Buffalo Sculpin from the Santa Cruz Wharf

Species: Enophrys bison (Girard, 1854); from the Greek words en  (on), ephrys  (eyebrow), and bison (referring to the two bison-like horns or spines on the head).

Alternate Names: Often called bullhead and mistaken for cabezon. Called büffelgroppe in Germany, glowacz bizonik in Poland.

Identification: Their coloring is dark gray, green, or brown above with purplish bony plates on head and side. Anglers should be careful of the large sharp spines behind the head.

Buffalo Sculpin from the Point Arena Pier

Size: To 14.6 inches; most caught from piers are between 10 and 12 inches.

Range: From Monterey Bay, California to Uyak Bay, Kodiak Island, Alaska.

Habitat: Found in shallow-water areas, both oceanfront and in bays.

Piers: I have seen these caught at the Fort Baker Pier, Point Arena Pier (fairly frequently), Eureka Municipal Wharf and Citizens Dock (Crescent City).

Two types of sculpin — Cabezon on top left; Buffalo Sculpin in other three pictures — All caught at the Point Arena Pier

Shoreline: An infrequent catch by shore anglers.

Boats: An inshore species, rarely taken from boats.

Bait and Tackle: These fish will hit almost any bait, but most commonly seem to be caught on pile worms or a chunk of shrimp or squid. Light to medium tackle is the rule and no one, to my knowledge, fishes specifically for these fish.

Buffalo Sculpin caught by Dwight at the Citizen’s Dock in Crescent City

Food Value: This fish is so ugly it deserves to go back. If you persist in eating them, remember that the soft flesh tastes bland so bring on your Creole seasoning. Of course you could surprise your friends with a hors d’oeuvre platter made from staghorn sculpin and buffalo sculpin. Perhaps some deep-fried sculpin-tots with a little sweet-and-sour dipping sauce? If you do make such a plate, be sure you leave a couple of buffalo sculpin heads in the middle of the plate to add a little authentic atmosphere to the party.

Comments: The unofficial winner of the Pier Fishing in California Message Board “ugly fish” contest. Usually when these fish are caught they evoke considerable comment from the onlookers. They are fairly uncommon (except at Point Arena), they are ugly, and most people have no idea what they are. They also will give off a low hum which you can feel as you hold the fish.

     Head of a Buffalo Sculpin caught by Fireridge in Mendocino Co.

Three Pacific tomcod  (2nd, 3rd and 4th fish) together with a barred surfperch and six white croaker (generally called tomcod in southern California and kingfish in northern California), all from the Pacifica Pier in 1976

Species: Microgadus proximus (Girard, 1854); from the Greek words micros (small) and gadus (codfish), and the Latin word proximus  (next).

Alternate Names: Tomcod, piciata and wachna.

Identification: Typical cod-like shape with three dorsal fins and two anal fins. Tomcod have a short chin barbel. Their coloring is usually brownish above (although some are olive colored), and white below.

Size: To 12 inches; most caught off piers are 9-10 inches long.

Range: From Point Sal, California, to Unalaska Island, Alaska.

Habitat: Prefers a soft bottom (sand or mud), near-shore environment, although caught out to 700-foot depths.

Piers: Pacific tomcod may be seen at almost any pier north of Monterey Bay. However, I believe their numbers have decreased. Best bets: Pillar Point Harbor Pier, Pacifica Pier, San Francisco Municipal Pier, Fort Baker Pier, Point Arena Pier, Eureka Municipal Wharf, Trinidad Pier and the “B” Street Pier in Crescent City.

Shoreline: Rarely caught by inshore anglers.

Boats: A small, inshore species rarely taken by boat fishermen.

Bait and Tackle: When schools of tomcod move in, anglers can expect fast and furious action. The best bait appears to be pile worms, a small strip of anchovy, or a small strip of squid. Hooks should be small, size 6 or 8, and the best technique is to cast out, allow the bait to sink, and begin to retrieve as soon as the bait hits bottom. The tomcod usually will hit the bait mid-depth as it is being pulled up.

Food Value: Most tomcod are really too small for eating although some people like to pan-fry them as they would any small fish and they are said to have a sweet, delicate flavor.

