Unofficial “pier” records — gathered from various reports. Some are taken with a grain of salt but they’re the best or only records we’ve got.
Giant (Black) Sea Bass — In the early years there were an amazing number of large bass caught and many pier regulars specifically targeted the giant bass with special equipment.
Unfortunately there are few pictures of the record fish.
≈ 600 Lbs. — Manhattan Beach Pier, 1929
Source: Manhattan Beach Historical Society
545 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), R. A. Hendricks, 1925
Source: Santa Barbara Daily News, October 10, 1927
500 Lbs. — Belmont Pier, Les Babbitt, May 25, 1929
Source: Long Beach Sun, May 26, 1929
≈ 500 Lbs. — Point Mugu Fish Camp Pier, Frank Kubota, June 19, 1925
Source: Oxnard Daily Courier, June 19, 1925
485 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), Joe Foxen, June 21, 1919
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, June 21, 1919
480 Lbs. — Santa Monica Municipal Pier, W. H. Bakenbour, June 23, 1922
Source: Los Angeles Evening Express, June 23, 1922
480 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, J. S. Stewart, March 12, 1918
Source: Santa Ana Register, March 18, 1918
465 Lbs. — Redondo Wharf, E. H. Borhing, November 12, 1905
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 12, 1905
460 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), Albert Newton, October 31, 1918
Source: Santa Barbara Morning Press, November 1, 1918
453 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), R. A. Hendricks, October 22, 1925
Source: Santa Barbara Daily News, October 23, 1925
452 Lbs. — Balboa Pier, Carl Sandino, May 12, 1930
Source: Santa Ana Register, May 13, 1930
450 Lbs. — Alcatraz Pier (near Gaviota), J.L Hendricks, September 26, 1927
Source: The Morning Press (Santa Barbara), September 27, 1921
435 Lbs. — Newport Pier, “New Jersey man,” 1937
Source: Personal communication, Patrick Kennedy, Baldy’s Tackle (1990)
428 Lbs. — Manhattan Beach Pier, 1923
Source: Manhattan Beach Historical Society
427 Lbs. — Hermosa Beach Pier, Texan, May 16, 1921
Source: Newspaper
415 Lbs. — Belmont Pier (Long Beach), Lester Bobb, June 14, 1929
Source: Long Beach Press-Telegram, June 15, 1929
408 Lbs. — Redondo Beach Pier, C. E. Allen, May 19, 1918
Source: Santa Ana Register, May 20, 1918
402 Lbs. — Santa Monica Pier, Jack Racke, July 3, 1923
Source: Los Angeles Times, July 4, 1923
400 Lbs. — Port Hueneme Wharf, Arthur Kovalovsky, July 1927
Source: Oxnard Daily Courier, July 25, 1927
400 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), Tommy Prizgint and Will Cody, June 1, 1909
Source: The Redondo Reflex, June 3, 1909
387 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, Tex Rogers, June 7, 1921
Source: Los Angeles Times, June 8, 1921
380 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), Jess Fuqua, May 30, 1917
Source: Long Beach Telegram & Daily News, June 1, 1917
375 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), R. A. Hendricks, October 10, 1917
Source: Santa Barbara Daily News, October 10, 1927
370 Lbs. — Jones Wharf (Santa Monica), June 1, 1899, J. Dibble
Source: Los Angeles Times, June 2, 1899
≈ 370 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), John Miller, December 29, 1910
Source: Los Angeles Herald, December 29, 1910
365 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), John Leach, June 11, 1914
Source: Santa Ana Register, June 12, 1914
365 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), H. O. Patey, George C. Bowman & Tom Peterson. September 30, 1910
Source: The Redondo Reflex, October 6, 1910
360 Lbs. — McFadden Wharf (Newport Beach), March 26, 1896
Source: Los Angeles Times, March 26, 1896
356 Lbs. — Hotel Del Coronado Pier, April 1894
Source: New York Times, May 6, 1894
354 Lbs. — Santa Monica Municipal Pier, I. A. Taft, July 5, 1923
Source: Los Angeles Times, July 6, 1923
351 Lbs. —Manhattan Beach Pier, C. C. Campus, May 15, 1922
Source: Manhattan Beach Historical Society
350 Lbs. — Santa Monica Municipal Pier, F. M. Stites, October 27, 1915
Source: Los Angeles Times, October 27, 1915
327 Lbs. — McFadden Wharf (Newport Beach), 1886
Source: San Bernardino Daily Sun, August 3, 1916
320 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, June 1902
Source: Los Angeles Times, June 5, 1902
304 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), William Sartor, November 16, 1916
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 16, 1916
304 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, C. S. Hemstreet, August 1908
Source: Santa Ana Register, August 3, 1908
302 Lbs. — Hermosa Beach Pier, Ed Dorsey, May 15, 1922
Source: Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1922
300 Lbs. — Port Hueneme Pier, Ramon Solis, June 10, 1934
Source: Oxnard Daily Courier, June 11, 1934
297 Lbs. — San Diego Steamer Wharf, “Two boys,” April 3, 1891
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 8, 1891
294 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, D. C. Winans, August 1908
Source: Santa Ana Register, August 3, 1908
290 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach)
Source: The Redondo Reflex, October 29, 1908
288 Lbs. — McFadden Wharf (Newport Beach), August 22, 1889
Source: South Riverside Bee, August 23, 1889
286 Lbs. — Oceanside Pier, 1936
Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop
285 Lbs. — Avalon Pleasure Pier, John Kassar, December 9, 1918
Source: Catalina Islander, December 10, 1918
285 Lbs. — Redondo Beach Pier, A. E. Putter, May 19, 1918
Source: Santa Ana Register, May 20, 1918
278 Lbs. — Redondo Beach Pier, C. E. Allen, May 19, 1918
Source: Santa Ana Register, May 20, 1918
275 Lbs. — Hermosa Beach Pier, “Pasadena” Jack Braun, June 23, 1922
Source: Pasadena Star News, June 24, 1922
275 Lbs. — Redondo Pier No. 3, D. S. Martin, October 1, 1920
Source: Los Angeles Times
275 Lbs. — Long Beach Pier, O.G. Nauer, January 4, 1906
Source: Los Angeles Evening Express, January 5, 1906
270 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), John Miller, December 29, 1910
Source: Los Angeles Herald, December 29, 1910
260 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, Dave Winans, June 1911
Source: Santa Ana Register, June 26, 1911
257 Lbs. — Hermosa Beach Pier, “Pasadena Jack” Braun, June 20, 1922
Source: Pasadena Star-News, June 24, 1922
255 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), Rochester Sandusky, December 26, 1906
Source: Los Angeles Herald, December 26, 1906
250 Lbs. — Alcatraz Pier (near Gaviota), J.L Hendricks, September 26, 1927
Source: The Morning Press (Santa Barbara), September 27, 1921
250 Lbs. — McFadden Wharf (Newport Beach), June 13, 1894
Source: Los Angeles Herald, June 14, 1894
250 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), Jo Delaney, 1886
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, April 22, 1887
240 Lbs. — Redondo Pier No. 3, W. H. Clark, September 30, 1920
Source: Los Angeles Times
240 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), James Dugger, December 5, 1906
Source: Long Beach Press-Telegram, December 6, 1906
228 Lbs. — Redondo Pier No. 2, Carl Ahrens & Ralph Ahrens, May 23, 1909
Source: Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1909
225 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), R.A. Carroll & M.A. Jones, November 22, 1915
Source: Long Beach Telegram, November 22, 1915
225 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), C. A. Ahrens, May 25, 1909
Source: Los Angeles Times, May 26, 1909
225 Lbs. — McFadden Wharf (Newport Beach), Mort Hubbard, July 10, 1889
Source: Santa Ana Weekly Blade, July 11, 1889
223 Lbs. — Redondo Beach Pier, James Helbach, May 19, 1912
Source: Oakland Tribune, May 20, 1912
221 Lbs. — Long Wharf (Santa Monica), Joseph J. Embold, August 27, 1913
Source: Los Angeles Times, August 27, 1913
216 Lbs. — Wharf No. 2 (Redondo Beach), E. H. Borhing, November 8, 1905
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 12, 1905
210 Lbs. — Balboa Pier, Lew Williams, June 25, 1933
Source: Santa Ana Daily Register, July 5, 1933
205 Lbs. — Redondo Wharf, Ed Borhing, November 1, 1905
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 2, 1905
202 Lbs. — Oceanside Pier, Charles Martin, 1933
Source: Los Angeles Times, August 24, 1934
≈ 200+ Lbs. — San Clemente Pier, September 2015 (Illegal) (Released?)
Source: PFIC
≈ 200+ Lbs. — San Clemente Pier, August 2010 (Illegal) (Released?)
Source: PFIC
≈ 200 Lbs. — Oceanside Pier, June 2009 (Released)
Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop
≈ 200+ Lbs. — Oceanside Pier, September 2002 (Released)
Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop
≈ 200+ Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, Frank Duffy,
November 12, 1911
Source: Santa Ana Register, November 13, 1911
200 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, L. F. Nafzgar, May 22, 1907
Source: Santa Ana Register, May 23, 1907
200 Lbs. — Newport Wharf/Southern Pacific Wharf, June 1902
Source: Los Angeles Times, June 5, 1902
