Fremont, CA Fishing: Attractive Fishing Spots in the Tri-City Area

Fremont is one of the most populous and desirable places in the Bay Area, thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley and its high quality of life. It is part of the Tri-City Area in East Bay, Newark, and Union City. It sits at the foot of Mission Peak on the southeastern part of San Francisco Bay. 

Fremont is relatively young as far as cities go, having been incorporated in 1956 following the unification of Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San José, and Warm Springs. The Ohlone Indians initially inhabited the area before Spanish settlers came in and built a community called Mission San José. The California Gold Rush gave the Fremont area its second life. The region became an agricultural powerhouse with grapes and olives as its primary crops. However, two earthquakes — one in 1868 and one in 1906 — threatened the area’s prosperity. Despite these setbacks, the Fremont locale continued to grow. In particular, the Niles district of Fremont was at the center of the early history of the motion picture in California, most notably seen in the movies of Charlie Chaplin.

In recent years, Fremont has become one of California’s tech industry centers along with Silicon Valley. And because of its highly educated, ethnically diverse, and young population, it has become one of the most livable cities on the West Coast. Its location in the beautiful Bay Area adds even more to its attraction as a residential and industrial region and as a tourist destination. It is home to many cultural spots and historical landmarks. And amidst all these must-see sights, Fremont has well-maintained nature spots that offer visitors opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, including fishing for some well-loved Bay Area catch.

Fremont Fishing

When heading to Fremont and the Bay Area, fishing may not be everyone's top-of-mind activity. However, the region does offer an array of productive fishing spots that anglers shouldn’t miss out on. Moreover, Fremont is gifted with a mild year-round climate and excellent scenic views, making your angling excursion rewarding and pleasant, no matter what season you go.

For a relaxing day fishing the bay, head to Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where you’ll find Dumbarton Fishing Pier. This wheelchair-accessible fishing dock has a west and east pier that extend 2,000 feet into the San Francisco Bay. They vary in depth during high tide. The west end gets as deep as 40 feet, while the east can reach 50 feet in depth. At the end of the pier, there’s a platform where you can stand and fish closer to the water. The dock itself is not ideal for fish during low tide as the inshore waters are too shallow and the bottoms muddy.

The most commonly caught fish in Dumbarton Fishing Pier are pile perch, black seaperch, white seaperch, redtail surfperch, starry flounder, jacksmelt, white croaker, sturgeon, striped bass, and different shark species such as sand shark, leopard shark, and sevengill shark. You can target the perch and flounder species in the shallower parts of the water, while the end of the pier is your best bet if you’re angling for bass, shark, and sturgeon.

Apart from the pier, you can access other fishing spots within Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge. Within 0.8 km of the port, anglers can do some surf-fishing on the shores of San Francisco Bay. You can also fish on Coyote Creek Lagoon.

Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area is another great scenic spot that offers fair fishing. This park is home to four water bodies: Horseshoe Lake, Rainbow Lake, Lago Los Osos, and Willow Slough. Only Horseshoe Lake and Rainbow Lake are open for fishing of the four. 

Horseshoe Lake is a 100-acre lake that gets an annual trout stocking during winter and catfish during summer. Aside from these fish, anglers can also catch largemouth bass and common carp in the lake. The same catch can be targeted in the smaller Rainbow Lake. Visiting should note that lead fishing tackle is prohibited in Quarry Lakes. As part of the region’s advocacy against lead, the Quarry Lakes Lead Fishing Tackle Awareness and Exchange Program was created. With this program, anglers can exchange their lead weights with lead-free alternatives at no cost. If you happen to be fishing in Quarry Lakes from September through May, you may be able to participate in the volunteer-led event.

The Quarry Lakes are just two of the East Bay Regional Park District water bodies. This park district comprises  11 lakes, reservoirs, and Delta/Bay shorelines and piers in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties stocked with rainbow trout and channel catfish. They include lake Chabot in Castro Valley, Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton, Contra Loma in Antioch, Lake Temescal in Oakland, Del Valle in Livermore, Lake Anza in Berkeley, and Don Castro in Hayward. Aside from these species, water bodies in this district may also have sunfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, bluegill, and black crappie. Some, like Del Valle reservoir, have inland chinook salmon. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Fremont, CA

The top 10 fish species in Fremont are rainbow trout, channel catfish, redtail surfperch, white croaker, striped bass, largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill,  black crappie, and sturgeon.

Seasonal Fishing

The peak fishing months in this part of the East Bay run from September through May. The water bodies in the East Bay Regional Park District receive an annual stocking of rainbow trout in the winter or early spring and channel catfish during summer, so those are great seasons to visit. Largemouth bass are best targeted here during spring in the warm and shallow parts of the water. If you’re fishing for perch, flounder, or the mighty sturgeon, winter to early spring are your best bets. Shark are available all year round, but summer and fall are the best seasons to target them.

Discover Diverse Cultural and Outdoor Attractions in Fremont

Fremont is an amazing city filled with interesting sights that are easily accessible, thanks to its top-notch public transport system.

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Get the guidance of a local expert when navigating and fishing the waters in Alameda County and the rest of the Bay Area. 

2. Enjoy Biking, Hiking, and Mountain-Climbing at Mission Peak Regional Reserve

This 3,000-acre public park is a favorite weekend destination for Fremont and Silicon Valley residents. It offers a range of scenic trails, the most challenging and rewarding of climbing atop the Mission Peak.

3. Immerse in Fremont’s History from Different Perspectives

Learn more about Fremont in its different eras. For the city’s Native American heritage, you can join a guided tour in the recreation of the Tuibun Ohlone Village Site.

If you’re interested in film history, you can visit Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum and Theatre for a peek into the area’s rich silent film history. The museum is inside the Edison Theater, a movie theater that dates back to 1913.

If you’re keen to learn more about the city’s agricultural history, visit Ardenwood Historic Farm, a ranch built in the 1800s. It now hosts tours of the country estate, serves delicacies made with produce from the farm itself, and a museum on 19th-century railroad car models.