Darian
11-18-2014, 10:50 AM
While visiting Kiene's recently, Andy mentioned that someone had called in to report that he was walking the bank at Benicia and casting Pole Dancers at first light for Stripers. If you've ever been to Benicia, you know that there's quite a bit of shoreline in that area but most of the shoreline fishing takes place at the foot of First Street where there's a break wall dividing the main channel and a lagoon. Every year during Salmon season people line up shoulder to shoulder, casting spinners/spoons/lures for Salmon/Stripers. They catch quite a few fish. That activity tends to become very slow at the end of October.
Now, I've never seen anyone fly fishing over there and if you ask the locals about it, they tend to look at you like you might need to be confined. So, with all that in mind, I drove over to check out the whether the report was fairly accurate.
First stop, the local bait shop which proved to be a great source of info about where fly fishing was done in that area. Next stop, the break wall. There were only 3 guys casting spinners on it this AM. Each had caught at least one Striper, while one guy caught a Salmon and one Striper. All were 8 to 10 pounds. Then, walked the shoreline from the end of First Street, east to the channel mouth at the marina. Nobody fishing there but it looks to be great habitat for Stripers. Careful wading is required as the bottom is sandy/shallow for a short distance where the bottom drops off fast. Old pilings and current seams are within casting distance during tide changes. Public access in this area from First Street to the marina channel.
Access to the bay from there is limited to parks and signed, public accesses as this is mainly private property. Several good shoreline spots are available from those accesses, tho. Each had fisherman there who had caught one or more Stripers. The shoreline is either rocky or sandy in that area. However, if wading you have to be careful to avoid getting out into the mud flat bottom where a guy could get stuck.
There's an SRA over there where a tiny inlet stream enters the bay. The locals tell me that many years ago, people used to cast flies in that area for Silvers (no longer there). Flounder season should start shortly. If you like to eat flounder, Benicia shoreline should be a great place to stock up.
So, after checking it out, I'm thinking I might giving fly fishing for Stripers a try over there when the tides are right. :cool:
Now, I've never seen anyone fly fishing over there and if you ask the locals about it, they tend to look at you like you might need to be confined. So, with all that in mind, I drove over to check out the whether the report was fairly accurate.
First stop, the local bait shop which proved to be a great source of info about where fly fishing was done in that area. Next stop, the break wall. There were only 3 guys casting spinners on it this AM. Each had caught at least one Striper, while one guy caught a Salmon and one Striper. All were 8 to 10 pounds. Then, walked the shoreline from the end of First Street, east to the channel mouth at the marina. Nobody fishing there but it looks to be great habitat for Stripers. Careful wading is required as the bottom is sandy/shallow for a short distance where the bottom drops off fast. Old pilings and current seams are within casting distance during tide changes. Public access in this area from First Street to the marina channel.
Access to the bay from there is limited to parks and signed, public accesses as this is mainly private property. Several good shoreline spots are available from those accesses, tho. Each had fisherman there who had caught one or more Stripers. The shoreline is either rocky or sandy in that area. However, if wading you have to be careful to avoid getting out into the mud flat bottom where a guy could get stuck.
There's an SRA over there where a tiny inlet stream enters the bay. The locals tell me that many years ago, people used to cast flies in that area for Silvers (no longer there). Flounder season should start shortly. If you like to eat flounder, Benicia shoreline should be a great place to stock up.
So, after checking it out, I'm thinking I might giving fly fishing for Stripers a try over there when the tides are right. :cool: