History Note. The Rev. Herschell Harkins Memorial Pier a.k.a. the Pacifica Pier (“Dedicated to a fisher of men”) was built in 1973 and designed in part to serve as a support structure for sewage pipes that stretch from the shoreline out a short distance past the pier. Almost immediately after opening, the pier began to attract a devoted legion of anglers (including myself).
Big Crowds at Fishing Pier
Pacifica’s future as an ocean fishing center for the Bay Area seemed assured this week as opening of its 1,060-foot Sharp Park fishing pier continued to draw daily crowds of fishermen — of all ages.
Winners of the first annual fishing derby to be held at the pier was announced by Recreation Division Administrative Assistant Walter Kohnert. Some 300 persons entered the derby Saturday while another 700 just strolled around the pier, during the intermittent rainfall. The pier was not over-crowded.
Biggest fish caught was a four-pound leopard shark, reeled in by Dennis Niebuhr, followed by a 41-ounce flounder, caught by Hillard Sims. The two men won first and second place trophies in the adult division. Other winners were: Junior Division (6-9 years old): First, Rene LaForge, 13-ounce perch; second, David Navarro, 8-ounce smelt. Junior Teen Division (10-13 years): First, Eric Lindstrom, 20-ounce skate; second, Pete McGrath, 18-ounce perch. Teen Division (14-19 years): First, Mike Kent, 18-ounce catfish; second, Steve Bode, 17-ounce perch…
After a malfunction opening day, the lights for the concrete pier have been burning day and night, despite protests to City Hall over energy waste. Lights will be turned off during days when city workers are satisfied that they are working all right.
Some $20,000 worth of vandalism was inflicted on opening day, under cover of darkness, but City Mgr. Dave Thompson believes that the combination of lights and police checks will reduce vandalism.
The pier thus offers 24-hour a day fishing. It includes benches, strollers, and fish-cleaning tables. A bait and refreshment shop, at the foot of the pier, will be open on Dec.1.
Elmo J. De Deaux, who will operate the shiop, advises that the most common lind of fish to be found will be jack smelt, perch, kingfish (croaker), cabezon, flounder, halibut, shark, eels, crabs, and California skate (small stingrays). In addition, from June to October, striped bass and salmon can be found.
—San Mateo Times, November 16, 1973
In the winter of 1992 engineers warned that the sheet pile bulkhead supporting the first span was corroded. The city quickly closed the pier—and then reopened it a week later. Meetings were held, letters streamed in from throughout the United States, and the mayor and council debated what should be done. Eventually it was closed again. In July, just in time for the main summer fishing season, the pier was reopened after a five-month closure; anglers quickly began to catch salmon, kingfish, perch, jacksmelt, sanddabs and some mackerel. Although most people agreed that it was safe enough to open, all agreed it still needed additional repairs. The repairs were finally started that October and the pier was declared “fixed” a few months later. However, major problems still exist.
Pacifica Pier Facts
Hours: Open 4 A.M. to 10 P.M.
Facilities: The pier has lights, fish cleaning stations, some benches, restrooms at the base of the pier, and a bait shop/snack bar at the front of the pier. There is free parking on adjacent streets; although not enough when the salmon are “running.”
Handicapped Facilities: Handicapped parking. The surface of the pier is concrete with a ramp leading to the south side of the pier. The concrete siding on the pier is approximately 40 inches high and provides safety for both children and wheel chairs. Not posted for handicapped.
How To Get There: Take Highway 1 to Pacifica, take the Paloma Avenue-Francisco Boulevard exit, take Paloma west to Beach Road, turn left and follow the road to the pier
Management: City of Pacifica.
One of the best fishing pier. Got a lot salmon, stripers, perch on this pier. Go there early.
So is it safe to eat the kingfish?
In general, open-ocean areas like Pacifica have perfectly safe and delicious kingfish populations. We fished there in June and caught several large kingfish (among 9 species of fish and crabs caught) that were clean, healthy, and free of the commonly found small worms.
I enjoyed your description of fishing at Pacifica Pier and the pictures. Well done. Very interesting with lots of information.
great commentary on fishig the pier. thank you.
Would you know the length of rope needed for crabbing off of the Pacifica Pier, CA.?
jesse r king i had 100ft of rope last time i went and it was plenty.
Hi! I love this website.
A lot of people say squid on a Sabiki does not work on a sabiki, but
when I was fishing at oyster point peir I hooked an 18 – inch jacksmelt.
My girlfriend and I went to Pacifica Pier on April 3, 2021. We didn’t see a lot of people on the pier. We walked along the pier and stopped just short of the end before turning around and heading back. We did see a man bringing in his catch of the day through using a small boat he pulled up on the beach. We continued our walk just beyond the beginning of pier and eventually headed back to the car.
After the superficial damAge this past January The city closed the entire pier and was debating weather to close the pier permanently. They refused my calls to partially open it claiming it could collapse even though no expert said that.
And they refused to repair it. So I got the California Coastal Commission (CCC) involved around March 15 2021 who said the city can’t deprive the public of access without a permit from them. They immediately had the city partially open it and are now overseeing the city’s repairs which are moving very slowly because the city is crying poor even though the want to spend 12 million dollars on a new city hall.
Good to know that the CCC has jurisdiction over the piers
Thank you for your efforts on the pier.
The pier is in disrepair. The end is blocked off and is falling apart. Sad.. needs restoration!!
Started fishing here in 1985 I was 5 saw many things on that pier and in the water. A Great white shark swimming under the pier. Caught thresher sharks, hooked and lost blue sharks, caught salmon, and stripers, saw 40 pounder king salmon getting caught there. Old Cecil selling his undersized anchovies at international point. Watching mute Ron cast the 8 oz pyramid on international point father than anyone I’ve seen. Caught small shiners, pompano, smelt, king fish (croaker) jigged for sardines and anchovies, caught dungeness, red and rock crabs, countless bullheads piled up on the corners because nobody wanted them but great as striper bait in the carquinez! Halibut, I seen one giant sea bass caught. Seen many salmon stolen by sea lions while the og fisherman tried to hand line them in the pier when the crab net was too slow to be dropped to scoop up the fish. Pulled many bobbers and fish from the pickings during the 95 salmon run when nobody cared to retrieve there set ups. Many memories. Lots of bbgs, fights, and card playing (Pusoy) seeing bud drunk as hell but finding a way to still catch fish. Many familiar faces but never really knew names. Rudy and his son marcel. The ogs on that pier I thank my father Arnulfo Sarmiento for teaching me how to fish me and my brother Joshua. It’s sad that the pier doesn’t have the salmon fishermen anymore and now it’s just the crab snaring crowd but I don’t hate I know the salmon are there but nobody try’s because nobody knows how to fish the top and the bottom of that water for them anymore. It is the best fishing pier in California and maybe one of the best in The U.s.a
Paul, Thanks for the report. I spent many a day there back in the mid to late ’70s when I lived in the Bay Area. Later, after moving north, there were far less visits but it’s still a favorite pier to visit when I am in the area. Ken
For Paul Sarmiento… a bit of instruction on how to catch Salmon off the pier would be appreiated.
In a fairly suburban area like we live in….Pacifica still has a great getaway Beach feel to it.
As I slide into my 80’s, my wife and I still like to to walk Pacifica and I always learn something
every time I fish; even to walk the pier and ask “what’s running”.