Venice Fishing Pier is a public fishing pier at the end of Washington Boulevard in Venice, Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Bay. You can walk out over the coast or fish there, subject to California’s public-pier rules and any access restrictions in effect.
- Location: the end of Washington Boulevard, Venice, Los Angeles.
- Setting: Santa Monica Bay, beside Venice Beach.
- Fishing: no sport-fishing license is required for recreational angling from a public pier in California ocean or bay waters, but other rules apply.
- Access: check current conditions with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks before visiting.
Where the pier sits on the coast
Venice Fishing Pier stands at the western end of Washington Boulevard, projecting into Santa Monica Bay from Venice Beach. Venice Beach also has a bike path, skate plaza and two children’s play areas.
The setting has a longer resort history: Venice was developed in the 1890s as a resort and amusement-park destination, promoted as the “Coney Island of the Pacific.” Its historic amusement pier closed in 1946; that pier was separate from today’s fishing pier.
Venice’s canals offer a different landscape from the coast. The Venice Canal Historic District is another part of the area’s history and landscape.
Walking and fishing on the pier
The pier’s main draw is its position over the water: you can walk along the structure and look back toward Venice Beach or out across the bay. If you plan to fish, California treats qualifying public piers differently from beaches when it comes to licensing.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife defines a public pier as a publicly owned structure connected to the coastline above mean high tide, with unrestricted free public access, built or functioning primarily to provide access for angling in ocean waters. Rules on pier access and fishing can change with conditions, so verify current access before setting out.
Fishing rules and safety
You do not need a sport-fishing license to recreationally fish from a public pier in California ocean or bay waters, but that exemption does not remove other fishing requirements. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says minimum sizes, bag limits, seasons and report-card rules still apply.
On a public pier, each person may use no more than two rods and lines, handlines or crab-taking appliances. A Sturgeon Fishing Report Card is required to take sturgeon from a public pier in ocean waters, and a Spiny Lobster Report Card is required to take spiny lobster there.
Keep the distinction between pier and beach fishing in mind: a fishing license is required when fishing from the beach, including if you land there a fish hooked from a public pier. The agency also cautions that a pier may close for safety, maintenance or other reasons.
Getting there and parking
Use the end of Washington Boulevard as the location to orient your visit to Venice Fishing Pier. The pier is about a 30-minute walk from Encore Motel, making it a coastal stop from the Marina del Rey area.
Do not assume parking information for another Marina del Rey location applies here. Los Angeles County identifies free parking at Marina del Rey Sportfishing at Dock 52, but that is not parking information for Venice Pier. For the wider waterfront context around the hotel, the Marina del Rey neighborhood guide covers the area.
Checking conditions before a visit
Pier access can be affected by safety or maintenance closures, and the City’s identification of Venice Fishing Pier does not by itself confirm that it is open on the day you plan to go. Check the official site before you go, using the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks for pier access information.
Before fishing, check the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s current regulations for the species you may target, including size, bag and season rules and any required report cards. These requirements apply even when a public-pier fishing license exemption applies.
FAQs
Where is Venice Fishing Pier?
It is at the end of Washington Boulevard in Venice, Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Bay.
Do you need a fishing license to fish from Venice Fishing Pier?
No sport-fishing license is required for recreational angling from a qualifying public pier in California ocean or bay waters. Other fishing regulations still apply.
Can Venice Fishing Pier be closed?
Yes. The landowner may close a public pier for safety, maintenance or other reasons, so check current access before visiting.
Are the historic amusement pier and the fishing pier the same?
No. The historic Venice amusement pier closed in 1946; it was distinct from the present-day fishing pier.