Chapter Six

Pier Fishing In California’s New Piscatorial Dictionary — A Compilation of Diverse and Entertaining Threads, Jargon and Nomenclature

Pisces — [L., fishes] a Zodiacal constellation directly south of Andromeda; the Fish or Fishes.

Posted by gyozadude on April 19, 2002 —The term my wife uses to refer to a fisherman getting skunked in Cantonese… “Ginko Rice Porridge.”   The term in Cantonese is: “Ba Guo Jok” = skunked. She’ll get a kick out of the term if you use it.  – Gyozadude “Yes – I can roll my own potsticker skins”

Posted  by Lucy — Gyozadude said that Cantonese for “skunked” is “ba guo jok,” which literally means (I think he said) “ginko rice porridge.” (Sounds like a rather yucky dish!) Anyway, I think it would be fun to know what “skunked” is in other languages too. Also, does anyone know how the term “skunked” originated? I always think it may have started when some poor schnook went out and not only caught nothing, but had a run-in with a skunk, but does anybody know for sure?

Posted by pierangler 8787 — What is “skunked?” Never heard of it!

Posted by KingCrab — Caught a squirrel once while fishing for carp. Haven’t caught a skunk yet.

Posted by Corbinaman1 — Spanish = El Skunko? (Probably Wrong!)

Posted by aceves — Spanish = sorillo? (not sure about spelling!)

Posted by montgomery burns — It’s zorillo.

Posted by montgomery burns — My bad, it’s zorrillo, forgot the double r.

Posted by pescador5312 — First of all in Tagalog (Filipino) I don’t think there’s much of an equivalent to skunked. We just say “wala” which means “nothing.”  My opinion as for the origin, when you go fishing and don’t catch anything you can say that the day stunk. Stunk like what you ask? skunk.  Anybody agree? Do I get an amen?

Posted by Lucy — That’s a good hypothesis (phe-e-ew!)

Posted by pierhead — Amen!

Posted by Ken Jones — [Lucy] recently asked about the origin of this term and Snookie and I killed some time discussing it while we went fishless in Balboa. Soon after, she sent me the following: “Remember my asking about ‘skunked?’ I found one thing about it being used as a verb starting in 1831 when it first appeared here in U.S. It was a verb meaning to defeat by keeping your opponent from scoring (fish vs. us). It is Algonquian from the word seqanku meaning skunk.”

Posted by gyozadude —That’s such an interesting etymology. Algonquian were mostly in the Mid-north-east US area. It’d figure that it was the New Englanders that’d adopt a term like that. An internet search doesn’t give a lot of details as to it’s application. But it sounded like a verb used in warfare or in competitions where an opponent was defeated overwhelmingly. When do you think this got applied to fishing?

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Posted by 2nd — December 13, 2002

Subject: Fishing Lingo

With this rain coming in, I think I’ll hang up the Bay Area rods for a while. Got me to thinking that there’s a certain lingo to almost every avocation, and fishing’s not different. If we talk about fishing to others in the brethren, most non-anglers wouldn’t know what we were saying. Anyone have any colorful terms to share? Here’s mine (mostly from Hawaii, but it’s educational for those of you who find yourself fishing there).

1. jack up-reel in. Example: “my bait was untouched for an hour, so I jacked up to see if it was still there”

2. hana pa’a- strike. Literally, “work (hana) stuck (pa’a)”, or a snag that “works” (moves). Example: “after a long night of nothing, we finally hana pa’a around 3am”

3. Put it to the lead-cast as far as possible—long cast. Example: “Joe really put it to the lead and reached the outer reef”

4. Whitewash—no fish caught. Skunk. Example: “I wanted to eat fish tonight, but I whitewashed today”

5. Pinned, pinned down-snagged. also, when a fish takes you into the rocks. Example: “I had a nice one on, but then he pinned me down and I had to break off”

So…anyone else?

Posted by Rock Hopper — Lotta fish nicknames…. Lings, cabbies, dinos, diamond backs, leppies, smoothies, mud marlin, sand sharks, stripers (or strippers), ‘buts, bullheads, etc.

Posted by baitfish — Hmmm most of you probably already know…

Bugs — Lobster

Knotheads/Dogs—Sea Lions

Doormat/Barndoor—Big halibut

Slime Stick—Barracudda

Bone Head—Bonita

Slammed—Big bite

Peelin’—pulling drag fast

Posted by sharkshooter — A poacher, specifically someone that sells their fish w/o a commercial license.

Posted by avidangler —

Pig—BIG fish

Toad—BIG fish also

Farmer—someone who loses lots of fish

Marmaluke—someone who can’t catch a fish

Zipperlip—a spot nobody gets to know about!

Sure catch—I ain’t tellin’ about that one!!!-AA

Posted by Rock Hopper —

Gettin Jiggy—A suspectful bite, as in—Dude, your pole was just gettin’ jiggy.

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Posted by Ken Jones on November 16, 2003

PFIC sanctioned vocabulary: making new words.

Got an interesting note from Arvin concerning the proposed PFIC Hall of Fame and one of his thoughts concerned Stan. To quote from his note, “inducting him, I feel, would solidify the term ‘stan-sized ray,’ making it an actual part of the angler’s vocabulary for years to come. It would be nice to see some young angler ten years from now land a 50-lb ray and say ‘that’s a Stan-sized ray’ giving one of us the opportunity to pass down the legacy of a legend in his own time in explanation of where the term came from.” It reminded me of the time someone suggested that the term “Jonesit” be used for going pier fishing. Thus, if one said I’m going to Jonesit, it meant he or she was going pier fishing. Not sure if that makes sense but I was honored. Wonder what other words could be added to the lexicon of PFIC pier anglers?

Posted by DSRTEGL — Well… Songslinger has an uncanny knack for pulling out big monkeyface eel and rockfish out of tiny holes… Maybe we could call a successful catch of this kind “pulling a Slinger.” Just a suggestion.

Posted by Ken Jones —I like it!

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Posted by unclesteve on March 7, 2004

Subject: Talk Fish

Greetings Everyone, First, I’d like to start out by thanking Ken Jones and the folks that are contributing to this site. It’s a great source of information especially the archives search for those of us that missed out on FISHING 101. To be honest, it’s a big tease as well since I’m overseas working right now, but I’ll be back home for the summer fishing season. The pictures are great! Anyhow, I wanted to make suggestion that might help the newbies to fishing. A lot of times I see fishing jargon that can sound like a foreign language to us newbies. Perhaps a thread or section where people can post their fishing jargon might be advantageous. I also realize that fishing jargon can differ from regions, but it should be helpful everyone. I know it might require some work, but it’s just a suggestion that might be considered in the near future.

NOTE: The search archive is the encyclopedia of California Pier fishing, so to all the newbies like myself it’s a great place to learn. The difference between catching fish and going fishing is Beer!

Posted by Songslinger — I Agree: Jargon & Nomenclature. Unclesteve has come up with a superb suggestion. It wouldn’t hurt to have some sort of glossary here. Back in the days when this message board was comprised of a smaller group of deeply disturbed individuals, it was easier to converse and exchange ideas without worrying about things getting lost in the translation. Not so, now. Therefore terms and even local parlance should be identified and defined.  I would like to see the “local flavor” aspect explored a bit further. Consider the names people have for fish and the ensuing confusion. Black Surfperch, for example. Here in the Bay Area it’s Black Perch or Pogie. Elsewhere it’s Buttermouth and some have even said Butterlips, which of course lends to the difficulty in some newbies in discerning the differences between Black Perch and Rubberlip Perch. (As if one look at a Rubberlip would not dispel all doubts!) And people in SF will persist in calling Striped Surfperch Rainbow Surfperch. Worse, in my view, is the appellation of Splittail for White or Pile Perch—though never as weird as what people down in Santa Cruz call the Pile Perch: Pacific White Perch. And I will not even go there with the SoCal “Sculpin.”

Posted by dompfa ben — Yeah, what he said…”Swing and a miss, then came back…went bendo soaking a clipped and butt-hooked ronkie, 15# main, fluoro-leader, got a nice barndoor…” “Johnny bass, barberpole, button-perch, toads, grumpers, slugs and bugs”

“DOMPFA!” Just three examples of important fishing ideas that some newcomers might now understand.   DOMPFA: Dominating Positive Fishing Attitude!

Posted by Ken Jones — I nominate Songslinger…to produce Songslinger’s New Collegiate (and PFIC) Dictionary. And with a little help from his friends — i.e., Lucy, cougar, dompfa ben and others it might even become Songslinger’s International (and PFIC) Dictionary. Love that Latin! Didn’t we once do a thread on the various ways to say something fishy? I can’t remember what the phrase was. Good luck fishing?

Posted by giflet — I think its a great idea, I have had people email me after I’d post a report, and ask me what I meant when I stated I landed a short flattie, with a 5-inch live dine pinned in the nose with a #4 circle, 3ft 15# leader on a trolly line. Shall I translate: (I caught a Halibut under the legal size limit of 22-inches while using a sardine as live bait hooked through the nose with a #4 circle hook on a 3ft 15# leader that I slide down the main line.) Yea good idea, I can see where some confusion could arise!!!!!!! You better wear a life jacket when joining this board, cause you can drown in information.

Posted by xpostman — Origins of mud marlin? When did you hear the word mud marlin aka bat ray? Did it start on pierfishing.com?

Posted by Nufo — Long before I ever had a computer. Actually I believe I first heard it from Jon at Walton’s Pond around 10 years ago. I know it’s been in use way longer than that though.

Posted by dompfa ben — Earliest recollection. Fishing off the Balboa Island docks for those things as a kid (20 years ago) with my dad and brothers, the ferry drivers would see our heavy rods and sinker sleeves, and say, “Yeah! Go get those mud marlin!” or things to that effect.

Posted by Ken Jones — We didn’t start it, just helped popularize it. If popularize is a word?

Posted by Songslinger — From the American Heritage Dictionary:

Popularize

1.To make popular: A famous dancer popularized the new hairstyle.

2.To present in a widely understandable or acceptable form: popularize technical material for a general audience.

Posted by Ken Jones —Thanks. I’ve been known to fracture a word now and then.

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Ken Jones on July 12, 2004

PFIC Vocabulary… If we were inventin’ words… to describe what we see on the piers, what would be some nominees? An example is the “jrkulese” connotation used below to describe the actions of some jerks at one of the piers. Any other ideas?

