How to Pier fish (Orange County)

[fuadramsey]

Okay I've just started fishing and have only fished at lakes. I'm in South Orange County and was wondering about the best pier fishing spots out here?

Also what do I need besides a saltwater pole? I have a an UglyStick Catfish Pole rod ree (http://www.basspro.com/Shakespeare-Ugly-Stik-Catfish-Spinning-Rod-and-Reel-Combo/product/51675/-1012576)l combo

Should I buy another pole/reel combo (https://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=10201757&cmCat=WISHLIST), or will this pole be okay? What else do I need for pier fishing?

[mjc89]

Well to start off it really depends what you want to catch off the pier. If you want to catch mackeral your pole setup will be fine. To catch mackeral use a sabiki rig and buy some squid and cut little strips and put they on the hooks. This is usually killer on mackeral. You can catch halibut and all kinds of rays also. Live bait is the best bait.

[fuadramsey]

Well to start off it really depends what you want to catch off the pier. If you want to catch mackeral your pole setup will be fine. To catch mackeral use a sabiki rig and buy some squid and cut little strips and put they on the hooks. This is usually killer on mackeral. You can catch halibut and all kinds of rays also. Live bait is the best bait.
I wouldn't know what to do with a Ray?
Is mackerel good Only for bait?
I'd like to try for halibut or any other good eating fish.
What is a "typical" catch on a pier?

[smokehound]

Your closest pier would be the San Clemente pier.


...Though our recent major surf event damaged that pier.. I'm not sure how bad, it is unknown to me whether or not the mid-section is off-limits to people. Two support beams were obliterated by a huge wave. it should be repaired by now, though.

One thing you definitely need is an Umbrella net, in case you hook a large fish.

[mjc89]

I wouldn't know what to do with a Ray?
Is mackerel good Only for bait?
I'd like to try for halibut or any other good eating fish.
What is a "typical" catch on a pier?

The rays you can just catch and release. Mackeral is only good for catfish bait, i wouldnt eat it. If you want to catch halibut just get a sabiki rig and catch small bait fish and toss them out on a rig i would say with at least 20# test. Mackeral is the most common fish caught off the piers but you can catch other kinds of fish too. I wouldnt use an umbrella net to bring up the halibut because they are not strong enough. I would get a hoop net instead. Or any othere crab net that looks pretty strong because you can hook up into something big.

[5150fishn]

Different depths of the pier offer different species. In the surf line shallows you can catch perch, croakers, and corbina on sand crabs or mussels. Middle of the pier I usually catch shovel nose sharks, bat rays, leopard sharks and the occasional halibut. You can use live caught bait or frozen chovies or squid. Near the end of the piers is kind of the unknown factor. You just never know what might grab your offering. Plenty of Macs to be caught near the ends of the piers. I usually fish Newport or Balboa and it has been good lately on the perch and croakers but not much bigger fish lately for me. Good luck!

[Ifishtoolittle]

HEY! One fish that one can also catch on any pier is the MIGHTY lizardfish.