The top ten piers in the state for variety (different species). Compiled from Department of Fish and Wildlife surveys, (2) additional species from my records, (3) PFIC reports and (4) misc. sources, i.e., scientific reports.
Ocean Beach Pier (San Diego) = 69 different species. (1) Pacific Mackerel, northern anchovy, queenfish, Pacific bonito, topsmelt, Pacific sardine, walleye surfperch, jacksmelt, white croaker, yellowfin croaker, salema, shinerperch, jack mackerel, kelp bass, silver surfperch, California yellowtail, white seabass, thornback ray, striped seaperch, black perch, leopard shark, white seaperch, rubberlip seaperch, spotfin croaker, barred surfperch, Pacific butterfish (pompano), California scorpionfish, brown rockfish (2) California barracuda, California halibut, senorita, deepbody anchovy, sand bass, rock wrasse, sargo, black croaker, California grunion, California butterfly ray, shovelnose guitarfish, California lizardfish (3) sheephead, opaleye, halfmoon, garibaldi, zebraperch, spotted sand (bay) bass, cabezon, striped mullet, California corbina, shortfin corvina, California needlefish, treefish, moray eel, giant (black) sea bass, finescale triggerfish, giant kelpfish, bat ray, diamond stingray, gray smoothhound shark, thresher shark, soupfin shark, 7-gill shark, mako shark, blue shark, horn shark, swell shark, dorado (aka mahi mahi dolphinfish, unidentified salmon, and bullet mackerel.
Entrance to the Newport Pier
Newport Pier = 67 different species. (1) Pacific mackerel, Pacific sardine, Pacific bonito, jacksmelt, topsmelt, white croaker, barred surfperch, northern anchovy, shinerperch, Jack mackerel, shovelnose guitarfish, queenfish, yellowfin croaker, California lizardfish, white seaperch, spotfin croaker, California corbina, silver surfperch, sharpnose seaperch, staghorn sculpin, walleye surfperch, Pacific butterfish, striped mullet, California halibut, gray smoothhound, Pacific sanddab, sargo, zebra perch, fantail sole (2) speckled sanddab, California scorpionfish, California Barracuda, Southern Starry Flounder, Mudsucker (aka longjaw goby, Pacific Hake, Sablefish, round stingray, thornback ray, basketweave cusk-eel, longfin sanddab, pileperch, kelp bass, calico rockfish, olive rockfish, bocaccio, salema, bat ray (3) thresher shark, hammerhead shark, leopard shark, white seabass, spotted ratfish, electric ray, angel shark, California skate, yellow snake eel, Pacific sanddab, rainbow seaperch, cabezon, finescale triggerfish, moray eel, Cortez bonefish, sarcastic fringehead, king salmon, silver salmon (4) giant (black) sea bass, great white shark.
Balboa Pier = 67 different species. (1) Pacific mackerel, Pacific sardine, Pacific bonito, jacksmelt, walleye surfperch, white croaker, topsmelt, shinerperch, jack mackerel, queenfish, barred surfperch, California lizardfish, yellowfin croaker, northern anchovy, spotfin croaker, white seaperch, sargo, barred sand bass, California corbina (2) California halibut, speckled sanddab, kelp bass, thornback ray, bocaccio, staghorn sculpin, white seabass, shovelnose guitarfish, round stingray (3) Cortez bonefish, king salmon, giant (black) sea bass, blacksmith, thresher shark, California yellowtail, barracuda, leopard shark, scorpionfish. Blenny, spiny dogfish, horn shark, lingcod, green jack, silver salmon, king salmon, zebraperch, grunion, big skate, halfmoon, striped bass, striped mullet, pileperch, hammerhead shark, bat ray, sand sole, needlefish, butterfly ray, horn shark, Pacific Thread herring (4) sheephead, olive rockfish, kelp rockfish, sand sole, round herring, ocean whitefish, mola mola, sarcastic fringehead, Pacific tripletail.
The Goleta Pier
Goleta Pier = 67 different species. (1) shinerperch, Pacific sardine, walleye surfperch, jacksmelt, sharpnose seaperch, blackperch, rainbow seaperch, barred surfperch, Pacific mackerel, rubberlip seaperch, white seaperch, Pacific bonito, jack mackerel, pile perch, senorita, grass rockfish, staghorn sculpin, shovelnose guitarfish, white croaker, calico surfperch, California corbina, bat ray, brown rockfish, giant kelpfish, kelp bass (2)
queenfish, thornback ray, California halibut, California lizardfish, topsmelt, kelp rockfish, bocaccio, cabezon, vermilion rockfish, speckled sanddab, lingcod, bonehead sculpin, calico rockfish, gray smoothhound shark, kelp perch, padded sculpin, gopher rockfish, barred sand bass, onespot fringehead, sheephead, bull sculpin (3) white seabass, big skate, silver surfperch, salmon, swell shark, mako shark, blue shark, thresher shark, banded guitarfish, 7-gill shark, horn shark, leopard shark, soupfin shark, olive rockfish (4) giant (black) sea bass, Pacific saury, blue rockfish, starry rockfish, striped bass, diamond turbot, great white shark.
Santa Cruz Wharf = 67 different species. (1) northern anchovy, jacksmelt, white croaker walleye surfperch, shinerperch, Pacific mackerel, Pacific sardine, topsmelt, barred surfperch, silver surfperch, staghorn sculpin, blackperch, pile perch, starry flounder, white seaperch, jack mackerel, thornback ray, rainbow seaperch, blue rockfish, gopher rockfish, calico surfperch, California halibut, kelp greenling, lingcod (2) petrale sole, brown rockfish, Pacific sanddab, speckled sanddab, bocaccio, black rockfish, Pacific herring, spotfin surfperch, kelp rockfish, yellowtail rockfish, copper rockfish, California lizardfish, striped seaperch, sharpnose seaperch, sunset rockfish (3) brown smoothhound shark, rubberlip seaperch, striped bass, sand sole, angel shark, spiny dogfish, bat ray, wolf eel, cabezon, grass rockfish, bonito, king salmon, silver salmon, pink salmon, steelhead, black & yellow rockfish, buffalo sculpin (4) big skate, night smelt, barracuda, sablefish, swell shark, monkeyface eel, moray eel, senorita, ribbonfish, pipefish, Pacific hake, lancetfish.
Oceanside Pier
Oceanside Pier = 63 different species. (1) Pacific sardine, Pacific bonito, Pacific mackerel, queenfish, white croaker, topsmelt, walleye surfperch, jacksmelt, yellowfin croaker, barred surfperch, spotfin croaker, amberjack scad, salema, California corbina, shovelnose guitarfish, shinerperch, California halibut, sargo, white seabass, jack mackerel, California lizardfish, deepbody anchovy, black cvroaker, halfmoon, California scorpionfish (2) Pacific butterfish (pompano), kelp bass, black seaperch, white seaperch (3) sheephead, opaleye, blacksmith, pileperch, grass rockfish, brown rockfish, cabezon, shortfin corvina, Cortez bonefish, striped bass, giant (black) sea bass, yellowtail, barracuda, bat ray, butterfly ray, round stingray, thornback ray, angel shark, leopard shark, gray smoothhound shark, spiny dogfish, thresher shark, 7-gill shark, soupfin shark, mako shark, hammerhead shark, great white shark, kelp pipefish, Pacific tripletail, basketweave cusk-eel, deep-water lancetfish, gafftopsail pompano.
Berkeley Pier = 61 different species. (1) jacksmelt, white seaperch, striped bass, walleye surfperch, shinerperch, California halibut, northern anchovy, leopard shark, black perch, bat ray, pileperch, starry flounder, rubberlip Seaperch, topsmelt, staghorn Sculpin, white sturgeon (2) white croaker, brown rockfish, cabezon, chilipepper rockfish, gopher rockfish, striped kelpfish, dwarfperch, striped seaperch, kelp rockfish, grass rockfish (3) green sturgeon, big skate, shovelnose guitarfish, king salmon, soupfin shark, thornback ray, yellow snake eel, whitespotted greenling, white seabass, sandpaper skate, American shad, angel shark, redtail surfperch, silver surfperch, sand sole, brown smoothhound shark, sevengill shark, Pacific mackerel, salmon smolt, diamond turbot, Pacific herring, barred surfperch, night smelt, buffalo sculpin, Pacific sardine, red gunnel, giant kelpfish, sarcastic fringehead,, pipefish, sharpnose perch, spiny dogfish (4) Pacific sanddab, dwarfperch, kelp greenling, steelhead.
