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Best Fishing Piers in the United States

Fishing piers are an excellent way to catch fish in deeper water without using a boat. Most of the time, they also offer ways to entertain people.

a fishing pier in the united states

Depending on the fishing pier, it may be secluded or located in the heart of a large city’s hustle and bustle.

There is a fishing pier to match just about any mood that you may be feeling or any environment you may want to surround yourself with. 

If you find fishing enjoyable, you’ll love visiting any of the best fishing piers in the United States on your next trip.

a man fishing from a pier in the united states

Whether you want to fish in the streams, lakes, rivers, caves, bays, and oceans, you can find the type of fishing that suits your preference and accommodate your hobby.

Top 11 United States Fishing Piers

  1. Chelsea Piers, New York
  2. Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida
  3. Crystal Pier, California
  4. Galveston Fishing Pier, Texas
  5. Jacksonville Beach Pier, Florida
  6. Monterey Municipal Wharf II, California
  7. Ocean City Pier, Maryland
  8. Oceanic Pier, Maryland
  9. Santa Monica Pier, California
  10. Skyway Fishing Pier, Florida
  11. St. Pete (St. Petersburg) Pier, Florida

Chelsea Piers, New York

Chelsea Piers is situated in the beautiful city of New York – the city that never sleeps. It provides a great opportunity to enjoy each of the four piers that make up this spot, enabling visitors to participate in every sport you can think of.

Chelsea Piers, New York

Chelsea Piers is a 28-acre seaside sports and entertainment complex. It was first established in 1995 as a recreational space for the public next to the Hudson River.

It merges four classic piers into a unified family-friendly attraction with a sky rink, golf, restaurants, and other activities.

Location: New York, NY 10011, USA


Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida

The Cocoa Beach Pier is perhaps one of the most well-known fishing piers worldwide. This pier is primarily made up of pubs and restaurants and is set in the subtropical city of Cocoa Beach in Florida.

Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida

On the pier, you can buy some of the world’s freshest and tastiest seafood. Since it’s situated near the Atlantic Ocean, the pier offers unparalleled sunrise views.

The Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier isn’t only a top-ranked historical site on the Space Coast of Florida, but it also serves as a home to numerous restaurants, bars, gift centers, and live musical entertainment facilities.

It serves as the epicenter for cultural and recreational activities in Cocoa Beach and surrounding areas.

Aside from the excellent surf conditions, superb fishing, and a plethora of watersports activities, the world-renowned Cocoa Beach Pier runs approximately 840 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, giving beach and fishing gear rentals, freshwater showers, and leisure activities year-round.

With regulated beach volleyball facilities and lifeguards on standby, this East Coast waterfront retreat has long been a popular destination for residents and tourists throughout the Central Florida/Orlando region.

The Mai Tiki is among the must-see bars near the pier’s end, which you may want to check out while you’re there.

Additionally, it’s one of the best surfing sites on the east coast. After surfing, you may also purchase some souvenirs, listen to live music, or go fishing.

Location: 401 Meade Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931, United States


Crystal Pier, California

Crystal Pier is among San Diego’s best attractions, including the villas with ocean views and excellent fishing activities off Pacific Beach. While it’s an exclusive pier at night, people may still fish during the day.

Crystal Pier, California

As part of the COVID-19 protocol, the pier requires everyone to wear a mask before entering. Anglers can find barred surfperch, walleye, corbina, halibut, and lots of other fun fish to catch!

At the end of the pier, there’s primarily great sand and calico bass fishing. It’s also a fantastic lobster site, and for many, it’s a ritual on the first night of the lobster season.

One of the best places to stay is the Crystal Pier Hotel – a crowd’s favorite. So, make sure to book ahead of time.

Location: 4500 Ocean Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109, United States


Galveston Fishing Pier, Texas

Some of the world’s most incredible saltwater fishing spots can be found in the Gulf of Mexico. Galveston Fishing Pier allows you to get a taste of the well-known fishing without renting a boat.

Galveston Fishing Pier, Texas

It’s known for its large redfish, although some other species taken there are sea mackerel, whiting, and sea trout.

There’s plenty of variety of fish to set your sights on and test your skills as an angler. You just have to make sure that you are following the pier’s guidelines and requirements. 

The entrance to the pier is $6 for kids, $12 for adults, and $8 for seniors. A license is also a must if you’re over 17 years old.

This makes Galveston Fishing Pier one of the least cost-effective on our list. Squids, shrimps, mullets, and crabs are some of the most popular pier baits used here.

Location: 9001 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554, United States


Jacksonville Beach Pier, Florida

The Jax Beach Pier, which is about a quarter-mile long, provides tourists with close-up views of the ocean and anglers with the opportunity to catch deep-water species, such as:

  • Bluefish
  • Trout
  • Cobia
  • Drum
  • Flounder
  • Redfish
  • Pompano

Fish-cleaning facilities, a bait store, and a concession area are all available on the Jax Beach pier. Anglers pay $4, and spectators only pay $1, although a fishing license isn’t required.

Unfortunately, back-to-back storms ripped the Jax Beach Pier apart. Five years after the severe damage, work on rebuilding the landmark is still underway.

Hurricane Matthew wrecked the remaining 300 feet of the total 1,300 feet pier in October 2016.

