Ken Jones - Writer & Pierfisherman |

Man Falls Off Newport Pier —

January 18, 2012 by kenjones

The place where I learned to fish was the Newport Pier in the early ’60s. There were no railings but instead six-inch planks lined the edge of the pier. I was always a little surprised that people didn’t fall off the pier. The following story proves that it could and did happen.

Fishing Around by Donnell Cupepper

Talk about hard luck! Bill Towbridge, of 7731 Lombardi, Fontana, can tell you a thing or two about fishing on piers.

Bill was fishing on Newport Pier the other day with a heavy ocean outfit and a tight drag. Newport Pier has no high rail, just a six-inch plank along the edge.

Bill got a vicious strike while holding the outfit, tried to hang on, became overbalanced and fell off the pier. He held on to the rod and started swimming toward shore.

Once there, he reeled in the fish, a halibut that weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces. At that moment two wardens from the Department of Fish and Game accosted him and asked for his license. Bill had none and explained that he was fishing off the pier and didn’t need one.

The wardens, either trying to be funny or pressing for a charge, demanded proof. Bill took them out on the pier and introduced them to his fishing buddy, who promptly backed up his story.

Every one parted friends and Bill and his pal went ahead with their fishing.

No license is needed to fish off piers, land-connected moles and docks, but the state demands that a surf fisherman have a license regardless of what he catches.

Long Beach Independent Press Telegram, October 14, 1960

After posting this story to the Pier Fishing In California Message Board, Our expert on all things Newport, Snookie, posted the following reply: “From the early 40′s to the late 50′s only three people went off the pier accidentally. One was a drunk and he swam to shore, returned, and got under the blankets he had brought to warm up. The other two were a father and child about 5 years old. The child fell in and the father jumped in to save him, but the father forgot he didn’t know how to swim. Betty Phoenix took the big net and got them up by using it. All were well. Given that Snookie started fishing the Newport Pier in the early ’50s, and has chronicled events on the pier most of her life, that’s good enough for me.

Posted in Daily musings... · Tagged California piers, Newport Beach, Newport Pier, pierfishing, saltwater fishing · Leave a comment

The Belmont Pier Marlin Club —

January 17, 2012 by kenjones

The entrance to the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier—Long Beach

This nearly 50-year-old story ranks among my favorite pier fishing stories of all time.

Eye Opener—Belmont Pier Marlin Club

Thursday wasn’t exactly a good day to have lunch with the Belmont Pier Marlin Club, but it was the best offer I had. I mean I don’t want to be a prophet of gloom and doom and I’m not going to mention that nasty word that ends in “cession,” but don’t you think luncheon invitations are getting scarcer?

It was a bad day for the Belmont Pier Marlin Club because the wind was blowing, which is bad for fishing, but, anyway, I made my way to the pier and found Pop Shoat, the club’s executive vice president, leaning over the railing and gazing placidly at the spot where his line slanted into the blue water.

“Hiya, son.” he said, waggling his white beard-stubble in greeting. He unwrapped a piece of newspaper from around a package of sandwiches. “Have a sandwich. That’s your column they’re wrapped in.” “Gee, thanks.” I said, overwhelmed by this expression of esteem. “I read Hollingworth. too,” he explained, “but I save him to wrap the fish I catch.”

“It’s fresher material.” I agreed. There is not an ounce of professional jealousy in me. “Do they pay Hollingworth, or is that just a hobby?” “Dr. Honk Hollingworth.” I said, “is on the payroll as director of our department of vicarious physical education.”

A three-wheel electric auto came dashing down the pier blandly ignoring the sign that said, “No motor vehicles beyond this point.” There were more vehicles beyond that point than on the legal side of it. Some Long Beach electric auto salesman has been making a killing by telling his customers they are driven by rubber bands, maybe.

