still available to people casting out pencil poppers but nothing much is happening on the top, a few mackerel at night but they come and go. 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 — Chris from the Santa Cruz Boat Rental (on the pier) said a variety of fish are hitting. Inshore, as in shallow 7-foot water, anglers are picking up striped bass on both live bait and swim baits. A little further out anglers are also picking up halibut, again on live bait and swim bait. Out at the end of the pier it’s mainly mackerel as well as a lot of anchovies. As for the perch and kingfish, Chris said they slowed down once the stripers and halibut appeared. 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. 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 — Bridget at Coastside #2 Bait and Tackle, 1604 Francisco Blvd, says mackerel are hitting at the pier but no salmon. In addition, there are the normal perch and kingfish. 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 — The pier is closed for renovation but scheduled to open on October 20 during the annual Clam Fest so there will be a million people. 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 and will not reopen for several more years. The Harbor District says they need $10-12 million to rebuild the pier. 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 — Fairly slow action but both jacksmelt and sardines are available (but they come and go). One halibut was reported. 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 few perch have shown but much of the action is on bat rays and sharks at night. 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 — Things have been slow but a few perch, mainly barred and calico, do make an appearance while nighttime action still sees a few sharks. 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 — Surfperch are showing, mainly barred and calico. Both mackerel and sardines have also been seen but they are in and out, you just have to be there when they show up. 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 this month although the normal species should be available—perch, small rockfish, and, if you’re lucky, possibly a cabezon or lingcod. 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 report this month although bonito were reported as being caught close to the wharf so perhaps they will make a showing. 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 the surf area is seeing a few surfperch (mostly small) while locals with the know how are also pulling in some striped bass farther out on the pier. 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 action is fair. The normal perch are showing, blackperch, walleyes and a few shiners and the anglers who catch small perch use them as live bait for halibut. Quite a few halibut have been landed including some legal size fish to about 10 pounds, Stripers are still available to people casting out pencil poppers but nothing much is happening on the top, a few mackerel at night but they come and go. 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 — Chris from the Santa Cruz Boat Rental (on the pier) said a variety of fish are hitting. Inshore, as in shallow 7-foot water, anglers are picking up striped bass on both live bait and swim baits. A little further out anglers are also picking up halibut, again on live bait and swim bait. Out at the end of the pier it’s mainly mackerel as well as a lot of anchovies. As for the perch and kingfish, Chris said they slowed down once the stripers and halibut appeared. 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. 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 — Bridget at Coastside #2 Bait and Tackle, 1604 Francisco Blvd, says mackerel are hitting at the pier but no salmon. In addition, there are the normal perch and kingfish. 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.
