I was going to go back and revise the mitten crab information on all the local piers but haven’t gotten around to it yet. That’s good since generally the fishing is only fair. Get details of Location, timings and contact. Benicia Family Hotels; Benicia Business Hotels; Benicia Spa Resorts; By Hotel Class. Occasionally seen, but even more rare, are Pacific tomcod and small sole. Benicia Fishing Pier is located in Northern California on the north side of San Pablo Bay in the city of Bencia. Stripers are, by far, the fish of choice for most anglers along this shoreline. Both can be caught year-round and most days will see at least some fish; although fish that are under the size limit will prevail. Most of these will be caught on pile worms but I’ve seen many also caught on small pieces of anchovy. Growth in the area was slow however until the late 1840s and the discovery of gold. When the ramp was built in 1976, someone with a little foresight decided to include a small pier off to the right side. Handicapped Facilities: No handicapped parking or restrooms. After that date, the city grew rapidly and the shoreline became filled with wharves and the abandoned hulls of numerous ships. The pier itself is tiny and anglers primarily cast straight out from the end or fish off the right side of the pier. The Dillon Wharf (in today’s Benicia State Recreation Area), Larkin’s Wharf (later called Gulick’s Wharf), and McKay’s Wharf are just a few of the local wharfs that populated the waterfront. He built his ships between the years 1883-1903 and during his lifetime launched more than 228 vessels, more than any other single builder in North America. This small pier (only 125 foot long) adjoins the public launching ramp at the foot of Ninth Street in Benicia. Copy the boaters (if the lure allows it). King salmon will be present in the fall so bring along a few spinners (Blue Fox or Mepps. Pile perch will sometimes be taken mid-winter, and rubberlip seaperch and black perch are sometimes taken in the late winter to spring months. Opening & closing timings, parking options, restaurants nearby or what to see on your visit to Benicia Public Pier & Beach? Information about Port of BENICIA USBNC departures and expected arrivals. Find the reviews and ratings to know better. Luckily enough large stripers and sturgeon are taken off of this pier every year to keep things interesting. Rates from USD $147. And, whether it’s fine dining or a great pizza to enjoy back on the boat, Benicia features excellent cuisine to suit your mood. There really aren’t enough crabs in the area to go crabbing plus the current there can be terrible. Click Now to check the details! can you crab off the pier with crab cages ?? Regulars like to use live bait. The Port of Benicia is located at the head of San Francisco Bay. At such times the crabs may seem to cover the bottom and they quickly grab any bottom baits intended for fish. There are many towns within the total area, so if you're looking for closer places, try a smaller radius like 3-1/2 hours . Required fields are marked *, The Complete Coast and Bay Guide to Shore-Based Fishing. Nearby is a small picnic area with tables and barbecue grills. Your best chance to catch one of the fish is to try artificals with Blue Fox and Mepps No. In fact, the entire Benicia area is filled with early California history. Read more. Spoons and spinners may also produce a few fish but most of these will be small, illegal (under 18 inch) schoolie stripers. Handicapped Facilities: Because of the narrow conditions of this pier and the steep incline up to the parking area is not a pier I would recommend for handicapped fishermen. I used to catch tons of these around ten years ago in Benicia state park. A few fish will be caught year round but not in the same numbers as during these times. Along with a variety of restaurants, there are also many unique shops that make Benicia a favorite shopping destination. Some stripers will be caught year-round, but the best times are in the spring (when striped bass are heading down river to the lower bays and the ocean), the fall (when stripers are moving up river toward their winter holding areas), and the summer (when a few fish always seem to stay in the immediate area). In December of 1846, Dr. Robert Baylor Semple, one of the founders of Benicia, gained a deed from General Vallejo giving him a half interest in a five-mile stretch of land along Carquinez Strait. Benicia (/ b ə ˈ n iː ʃ ə / bə-NEE-shə; bə-NI-shə; Spanish pronunciation: ) is a waterside city in Solano County, California, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.It served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. Striped bass (especially the larger fish) are most commonly caught in the spring or fall. However, local experts say this is actually one of the hardest places to fish due to the water conditions and the bottom (especially for sturgeon). These were the oldest wharves in Benicia and began a building boom that would eventually result in almost the entire waterfront being covered with wharves. The species most sought after by anglers are striped bass, sturgeon, flounder and salmon but availability varies according to the season. Pier and dock locations offer anglers an opportunity to fish for many near shore marine fish species. Benicia Marina is a short walk to the historic town of Benicia where you can stroll the charming First Street and browse its quaint shops. For those who would rather explore downtown, Benicia’s waterfront – which encompasses the First Street Promenade, Benicia Point Pier and First Street Green – creates a beautiful and ever-changing backdrop. Required fields are marked *, The