Seal Beach Pier = 60 different species. (1) jacksmelt, yellowfin croaker, Pacific mackerel, queenfish, walleye surfperch, Pacific bonito, topsmelt, white croaker, Pacific sardine, spotfin croaker, California corbina, shovelnose guitarfish, shinerperch, California halibut, white seabass, barred sand bass, black croaker, bat ray, gray smoothhound, blackperch, sargo, opaleye, barred surfperch, silver surfperch, jack mackerel, California scorpionfish, petrale sole (2) California barracuda, Pacific butterfish, salema, deepbody anchovy, round stingray, thornback ray, grunion (3) spotted sand (bay) bass, kelp bass, striped bass, cabezon, striped mullet, dover sole, c-o turbot, diamond turbot, rubberlip seaperch, thresher shark, angel shark, leopard shark, fantail sole, hammerhead shark, cusk eel, yellow snake eel, needlefish, spiny dogfish, fantail sole, big skate, California skate, California lizardfish (4) giant (black) sea bass, pileperch, Pacific bumper, deepbody thread herring.
Ocean Beach Pier (now closed)
Ocean Beach Pier (San Diego) = 69 different species. (1) Pacific Mackerel, northern anchovy, queenfish, Pacific bonito, topsmelt, Pacific sardine, walleye surfperch, jacksmelt, white croaker, yellowfin croaker, salema, shinerperch, jack mackerel, kelp bass, silver surfperch, California yellowtail, white seabass, thornback ray, striped seaperch, black perch, leopard shark, white seaperch, rubberlip seaperch, spotfin croaker, barred surfperch, Pacific butterfish (pompano), California scorpionfish, brown rockfish (2) California barracuda, California halibut, senorita, deepbody anchovy, sand bass, rock wrasse, sargo, black croaker, California grunion, California butterfly ray, shovelnose guitarfish, California lizardfish (3) sheephead, opaleye, halfmoon, garibaldi, zebraperch, spotted sand (bay) bass, cabezon, striped mullet, California corbina, shortfin corvina, California needlefish, treefish, moray eel, giant (black) sea bass, finescale triggerfish, giant kelpfish, bat ray, diamond stingray, gray smoothhound shark, thresher shark, soupfin shark, 7-gill shark, mako shark, blue shark, horn shark, swell shark, dorado (aka mahi mahi dolphinfish, unidentified salmon, and bullet mackerel.
Entrance to the Newport Pier
Newport Pier = 67 different species. (1) Pacific mackerel, Pacific sardine, Pacific bonito, jacksmelt, topsmelt, white croaker, barred surfperch, northern anchovy, shinerperch, Jack mackerel, shovelnose guitarfish, queenfish, yellowfin croaker, California lizardfish, white seaperch, spotfin croaker, California corbina, silver surfperch, sharpnose seaperch, staghorn sculpin, walleye surfperch, Pacific butterfish, striped mullet, California halibut, gray smoothhound, Pacific sanddab, sargo, zebra perch, fantail sole (2) speckled sanddab, California scorpionfish, California Barracuda, Southern Starry Flounder, Mudsucker (aka longjaw goby, Pacific Hake, Sablefish, round stingray, thornback ray, basketweave cusk-eel, longfin sanddab, pileperch, kelp bass, calico rockfish, olive rockfish, bocaccio, salema, bat ray (3) thresher shark, hammerhead shark, leopard shark, white seabass, spotted ratfish, electric ray, angel shark, California skate, yellow snake eel, Pacific sanddab, rainbow seaperch, cabezon, finescale triggerfish, moray eel, Cortez bonefish, sarcastic fringehead, king salmon, silver salmon (4) giant (black) sea bass, great white shark.
The Balboa Pier
Balboa Pier = 67 different species. (1) Pacific mackerel, Pacific sardine, Pacific bonito, jacksmelt, walleye surfperch, white croaker, topsmelt, shinerperch, jack mackerel, queenfish, barred surfperch, California lizardfish, yellowfin croaker, northern anchovy, spotfin croaker, white seaperch, sargo, barred sand bass, California corbina (2) California halibut, speckled sanddab, kelp bass, thornback ray, bocaccio, staghorn sculpin, white seabass, shovelnose guitarfish, round stingray (3) Cortez bonefish, king salmon, giant (black) sea bass, blacksmith, thresher shark, California yellowtail, barracuda, leopard shark, scorpionfish. Blenny, spiny dogfish, horn shark, lingcod, green jack, silver salmon, king salmon, zebraperch, grunion, big skate, halfmoon, striped bass, striped mullet, pileperch, hammerhead shark, bat ray, sand sole, needlefish, butterfly ray, horn shark, Pacific Thread herring (4) sheephead, olive rockfish, kelp rockfish, sand sole, round herring, ocean whitefish, mola mola, sarcastic fringehead, Pacific tripletail.
The Goleta Pier
Goleta Pier = 67 different species. (1) shinerperch, Pacific sardine, walleye surfperch, jacksmelt, sharpnose seaperch, blackperch, rainbow seaperch, barred surfperch, Pacific mackerel, rubberlip seaperch, white seaperch, Pacific bonito, jack mackerel, pile perch, senorita, grass rockfish, staghorn sculpin, shovelnose guitarfish, white croaker, calico surfperch, California corbina, bat ray, brown rockfish, giant kelpfish, kelp bass (2)
queenfish, thornback ray, California halibut, California lizardfish, topsmelt, kelp rockfish, bocaccio, cabezon, vermilion rockfish, speckled sanddab, lingcod, bonehead sculpin, calico rockfish, gray smoothhound shark, kelp perch, padded sculpin, gopher rockfish, barred sand bass, onespot fringehead, sheephead, bull sculpin (3) white seabass, big skate, silver surfperch, salmon, swell shark, mako shark, blue shark, thresher shark, banded guitarfish, 7-gill shark, horn shark, leopard shark, soupfin shark, olive rockfish (4) giant (black) sea bass, Pacific saury, blue rockfish, starry rockfish, striped bass, diamond turbot, great white shark.
The Santa Cruz Wharf
Santa Cruz Wharf = 67 different species. (1) northern anchovy, jacksmelt, white croaker walleye surfperch, shinerperch, Pacific mackerel, Pacific sardine, topsmelt, barred surfperch, silver surfperch, staghorn sculpin, blackperch, pile perch, starry flounder, white seaperch, jack mackerel, thornback ray, rainbow seaperch, blue rockfish, gopher rockfish, calico surfperch, California halibut, kelp greenling, lingcod (2) petrale sole, brown rockfish, Pacific sanddab, speckled sanddab, bocaccio, black rockfish, Pacific herring, spotfin surfperch, kelp rockfish, yellowtail rockfish, copper rockfish, California lizardfish, striped seaperch, sharpnose seaperch, sunset rockfish (3) brown smoothhound shark, rubberlip seaperch, striped bass, sand sole, angel shark, spiny dogfish, bat ray, wolf eel, cabezon, grass rockfish, bonito, king salmon, silver salmon, pink salmon, steelhead, black & yellow rockfish, buffalo sculpin (4) big skate, night smelt, barracuda, sablefish, swell shark, monkeyface eel, moray eel, senorita, ribbonfish, pipefish, Pacific hake, lancetfish.
San Clemente Pier
San Clemente Pier = 63 different species. (1) Pacific bonito, spotfin croaker, northern anchovy, yellowfin croaker, Pacific mackerel, walleye surfperch, queenfish, jacksmelt, topsmelt, salema, white croaker, Pacific sardine, blackperch, California halibut, sheephead, barred surfperch, white seabass, California corbina, sargo, barred sand bass, leopard shark, California scorpionfish, giant kelpfish, jack mackerel, shovelnose guitarfish, California lizardfish, halfmoon (2) gray smoothhound shark, Pacific butterfish, bat ray, rock wrasse, grunion (3) giant (black) sea bass, barracuda, brown rockfish, opaleye, white seaperch, pileperch, black croaker, striped kelpfish, rockpool blenny, largemouth blenny, moray eel, needlefish, yellow snake eel, thresher shark, soupfin shark, round stingray, thornback ray (4) yellowtail, rubberlip seaperch, angel shark, horn shark, 7-gill shark, hammerhead shark, swell shark, mako shark, great white shark, kelp bass, unidentified salmon, Cortez bonefish, skipjack, dorado.
