Pier— Length — Comments

1. San Mateo Pier — 4,135 feet — Part of the old San Mateo Bridge — now closed
2. Berkeley Pier — 3,000 feet — An old pier originally used by cars to reach the Berkeley- San Francisco Ferry— now closed

3. Santa Cruz Wharf — 2,745 feet —Large old commercial wharf; shops, restaurants and fishing

4. Santa Monica Pier — 2,000 feet — Much of the shore end is over beach instead of water; used mainly for recreation

5. Ravenswood Pier — 2,000 feet — west end of old Dumbarton Bridge — now closed
6. Dumbarton Pier — 2,000 feet— east end of old Dumbarton Bridge

7. Ocean Beach Pier — 1,971 feet — Supposedly the longest concrete pier in the world

8. Ventura Pier — 1,958 feet — Supposedly the longest wooden pier in California

9. Stearns Wharf — 1,950 feet — Large commercial wharf; shops, restaurants and fishing

10. Oceanside Pier — 1,942 feet— Some sources say 1,950 feet
11. Seal Beach Pier — 1,865 feet — End section under reconstruction
12. San Francisco Muni — 1,850 feet — Could use some help (repair)

13. Huntington Beach Pier — 1,830 feet

14. Avila Pier — 1,685 feet — Closed for indefinite time, may need to be totally rebuilt

15. Monterey Wharf #2 — 1,636 feet — Large commercial wharf; used by commercial fishing boats at the end, recreational anglers inshore.

Roughly a decade ago, during the time of the MLPA meetings, I wrote a letter to the editor of Western Outdoor News. The gist of my letter was that anglers were sometimes their our own worst enemies. At a time when public support of fishing was needed, too many anglers broke the rules. Too many kept fish that were too small, too many kept over the limit numbers of fish, and too many broke the seasonal regulations, i.e., for lobster. And unfortunately, too much of this was taking place on the piers where casual passersby could note the actions. It might happen as often on boats or kayaks but they were generally out of view of the public.

Not much seems to have changed in the intervening years. In fact, a recent incident at the Huntington Beach Pier once again brought down the wrath of the public on anglers—and especially pier anglers.

In late February a shark, probably a great white shark, was hooked from the pier, gaffed using a treble-hook pier gaff, and brought up to the pier to cheers from a crowd of interested onlookers. Pictures were taken and then, apparently, the fish was thrown back into the ocean where it probably died.

The entire episode was filmed by a visitor to the pier who then posted it to YouTube. Soon after someone showed the film to local lifeguards who then contacted the California Fish and Wildlife Department. By then the film had gone viral.

The headlines and reporting summed up the situation—and the feelings. “Possible catch of great white shark at Huntington Beach Pier brings state investigation.” “Video, selfies with baby shark caught off Huntington Beach pier leads to calls for penalties.” “Brutal Treatment of Great White Shark at Huntington Beach Under Investigation”—[the footage is disturbing—a rabid crowd jeers as the shark gets pulled up and placed on the pier.]

The comments that followed were predictable and give evidence of the problem—”Great White Life’s matter. These sportsmen’ need to be investigated, savages…” “This is not sport fishing but the gratuitous torture of an animal.” “Bunch of barbarians.” “The shark died… irregardless if released. If hoisting the shark onto the pier like that didn’t suffocate it, gaffing it in the gills killed it. Those idiots should’ve known better considering the heavy set ups they had.”

“The LA TIMES shows ‘anglers pulling a shark onto the pier as a crowd of people with cameras gathers to watch.’ I love the representation that these guys are anglers. Like they’re in any semblance of the definition a sports fisher. They are two thugs in California with nothing better do to with their time then hang out at a pier versus a bar and kill against the law a protected species that has way more class than these two excuses for humanity will ever have!”

“Protected species– not protected from morons.” “These idiots give all fisherman a bad name. That isn’t something to brag about it’s a protected species.”  “What is wrong with people, this is not the first time this has happened so don’t allow fishing off piers if government cannot control the situation.”

Understandably the Fish and Wildlife Department is investigating with a certain amount of caution. Was it a great white shark whose capture is prohibited? Was it a mako shark, which is legal to catch? Bottom line—does the department feel it can successfully prosecute the anglers for breaking the law? A lot of time and expense can be invested, and lost, if the department can’t prove it was a great white.

A quote in the Orange County Register from the Department of Fish and Wildlife gives evidence of the problem. Spokesman Andrew Hughan, indicated the caution. “It hasn’t yet been determined to be a great white. There are many sharks that look similar,” he said. “I would ask the public to be patient. We are working diligently, investigations take time. Just because everybody says it’s a white shark, doesn’t mean it’s a white shark. We are very well trained and experienced and we’re wildlife experts, but this isn’t ‘CSI,’ we can’t determine things overnight.” In time we will know their conclusion and what legal steps will be taken.

Judgement from local pier anglers was much quicker to reach a conclusion—one of guilt. Many were incensed and convinced that the anglers were seeking out the great whites. One of the regulars I talked to asked the question: “What does it say when an angler is using 12/0 to 16/0 hooks and a 200-pound wire leader? What else could they be fishing for? Given that new, more critical attention is now focused on local pier fishermen, especially those who target large thresher sharks and bat rays, there was little sympathy shown to the anglers under investigation.

The odds do seem to favor the notion that it was a great white. The catch of the (assumed) great white from the pier followed an unprecedented increase of great whites seen in the area during the past few years.

In 2015 scientists working with Chris Lowe of Long Beach State University, the local expert on sharks, spotted 21 great whites off of Huntington Beach and tagged 16 of the fish.     .

On Memorial Day 2016, an unidentified shark bit a woman swimming in the surf at nearby Newport Beach. She lived but evidence from the size of her wounds suggested it was a great white over ten feet in length.

