Some unofficial records —gathered from published reports

48.5 Pound Yellowtail — Tony Troncale, Crystal Pier 2012

55 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Montre Somsukcharean, September 21, 2006—Source: Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop & Peggi Straker

50 Lbs. — Pine Ave. Pier (Long Beach), Al Decker, July 1894—Source: Los Angeles Herald, July 3, 1894

48.5 Lbs. —Crystal Pier, Tony Troncale, August 6, 2012 — Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop & PFIC

46 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Thomas Shinsato, August 2015—Source: Source: Crystal Pier Bait Shop & Thomas Shinsato

42 Lb. 1 Oz. — Oceanside Pier, Elmo Nealoff, July 1955—Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop

42 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), October 2004—Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop

40 Lbs. — Avalon wharf, Mrs. Boyce, June 9, 1897—Source: Los Angeles Herald, June 10, 1897

40 Lbs. — Avalon wharf, W. M. LeFavor, May 21, 1908—Source: Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1908

40 Lbs. — Pier No. 3, Redondo Beach, August 1907— Source: Los Angeles Times, August 18, 1907

≈ 40 Lbs. — Redondo Beach Pier, October 2008—Source: bloodydecks.com

≈ 40 Lbs. — Hotel del Coronado Pier, September 21, 1899—Source: Los Angeles Times, September 22, 1899

36 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), August 2016Source: Crystal Pier Bait Shop\

35 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), August 2012—Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop

35 Lbs. — Balboa Pier, Aaron, November 1, 2003— Source: PFIC

34 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Angel Hernandez, August 2016—Source: Angel Hernandez

34 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Hallman, August 2012 Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop

33 ½ Lbs. — Wharf #3 (Redondo Beach), August 24, 1910 — Source: Santa Ana Register, August 25, 1910

33 Lbs. — Newport Wharf, E. P. Deffley, May 1909—Source: Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1909

32 ½ Lbs. — Avalon Wharf, W. M. LeFavor, May 20, 1908— Source: Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1908

32 ½ Lbs. — Redondo Wharf, August 23, 1891— Source: Los Angeles Herald, August 24, 1891

30 Lbs. — Huntington Beach Pier, Earl Nelson, May 7, 1934 — Source: Santa Ana Register, May 8, 1934

A sargo caught at the San Clemente Pier in 2015

Species: Anisotremus davidsonii (Steindachner, 1876); from the Greek word anisotremus (unequal aperture, in reference to the pores on the chin), and davidsonii (for George Davidson, a 19th Century astronomer at the California Academy of Sciences).

Alternate Names: China croaker, black croaker, blue bass, grunt, perch, sargo raiado. Called burro piedrero or sargo rayado in Mexico.

A sargo caught at the Santa Monica Pier in 2013

Identification: General perch shape but heavy bodied. The dorsal fin is long and ddeeply notched with spines longer than rays. They have 9 to 11 soft rays in the anal fin (perch have at least 13), and the second anal fin is strong and as long as the soft anal rays (anal fin spines of perch are weak and only half as long as the rays).  Their coloring is entirely metallic silvery; iridescent with a grayish tinge above, plain silver below. A dark vertical bar runs across the body in the pectoral area. The shape and similar dark bar can, at times, lead to confusion with pileperch but sargo have a shorter anal fin and a different shape to the dorsal fin. In addition the bar is farther back on the perch and the tail of the perch is very forked. Sargo caught in bays tend to be darker in color. Both “golden” and “albino” sargo have been recorded in California.

Size: To 17.4 inches and just over 3 1/2 pounds; most caught off piers are under 14 inches in length.

Two sargo taken from Malibu in 2009

Range: Bahia Magdalena, southern Baja California, and Gulf of California to Santa Cruz. Sargo are uncommon north of Point Conception.

Habitat: Primarily found inshore and in bays around rocky areas.

Piers: Common at both oceanfront and bay piers north to Gaviota. Best bets: Embarcadero Marina Park Pier, Shelter Island Pier, Oceanside Pier, Oceanside Harbor Pier, Dana Harbor Pier, Seal Beach Pier, Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, Long Beach Finger Piers, Cabrillo Pier, Redondo Harbor Sportfishing Pier, and the Santa Monica Pier.

A sargo taken at the Crystal Pier in San Diego by Angel H in 2015

Shoreline: A common catch by southern California shore anglers especially when fishing near rocky areas. Favored areas include Mission Bay and San Pedro Bay.

Boats: An inshore species rarely taken by boaters unless they are fishing in bays—San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, and San Pedro Bay.

Small sargo caught by KJ at the San Clemente Pier in 2015

Bait and Tackle: Sargo are bottom feeders that prefer ghost shrimp, fresh mussels, and worms, but they can be caught on almost any bait. Use size 8 to 4 hooks and fish on the bottom or a couple of feet above the bottom. The most commonly used rigging is a high/low leader.

Food Value: Good meat, similar in taste and texture to croakers. Best fried, baked or broiled.

Comments: A good sport fish, very similar to the larger croakers.  The first sargo you catch may surprise you when you hold it and feel it grunt—not surprising since it belongs to the grunt family.

Sargo caught at the Oceanside Harbor Pier in 2013

Large sargo from the Redondo Sportfishing Pier in 2012

A sargo taken at the Long Beach Finger Piers in 2013

My grandson Adam’s first sargo, a fish caught in 2009 from the Crystal Pier

KJ and a sargo from the Crystal Pier in 2010

A sargo from the Belmont Veterans Pier in Long Beach in 1998

Tom and a pair of sargo from the Santa Monica Pier in 2003

Sargo from the San Clemente Pier by Domphabro in 2009

Sargo taken by IsoGure in 2014 from the Dana Point Jetty

Round Stingray from the Ferry Landing Pier in Coronado, 2013

Species: Urobatis halleri (Cooper, 1863); Urobatis comes from two Greek words meaning tail and ray; halleri is from George Haller (1852-1889).

Alternate Names: Stingray, stingaree or stinger. Called raya de espina, raya redonda común, or raya redonda de aguijón in Mexico. Called stingrocka in Sweden, which seems appropriate because a sting will certainly rock ya.

Identification:  Round stingrays have an almost circular disk with the tail being shorter than the disk; there’s a long, sharp, venomous spine mid-length on top of the tail. Their coloring is light to dark brown on top with a whitish yellow bottom.  Beware of the stinger.

Mike Granat and a Round Stingray from Crystal Pier in San Diego (Top View)

Size: To 22 inches and about 2 pounds; most caught off piers are 12 to 15 inches.

Range: From Panama Bay to Humboldt Bay, but few are seen north of Point Conception.

Habitat: Found in bays and shallow water, sandy-beach areas along the coast. Typically found at depths of 3 to 50 feet; most common around 15 feet. Main foods are worms, small crustaceans, and mollusks.

Piers: Round stingray are found at most southern California piers located over sandy beaches. Best bets: Imperial Beach Pier, Crystal Pier, Ferry Landing Pier, Oceanside Pier, San Clemente Pier, Huntington Beach Pier and Seal Beach Pier.

Shoreline: A frequent catch of southern California surf fishermen.

Boats: An inshore species rarely taken from boats.

Mike Granat and a Round Stingray from Crystal Pier in San Diego (Bottom View)

Bait and Tackle: Most round stingrays are caught incidentally by anglers fishing on the bottom near the surfline for other types of fish. These fish will hit almost any natural bait. Tackle need only be of medium size and most of these fish should be released. Studies show a positive correlation between water temperature and round stingray; the higher the water temperature in the surf, the more stingrays will be present.

Food Value: None, due to their small size.

Round Stingray taken by Frenchy at the Hermosa Beach Pier in 2002

Comments: Extreme caution should be taken when handling these stingrays; the best method is to grip the tail with a pair of pliers and flip the fish over to keep the fish on its back while removing the hook. If absolutely necessary, clip or cut the stinger off  (it will grow back in about a month). They are then harmless. (Because the caudal spine is a modified dermal denticle, lacking innervation, the spine can be easily clipped without causing pain or injury to the ray—Johansson et al. 2004).  But, Do NOT cut the whole tail off! Since these fish offer little in the way of food they should be returned to the water.

“Stingray Central” appears to be the beach in Seal Beach. One fourth to one third of the nation’s estimated 1,500 annual wounds from stingrays occur in Seal Beach. Reputedly the lifeguards at the beach even keep buckets filled with hot water to help people soak their wounds. It’s a little amazing when you think of it. The United States has 12,383 general coastline miles (88,633 tidal miles) yet the one-mile-long beach at Seal Beach accounts for one quarter to one third of the stingray wounds in the United States. Why Seal Beach? Apparently it’s a combination of the warm water from the nearby San Gabriel River and the fine silt on the bottom that the stingrays like. Apparently breakwaters tame the surf, which in turn prevents the waves from flushing away the silt.

Species: Cynoscion parvipinnis (Ayres, 1861); from the Greek words kyon (dog) and skion (from sciaena, an old name for a European croaker) and the Latin words parvi (small) and pinnis (fins).  

Alternate Names: Bigtooth corvina, shortfin seabass, sea trout, weakfish, caravina and my personal favorite—vampire corvina. Called corvina aleta corta or corvina azul in Mexico.

Identification: Elongated body with a large mouth and a lower jaw that extends beyond the upper jaw; 1 or 2 LARGE fang-like canine teeth on each side of the upper jaw; no barbels on the chin. Their coloring is bright blue-gray above, silvery below; inside of mouth yellow-orange; fins pale to yellowish. Caudal fin slightly indented. Sometimes mistaken for small white seabass but the fang-like canine teeth that are very noticeable in the corvina are lacking in the white seabass.

Shortfin corvina — Caught by Arvin (Pescadora) at the mini piers adjacent to the Ferry Landing Pier in Coronado

Size: To 32 inches in length; those caught from piers are usually 14-18 inches. For many years the record fish, as listed by the International Game Fish Association, was 6 pounds, 15 ounces. However, several fish exceeding 7-pounds had been reported from SD Bay. Then, on June 20, 2008, Carmen C. Rose caught a 10 lbs. 6 oz. corvina fishing a dead grunion (without a sinker) from a boat just 40 feet off the beach in the South Bay near the US Navy housing on the Silver Strand.

Range: Mazatlan, Mexico and Gulf of California to Huntington Beach.

Habitat: Shallow, inshore sandy or soft mud bottom areas including bays.

Shortfin corvina and halibut — Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego

Piers: Until recently only reported from piers in San Diego Bay. The last few years have seen increasing numbers showing up at the Imperial Beach Pier, Ocean Beach Pier, and Crystal Pier (especially during grunion runs). A few have also been reported from the Oceanside Pier. Best bets: Coronado Ferry Landing Pier, Embarcadero Marina Pier, Shelter Island Pier, Imperial Beach Pier and Crystal Pier.

Shoreline: Occasionally taken by shore anglers in San Diego Bay.

Boats: boaters in south San Diego Bay take quite a few.

Shortfin corvina — Kara, Crystal Pier, San Diego, July 2015

Bait and Tackle: Light to medium size tackle will work with small, size 4-2 hooks typically used if bait fishing. Best baits are live bait—anchovy, smelt, small queenfish or sardine but ghost shrimp (especially when fished under a bobber) can also be excellent. Although in Baja they are primarily considered a bottom feeder, most reports from SD Bay have them feeding mid-level to the top. They are also considered to be an excellent fish for artificials with many different lures providing action including crank baits, spoons, spinner baits, swim baits and plastic grubs,

Food Value: Excellent, mild-flavored meat that can be prepared in many ways.

