Where to fly fish in the San Francisco Bay Area
You don't need to drive to Montana to fly fish. Here's where Bay Area anglers go, starting close to home.
Where can you fly fish near San Francisco?
The closest fly fishing is in salt water: striped bass and surfperch along the beaches from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay, and striped bass in the Bay and the Delta. For trout, most Bay Area anglers drive to Putah Creek, about 90 minutes away, or make a longer trip to the Lower Sacramento River near Redding.
Surf fly fishing for stripers and surfperch
The beaches of San Francisco and San Mateo County hold striped bass and surfperch. Stripers usually show up along the surf from late spring into fall. Bring an 8- or 9-weight rod, an intermediate or sinking line, and a stripping basket to keep your line out of the waves. Never turn your back on the ocean.
Striped bass in the Bay and the Delta
Striped bass move through San Francisco Bay and into the Delta, and fly anglers fish for them from boats and from shore. A guide or a friend with a boat is the easiest way to start.
Putah Creek
A year-round tailwater below Lake Berryessa with wild trout and special regulations on much of the creek, so check the current California rules before you go. It's technical fishing with small flies, and good casting pays off.
Lower Sacramento River
Big wild rainbow trout below Keswick Dam near Redding, usually fished from a drift boat with a guide. It's a long day trip or an easy weekend from the Bay Area.
Local lakes and ponds
Many Bay Area lakes and reservoirs hold bass and panfish that eat flies, and they're a relaxed place to practice hooking and landing fish. Check each park's fishing rules first.
Where to practice fly casting in the Bay Area
The Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club's casting pools in Golden Gate Park are open to the public and free to use. Any open lawn works too, with a piece of bright yarn tied on in place of a fly. My lessons meet at Marlin Park in Foster City, which has both grass and water.
Do you need a fishing license?
Yes. Anyone 16 or older needs a California sport fishing license to fish, and some fish, such as steelhead and sturgeon, also need a report card. You don't need a license for a casting lesson.
When is the best time to fly fish in the Bay Area?
There's something to fish for all year. Surf stripers are best from late spring into fall, and Putah Creek and the Lower Sacramento fish year-round. Spring and fall are the most comfortable months for most trips.