Stinson Beach, CA
By Loren Elliott

Stinson Beach is an ideal stretch of sand for fly anglers because it has the rare combination of calm surf and abundant fish. Because of the recessed nature of Stinson Bay, the beach is often protected from the mean swells that can make much of the Bay Area coastline daunting. With a northwest or west swell (remember that a swell is described by the direction in which it originates, not the direction in which it’s headed), Stinson is sheltered by the protruding headlands and Duxbury Reef at Bolinas. It usually takes a big southwest swell to make things rough here, and even then it is far more approachable than the treacherously steep beaches of nearby Point Reyes and San Francisco.
The year-round surfperch action is Stinson’s main attraction, but during the summer there is also ample opportunity to hook striped bass, halibut, and even leopard sharks. I usually stick to my surfperch rig, a 6-weight rod with a light T-8 shooting-head, and toss Clouser Minnows and crab patterns. This keeps me in the game for perch, and creates a seriously jolting surprise when a striper or halibut grabs. For this reason, I never fish a tippet lighter than 12-pound test. Of course, you can specifically target the so-called glamour species with an 8- or 9-weight outfit and large baitfish patterns, and this will catch the attention of more bass and ’buts in the turbid surf zone, but this comes at the cost of missed surfperch hookups.
Understanding tides and reading structure are key components of success at Stinson. High tides flood the beach, making structure difficult to decipher but bringing feeding fish onto the sand-crab beds. A high tide often means fishing nondescript flats, so I like to stay on the move and keep working water until I find fish. Closer to the low tide, structure becomes more obvious. When I find the deeper, calmer water of a trough or hole on either side of the low tide, I set up shop and wait for the fish to come to me. In this case, I know I am in the most likely spot and it is just a matter of time before fish show up. To get an idea of where the best structure of the beach lies, I recommend a quick stop at the pullout on US Highway 1 high above the southern end of the beach. From there, you can scout Stinson’s entire length with a pair of binoculars. Make mental notes regarding landmarks close to the fishiest structure before heading down to water level. Productive structure can be found from the rocky southern end all the way to the Bolinas Lagoon mouth that marks the northernmost point of the beach.
Defined structure is most abundant in winter and spring, a result of storm swells digging out contours along the beach. Much of this structure stays intact during the summer, though it flattens out some, but by fall it is all but gone most years.

Few beaches in Northern California offer the tame waves and multi-species action available at Stinson. This is an ideal beach for beginning or experienced surf anglers.