Complete Coast and Bay Guide to Shore-Based Fishing. Best natural baits seem to be a nice slab of anchovy, sardine or shad. They are not as common as when I first fished these waters in the ’70s but they still show up. On the corner of First Street and West G Street, sits the building which served as the third state capitol in California from 1853 to 1854. In 1919, for example, a large school of the beasts was “playing havoc” with fishing lines so watchmen began to catch them with lines set at night. Depending on the season, you may catch various Perch species, Cabezon, Kelp Greenling, Rockfish, or Sculpin. Date: August 14, 2002; To: Pier Fishing In California; From: Bluegy; Subject: (In reply to: Mudsuckers posted by Ken Jones on Aug-13-02 3:11pm). For these, use grass shrimp or pile worms and use smaller size 6 hooks tied directly to your line. Use grass shrimp or pile worms on a high/low leader or a sliding sinker leader. Best baits will vary with the time of the year but it is hard to beat ghost shrimp and mud shrimp. The big fellows, 3-4 feet, put up a pretty good fight. All rights reserved. first street pier in Vallejo right at the boat launch. Winter and spring may also produce a few of the larger perch, especially during low rain years. I tried those black gobies and have only caught one striper in using them about 6 times. Benicia Public Pier & Beach: Great scenery! Ninth Street Pier Facts. I tried to catch them the next day using a stick and drop-line baited with a little bit of grass shrimp, this is the setup the guy used, and I didn’t catch any. The BENICIA Port information gathered by MarineTraffic includes, wind forecasts and real-time updates for vessels in the Port of BENICIA. Facilities: No lights This is especially true when there are heavy, sustained rains that make the Carquinez Strait resemble a freshwater river. Hours: Open 24 hours although the parking lot that fronts the pier is posted for no parking from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Pier 1 hours of operation in Benicia, CA. Places to visit about 7 hours from Benicia. They were extremely plentiful and all you needed was a piece of pile worm or grass shrimp. In the spring, the bass are moving down toward the ocean. Your email address will not be published. Near the front of the parking lot is a plaque that reads: “Dedicated To The Memory of Pony Express Riders — 1860 — The Knights of the Saddle — 1861. Step off the pier and you need a license. I wonder if the fish died after a gallant fight or if it died from some natural, explainable reason. How To Get There: From I780 take the Seventh Street exit south to Military Street, turn right and follow to Ninth Street, turn left and follow it to the end of the street and the pier. Portable toilets are found near the entrance to the pier. Fishing Tips. can you go salmon fishing here without license off the pier where all the salmon fishermen line up right side near the restrooms? A size 10 salmon egg hook with a little piece of pileworm; weight with a split shot. Their lights were put out after the war and the area itself began to deteriorate in the late 1950s with the decline in shipping. We love to walk along the BenicIa pier and watch the locals fish offshore and our dog loves to walk along the waterfront. The memories that I have from my first visit to this pier illustrate or symbolize the dual nature of this area. During the winter and early spring this can also be a good spot for starry flounder (although they have shown a dramatic decrease in recent years). Yet a few minutes later, I noticed a single, sad outline near the shore. (In reply to: Mudsuckers posted by Ken Jones on Aug-13-02 3:11pm). A large dirt (sometimes mud) area is found near the front of the pier for parking. The Benicia Point Pier, also known as the First Street Pier, was once a gathering place for throngs of fishermen casting out for a chance at a salmon. Anyone know where they are still plentiful and easy to catch and what technique? Ken, Your email address will not be published. In return, he agreed to do a number of things including establishing a ferry and building several wharfs. When unavailable, grass shrimp and even pile worms will often work. This pier, also as the  Benicia 1st St. Pier and Point Benicia Pier, is located on the most westerly point in Benicia, land that extends far out into the waters of Carquinez Strait. In the fall, typically September through October, salmon will swing by the pier. Is the pier still open 24hrs? Hours: Open 24 hours although the parking lot that fronts the pier is posted for no parking from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise. Facilities: Appurtenances include a handrail, benches, lights, a fish cleaning sink, a drinking fountain, and trash containers. Detailed information for Port of BENICIA, US BNC. Explore store hours and avoid showing up at closed places, even late at night or on a Sunday. SAVE UP TO 75% OFF hotels near Monuments and Landmarks in Benicia (CA). But the name didn’t stick, by 1810 the channel was called El Estrecho de los Carquines, the Strait of the Carquines (a local Indian tribe). WITHIN HOURS Find places 1 hour 1-1/2 hours 2 hours 2-1/2 hours 3 hours 3-1/2 hours 4 hours 4-1/2 hours 5 hours 6 hours 50 miles 100 miles 150 miles 200 … Is there metered or permitted parking on the street? The experts (who are regulars and have learned from experience) concentrate on large, incoming tides and fish on the left side of the pier. Facilities: No lights or benches on the pier although there is a small fish cleaning station. Benicia did enjoy a brief period as capital of California. 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