Hermosa Beach Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required The first time I visited this pier was in 1982; the pier was crowded, live bait was available, and anglers were catching yellowtail. That fact may seem trivial or insignificant to the uninformed, but it seemed pretty amazing…

Cayucos Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required Don’t believe everything you read. On a visit to Hearst Castle I had read that the fishing at Cayucos was generally poor—and so, I avoided it for years. I would drive right by the town as I headed…

Speckled Sanddab

Lefteye Flounders: Family Bothidae Species: Citharichthys stigmaeus (Jordan & Gilbert); from the Greek word citharichthys (a fish that lies on its ribs or side) and the Latin word stigmaeus (speckled). Alternate Names: Sanddab, soft flounder and Catalina sanddab. Called lenguado pecoso in Mexico. Identification: Speckled…

Malibu Pier

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required On a visit to this pier in 2013, I happened to pick up a Malibu paper for some late night reading back at the motel. The most interesting reading that night was the real estate section, which listed…