2017, a new year and more sharks. On February 14 a (supposed) juvenile great white, just 6-7-feet-long, was hooked and lost from the Huntington Beach Pier.

On February 20 or 21 an 8-foot-long great white shark was reeled in by anglers targeting thresher sharks while fishing from the surf in Sunset Beach (near Huntington Harbor). The shark was released.

Just a few hours later on the same day the great white that has caused the current controversy was hooked from the Huntington Beach Pier. Its capture was documented on a YouTube video by Mike Hefner, a visitor who just happened to be on the pier that day. The YouTube video has now been seen by more than 100,000 viewers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp1xo0245KY

As mentioned, viewers brought the YouTube video to the attention of local lifeguards who then brought it to the attention of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The drama wasn’t over. On February 23, a helicopter crew spotted an 11-to-14-foot-long shark swimming 100 feet off of Bolsa Chica State Beach. A few hours later a 6-7-foot-long great white was spotted in the same area. In response, swimmers were banned from using a two-mile stretch of waters along the Huntington Beach shoreline.

None of this surprised regulars on the pier who have reported seeing great whites many times. Their conclusion was that the great whites were feeding on the sting rays in the surf area — and they may be right.

In regard to the capture of the shark at the pier, the questions are fairly simple. Was the angler targeting great white sharks? Of course not according to the angler. Did they know it was a great white when they saw the fish at the top of the water? Of course not according to the angler. Why did they gaff it with a pier gaff and bring it up to the surface of the pier?  They said it was too big for a net so they used the gaff but that doesn’t answer the question about bringing it up to the pier in the first place. Some witnesses said they tossed the fish back into the water after celebratory pictures although no one seems to know if the shark was still alive. Why did they release it if they didn’t think it was a great white? No answers that I’ve seen.

What should have been done? A quote reported by CBS Los Angeles gives the best response. “As soon as they have a visual of the fish on the surface and they determine that it’s not legal to fish for, they need to cut the line right way,” said Lt. Claude Panis, a safety officer with the Huntington Beach Marine Patrol.

What is not in question is the fact that great white sharks have been a protected species since 1994 and that their catch can result in a fine up to $10,000.  It’s also known that while most “shark” anglers on piers are seeking out thresher sharks, leopard sharks, or big bat rays there are some anglers who hope to catch a great white and purposely target them (and it can be hard to tell the difference simply based on gear).

The incident brought back memories of the controversy that took place at the Manhattan Beach Pier in May of 2015 when a great white shark was hooked by an angler on the pier. A swimmer than ventured out by the hooked shark and was, in turn, bitten by the agitated fish. No one blamed the swimmer or the fish; all blamed the angler who had hooked the fish (while fishing for bat rays).

The city exploded! The pier was illegally closed, hearings were held, and the city council issued several new city ordinances that were, in themselves, illegal. These included banning all fishing for sharks, prohibiting wire leaders, and prohibiting certain types of fishing line. The California Coastal Commission and the Department of Fish and Wildlife said they couldn’t do what they did but as of 2017 those rules are still in effect.

The situation at Manhattan Beach as well as an earlier incident was reviewed in articles I wrote for my kenjonesfishing.com blog.

Great Whites at the Manhattan Beach Pier?

http://kenjonesfishing.com/2013/12/great-whites-at-the-manhattan-beach-pier/

 Manhattan Beach, Sharks, Swimmers — Redux

 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/05/manhattan-beach-sharks-swimmers-—-redux/

Long term the situation made the city, anglers, and the state departments look bad. And, the situation has still not been resolved. More meetings are scheduled but progress has been nil to date.

As to the sharks, white shark versus mako, it turns out I had written an article on the differences in 2011.

 Great Whites & Makos

http://kenjonesfishing.com/2011/10/great-whites-makos-—/

Both incidents, the one at the Huntington Beach Pier and the one at Manhattan Beach have, unfortunately, made anglers look bad to a certain segment of society at a time when anglers need all the support they can get.  Some day we’ll learn.

The issues involved in these two stories do bring up the corollary question of what to do when you hook an illegal fish.It’s not that uncommon to hook illegal fish, i.e., garibaldi or silver salmon, but you need to know your fish and know what to do if you hook an illegal fish.

Sometimes you want to remove the hook or tackle from the mouth of a fish and for small fish like a garibaldi you might be able to net the fish and carefully remove the hook before putting it back down into the water with a net. For big fish like a giant (black) sea bass, a sturgeon, or a large shark simply cutting the line is probably the best answer.

As said though you need to know your fish species. I have my own species name for ignorant anglers—Knuckleheadus californicus: California anglers who through ignorance, or purposeful negligence, fail to follow California’s fishery laws. Especially egregious are those who purposely target and catch “illegal” species and whose actions lead to the death of those fish (even if attempting to return them back to the water).

Anglers today must know the species and must follow not only the rules but also best practices as far as catch and release and the proper handling of fish. Failure to do so not only can mean the loss of the fish but also the loss of support of the public who far too often sees anglers as harming the environment instead of people who usually are trying to preserve it.

Most anglers I know are ethical and support conservationist efforts but there are also those that don’t. It’s our job to reach out and teach those who are still acting like knuckleheads and harming the reputation of reputable anglers.

By the way, here’s one more article on great whites, a story I wrote after a lady was killed at Avila when she decided to swim by the sea lions at the pier. It wasn’t a wise choice since great whites like nothing better than seals and sea lions and a swimmer in a wet suit can look a lot like a seal.

Great Whites, Avila and San Luis Obispo Bay

http://kenjonesfishing.com/2011/07/great-whites-avila-and-san-luis-obispo-bay/

Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Species: Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842); from the Latin word sardine  (sardina), the Greek word ops  (like), and the Latin word sagux  (of quick perception, acute or alert).

