Open daily at sunrise in Capitola by the Sea at sunrise

Capitola Wharf is all about the fish. The free fishing pier includes great wooden benches where you can sit and watch the day while waiting for the fish from the bay to bite.

One of the most convenient piers in terms of serving its fishermen with an excellent bait & tackle store, Capitola Boat and Bait is where fishing is serious fun! Daily skiff rentals, equipment rentals, bait and tackle, souvenirs, shirts, beverages, unique gift shop. Open daily at sunrise. 1400 Wharf Road Capitola CA 95010

You probably know that fishing on California's public piers is free. Normal rules and regulations about size limits apply, but fishing off a pier is one of the most affordable activities that Californians and tourists enjoy.

What do you need? Get a fishing pole, first of all and some appropriate fishing line. Most stores will set you up with the right line for the rod & reel. You need to buy the reel, but most rentals come supplied with one and it is usually fully stocked with fishing line.

Bait - Fresh bait such as small pieces of cut up fish seem to be one of the most popular types of bait. Again, the bait shop at Capitola Wharf should be able to sell you the right stuff to help you catch them. The people that run the store have been there for years and they know exactly what people are using to successfully catch fish from the wharf. For a rental you won't spend more than $15-20 but if you find you really like fishing, you can buy an affordable rod & reel and save a lot of money. While a nice rod & reel are great, we've actually watched a few of them bend and nearly break when a heavy duty shark takes the bite and a skilled, strong, and patient fisherman reels the heavy thing onto the wharf.