Comments: When I lived in the Bay Area in the ‘70s one of my main fishing spots was the Pacific Pier and one of the most common fish I caught was Pacific tomcod. I caught them during every month of the year but the summer months were generally the best. I caught a few at other piers—primarily Fort Point and Fort Baker, but never in the numbers seen at Pacifica. I moved north to Mendocino County in 1979 and soon after began to fish the Point Arena Pier. Once again good numbers of Pacific tomcod began to show up. However, that pier was destroyed in a winter storm in 1983 and did not reopen until 1987. After the reopening of the new pier I never saw the same numbers of tomcod that I had seen previously. Visits to Pacifica in the past 30 years have shown much of the same — few if any Pacific tomcod. I’m not sure if I just missed them or if their numbers have decreased.

Small tomcod are fun to catch on light tackle and they provide a major source of fun for children angling in northern areas (Washington north). They are not to be confused with white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) that are generally called tom cod in southern California.

According to Milton Love (one of our favorite marine biologists), “this species is very closely related to saffron cod.” Although I’ve heard of cod cooked in saffron, I had never heard of THE saffron cod! It turns out saffron cod, Eleginus gracilis (Tilesius, 1810), is a small, similar-looking fish found in Pacific arctic waters (the arctic-boreal Pacific). The range is from Korea and the Sea of Okhotsk in the west to the northern Gulf of Alaska and Banks Island in the east. Although small, they’re commercially fished with the major fishing grounds for Russian boats in the western North Pacific: Peter the Great Bay, Sakhalin region, Sea of Okhotsk and Kamchatka waters. Alaskan fisherman typically fish in Norton Sound. Most of the commercial catch winds up in Russia although the fish is also popular in Japan.

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/10/pacific-tomcod/feed/ 3 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/10/kelp-greenling/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/10/kelp-greenling/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2016 21:05:20 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=12486 Greenlings and Lingcods—Family Hexagrammidae

A kelp greenling caught at the small pier in Brookings Harbor, Oregon

Species: Hexagrammos decagrammus (Pallas, 1810); from two combinations of Greek words; hex (six) and gramma  (line), deca  (ten) and gramma (line, referring to the number of lateral lines on the side of the fish).

Alternate Names: Commonly called seatrout; also called greenling seatrout, rock trout, kelp trout, spotted rock trout, kelp cod, and boregat. The 19th century Portuguese fishermen of Monterey called these fish bodieron. They were also apparently prized by the Aleut Indians who called them idyajuk.

A kelp greenling from the Trinidad Pier

Identification: An elongated body with a conical head. Distinguished by the five lateral lines on each side of the fish and two pairs of cirri—one pair above each eye, the other on top of the head. The coloring is so different for males and females that initially they were described as two distinct species. The males are dark gray to brownish olive with bright blue spots on head and sides. Females are gray-brown, bright golden to reddish-brown spots on body and head, and yellowish-orange fins. The inside of the mouth in both sexes is yellow.

Size: To 21 inches although most caught from piers are less than 15 inches in length. The California record fish weighed 3 lb 4 oz and was taken near Carmel in 2014 (see below).

A kelp greenling caught by James Thomasson from the Point Arena Pier in 1987

Range: From La Jolla to Attu Island in the Amchitka Islands in the Aleutian chain, Alaska; rare south of Point Conception.

Habitat: Considered a nearshore, shallow-water species in much of its range but found in deeper, cooler water in southern California. Usually in rocky environment waters less than 150 feet deep and often in kelp beds. Adults are territorial and not known to migrate. Both juveniles and adults consume a wide variety of bethnic species, essentially whatever they can find to much upon. Favorites include crabs, shrimp, snails, chiton, abalones, octopi, fish eggs, algae, and fish.

A kelp greenling cught by Debbie at the Point Arena Pier in 1987

Piers: Although kelp greenling are common to rocky and kelp areas from central California north, few are taken on piers south of Santa Cruz (although I have taken specimens from the Avila Pier, South Morro Bay T-Pier, and Monterey Wharf #2). Best bets: San Francisco Municipal Pier, Elephant Rock Pier, Point Arena Pier, Trinidad Pier, and Citizens Dock  (Crescent City).

A male kelp greenling caught at Citizens Dock in Crescent City in 2013

Shoreline: One of the main catches for rocky shore anglers in northern California. The south jetty at Eureka is considered the number one greenling hole in the state.