Alternate Names: Pilchard, ‘dines, dinies (small sardines) and dinos, firecrackers (small sardines), rhinos or trout (large sardines). Called sardina Monterrey in Mexico.

Identification: Cigar-shaped like herring but blue green above, silverfish-white below, and identified by a series of black spots on the back. (Fish Bulletin #28 said they had dark green coloring on the back with opalescent reflections, shading into iridescent  silvery sides with round black spots of varying degree).

Size: Up to 16 1/4 inches but most caught from piers are under a foot in length.

A LARGE sardine caught at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara

Range: Guaymas, Mexico to Kamchatka, Alaska.

Habitat: Pelagic in nature but generally in nearshore waters. At times, moves into shallower water and bays but found from the surface down to about 80 feet. They generally travel in very large schools called “shoals” and frequently school with Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel, and anchovies.

Piers: Sardines experience up and down cycles in numbers but when present can be caught at almost every California pier. I have caught them at 28 piers ranging from the Imperial Beach Pier near the Mexican border to Citizen’s Dock in Crescent City, just over 20 miles from the Oregon border. I never caught a sardine at a California pier from 1962 until 1990 when I landed a few at the Seal Beach Pier and Belmont Veterans Pier in Long Beach. However, I soon began to catch them at many piers and by 1994 I had  experienced phenomenal fishing at several piers (especially those in the Morro Bay area). From that point until the last few years have seen continued catches (with the most recent being at the Eureka Boardwalk in 2016). Best bets when present: Newport Pier, Balboa Pier, Hermosa Beach Pier, Port Hueneme Pier, Gaviota Pier, Pismo Beach Pier, Avila Pier, Port San Luis Pier, Morro Bay T-Piers, Cayucos Pier, San Simeon Pier, Monterey Wharf #2, Capitola Wharf, Santa Cruz Wharf and the Johnson Pier in Pillar Point Harbor.

Sardines caught at the Santa Cruz Wharf in 2003

Shoreline: Rarely taken from shore excepting in bays—Morro Bay, San Francisco Bay and Humboldt Bay.

Boats: Rarely taken from boats unless “making bait.”

Bait and Tackle: Light tackle. Generally caught on bait rigs like Lucky Lura or Sabiki outfits. Also can be caught on size 8-10 hooks fished with a small piece of pile worm or very small strip of anchovy. Puts up a very credible fight for its size.

Food Value:  Can be baked, broiled, bar-b-cued, or pickled. Considered somewhat superior to its cousin Pacific herring.

Comments: Most people have heard the stories of the tremendous commercial catches of sardines back in the 1930s and ’40s—catches in the billions. Then there was a virtual disappearance of sardines for many years with anchovies replacing them in many areas. Many scientists blamed overfishing for the collapse of the fishery, others claimed it was a cyclical phenomenon related, at least in part, to water temperature. Today most scientists feel there were a number of different causes that, in connection with the over fishing and change in water temperatures, led to the collapse. Recent decades, as mentioned above, saw an increase in the number of sardines. That’s the good news! The bad news is that sardines are in decline once again. NOAA Fisheries reports that “the population took a nose dive and dropped by roughly 90 percent between 2007 and 2016. In response to this crash, in April 2015 the federal Pacific Fishery Management Council voted to close the directed commercial fishery. This week [April 12, 2016] the Council voted to keep the fishery closed for another year.” The following articles give evidence of the problem.

Pacific Sardine

http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/pelagic/pacific_sardine_landings.html

The Role of Fishing in the Pacific Sardine Collapse

http://usa.oceana.org/blog/role-fishing-pacific-sardine-collapse

As Pacific sardine collapse worsens, scientists worry about ecosysyem ripple

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2016/03/as_pacific_sardine_collapse_wo.html

 Lizardfish—Family Synodontidae

Lizardfish, Avila Pier in 2013

Species: Synodus lucioceps (Ayres, 1855); from the Greek word synodus (the ancient name of a fish in which the teeth meet), and the Latin word lucioceps  (pike head).

Alternate Names: Gar, barracuda, candlefish. Called lagarto lucio or chile lucio in Mexico.

Identification: They are cylindrical shaped with a broad lizard-like head and a mouth full of large canine-like teeth; the snout is almost triangular. Their coloring is mostly brown or greenish-brown above with a brassy luster on the side; blackish stripes along the lateral line; some criss-cross lines running at angles from the lateral line to the back; sides and belly usually a light gray; lower jaw and fins yellow. Young fish have a series of blue-colored diamonds along the lateral line.

A lizardfish from Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara in 2013

Size: Up to 25.2 inches and around 4 pounds; most caught off piers are under 14 inches.

Range: From Guaymas, Mexico, and Gulf of California, to Cape Beal, British Columbia. Listed in most “fish books” as an uncommon catch, especially north of Point Conception, and rare north of San Francisco. I used to agree. I fished California piers for 17 years before I caught my first lizardfish, a fish from the Newport Pier in 1978. Four years later I caught my second, a fish at Port Hueneme, and then in 1984 a third was caught at Wharf #2 in Monterey. It would stay that way, basically an occasional, incidental catch into the mid-90s when they began to show up more regularly. Then, in 2006, it seemed their numbers took off and in the intervening years they have become a regular catch at many if not most piers from San Diego north to Santa Cruz. In 2013 reports were coming in of vast numbers of lizardfish from San Diego north, and in personal visits to Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), Gaviota, Port San Luis, Avila, the Morro Bay T-Piers, Cayucos, San Simeon and Wharf #2 in Monterey, they seemd to literally cover the bottom and anglers using Sabiki-type bait rigs were bringing in 4-6 fish every cast. Why the change? I haven’t heard a good reason although they do seem to show up most commonly in cold-water years.