Posted by guitarfish — I went out to Goleta Pier to take a walk and enjoy the nice weather. I decided to leave the fishing gear at home and just take in some of crowded the weekend atmosphere. The bait fish were present consisting of Spanish macks, sardines, and jacksmelt. As for other catches, I didn’t see much else until I reached the end of the pier. The locals were telling me that a man had caught a 4 1/2 ft. soupfin shark not an hour before. This is the first soupfin that any of us are aware of being caught off of Goleta! The sources were very credible, although I did not see the shark due to the fact that it had already been cut up and put away. Later on, one of the locals caught an 11” sculpin, also a bit rare for Goleta. A gentleman had asked if he could have it and they told him that he could, but not without a stiff warning to not touch the spines due to the toxicity. The gentleman carried it off by the tail only to return minutes later with two small puncture wounds in his hand. We recommended that he seek medical attention due to the possibility that he could be allergic to the toxins. There was a language barrier and I hope that he understood us. He left not to be seen again. As I was walking off of the pier, I noticed another angler pulling in a fish. It turned out to be a leopard shark about two feet long. That fish was released with only a headache due to being flung off the pier in a Herculean manner. Boy I really wanted to teach that angler some manners, but my better senses took over as I decided to leave the pier and Jerkulese behind.  Nathan

Posted by graybeard — Jerkulese—exhibiting massive amount of Jerkness?

Posted by thaapocalpse571 — I believe you are correct…

headache…skunk….

Posted by guitarfish —

piscadoofi major

- n. more than one thoughtless angler.

Posted by climberb9 — Phrase—Stan Low sized bat ray = very large bat ray.

Posted by Mr. Pole Pack —

Mud Marlin = Bat Ray

Kingfish = White Croaker

Bird’s nest = reel tangle

Bullhead = Staghorn Sculpin

Posted by guitarfish —

mush-head

/mush héd/. [goleta] from the latin (piscator alcoholicus) one in a group of persons that frequent the mouth of municipal piers enjoying alcoholic beverages and talking about fishing.

Posted by climberb9 — PFIC Volume 1 then II — the Pier Fishing Bible

Posted by garth —

“Buzzarding” — A while back I used that one to describe someone waiting on a spot at the end of Oceanside Harbor…the guy was creepy…just sat there silently by a mass of poles (he proceeded to fish five at once) until the people in “his” spot took off.

dinks, dinkers, dinkus minor, dinkalllidoos, dinkage…all descriptive of, say, “less than trophy” sized fish…

Bait Karma: the process of passing your unused bait along in an effort to improve your karmic standing for the next time you show up unexpectedly, or can’t make bait.

Posted by Rock Hopper —

“Spot Rusher” — People who have noticed you catch a fish and immediately descend upon your area.

“Jiggy” — a suspected bite, as in – Hey dude, your pole is gettin’ jiggy.

“Pilt aka Peeled” — having your bait stolen…usually by crabs, as in — Man, I got pilt already. See also; raped.

Posted by StripeSideChaser — spot rushers = lap sitters!

Posted by anadromous — lap sitters = biters

Posted by 2d — claim jumpers: people who, having seen you catch a nice one from a particular spot (or knowing beforehand that that spot is a good one), set up right next to you, even though there’s an open pier or miles of shoreline on either side of you.

Posted by dompfa ben —  My favorite fishing word: “Pelican” n. — a person who waits on the docks as the long-range boats are unloading their catch, and steals fish with a grab and run technique.

Posted by Kaleo — Piapia: the guy urinating off the side of the pier. (pronounced pee-ah-pee-ah)

Posted by Kaleo — Pierfume: that alluring scent of fermenting anchovies and sun-dried squid…

Posted by eelmaster — Tony. I like to refer to big fish as “Tony.” As in Tony Mantanta, from scar face. I mean it doesn’t get any more Kingpin than Tony, right?

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Posted by dig on September 28, 2004

Today at Shelter Island I heard this guy refer to lobster as a shell—“I pulled a shell” which made me think about all the short terms we use as pier rats. “spottie,” “hallie,” “boneheads,” “bonnies.” Would be cool for a nice list of pier rat lingo/slang that is our own language as pier rats.

Posted by Jim Babwe — An original (methinks). My buddy and I refer to big bat rays as “Tour Guides” since they will take you to the Golden Gate, Alcatraz and Pier 39 prior to giving in.

Posted by Rock Hopper — That’d be a “gangster.” Monte’s (and now our whole “crew’s”) word for a large fish.

Posted by unclesteve — SHARAY = Shark & Sting Ray

Posted by SetHook — FishinPat told me this one. “Fishing on credit” means fishing with no bait. That is, if your line has been too long in the water (and had too many little bites), then you’re definitely fishing on credit! Better check your bait.

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Posted by norcalrod on November 23, 2004

Brands of string. I’M SO CONFUSED!!!! There are so many brands of string on the market…Berkeley, Stren, Yo-Zuri, Ande, Spyder Wire, South Bend…So many types… Monofiliment, Florocarbon, braided, Hybrids, weaves… I tend to rockfish and go after sharks/rays in the SF Bay with the same equipment. I’ve got a Stren High Impact 20″ main on my spinning reel. At times, my main gets frayed with rocks on the coastline, and snap-O… fish gone. Any suggestions as to what everyone is using for mixed fishing? domo.

Posted by Mickey — Rule #1 — Don’t call it “string.” It’s line…Mike

Posted by norcalrod — Pardo-moi LINE

Posted by Daniel E. — (This was an excellent and exhaustive post on Southern California fishing terms. I have edited it to include only those terms possibly used by pier anglers—KJ).

