More than a half mile in length, the pier offers several different types of fishing. Inshore, along the beach, an angler can fish most of the year for barred and calico surfperch, and most days will yield a few fish. Once in a while, an angler will also hook onto a skate, flounder, or small shark - usually a leopard shark. In addition, a few old-timers (who usually know the most about the piers) will bring a few mussels or worms and fish around the pilings themselves, just outside the breaker area. Their goals are primarily rubberlip, rainbow, and white seaperch as well as blackperch. Midway out on the pier, the pier widens to accommodate restaurants, fish markets, tourist shops and two bait and tackle shops. The east side of the pier is reserved for fishing, launching skiff rentals, and boarding the Stagnaro sportfishing boats which operate from the pier. This area is heavily fished, has a sandy bottom, and yields mostly kingfish (white croaker), walleye surfperch, silver surfperch, white seaperch, sanddabs, small sole and far, far too many shinerperch. The area at the end is different once again; although the bottom is still sand, various debris has built up under and around the pier. This has formed an artificial reef and, as a result, catches of rocky-shore species are common. In addition, several holes are located in the middle of the pier; these are fishing wells which allow an angler to fish straight down among the pilings (an excellent idea which more piers should copy). Of course, the noise around these wells can be deafening. Sea lions always seem to be sleeping on the crossbeams between the pilings or swimming in and out of the area. Surprisingly, the fishing in these wells can still be excellent. In fact, almost all of the rockfish I have caught on this pier have been caught while fishing in these wells. The wells are also the best spots to catch large, legal size lingcod (normally during the fall or winter months). Around the outer end, an angler can still catch a few rocky-shore species, but sandy-bottom species will predominate. When pelagic species are around, like mackerel and salmon, the end is generally the best area to fish.

Our bait recommendations

Here's the baits that our Pros love for this lake.