Hermosa Beach Pier
Hermosa Beach Pier = 63 different species. (1) Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, Pacific bonito, jacksmelt, walleye surfperch, Pacific barracuyda, California corbina, yellowfin croaker, queenfish, jack mackerel, blackperch, shinerperch, topsmelt, salema, barred surfperch, blacksmith, shovelnose guitarfish, white croaker, calico rockfish, opaleye, California lizardfish, rubberlip seaperch, halfmoon, senorita, white seaperch (2) kelp bass, California scorpionfish, giant kelpfish, speckled sanddab (3) California halibut, pileperch, zebraperch, sand bass, sargo, thresher shark, gray smoothhound shark, leopard shark, soupfin shark, angel shark, bat ray, California yellowtail, white seabass, striped bass, spotted snake eel, cabezon, black croaker, garibaldi, spiny dogfish, hammerhead shark, mako shark, mola mola, rock wrasse, bluefin tuna, king salmon, round stingray, California needlefish, white seabass (4) great white shark, ocean whitefish, popeye catalufa, blue shark, popeye catalufa, deepwater ray?
Oceanside Pier
Oceanside Pier = 63 different species. (1) Pacific sardine, Pacific bonito, Pacific mackerel, queenfish, white croaker, topsmelt, walleye surfperch, jacksmelt, yellowfin croaker, barred surfperch, spotfin croaker, amberjack scad, salema, California corbina, shovelnose guitarfish, shinerperch, California halibut, sargo, white seabass, jack mackerel, California lizardfish, deepbody anchovy, black cvroaker, halfmoon, California scorpionfish (2) Pacific butterfish (pompano), kelp bass, black seaperch, white seaperch (3) sheephead, opaleye, blacksmith, pileperch, grass rockfish, brown rockfish, cabezon, shortfin corvina, Cortez bonefish, striped bass, giant (black) sea bass, yellowtail, barracuda, bat ray, butterfly ray, round stingray, thornback ray, angel shark, leopard shark, gray smoothhound shark, spiny dogfish, thresher shark, 7-gill shark, soupfin shark, mako shark, hammerhead shark, great white shark, kelp pipefish, Pacific tripletail, basketweave cusk-eel, deep-water lancetfish, gafftopsail pompano.
Berkeley Pier
Berkeley Pier = 61 different species. (1) jacksmelt, white seaperch, striped bass, walleye surfperch, shinerperch, California halibut, northern anchovy, leopard shark, black perch, bat ray, pileperch, starry flounder, rubberlip Seaperch, topsmelt, staghorn Sculpin, white sturgeon (2) white croaker, brown rockfish, cabezon, chilipepper rockfish, gopher rockfish, striped kelpfish, dwarfperch, striped seaperch, kelp rockfish, grass rockfish (3) green sturgeon, big skate, shovelnose guitarfish, king salmon, soupfin shark, thornback ray, yellow snake eel, whitespotted greenling, white seabass, sandpaper skate, American shad, angel shark, redtail surfperch, silver surfperch, sand sole, brown smoothhound shark, sevengill shark, Pacific mackerel, salmon smolt, diamond turbot, Pacific herring, barred surfperch, night smelt, buffalo sculpin, Pacific sardine, red gunnel, giant kelpfish, sarcastic fringehead,, pipefish, sharpnose perch, spiny dogfish (4) Pacific sanddab, dwarfperch, kelp greenling, steelhead.
Seal Beach Pier
Seal Beach Pier = 60 different species. (1) jacksmelt, yellowfin croaker, Pacific mackerel, queenfish, walleye surfperch, Pacific bonito, topsmelt, white croaker, Pacific sardine, spotfin croaker, California corbina, shovelnose guitarfish, shinerperch, California halibut, white seabass, barred sand bass, black croaker, bat ray, gray smoothhound, blackperch, sargo, opaleye, barred surfperch, silver surfperch, jack mackerel, California scorpionfish, petrale sole (2) California barracuda, Pacific butterfish, salema, deepbody anchovy, round stingray, thornback ray, grunion (3) spotted sand (bay) bass, kelp bass, striped bass, cabezon, striped mullet, dover sole, c-o turbot, diamond turbot, rubberlip seaperch, thresher shark, angel shark, leopard shark, fantail sole, hammerhead shark, cusk eel, yellow snake eel, needlefish, spiny dogfish, fantail sole, big skate, California skate, California lizardfish (4) giant (black) sea bass, pileperch, Pacific bumper, deepbody thread herring.
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