Saltwater Fish Archives - Pier Fishing in California

Marin Rod & Gun Club Pier aka Camiccia Family Memorial Pier — San Rafael

Private Pier — Fishing License Required There was a time, and it seems more and more like an ancient time, when hunting and fishing was practiced by a majority of the population. Every family seemed to have a fishing rod sitting in the closet or…

Bat Ray

Eagle Rays: Family Myliobatididae Species: Myliobatis californica (Gill, 1865); from the Greek words myl (a tooth or molar), io (an arrow or poison), batis (a skate or ray) and the Latin word Californica (referring to location). Apparently called aetobatus californica at one time in California:…

Nick’s Cove Pier — Marshall, Tomales Bay

Public Pier? — Status unclear, a fishing License may be required Although many small piers dot the shoreline of Tomales Bay, only two allow the public to fish from them. One is the private pier at Lawson’s Landing, just south of Sand Point and the…

Pier J Fishing Pier(s) — Long Beach

Public Access Area — Status Unclear — Fishing License May Be Required I first heard about the Pier J piers at the end of 2020. Given that I’ve been to the opening of a couple of piers, I was hoping to be one of the…

Pacific Glasseye

Phylum: Chordata — Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish)— Order: Perciformes (perch like)— Family: Priacanthidae (bigeyes or catalufas)— Genus: Heteropriacanthus (Fitch and Crooke, 1984) Species: Heteropriacanthus carolinus (Cuvier, 1829); from the Greek heteros (different), prion (saw), and akantha (thorn) and the Latin carolinus (in reference to geographic…

Largemouth Blenny

Phylum: Chordata — Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) — Order: Perciformes (perch like)— Family: Labrisomidae (blennies) — Genus: Labrisomus Species: Labrisomus xanti (T. N. Gill, 1860); from the Greek words labrax (a fish) and soma (body), and xanti (meaning unclear). Alternate Names: Rock Blenny. Commonly found…

Redondo Beach Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required The Redondo Beach Pier seems far more than just a pier, it’s part of a huge complex that contains shops, restaurants, fresh fish markets, amusement games, a large underground parking lot, areas reserved for viewing, and our favorite…

Seal Beach Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required I’ve known several people over the years that considered themselves experts at everything. In common vernacular they were know-it-alls. Rarely did their knowledge actually match their egos. However, I have also known a couple of people whose knowledge…

Cabrillo Pier — San Pedro

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required Late that night the steamer got to San Pedro, and you may be sure Tom and Retta were up early the next morning. As they came off the boat, there was a crowd of people on the wharf…

Seacliff State Beach Pier — Aptos

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required Only a few piers have truly unique features and this pier is/was one of them. The end of this wooden 500-foot-long pier connects to the old cement ship Palo Alto, a bad idea turned good that has now…