COASTAL FORAGING CLASS

PC: Clara Estelle Media

Enter the intertidal zone and experience the thrill of foraging the wild California coast

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Poke Poling for Eels/Fish, Seaweed and Shellfish

Take your first steps into the rocky intertidal zone at low tide in search of wild sustainable seafood! This three hour guided coastal foraging class is designed specifically for new anglers and foragers who have a keen interest in wild tidepool seafoods along the California coast. This class is geared towards folks of various backgrounds and skillsets with or without previous foraging and fishing experience. The idea here is simple: learn to be an autonomous forager!

Led by expert instructor Kevin Smith, this immersive outing focuses on hands-on learning in a beautiful rocky tide pool environment. You’ll gain foundational skills while targeting accessible species with a poke pole, knife, your hands and potentially even a hoop net or crab snare. Each reef is different but all have incredible wild seafoods to offer.

***IMPORTANT: Please see Additional Information tab to read about prerequisites before signing up for this course

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PC: Clara Shook Photography

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Learn to forage abundant low tide rocky reefs of the California coast

This course emphasizes fundamentals like how to navigate safely in the intertidal zone among bouldery terrain, occasional waves, and slick algae-covered surfaces. Foragers learn to read the reef to target specific species and to bait and use poke poles for targeting eels and rockfish. On reefs where seaweed is abundant, and during seaweed season, we will also emphasize seaweed identification and sustainable seaweed foraging practices. On northern reefs where seaweed is threatened, special emphasis is placed on sea urchin foraging! In many cases foragers also learn to use crab snares and hoop nets for rock crabs and how to humanely dispatch and efficiently process their catch. During mussel season we often cook a shellfish boil right there while you forage! With an emphasis on safety, simplicity, and sustainability, this course lays the groundwork for developing new skills for a lifetime of future coastal foraging.

What You'll Learn:

This course blends hands-on practice with expert instruction tailored to your pace and comfort level:

Foraging & Intertidal Safety: Tailgate briefing covering hazards, environmental awareness, and risk mitigation
Target Species ID: Learn which species are legal, sustainable, and good targets for your skill level
Laws & Ethics: Understand local regulations, the importance of responsible harvesting, and how to maintain future sustainable harvests
Gear Orientation: Poke pole usage, proper netting procedure, knife use and pry bars (where legal and applicable).
Basic Techniques: You will learn effective strategies for finding eels/fish, mussels, crab, various edible shellfish and how to harvest and process them. If someone in the group catches an eel or fish, you will have an opportunity to see how to clean and process it for later cooking. We strongly encourage you to continue your experience by trying techniques like scaling and filleting at home. This way you learn the process of foraging from start to finish!
On and Off the Reef: We often cook some of the catch on the spot but many people will bring the majority (or the entirety) of their catch home to share with friends and family!

PC: Clara Shook Photography

Participants must bring the following:

A valid one-day or annual fishing license (required for all participants 16 years or older). In Southern CA an Ocean Enhancement Validation is also required for annual licenses. * We will provide links upon registration.
Waders (strongly recommended) or wetsuit bottoms or rain boots. *We will provide links upon registration.
A knife for seaweed and/or bait as needed. A folding knife is preferred for safety.
Work gloves (leather) for navigating the reef and for limpet harvesting if we find them. *We will provide links upon registration.
A bucket or thick plastic bag for transporting your harvest.
We provide poke poles, hooks, hoop nets, snares and bait.
Sunscreen, layers, hat. Water and a backpack to transport this gear as needed.

***Please see FAQ’s or email us at catchncookca@gmail.com for further questions.

PC: Clara Shook Photography

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Additional Information:

Duration: Approximately 3 hours
Location: (Precise location will be shared upon registration)
Group Size: Up to 7 clients at a time for safety, sustainability & quality.
Instructor: Kevin Smith
Conditions: Rocky intertidal zone at low tide. Weather can be variable and we will proceed even in moderate wind and rain.
Allergies: Anyone eating shellfish the day of the event must confirm that they have no allergies to shellfish and have previously eaten shellfish. If you have any other allergies, you are responsible to carry your own necessary medication/epi pen.
Meals: Not provided. Please eat a light meal beforehand and stay hydrated. Avoid excessive caffeine.
Price: $150/person in group settings. Please inquire directly for private 1-on-1 outings and private group outings.

Prerequisites:

Must be capable of hiking on uneven terrain and carrying at least 10-15lbs.
If you do not know how to swim you are encouraged to learn swimming before getting into coastal foraging and you are encouraged to bring a life vest just in case.

Age Requirements: