Hi Everyone,
Had the opportunity to fish Balboa pier this past Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday I fished from 0530 to 0900. Morning was cold, windy and overcast. No fish caught or even bites. Lots of crabs/snails taking bait fished on the bottom. Used anchovy, squid and shrimp. Fished at the end of pier. One fisherman caught 2 mackerel and after two hours of fishing, he called it quits.
Sunday was better. Fished from 0530 to 1200. Morning was sunny, warm and no wind. Fished from midpoint pier and caught a Thornback, a Spider crab, 2 Jacksmelt , several Topsmelt and a few small perch. Used the Topsmelt and Perch for live bait - no hits. The beautiful morning kept me out on the pier much longer than I expected. The overall fish bite was actually slow. The water temperature for both days was 57 degrees. Probably impacted the fishing.
An interesting sidenote. On Sunday at 0600 a fisherman was cleaning his gear at the fish cleaning station. I asked if he caught anything. He happily said he had a bucketful of mackerel. He said he started fishing at 0300. Apparently the gate was not locked at midnight.
When I arrived Saturday morning the gate was still locked at 0500. Sunday gate not locked. So it seems that the pier being closed from midnight to 0500 is not a firm rule.
Good luck and happy fishing.
Had the opportunity to fish Balboa pier this past Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday I fished from 0530 to 0900. Morning was cold, windy and overcast. No fish caught or even bites. Lots of crabs/snails taking bait fished on the bottom. Used anchovy, squid and shrimp. Fished at the end of pier. One fisherman caught 2 mackerel and after two hours of fishing, he called it quits.
Sunday was better. Fished from 0530 to 1200. Morning was sunny, warm and no wind. Fished from midpoint pier and caught a Thornback, a Spider crab, 2 Jacksmelt , several Topsmelt and a few small perch. Used the Topsmelt and Perch for live bait - no hits. The beautiful morning kept me out on the pier much longer than I expected. The overall fish bite was actually slow. The water temperature for both days was 57 degrees. Probably impacted the fishing.
An interesting sidenote. On Sunday at 0600 a fisherman was cleaning his gear at the fish cleaning station. I asked if he caught anything. He happily said he had a bucketful of mackerel. He said he started fishing at 0300. Apparently the gate was not locked at midnight.
When I arrived Saturday morning the gate was still locked at 0500. Sunday gate not locked. So it seems that the pier being closed from midnight to 0500 is not a firm rule.
Good luck and happy fishing.