A year after Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Irma caused more destruction on the pier. The agency estimates that rehabilitation on the pier will be finished in late Spring 2022 or early summer 2022. 

That’s great news for locals and anglers who are willing to make the trip over to Jacksonville for this excellent fishing spot.

Location: 503 1st St N, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250, United States


Monterey Municipal Wharf II, California

Monterey Municipal Wharf II seems to have enough excitement on any given day to satisfy even the most enthusiastic anglers.

The most usual catches are surfperch and migratory schooling species, including Spanish mackerel, Pacific mackerel, and sardines. Flounder, rockfish, turbot, halibut, and lingcod are among the other species regularly caught from the pier.

There is no need for a license, and fishing at the pier is free of charge. However, parking charges $1.50 per hour or $10 for the whole day.

The pier is used mainly for commercial fishing, and there are only a few restaurants and restrooms.

Nearby, Monterey’s more iconic Old Fisherman’s Wharf is home to various shops, restaurants, and sports fishing facilities.

Indeed, there’s a lot of fun to explore. Wharf II is the perfect destination if you want to go pier fishing.

Location: Monterey, CA 93940, USA


Ocean City Pier, Maryland

Situated in Ocean City, Maryland, the Ocean City Pier is among the city’s most popular attractions.

It’s found at the end of the Ocean City Boulevard and serves some of the world’s greatest vinegar fries, known as Thrashers.

Among the attractions on the pier are a Ferris wheel, rollercoasters, and the famous Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum.

Additionally, a fishing center is located at the end of the pier, offering equipment and baits for pier fishing. 

So whether you take the family along or you are looking for something to do when you run out of bait and patience, there are plenty of side attractions to this popular fishing spot. 

Location: 401 S Atlantic Ave, Ocean City, MD 21842, United States


Oceanic Pier, Maryland

Oceanic Pier is another major pier of Ocean City in Maryland. It offers fantastic fishing opportunities for bluefish, stripers, flounder, shad, and other species.

At Oceanic Pier, you may fish for $8 for 12 hours, $20 for three full days, and only $35 for one week. There are also snacks and bait available and fishing gear rentals.

The L-shaped pier spans several distinct bodies of water, each with its own set of conditions.

The west side of the pier is a bit sandy, receding into a channel, while the southern part is a bit rocky.

Additionally, tides play a crucial part in pier fishing since they impact the shifting currents in the adjacent channels.

Location: 710 S Philadelphia Ave, Ocean City, MD 21842, United States


Santa Monica Pier, California

When you see the famed Ferris Wheel at Santa Monica Pier thrusting into the beautiful Pacific Ocean, you realize you’ve reached Santa Monica in California.

Located near Santa Monica’s westernmost part, the Santa Monica Pier is a popular attraction in this gorgeous coastal neighborhood.

This public pier is filled with family-friendly entertainment and activities, lively street performers, shops, restaurants, breathtaking vistas, and over a century of history.

There is no need to introduce the world-renowned Santa Monica Pier. It’s undoubtedly one of the best fishing piers in the United States and worldwide.

The pier, which was completed in 1916, is home to some of the world’s finest attractions.

The pier is also dubbed “the fun place” because of the aquarium, shops, amusement park, arcades, restaurants, and a 1922 antique carousel.

Location: 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States


Skyway Fishing Pier, Florida

After the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge was completed across Tampa Bay, linking Sarasota and St. Petersburg, the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park emerged from the old bridge. This makes it the longest fishing pier worldwide.

Anglers appreciate the convenience of parking their vehicles or campsites at their chosen fishing spots.

At night, the bridge is illuminated, allowing anglers to rig a line and use baits. After dusk, the lights lure a variety of fish species.

Snook, grouper, tarpon, sea bass, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, cobia, pompano, red snapper, and other species are common catches. Bait, snacks, beverages, and fishing gear are all available as concessions.

The parking fee is $4 per car, plus $2 per kid and $4 per adult, with a $3 per pax touring ticket. There is no need for a pier fishing license since the state already has one covering all anglers.

Location: I-275, St. Petersburg, FL 33711, United States


St. Pete (St. Petersburg) Pier, Florida

The St. Petersburg Pier, often dubbed St. Pete Pier, is a popular tourist attraction stretching from downtown St. Petersburg in Florida into Tampa Bay. There have been many distinct structures built in the area throughout the years.

The latest building, a five-story structure shaped like an inverted pyramid, was built by William Harvard, Sr. – the architect of St. Petersburg.

This building is actually the third owned by the city. However, the old Inverted Pyramid Pier was closed last 2013, and the Pier District, with a total area of 26 acres, was opened last 2020.

St. Pete Pier is a busy, crowded pier that won’t provide much peace, although many people may appreciate the liveliness of piers like St. Pete.

The pier has lovely picnic areas, a plaza, several bars and restaurants, a market, and stores.

Many who fish in St. Pete Pier recommend the renowned topwater lure called the Zara Spook Junior. This multi-purpose lure works well here as it does anywhere else.

Location: 600 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, United States


Final Thoughts

That’s all there is to it! Any one of these fishing piers is almost guaranteed to have a fish waiting to take your line. Of course, if you’re more into lake fishing, we’ve got a guide for that too!

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