Baby killer = someone who keeps small fish — Yellow fever

Barelycuda = small or short barracuda — Ken Schnorr

Barn door = large halibut — popelink

Barney = a term used to describe an angler who claims know everything but can’t get hung. The term came from “The Andy Grifith Show” Barney Fife claimed to know everything but was an idiot instead. — tunakllr

Barries = Barracuda — Jeff

Bendo = when you hang a fish — Yellow fever

Bird’s Nest = Line overrun on the spool — JapanRon

Bit off = the fish bit through your line —Yellow fever

Boil = Topwater disturbance caused by big fish chasing little fish — Jeff

Boneheads = Bonito — JapanRon

Bones = Bonito — Jeff

Bounce = Haul a fish over the rail without assistance — JapanRon

Broomstick = A short really stiff rod that has little or no bend — JapanRon

Brownie = herring or tom cod that’s used for bait —Yellow fever

Bucket Mouth = Usually what one would call a really big bass — JapanRon

Bull Bass = Big Calicos (used only in San Diego??) — Jeff

Butts = Halibut — JapanRon

Button-down = Tighten down your drag —JapanRon

Candy = The ‘preferred’ baitfish, usually live squid — Jeff

Chicken = A sea gull — Jeff

Chicken of the Sea = Seagull — JapanRon

Chovies = Anchovies — Jeff

Come Unbuttoned = Fish comes off the hook — JapanRon

Coffee grinder = spinning reel — Ken Schnorr

Croaker = white seabass — Yellow fever

Cross their Eyes = Strong hook Set — JapanRon

Desert = no fish for miles — Yellow fever

Dikes = Cutters and or pliers — JapanRon

Dinies = Small sardines — Jeff

Dinks = Little fish — Jeff

Dinos = Large sardines — Jeff

Dog = Seal — Yellow fever

Doormat = large flounder/hallibut — buzznfmf

Dropper Loop = The “dropper loop” is a name for the type of knot used on multiple hook setups.

Dumped = when you loose a fish — Yellow fever

Farmer = One who constantly loses fish. Don’t know how this one came about. Any help? – Jeff

[From Jeff Spira: with regards to your "Farmer" section, I've heard it used as a verb “You farmed it,” or “I farmed three before I finally boated this one.” when someone loses a fish. I don't get the metaphor either. The way I heard about the term “farmer” came from a old crusty skipper who watched the passengers on his boat while they fished. Having nothing better to do on slow days, he sized them up based on the way they looked and their obvious skill - or the lack thereof - and would then make his sarcastic comments to the crew as to what kind of job that person probably did - like “college boy” or “ditch-digger.” Throughout history, a farmer was a lowly peasant that had absolutely no talent, no worth. He was the bottom of the barrel in society and has been until this century. He simply stuck a seed in the ground and waited for it to grow. No rocket science needed there. So “Farmer” was the insult to the person that the skipper deemed “stupid” or “hopeless”.]

Feathers = Formally Japan Feathers now all kinds of bird clothes — JapanRon)

Firecrackers = Small Yellowtail — Jeff

Fish heads = What’s left after a sea dog gets a hold of it! — Brian Cyr

Flattie = Halibut — Jeff

Foaming = Lots of big fish feeding heavily upon lots of little fish. The topwater disturbance is so great it creates a “foam” on top of the water — Jeff

Freespool = Let the spool run free with thumb pressure —JapanRon

Fresh one!!!!! = yelled out when you hook up on bait or jig — popelink

Fried = Burned up the reel’s drag washers — JapanRon)

Frisco style = when you snag a fish in the butt — Yellow fever

Gar = barracuda — Yellow fever

Getting Worked = When a large fish on heavy line is kicking your ass — tunakllr

Go’in Out = Heads up Someones casting out — JapanRon

Goat = large male sheepshead — Ken Schnorr

Golden gobbler = tom cod — Yellow fever

Green stuff = cold or dirty water — Yellow fever

Grumps = Big calico or sand bass. Too tough to eat, should be released.

Hali = Halibut — JapanRon

Hammered = violent strike/tipsey angler — buzznfmf

Handoff = What happens if you can’t handle a fish — JapanRon

Hang = structure — buzznfmf

Helmet = Poor Fishing!!! — Dale Vaughan

Horse = Bringing in a fish without giving it a chance to fight — JapanRon

Hot Rail = Area where fish are being followed — JapanRon

Hot Stick = Good or catching fisherman — JapanRon

Hung = as in hooked up with a big fish. Not to brag, but I’m “hung”— RHOLLO

Iron = On the Iron i.e. caught on a metal jig — JapanRon

Island mackerel =  blue perch — Yellow fever

Japan Feathers = Old style lure with a weighted bullet shaped head, red glass eyes, and feathers — JapanRon

Jig = lure — popelink

Laguna Tuna = A small mackerel — JapanRon

Lead = sinker — Yellow fever

Linesides = STRIPED BASS — Steve Suhrbier

Live Line = To send a live bait out with little or no weight — JapanRon

Locked Down = Drag is tightened as far as possible — JapanRon

Logs = Big Barracuda. — Jeff

Low Bridge = what good casters say before they start their backcast — JapanRon

Mack Attack = Mackerel eating every bait thrown making it impossible to catch targeted species. — Jeff

Macks = Mackerel.

Make bait = Catching live bait yourself as opposed to buying it — Jeff

Mangler = Idiot that doesn’t look behind before casting his jig. Watch out for this guy, unless you want your nose pierced for free — Jeff

Meatball = small schools of baitfish that were chummed and regrouped into a small pack — Ken Schnorr

Meat Stick = A big, heavy, long rod to get down and dirty — JapanRon

Mossbacks = Yellowtail — Jeff

Nervous Water = Surface water that is ruffled with bait activity — JapanRon

Nuked Fish = S.D. Bay Bass — Dale Vaughan

On the Iron = Caught on an iron jig. — JapanRon

Pin = Put a hook in a bait — JapanRon

Pinheads = Tiny baitfish, usually die immediately after being hooked — Jeff

Plastic or rubber = swim baits — Yellow fever

Popped off = hook pulled out of his mouth – Yellow fever

Professional Over-run = Bird’s Nest — JapanRon

Pussgut = sand bass — Dale Vaughan

Rats = Little yellowtail — Jeff

Rattlesnake = Sculpin — Joe Adler

Rhinos or trout = big sardines — Yellow fever

Rip Lips = over zealous hook set (JapanRon)

Ripped = This happens when a fish has hit you on the run and gets off before you can set the hook; i.e., that fish really ripped me. Someone else it might be short for having your bait ripped-off — JapanRon

Rock = striped bass — buzznfmf

Rocked = when a fish breaks your line on a rock — Yellow fever

Rolled = when your bait dies — Yellow fever

Salad = snagging and bringing in kelp or other plant life — Ken Schnorr

Scooters = Barracuda — JapanRon

Scrambled Egg = A jig or feathers that have the color of…you guessed it scrambled eggs (yellow, white, and brown and sometimes a little red) — JapanRon

Screaming = refers to reel with a clicker —Yellow fever

Sea Dog = Seal or sea lion. Those fish-robbing dogs! — Jeff

Sea Chicken = Seagull — Jeff

Sewer Trout = TOM COD IN THE SANTA MONICA BAY — Doc Daddy

Sinker Dunker = inexperienced angler who just drops his rig in and ends up with J.P.—Jackpot fish = largest fish — Dale Vaughan

Skunked = fishless angler — buzznfmf

Slammed! = getting hooked on a fish — Gilbert Gonzalez

Slime- = barracuda — Yellow fever

Slimestick = barracuda — JapanRon

Smoked = A fish took the bait on the run and you lost it— JapanRon

Snag = structure — buzznfmf

Snaggle Tooth = Sheepshead. — JapanRon

Snake = small hoo — buzznfmf

Snake bit = and/or “got B.O.” when you don’t get any bites and everyone around you is hooking up — Ken Schnorr

Soaking Bait = CASTING OUT YOUR BAIT, AND WAITING TO GET A BITE — Steve Suhrbier

Spooled = All the line has been stripped from the reel. Panic Time! — Jeff

Spotties = Spotted Bay Bass — JapanRon

Squirt Gun = Squid — Ken Schnorr

Squirters = Live squid — JapanRon

stick or gig = gaff — Yellow fever

stinky pinkey = old dead squid — Yellow fever

String = Fishing line

Tails = Yellowtail — Jeff

Thumbburn = ‘Thumb the spool’ at the wrong time and your thumb will fry — JapanRon

Trash = undesirable catch — buzznfmf

Tubes = Squid — JapanRon

Wide-open = Drop a bait into the water, catch a fish — Jeff

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Posted by Ken Jones on December 26, 2004

Geeze, I’m in their dictionary even if, apparently, on the fringe. — Doubletongued.org/

A Growing Dictionary of Old and New Words From the Fringes of English

potpourri fishing n. a type of fishing which offers a variety of (in-season) species or in which more than one method can be used.

English. Sports.

1997 John Adams Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.) (Sept. 11) “Cruising Exotic Species Caught Off Pacific Waters” p. C7: At Fort Bragg, Martin Scribner at the North Coast Angler says marlin have been hooked and lost. Bottom fishing is great on non-windy days. The albacore bite is picking up again after three windy days. And a commercial boat took 45 salmon Tuesday trolling deep. Is this potpourri fishing or what? 2004 Ned Kehde Topeka Capital-Journal (Kan.) (May 2) “April anglers enjoy potpourri fishing”: Potpourri time is a colloquialism for the great and enchanting spell when anglers can tangle with vast numbers of fish and a variety of species by plying the many miles of rock-laden shorelines that grace Coffey, Melvern and Milford lakes.  2004 Ken Jones @ Crescent City, Calif. Owner com “Pier Fishing in California”: One night I visited the pier for a little potpourri fishing and was startled to see crab pots tied every 7-10 feet around the entire end of the pier.

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Posted by Ken Jones on September 23, 2005 —  Pier Fishing In California Fishing Terms/Lingo/Dictionary —

Posted by tacofish —

Slider — Sliding Weight

MORF — Motor Oil, Red Flake

MOGF — Motor Oil, Gold Flake

Clickers — crawdads or crabs

Deener — Sardine

Chovey — Anchovy

Dungees — Dungeness crabs

Rats Nest — nasty tangle, usually associated with a baitcaster or conventional reel. See Professional Over-run

Cheater Stick — an illegally used rod

Stinger Hook — an in-line, secondary hook

Lurker — somebody that watches this (or any other) message board without posting.