Shortfin corvina — Angel  Hernandez, Crystal Pier, San Diego

Comments: These fish, although reported to be common as far north as San Pedro during California’s warm water years of the late-1800s, were considered absent in the state by the 1930s. That changed when fish began to be increasingly seen in the southern parts of San Diego Bay in the 1990s. Whether lured north by warm El Niño waters (’87-’88, ’91-‘92, ’97-’98), or brought in mistakenly by returning long-range Sportfishing boats, the result has been the introduction of a new fish and fishery to San Diego anglers. Although more commonly taken by anglers fishing from boats in south San Diego Bay, increasing numbers have been reported from both bay and oceanfront piers in San Diego County. Nevertheless, any pier catch should be considered fortuitous. Although considered primarily a diurnal feeder (daytime feeder), many of the reports on the PFIC Message Board have concerned nighttime catches. Shrimp is considered their favorite food although an increasing number are reported hitting on live bait—everything from queenfish to small jack mackerel. Most commonly caught April through September.

A collage of fish (including a shortfin corvina) taken by Arvin from the Ferry Landing Pier in San Diego Bay

A variety of fish (spotted bay bass, mackerel, and shortfin corvina) taken by Don and Arvin from the Ferry Landing Pier in San Diego Bay

Fly used to take the shortfin corvina

Shortfin corvina from the mini piers adjacent to the Ferry Landing Pier in Coronado

28-Inch Shortfin corvina taken by Thomas Shinsato from the mouth of the San Diego River

“While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.” Oops, whoa Nellie, stop, stop, stop the press, that’s the wrong vision! This vision was more pescatorial, one of big game fish being caught at the SoCal piers, fish such as yellowtail, shortfin corvina, bonefish and more exotic species rarely seen at the piers. The reports of great fishing and unusual species that began to show up in boat reports in the spring and summer of 2015 were amazing. Bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, unbelievable numbers of yellowtail, marlin, spearfish and others were seemingly being caught throughout southern California’s offshore waters. Even half day boats and kayaks fishing fairly close to land were catching the big game species.

For the piers the main difference, at least into July and August, was the arrival of bonito, one of the hardest fighting fish in the sea, and the boneheads were being reported from San Diego up to Goleta. Every warm-water year sees some bonito but by the end of August yellowtail were also being reported at many piers. Then came reports of the aforementioned corvina and bonefish. September seemed like it might be an epic month, perhaps even rivaling the 1957 season when so many big game fish were caught from piers.

The result was an almost mandatory trip to southern California; a five-day trip to eight southland piers. But, it was a trip that would earn the nickname “Sauna Tour.”

Why that title? One initial hope for the trip was to escape the 100-104 degree weather that was taking place in Fresno. There’s nothing like a cool 75-degree day at the beach to alleviate the scorching valley heat. Hurricane Linda, sitting off of Baja, and the effects from that storm, would change the entire picture, both the weather and the fishing.

The temperature at the beach cities for the five-day trip was basically the same—92 to 98 degree heat along with very high humidity. It felt more like Mississippi or Louisiana than SoCal.  It was scorching in the sun and shirts were sweat soaked after a short time.

The hurricane also affected the fishing. A few days before the trip, powerful waves began to slam the SoCal beaches. In response, the huge numbers of baitfish that had been reported in inshore waters disappeared. Apparently they moved offshore and that meant the number of larger fish that fed on the baitfish also largely disappeared. The story was the same at every pier. “You should have been here last week. The bonito bite was fantastic but they all disappeared.” One bait shop reported they had been selling over 50 pounds of anchovies a day before the fish left, now they were selling about four pounds a day.

It is what it is, you have to take the bad with the good and there are rarely guarantees when it comes to fishing. The trip would yield some fish but nothing like anticipated. One bonito would be caught, but no more, and none of the more exotic species.

Day one, Wednesday, September 9, would see me pick up my fishing buddy, Mike Granat, in Clovis before starting the four hour drive from Fresno to Los Angeles. We would make a stop to pick up some “Goody Bags” for our next Kid’s Fishing Derby, and then make another short stop at Best Fishing Tackle on Rosecrans in Hawthorne to pick up some lug worms. From there it was a short trip down to Costa Mesa and our motel for the night. Upon arrival in Costa Mesa it was quickly evident how hot and sticky the weather would be.

But, since there was time for a few hours fishing before dinner, we headed out to the Newport Pier. I always tell Mike that if a pier is crowded the fish are in, if the pier is deserted, fishing is slow. Given the sparse number of anglers on the pier, it was obvious that the fishing might not be as hot as the weather—and that indeed was the case.

The dozen or so anglers at the end were fishing Sabiki bait rigs and catching a few fish, a few small fish. Their main catch was little 6-inch Pacific mackerel which make great bait for halibut (or yellowtail). However, our visit would be short and it was getting a little too late in the day to be catching live bait.

Nevertheless, high-low rigs were sent out baited with lug worms and cut mackerel. Soon after, a kelp bass (aka calico bass) in love with the lug worm decided to make a trip up to the top of the pier. But, instead of 14 inches, the legal length, it was only 11 inches long. It was returned to the briny and told to grow a few more inches. Not much was biting other than a few mackerel.

Kelp Bass aka Calico Bass, Checkerboard Bass and Police Cars

Eventually the 4:15-6 PM fishing yielded three mackerel and the one bass, all fairly small. The one good bite, two large mackerel grabbing the high/low hooks at the same time, were lost when one of the three sea lions patrolling the pier waters decided the mackerel were easy pickings. The bewhiskered beast grabbed the mackerel, broke the line, and showed who was boss.

Pacific Mackerel aka Chub Mackerel, Blue Mackerel and Greenbacks

At six we packed up and headed over to one of my favorite restaurants along the California coast. The Crab Cooker sits across the street from the pier and I’ve been going to the restaurant for over 40 years. I always make sure to get some chowder, eat too many of the hard bread sticks, and I usually get some shrimp and scallops. For once I was able to park right outside the front door (parking can be a problem) and we headed in. Soon after we were stuffed and heading back to the motel.

The Crab Cooker

Day 2, Thursday, September 10, was a planned reunion with Snookie and her gang at the Balboa Pier. Expectations were high. She had reported  catching bonito, yellowtail, barracuda, numerous halibut, and a variety of other fish the prior week (including seeing an angler land a bonefish).  It did seem a little improbable based upon what we had seen at Newport the prior night but you never know.

We arrived at 8 AM and decided to fish the end area until Snookie arrived. I asked a couple of anglers who were leaving the pier how the action was and they both replied the same thing, good mackerel action from 6 until about 7 and then the bite had shut down (the typical early morning mackerel bite). We were late and by the time we got to the end there weren’t too many anglers. That’s always a bad sign and sure enough those still fishing were lamenting the slow action. They were using Sabiki rigs but not getting many fish.

The end of the Balboa Pier was relatively devoid of anglers

Mike had never caught a bonito and that was his main goal for the trip so he rigged up one of his red colored bonito balls (that he makes), attached one of his bright green feathers (that he gets from Africa), and started casting out. Lo and behold in about fifteen minutes he had a nice-sized bonito. The rest of the anglers casting for bonito, including yours truly, went fishless for bonito in Newport. What was interesting was the number of anglers who came over to check out his bonito gear, both the feather and the ball, and all seemed to think his was the best they had seen.

Mike Granat, his first bonito, and his “Granat Ball and Feather”

Pacific Bonito aka Boneheads, Flashers, Striped Tuna and (my favorite) Mr. Bojangles

I did catch a couple of nice little bass, one a kelp bass and the other a sand bass, but none of the bonehead bonito.

At about 9:30 I spotted Snookie and we headed inshore to fish with her. Unfortunately the weather had tuned hot, real hot. It would reach 98 degrees at the pier that day and we were sweating more than I thought possible.

Snookie

She said she had been at the pier Tuesday and sure enough the action had slowed. The waves had stirred up the water and the baitfish so prevalent the prior week were now largely missing. But, she went on a quest for some live bait. She had been using a variety of baitfish including small Pacific mackerel and Spanish mackerel but they just weren’t biting. She worked hard to fill the bait bucket and did manage some smelt but even the smelt weren’t cooperating (and I only got one).

Fishing was slow, in fact very slow. However, Snookie did manage to land one bonito. I on the other hand could not buy a bonito. I did though rig up a live bait rig and dropped a smelt into a depression between the pilings under the pier. The result was a flattie, a halibut that must have liked dining on smelt. As usual, it looked bigger in the water but upon bringing it to the pier it was obviously a sub-legal fish only about a guesstimated 17 inches long.

KJ and a sub-legal sized California Halibut

I also managed a smallish-sized shovelnose guitarfish while Mike caught a small yellowfin croaker but that was it. The fishing was as cold as the weather was hot. Snookie and her sister were using some kind of “cool” scarves but I think we were all red faced, sweating, uncomfortable, and getting dehydrated.

The Newport Pier sits just a short distance up the Newport Peninsula from Balboa

We fished until 12:15 and that was enough. We wanted to beat the traffic out of Orange County, Snookie needed to go to her choir practice, and everyone was beat. We had enjoyed the company but were obviously disappointed with the fishing.

We then headed south toward Oceanside but did make a short detour to Hogan’s Bait and Tackle in Dana Point. I wanted to pick up some bloodworms and managed to spend a few more bucks after seeing some things that I just couldn’t live without. It’s always good to visit that store and see its knowledgeable staff.

Back on the road, we were soon in Oceanside and checked into the motel. Mike was a little tired out from the heat and wanted to take a nap while I wanted to go fishing.  I decided to head down to the small pier in Oceanside Harbor. I usually manage to catch a few fish at the pier and this day would be much the same (although most were fairly small). I fished from 3:30 until 4:45 and managed 14 fish, 8 kelp bass (on bloodworms), 1 decent-sized spotfin croaker (on bloodworm), 1 salema, 3 smelt and a shinerperch. It wasn’t much to crow about but at least there was some action and I enjoyed the beautiful clouds while suffering through the heat.

The Oceanside Harbor Pier

Spotfin Croaker aka Golden Croaker and Roncador (the snorer)

The most interesting fish I saw was a garibaldi caught by an angler who was using bread to catch some smelt for bait. I didn’t know they liked bread.

There are almost always some birds at the pier

Dumbest move was by a girl in a kayak who decided to paddle over to a float full of sea lions. She actually paddled right up to the float and tried to pet a couple of the beasts. They bellowed at her and she seemed surprised that they might not enjoy her visit.

El Dumbo!

It was a beautiful sky that day

Next up was dinner and we headed over to the Joe’s Crab Shack that sits in the harbor. Burnt food, desultory service, and an unhappy Mr. Jones by the end of the meal.  

After dinner I walked down to Helgren’s Sportfishing to talk to some fishermen who had arrived on the Oceanside 95 Sportfisher while we were eating.  Boats had been pulling in yellowtail, bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna during an almost unheard of season of success. But the hurricane had affected their action too. The boat full of anglers had returned from the 1½ day trip with 4 fish, not exactly a crowd pleasing number. They were hoping the next day would be better.

After dinner Mike was ready for bed. I said we needed some fresh bait so headed down to the Oceanside Pier to catch some mackerel.  Anglers were catching mackerel using glow sticks and hi/lows baited with pieces of mackerel and I copied their rigs and bait. I fished from 8:30 to 10 PM and landed 15 Pacific mackerel and 1 sargo. We now had some fresh bait for the next day.

Day 3, Friday, September 11. Friday morning we planned to meet up with Ed Gonsalves who runs the Oceanside Pier Bait Shop and then do a little fishing. Ed suggested a spot midway out on the pier and his advice was good. Three hours of fishing yielded 13 Pacific Mackerel, (on cut mackerel) 10 Kelp Bass (on bloodworms), 1 Sand Bass (on a bloodworm) and 1 Topsmelt.

Mike at the “spot”

Ruby’s Restaurant sits at the end of the pier

Good sentiment!

The Oceanside Pier is one of my favorite piers

The Oceanside Pier Bait ShopA nice Shovelnose Guitarfish caught by “Bernie”

We had lunch with Ed ad his wife Pam and were soon headed to San Diego. The first stop in San Diego was at Squidco where I bought one more bag of bloodworms and would have gotten some ghost shrimp but they were out. We then checked into our motel. Mike was a little tired so decided on a nap before dinner. I, on the other hand, wanted to go fishing so headed over to the Ocean Beach Pier where action HAD been great. It was now slow. Nevertheless, fishing from 3-4:45 PM produced a plethora of fish: 7 Kelp Bass (most on blood worms), 4 Topsmelt, 2 Salema and 1 Rock Wrasse, the first I have caught at the pier.

You could see the Coronado Islands (Islas Coronados) off in the distance

The left corner of the pier

Out at the end

Salema aka Big Eye Bass and Lima Perch

Rock Wrasse aka Parrot Fish

Dinner was at the Kaiserhof Restaurant in Ocean Beach where we met up with my son Mike. It may be the best German restaurant in California and I’ve been going there for years. Once again they produced an excellent dinner.

I got a chance to visit with my son Mike for a few hours

Day 4, Saturday, September 12. Crystal Pier would be the destination Saturday morning. It had just yielded up a 40+ pound yellowtail a couple of weeks before our trip, had been producing some shortfin corvina, and might be our best chance for some good fish.

We arrived fairly early because we knew parking would be a problem (it always is) but we still had to park two blocks away from the pier. Upon arrival we only found one other angler (and he was a good one). We headed out to the end and settled in for some fishing (which was slow).

Although already hot and sticky, it was a beautiful morning

Mike getting ready

Looking shoreward

I decided to set up a heavy rig on the bottom baited with mackerel and shortly thereafter hooked something strong that headed out like a bat ray. I finally got it stopped and heading into the pier (where I worried about the pilings). Sure enough it was a bat ray that took more work than it should have to get it up onto the pier. The problem was the current moving inshore and pushing the net under the pier as soon as it got into the water. It took a while but finally the fish was netted and pulled up. Then we had a new problem getting it over the boards that stick out a couple of feet.  If I was a little younger I might have hopped over the railing and simply grabbed the net but those days are over. I finally swung the net over the railing and we were able to grab it and bring it in. It wasn’t a huge bat ray but it still was fun.

KJ and a Bat Ray (aka Stingray, Mud Marlin, Flapper, NASCAR and Sea Bird)

The only two other fish I caught was a round stingray and a small mackerel, which I baited up while trying for a shortfin corvina (with no success). Mike caught a Round Stingray.

Mike and his Round Stingray (aka Stinger and Stingaree)

Live bait was needed but I couldn’t even seem to get that. And, it meant I didn’t have the right bait when a school of firecracker-sized yellowtail showed up next to the pier. Five yellowtail were caught, all small ones, but still yellowtail.

One of the local experts, Angel Hernandez, did have the right bait and he caught two yellowtail. We had a long and interesting talk and I am waiting on some pictures he has taken of recent catches of shortfin corvina. He has also hooked several Giant Sea Bass including one that he said might go two hundred pounds.

A small yellowtail caught by Angel Hernandez at Crystal Pier

Of course I also wasn’t in the right spot. I had started out at the end when yellowtail were not being caught. I then moved into the shallows fishing for corvina but none would be caught that day. While I was at the front of the pier the yellowtail were visiting the back of the pier. So it goes.

The pier became a popular spot with people as the day continued 

We had to leave at 11:00 AM to attend my granddaughter’s soccer match but I think Crystal would have been the place to be for both yellowtail and corvina (if I just had a little more time). Unfortunately, I didn’t have the additional time.

Following the soccer match we had to head north, the destination being San Clemente. This time we checked into our motel, had an early dinner, and then headed down to Dana Harbor to fish from the small pier.

It turned out the harbor area by the pier was having a festival— the “Toshiba Tall Ships Festival,” and the shoreline and pier was filled with people. Thankfully most of the activities were finished by 5 PM and we were able to find a parking spot and some room to fish.

The Pilgrim

We fished from 6:40-9:10 PM and the visit yielded the usual bay species: 6 kelp bass, 2 sand Bass, 1 sculpin (California scorpionfish), 1 sargo and 1 good-sized spotfin croaker.

Spotfin Croaker

Day 5, Sunday, September 13. The last morning I would be fishing alone since Mike was visiting his daughter. I was at the pier at 7 AM and joined several other anglers out at the end of the pier who were pulling in some fish.

The early morning at the pier

Once again I tried for bonito and once again I had no success. However, smaller species were abundant. Three and a quarter hours of fishing produced 40 fish: 18 Pacific mackerel, 6 jacksmelt, 5 salema, 5 topsmelt, 3 kelp bass, 2 grunion and 1 sand bass.

Sand Bass aka Barred Sand Bass, Sugar Bass, Johnny Verde Bass and Grumpies (large fish)

Surfers and the train

The pier, the train, and no surfers

Looking shoreward

The San Clemente Pier and one of the prettiest settings for a pier

Unfortunately the sun and heat were once again brutal and I was covered with sweat when I left the pier. Once I picked up Mike the next stop would be back home in Fresno. Surprisingly when Mike and I arrived in Fresno/Clovis the weather had cooled slightly. In fact, it was actually cooler than it had been at the beach.

In summary, the trip was somewhat disappointing, both as to the heat and humidity and the lack of large, exotic species, i.e., yellowtail, shortfin corvina and bonefish. Realistically though, you still have to have some luck to catch those species. You have to be there at the right time with the right techniques. I think we had the techniques and bait covered but the timing was off. Everyone said you should have been here last week. Big tides had moved in and rattled the inshore waters, the baitfish seemed to mostly move offshore, and many of the larger species followed them. I think things were calming by Saturday/Sunday, and fishing would start to improve, but I had to return to Fresno (darn it). You only have so much time and money.

Nevertheless, the 23.75 hours spent fishing did yield a variety of fish: 50 Pacific Mackerel, 36 Kelp Bass, 14 Topsmelt, 8 Salema, 6 Jacksmelt, 5 Sand Bass., 2 Spotfin Croaker, 2 Sargo, 2 Grunion, 1 California Halibut, 1 Shovelnose Guitarfish, 1 Bat Ray, 1 Round Stingray, 1 Sculpin (California Scorpionfish), 1 Rock Wrasse, and 1 Shinerperch

A bat ray from Fortman Marina in Alameda

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: CA Fish Bulletin #28.

Alternate Names: Stingray, stingaree, bat sting ray, sea ray, eagle ray, batfish, big black, sea bird, flapper, rat tailed stingray, NASCAR, mud marlin (my favorite), and monkey face ray. Called raya murciélago or tecolote in Mexico.

A bat ray caught at the 2007 “Mud Marlin Derby” at the Berkeley Pier

Identification:  Bat rays have a very heavy raised head and a dorsal fin at the base of a long whiplike tail with a stinger just behind it. Their coloring is blackish or blackish brown above and white below. Beware of the stinger.  

Bat rays can give a very nasty sting

Size: Reported to reach nearly six feet across and over 200 pounds. Most bat rays caught from piers are less than fifty pounds but many in excess of a hundred pounds are caught every year.

A 240-pound bat ray was reported from Newport Bay in 1957. I received a note on the Pier Fishing in California Message Board of a 246-pound fish with an 8.5-foot-wing span that was reputedly taken from the Newport Pier in the ’80s. However, the width sounds too wide leaving the weight also in doubt. I’ve seen pictures of a 176-pound bat ray taken from the Newport Pier and a 175-pound bat ray that was caught at the Aliso Beach Pier in (I believe) 1990.

A very large bat ray landed at the Hermosa Beach Pier in the ’70s by “Mola Joe”

Another fish, this one weighing 203 pounds and measuring 54 ½ inches wide was measured and weighed on a certified scale. It was caught at the Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara on April 24, 2004. The fish struck a live smelt bait and was landed after a fight lasting one hour and twenty minutes. The fish was hooked and fought by James Elledge, and gaffed by Ron Maxell. With the help of bait shop owner Ray Angel (how appropriate) the fish was carried over to the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company to their certified scales. PFIC representative Boyd Grant was soon on the scene to witness and photograph the huge fish…one of the largest bat rays ever caught on a California pier (and possibly the largest to be weighed on a certified scale).

The Stearns Wharf bat ray; a possible record?

Although we’ve had several reports over the years of bat rays weighing 200 pounds or more, the official state (and world) record remains a fish that weighed 181 pounds 0 ounces. It was caught at the Huntington Beach Pier on July 24, 1978 by Bradley A. Dew, a senior at Huntington Beach High School. Records indicate it was 23 pounds over the prior record and, according to the Dept. of Fish and Game, the fish had a 5 1/2-foot-wingspan, a 3-inch-long stinger, and the width across the bat ray’s eyes was an even ten inches.

A large bat ray taken at the North T-Pier in Morro Bay in 2006

According to the California DF&G “female bat rays reach a greater size than males, attaining a maximum disc width of 70.9 inches and weight of 210 pounds. The largest reported male is 40 inches wide and a weight of 37 pounds. Bat rays grow slowly, reach sexual maturity relatively late, have few young, and seem to be fairly long-lived. A 60-inch disc width female was estimated to be 24 years old.” So, all of the big bat rays are moms, grandmas or maybe even great grandmothers.

A chart showing the relationship of width and pounds

A small bat ray taken at the 2015 Mud Marlin Derby in Berkeley

Range: Gulf of California to Yaquina Bay, Oregon.

Habitat: Prefers a flat, rocky bottom or sand among rocks although also seems to enjoy hanging around kelp beds. Most commonly caught in sandy or muddy bottom bays and the deeper water areas around piers. Bat rays basically “fly” through the water using their powerful pectoral fins and occasionally they will leap out of the water when hooked.

A large bat ray taken at Crystal Pier in San Diego

Piers: Bat rays are caught at almost all piers in California, both oceanfront and those in bays. Best bets: Shelter Island Pier, San Clemente Pier, Balboa Pier, Newport Pier, Huntington Beach Pier, Redondo Beach Pier, Hermosa Beach Pier, Stearns Wharf, Cayucos Pier, Berkeley Pier, San Mateo Pier, Elephant Rock Pier, Angel Island Pier, Eureka Municipal Wharf and Del Norte Street Pier (Eureka).

Shoreline: A frequent catch of shore anglers from San Diego Bay to Humboldt Bay.

A bat ray taken at the Elephant Rock Pier in Tiburon in 2003

Boats: A frequent catch by boaters and kayakers fishing in almost every California bay.

Bait and Tackle:  Bat rays eat a wide variety of foods with oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, abalone, snails and worms being scarffed down on a regular basis. To be expected, they’ll also take almost any bait. However, frozen or live squid, and live bait such as anchovies, ghost shrimp, mud shrimp and grass shrimp, produce most of the fish. Frozen squid is the least expensive and easiest bait to use and is undoubtedly the number one bait for bat rays.

A small bat ray from the Santa Monica Pier in 2009

It’s reported by the way that these strong rays use their pectoral fins to lift their body rapidly up and down to create a suction that sweeps away the sand and gives easy access to their food on the bottom. Because of the potential large size, anglers wishing to fish specifically for bat rays should use heavy tackle and have a gaff or net available to bring the fish up onto the pier. Never use a pier gaff to lift  them up to a pier unless you’re intending to keep them for food.

Food Value: Very good.

