Public Access Area but Private Pier — Fishing License Required
When I first visited and fished this pier, I called it the Bayside Hotel Pier — and then they changed the name of the hotel so it became the Executive Inn Pier. Since no one to date has been able to tell me an official name, we’ll stick with this name.
It’s a small pier sicking out into the bay just north of the hotel. It also sits just a couple of hundred yards north of the San Antonio Pier and offered much of the same type of bottom and fish species — without most of the amenities.
However, it’s rarely inhabited by anglers and so if you want some room to throw out a couple of lines and be able to just sit back and relax, provided you bring your own chair, this is the place for you.
Environment. Pretty much identical to that at the San Antonio Pier. It sits in the Brooklyn Basin section of the Oakland Estuary and though the water is fairly shallow here, the channel seems fairly deep within casting distance from the pier. Like most piers in the area, the main fish are several types of perch, white croaker, starry flounder, jacksmelt, striped bass, brown smoothhound shark, leopard shark, bat rays and skates. You can also expect to see some small sculpin and goby species if using small hooks on the bottom. Although I haven’t heard of any sturgeon being caught at the pier to date, the large fish do populate these waters.
Fishing Tips. The same as at the San Antonio Pier. Winter and spring see some of the larger perch—pileperch, whiteperch, blackperch, and rubberlip perch. They typically are in schools and if you get one you’ll probably get more. Summertime sees less of the large perch and more of the smaller walleye and silver surfperch. The large species can be caught on high/low rigging using size 6 or 4 hooks and the primo bait is pile worm, ghost shrimp or grass shrimp. Small pieces of market shrimp and pieces of mussel will also work. The walleyes and silvers are best caught on size 8 or 6 hooks with pile worms or a very small piece of anchovy.
Spring to fall months are the prime time for striped bass with cut bait, live bait and artificial lures all working to bring in the stripers. A high/low rig baited with cut sardine or anchovy works well; a live bullhead (staghorn sculpin) or shinerperch on a Carolina-type rig also works; and a variety of artificial lures will work. Check with the locals to see what’s producing the fish.
Summertime is the prime time for sharks and rays. Most of the sharks will be brown smoothhound sharks or leopard sharks while bat rays lead the list of rays. Use a live goby or shinerperch for the leopard sharks, a piece of an oily fish such as sardine or mackerel for the smaller sharks. Use squid for the bat ray. Since this pier has lights it is one of the few piers where you can still fish at night for the sharays.
Summertime will also see some kingfish (white croaker). They can be taken on cut anchovy fished with a high/low rigging on the bottom.
Wintertime may yield a few starry flounder when using pile worms, grass shrimp or ghost shrimp with a fish finder rigging or a Carolina-type rig. Use fairly small hooks, size 4 being optimal.
Year round will see jacksmelt show up in schools. Use 2-3 small hooks, size 8 or 6, under a float when seeking out the scrappy small fish.
<*}}}}}}}}}>< — Special Bay Area Regulations:
- A perch closure exits in San Francisco and San Pablo Bay from April 1 to July 31. No perch may be kept other than shinerperch (20).
- In San Francisco and San Pablo Bay a fishing line may not contain more than three hooks.
Sturgeon Regulations:
- A sturgeon report card and tags are required for anyone fishing for or taking sturgeon. (a) The card must be in the angler’s possession; (b) a tag must be used for any sturgeon retained by the angler; (c) the angler must record information on the Sturgeon Report Card immediately after catching and keeping or releasing the sturgeon.
- White sturgeon can only be kept from 40-60 inches; larger and smaller sturgeon must be released.
- Green sturgeon may not be taken or possessed.
Be aware that it’s best not to eat some of the species caught at the pier. Or, if you eat them to do so in moderation.
Wildlife. Even when the fishing is slow there always seems to be some interesting birds showing up.
Plants and Flowers. At the foot of the pier sits a small garden that has nothing to do with fishing but is lovely to examine if and when you get bored.
Just down shore from this pier sits the San Antonio Pier.
Executive Inn Pier Facts
Hours: Open 24 hours a day (although recently marked sunup to sundown).
Facilities: There is free parking at the foot of the pier but basically no other facilities. The pier adjoins the Executive Inn and Suites hotel.
Handicapped Facilities: None. The pier surface is wood and the railing is approximately 40 inches high.
How To Get There: From I880 take the 16th Avenue exit onto Embarcadero and turn left, follow the Embarcadero until you see the Executive Inn, the pier is located on the north side of the hotel.
Management: