The official California Fish & Wildlife Dept. list of public piers and jetties — NO FISHING LICENSE REQUIRED

[Ken Jones]

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Beach-Fishing

Free Fishing Piers, Jetties, and Breakwaters
When recreationally fishing from a "public pier" in ocean or bay waters, a fishing license is not required. Public piers have a specific definition in Section 1.88 of Title 14, California Code of Regulations (CCR)(opens in new tab). Public piers must be connected to the shoreline, allow for free, unrestricted public access, and have been built or currently function for the primary purpose of fishing.

Publicly owned jetties and breakwaters may also be "public piers" but, in addition, must form the most seaward protective boundary of an ocean harbor. Jetties and other structures that are not the most seaward boundary are not public piers.

Even though a fishing license is not required on a public pier, all other regulations (including minimum size, bag limits, report cards, and seasons) apply while fishing from a public pier. Additionally, only two rods and lines, handlines, or nets, traps, or other appliances used to take crabs may be used per person on a public pier (CCR Title 14, Section 28.65(b)).

The following list and zoomable map include California public piers, jetties, and breakwaters as defined by Section 1.88 of Title 14, CCR.

PLEASE NOTE: CDFW cannot guarantee that individual piers, jetties, or breakwaters will be open to the public. The landowner may close these areas for safety, maintenance, or other reasons at any time.

California Public Fishing Piers, Jetties, and Breakwaters

San Diego County

• Imperial Beach Pier
• J Street Marina, Chula Vista, Pier
• Pepper Park, National City, Pier
• Coronado Fishing Pier
• Embarcadero Pier
• Shelter Island Pier
• Ocean Beach Pier
• Mission Bay Jetty North *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Crystal Pier (Pacific Beach)
• Oceanside Pier
• Oceanside Harbor Pier
• Oceanside Jetty East *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required

Orange County

• San Clemente Pier
• Dana Point Jetty South *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Dana Point Jetty
• Dana Point Harbor Pier
• Newport Harbor South Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Newport Harbor North Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Balboa Pier, Newport
• Newport Beach Pier
• Huntington Beach Pier
• Seal Beach Pier

Los Angeles County

• Avalon Pier, Catalina Island (Green Pleasure Pier)
• Cabrillo Mole, Catalina Island
• Alamitos Bay (72nd Street) Jetty West *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Alamitos Bay Jetty East *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Belmont Pier, Long Beach
• Shoreline Village Pier 3
• Shoreline Village Pier 2
• Shoreline Village Pier 1
• Shoreline Aquatic Park Pier 1
• Shoreline Aquatic Park Pier 2
• Pier J Fishing Pier South
• Pier J Fishing Pier North
• Warehouse One Pier
• Cabrillo Beach Fishing Pier *Note, on the adjacent breakwater a fishing license is required
• Redondo Beach Pier
• Redondo Beach/King Harbor Breakwater
• Hermosa Beach Pier
• Manhattan Beach Pier
• Marina Del Rey South Jetty
• Marina Del Rey North Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Venice Pier
• Santa Monica Pier
• Malibu Pier

Ventura County

• Port Hueneme Pier
• Ventura Pier

Santa Barbara County

• Santa Barbara Breakwater
• Stearn's Wharf
• Goleta Pier

San Luis Obispo County

• Pismo Beach Pier
• Avila Pier
• Harford Pier, Port San Luis
• Port San Luis Breakwater
• Morro Bay South Jetty
• Anchor Memorial Park Pier
• Morro Bay South T-Pier
• Morro Bay North T-Pier
• Morro Bay North Jetty
• Cayucos Pier
• San Simeon Pier

Monterey County

• Monterey Municipal Wharf 2
• Monterey Coast Guard Breakwater
• Moss Landing Breakwater South *Note: Adjacent rock wall touching land and jetty inside the harbor license is required
• Moss Landing Breakwater North *Note: Adjacent rock wall touching land and jetty inside the harbor license is required

Santa Cruz County

• Seacliff State Beach Pier (Seacliff Wharf)
• Capitola Wharf
• Santa Cruz Harbor Breakwater West *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Santa Cruz Harbor Breakwater East *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Santa Cruz Wharf

San Mateo County

• Halfmoon Bay Jetty East
• Halfmoon Bay Jetty West
• Pillar Point Harbor Fishing Pier
• Pacifica Pier
• Redwood City Pier
• Coyote Point Pier
• Oyster Point Pier
• Sierra Point Pier

San Francisco County

• Candlestick Fishing Pier (Eastern of two)
• Islais Creek Pier
• Agua Vista Pier
• South Beach Harbor Pier
• Pier 14
• Pier 7
• Pier 45
• San Francisco Municipal Wharf “Muni” Pier
• Fort Mason Pier 3
• Fort Mason Pier 2
• Saint Francis Jetty
• Torpedo Wharf (Fort Point) Pier

Alameda County

• Dumbarton Pier
• San Leandro Marina Pier
• Doolittle Drive Pier
• Arrowhead Marsh/MLK Pier
• Veteran’s Pier *Note: On the adjacent walking bridge a fishing license is required
• Alameda Rock Wall
• Union Point Park Pier
• San Antonio Pier
• San Antonio North (Best Western) Pier
• Estuary Park Pier
• Webster St. (Jack London) Pier
• Port View Park Pier
• Emeryville Marina Pier

Contra Costa County

• Barbara and Jay Vincent Park Jetty
• Barbara and Jay Vincent Park Pier
• John J Sheridan Pier
• Ferry Point Pier
• Pt. Pinole Pier
• Eckley Pier
• Martinez Marina Pier

Solano County

• Benicia Point Fishing Pier
• 9th Street Pier, Benicia
• Vallejo Launch Ramp Fishing Pier
• Vallejo Waterfront (Independence Park)
• Cullinan Ranch Fishing Pier

Napa County

• Cuttings Wharf

Marin County

• Acqua Hotel Pier
• Fort Baker Pier
• Fort Baker Jetty
• Elephant Rock Pier
• Paradise Beach County Park Pier
• McNears Beach County Park Pier

Sonoma County

• Shollenberger Pier
• Bodega Bay South Jetty
• Bodega Bay North Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Spud Point Public Pier

Mendocino County

• Point Arena Pier
• Noyo River Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required

Humboldt County

• Humboldt Bay South Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Humboldt Bay North Jetty *Note: On the adjacent rock wall touching land a fishing license is required
• Del Norte Street Pier
• Adorni Center Pier

Del Norte County

• B St. Pier
• Crescent City Harbor Lighthouse Jetty

 

[HookedUp!]

Thank you for the information. Just out of curiosity, what is the "Warehouse One Pier" in LA County?

 

[Ken Jones]

Thank you for the information. Just out of curiosity, what is the "Warehouse One Pier" in LA County?

It appears to be an old warehouse at North Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro, I didn't know it was a fishing location. Next time I am down there I will check it out.

BTW, I fixed the address for the public pier information in the original post.

 

[Ken Jones]

Very sad that Citizen's Dock in Crescent City no longer allows its citizens to fish from the dock (interferes with the commercial fishing operations). But, I believe you can still fish from the shoreline and its rocks although you'll need a license.

 

[jungfisher]

It appears to be an old warehouse at North Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro, I didn't know it was a fishing location. Next time I am down there I will check it out.

BTW, I fixed the address for the public pier information in the original post.

I looked at google and it appears to be the little short pier behind Montauk Technologies on signal street in san pedro. Google search shows it on N. Palos Verdes but that street is inland and doesn't lead to the water. The pier only shows up in satellite view just north of the dock. I might be in the area this weekend.
P.S Looked at some more pics and Warehouse No. 1 is the tall historical building that houses Montauk Technologies. It appears abandoned or closed. The front side of the building is on Signal Street, but the Los Angeles Pilot Taxi Service behind it shows as being 425 S Palos Verdes St, San Pedro, CA 90731

 

[billzerkeley]

I've noticed in the San Francisco County list that Pier 1 and the Ferry Building are not on the public pier list. I'm guessing you would need a fishing license to fish either of these places with a maximum of 1 line per person?

Another question is where does the 2-rod stamp applies? From what I was told when I was visiting the F&W office in Sacramento many years ago, the officer mentioned that the 2-rod stamp applies to anywhere inland (freshwater). So, is that anywhere inside of the Carquinez Bridge or the inside of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge? Would you need a 2-rod stamp at the Antioch Bridge Pier (this pier requires a fishing license)? Does the 2-rod stamp apply to the shorelines?

 

[Ken Jones]

You do not need a two rod stamp if fishing on the piers in the SF Bay complex. Based upon the past information, the Martinez Bridge was the point at which the water was considered freshwater and you needed both a fishing license and a two rod stamp.

 

[SC McCarty]

All of the jetties in Ventura County are posted "keep off," so I am not surprised they are not included.

Thanks, Ken, for getting the answers that have been around so long.

Steve

 

[Ken Jones]

It shouldn't have taken this long but at least now we know.

 

[jungfisher]

The Long Beach Pier J "piers" are an interesting choice of inclusion in the list. According to the planning documentation they were built as observation decks and not piers with a "primary purpose of fishing" which explains the lack of fishing friendly amenities. I wonder if after the fact someone decided to call it a fishing pier to get the state to include it, how the state became aware of their existence, etc. I'm thinking it's designation was changed to give people who can't afford a license the chance to fish in that area. Coronado Island in san diego has 3 similar structures that are not included in the list.

 

[Ken Jones]

The Long Beach Pier J "piers" are an interesting choice of inclusion in the list. According to the planning documentation they were built as observation decks and not piers with a "primary purpose of fishing" which explains the lack of fishing friendly amenities. I wonder if after the fact someone decided to call it a fishing pier to get the state to include it, how the state became aware of their existence, etc. I'm thinking it's designation was changed to give people who can't afford a license the chance to fish in that area. Coronado Island in san diego has 3 similar structures that are not included in the list.

Are you referencing the three small piers just upshore from the Coronado Ferry Landing Pier?

 

[jungfisher]

Yep known by some locally as "the 3 ladies"

 

[bassfanatick]

Maybe off topic, but there is a free park pass if you want to drop by local library to get one: https://www.lapl.org/parks-pass

 

[Red Fish]

Okay, just really looking this over Ken. Not familiar with: Cullian Pier in Vallejo and didn't know Cuttings Wharf was really in the zone of being a saltwater pier? I heard people there talk about that ramp next to the boat launch as a pier with two poles and I have heard others say otherwise (like 1 rod, etc). The rest look 100 with a couple local areas where the warden said there my be another "jetty" or so.

 

[Ken Jones]

Okay, just really looking this over Ken. Not familiar with: Cullian Pier in Vallejo and didn't know Cuttings Wharf was really in the zone of being a saltwater pier? I heard people there talk about that ramp next to the boat launch as a pier with two poles and I have heard others say otherwise (like 1 rod, etc). The rest look 100 with a couple local areas where the warden said there my be another "jetty" or so.

Robert, I'm not familiar with the Cullian pier either. Ditto the question on the Cuttings Wharf, kind of strange. Time for some research.