A really neat graphic designed by Lucy Philips

Comments: Although Ray Cannon’s book How To Fish the Pacific Coast holds a cherished spot on my library shelf, and in many ways was a model for Pier Fishing In California, I believe he was wrong in his comments on bat rays. His most egregious was that “These giant Bat Rays should be exterminated whenever possible because of their menace to crabs, lobsters, and all kinds of edible shellfish.” Although it’s true that those species may be included in a bat ray’s diet, I’m not sure why they were singled out over predators. I think it reflects the thinking of the day, in particular the opinion that bat rays were a danger to commercial oyster operations, i.e., those in Tomales Bay. We know today that they are not a danger to those operations; in fact, they may help by keeping crabs under control. I’m not sure why he made a second statement, an assertion that bat rays are “Seldom taken by anglers.” Even back in those days bat rays (usually called sting rays) were a common catch, and several shark and ray derbies were conducted along the coast, the most famous probably being that at Moss Landing. Today, many anglers concentrate on bat rays. The rays reach a very large size, they put up a strong fight, and are delicious to eat once the fight is over (although more and more people practice catch-and-release with them).

Anna and a bat ray at the 2014 Mud Marlin Derby at Berkeley Pier

Of interest are the bat ray pools found at several aquariums (including the Monterey Aquarium, The Aquarium Of the Pacific, and the Chula Vista Nature Center). The bat rays can be petted and in fact are rather pet-like; some even seem to like to have their backs stroked. Yes, their stingers have been removed! The venomous spines are cut off about once a month (before they reach a length long enough to hurt anyone). Apparently the bat rays receive no harm from these “manicures,” in fact the spines are made of keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails, and the spines grow back. However, bat rays in the wild still have their spines and can inflict a painful wound, so be very careful if you catch one (and some bat rays have two or even three stingers). For some reason Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara sees a lot of small, immature bat rays and they’re usually called monkey face rays.

Pete Wolf of “Big Hammer” fame and a 52-inch bat ray from the Goleta Pier

Scientists report that bat rays move into inshore waters to breed during the summer then tend to move offshore in the winter (so guess when they are more likely to be caught from a pier). While inshore, they are sometimes found in large concentrations. At times these bat ray gatherings contain several thousand individuals. The sea bottom holding these creatures must look a little weird and would certainly have a somewhat alien feeling; not sure if it would be more like a black-cloaked Darth Vader convention, a Raider Nation convention, or something even more outlandish (and scary), a political convention.

A very young “Minnow Magnet” (Justin Morris) and an even younger bat ray at the Paradise Park Pier in 2004

“Bat Ray Dave” and a bat ray from Newport Bay

Oscar Amaro and a bat ray from the Manhattan Beach Pier in 2015

A bat ray taken at Tides Wharf in Bodega Bay in 2004

A bat ray taken at the Goleta Pier in 2006

A bat ray taken at the 2004 Mud Marlin Derby in Berkeley

A bat ray taken at the Tides Wharf in Bodega Bay in 2004

A bat ray taken at the 2015 Mud Marlin Derby in Berkeley showing the correct way to hold them (via their mouth)

A bat ray taken at the Ferry Point Pier in Richmond in 2008

A bat ray at the Malibu Pier in 2007

A small bat ray from the Paradise Park Pier in 2015 showing the correct way to hold them (via their mouth)

A large bat ray from the Gaviota Pier in

Some unofficial records

≈ 220 Lbs. — Ventura Pier, early ‘80s

Source: PFIC

203 Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), James Elledge, April 24, 2004

Source: Personal comm. Boyd Grant; PFIC

≈ 200 Lbs. — Huntington Beach Pier, May 2014

Source: Let’s Go Fishing, Huntington Beach Pier

≈ 200 Lbs. — Huntington Beach Pier, December 2009

Source: Let’s Go Fishing, Huntington Beach Pier

≈ 200 Lbs. — Oceanside Pier, April 2006

Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop

≈ 200 Lbs. — Seal Beach Pier, March 2001

Source: Big Fish Bait & Tackle, Seal Beach

≈ 200 Lbs. — Ocean Beach Pier, August 1998

Source: PFIC

≈ 200 Lbs. — Hermosa Beach Pier, “Mola Joe”, 1980s

Source: PFIC

≈ 200 Lbs. — Carpinteria Pier, Bill Hinckley, September 18, 1955

Source: Los Angeles Times, September 19, 1955

≈ 200 Lbs. — Redondo Wharf No. 1, June 25, 1888

Source: Los Angeles Herald, June 27, 1888

181 Lbs.* — Huntington Beach Pier, Bradley. A. Dew, 1978

Source: Los Angeles Times, July 28, 1978 & California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife * = Official state record fish and world record (IGFA)

175 Lbs. — Aliso Beach Pier, August 1984

Source: Aliso Beach Pier Snack Shack

≈ 170 Lbs. — Seal Beach Pier, May 2001

Source: Big Fish Bait & Tackle, Seal Beach

169 Lbs. — Hermosa Beach (pier?), July 30, 1912

Source: Oakland Tribune, July 30, 1912

160 Lbs. — Ocean Beach Pier, May 2009

Source: PFIC

≈ 160 Lbs. — Seal Beach Pier, March 2001

Source: Big Fish Bait & Tackle, Seal Beach

≈ 150 Lbs. — Oceanside Harbor Pier, August 2009

Source: PFIC

150+ Lbs. — Santa Monica Pier, May 2008

Source: Santa Monica Pier Bait Shop

150 Lbs. — Santa Monica Pier, May 2002

Source: Santa Monica Pier Bait Shop

≈ 150 Lbs. — Oceanside Pier, April 2001

Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop

≈ 140 Lbs. — Seal Beach Pier, March 2001

Source: Big Fish Bait & Tackle, Seal Beach

135 Lbs. — San Clemente Pier, June, November 1999

Source: PFIC

125 Lbs. — Huntington Beach Pier, Greg Taite, April 1999

Source: Let’s Go Fishing, Huntington Beach Pier

123 Lbs. — Huntington Beach Pier, Robert Gerber, March 1999

Source: Let’s Go Fishing, Huntington Beach Pier

120 Lbs. — Ocean Park Pier, Stuts Baida, July 1927

Source: Los Angeles Times, July 31, 1927

110 Lbs. — Pine Avenue Pier (Long Beach), William Crowder, June 2, 1907

Source: Los Angeles Herald, June 2, 1907

106 ½ Lbs. — Belmont Pier (Long Beach), Bill Kerny, October 13, 1960

Source: Long Beach Independent,October 14, 1960

104 Lbs. — Rainbow Pier (Long Beach), Dave Feske, October 13, 1960

Source: Long Beach Independent, October 14, 1960

100+ Lbs. — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), June 1997

Source: Mike’s Bait & Tackle, Stearns Wharf, June 1997

≈ 100 Lbs. — Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, Walter Cartwright, April 11, 1934

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 12, 1934

100 Lbs. — Seal Beach Pier, April 1958

Source: Long Beach Independent-Press Telegram, April 13, 1958

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/bat-ray/feed/ 1 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2014/11/walleye-surfperch/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2014/11/walleye-surfperch/#comments Thu, 27 Nov 2014 21:11:11 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=5657

Walleye Surfperch

Species: Hyperprosopon argenteum (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek root words hyper (above) and prosopon (face, from the upward direction of the face) and the Latin word argenteum  (silvery). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Amphistichinae.

Alternate Names: Silver perch, white perch, surf fish, bigeye perch, and China pompano. In Mexico called mojarra ojona or perca. Occasionally called wally perch, probably by those who have watched too many Leave It To Beaver reruns.

Identification: Typical perch shape. Identified by the tips of the pelvic fins being black and their very large eyes. Their coloring is silver with some duskiness on the back. Can have bars or no bars on their sides.

Walleye surfperch from the Cayucos Pier

Size: To 12 inches; most caught from piers are less than 10 inches. Fish caught in northern California tend to be larger than those caught in the south.

Range: Punta San Rosarito, central Baja California to Esquimalt Harbor, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Habitat: Shallow-water areas, near both sand and rocks. Common in both oceanfront areas (throughout the year) and in bays (primarily during the summer). Often found in dense schools consisting of several hundred fish.

Walleye surfperch from the Capitola Wharf

Piers: Walleye are one of the main catches at almost every oceanfront pier in the state but larger concentrations seem to exist in the north. Best bets: Crystal Pier, Seal Beach Pier, Malibu Pier, Gaviota Pier, Pismo Beach Pier, Avila Pier, San Simeon Pier, Seacliff Pier, Pacifica Pier, Fort Point Pier, Elephant Rock Pier, Fort Baker Pier, Point Arena Pier, and the Commercial Street Dock in Eureka.

Shoreline: One of the main fish for sandy shore anglers in California.

Boats: An inshore species rarely taken by boaters.

Walleye surfperch caught by “Minnow Magnet” from the Berkeley Pier

Bait and Tackle: Tackle can be kept light. Best bet is to rig a modified snag line, three or four size 8 hooks, each baited with a very small strip of anchovy and a 1/2-to 1-ounce sinker. Cast the rig out, let it sink to the bottom, then begin a slow retrieve; the walleye surfperch will often follow it from the bottom to mid-depth range and hit it on the way up. Many, many times I have seen anglers trying to catch these fish but failing simply because their bait or rigging was too large; walleyes have small mouths and will peck away at larger baits but not be hooked. Walleye will eat shrimp, mussels, worms, squid and pieces of fish, but small strips of anchovy have proven to be the main winner in my experiences.

Food Value:  Fair, although most of the fish are too small to have much meat available.

Walleye surfperch from the Paradise Cove Pier in Malibu

Comments: This fish numerically ranks first among the fish I have caught at California’s piers. In the Department of Fish & Game studies, it ranked fourth among all pier-caught fish in southern California, and third among fish in central and northern California.

Of note was a study done by the Department of Fish and Game in the Bolsa Chica-Hermosa Beach area between 2007 and 2009. Walleye surfperch ranked fourth among surf fish collected in the study and showed an increase in numbers from the 1990s.

Walleye surfpech from Crystal Pier in San Diego

Walleye surfperch (with Kim and Mike Jones) from the Fort Baker Pier in Sausalito

 Many thanks to Robert O’H for the help with the pictures.

Aaron Coons and a leopard shark from the Morro Bay North T-Pier

Species: Triakis semifasciata (Girard, 1855); from the Greek word tria  (number three, triad) and Latin words cis (on the side) and fasciata  (bundled, referring to the stripes).

Alternate Names: Cat shark or (mistakenly) tiger shark. Called tiburón leopardo in Mexico.

A small leopard shark from the Dumbarton Pier  

Identification: Leopard sharks have a dark gray body (some are almost bronze or golden brown) with black bars (saddles) and spots, and are one of the prettiest sharks. Their first dorsal fin is in advance of the pelvic fins; the base of the second dorsal is in advance of the base of the anal fin. They have a long, pointed snout with oval eyes and nictitating membranes. The mouth is equipped with a fine array of small but sharp pointed teeth.

Robert Gardner (Redfish) and a leopard shark from the Elephant Rock Pier

Size: Length to 7 feet and nearly 70 pounds; most caught off piers are less than four feet. The California record fish weighed 47 lb 1 oz and was taken off Palos Verdes, Los Angeles Co. in 2007.

Brian Linbarger (Illcatchanything) and a leopard shark from the Greenwood Cove Pier

Range: From Mazatlan, Mexico, and the Gulf of California to Oregon.

Leopard Shark caught by “thunder” at the Paradise Park Pier

Habitat: Most leopards are caught in bays but many are also caught in shallow, sandy-shore areas; they make an annual migration from the bays to the outer coast. Large schools mixed with smoothhound sharks are common in shallow water. Typical foods include large crustaceans and small fish.

