Shore Fishing

Learn to fish the California coast from shore with expert tips and hands-on guidance

Hook and Line Fishing on the Sand or Rocks

Cast your first line into the Pacific and learn the fundamentals of shore fishing along California’s dynamic coastline! This three hour guided shore fishing class is designed specifically for new and returning anglers who want to build confidence with rod and reel while targeting a variety of nearshore species. Whether you’re starting from scratch or need a refresher, this class is geared toward folks of all backgrounds and experience levels with a shared goal: to become an autonomous saltwater angler.

Led by expert instructor Kevin Smith, this immersive outing focuses on hands-on learning along a scenic stretch of coast. You’ll gain essential skills like setting up gear, tying rigs, baiting hooks, casting effectively, detecting bites, and safely landing fish. Depending on the location, we may target surfperch, rockfish, greenling, eels, and more. If you’re lucky enough to land a legal catch, you’ll also learn how to clean and process your fish and receive a few recipe ideas to bring your catch from shore to table.

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

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Learn to fish abundant sandy beaches or rocky reefs of the California coast

This course emphasizes fundamentals like how to read the water to determine where to cast, how to position fishing gear for the best chances of detecting bites, how to increase chances of a hook set, and how to land fish! Anglers learn what rigs and sinkers are preferred for specific environments, how to avoid snagging, and how to deal with snags when they are encountered. In many cases anglers also learn to humanely dispatch and efficiently process their catch. Note: our shore fishing classes do not typically include a catch and cook component (unless requested by a privately booked group) as the process is already quite involved. 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:

Fishing and 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 and environment
Laws & Ethics: Understand local regulations, the importance of responsible harvesting, and how to maintain future sustainable harvests
Gear Orientation: How to use a saltwater rod, reel and rig, proper landing procedures, knots (upon request).
Basic Techniques: You will learn effective strategies for locating and casting to fish, how to entice bites, set hooks, and land fish (fingers crossed). If we are successful, you will have an opportunity to observe, or even try, to clean and process the catch 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 shore fishing from start to finish.
On and Off the Reef: Shore fishing can be very involved (especially for your guide) so we do not typically cook as part of our shore fishing classes. Instead, if successful, participants should plan to bring their catch home to share with friends and family!

Participants must bring the following:

A valid one-day or annual fishing license (required for all participants 16 years or older unless we are fishing from a public pier or jetty where no fishing license is required). In Southern CA an Ocean Enhancement Validation is also required for annual licenses. * We will provide links upon registration.
Waders (recommended but not essential). *We will provide links upon registration..
We provide fishing rods, hooks, sinkers, and bait. If you wish to purchase gear to use on the trip please check our FAQ’s or reach out via email for gear recommendations.
Sunscreen, layers, hat, water and a backpack to transport this gear as needed. Coastal weather can be variable and we will fish even with some wind, light rain or hot sun so please come prepared for the elements.

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

Additional Information:

Duration: Approximately 3 hours
Location: (Precise location will be shared upon registration)
Group Size: Up to six clients at a time for safety, sustainability & quality.
Instructor: Kevin Smith (approx.. 35 years of fishing experience)
Conditions: Shore fishing may take place on a sandy beach, rocky reef, or rocky jetty. For shore fishing jetties and rocky reef participants should expect to hike over variable terrain for up to ¼ mile and in some cases hiking down steep trails and coastal bluffs to access fishing locations may be required. For sandy beach shore fishing participants should expect to walk up to ½ mile down the shoreline to access the most productive fishing locations.
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 10lbs.
If you do not know how to swim you are encouraged to learn swimming before getting into shore fishing as sneaker waves are a common occurrence. Those who cannot swim are encouraged to bring and wear a life vest while fishing just in case.

Age Requirements: