Sausalito is a town often overlooked as a fishing location. (I, myself lived in the area 10 years before even casting out a line), but there are great fishing locations ranging from northern Sausalito all the way down to Fort Baker. The species are diverse with good fishing for most of the year. Commonly caught fish include Salmon, halibut, striped bass, sturgeon, sharks, jacksmelt, rockfish, croaker, and surfperch and others.
Note: It is not recommended to regularly eat fish out of the Bay because many carry toxins such as mercury that are unhealthy to humans, and some species should never be eaten when caught in the bay. These include striped bass, perch, sharks, and sturgeon. Small amounts of the other types of fish are generally fine because they are not bottom feeders and do not absorb the toxins as easily.
If you plan on eating your catch please try to use as much of the fish as possible. We have seen giant stingrays like the one in the video below killed for a small portion of the meat that some cultures consider to be a delicacy and people just throw the rest back. This is something we would really like to limit in the fishing community. In the example below the fisherman releases the stingray back into the Bay, but he does so after a long fight and such fish often have been injured and shocked sufficiently that they either die or become vulnerable to disease. (Source: State of Florida.)
Necessary Equipment:
Fishing License – First off you are going to need a California fishing license no matter where you want to fish in the state. Most large sporting good stores have them, but they can also be purchased online. There is a Big 5 in Corte Madera, just off the freeway that is the closest place. If you are a resident I would suggest getting a 1 year license ($45.93), which will last for the rest of the calendar year but they also have 1 and 2 day passes available for if you are visiting from out of state.
Fishing Rod and tackle – There aren’t any really great fishing outlets in Sausalito as Salty’s Bait and Tackle is now closed, so you’re best bet might be to head north as their are several great spots up around San Rafael. Online stores like Cabelas or Bass Pro Shop also have a huge selection of quality reels and rods if you are looking for something a little nicer.
Bait: Commonly used baits are shrimp, worms, herring, anchovy, and sardines depending on your desired catch. Live baits can be purchased in San Rafael or San Francsico and are usually a little more effective, but frozen baits also work extremely well.
Fishing Tips:
Fish can be caught anywhere along the coast of Sausalito. Rays and leopard sharks are very common, and will give you one heck of a fight. Both can be caught with a larger hook and thicker line. (20lb test at least and a size 5/0 hook). Squid work very well for both.
Fort Baker – Fort Baker is the premier fishing spot in Sausalito with excellent fishing year-round. I’ve been fishing there for a few years now and have seen many good size fish caught from the pier.
For perch I found using a small hook and a weight with either shrimp or pile worms to work best. A short cast, half way down the pier on the left is a great spot, as well as fishing directly under the pier (These can also be caught from most piers in Sausalito. For smelt, most baits work, (I usually use shrimp) use a bobber and fish about 2-3 feet under the surface. Leopard sharks are often caught at the end of the pier as well. If fishing specifically for leopard sharks use a heavy monofilament line so their teeth don’t cut your line with a squid as bait.
In the later summer months salmon do their run from the the ocean, into the bay, and up the rivers to lay their eggs. During these months Fort Baker is one of the most productive piers in the California to catch Salmon. Cast out from the end of the pier with a whole anchovy on a large size hook with a bobber fishing 2-3 feet under the water. If you hook one get ready for a fight! Although most caught from piers are under 10 pounds salmon can reach almost 60 inchest and over 130 pounds.
Also caught from Fort Baker is Striped Bass, which like salmon, are also anadromous; meaning they move from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in the winter back down to salter water in the spring, and back up into the delta in the Fall. Generally under 10 pounds but fish in the 30 pound range are not uncommon. At Fort Baker use a weight and cast out from the far right with sardine, anchovy, or pile worms as bait.
Here is a list of local bait shops:
Bait Guys
41 Liberty Ship Way
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 331-2676
Bait Shop Market
1 Gate 6 Rd.41
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415) 331-2282
If you are looking for a fishing charter with a guide and all the necessary fishing equipment here is a list of local charters:
New Rayann Sport Fishing
Clipper Yacht Harbor, Harbor Dr.
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415)298-3384
Blue Runner Sportfishing
350 Harbor Dr.
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415)458-8700
Salty Lady Sport Fishing
350 Harbor Dr.
Sausalito, CA 94965
(415)348-2107
