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Hi everyone,
Im FINALLY getting back to saltwater fishing after about 10 years. Im a newb when it comes to pier fishing in the bay area and im looking for some pointers. Particularly the Pacifica Pier. Im looking for advice on what type of baits are best for the local fish....and since I havent fished for so long, whats a good type of saltwater spin reel. Thanks in advance!
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Welcome to Bigfishtackle and thanks for taking the time to register.
Pacifica Pier has been one of my favorite piers and probably the most productive on the California Coast.
You can find Barred Surf Perch, Calico Surf Perch, Red Tailed Surf Perch, Walleye Surf Perch and Silver Surf Perch. Tomcod and Jacksmelt will also play with your line while there but are not quite as good on the edibility scale. Sand Dabs are plentiful there and Leopard Sharks are a good evening treat.
You are best to bring 2 rods with you and rig them both differently for best results. Some of these fish like to hit closer to the bottom and some will hit higher up.
You can also find Sole, Flounder and Halibut around there during certain times of the year. Striped Bass will also cruise around and be carefull of the any Salmon in the area since they are currently off limits.
Some of the species can be caught on a high/low rig or even on a Sabiki or Lucky Lura type of rigging with small hooks and 2 to 4 ounce sinker depending on the current for the time of day.
If you can get sand crabs or sand worms they will work best for bait on the bigger perch. You can use mussel or clam meat for the smaller species and the big ones may hit it too.
If you can only take 1 rod, Okuma has many to choose from at really good prices on their combos.
You may want to look at your local sporting goods and ask if they have any Okuma. The warranty is top notch and the products are excellent.
In the stores you will most likely find the Okuma Avenger, Halogen, and possibly the Granite in certain areas.
You can also order online from the Okuma website. I cannot give a live link to it since they have a forum but I can post the address. You just have to add your www on the front of it. Okumafishingteam.com is the address. Check it out and see if there is anything that you like.[cool]
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Thanks for the quick reply. I just happened to pick up an Okuma reel today on my lunchbreak that i plan to use with my Ugly Stick rod. I was actually there this past saturday catching mostly jacksmelt. 2 Chinese gentlemen next to us were catching what looked like makerel....maybe kingfish? But unfortunately, they werent very talkative so i couldnt figure out what bait they were using. Was wondering if there were any tips for catching those guys. Again, thanks for the quick reply...much appreciated!
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Squid is the prime bait for the whole west coast. To catch some of the specialty species you will need to bring along some Shrimp, Clams, Mussels and Blood worms.
Try each of these out at different depths for different species.[cool]
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