Clarification:

Dino (pronounced Deeno) — Sardine

Dino (pronounced Dyno) — Sturgeon

Posted by kaleo —

MOGrF — motoroil w/ green flake (grub color)

firecracker — clear w/ red, blue, and silver flake (grub color)

Slider(2) — Charlie Slider brand grub (knobtail design)

Hammer — Big Hammer brand swimbait

nose-hooking aka Hammer-hooking – hooking a grub by threading the hook *across* the nose, so that the grub swings in the curve of the hook and most of the hook is visible.

egg — egg sinker

bird cloud — a less-used synonym for 2d’s “bird pile”

Posted by uncle ji —

Local Hawaiian twists: “Hanapa’a!” What you say when you get a solid hook-up…my twist on this which has caught on with friends is “salamat bit!” when I get a solid hook-up.

Posted by baconmojo —

headache — warning of impending cast

yardsale — kayaker spilling gear onto the beach

bait buffet — making bait

gangstas — big ‘sharays’

cement boat — Seacliff pier

WFO — wide-open

Posted by baconmojo —

Salty Nick— ie. “After catching the cabbie, he got the patented ‘Salty Nick’ photo in the tide pool.”

Posted by 2d —

Screamer — a fish that pulls out a lot of line when you have it hooked (makes your reel scream)

Bird’s nest/professional overrun — cast with a conventional or baitcaster in which the spool spins faster than the line goes out

Farmed/LDR (long distance release) — losing a fish before you can land it

Birds up — seabirds circling above the water looking for/keying on bait fish below

Bird pile — seabirds crashing bait (usually with gamefish pounding the bait from below)

Nervous water — ripples on otherwise calm water indicating cruising gamefish looking for food.

Posted by StripeSideChaser —

“fishing on credit” same as the “shiny hook” method… normally caused by not checking your bait frequently enough.

Posted by dompfa ben —

Various things heard prior to casting… The following are all synonymous with “Hey, pay attention… I’m about to cast”:

1. Going out!

2. Heads up!

3. Low bridge!

4. Swingin!

5. Fore!

6. Headache!

7. Pucker up!

Posted by Ken Jones — Should the following be added to the PFIC Dictionary?

Gotabite

Feelinabite

Posted by sethook —

yegotbit, ayeyopole, & fishinoncredit are good candidates as well

Posted by pierhead —

SBRF — term invented during the 2002-2003 season at Goleta Pier. Thanks to a gentle suggestion (?) from one of our resident curmudgeons I started keeping a fishing log of my successes on the reef side. I also cross-posted all catches to PFIC complete with multiple pictures … definitely NOT his idea. Since small (under 8”) brown rockfish were the most common catch (159 out of 535 caught that year) it was also the term I had to type the most frequently. Sometime during that year I just substituted SBRF and sbrf if they were really small. So SBRF/sbrf are truly unique PFIC terms 1st heard right here.

(u)Roncador(/u): Another of the many terms for the ubiquitous white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) aka Pasadena Sewer Trout. But to my knowledge this term is used only in Santa Barbara County, mostly at Stearns Wharf built in 1872. Both Ken and I were puzzled as to its origin but further research revealed that it was originally derived from the Latin name for the spotfin croaker (Roncador stearnsii) which was first cataloged by Steindachner in 1876.

Posted by mel — My fishing glossary will get deleted. Nothing but cuss words.

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Posted by Ken Jones on July 15, 2006 — I’m actually not sure where this list originated, but it’s certainly interesting if you have a passion for fish and anything to do with fish.

pisci-, pisc- + = (Latin: fish)

aureo hamo piscari = To fish with a golden hook.

This motto recognizes the persuasiveness of money. It is similar to Auro quaeque ianus panditur (A golden key opens any door); which translates literally as, “Any door is opened by means of gold.”

piscary

1. Fishing privileges in another’s waters.

2. A place for fishing.

Piscation = Fishing or the act of fishing.

Piscatology = The art or science of fishing.

piscator, piscatorial

1. A fisherman; an angler.

2. Of fishes, fishermen, or fishing.

piscatory

1. Of or pertaining to fishers or to fishing.

2. Employed in or addicted to fishing.

Piscean

1. Of or pertaining to Pisces, the twelfth sign of the Zodiac.

2. Characteristic of a person born under Pisces.

Pisces

1. The 12th (traditional) or the 1st (new reality) sign of the zodiac, represented by two fishes and lasting from approximately February 19 to March 20 (traditional dates) or March 12 to April 18 (new dates). Pisces is classified as a water sign and its ruling planets are Jupiter and Neptune.

2. In biology, fishes; group of vertebrates that includes all fishes in the broad sense.

Piscicapturist = A fisherman.

Piscicide = A substance poisonous to fish; thus, killing fish (fish killer).

piscicole, piscicolous = Living on or within fishes.

pisciculture, piscicultural

1. The controlled breeding, hatching, and rearing of fish, especially for scientific or commercial purposes.

2. The artificial breeding, rearing, and preservation of live fish.

pisciculturist

Someone who breeds and rears fish for scientific or commercial purposes.

Piscifauna = A collective term for the native fishes (of any district or country); the fish-fauna.

Pisciform = Shaped like or otherwise resembling a fish.

