CONSIDER THE COAST
Summer finds many casual fishermen hanging up their gear until Memorial Day. Such seems a shame. Trout bite best in the mountains in September and October. Salmon and steelhead run into coastal rivers to provide sport anytime water is reasonably clear and not out of the banks. But the best, the closest and the least crowded action all year lurks as close as the coast all over America.
In Northern California, for example, striped Bass bite from the shore along San Francisco, Half Moon, Tomalas and Coos Bay. Salmon and steelhead stack up at river mouths. Perch, jacksmelt and other saltwater panfish hit small baits suited to light tackle off seawalls, piers and bay beaches. Best of all cooler inland temperatures moderate the winds of summer to provide near perfect conditions before, and between, winter storms. As a bonus you can, on low tide days, spade up clams, mussels and oysters or net delicious crabs.
Since most Americans live within 50 miles of the coast it seems a shame that more don't enjoy such fishing. Especially since most is with a few miles of home. Those who need to drive further can easily find all sorts of public and private campgrounds, motels and other inexpensive lodgings too.
Granted I'm prejudiced. I grew up in Berkeley and spent happy summers and falls fishing off the Berkeley Pier, seawalls behind the race track and, best of all, wading the sand bars that lace the mudflats around today's Watergate. On weekends, if we were lucky, we fished the Richmond seawall or Yellow Buffs on the Sausalito side of the bay. My family traveled often so I have memories of the battered pier in Port San Luis and the circus of ill-equipped fishermen who gossiped away the days on the Santa Monica Pier. When we visited San Diego we fished Mission Bay. To the north we clammed and fished Tomalas Bay, Bodega Bay, Coos Bay. Then, after the freedom of a driving license, I enjoyed jetty fishing off river mouths all the way to the fine shore fishing on the banks of Puget Sound. All this fishing is still there. In fact, it's not much worse, or better, than it was 30 years ago.
Saltwater shore fishing does present one or two special challenges. If you fish from rocks or seawalls stay well above the water to avoid sneak waves. Waves are much less problems in protected bays. If you wade or scramble out to prime spots at low tide do return before you need swim back. In fall and early winter weather changes fast so wise fishermen try to plan trips between storms or early in the morning when winds calm. Do wear warm clothing and bring wet weather gear. However, my wife may have a better system. She says, "The best wet weather gear is a set of car keys so you can drive home if it starts to rain." Fish don't, however, care much about rain so, over her objections, we sometimes fish, crab or clam in the wet.
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