A lizardfish from the Goleta Pier in 2007

Habitat: Prefers shallow, sandy areas 5 to 150 feet deep. Lizzies are ambush predators that spend most of their time sitting motionless on the bottom with the body at a slight angle (using their large pelvic fins) waiting for food to swim by. They then dart out at a fairly amazing speed to grab their meal with their long, pointed teeth.

Piers: Once uncommon but now common at many piers—Imperial Beach Pier, Crystal Pier, Oceanside Pier, Balboa Pier, Newport Pier, Venice Pier, Malibu Pier, Port Hueneme Pier, Stearns Wharf, Goleta Pier, Port San Luis and Wharf #2 in Monterey.

A lizardfish caught by sanclementeeric at the Balboa Pier in 2012

Shoreline: Taken occasionally on skiffs and kayaks fishing in bays or in shallow to moderately shallow water areas.

Boats: Rarely seen on boats.

Bait and Tackle: Commonly caught when fishing the bottom for other species. Seems to hit almost any bait but the key is to keep the bait moving. I have caught them on cut bait, strips of squid, pile worms and Sabikis. Use light or medium tackle and a size 6 to 2 hook. Several people have reported that small lizardfish themselves make good bait for halibut, another predator species that mimics the lizard’s behavior.

Yes, lizardfish are sometimes caught on artificial lures — Cabrillo Pier, 2010 (above) and Cayucos Pier, 2005 (below)

Food Value: Reportedly, they are good to eat but quite bony. Some people say the flesh has a strong “fishy” odor and an iodine taste, but others say they are good eating. I’m not sure. There is however a large market for dried lizardfish in Asia. According to Wikipedia, “The Bombay duck or bummalo (Harpadon nehereus, Bengali: bamaloh or loytta, Gujarati: bumla, Marathi: bombil: Bombeli, Sinhala) is, despite its name, not a duck but a lizardfish. It is native to the waters between Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and Kutch in the Arabian Sea, and a small number are also found in the Bay of Bengal. Great numbers are also caught in the South China Sea. The fish is often dried and salted before it is consumed, as its meat does not have a distinctive taste of its own. After drying, the odour of the fish is extremely powerful, and it is usually transported in airtight containers. Fresh fish are usually fried and served as a starter. In Mumbai, Konkan and the western coastal areas in India this dish is popularly known as ‘Bombil fry.’”

Lizardfish head seen at the Cryustal Pier in San Diego, 2005

Comments: With the influx of lizardfish people keep asking what they are good for. One answer is that they make decent live bait for halibut (and a big money halibut tournament was won one year by an angler using a lizardfish as live bait). Other fish will also hit a lizardfish being used for bait; most surprising was a 40-pound giant (black) sea bass that was taken in San Diego Bay in July of 2013 on a lizardfish (and returned to the water since they are illegal). You just never know.

You can’t always choose your relatives (and luckily mine are a nice group). But consider the poor lizardfish. Lizzies are a cyclosquamate fish placed in the order, Aulopiformes, along with a dozen or so other families. Nothing strange about that except that all of those other families are deepwater fish, what one Ichthyology book (Fishes, Moyle and Cezh) calls “a mixed bag of odd fishes.” Included are the barracundinas, sabertooths, pearleyes, lancetfishes, greeneyes, spiderfishes and grideyes. All of these either occupy the water column of the deep sea or are actual deepsea bottom-dwellers. Only the various lizardfish are considered inshore fish (although two species are deepwater fish). And while both the California lizardfish and Atlantic lizardfish reach fairly cool waters, most lizzies call tropical and subtropical waters their home.

I found that out during a trip to Hawaii in 1993 while chaperoning a group from Anderson Valley High School. We were staying near Waikiki Beach and several of us headed over to the beach to do a little surf fishing. In two hours I only managed three fish but one surprised me by being a lizardfish—a variegated lizardfish (Synodus variegates). It was the only lizardfish I caught on that trip although a return trip to Waikiki Beach two years later yielded up another variegated lizardfish. Two trips doesn’t mean they’re common for that beach but they were certainly common for me.

Notwithstanding their oddball cousins, lizardfish do have one honor. Not too many fish have had Naval vessels named after them. Not so with the typically maligned lizardfish. The USS Lizardfish (SS-373) was a Balao-class submarine commissioned December 30, 1944. Built in Illinois, she was towed down the Mississippi River to Algiers, Louisiana before putting out to sea where she traveled through the Panama Canal on way to Pearl Harbor. Soon after, she was headed out to the Java Sea and South China Sea where she was successfully engaged in several battles. The ship earned one battle star for World War II but the end of the war brought an end to the need for her service. The ship was decommissioned on June 1946 after less than two years of service.

The Kids Corner 

Kids love Lizardfish since they are easy to catch

This youngster was amazed with the lizardfish — Cabrillo Pier in 2009

Grandson Adam seemed to like this lizardfish — Avila Pier Kids Tournament 2013

Granddaughter Katie can take ‘em or leave ‘em — Avila Pier Kids Tournament 2013

A friends daughter — Avila Pier Kids Tournament 2013

One more, Avila Pier Kids Tournament 2013

Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara) Kids Tournament, 2013

Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara) Kids Tournament, 2013

A happy kid is a happy mom — Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara) Kids Tournament 2013

White Croaker from the Avila Pier

Species: Genyonemus lineatus (Ayres, 1855); from the Greek words genys (lower jaw) and nema (barbel) and the Latin word lineatus  (striped).

Alternate Names: Tomcod (southern California), roncador (Ventura and Santa Barbara area), kingfish (central and northern California), sewer trout, tommy croaker, and brownie or brown bait. Also called silver bass, golden gobbler, cognard, little bass, and little roncador. Early-day names given by commercial fishermen included carbinette and chenfish. Called corvineta blanca in Mexico. Disparaging names used at one time by residents of Los Angeles included Pasadena trout and Glendale trout while residents of Orange County sometimes called them Santa Ana corbina. No wonder newbie anglers were sometimes confused as to what they had caught.

