Fishing in and around Richmond, CA
Richmond's location on San Francisco and San Pablo bays, with real public pier access and a genuine seasonal migratory fishery running through its waters, puts it in a solid position for shore-based and small-boat bay fishing without needing to run offshore at all.
Ferry Point Pier: A Real, Public Fishing Pier
Ferry Point Pier extends 550 feet into the bay, into moderately deep water over a primarily mud bottom, with water currents that can run strong on a large incoming or outgoing tide. Documented catch species here include perch, jacksmelt, kingfish (white croaker), brown rockfish, starry flounder, halibut, and various sharks and rays. Ferry Point sits directly in the migratory path of striped bass, sturgeon, and salmon -- striped bass typically arrive in San Pablo Bay in the early spring months of March and April as they migrate down into the bay, while sturgeon fishing picks up in the fall specifically near Point Pinole and Ferry Point. Ferry Point is also designated an official San Francisco Bay Water Trail site, meaning it doubles as a recognized launch point for kayak anglers.
Keller Beach and Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline: A Second Public Access Point
Keller Beach, at the north end of the 295-acre Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline near Brickyard Cove and Point Richmond, includes its own fishing pier alongside picnic and swimming access on San Pablo Bay. Combined with Ferry Point, this gives an angler without a boat two genuine, free, public bay-fishing access points within a short distance of each other on the Point Richmond peninsula -- a real advantage for a Richmond resident who wants to fish regularly without marina or charter costs.
The Seasonal Migratory Fishery: Striped Bass, Sturgeon, and Salmon
Richmond's waters sit within one of San Francisco Bay's genuine migratory fish corridors. Striped bass typically move down into San Pablo Bay and the broader bay system in spring (March-April), a real, documented seasonal event that draws anglers to shoreline access points like Ferry Point and Keller Beach specifically for that window. Sturgeon fishing improves in the fall near Point Pinole and Ferry Point, and the same waters sit in the migratory path for salmon moving between the bay and the ocean. This page did not compile a complete, current set of species-specific regulations, size limits, or season dates, and defers to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for current rules rather than restating them here, since they're periodically revised.
Boat-Based Fishing: The Brickyard Marina and Point San Pablo Harbor
For a boat-based angler, the Brickyard Marina in Brickyard Cove offers real slip infrastructure (250 slip capacity, 28-to-55-foot slips) for a private vessel with direct access to San Francisco and San Pablo bays, covered in more detail on the Boating & Water Access page. Point San Pablo Harbor, the small private harbor community at the tip of Point San Pablo, offers a different, smaller-scale mooring option. This page did not find a confirmed, current list of active fishing charter operators based specifically in Richmond, and won't invent one -- a visitor or new resident wanting a guided trip should research current charter options directly rather than relying on a static list that would inevitably go stale.
Fishing Licenses and Rules
California requires a fishing license for anglers fishing in state waters, including San Francisco and San Pablo bays around Richmond, with specific license types and current fees set by the state. This page does not have current license fee figures and directs readers to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's own licensing page for current, accurate pricing and requirements, since license fees and rules are adjusted periodically by the state. Species-specific size and bag limits for striped bass, sturgeon, halibut, and other commonly targeted species in this area are also set and periodically revised at the state level -- confirm current limits directly with CDFW before fishing, rather than relying on a general description here that could be out of date by the time it's read.
Fishing From Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline
Beyond Ferry Point Pier, Keller Beach at the north end of the 295-acre Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline includes its own fishing pier, giving an angler on the Point Richmond side of the city a second, nearby free public access point without needing a boat. Both Keller Beach and Ferry Point sit close enough together on the Point Richmond peninsula that a resident can reasonably fish both in a single outing depending on tide and conditions -- a genuine practical advantage for a shore-based angler compared to a market where public pier access is spread thin across a much larger stretch of coastline.
Tide and Current Awareness
Richmond's bay fishing spots, including Ferry Point Pier specifically, sit in water where currents can run strong during a large incoming or outgoing tide -- a real, practical safety and technique consideration for anyone fishing here, distinct from calmer inland lake or pond fishing. NOAA publishes current tide predictions for the San Francisco Bay region, and checking those tables before a trip is a genuinely useful habit for both catch success and basic safety on Richmond's piers and shoreline.
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Get a Free Agent Referral →Independent research. No ads. No sponsored listings. Data sourced from: pierfishing.com's own Ferry Point Pier and Point Pinole Pier guides for pier length, bottom composition, current conditions, and documented catch species; the East Bay Regional Park District's own website (ebparks.org) for Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline and Keller Beach details, also cited on the Boating & Water Access page; and general California striped bass, sturgeon, and salmon migratory-timing information from Bay Area fishing guides (fishingbooker.com and pierfishing.com's seasonal notes) for spring striped bass runs and fall sturgeon fishing near Point Pinole and Ferry Point. Facts not independently confirmed and not invented here include: current, Richmond-specific charter operator names or pricing; current California fishing license fees; and current species-specific size and bag limits. Confirm current fishing licenses, regulations, and charter options directly with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife before fishing in this area. Nothing on this page is fishing-regulation or safety advice.