A small kelp greenling from the Avila Pier

Boats: Primarily an inshore fish although quite a few are taken by boaters fishing for shallow water rockfish in waters from Half Moon Bay north.

A kelp greenling taken by dsrtegl (Derek) at the Trinidad Pier in 2009

Bait and Tackle: A high/low leader using size 6 hooks, and a small piece of shrimp, fresh mussel, pile worm, or tube worm, is the ideal setup for these fish. Fish around rocks in the water, or under and around the pilings. Kelp greenling will usually tap the bait first then come back and take the bait with a second bite; be patient and be prepared to reel in the fish on the second hit.

A male kelp greenling caught at the Capitola Wharf in 2012 (Picture courtesy of Capitola Bait and Boat)

Food Value: Greenling are a mild-flavored fish suitable for most forms of cooking but they are especially suitable for pan frying. Most pier caught fish are fairly small so the fillets may not offer much meat.

A kelp greenling caught at the Trinidad Pier in 2008 

Comments: Roughly half of all kelp greenling are mature by age five when they are about 9.5 inches long; they live to about 12 years of age. The top pier spots in the state to catch kelp greenling are the Point Arena Pier, Trinidad Pier and Citizen’s Dock in Crescent City. At Point Arena, cast out to the reefs that run parallel to the pier and be prepared to lose a lot of tackle; at Trinidad, fish around the various rocks that abound in the inshore portion of the pier; at the Citizen’s Dock, fish the inshore rocks by the shoreline.

dsrtegl (Derek) with a small greenling at the Trinidad Pier in 2014

Male kelp greenling from the Trinidad Pier in 2015

A lingcod and a kelp greenling  that I caught one day from a boat off Fort Bragg. Both belong to the same family, Hexagrammidae, and small kelp greenling are a favorite food of lingcod.  

A brightly colored greenling caught off Alaska by calaznfisher in 2014

____________________________________________________________________

CDFW Marine Management News 

Snapshot: New State Angling Record — October 29, 2014

A new state angling record was set on September 17, 2014 when Matthew Franco (left) reeled in a 3 lb. 4 oz. kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) while fishing near Carmel in central California. This fish beats the previous state angling record by 1 oz. Congratulations Matthew!

In the state angling record category, current open species include Humboldt squid (min. weight 40 lb.), rainbow surfperch (min. weight 1 lb.), and walleye surfperch (min. weight 1 lb.). For more information about state recreational fishing and diving records, see the CDFW Record Ocean Sport Fish webpage.

The CDFW saltwater angling and diving records program recognizes exceptional saltwater finfish and shellfish taken in California by sport anglers and divers. The program has given CDFW biologists the opportunity to examine record-sized catches for decades.

Post by Mary Patyten, CDFW Research Writer ♦ CDFW file photo

2 thoughts on “Snapshot: New State Angling Record”

Luis Perez — August 20, 2015 at 7:13 pm
What was the length? Thanks.

Reply
marinenews — August 25, 2015 at 1:28 pm
The record holder provided a total length measurement of 17¾ inches. Total length is the straight-line distance from the tip of the head to the end of the longest lobe of the tail fin.

From the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — https://cdfwmarine.wordpress.com/tag/greenling/

A small lingcod I caught one day from Citizens Dock in Crescent City

Species: Ophidon elongatus (Girard, 1854); from the Greek words ophis (snake) and odons (tooth), and the Latin word elongatus  (elongate shaped).

Lingcod from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier in 2010 by MBay

Alternate Names:  Pacific cultus, cultus cod, leopard cod, blue cod, gator, ling, greenlinger, green cod and my favorites—slinky linky and lingasaur. Early-day names included buffalo cod, bocalao, card and testoni. Called molva in Mexico.

Identification: Elongate shaped with a long dorsal fin, large pectoral fins, and a large mouth full of canine-like teeth. Their coloring is gray to brown to blue, darker above (although some fish are a bright green and some older fish are a fairly bright yellow). The young are usually blotched.

Size: To 105 pounds in British Columbia. Most lingcod caught off piers are small, generally less than five pounds in weight. The California record fish weighed 56 lb 0 oz. It was caught at Crescent City in 1992.  