My son Mike and a white croaker (aka kingfish) from the Pacifica Pier in 1977

Identification:  Very similar to the yellowfin croaker, however, the white croaker has a black spot under the upper base of the pectoral fin. The tip of the snout projects beyond the lower jaw and there are several tiny barbels under the lower jaw (unlike the one large barbel found on most croakers). Their coloring is a metallic gray or brassy back, fading to a white or silver belly; fins are yellowish.

Size: To 16 1/2 inches. Size seems to vary according to the region. In southern California and along the central coast, north to Cayucos, most of the white croakers caught from piers are under 10 inches in length (and seeming to be getting smaller). At more northern piers, fish of over a foot, and many approaching the maximum size, are common.

Range: Bahia Magdalena, southern Baja California, to Barkley Sound, British Colombia. Rarely taken north of San Francisco.

Michael and a mess of fish—white croaker, Pacific tomcod and one starry flounder at the Pacifica Pier in 1977

Habitat: Recorded from the surf zone down to a depth of 780 feet but typically found in shallow, sandy and muddy bottom areas from 10-100 feet in depth—both in the ocean and in larger bays. Generally a schooling fish so where you find one you will find more. Likes to hang out with queenfish though usually the schools of queenfish will be mid-depth while the schools of white croaker will be down near the bottom.

Piers: Common year-round on California piers north to San Francisco Bay. Best bets: almost every oceanfront pier in southern and central California lists white croaker as the number one fish caught (or at least in the top five). However, there has been a decrease in numbers and average size in the last decade.

Shoreline: A common catch by shore anglers in southern California.

Boats: Not a major catch but taken by boaters in southern and central California.

White croaker (aka kingfish) at the Fort Mason Pier in 2013

Bait and Tackle: White croaker will hit almost any bait, but the best is a small strip or chunk of anchovy; second best would be bloodworms or pile worms. Typical gear is a high/low surf leader rigged with size 4 to 2 hooks. White croaker like to hit the bait as it is descending after a cast or as soon as it hits bottom. The best technique is to reel the line taunt as soon as the cast is completed; you will often feel the croaker hit almost immediately. Fish from mid-way on the pier to the deepest water.

White croaker (aka roncador) and one barred surfperch, Goleta Pier 1990

Food Value:  A mild-flavored fish that is popular with many ethnic groups. However, because of the fact that they primarily feed on benthic organisms living on the bottom, especially worms that live in the mud (and often contain toxins in their system), and the fact that they often congregate around sewer outfalls (leading to the nickname sewer trout), white croaker are banned in more areas than any other fish (what a great honor!). Although the ingested toxins now in their flesh can be removed (to some extent) by proper cleaning and certain methods of cooking, it is better to simply throw the fish back. This is primarily true in southern California areas, especially bays, and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Both areas today see signs posted on piers warning (in several languages) about consumption of the fish. Most of the white croaker taken from oceanfront waters in central California are fine to eat (and they tend to have a firmer flesh than white croaker caught in the warmer waters of southern California).

A white croaker (aka kingfish) caught by Mel at the McNear Beach Pier

Comments: White croaker have been, and perhaps still are, one of the most maligned and disliked fish by pier rats (see below). They seem too easy to catch, steal bait intended for more desirable fish, give little fight, and often have worms or other parasites in their flesh. In addition, as mentioned, they are unfit to eat in many areas because of local pollution. Anathema, accursed, and detested are some words that come to mind regarding the traditional view of these “trash” fish. However, since they are also highly regarded by some groups, are sold in considerable quantities by commercial fish markets, and often provide action when nothing else seems to be biting, it may be more a problem of attitude and education than a problem with the fish. Whereas the common approach by many in the past was to slam a “tomcod” down against the pier’s surface and then disgustedly kick it over the side, today more and more anglers are returning them to the sea.

From the Los Angeles Times, April 20, 1917—With the passage of the bill prohibiting the sale of trout in California after October 31 it will be necessary for the cafés and restaurants to see what can be done with a perfectly good tom-cod. Barring the bones and the meat they are not half bad.

From the Los Angeles Times, December 17, 1930—Tomcods, otherwise known as “Pasadena trout,” and sold on the market as “kingfish,” once placed well in the favor of the angler, but of late years have proved the anti-climax of those who go down to the sea to fish, but for some reason or other they do not hobnob with the mackerel, according to visitors of the big Alaska packer off the Lick Pier at Ocean Park.

From Fish Bulletin No. 49, The Commercial Fish Catch of California for the year 1935 by the DF&G, 1936—“In addition to the commercial catch of kingfish here shown, many kingfish and queenfish are taken each year by amateur fishermen, especially in southern California. Although generally scorned by sport fishermen, these fishes add much to the pleasure and to the larders of hundreds of people fishing off the wharves and piers along the California coast.—Frances N. Clark.”

From The fishes of the family Sciaenidae (Croakers) of California by the DF&G, 1939—“GENYONEMUS LINEATUS (AYRES), Kingfish, not a sport fish in the true sense of the word; nobody wants to catch them but everybody does. Most of the southern California sportsmen call the species “tomcod,” which is of course a misnomer, but many of them call it derisively “Pasadena trout,” which evidently is not appreciated by the inhabitants of this city, who in their turn scornfully refer to it as “Glendale trout.” The reason for the low standing of this fish is evidently the softness of the flesh and the idea that it is “wormy.” Late afternoons appear to yield the best catches, which is unfortunate since some of the desired croakers appear to have the same characteristic, but any time and nearly any reasonable place will give results. It is the only croaker taken from the wharves in central California. In at least one respect, however, the kingfish are desirable to the sportsmen. Small specimens can be used as live bait nearly as successfully as queenfish.”