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ichthyo-, ichthy-, -ichth- + = (Greek: fish)

ichthic = Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of fishes; having the zoological characters of a fish; piscine.

ichthism, ichthismus = Poisoning due to any toxin produced by a fish. Also, ichthyotoxism.

ichthus, ichthys

1. A representation of a fish, common as a talisman or amulet, and regarded in ancient times as a symbol of fertility.

2. The Greek word for fish was also an acronym for Iesous CHristos, THeou Yios, Soter (Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour) and it is said to be the secret symbol used by early Christians to communicate with each other.  They did this by drawing a fish-like sign or symbol: This symbol is found on many seals, rings, urns, and tombstones from the early Christian period; and for some, it was a mystical charm.

Ichthyarchy = The domain of fishes; the fish-world in all of its orders.

Ichthyoacanth = Sharp-pointed fish fins.

ichthyoacanthotoxin, ichthyoacanthotoxism

1. The venom secreted by venomous fishes, in connection with stings, spines. or “teeth”.

2. Any poison produced by the spines, stings, or teeth of a fish.

Ichthyocolia = A gelatinous substance obtained from the swim-bladder of the fish, Acipenser huso. It is used as an adhesive as well as a clarifying agent. Also known as “isinglass”.

Ichthyocoprolite = The fossilized excrement of fish.

Ichthyodectidae = In paleontology, a family of neopterygian teleost fishes in the extinct order Ichthyodectiformes; large predaceous fish closely related to the Osteoglossomorpha, which generally preferred a marine environment; upper Jurassic and Cretaceous.

Ichthyodont = A fossil tooth of a fish.

ichthyofauna, ichthyofaunal

1. All the fish that live in a particular area.

2. The fish fauna, or fish-life, of a sea or region.

Ichthyographia = An article or report written about fish.

ichthyography, ichthyograph, ichthyographic = A written description about fish.

Ichthyohemotoxin = A poison found in the blood of certain fish.

Ichthyohemotoxism = Intoxication caused by the ingestion of ichthyohemotoxin, characterized by gastrointestinal and neurological disturbances.

Posted by stripesidechaser — Please, this is a family site!

Posted by Ken Jones —  Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis —

It is best to endure what you cannot change. -Seneca, Moral Epistles

Posted by Red Fish —  Ken, you’re going to pisc someone off!

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Posted by The Orion on December 8, 2009 — (Repeats from prior posts, some mistakenly deleted, KJ)

This should be fun!!! So, I noticed that sometimes on these boards people become confused by some of the fisherman slang we use sometimes. Not their fault, just haven’t heard the term before. “Oh, is that a white croaker?” Let’s do a favor for the uninitiated; write down some of the fisherman terms, words and slang you use with a brief definition. Abbreviations too. These should all be definitions you won’t find in the dictionary! I’ll get things started.

Dino — white sturgeon

Furbag —sea lion

WSB —white seabass

Shaker —under-sized fish

The Stik — Candlestick Park/Pier SF

Kingfish — White croaker (Northern California)

HMB — Halfmoon Bay

Pier Rats — the regulars of a particular pier

Dines — sardines

Posted by fatcartmom —

Macks = Mackerels

Drink = water

Salad = seaweed

Posted by la mosca —

MORF = Motor Oil Red Flake (grubs)

MB = Monterey Bay

‘chovies = Anchovies

cabbie = cabezon

Posted by pinoyfisherman —

Dungee — Dungenes crab; can’t think of anymore, you guys took ‘em all.

Posted by santa — 

Spooled-when a running fish pulls most or all of the line from a reel.

MDO-Montano De Oro

MB-Morro Bay

Grassie — Grass Rockfish

Brownie —Brown Rockfish

Posted by pinoyfisherman — Oh I got more:

Sand shark — (in Bay Area) brown smoothhound shark

Striper —striped bass

T-shark — thresher shark

BSP —barred surfperch

Posted by Songslinger —

Pogie: Black Surfperch

Buttermouth: Black Surfperch

Rubbermouth: Black Surfperch

711: Shiner Surfperch

Pacific White: Pile Surfperch (Seacliff Cement Pier)

Split Tail: White Surfperch, Pile Surfperch

Linesider: Striped Bass

Dino: Sturgeon

Diamondback: Sturgeon

Mud Marlin: Bat Ray

Posted by fatcartmom —

Schoolie  — School-size striped bass

Hog — Huge fish

Boil — an abundance of baitfish, so much that they splash the surface of the water, which looks like the water is boiling

White Cap — The white foamy water near the surf

HitchHiker — When you are reeling in a rockfish and a lingcod swallows that rockfish on the way up without getting hooked

Posted by red fish —

bird’s nest/rat’s nest/overun/blow up — conventional/bait-caster reel backlash

barnie/noob/newby — a fishing novice

swing-for-the-fences — hard hook set common in some sturgeon, shark, catfish, blackbass fishing situations

time-on-the-water — some experience and effort put into angling (maybe even at a specific region/body of water)

fish on — a solid connection with a fish

bendo — solid hook up and rod is bent (maybe half or more many times)

a-swing-and-a-miss — borrowed from baseball; gotta bite, “farmed it” by definition above

high-sticking — big fish is right below you pulling hard and you apply a lot of pressure to hoist it up (sometimes resulting in a foot or so cracking off the top of the rod)

glory-hole/honey-hole — a fishing spot that usually holds some good fish (and perhaps is secret to some)

hot-stick/hot-rod — the rod with all the luck lately (or on a given day) as in: “He’s got the hot-rod today on the pier.” Same as hot-bait being the one that works TODAY!