Two leopard shark from Pier 7 in San Francisco, 1998

Piers: Caught throughout California but a major pier species only in San Francisco Bay and Humboldt Bay. Best bets: Malibu Pier, Avila Pier, Morro Bay T-Piers, Fort Baker Pier, Elephant Rock Pier, Angel Island Pier, Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier, Port View Park Pier, and all of the piers along the San Francisco waterfront. Most piers in Humboldt Bay also offer good to excellent fishing for leopard sharks (especially at night).

Leopard shark caught at the Marin Rod & Gun Club’s “Kids Day on the Pier Derby” in 2015

Shoreline: The favorite shark for shore-bound anglers throughout California due to their size, fighting ability, and good taste as food.

Rock Hopper and a leopard shark taken at Tides Wharf in Bodega Bay in 2004

Boats: Most leopards caught from boats are landed in the various California bays—Morro Bay, San Francisco Bay, Tomales Bay and Humboldt Bay.

Leopard shark taken at the Cayucos Pier in 2006

Bait and Tackle: Will take almost any bait but prefers squid, an oily fish like mackerel, sardine or anchovy, and live baits such as ghost shrimp and small fish. If specifically fishing for leopard sharks use medium tackle, a size 2 to 4/0 hook, and fairly heavy line. Be sure to bring along a net to bring the fish up onto the pier. Late summer and fall finds best fishing in the San Francisco Bay Area.

A nice leopard from Crystal Pier in San Diego

Food Value: An excellent, mild flavored flesh that can be fried, broiled or baked. Like all sharks, it should be bled and cleaned as soon as possible. It should also be kept cool and an overnight bath in the refrigerator (with just a couple of squirts of lemon juice) helps assure the good flavor.

A leopard shark from the Malibu Pier

Comments: This is one of the favorite sharks for most pier fishermen; it is attractive, reaches a good size, puts up a good fight, and is good eating. They also make great aquarium fish—until they begin to grow too big.

Perhaps one of the strangest stories concerning the fish had to do with the Unification Church (the Moonies) and how one of its pastors became the largest poacher of baby leopard sharks in history. Reverend Kevin Thompson of San Leandro’s “Bay Area Family Church”—and his “Ocean Church” fishing ministry—were accused of poaching roughly six thousand baby leopard sharks between 1991 and 2004. Thompson would pay fishermen  $2 to $3 per pup then sell them to dealers for $20-$35. The dealers in turn were able to sell the pups for as much as $450 to customers throughout the U.S., Great Britain and the Netherlands. The estimated street value of the pups was $1.2 million dollars and a half dozen people were eventually indicted by a Grand Jury in Oakland. Thompson faced eight years in prison if convicted of the charges. Sounds a little light to me.

Thomas Orozco and a small leopard shark from the Dumbarton Pier in 2006

Of note is a study conducted on surf species by the Fish and Game Department between 2007-2009 in the Bolsa Chica to Hermosa Beach area (SoCal). The study showed an increase in the number of leopard sharks from the 1990s and that leopard sharks were “much more abundant in the current study than in the 1950s.”

 Lisa (Dolphin Rider) and a large leopard shark caught at Emeryville

Leopard shark caught at the Elephant Rock Pier

Thomas Orozco and a leopard shark taken during the Marin Rod & Gun Club’s “Kids Day on the Pier” in 2013

A youngster’s first leopard shark. Taken at the Marin Rod & Gun Club’s “Kids Day on the Pier” in 2012

Leopard shark taken at the Redwood City Pier in 2003

Crystal Pier

Small though it may be, this pier has long held special affection for me for a number of reasons. Most prominent may be the fact that Crystal was the site of my first foray into the adventurous world of California pier fishing. The time was the “I Like Ike” era of the ‘50s, 1957 to be exact, and I was a newbie, basically clueless as to what I was doing. Nevertheless, I caught one (unidentified to this day) fish. Soon after, a quickly drying fish, held up by a pudgy young angler, was proudly paraded through the nearby Oscar’s Restaurant. I’m sure that all those lucky patrons munchin’ on their 44-cent double-deck burgers and slurpin’ up their 25-cent creamy shakes were impressed. It may have seemed exciting to me at the time but looking back I can see that I had no clue.

The Entrance

My family left San Diego soon after that inaugural, not-too-auspicious trip to the pier and it wasn’t until April of 1964 that I would return. By now I was at least a semi-accomplished angler having spent many a day learning the basics at the Newport Pier. Now I just needed more time on the piers.

However, our new address was inland in sun-baked Santee, just a little too far from the ocean for my bright red Schwinn Corvette bike, the bike that had served me so well at Newport Beach. No problemo! Soon I was working and, with my big-time $1.00-an-hour-job, accumulating wealth. Greedy capitalist that I was, I saved my hard-earned money looking for the perfect investment. That investment came in the form of a light blue ’55 Ford that I purchased for the princely sum of $100. It came equipped with white sidewall tires and a great big Ahoooooga horn. I now had some wheels and the American freedom of the road beckoned (especially since gas was 18 cents a gallon and included green stamps, blue chip stamps and/or a free glass when you filled up).

Transportation meant that I was able to fish whenever I wasn’t working or going to school and during the next five years I would be a regular visitor to all of the area’s piers. Crystal would prove to be the most productive San Diego pier: it yielded the highest number of fish per hour as well as good numbers of big fish, especially halibut and shovelnose guitarfish.

Crystal is still, in my opinion, one of the best piers for at least four species of fish: barred surfperch, walleye surfperch, shovelnose guitarfish and (at times) California halibut. It is also seasonally good for yellowfin croaker, queenfish, white croaker, and gray smoothhound shark (sand shark).

Lastly, there are cottages available on the pier, the only pier on the California coast to offer such accommodations. So even though Crystal isn’t one of the largest piers, one of the most modern piers, or one of the most convenient piers in California (as far as parking), it still gets my nostalgic vote for one of the top piers in the state.

Cabins on the pier

Environment. The pier is located at the end of Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach (“PB” to locals) and sits on a long sandy stretch of shoreline that stretches from Mission Beach up to the rocky Tourmaline Surfing Park. The pier has neither rocks nor reef to attract fish; it is simply one of the best beaches to fish for sandy-shore species. However, its proximity to the fish-rich waters of Mission Bay (just down the beach) and La Jolla kelp beds (just up the coast) probably have some influence as to the fish that show up at the pier. Most of the weathered pilings are old and covered with mussels but the pier has fairly recently been restored and lengthened to 872 feet. Past the cabins the pier is fairly narrow, only 20 feet wide, but it does have a wider 100-foot end section. During the summer months there may be heavy growths of kelp around the outer end of the pier.

The number of different types of fish here doesn’t seem as high as some piers (although one PFIC member said he had seen 46 different species); however, the concentrations of some species are very high. Fish here at the tide line include corbina, barred surfperch, spotfin and yellowfin croaker, round stingrays, guitarfish and thornback rays. Halfway out there are all of these but also more walleye surfperch, queenfish, white croaker, halibut and smoothhound sharks. The end area will see these plus Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel, jacksmelt, bat rays, small to medium size white seabass, bonito (some years), and an occasional yellowtail.

Spotfin Croaker

Increasingly, in the last few years, more and more bass—kelp bass, barred sand bass, and even spotted sand bass—have been caught. The same is true with giant (black) sea bass, most of them youngsters in the 20-50 pound class. A number of the illegal big bass have been hooked, caught, and released during the new millennium and the numbers seem to increase each year.

Sargo are another fish that used to be rarely seen at the pier but now seem to be fairly common. Although most of these species can be caught almost any time of the year, summer is by far the best time, especially for halibut, spotfin croaker, corbina, mackerel, bonito, big sharks, and rays. Winter often yields fewer but larger halibut; early spring yields the largest barred surfperch.

Summertime, unfortunately, is also a prime time to catch illegal (because of the season) spiny lobster. They’re commonly caught but remember that if one of the bugs grabs your bait (and hangs on) throw them back, failure to do so could result in a very stiff fine.

Brown Rockfish

Unusual catches at the pier have included a 10-pound striped bass and a 55-pound broomtail grouper (Mycteroperca xenarcha). Steve Carson, the esteemed fishing writer, sent me a note that said during the 1983 El Niño a paloma pompano, aka palometa in Mexico (Trachinotus paitensis), and a gafftopsail pompano (Trachinotus rhodopus) were confirmed catches at the pier. In January of 2010 a 14-inch brown rockfish was taken from the pier, an unusual catch of a fish more commonly seen in deeper waters and rocky areas.

Shortfin Corvina caught by Tony Troncale

A once rare species that has begun to show up at the pier are shortfin corvina. Perhaps reflecting their increasing numbers in San Diego Bay, shortfin first showed up at the pier when two small specimens were taken in August of ’08. Then, during the grunion runs in July of ’09, more shortfin made an appearance and most were good-sized fish. Only problem was that some mistook the fish for undersized white seabass and called the DF&G who, much to their surprise, announced after checking that they were legal shortfin corvina. More of the fish were reported in August of 2011 with about 26” being the maximum size. Most of the shortfin were taken by anglers using live queenfish for bait.

 One of the most unusual catches was that of a banded guitarfish, Zapteryx exasperata in August of 2011. Not only was the fish an unusual species itself but the manner of catch was unusual. James Barrick, owner of the pier’s tackle shop netted the fish for the startled angler. When he went to remove the hook from the fish’s mouth, he discovered that the angler’s 2/0 hook was in the eye of a larger 6/0 shark hook, and it was the larger hook that was actually embedded in the mouth of the fish. After extracting the hooks, the fish was lowered back down into the water using the net.

The human environment is also generally pleasant here, with a nice mix of resident species (San Diegans) and seasonal visitors (tourista Americanus).

Grandson Adam, Son-in-Law Dave, and a yellowfin croaker

Fishing Tips. Best fishing here is generally halfway out on the pier on the left (south) side. Fish with two poles. On the larger pole use a high-low or live bait leader. If you can net some small smelt or queenfish, or snag some with a bait rig, use the live bait leader to try for halibut. If you can’t get live bait use cut anchovies, sardines or squid with a high-low rigging. Use 15-20 pound test line with hooks size 2 or larger to catch guitarfish, sharks and perhaps a halibut. On the second, smaller pole, use a high-low leader, size 6 hooks, and a sinker just heavy enough to hold bottom. For yellowfin croaker or barred surfperch use bloodworms, ghost shrimp or mussels. For queenfish, walleye surfperch or white croaker, use small strips of anchovy; cast out and reel in slowly for best results. For many of the fish, a multi-hook bait-rig (Sabiki or Lucky Lura) can be deadly! Use size 4 or 2 hooks for the mackerel, size 6 or 8 hooks for the queenfish, walleye surfperch or jacksmelt. The water down around the pilings will also yield a few of the larger rubberlip or pileperch as well as a few opaleye (I saw a nice 4-pound opaleye caught on one visit).

California Halibut caught by Tony Troncale

Inshore, the quantity will be less, but you can often catch some very nice corbina, spotfin croaker and barred surfperch; use sand crabs if available, next best baits are ghost shrimp, fresh mussels or bloodworms. Fish the shallowest water possible and this often means you are practically right up against the fence that surrounds the cabins on the pier.

A nice walleye surfperch

The far end will yield some pelagic species, but less than at bigger piers that go out into deeper water. Use bait rigs for the mackerel, try jigs, feathers behind a Cast-a-Bubble, or Crippled Herring lures for the bonito. Try anchovies, bloodworms or soft plastics for bass. Use live bait (small queenfish, white croaker or walleye surfperch) for the halibut and I’ve always had my best halibut success casting out from the south side of the pier (and unfortunately it’s hard here to fish down between the pilings).