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/10/white-croaker/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/avila-pier-%e2%80%94-2013-kids-fishing-tournament/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/avila-pier-%e2%80%94-2013-kids-fishing-tournament/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2015 06:05:18 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=9066 Beautiful weather and hungry fish helped make the 2013 Avila Pier Youth Fishing Tournament a resounding success. Sponsored by the United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the tournament was held at the Avila Pier on September 14, 2013. Although competing against opening soccer days for many areas, the tournament still drew 36 young anglers and a crowd of over 100 people.

Avila Pier in the foreground, the Cal Poly research pier in the middle, and the Port San Luis Pier in the distance

Mary Patyten from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife distributed literature and signed up youngsters for the department’s “Fishing Passport Program”

The derby was held at the end of the Avila Pier

Free loaner rods and reels, free bait, free hot dog lunches, raffle prizes for every kid, and a winner for each age group helped keep the derby interesting. Perhaps as important was the catch of many fish,  even if most were small  lizardfish. Fish, no matter the size, seemed to keep the youngsters excited and hungry for more. The 36 youngsters caught 261 lizardfish, 19 white croaker and 7 speckled sanddab; nothing big but fun nevertheless, especially since many had never caught a fish before in their life.

The Avila Pier sits in a beautiful setting!

The first fish caught was a white croaker

There was a steady catch of lizardfish

A small speckled sanddab joined in the fun

Yep, it’s a lizardfish

After the fishing concluded, lunch was served followed by the raffle in which every youngster received a gift.

Get your tickets out and listen for the numbers

Raffle prizes were donated by UPSAC, IGFA, NOAA, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Fish Taco Chronicle Magazine, and Jim Kelsey owner of Zippy’s At The Pier (the bait shop on Avila Pier). The grand prize, two half-day fishing trips, was donated by Patriot Sportfishing of Port San Luis. Special thanks go to Linnette Ganster and the Port San Luis Harbor District for use of the Avila Pier.

The last event was the announcement of the age group winners. Age group winners: 6-year-old Julia Terry; 7-year-old Michael Beareden; 8-year-old Cassandra Eroh; 9-year-old Luke Zhao; 10-year-old James Dwer; 11-year-old Larry Zhao; 12-year-old Mason Marini; 13-year-old Emily Wamhof; and 14-year-old Lee Andra Garcia. All winners received trophies from UPSAC, beautiful certificates from the IGFA, and autographed copies of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones.

6-Year-Old Winner Julia Terry and UPSAC President Ken Jones

7-Year-Old Winner Michael Beareden

8-Year-Old Winner Cassandra Eroh

9-Year-Old Winner Luke Zhao

10-Year-Old Winner James Dwer

11-Year-Old Winner Larry Zhao

12-Year-Old Winner Mason Marini

13-Year-Old Winner Emily Wamhof

14-Year-Old Winner Lee Andra Garcia

The event Coordinator was Michael Spence from UPSAC ably assisted by his lovely wife Cheryl. They were joined by Ken Jones, President of UPSAC, Robert Gardner, Vice President of UPSAC, and Brian Linebarger, Secretary of UPSAC. Helpers included Pier Fishing in California members Burger (from Malibu), Sylvania, and Preston Davis (East Bay) as well as a number of people from Santa Maria. Representing California Fish and Wildlife was Mary Peyton who manned a booth and signed up kids for the California Fishing Passport Program.  Representing Zippy’s At The Pier was Jim Kelsey.

A certificate was given to Jim Kelsey from Zippy’s At The Pier (on the Avila Pier)

Cheryl Spence, Robert Gardner and Preston Davis take a break before the final clean-up begins.

Cheryl Spence handled much of the registration

“Big Rich” and Brian Linebarger helping the youngsters get started

The first fish to be caught was a jacksmelt

Carrie Wilson from the California Department of Fish and Game and her husband Jeff set up and staffed an informational display during the derby and helped the young anglers learn about the California Fishing Passport Program. As they caught fish, Carrie would stamp the species in the booklets.

This young lady caught a thornback ray

Don’t be afraid, they can’t hurt you. Just watch out for the spines on the back.

The thornback ray earned an entry into the “Passport” booklet

UPSAC’s Brian Linebarger helps with a small fish

Fish included a small speckled sanddab

A white croaker

UPSAC volunteers included Boyd Grant the manager of UPSAC’s Goleta Pier Angler Center

You don’t need a boat to go fishing!

Free loaner rods and reels, free bait, free hot dog lunches, raffle prizes for every kid, and an age group winner in each category helped the excitement but so did the chance to catch a fish and, in many cases, that meant their first fish. Although the fishing was slow almost every kid caught “something” and all had a great time. Fish that were caught included cabezon, jacksmelt, kingfish (white croaker), small rockfish, sanddabs, staghorn sculpin and a lone squid.

A happy youngster with a white croaker

Checking out the CA DF&G

There’s lots of stuff

UPSAC’s Robert Gardner and Boyd Grant

Moms also like to go fishing!

What is this?

A sanddab

Carrie Wilson marks the sanddab in the book

There’s nothing like a nice day on the pier with the kids!

Buddy, I think it’s stuck!

Another sanddab

Next up, following the fishing and a hot dog lunch, was a raffle. Raffle prizes were donated by NOAA, the California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Taco Chronicle Magazine, The Tidepool (Cayucos), Oceanside Pier Bait & Tackle, Avila Pier Bait and Tackle, and the San Diego Sportfishing Council. The grand prize, two half-day fishing trips, was donated by Patriot Sportfishing of Port San Luis. Special thanks go to Mara Ziehn and the Port San Luis Harbor District for use of the Avila Pier.

