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Hello my Utah fishing fellows,
I am going to Southern California around Christmas. I want to do some adventures-try some ocean pier fishing. I searched on internet but couldn't find much useful information to get me started. So I turn to my go-to place here, for your advice, whether from your experience or from your imagination, all welcome.
Can I use my regular fishing pole?
What line should I use?
Which pier is good for newbies and family?
I probably can buy baits at the store on pier?
Any other tips?
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Where in Southen California are you going?
It all depends on what your "regular" poles are. If youre using ultra lites, i would leave those at home.
Just remember when you are fishing off the pier, reeling in a fish is difffeent. You will have to lift the fish all the way up to the pier. About 30 feet or so depending on the pier. So you may want some stronger line cnsidering the fish may be thrashing around a lot.
Some piers do not have a bait store on them and some do. You can get bait from any sports stores down that way.
you never know what you will pull out of the ocean.
In North Carolina we used to pull anything from 18 inch bluefish to a 36 inch king mackeral in a single day.
Good luck out there!
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I spent my whole childhood fishing the piers and off the beach in Southern Cal. So I might be able to help you out. This time of year you will probably only find bottom dwellers and such. Sand sharks, sting rays, halibutt, crokers, perch, and some others. Most of the migratory fish are not around such as the Bonito. We used to use about 6 to 10 pound test. You can try a slow moving dropshot with anchovies or just a slip sinker rig with a anchovies. Slowly drag along the bottom. If you are around any rocks you can find mussels at low tide to use for bait. They are also on the pier pilon. Take some thread to rap around the mussels or the anchovies after they are on the hook. It keeps them on. If you are fishing near the surf line you can use sand crabs for bait too. You will be able to dig them up at the edge of the surf. If they are there you will see kids digging for them. If you are not getting anything off the pier you can fish off the beach. Just work your way up and down the beach casting to where the wave are breaking. Not behind them. Just slowly retrieve as the current brings in your bait. You can buy anchovies on the piers. You will need a fishing license to fish off the beach but most of the pier fishing does not require a license. I would ask the bait shop on the pier for license info. Send me a PM if you have any other questions. There are others here on this site that might have some good info too.
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TD's son, Tuben2, is a So Cal resident and gave me some great advice on such matters. I would bet that he would be very willing to give you some info. TD can put you in touch !!
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[left]it all depends on location. (south bay LA county,orange and/or sd county), try posting this question on the so cal forum and I am sure you will get answers. Back in the day, I used to ride my Schwinn stingray all the way to santa monica pier to fish. This time of year is kind of tough. I would pay the money and go on a 1/2 charter boat out of redondo or san pedro. It all depends where you are going. My favorite is Pt Loma Sportfishing in San Diego. good luck,
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I'd second what rincon said about the half day boats. It will be slow this time of year. White croaker would probably be the predominant catch. About as much fun as catching 4" yellow perch here. And there is (or at least was) a health advisory against eating them.
If you can afford it, catch a half day boat in the Ventura, L.A., Orange, San Diego Counties. They will be fishing bottom fish this time of year. Good eating, easy to catch. The boat supplies the bait and will filet your catch. You can rent the appropriate gear at most of the landings. If it's a light load on a weekday, the deckhands are usually very helpful. If there are no storms approaching, the weather is usually great on the ocean this time of year. No afternoon winds.
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Went down to Santa Monica pier last year around this time. Saw lots of folks fishing the pier. Catching small (anchovies? or some such) baitfish. But there were bluegill sized fish being tossed out too. Talk of those flat faced bottom dwellers getting hooked.
But the folks I chatted with also confirmed - you don't ever know what you're going to catch - they'd have (flounder, halibut?) on the line, and a seal would come steal it.
I think the boat trip idea is a great way to go if you can schwing it. Wish I'd done that while I lived down that way.
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We also saw folks beach fishing off rocks, and surf fishing (or was it surfer fishing?). Some smaller fish in the tidepools behind the rocks, as well as crabs and such.
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Cali is real fashionable. Gotta dress to impress. . .
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