Pier Fishing in California pt 1   by Jeanette Garcia

in Outdoors / Fishing    (submitted 2010-11-05)

California is a state with diverse outdoor recreational opportunities: beautiful weather, beaches, Hollywood, surfing, Disneyland, The Golden Gate Bridge and more. However, one activity often overlooked in California is the sport of fishing, particularly pier fishing. In this two part series, we will investigate the many ways that California pier fishing can serve you.

The Possibilities are Endless

The choices of fishing in California are almost limitless when it comes to the saltwater and freshwater areas all over the state. Fishing opportunities range from pier fishing, fishing from the shore, or on a boat into the Pacific Ocean. While we will be dealing primarily with pier fishing because of its readily available nature, certainly the reader should be encouraged to pursue all sorts of fishing in CA, from fly to deep sea.

California is beyond any doubt a fisherman's paradise. It has more fishing opportunities than any other state in the country with 1,100 miles of ocean coastline, 220,000 square miles of ocean waters, 4,172 lakes and reservoirs, 29,664 miles of streams and rivers, and 1,800 miles of bay and delta waters. With that amount of water available to fish in, any angler would dream to fish in California waters.

Fishing in Sunny California

Because of the warm dry summers and mild wet winters, California's climate is often compared to that of the Mediterranean. On the coast, average yearly temperatures range between the low 40s°F to the high 70s°F and 80s°F. The contrast is clear in the state's two largest cities, where you'll find very different weather patterns. San Francisco is famous for its fog - especially in the summer, and Los Angeles is known for its consistently sunny, coastal climate. California is more often than not beaming with sunlight, which makes any fishing experience more enjoyable.

No Fishing License is Required

No license is required in order to get out to the California piers, not for Belmont Pier, not for Venice Pier; as long as it is a public fishing pier no license is required (unless you are fishing with the intent to sell.) Additionally, public jetties or breakwaters that are connected to land that have free unrestricted access for the general public are considered public piers. Jetties, breakwaters, promenades, sea walls, moles, docks, linings, barriers and other structures that are not the most seaward protective boundary of an ocean harbor, are not considered public piers. It is important to note that even though licenses and stamps are not required while fishing from a public pier, all other regulations apply (including minimum size, bag limits, seasons and report card requirements).

The bottom line is if you love to fish, California is an angler's paradise. Any type of fishing that you can imagine is available within the state of California, the fishing opportunities are limitless, and the scenic landscape will leave you coming back to the Golden State for more.

If you want to learn more about the great reasons to go out pier fishing in California, read part two of this series. In part two, we will talk about the variety of game fish accessible in California, and the appealing settings where you can catch some excellent California fish.

About the Author

Jeanette Garcia is a member of the Fish Contamination Education Collaborative, the leading source of fishing tips, warnings, contacts and all other information related to the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site.