Louis and Denise Dornbush, owners of the Avila Pier Bait & Tackle Shop

Carrie Wilson from the Fish and Game was asked to hand out the various raffle prizes

The big prize was two fishing trips from the Patriot Sportfishing fleet of boats

The final event was the awarding of the age group winners. Age group winners: 6-year-old Kobe Keovilai; 7-year-old Gavin Kidd; 8-year-old (tie) Caleb Reed & Laura Alvarez; 9-year-old Rebecca Cagle; 10-year-old Matthew Keovilai; 11-year-old Darian Cagle; 12-year-old Justin Selken; 13-year-old Brandon Suarez; 14-year-old (tie) Michael Cagle & Amanda Avilia;15-year-old Dalton Walker. All winners received trophies, beautiful certificates from the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), and autographed copies of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones.

Cheryl Spence tabulating results.

UPSAC President Ken Jones and the Derby Coordinator (and UPSAC Board Member) Mike Spence ready the crowd for the age group winner prizes.

The 6-Year-Old Winner was Kobe Keovilai

The 7-Year-Old Winner was Gavin Kidd

The 8-Year-Old age bracket had a tie. One Winner was Caleb Reed

The other 8-Year-Old Winner was Laura Alvarez

The 9-Year-Old Winner was Rebecca Cagle

The 11-Year-Old winner was Darian Cagle

The 12-Year-Old Winner Justin Selken

The14-Year-Old Winner was Amanda Avilia

The 15-Year-Old Winner was Dalton Walker

A tired group: Cheryl Spence in the back, Brian Linebarger and Robert Gardner in the front, and Boyd Grant standing.

The event Coordinator was Michael Spence from UPSAC, ably assisted by his lovely wife Cheryl. They were joined by Ken Jones, President of UPSAC, Robert Gardner, Vice President of UPSAC, Brian Linebarger, Secretary of UPSAC, Cheryl Spence, Boyd Grant, Richard McIntosh, John Burke, Kevin Branx, and Louis and Denise Dornbush, owners of the Avila Bait and Tackle store.

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/avila-pier-%e2%80%94-2012-kids-fishing-derby/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/avila-pier-%e2%80%94-2011-kids-fishing-derby/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/avila-pier-%e2%80%94-2011-kids-fishing-derby/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2015 18:06:32 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=8152 Although the morning’s thunder, lightening, and rain undoubtedly scared away some participants, thirty six youngsters still showed up for the First Annual Avila Pier Kid’s Fishing Derby on September 10, 2011.

Registration was handled by Tamra Spence and Cheryl Spence

I’m going to catch one this big! Dora and Elaine Liu

Warren Liu

Move your right hand up a little farther…

A “fishin’ family” and Hashem Nahid from UPSAC

UPSAC’s James Liu, Mike Spence (Santa), Dora Liu and Elaine Liu

You’ve got to check your bait

A happy young angler

It’s always good to take the daughter fishing

Sponsored by United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the kids got a chance to fish with loaner rods/reels, received a free lunch, won raffle prizes, and received “goody bags” filled with a variety of gifts.

How about some ice cream with your fishing?

And though the fishing was slow—mackerel, sardines, sanddabs, sculpin, and perch—as well as a squid and several crabs, all the kids appeared to have a great time.

A small speckled sanddab

A small staghorn sculpin aka bullhead

How many did you catch? Four? Great!

One of the favorite times for the kids is the raffle and we had a plethora of different gifts, some small and some big.

UPSAC’s Central Coast Coordinator Mike Spence, Tamra Spence, a hidden Ken Jones, and Cheryl Spence

In the background, Denise and Louis Dornbush, owners of the Avila Pier Bait and Tackle shop

Amanda Liu

Age-group winners received new rods and reels, an autographed copy of Pier Fishing in California, a beautiful certificate from the IGFA, and copies of the California Finfish and Shellfish Identification Book. The winners were—6 Years and younger: Kylie Mazzanti; 7-year-old: Steve Lourenco; 8-year-old: Alvaro Bravo; 9-year-old: Mason Cazaet; 10-year-old: Nico Fanacchi; 11-year-old: Warren Liu; 12-year-old: Jason Burtneti; and 13-year-old Tanayra Bravo.

UPSAC Coordinator Mike Spence and 7-Year-Old Winner Steve Lourence

UPSAC Coordinator Mike Spence and 8-Year-Old Winner Alvaro Bravo

UPSAC Coordinator Mike Spence and 9-Year-Old Winner Mason Cazact

UPSAC Coordinator Mike Spence and 10-Year-Old Winner Nico Fanacchi

UPSAC Coordinator Mike Spence and 11-Year-Old-Winner Warren Liu

UPSAC Coordinator Mike Spence and 12-Year-Old Winner Jason Burtneti

Following the announcement of the age group winners was the handing out of the “Goody Bags” that contained even more gifts.

The volunteer workers were led by Derby Coordinator (and UPSAC Board Membe) Mike Spence. He was was assisted by fellow board member Hashem Nahid, UPSAC Treasurer James Liu, and UPSAC President Ken Jones. They were joined by Pier Fishing in California (pierfishing.com) member RobF, Louis and Denise Dornbush (owners of the Avila Pier Bait & Tackle Shop), Cheryl Spence, Tamra Spence, and John Burke.

Gifts were donated by the Avila Pier Bait & Tackle, The Tidepool (Cayucos), Oceanside Pier B&T, Promar, IGFA, NOAA and the California Fish and Game.

Thornback rays taken at the Ventura Pier

Species: Platyrhinoidis triseriata (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek words platys (flat and broad), rhin (shark with a rough skin), oid (like) and is (similar), and the Latin words tri (three) and seriat (rows, in reference to the three rows of spines on the back).

Alternate Names: Shovelnose shark, pinback ray, prickleback shark, banjo shark, round skate, and my favorite—throw-‘em-backs. Called guitarra diablo or guitarra espinuda in Mexico.

An interesting combo, a thornback ray on one hook and a sea star on the other. Combo landed at the Malibu Pier.

