Fish Archives - Pier Fishing in California

Marin Rod & Gun Club Pier aka Camiccia Family Memorial Pier — San Rafael

Private Pier — Fishing License Required There was a time, and it seems more and more like an ancient time, when hunting and fishing was practiced by a majority of the population. Every family seemed to have a fishing rod sitting in the closet or…

Bat Ray

Eagle Rays: Family Myliobatididae 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:…

Redwood City Marina Fishing Pier

Late in 2021, I received word that the Redwood City Marina Pier was undergoing a total rebuild. Given that the original pier had been constructed way back in 1959, it made sense. I began to follow news about the pier and decided I would attend…

Pacific Glasseye

Phylum: Chordata — Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish)— Order: Perciformes (perch like)— Family: Priacanthidae (bigeyes or catalufas)— Genus: Heteropriacanthus (Fitch and Crooke, 1984) Species: Heteropriacanthus carolinus (Cuvier, 1829); from the Greek heteros (different), prion (saw), and akantha (thorn) and the Latin carolinus (in reference to geographic…

Largemouth Blenny

Phylum: Chordata — Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) — Order: Perciformes (perch like)— Family: Labrisomidae (blennies) — Genus: Labrisomus Species: Labrisomus xanti (T. N. Gill, 1860); from the Greek words labrax (a fish) and soma (body), and xanti (meaning unclear). Alternate Names: Rock Blenny. Commonly found…

Shoreline Aquatic Park Piers — Long Beach

Public Pier — No Fishing License Required The term Long Beach is not a misnomer, for here is a beach of hard white sand as level as a floor extending many miles each way. This beach is a perfect natural race course, and during the…

Swell Shark

Cat Sharks: Family Scyliorhinidae Species: Cephaloscyllium ventriosum(Garman, 1880); from the Greek words cephalo (with a head) and scyllium (like a dog or monster) and the Latin ventr (referring to the belly). Alternate Names: Catshark, puffer shark and balloon shark. Called bocaccio (bigmouth) shark by commercial…

Blacksmith

Damselfishes: Family Pomacentridae Species: Chromis punctipinnis (Cooper, 1863); from the Greek word chromis (a croaker) and the Latin words punctipinnis (spot fin). Alternate Names: Blue perch, kelp perch, rock bass and black perch. In Mexico called castañeta herrera. Identification: Perch-shaped but not so deep—compressed and…

Reef Perch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Micrometrus aurora (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek words mikros (small) and metr (having a womb), and the Latin word aurora (sunrise). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Reef surfperch. In Mexico called mojarra de arrecife or perca. Identification: Typical…

Kelp Perch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Brachyistius frenatus (Gill, 1862); from the Greek words brachys (short) and istion (sail), and the Latin word frenatus (bridled). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Brown seaperch, brown perch and kelp seaperch. In Mexico called mojarra sargacera or perca. Identification: Typical…