“What I wanted to talk to you about,” Pop said as he rebaited his hook, “is getting the city to put up a flagpole on the pier for the Marlin Club. Stand back while I cast.” He gracefully snapped an overhand cast that carried his hook far out from the pier and watched his sinker splash into the water. I watched the sign that said. “No overhead casting.”

“I’m no lobbyist.” I said. “Besides, why does the Belmont Pier Marlin Club need a flagpole?” “To fly a marlin flag, in case somebody catches a marlin.”

“I have checked this out with Riley Compton of the Belmont Bait & Tackle,” I said. “You catch mostly small fish—perch, herring, corbina. Now and then you get a 10 or 12 pound halibut. Last year, a big white sea bass was landed. But in the history of living man, no one has caught a marlin off the Belmont Pier.”

Pop pulled a flask from his gear box. “How about a snort?” he said. I glanced disapprovingly at him and then at the sign that said, “Consumption of alcoholic beverages not permitted on pier.” “Geritol,” he said. “Somebody might catch a marlin. And it would bring an awful lot of fishermen to Long Beach if there was a marlin flagpole here and they thought we needed it.

“Mere tourists,” I said. “The dropline trade. They’d crowd the regulars away from the railing.” “That’s happening now,” Pop said.

“The truant officers ought to tighten up on kids playing hookey. Us retired gaffers can’t elbow on even terms against those kids.”

He reached for the Geritol and kicked over the carton of ghost shrimp that was the bait of the teenager next to him. “Sorry,” he said. The teenager gave him a hurt look, “That’s the third time you’ve done that,” the boy said. He picked up his gear and moved down the pier. Pop chuckled gleefully. “Whippersnapper,” he said

—Bob Wells, Long Beach Independent, February 3, 1962

Posted in Daily musings..., Pierfishing, Saltwater Fishing · Tagged Belmont Pier, California piers, pierfishing, saltwater fishing · Leave a comment

Gaviota Pier through the years —

January 13, 2012 by kenjones

Family fun at Gaviota — 1800s

In 1874 a 1,000-foot-long wharf was built on this site for Colonel William Hollister and the Dibblee brothers (who had also loaned money and influence for the construction of Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara). Their pier reached water that was 25 feet deep at the end of the wharf and it was considered one of the safest local shipping ports. Because of its safety record, the Gaviota Landing became a weekly destination for the coastal San Francisco steamers. The area around the wharf also became an important area with early records recording a considerable business, primarily in livestock, wool, farm produce and lumber. That wharf was destroyed by a storm in 1912. Of interest are early records (1883) that report, “a peculiarity of this wharf, or rather this location, is a strong off-shore wind, a cold blast always coming down the pass; consequently no vessel is thrown against the shore.” Yes, it was windy even then.

Gaviota Pier —1948

Apparently a second name for the original pier was Port Orford and it’s still listed on the populated place index for Santa Barbara County. According to Durham’s Place Names of California’s Central Coast: “Port Orford [Santa Barbara]: locality 0.5 mile west of Gaviota along the coast at the mouth of Cañada de la Gaviota 9lat.34-28-15 N. Long. 120-12-40 W). Site named on Gaviota (1953) 7.5’ quadrangle. Farmers shipped their products from Gaviota Wharf, a 1,000-foot-long pier at the place, from 1875 through the 1890’s (Rife, p.104).”

Dept. Fish and Game photo — 1948

The current pier was originally built as a crash boat pier by the Navy in 1943. Records show that it was 420-foot-long but newspaper accounts, dated 1953, reported a proposal to lengthen it by 210 feet so that it would reach out into deeper water.

The pier was evidently remodeled in 1953 and repaired again in 1987. Damage to the pier and parking lot from the El Niño storms in the winter of 1998 necessitated closing the park for a period of time. When it finally was reopened, only the front half of the pier was available to anglers. The pier did not open to its full length until May of 2000.

Gaviota Coast and Pier — 2006

Gaviota Pier — 2007

Today the pier is owned and operated by the state and the listed length is 529 feet (although some sources say 570 feet).

Gaviota Pier — 2009

Gaviota Coast — looking south

Gaviota Coast — looking north

Dawn at the Gaviota Pier — Looking south

Posted in Daily musings... · Tagged California piers, Gaviota Pier, pierfishing · 4 Comments

Sycamore Cove Pier — Gone But Not Forgotten

January 5, 2012 by kenjones

This picture is from an old California Fish and Game publication, circa 1952/53.

Sycamore Cove Beach (9000 Pacific Coast Highway) is located three miles east of Point Mugu and four miles up the coast northwest from the south corner of Ventura County. It sits at the mouth of the Big Sycamore Canyon and today is the site of the headquarters for Point Mugu State Park.

Once a small pleasure (fishing) pier attracted sport fishermen to the spot but today most visitors simply see a sandy beach and the ocean beyond (along with some BBQ grills and restrooms). Occasionally a gnarly old piling may be seen sticking its head up through the sand as though pleading for remembrance but most pilings are gone, removed by the ceaseless waves and pounding surf over the years.

In addition to the recreational anglers who fished from the pier a few commercial skiff fishermen used to use the site to bring in their catch—mostly halibut, rockfish and lobsters. Some of the fish were sold to local restaurants and fish markets although records indicate some was sold to passing cars and trucks.

The site is apparently also a good one for movies. The movie After The Sunset was partially filmed at Sycamore Cove Beach in 2004. The lifeguard headquarters played the part of the beach house while the pier seen in the film was constructed just for the film. The film included Pierce Brosnan (Max) and Salma Hayek (Lola) among others. In one scene Max and Stan go fishing for sharks and are successful. Afterwards they drunkenly sing the same song sung by a drunken Quint, Hooper, and Brody in Jaws (1975). So, the question for the day is if you have to be drunk to sing that song or does it somehow sound better if you are in a drunken stupor?

“A twisted rock formation on the far side of the cove marks the location for the climax of Charlie’s Angels in which Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu hang from a helicopter… Sycamore Cove is also a good spot for a family outing, as seen in Junior, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Devito, Emma Thompson, and Paula Reed celebrate their offspring’s birthdays.” —Harry Medved with Bruce Akiyama, Hollywood Escapes, 2006

Posted in Daily musings... · Tagged California piers, pierfishing · 16 Comments

General Rod and Reel Maintenance —

January 4, 2012 by kenjones

Rods and reels line the rail at the Hermosa Beach Pier

If you want to become a serious and successful angler you should learn how to properly use and take care of your tackle. One of the best ways is to find a knowledgeable tackle store, especially one that repairs rods and reels, and then become a regular. The tips and knowledge you will pick up from your visits will more than make up for any additional cost over using the big box chains. The following are some tips for maintenance given by Ron Crandall who used to write the “Tackle Tips” page for the Pier Fishing in California web site (he recently retired). Ron owned a tackle repair shop in Santa Rosa and is still considered one of the true “experts” in the field of rod and reel repair.

Reel Maintenance

Clean your reel after every use. The number one rule in reel maintenance is to rinse the reel gently with fresh water after use in salt water. However, do not rinse it with water at high pressure as this will force salt into the reel and cause corrosion problems.

Lubricate the reel after rinsing. After your reel is thoroughly dry, apply a moisture-dissipating lubricant, such as Corrosion X, to a rag, and wipe the reel with the rag. Do not spray the reel with lubricant, as this will cause the reel to collect dirt.

Use the proper lubricant when overhauling your own reels. Use Penn lubricant, or other light grease such as, Lubriplate #105. Do not use boat axle grease.

If you drop your reel in the sand… STOP! Do not test the reel to see if it still works. Use a spare reel and overhaul your reel or take the reel to a repair shop for an overhaul. Turning the handle of a reel with sand in it has a 95% chance of breaking parts.

Periodic maintenance saves costly repairs. Do not get caught in the old myth of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

How to store a reel after you’ve cleaned it! Do not store your reel on your rod. Corrosion can build up on the rod’s reel seat as well as on the foot of the reel. After the reel is cleaned and dried, and since the reel is already off the rod, leave it off. Let the reel thoroughly dry. Store the reel in a breathable cloth bag, like cotton, or flannel or muslin. Avoid plastic or nylon bags. Store extra spools in a cloth bag as well. Clean old socks work well and are the right size.

Rod Maintenance.

New rods. To insure a long life for your new rod, do the following: Apply a paste wax (not a liquid) to the rod and the base of the guides only (not directly to the guides). Apply paraffin wax to the screw threads of the reel seat. This will allow for smooth operation and less wear. For a rod with glass or graphite ferrules, apply paraffin wax to the ferrules. For a rod with metal ferrules, use only Œskin oil on the ferrules. Apply by rubbing the male end of the ferrule in hair or, lacking that, rub on a forehead. This will apply a minuscule amount of oil to the ferrule. This is all you need.

After fishing, do the following. Remove the reel and clean any sand or grit from the reel seat with an old toothbrush, or a paint or acid brush that has its bristles cut short (for stiffness). Spray the rod with Salt Away, then rinse. This breaks down an amazing amount of salt that you didn’t realize was on the rod. Take the rod into the shower with you and clean it thoroughly with a toothbrush. Naturally, dry it before putting it away.

For older, abused rods. Apply Corrosion-X to any corrosion build-up on metal ferrules, reel seats and guides. Let the rod sit overnight. Next, scrub it with a toothbrush and rinse. (Tip — WD40 or Simple Green do not work as well as Corrosion-X). Install a rod butt cap if it is missing (caps are available through tackle shops). After the rod is free of corrosion and thoroughly clean, proceed to treat it as if it were a new rod.

Other considerations. Most new rods have a single coat of epoxy covering the rod and guide wrapping. This epoxy will chip off with use, exposing the uncoated surfaces to moisture. Moisture will get under the epoxy and lift it off, deteriorating the guide wrapping and causing the guides to come loose. You need to seal the chipped epoxy immediately. Applying paste wax will help, or clean the chip with alcohol, and apply a flexible marine varnish like McCloskey’s Man-O-War. Inexpensive rods are more prone to chipping than expensive rods. But, treating an inexpensive rod as described above will allow you to keep it for a lifetime.

Paraffin Wax. Someone (TW) sent a note to Ron and asked if applying paraffin on glass or graphite ferrules, and on reel seats, wouldn’t cause dirt, sand or similar items to cling to the rod parts and cause an even worse problem? Ron replied: “Paraffin is a dry wax not a sticky wax. Sand and dirt don’t stick to paraffin as they would on a sticky wax, but instead, fall off. Paraffin is used as an industrial lubricant because it is neutral in its reactivity. It allows the surfaces of the male and female ferrule to be tightly in contact without abrading each other. Paraffin allows the ferrules to be separated as needed, and not stick together as they would if a lubricant was not applied. Not using a lubricant would eventually cause the ferrules to wear against each other and loosen over time. Naturally, if there is dirt or sand on the ferrules, clean them before putting them together. Paraffin prevents the build up of corrosion on metal based ferrules and reel seats. These are the rods that you can’t separate and the reel seats that won’t unscrew. Paraffin helps prevent crossthreading of graphite reel seats, which is a common problem if the reel seat and ring get dirt or sand in them. When the ring or the seat is dirty the ring can crossthread on the seat and in turn damage the seat threads. This will cause the ring not to tighten properly and cause the reel to be loose. Where do you get paraffin? First look in the kitchen cupboard. If you or a member of your family makes jam, or cans fruits and vegetables, there is probably a blue and white box of paraffin already there. If not, paraffin is available in the canning supply sections of most grocery and hardware stores. Note, do not use candles, candle wax or beeswax. Use only paraffin.”