Best pier or jetty for rockfish/crab opportunities?

I can't take my yak, because a buddy wants to do some shore fishing. So what are our best options for rockfish/crab from a pier or jetty? I was told pacifica pier, but there are no rockfish to my knowledge there. If we are going to fish a jetty/pier, we might as well take advantage of being able to keep rockfish.

IMO There are no good rockfish piers. Some of the jettys like HMB might get you some, but be very careful of the waves when fishing there or off the rocks along the coast. Take a poke pole if you do a jetty. The current weather pattern doesn't look good for safely fishing these areas

Doran Jetty in Bodega Bay. Fish in the rocks, not away from the rocks. Drop straight down by your feet.

If you're really serious go to pierfishing.com, go to the message boards, click on Search Message Boards, Click on the highlighted "Search Old Message Board", then in the search area put "Rock Hopper, Doran, Report".

Happy reading.

What Rock Hopper said. Doran is probably your best bet, short of going to Humboldt County. I used to catch a bunch of blacks and blues off the south Jetty, but if you go around to the north jetty, it is more of a walk to get there, but less people, and I feel there are better #'s of fish. Crabbing is tough off jetties, but you will get a few. The best part is, you are sheltered from the waves and swell there, and wind........sometimes. Enjoy, be safe and have fun!

Also forgot to mention Noyo harbor jetty. I had non-stop perch action there the one time I fished it. I went through an entire 1.5lb bag of cooked shrimp and got hit on pretty much every cast.

Big black, striped, and rubberlip perch as well as some big ass greenling.

If you actually do the search I mentioned on PFIC then you can search "rock hopper, report, noyo" and see that report, too.

HMB south jetty

Also forgot to mention Noyo harbor jetty. I had non-stop perch action there the one time I fished it. I went through an entire 1.5lb bag of cooked shrimp and got hit on pretty much every cast.

Big black, striped, and rubberlip perch as well as some big ass greenling.

If you actually do the search I mentioned on PFIC then you can search "rock hopper, report, noyo" and see that report, too.

Decent MFPB there, best on low tide. The horn blasts every 30 seconds. Greenlings, Cabbies and the occasional Ling. Another option is Point Arena Pier, success varies.

http://www.pierfishing.com/resources/index.php?id=piers:point_arena_pier


Here is a list:
http://www.pierfishing.com/resources/?id=california_fishing_piers

My Noyo Harbor Jetty report:

http://www.pierfishing.com/msgboard/pfmb_archives.mv?SearchDatabase=0&viewid=242812

Be sure to read my follow up post, too.

Great reports, Dustin! How do you deal with the horn?

Rock Hopper, what kind of cooked shrimp do you use? and do you use the whole thing or just a piece?

I used the whole cooked shrimp from the Asian markets. They're bright red or pink and have the head and usually a bunch of eggs, too. If you do a search on PFIC for "Rock Hopper, Report, Cooked shrimp" you will be amazed at how many fish I've caught (mostly from Doran jetty) with the stuff.

I usually pull the head off and throw it in the water and put the tail end on a size 4 hook.

I'll dig up a picture later.

I used to fish the hell out of both the North and South jetties of Humboldt Bay.  Those jetties can produce some hawg rockfish, cabs, and lings at times.  There's always greenling and striped perch to be had as well, but this all hinges on what the waves/swells are doing and the tides.  Outgoing tides RIP through there, so in general you want to fish from the bottom of the low through the incoming or during a slow outgoing.  Texas-rigged flukes and other plastics could slay from those rocks.

Rock Hopper mentioned PFIC.  That's where I used to post my jetty rockfish reports.  Do a search for "Humboldt jetty" with "Clayman" as the author, and you'll see what I'm talking about  .

Word. I used to love your reports on PFIC just as much as your NCKA reports!

Word. I used to love your reports on PFIC just as much as your NCKA reports!

And I remember you were the slayer of monster bat rays and leopard sharks from the Tides!  Man, seems like forever ago...

Still shocked about that monster long you got years back from shore Dustin. Was your avatar for a while.