During the summer and fall, striped bass fishing is at its peak in San Francisco Bay. Trollers and live bait drifters make good catches with regularity in Raccoon Strait, at the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, at submerged rocky reefs in central San Francisco Bay, and off Alcatraz and Treasure Islands.
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Where can I fish for striped bass in San Francisco?
- The Golden Gate Bridge. Golden Gate has some pretty good action for those with boat access.
- Berkeley Flats Marina. Hit this area found just off Alcatraz and Treasure Islands.
- Raccoon Strait/Angel Island.
- Berkeley Fishing Pier.
- South San Francisco Bay.
- Suisun Bay.
- West Delta.
- Middle Grounds.
What month is best for Striper fishing?
Striped Bass will start to move into the Red and Washita Rivers to spawn. April can be the best live-bait fishing month, but swimbaits and underspins will catch Striper too. Striper will school up around these river channels to feed, then run upstream to spawn.
What fish are running in SF Bay?
San Francisco area has many species of fish to target. We have Halibut, Bass, many types of Sharks, Great White Sturgeon, White Sea Bass and King Salmon.
What fish are in season in SF Bay?
- Rockfish. The recreational fishery for rockfish (Sebastes species) is open year-round to divers and shore-based anglers.
- Cabezon.
- Kelp and Rock Greenlings.
- Lingcod.
- California Scorpionfish (a.k.a. sculpin)
- Leopard Shark.
- Soupfin Shark and Spiny Dogfish.
- Other Federally Managed Groundfish.
Can you catch rockfish in San Francisco Bay?
San Francisco Bay is considered an important habitat for juvenile brown rockfish. Apparently all of the brownies in S.F. Bay are five years of age or younger, after that age they move offshore into deeper waters. Adults can range down to 964 feet but are only common to about 400 feet.
Can you fish on Pier 39?
Fisherman’s Wharf: There are a number of fishing platforms on wharfs extending form Pier 39 to Pier 45 to the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Marina Green Jetty: Located in San Francisco, at the end of East Harbor.
Can you fish at night in San Francisco Bay?
Night Fishing in San Francisco Many anglers set out at night to catch various species of fish. You can also visit the waters at night through all seasons of the year to make great catches. You can also visit different fishing spots in San Francisco at night to enjoy your fishing trip.
What time of day is best for striper fishing?
The stripers are moving and eating and just about any artificial that looks like a meal will work. It is also the time of the year you can walk into a blitz of fish at 1:00 in the afternoon. Other than the early spring, the fall is the best time to catch daytime stripers in the surf.
What is the best bait for striper fishing?
Bloodworms and Sandworms as Striped Bass Baits Bloodworms and sandworms are highly effective striper baits just about everywhere these fish are found, virtually any time of the year. Stripers love eating them, period.
What month do striped bass come back?
Spawning takes place earliest in Chesapeake Bay, as striped bass move from their wintering grounds off North Carolina and Virginia into the Bay in mid-March. Spawning is slightly later in the Delaware River, taking place in early April, and a few weeks later in the Hudson River, typically mid- to late April.
Is San Francisco Bay good for fishing?
San Francisco Bay offers many salt water fishing opportunities, whether you want to fish from your own boat or are looking for a party boat (fishing charter boat) to go out on. There’s deep sea fishing, fishing along the coast, and fishing within San Francisco Bay from boats or piers.
What is the legal size for striper in California?
In California, fishing for striped bass is allowed all year round. The Minimum size for keeping a striped bass is 18 inches at minimum. There is no maximum size limit. Each licensed fisherman is able to keep 2 striped bass per day.
What fish are biting in San Francisco?
- Steelhead trout.
- Chinook salmon.
- Lingcod.
- California halibut.
- Pacific halibut.
- Albacore tuna.
- Great white sturgeon.
- Rockfish.
Do you need a fishing license to fish in San Francisco Bay?
No. A fishing license is required when fishing everywhere except for a public pier. Even if you hooked the fish on the pier and only came down onto the beach to land the fish, you would need a valid license to avoid a potential citation.
How do you shore fish in San Francisco Bay?

Are there eels in San Francisco Bay?
Emeryville Sportfishing’s fishing reports are a reflection of catches happening in San Francisco Bay and outside the Golden Gate in the Pacific.
Can you eat halibut from SF Bay?
We’re lucky to be able to eat fresh fish from the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean. Many fish in the bay and Ocean are healthy and safe to eat, but some fish have high levels of toxins like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury that can harm your health and are NOT safe to eat.
Is it safe to eat fish from San Francisco Bay?
Yes! Certain types of fish and shellfish from San Francisco Bay are safe to eat if you follow OEHHA’s guidelines. Fish, in general, is: An important part of a healthy well-balanced diet.
Are California striped bass good eating?
These species โ American shad, Chinook (King) salmon, steelhead trout, striped bass, and white sturgeon โ are popular with anglers and eaten by many Californians. The guidelines recommend that children and women of childbearing age should avoid eating any striped bass and white sturgeon.
What is the largest striped bass ever caught?
Fishing for striped bass The largest striped bass ever taken by angling was an 81.88 lb (37.14 kg) specimen taken from a boat in Long Island Sound, near the Outer Southwest Reef, off the coast of Westbrook, Connecticut. The all-tackle world record fish was taken by Gregory Myerson on the night of August 4, 2011.
Do you need a fishing license to fish off Santa Cruz Wharf?
The Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf may be the most over looked fishing opportunity we have. It has easy access, parking, bait tackle restaurants and you are not required to have a fishing License.
Do I need a fishing license for catch and release in California?
A: This question comes up often. Anyone 16 years and older must have a fishing license to take any kind of fish, mollusk, invertebrate or crustacean in California, except for persons angling from a public pier for non-commercial purposes in ocean or bay waters.
Is PIER 39 safe in San Francisco?
PIER 39 is the ideal safe outing. The pier is an open-air marketplace that monitors guest count to ensure everyone has space to socially distance.
Is night fishing illegal in California?
Answer: Night fishing for crappie is permitted by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) as long as the lake where you plan to fish permits fishing at night (Section 2.15). Some lakes prohibit night fishing for purposes of access control, safety or security reasons.