Posted by The Orion —

Side wash — tidal current to shore fishermen

Ghost —white seabass

Bug — lobster

Ling — c’mon, Lingcod

Iron — metal lure

Hubcap- large abalone

Red — red crab (hey, some people do’nt know!)

Splashers — diving pelicans

Posted by Sofa King — What about throw-em-back rays, thornback rays

Posted by mel —

Spot rusher = Person who casts over your line after you catch a fish

Crank! = reel, reel!

Coffee grinder = spinning reel

To “rail” a fish = to get help reeling in a fish by using the rail or gunnel of the boat.

Slack tide = The period of no water movement between tides.

Posted by illcatchanything2 —

BP—  Berkeley Pier

RF — Rockfish

Leo — Leopard Shark

Posted by pinfish — Is “fish-on” party boat lingo?

Posted by red fish — I don’t know whether or not it originated on a party-boat, but it can be more than just an exclamation of a successful connection with a fish like, “Boo-yah!” It’s not just to break up the talk for TV black bass anglers like Bill Dance when they get a positive hook-set. The expression “fish-on” is useful on a crowded pier, or for that matter a crowded bank to alert surrounding anglers that you have a fish on your line that you are starting to fight. Sounds a whole lot better than, “move out of the way” LOL. It is usually followed by a, “coming down,” if a fish starts to run at an angle to the left or right. This way, when you have to go over and under lines people know that you have a legitimate reason; some may even accommodate you by bringing in their lines perhaps.

Posted by The Orion — Yup, especially useful on crowded piers. If you all got your lines in the water for large fish like striper or shark, and a rod goes down, saying “fish on!” will do a lot of useful things. People around you now know that there is a big fish on and (should) react by moving their lines out of the way and getting the landing net/gaff ready. Kinda like saying “color!” on a party boat. (oh, need to add that one)

Posted by phisinpat  — And my ALL time favorite: Fishing On Credit = continuing to leave line in water, knowing that crabs most likely ate up all your bait. Or reeling in a super clean hook.

Posted by Sin_Coast —

MFE = monkeyface eel

Posted by rudesvx — Something I always see people type the following now and then:

Striper = striped bass

Stripper = person removing clothing for entertainment purposes

Posted by polishfromthedeep —

T — Thresher shark

Bone, Boney, Bonehead — Bonito

Cow Shark —7-Gill shark

Leo, Lepp, Leppy — Leopard Shark

Calling a fish green — Means the fish is hot- Means the fish isn’t tired yet

Spanish — Jack Mackerel

Screamer — When you have a fish taking line at an alarming pace off of a convention reel in freespool with the clicker on [aka, T-shark Smile]

Posted by kelpangler — Great thread!

“rubber/plastics” — lures of the soft variety

“fish candy” — the hot/secret bait

“salad” — kelp

“chicken” — bird (like snagging a bird, “having chicken for dinner”)

“Rock fish”— rock (like being stuck on a rock)

“KH” — King Harbor

“MDR” — Marina del Rey

“PV” — Palos Verdes

“turd roller” — sand bass

“checker/calico” — kelp bass

“dragon” — I think I’ve heard this term used for big lingcod?

Posted by friscostriper415 — The word “HEADACHE!!! indicates that you’re about to cast so watch yo @$$. haha

Posted by The Orion —

Granite Grouper — rock (snag)

The Soup — ocean, bay, etc.

RTSP — redtail surfperch

The Effen’ G’s — (DF&G’s) Department of Fish and Game guys *FAVORITE*

Tom Cod —Kingfish (southern California)

Banana — bad throw from a Hawaiian-style throw net.

Posted by kelpangler —

“MLPA” — Marine Life Protection Act

“MLPAI” — Marine Life Protection Act Initiative

“BRTF” — Blue Ribbon Task Force “RSG” — Regional Stakeholders Group

“SAT” — Science Advisory Team

“SIG” — Statewide Interests Group (not to be confused with the more common Special Interests Group)

“MPA” — Marine Protected Area

“SMR” — State Marine Reserve

“SMP” — State Marine Park

“SMCA” — State Marine Conservation Area

Posted by fishmandude — You guys forgot, UPSAC — UNITED PIER AND SHORE ANGLERS OF CALIFORNIA

Honkie — white croaker (Goleta)

Posted by turtle —

Mo = big fish of the day

Rainbows = striped surfperch (though rainbows and striped are somewhat similar in appearance, somewhat)

sea trout = kelp greenling

rock trout = rock greenling

the zoo = ocean beach @ sloat

crack = Gulp baits

Posted by norcalrod —

snot rocket = mud marlin

prime CA real estate = major snag

Posted by muttfishr —

HOG TOAD — big fish

HOOK-UP! — for guys that don’t like to say fish-on

Posted by halibutsnatcher —

SC = Santa Cruz

Monkeys = monkey face eel

Posted by sandtrout —

candy bait = squid

POS = surfers

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Dictionary of Ichthyology by Brian W. Coad and Don E. McAllister

pier = a narrow platform providing access from the shore to deeper water for landing or as a recreational facility. May be floating or fixed on pilings built out into the water but usually of open construction. Often used for fishing.

pier fishing = catching of fish from artificial structures raised out of the water on supports. These structures often form good habitat for fishes.

pier rat = a fisherman (mostly men) who spend inordinate amounts of time on large piers waiting for fish to bite, even sleeping there and developing their own customs.