Quite a few sharays are also taken from the pier. Thornback rays (throw-‘em-backs), round stingrays, shovelnose guitarfish, and gray smoothhound sharks are all very common and will hit on almost any bottom bait including sea worms, ghost shrimp, anchovies, and cut mackerel. Bat rays seem to prefer squid while the large leopard sharks and shovelnose will hit a variety of baits (with live fish seemingly the pièce de résistance). Be sure to bring a net with you, and be sure you know how to use it or have someone with you who can use it (it’s reported to be 28 feet from water to deck during low water). Some truly large guitarfish, bat rays (to 105 pounds), leopard sharks, and halibut have been hooked here, and it feels terrible when one is lost after a spirited fight. Several butterfly rays and diamond stingrays have also been landed here (including a fairly large diamond stingray in September 2008).

Of note was a report in July of 2009 reporting the capture of a 6-foot-long gray smoothhound shark. Most of the smoothhounds landed at the pier are only 2-3 feet in length with an occasional fish reaching four feet. Since the conventional wisdom on the species is that they only reach a little over five feet in length (64.25 inches), the report if accurate would indicate a record fish. However, the fish was not officially weighed nor measured, and some wondered if it might have been a soupfin shark instead of a smoothhound. Although rarely seen at the pier, a four-foot-long 7-gill shark was taken on a live jacksmelt on February of 2010 and August of that same year saw the capture of a 6-foot-long soupfin. The largest shark that I’ve seen recorded here was a seven-gill that measured nearly 8 feet in length in March of 2012. The fish was estimated at 150+ pounds.Not surprisingly, the shark was taken during a time when lots of bait aka food  was in the water—mackerel, sardines ands jacksmelt.

48.5-pound yellowtail caught by caught by Tony Troncale

Amazingly, quite a few yellowtail have also been landed from this shallow-water pier including a 20-pound fish in September of 2006 (which surfers helped land) and a 40+-pound fish in 2007. One key for the yellows is live bait such as a mackerel or jack mackerel and the rig of choice is a sliding leader rig. Cast out a sinker heavy enough to hold bottom, and then slide the live bait down to the water. Use a 3-foot slider with the baitfish at one end and a snap-swivel at the other. It’s a rig I’ve used since the ‘60s and it still works. A second key is to tire out the fish before you bring it to the pier. Yellowtail are tough and a still fresh fish will often head for the pilings and wrap your line as soon as it nears the pier; play it out and then bring it in. The third key is to have quality tackle that is heavy enough to finish the job started by the first two steps. The latter tips were not followed in August 2010 when eight yellowtail were hooked and lost at the pier in a single day. Some were lost to inadequate tackle but the largest, estimated at 30 pounds, was lost to the pilings  due to poor netting  by the frustrated anglers up above.

34-pound yellowtail caught by “Hallman”

Special Recommendations. Live bait is unavailable at this pier, a pier that is one of the top piers in the state for halibut and guitarfish. Go to a tackle shop, buy a live bait drop net, an aerator and a bucket—and use them. Live bait (anchovies, small smelt, queenfish and small perch) is key for the halibut and guitarfish. Live mackerel and jack mackerel, (usually caught on bait rigs) may lure in a yellowtail or other pelagic during the warm water months.

22-Inch kelp bass caught by Angel Hernandez on a live smelt

In addition, bring a fishing license to this pier. There is a seemingly never-ending debate between the City of San Diego and the State of California as to whether or not this pier qualifies as a public pier. As a result wardens often visit the pier and sometimes they have ticketed unsuspecting anglers. Better to be prepared and not risk a fine.

Author’s Note No. 1.  If you’re visiting San Diego and need a place to rest your head I recommend staying at the Crystal Pier Hotel. It’s not the fanciest place you could stay but its unique, populated by a friendly staff, and can provide some night fishing that otherwise you couldn’t enjoy (and their motto “Sleep Over The Ocean” is appropriate). It has also gotten a little more expensive the last few years after being discovered by the travel professionals/writers. Details and rates can be checked out at www.crystalpier.com.

Author’s Note No. 2. I speak about losing guitarfish from experience. One night, during a 1977 stay at the pier, I decided to go shark fishing. Since the pier isn’t open to the public at night, I was the only angler fishing when, at 4 A.M., a huge guitarfish decided to swallow the squid I was using for bait. It was a great fight but unfortunately the fish, which I had hooked on the south side of the pier, had circled around the end of the pier and was on the north side when I finally got it to the surface. I could see a nearly five-foot-long guitarfish in the light from my flashlight but I had a problem since I was alone and my treble hook gaff was sitting next to the bench on the south side of the pier. Because of the wave action I didn’t want to risk trying to maneuver the fish around the end pilings back to the left. I finally decided to back up and try to reach my gaff while keeping the line tight, hoping the fish wouldn’t make a new run. It almost worked except that about the time I reached my gaff a large wave surged against the pier, the line stretched a little too tight, there was an abrupt and resounding snap in the line, and the fish was free. I was sick (to the bone) but soon adopted a Taoist-like attitude: to quote Dylan, perhaps it was a simple twist of fate. It was the proverbial “one that got away,” and it still brings back exciting memories after all these years.

Author’s Note No. 3. I have had quite a few really exceptional days at this pier but admit one of my most enjoyable visits was a day in July of 2009. I have had days at the pier where I caught more fish, and days where I caught a larger fish, but this was an unusual day because it yielded up an  “author’s ego” moment.

It was a late afternoon visit on a day when the sun was shining bright and the pier was shaking from large waves and strong current (due to a storm in Tahiti). I was fishing with my buddy Mahigeer and within two minutes of arrival discovered that the yellowfin croaker were on a bite. Not just a bite but a REALLY GOOD bite. I was using my high/low rigging with two size 6 hooks and a one-ounce sinker and quickly began pulling in the fish. The fish were good-sized yellowfins about 1 1/2-2 1 /2 pounds each and put up their typical short but spirited battle. As usual, it was catch and release for me, and even though the numbers were rising a couple of people walked by and commented, “not catching anything?” I would reply “oh, a few croakers.” It was enough said. However, Mahigeer is the friendly type and a little more animated when fishing than me. He soon struck up a conversation with an angler having a little less success who asked if we could give him some fish. Thereafter some yellowfin started to go into the bucket. Soon a good-sized sargo joined the crowd in the bucket, and a little while later a spotfin croaker.

People now began to marvel at the fish. “Wow, this guy’s catching fish every two minutes.” “Look, he’s already got another one.” This is unbelievable, how’s he doing it?” “He’s using some secret bait he’s hiding in that cooler.” “Wow, that’s the biggest fish I’ve ever seen in all the years I’ve been coming to the pier” (in reference to the spotfin croaker). The comments were done with an admiring, friendly twinkle in their eyes and though I was replying, what could I really say? I was trying to show them how simple it was but a lot of people just aren’t experienced. I was using live ghost shrimp (usually the best bait) and some cut sardines that I had caught up in Morro Bay the previous week; both were producing fish.

Mahigeer, who had brought out a copy of PFIC. 2^nd Ed. to give to the pier’s new bait shop owner, finally held up the book and said, “this is why he’s catching the fish. He wrote this book and is the expert.” People now oohed and awed while I stood there a little sheepishly. I guess I could have said, “I’m the Pier Fisherman and I’m supposed to catch fish,” but that seems just a little much. Instead it was the usual: “I’ve been fishing a long time and have learned a few tricks.” But to be honest, I was proud of the catch and proud that I could live up to Mahigeer’s billing. I have fished a long time and I do know how to catch fish. That day I just happened to be showing that fact to a crowd.

I usually fish alone and don’t really mention the book or that I am the author unless I’ve talked to a person for a while and feel it’s appropriate (although I will tell people to check out pierfishing.com). That’s just the way I am. But, as said, that day was an “author’s ego” moment and it’s nice to have them occasionally. The catch by the way for three hours of fishing was 26 good-sized yellowfin croaker, a big sargo, an even larger spotfin croaker, a mid-sized barred surfperch, two large round stingrays and a gray smoothhound shark. It was far from my best day at the pier but as said, good for the ego.

 Author’s Note No. 4. Near the front door of the Crystal Pier office sits a dual dog bowl, one side filled with water and one side filled with doggie snacks. It’s in memory of Sinjin a friendly mascot that used to greet visitors to the pier. If you look up to the right of the door you will see a small plaque the reads: “Sinjin 7/1/91-1/10/06. Loyal companion, known by many, friend to all, faithful pier dog, a true best friend. You are family and will be missed and loved always.” Being a “dog” person myself, I know how they felt—and feel.

Author’s Note No. 5. For many years two of the resident regulars were nurturing ladies who believed in giving “God’s creatures” a helping hand. They would be found most mornings out toward the end of the pier filling small buckets with their fish. Inevitably visitors to the pier would stop and look into the buckets of fish and occasionally someone would question why they needed so many fish. One or two may even have questioned if the ladies were exceeding the limits set for various species. But the ladies were catching the fish for a reason. They took their fish home and pressure-cooked them to soften the bones. Then they took the fish down to the Mission Bay Jetty where they fed the feral cats which had been dumped off by less caring members of our society. Those ladies are now gone but the memory of their good deeds linger on.

Author’s Note No. 6. It’s a totally different pier—and state, but the Crystal Pier in North Carolina is somewhat famous for yielding up that state’s record blue shark. The huge fish weighed 478 lb. 0 oz. and was taken back in 1961 by Bobby Kentrolis.  I’m not too sure if a blue shark has ever been taken from San Diego’s Crystal Pier although they’re certainly in the area and many California piers have seen the capture of blue sharks over the years.

History Note. The idea for a pier in Pacific Beach originated with Earl Taylor, a local realtor of the mid-1920s who was trying to sell property in the then sparsely populated (700 resident) area. Although land was fairly inexpensive (private lots cost $400, and commercial lots cost $800-$1,000), demand had slowed after the steam railroad discontinued service to downtown San Diego in 1917. Although the train no longer ran down Grand Avenue to the beach, Highway 1 continued to travel west on Garnet and then north on Cass. What businesses there were lined the route and gave the local area its economic focus. But it wasn’t enough. Something was needed to attract more people to the area. Taylor felt he needed a gimmick, something like the amusement piers that had attracted land buyers to Venice and Ocean Park near Los Angeles. He approached Earnest Pickering, owner of the Pickering Pier in Ocean Park, and soon had a partner, both financially and with insights regarding a pier.

Crystal Pier — 1925

In September of 1925 the local Pacific Beach Banner reported that Pickering and an associate, Neil Nettleship, were in town discussing the construction of the pier. The Pickering Pleasure Pier appeared to be on its way, construction started, and additional headlines soon proclaimed, “Pacific Beach: Home of the Million Dollar Pier.” The headlines were a little premature because Pickering soon experienced money troubles of his own and had to back out of the project. Construction stopped!

At this point Nettleship (who had also built a small pier at the turn of the century at the foot of La Mont Street in Mission Bay) stepped in and, together with the Tye Construction Company, gained ownership of the pier. The name was changed to the Crystal Pier and Nettleship began to issue stock in the Crystal Pier Amusement Company.

On April 18, 1926, the pier was dedicated; festivities included airplane stunt flying, a surfboard-riding exhibition, and nail-driving competitions for men and women. The crushing of a huge bottle by one of the pier’s pile drivers marked the official christening.