Identification: Large rounded disk; long stout tail with two large dorsal fins and a caudal fin, and three rows of spines on back and tail characterize the thornback ray. Their coloring is brown, gray brown, or olive brown above, and white or cream below.

Size: To three feet and nearly 6 pounds. Most caught off piers are less than 24 inches.

A thornback ray from the Crystal Pier in San Diego

Range: Gulf of California to Tomales Bay and once considered uncommon north of Monterey. However, increasing numbers have been showing up in the Bay Area since about 2010.

Habitat: Common to sandy-beach areas of southern California, especially sandy areas below kelp. Their main food is worms, clams, crabs and shrimp but they’ll eat almost anything they can find on the bottom.

A thornback ray from the Capitola Wharf (Photo courtesy of Capitola Bait and Tackle)

Piers:  Probably the most common ray caught off southern California piers; most often caught just outside the surf area. Best Bets: Crystal Pier, Oceanside Pier, Newport Pier, Seal Beach Pier, Redondo Beach Pier, Stearns Wharf, Goleta Pier and the Avila Pier.

Shoreline: A frequent catch of southern California shore anglers fishing near sand.

Boats: Few are taken by boaters.

Adam and a thornback ray caught at the Avila Beach Pier. It looks like he’s not too sure about the catch.

Bait and Tackle: Medium tackle with size 4 to 2/0 hooks. Almost any bait will work but squid and anchovies seem to catch the most thornbacks.

Food Value: Although a European thornback ray, Raja clavata, is considered perhaps the best tasting of all rays and skates, California’s thornback ray is not in the same class. In fact, because of its small size, I have never heard of anyone eating one of these rays.

Two happy anglers and an unhappy thornback at the Shelter Island Pier in San Diego

Comments: This can be a fun ray to catch on light tackle! Try fishing at night on almost any southern California pier (and a few in central California), use a light pole, and bring a good light so that you can distinguish this non-harmful ray from the more dangerous round stingrays.

A thornback ray from Capitola (Photo courtesy of Capitola Bait and Tackle)

A thornback ray caught at the Cayucos Pier

A thornback ray from the Redondo Beach Pier

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/thornback-ray/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/pacific-angel-shark/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/pacific-angel-shark/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2015 16:51:01 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=7801 An angel shark taken at the Cayucos Pier in 2007

Order Squatiniformes — Angel Sharks — Family Squatinidae

Species: Squatina californica (Ayres, 1859); from the Latin squatina (an ancient name for a related Mediterranean species) and californica (describing where the fish was first caught).

Alternate Names: Angel shark, monkfish, squat and squato. Called angelote or tiburón angel in Mexico.

Identification: These sharks look like a ray, or a cross between a shark and a ray and are often mistaken for rays by anglers. However, a couple of items gives them away: (1) angel sharks have a flattened body similar to rays but have broad pectoral fins that are unattached to the head, and (2) the mouths of angel sharks are up front of the head, not underneath as in rays. Their camouflage coloring, typically sandy gray, gray brown, or reddish with dark spots, allows them to lie relatively unnoticed on the bottom. The belly is white. Angel sharks are unique in that the lower lobe of the tail is longer than the upper lobe.

An angel shark taken at the Hermosa Beach Pier in 2005

Size: Reaches a length of 5 feet and a size of 60 pounds. Most caught from piers are under 4 feet in length.

Range: Bahia Magdalena, southern Baja California, and the Gulf of California to Puget Sound, Washington. One unverified record from Alaska; rare north of California.

Habitat: Offshore and in shallow bays in sand or mud bottoms near rocky reefs. Generally found from 10-600 feet deep. Primarily they feed at night and their main food is fish and shellfish (although they’ll settle for squid, octopi, sea cucumbers and other unusual tidbits in order to maintain a well balanced and nutritional diet). Some sources say one of their main foods is California halibut. So flatties beware! Angels are bottom lurkers and ambush predators that like to lie partially buried in the sand awaiting unsuspecting prey to wander by. When fish and other organisms, aka food, come close, angels use their protrusible and highly expandable mouths (armed with big teeth) to quickly inhale the unlucky prey. Perhaps the prey should have been praying since they don’t have a prayer of a chance.

Ross Kestin and Kelli Cruise with an angel shark taken from the Avila Beach Pier during a Pier Fishing In California Get Together at the pier in 2008

Piers: Not common at any pier although occasionally caught. Best bets: Ocean Beach Pier, San Clemente Pier, Hermosa Beach Pier, Santa Monica Pier, Ventura Pier, Avila Beach Pier and, possibly the best, the Cayucos Pier.

Shoreline: Occasionally caught by anglers fishing surf areas in southern California.

Boats: Occasionally taken by boaters and kayakers in southern and central California fishing fairly shallow waters.

An angel shark taken at the Malibu Pier in 2005

Bait and Tackle: Medium tackle, 30-pound or so line with size 2-4/0 hooks should suffice for these beasts.

Food Value: The flesh is considered very good and they have become the object of a considerable commercial fishery.

Comments: Their name is derived from the large pectoral fins that remind many of angel wings (and how about a buffalo wing and angel wing combo plate?). As mentioned, these guys (or girls) have the nasty habit of extending out their jaws in an explosive manner to capture food and, unfortunately, quite a few anglers have been bitten by angel sharks after the fish were landed. Never stick your hand or arm near the mouth of an angel shark unless you are absolutely sure it is dead.

An angel shark from the Ventura Pier in 2011

43-inch, 30-lb angel shark caught by Wayne at the Cayucos Pier in April 1998 on squid

32-lb angel shark caught by Wayne at the Cayucos Pier in May 1997 on a live perch

Angel shark caught from the Capitola Wharf in 2011 (Photo courtesy of Capitola Bait and Boat)

An angel shark caught at the Cayucos Pier by Dave Hutcheson in June 2006