While a fishing license is not required at a public pier, all other regulations apply (including minimum size, baggage limits, report cards, and seasons). While a fishing license is not required at a public pier, all other regulations (including minimum size, baggage limits, report cards, and seasons) apply while fishing on a public pier. In addition, only two rods and fishing lines, hand lines or nets, traps, or other devices used to catch crabs per person may be used at a public pier (title 14, section 28.65 (b) of the CCR). Anyone trying to catch fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptiles in inland or ocean waters needs a sport fishing license. Additional validations and report cards are required for certain species and areas.
In California, anyone 16 years of age or older must obtain a sport fishing license to catch any type of fish: shellfish, reptiles, or amphibians from the state. Like other fishing regulations, the license requirement is intended to protect fish stocks so that generations of anglers have good fishing opportunities. All anglers over 16 who fish from a boat or from shore must also purchase a California fishing license before setting out. The only anglers who are exempt from buying fishing licenses are those who fish on a public pier.
While a license isn't required at a dock, you're subject to seasonality, harvest and bagging limits. A few simple practices and equipment options can greatly improve your enjoyment of surf perch fishing in Central California all year round. When fishing off the coast of San Francisco and São Paulo bays, between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Carquinez Bridge, to the west, you can only use a fishing line with no more than three hooks; you can also use up to 10 crab traps. If you lose your sturgeon fishing report card, you can get a duplicate only from the CDFW licensing offices.
Immediately after leaving the water or immediately after boarding a boat, whichever comes first, write the month, day, time of catch and place of fishing on the abalone tag, remove it and separate it completely from the card and attach it to the abalone shell by passing a rope, fishing line or cable tie through the label and through a siphon hole in the abalone shell. A) A sport fishing license is not required to fish for any purpose other than to make a profit by fishing from a public dock in the state's ocean waters. When fishing from a pier, restrictions apply to specific gear for each species (for example, for rockfish, cod and salmon). THANK YOU for the great description of what to expect, what to use and when to use it while fishing in the area.
Everyone who catches rainbow trout, sturgeon, abalone, spiny lobster, or salmon (only salmon from the Klamath, Trinity and Smith rivers) must have report cards. More information about free and reduced rate fishing licenses can be found on the CDFW free and reduced rate sport fishing license information website or by contacting the nearest CDFW license sales office. Learn more about the different types of licenses available and then buy a California fishing license online or from a licensing agent, such as a sporting goods store. The rates for sport fishing validations and most report cards are set out in several sections of the Fishing and Hunting Code or in Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.
Public piers must be connected to the coast, allow free and unrestricted public access, and have been built or currently operating for the primary purpose of fishing. It's important to note that you don't need a license if you're going to fish from a public pier in ocean waters. They're one of the few species with game fish status in California, meaning they're a lot of fun to catch, but they're also highly regulated.