Although dedicated, the pier and its amusements would not be finished until the following summer (amid fierce competition between the Crystal Pier and the amusement park at Mission Beach). On the July 4 weekend of 1927, the 950-foot-long pier opened as the “Crystal Pleasure Pier Ballroom and Joy Zone,” an opening heralded in both the San Diego and Los Angeles areas. The main attraction was the towered ballroom that sat out at the end of the pier. The ballroom was built in a sort of 1920s Aztec-like architecture and featured a cork-cushioned dance floor and a crystal ball, high up above the dance floor, which gave the pier its name. Other attractions included an amusement midway with the ever-present arcade.

Crystal Pier — 1927

The attractions were short lived. From day one the pier had rocked in an unsettling manner. Visitors to the ballroom complained of queasiness from the rocking and the swaying lights (which prompted Nettleship to run piano wire through lights and wall fixtures). Some questioned the safety of the pier, some merely resented feeling seasick while out on a pier (which seems fairly reasonable). The initial problem was insufficient bracing which caused the pier to sway in all but the mildest surf. Worse, in the long run, was the fact that marine borers were rapidly destroying the improperly treated, non-creosoted pilings. The pier and ballroom were condemned (although the ballroom was dismantled and reconstructed on Mission Beach next to the amusement park) and the pier was shut down.

Nettleship sued the Pan Pacific Construction Company, won a Superior Court decision, saw it reversed by an appeals court, but then saw his case upheld by the State Supreme Court. Other court decisions ruled that the pier beyond the high tide line was public property (so the owners at the beachfront end would need to lease the ocean end of the pier). But Nettleship’s money was gone and the U.S. National Bank foreclosed on the pier. Nettleship was now out of the picture. Eventually the bank spent $10,000 replacing pilings, built a 500-foot extension and remodeled the pier.

Crystal Pier — 1935

On April 19, 1936, almost exactly ten years after the initial dedication, a new and remodeled pier, complete with ten motel cottages and a soda fountain, opened for vacationers. Souvenir postcards from the day mentioned free pier fishing and tackle for rent —for the princely sum of 25 cents. The cards also mentioned a daily and monthly prize for the big fish. The new pier and motel quickly became a favorite for those coming to the beach to escape the heat of the inland areas.

Two years later a deal was nearly struck to lease the entire pier to the city. The Pacific Beach Chamber of Commerce supported the plan and even wanted the pier lengthened and facilities added so that sportfishing boats could use the pier but that lease deal was never signed. Instead, the pier was sold in 1948 and then again in 1949.

Crystal Pier — 1949

In January of 1953 new problems arose. Two derelict fishing vessels being towed by a barge broke loose during a heavy storm and slammed into the north side of the pier. The vessels snapped ten pilings and dumped a cottage into the Pacific. Luckily the cottage was unoccupied and the eleven visitors who were staying in other cottages at the time had decided to vacate their dwellings during the 7’5″ tidal conditions. The pier was repaired, then, in December of 1953 the city announced a revised lease with the owners of the pier; a 25-year lease which would be in effect until 1978.

The pier in the ’70s

For much of the fifties the pier seemed to be in a slow decline. Then, in 1961 the pier was refurbished and given its now familiar ocean-blue and sky-white colors. Cottages were also restored and redecorated.

A damaged and shortened pier

The infamous pier-damaging storms of 1983 didn’t spare the pier. Fifteen-foot waves destroyed the outer 260-foot section of the pier and questions began anew. Who would fix the pier, the city or the operators of the private hotel? And would a remodeled pier retain the front entryway of the pier that had become a Pacific Beach landmark? After considerable debate, and several different proposals by diverse groups, it was agreed that the pier would be renovated, lengthened, and retain its basic appearance—with both sides contributing money. Eventually a new lease was signed, six more cottages were added (somewhat decreasing available space for those who liked to fish the surf area), and all but the last 20-foot length of the pier was restored and “uplifted” (so that it would hopefully be better to withstand a new storm).

The pier was once again safe and open for angling. As mentioned, Crystal is still the only pier along the Pacific coast which has rooms over the water, thus allowing an angler the chance to virtually fish from his or her front porch (or, in this case, patio area).

       Crystal Pier and some visiting copters

Crystal Pier Facts

Hours: Vary by season; generally 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. (or sunset) for visitors in the summer, 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. in the winter. 24 hours a day for those staying in the pier motel.

 The pier bait shop

Facilities: Restrooms, one cleaning station, some benches, and some night lighting. Bait and tackle (including rental tackle)  is available at the pier’s bait shop. Parking can be a problem! Metered parking is available on the side street at the foot of the pier if you can find it. This is a popular area for beach go’ers and surfers and they just don’t seem to realize they should leave some parking spaces for the pier rats. Arriving any time after the early morning hours simply means you must look around for a space. Do not park in parking lots that have posted warnings; they mean it and will not hesitate to have your car towed away. Kono’s, located near the entrance of the pier, serves up great breakfasts and lunches for a very reasonable price and will provide takeout if you’re on the pier.

Try Konos for some good eats

Handicapped Facilities: None. The surface is wood planking with a railing 40 inches high.

Location: 32.79583 N. Latitude, 117.2575 W. Longitude

How To Get There: Take I-5 to Garnet Ave.  then take Garnet to the foot of the pier.

Management: City of San Diego and Crystal Pier Motel.

Sunset at the pier — 2008

Pier Fishing In California Fish Reports

June 1998—Russell Grossbard (The English Bloke) reports that fishing has been good at the pier recently with good-sized mackerel, some sand bass, and lots of large leopard sharks and stingrays. He also said that some nice sized corbina have been taken in the surf area recently as well as barred surfperch. The surf fish were hitting on ghost shrimp, mussels and blood worms. On the 23rd, a five-foot-long shovelnose shark (guitarfish) was landed, and Russell managed to land several sargo in the 2-3 pound range. In addition, he landed a large stingray and a nice sized croaker—all on bloodworms. He followed that success up the next day with a large opaleye, several more sargo, five barred surfperch and a legal sand bass—all on mussels. So, sounds like there is some variety and quality to the action. He does remind anglers to bring a license to the pier since the Fish and Game continue to claim it is a private pier (even though the city disagrees and public funds were used to remodel the pier).

August 1998—Our reporter, Russell Grossbard, relays the following: “Week ending 7/5/98—some nice shovelnose sharks were taken and mackerel and some small halibut were caught and released. Closer to the shore, the action was slow as the surf was heavy so there wasn’t any sargo, but there were a lot of croakers, the odd one in the 2-3 lb. range and the odd surf perch and corbina were taken in between sets. About mid-way up the pier the action was a lot better with a lot of croakers hitting on mussels. Week ending 7/12/98—sargo were back with a whopping 5 lb one been taken by a French bloke, this fish was as big as the lid of my fishing bucket which is a 5 gallon one. He also had 7 others in the 1-3 lb range. At the end of the pier there wasn’t much going on, the odd stingray and thornback were being caught and some still small halibut, and smelt. But down where the sargo were hitting, in the mid-surf there was lots of walleye perch, croakers, and all falling prey to mussels, ghost shrimp and bloodworms. Week ending 7/18/98—I went after work and fished in the surf, and had some luck with sand crabs and mussels and caught croakers in the 1-2 lb range and some small surf perch. I was told by the owner of the coffee stand that someone had caught a 28-inch white seabass early on in the week and the King of Halibut had been down and had caught 4 halibut but none of them were keepers. On a last note, the Fish & Game have been down once more and this time they have posted a notice informing fisher men & women that as from the 8/1/98 any one found to be fishing without a license will be sited. They also said they would be coming down to enforce this.”

September 1998—Our reporter, Russell Grossbard, relays the following: “This last month has been an up and down month. On 8/8, Sam the Shark Man caught a 4 1/2-foot leopard shark on a whole mackerel. I too was lucky and caught a 23 1/2-inch halibut the same day using a small, live mackerel for bait. A lot of people were caching mackerel and smelt at the end of the pier. The shark was caught at the end of the pier and the halibut was almost at the end as well. In the mid-section, there were a lot of croaker being taken on squid/shrimp/bloodworms. On 8/12, I caught an 18-inch halibut that I returned; after that I didn’t have any more luck. The bait shop informed me that someone had caught a 35-pound bat ray earlier that week and that there hadn’t been much action other than the ray. On  8/14, I was back at the pier hunting that allusive big halibut but I didn’t have any luck. There were a lot of people having luck with mackerel and smelt, and one person caught a nice 14-inch bass off the end of the pier. There were also a lot of thornbacks being caught as well. Down in the mid-section there wasn’t a lot going on as most of the fishermen and women were at the end, and ever since the Fish and Game has been coming down there hasn’t been as many fishermen and women on the pier. On 8/22, I was back down and this time I was lucky and caught a 19-inch halibut, which was released; there were a lot of shovelnose sharks caught and most of them were released. There were some small striped perch being caught at the end of the pier and yes, a lot of mackerel and smelt.”

December 1998—Got a mid-month report from our reporter Russell Grossbard. He said, “The bait shop on Crystal Pier has now closed for the winter! I’ve been down a couple of times in the last month but nothing much to report other than some small mackerel being caught off the end and some large smelts. I caught a small halibut on a small piece of mackerel and one thornback ray. Well I am off for now so cheers.”

June 2006—PFIC reports indicate some barred surfperch are being taken on Berkely Gulp Worms while croakers (including a few spotfin) were hitting on ghost shrimp and mussels. Mix in good numbers of mackerel along with a smattering of jacksmelt, queenfish and sand bass and you have a nice mix.

E-Mail Messages

Date: November 24, 1998

To: Pier Fishing In California Message Board

From:  JW

Subject: Crystal Pier

In reply to “Could use some surf fishing info posted by Dave McDowell.” Go down to Seaforth Boat rentals on Quivera Road and pick up some blood worms. Then fish off Crystal Pier. I have had good luck there recently fishing with my freshwater tackle. Use a small hook (I think I use #4, just make sure the curve of the hook doesn’t exceed the size of your nail on your index finger). I rig with 6 lb. test with about a 14” to 18” leader and a 1/4 oz. sliding egg sinker. Cast right where the breakers crest and kind of let you line wash into the shore (but not all the way and make sure you don’t tangle into the pier). Fish the south side of the pier, as there are way too many surfers on the other side. We were able to catch 1-2lb perch and I even caught a leopard shark with this set up. My outings were mid-afternoon, but I am sure that early mornings would be most productive. I have also heard that “grocery store shrimp” is supposed to be a hot bait for the surfperch.

Date: July 22, 2000

To: PFIC Message Board

From: reefisher

Subject: Crystal Pier Report

Fished 9am-1pm. Very slow fishing. Had some bites on sand crabs at the surf zone. Fished at the end with grunion, mussel, squid and plastics. Almost lost my big pole with the grunion to a big something. I was attending another pole when someone screamed, “there goes your pole” I managed to grab the pole before going over the side. I fought it for a while but it was just too big to get close to the pier. It fought like a bat ray. The only other thing I caught was a lobster. Fellow pier rats caught several white croaker, 1 sand bass (14 inches, I measured for the fellow) a mack and assorted cartilaginous fish, mostly small shovelnose. Fresh sardines seemed to be the best bait. reefisher.

Date: August 21, 2002

To: PFIC Message Board

From: 2pac

Subject:  Crystal Pier

I got back last night from 3 nights at Crystal Pier and the fishing was great. The first night me and my dad used mackerel and caught 6 shovelnose sharks that were from 3 to 4 feet long, 2 thornback rays, 1 sting ray, and 1 small halibut. My mom went for a walk on the beach and saw some squid, so I went down to the beach and picked some up for bait. It ended up being the best bait ever. The next two nights my dad, brother, and his wife and I caught; 10 3-foot shovelnose sharks and one that was 4.5 feet, 2 smoothhound shark that were about 3 feet long, 2 thornback rays, 7 small sting rays, 5 bat rays, 1 croaker. The best fish of the trip was my brother’s horn shark.

