The stellar days of fall provide a chance for what can seem unrepeatable moments on the coast.

Early this week was such a time, with crystal air and views to forever, temperatures in the mid-60s and light winds. Take your pick: a hike, easy or hard, to one of the top 10 coastal lookouts or limit fishing for Dungeness crab and rockfish, and spectacular sunsets for all.

Out of Berkeley, the sportfishing boat El Dorado ventured through the Golden Gate this week and had one of the top days for Dungeness crab ever reported: 780 Dungeness, or 10-per-person limits for 78 people. All the boats reached limits.

If timing is everything, then now is the time. After a chance of rain Thursday and perhaps a shower Monday, the forecast calls for many pristine days on the coast through Thanksgiving.

Here are the best 10 walks to coastal views, most of them famous, a few not so much, plus the boat-by-boat report of trips for Dungeness and rockfish out of Bay Area harbors. Of course, there are other great lookouts in addition to these 10, including the ridge on the Coast Trail out of Palomarin Trailhead near Bolinas, Mori Point in Pacifica, Rancho Corral de Tiera in Montara and several others.

Marin

Chimney Rock Headlands, Point Reyes National Seashore: About a mile south of the Point Reyes Lighthouse, the Chimney Rock Headlands is the massive bluff that rises from the sea. The walk out extends on a narrow strip of land with the ocean on one side, Drakes Bay on the other. The trail then extends to the edges of cliffs, where you tower over the ocean. 2.5 miles round-trip. Easy.

Sky Trail: Marin, Point Reyes National Seashore: The Limantour Road trailhead is the best launch point. You climb 1.3 miles to Sky Camp and Inverness Ridge for a panorama of Drakes Bay and across the ocean. My favorite trip is to turn it into a loop hike by descending on the Woodward Trail to the Coast Trail, with a world-class ocean panorama on the way down. Moderate to challenging (full loop).

O’Rourke’s Bench, Mount Tamalpais State Park: The rock bench is perched at 2,040 feet on the flank of Mount Tam. You tower over coastal hills and an unbelievable scope of ocean to the horizon. To get there: From Rock Spring Parking, cross Ridgecrest and look for the trail on the south side of the road (and junction with Pantoll Road). From there, it’s an easy 0.3-mile walk. Easy.

Muir Beach Overlook, Muir Woods National Monument: The vista point parking area along Highway 1, by itself, provides a great lookout to the coast. Take it the extra mile on the short trail that extends along a connecting ridge to a cliff-top perch, 200 yards above the rocks below. Sensational. Easy.

Hill 88, Marin Headlands: This a 1,000-foot lookout above Rodeo Beach with jaw-dropping views across the Marin hills, headlands, coast and sea; 2.7 miles, 1,000-foot climb on the way up to Battery Townsley, Wolf Ridge and then to the top. Moderate.

Point Bonita Lighthouse, Marin Headlands: You walk a half mile, through a tunnel and then cross a miniature version of the Golden Gate Bridge (in white) to reach the lighthouse. It sits on a cliff-top crag above crashing waves against the rocks, with world-class views of the Golden Gate, mouth of the bay and out to sea. Easy.

Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands: From the exit off Highway 101, take the Coastal Route/Conzelman Road and then pass Vista Point, Battery Spencer on your left and drive up to the sign for Hawk Hill on the right. It’s then a five-minute hike/climb to the payoff. The view is one of the best in America, across the Golden Gate, San Francisco, mouth of the bay and out to sea. Easy.

San Francisco

Coastal Trail, San Francisco Headlands: Locals might take this for granted, but for every out-of-towner, this is the must-do, must-see. Near Lands End and Point Lobos (near the Cliff House and the end of Geary and the Great Highway), the Coastal Trail is routed in and out of cypress on a bluff-top route for 1.25 miles toward China Beach. Every break in the forest provides a world-class view of the mouth of the bay, Golden Gate and passing ships. Easy.

