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Free fishing in California on
public piers is a sport that you'll
easily be hooked on. Some parents start
their kids fishing as toddlers, believe
it or not. And the kids find that
spending time with mom, dad, grandma and
grandpa is probably the best experience
a kid can have in these busy times.
Become skilled at young ages, kids even
have strong opinions about where the
best pier fishing is.
Not
only are is pier fishing free in
California, children under the age of 16 generally
do not need a fishing license to fish
from lakes and in the ocean directly.
Over the age of 16, anglers do require a license to fish if
they are standing on a shoreline, riding
in a boat, casting line from a jetty not
considered a public pier, etc.
Additionally, the State of California
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) offers
two free fishing days per year to lure
non-anglers into a sport they can become
hooked on and enjoy for a lifetime of
great recreational activity. By the
numbers, fishing is one of the top
sports in the USA, if not #1. Fishing is
recreational, fun, relaxing and offers
the benefit of providing a food source.
It's always wise to check about the
quality of local fish by reading signs
posted about fish warnings and searching
the DFG website for updates on
recommendations about which fish to
avoid in their fish consumption
guideline pages that they routinely post
and update.
Fishing at public
piers is a cheap sport if you want to
get started with a pole rental and some
bait. Many piers and nearby concessions
sell or rent equipment at affordable
rates costing a lot less than rentals
for sports such as surfing. Below are
California fishing piers where you can
cast a line and not be required to
purchase a fishing license. For
licenses, 1-day, several day and annual
fishing licenses are sold at sporting
goods stores and places such as KMart
and WalMart.
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HP = Handicapped Parking; HR = Handicapped Restrooms
Antioch Pier, San Joaquin River -
Catfish, striped bass, Posted
Avila
Pier, HP - Mackerel, white croaker, surfperch
Balboa
Pier, HR - Surfperch, corbina, jacksmelt, bonito
Berkeley Fishing Pier fishing, HP -
Staghorn sculpin, surfperch,
jacksmelt
Brisbane Fishing Pier, HP, HR - Staghorn, sculpin,
Surfperch
Cabrillo Fishing Pier, HP- White croaker, Pacific
mackerel
California Aqueduct, Hwy 198 -
striped bass
California Aqueduct—Avenal Cutoff - striped bass
California Aqueduct—Kettleman
City - striped bass
Capitola Wharf, HP - Perch, mackerel, jacksmelt
Cayucos Pier, HP - Pacific mackerel, white croaker, jacksmelt
Chula
Vista, "J" Street Marina, HP, HR -Smelt, perch,
guitarfish, croaker
Dana
Point Pier, HP, HR - Surfperch, corbina, jacksmelt,
bonito
Embarcadero Fishing Pier (5th Ave,
SD), HP;
HR - Smelt, bass, croaker, halibut
F.D. Roosevelt Fishing Pier, HR
Fort Point Fishing Pier, HR -
Staghorn sculpin, Surfperch
Half
Moon Bay (Johnson's Pier), HP; HR - Surfperch,
flounder, kingfish
Gaviota Pier, HP; HR - Surfperch, corbina, jacksmelt,
bonito, mackerel
Goleta
Pier, HP; HR - Surfperch, corbina, jacksmelt,
mackerel
Huntington Beach Pier, HR - corbina, mackerel
Imperial Beach Pier, HP - mackerel,
halibut, bass, croakers
Jenner Visitor Center - Steelhead,
coho, topsmelt, striped bass
Los
Banos Wildlife Area - Catfish, carp,
crappie, bass
Malibu
Pier, HP - Surfperch, corbina, jacksmelt, bonito,
mackerel
Manhattan Pier, HP - corbina, jacksmelt,
bonito, mackerel
Martinez Fishing Pier, HP
Monterey Wharf #2, HP - Mackerel, bonito, sanddabs, jacksmelt
Newport Pier, HP; HR - corbina, jacksmelt, bonito
mackerel
North T-Pier, HR - Jacksmelt, Pacific mackerel, surfperch
Ocean Beach Fishing Pier, HR - topsmelt,
mackerel, bass
Oceanside Harbor, HP - Smelt, perch,
guitarfish
Oyster
Pt. Fishing Pier, HR - Surfperch
Pacifica Fishing Pier, HP - White
croaker, surfperch
Paradise Beach Fishing Pier, HP, HR
-
Surfperch, Staghorn sculpin
Pismo
Beach Pier, HP, HR - Mackerel, jacksmelt, perch
Port
Hueneme Pier, HP; HR - corbina, jacksmelt,
bonito, mackerel
Port
San Luis Pier, HP, HR - perch, mackerel, white croaker, jacksmelt
Pt.
Benicia Fishing Pier - Flounder, bullhead
Pt.
Pinole Fishing Pier, HP, HR - Staghorn sculpin,
surfperch
Redondo Beach Fishing Pier -
Silversides, jacksmelt, halibut
San
Clemente Pier, HP; HR -Croaker, topsmelt, mackerel
San
Leandro Fishing Platform - Staghorn sculpin
San Simeon Pier - Surfperch,
jacksmelt, white croaker
Santa
Cruz Wharf, HP; HR - Pacific mackerel, jacksmelt,
sculpin, perch
Santa
Monica Pier, HP - corbina, jacksmelt,
bonito, mackerel
Seacliff Wharf and Cement Boat, HP; HR
- Perch, jacksmelt, mackerel, sculpin
Seal
Beach Pier, HP - California
halibut, yellowfin croaker
South
T-Pier - Pacific mackerel, surfperch, jacksmelt
Venice
Fishing Pier, HP - mackerel, halibut
Ventura Pier, HP; HR - corbina, jacksmelt,
bonito, mackerel
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