Date: August 27, 2002

To: PFIC Message Board

From: 2pac

Subject: Crystal Pier

Went to Crystal Pier today after I got out of school and fishing was great. When I got there the end of the pier was full of people so we fished about half way out using squid. First I caught a 2.5 foot shovelnose, next I hooked up with the biggest shovelnose I have ever seen, but right when it saw the pier it took off and broke my line, The same thing happened to two other shovelnose I had on and broke off. Finally I got one in but it was about 3.5 feet but still put up a very good fight.  Some guy had on 40-pound test and a 10 ought hook with a giant mackerel on it and eventually hooked on to a 7-foot shark, which broke of on a very bad gaff job. Right when the guard was going to kick us off the pier I hooked on to a pretty big bat ray, got this one in and took a picture which I will get up as soon as I can. Overall a good day of fishing.

Posted by pesk21

Know what kind of shark the 7-foot shark was? -abe

Posted by 2pac

It was a thresher shark and the tail was amazingly long.

Date: October 27, 2002

To: PFIC Message Board

From: 2pac

Subject:  Big white seabass

Went fishing at Crystal Pier with my dad and bro. I had a big piece of mackerel on and it got slammed; I had 50# test on and the fish was taking line out for like 5 min. I eventually got it in 40 min later and we saw a giant white seabass. We first tried the net but the fish was too big, and then we used a gaff but on the first try we gaffed it and got it 5 feet out of the water and then the line snapped and the giant was gone. Five or six people were there and we estimated it to be about 40 to 50 pounds. I will never be able to catch something that big ever again.

Posted by pierhead

Of course you will… the one today was just for practice!   Pierhead

 Posted by pierangler8787

A tip in case it happens again. When you go to gaff it, put the reel in FREE SPOOL. That way, the only way it won’t be landed is if the gaff tears out of the fish. Congratulations though on your nice catch.

Date: January 14, 2003

To: PFIC Message Board

From: trotsky

Subject: Crystal pier (long)

The best pier to fish for halibut during every season would be Crystal Pier (privately owned, fishing pau as soon as sun sets). [Pau means finished or done in Hawaiian—KJ] Try live anchovies if you don’t mind buying bait or live smelt (3-4” is the best size), which you can hook easily using Damashi. Fish a moderately high tide straight between the pilings (egg sinker, barrel swivel, 2’ leader, and preferably an AH hook brought back from Hawai‘i)–the best, I think, is just beyond the last motel units on the pier. The two inside corners of the “T” at the end is another good spot to try. The middle portion—waste time, I think. Leave the egg sinker above the bottom by about 1/2 the length of your leader, which should be 10-15lb test fluorocarbon. You can also try lures but waste time in my opinion.

Spring is also sometimes good for yellowfin croaker (ono—the meat is firm like ahole without many bones—use bloodworm or mussels about 10-20 ft. feet away from pier from the middle to 3/4 out), barred surfperch (inshore to 3/4), walleye surfperch (middle to end) smelt and queenfish (middle to end), the occasional mackerel (3/4 to end), the infrequent calico bass (sneak a big overhand cast straight out from the end—and watch out for huge kelp paddies) and, of course at this pier, large shovelnose. You might consider trying for this last, as the meat in the tail is ono and the fight is better than most fish you can catch from a pier in San Diego. Pretty good fun even by Hawai‘i standards.

Watch out for the lobsters, which may start to return inshore during this time period (we caught couple big ones in April one year, using a net, of course…).

Watch out for the ubiquitous tourist (harmless, but annoying) and surfer (not harmless, and at times very irritating)—if the latter should shoot the pier, do me a favor and drop a big pile palu (smashed mussels, tomato sardines and bread—whatever) on the head.

Another annoying thing about this pier is the amount of opala—limu of various kinds—that sometimes litters the bottom, making it real humbug to fish, especially if the current is pulling strong. [Opala is trash in Hawaiian; Limu is seaweed. KJ]

The other S.D. piers are, I think, a waste of time, that is if you are set on hooking halibut. Crystal Pier can be waste time as well, but get better chance. Good luck, hope you hanapa‘a, Trotsky

Date: July 9, 2003

To: PFIC Message Board

From: SD Fisherman

Subject: Crystal Pier

Fished Crystal from 11-1pm today. Conditions were decent and in the two hours I pulled in a Leopard, Grey Smoothhound, two big Thornbacks, and some Walleyes on the Sabiki. Not exactly what I was looking to catch, but fun anyway. Tried right past the surf line on the south side about halfway out. I know there are YFC and Corbina in that surf line, maybe next time. Didn’t really see anybody else catch anything while I was there.

Oh yeah, forgot about this…While I was fishing a guy came out with a small duffel bag. He pulls a container out (didn’t notice if it was an urn), and dumps ashes? down into the water. I know people do commit loved ones ashes to the sea off piers, and I don’t know if that was the case here, but the ash residue lingered at the top of the water and drifted right into where I was fishing. A little unnerving. Anybody ever have this happen? ~Don aka SDF~

Posted by OB Pier Rat

Nice report Don…I’ve seen quite a few of these happen at OB as a matter of fact, in a couple cases a boat named “Ashes at Sea” came in close to the pier where a group in funeral attire were standing, a person on the boat would release the ashes and then the group on the pier threw a wreath of flowers into the sea, I thought it was pretty cool. In fact I’ve told my wife a few times that if my burial became a hassle just toss my ashes off the left end of the OB pier, my favorite spot…

BTW, Did you catch any more fish there after the ashes floated over? Always looking for tricks to help catch fish. hehehe…

 Posted by pescare

I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to do it from shore, but if someone’s last wish was for me to spread their ashes there I’d do it in a heartbeat and just be prepared to pay the price. Ed ps. If you happened to see ashes along the shore just outside of Bodega Bay last January it may have been my uncle Tilio who had a similar wish.

Date: July 18, 2003

To: PFIC Message Board

From: SD Fishermean

Subject:  Crystal Pier

Since getting a nice Yellowfin Croaker a couple of weeks back, I’ve been looking to break out at Crystal with a big day. I walked out on the pier to see what was going on at 10am, and there were a bunch of kids in a field trip group fishing, as well as some others, despite the cold/rainy conditions. One of those anglers was an elderly gentleman, and once I saw him reel in two fattie Sargo on mussel, I was convinced it was worth a try. Overall the fishing was okay. Lots of Walleye on the Sabiki as normal. As I was fishing the Sabiki, I see my other rod (baited with squid on a hi-lo) go bendo big time. I rush over, and proceed with a good battle. It’s a good-sized shovel, at least three feet long. It tried to go under the pier, but I lifted it just enough at the surface to keep it stationary. I started handlining it up the side, but the hook popped out and that was it. Oh well. I ended up getting another shovel, about 18” or so, and that was it for the day. The wind picked up and the conditions became choppier, which killed off the fishing. Looking forward to the next time. ~Don aka SDF

Date: July 17, 2004

To: PFIC Message Board

From: reeffisher

Subject: Crystal Pier Black Sea Bass

Saw my first ever black sea bass caught from a pier yesterday. I and three other fishermen on the pier were kicking ourselves for not having our cameras with us. Mine was in the car; I had all the intentions in the world to bring it out on the pier, but alas the excitement of getting out on the pier got in the way of my diminished memory. When the lucky guy hooked up, we all thought he had a large bat ray. Hardly any runs and a slow hard steady tug. It was taking awhile so I went back to catching the mighty smelt (sarcasm mood on). I totally missed how they got it up on the pier and only saw it as it hit the deck with a big cheer from the gathered crowd. Some say it was 50 plus lbs. to me it looked more like 25-30 lbs. maybe 36-40 inches long. To their credit the fisherman and the folks helping him wasted no time getting it back in the water. BUT NO PICTURE!!! As far as I could tell he was using 30-lb mono on a Shimano Baitrunner (4500 or 6500?) with a quality pole, baited with a whole squid.

Date: June 26, 2009

To: PFIC Message Board

From: raider

Subject: New fish at Crystal pier 

Went to Crystal Pier yesterday morning and caught a rock wrasse, which is the 53rd different fish I’ve caught at the pier. And the crazy thing is that I caught it on a Sabiki, along with a lobster, and a small sand bass, all on the same line! I was also able to get about a 3-foot-long shovelnose guitarfish but overall it was another slow day at the pier.

Yellowfin croaker, Crystal Pier in San Diego

 Species: Umbrina roncador (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882); from the Greek word umbra  (shade, referring to its darkened, shady sides) and the Spanish word roncador  (a snorer, or to snore). It is, afterall, a croaker.

Alternate Names: Surf fish, golden croaker, Catalina croaker, yellowtailed croaker and yellowfinned roncador. In Mexico they’re called berrugata aleta amarilla or verrugato de aleta amarilla.

Yellowfin croaker, San Clemente Pier

Identification: Elongated, croaker-like body with a blunt, rounded snout and small subterminal mouth. Yellowfins have a large, fleshy barbel at the tip of the lower jaw that separates it from other croakers with the exception of corbina. Their coloring is a blue to grayish-tan on the back with brassy and golden reflections; silver overlaid with dark yellow-brown wavy lines on the sides and bright yellow or golden fins. The coloring blends in and renders them almost invisible against a sandy background.

Size: Up to 18 inches and nearly 4 pounds, although most caught off piers are less than 14 inches. The California record fish weighed 3 lb 14 oz and was taken from Santa Monica Beach in 2000.

Yellowfin croaker, Malibu Pier

Range: Bahia Magdalena, southern Baja California and Gulf of California to Point Conception (although reported from San Francisco in the 1800s).

Habitat: Common in shallow-water sandy areas, both oceanfront and in bays.

Yellowfin croaker, Oceanside Pier

Piers: Caught year round although the summer months, especially July and August, are considered the best months. Best bets: Crystal Pier, Oceanside Pier, San Clemente Pier, Huntington Beach Pier, Seal Beach Pier, Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, Manhattan Beach Pier and Malibu Pier.

Yellowfin croaker (top), Spotfin croaker (bottom), San Clemente Pier

Shoreline: One of the main catches by sandy shore anglers in southern California.

Boats: A mainly inshore species although a few are taken by boaters fishing SoCal bays.

Bait and Tackle: Use light to medium tackle; high/low surf leaders with number 6 or 4 hooks. Fish with fresh mussels or ghost shrimp. Other good baits are clams, sand crabs, bloodworms, lug worms and innkeeper worms. Fish from the surf area to midway out on the pier.

Food Value: In the past this was considered a very good, mild-flavored fish. Today there are warnings in many areas against eating croakers. They are a bottom feeder and in polluted areas tend to accumulate toxins in their body (because of the food they eat). If you do eat them, it is best to bake or broil them in such a manner that the fats in the flesh will drop away from the meat. (I must admit it is hard to write this since pan-fried croaker was a delicacy most of my life, but be warned).

Yellowfin croakers (left), spotfin croaker (right), San Clemente Pier

Comments: Yellowfin croaker are attractive fish that reach a decent size and put up a scrappy battle. By far, the best time to catch yellowfin croaker is around sundown and the early hours of the night. Illegal to take in California with nets since 1909, or to buy or sell since 1915. Of note is a study conducted on surf species by the Fish and Game Department between 2007-2009 in the Bolsa Chica to Hermosa Beach area.  The study showed an increase in the number of yellowfin croaker from the 1990s and stated the yellowfin croaker were “much more abundant in the current study than in the 1950s.”

Yellowfin croaker, Dana Harbor Pier