San Mateo Coast

San Pedro Ridge, San Pedro County Park: Take the Montara Mountain Trail, hike up through a eucalyptus forest and then emerge from an 800-foot climb for views across Linda Mar, the coast up to San Francisco, and out to sea. The best lookout here is a short distance off the trail, from a crag perch. Moderate.

McNee Ranch/Montara Mountain: You can gain access from the Gray Whale Cove parking lot or from Montara State Beach (then cross Highway 1 and walk a short distance to the service road at the pipe gate). Both routes climb up to a sub-ridge on the flank of Montara Mountain. Your reward is a quiet perch, far removed from the traffic of Highway 1 and city crowds, with a view of the coast and ocean that can make the spot feel all your own. Easy to moderate, can be extended.

Tom Stienstra’s outdoors report can be heard at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Saturdays on KCBS (740 and 106.9). Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom

If you want to go

Chimney Rock Headlands, Sky Trail: Point Reyes National Seashore, Bear Valley Visitors Center, (415) 464-5100, ext. 2; www.nps.gov/pore.

O’Rourke’s Bench: Mount Tamalpais State Park, (415) 388-2070, www.parks.ca.gov.

Muir Beach Overlook: c/o Muir Woods National Monument, recorded information, (415) 388-2595; interpretive specialist, (415) 388-2596; www.nps.gov/muwo.

Hill 88, Hawk Hill, Point Bonita Light: Marin Headlands Visitors Center, (415) 331-1540, www.nps.gov/goga.

Coastal Trail: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, (415) 561-4700, www.nps.gov/goga.

San Pedro Ridge: San Pedro Valley County Park, (650) 355-8289; http://parks.smcgov.org.

McNee Ranch/Montara Mountain: c/o Montara State Beach, (650) 726-8819, www.parks.ca.gov.

Crabbing/ rockfish

Scores from this week reported by captains and sportfishing operations:

San Francisco: Lovely Martha had 310 Dungeness (10-per-person limits), 310 rockfish (10-per-person limits), 12 lingcod for 31 people.

Half Moon Bay: Huli Cat had 50 Dungeness crab (limits), 50 rockfish (limits), 7 lingcod for 5 people.

Berkeley: El Dorado had 780 Dungeness (limits) for 78 people; California Dawn had 370 Dungeness (limits), 330 rockfish, 27 lingcod for 37 people.

Emeryville: Wet Spot had 40 Dungeness (limits), 40 rockfish limits), 7 lingcod with a 28.5-pound pot winner; New Salmon Queen had 220 Dungeness (limits), 180 rockfish, 4 lingcod for 22 people; Sea Wolf had 300 Dungeness (limits), 300 rockfish (limits); Tigerfish had 300 rockfish (limits) and 30 lingcod for 30 people.

Bodega Bay: New Sea Angler had 470 Dungeness (limits) 470 rockfish (limits) and 59 lingcod for 47 people.

Contacts: Huli Cat, Princeton, (650) 726-2926, www.hulicat.com; Emeryville Sportfishing, (510) 654-6040, www.emeryvillesportfishing.com; Berkeley Charter Boats, (510) 849-3333, www.berkeleycharterboats.com; Bodega Bay Sportfishing, (707) 875-3344, www.bodegabaysportfishing.com.

Striped bass, sturgeon

Striped bass: When everything goes right, now comes a chance for 100-fish days for striped bass, says Keith Fraser. All are small, 1 out of 4 a keeper over 18 inches. Troll with Worm-Tail jigs at the bottom of the tide and start of incoming tide, and then when you hook up, stop and cast to the school. Best spots: Marin Islands, San Quentin, Richmond Bridge, Tiburon shore.

Sturgeon: At Paradise Pier at Tiburon, a 9-foot sturgeon was caught and released last week. Most are using grass shrimp for bait.

Contact: Loch Lomond Live Bait, San Rafael, (415) 456-0321.

— Tom Stienstra