Lingcod taken from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier in 2009 by MBay

Range: From Point San Carlos, northern Baja California to the Shumagin Islands, southwestern Gulf of Alaska.

Lingcod taken from the Goleta Pier by Pierhead (Boyd Grant) in 2003

Habitat: South of Point Conception lingcod are typically a deep-water fish; north of Point Conception lingcod will be found from inter-tidal areas out to deep water. The bigger the ling the deeper they tend to live and they’ve been found all the way down to 1,400 feet. Small juvenile lingcod settle into sandy areas at about three inches in length and stay there until they are about 14-inches long. The fish then move out into rocky areas, progressively moving into deeper areas as they age. Many, but not all, migrate into shallower water to spawn during the late fall and winter months. Lings are bottom-dwellers classified as ambush predators whose cryptic (i.e. camouflage) coloration allows them to blend into the background. When prey comes close, they will dart out using the power of their pectoral fins and grab the unsuspecting victim with their large mouth and long, pointed teeth.  They are able to surprise and capture fairly mobile prey.

Lingcod taken by Rock Hopper at the Doran Jetty 

Piers: Most lingcod taken from piers are of one of two types: small juvenile fish just a few inches long or larger adults around keeper-size. In central and northern California, primarily from Avila to Morro Bay, Humboldt Bay and Crescent City Harbor, small juvenile lingcod will often move in around the piers (and sandy areas) during the summer and fall. In Central California, their appearance often will coincide with the arrival of schools of juvenile bocaccio. In Eureka and Crescent City, the young lingcod are often present the same time that juvenile rockfish, mainly small black rockfish, are using the piers as a nursery area. Sometimes the schools are mixed; at other times, it seems the lingcod swim just under the schools of rockfish. Most of these lingcod are small—under a foot—and they are illegal. At piers north of San Francisco, especially those located near rocks or reefs, anglers will see larger lingcod as one of the normal pier species. Most of these lingcod will be around two feet in length but larger fish are caught every year, especially in the fall and early winter. The best pier to catch lingcod is SoCal is probably the Goleta Pier. The best CenCal piers would include the Monterey Coast Guard Pier and the Santa Cruz Wharf. The top piers in NorCal are the Point Arena Pier, Trinidad Pier, and Citizens Dock in Crescent City.

A lingcod from the rocks

Shoreline: One of the main prizes for rocky shore anglers in central and northern California.

Lingcod caught from CenCal rocks by frozendog in 2014

Boats:  A prize for boaters from central California north; a few are taken in deeper waters in southern California. Traditionally, the greatest catch was made out of Monterey and Santa Cruz although substantial numbers were landed on boats from every port north of Morro Bay. In southern California some are taken from deeper waters of the Channel Islands and the Los Coronados Islands. All areas saw a decrease in the ‘90s but the species has been making a tremendous comeback in numbers during the past decade.

Lings caught from boats are generally larger than shore caught lings. This ling was caught by bigunindaboat in 2014.

Lingcod taken on a boat out of Monterey by Jackjack in 2014

Bait and Tackle: Anglers specifically fishing for lingcod need to remember to bring tackle heavy enough for the fish since lings over ten pounds in size are always a possibility. Almost any bait will work although a lively small fish makes the best bait. If live bait is unavailable, try a whole anchovy or a cut sardine or herring. Lings can also be taken on squid, octopus, shrimp, and even fresh mussels but moving bait is almost always better. Lingcod will also hit artificials, especially in the fall and winter months. Lures such as swimbaits and spoons seem to work best.

Lingcod taken from the Pacifica Pier in 1997

Food Value: Excellent, mild-flavored, flaky, and low-fat content meat. Lingcod meat can be prepared in almost any manner but I prefer to fillet it and fry it. Many people like to steak it and broil it, or cook it on a bar-b-cue, but the low fat content means it can dry out somewhat. Remember, low fat content means to add oil as in frying. High fat content means to remove the oil by methods such as broiling.  Sometimes the flesh will be green-blue after filleting; don’t worry, it will turn white after cooking.

Lingcod taken from the rocks by Salty Nick in 2014

Comments: Lingcod are truculent, pugnacious fighters, one of the meanest fish a pier angler will encounter. Remember to watch out for those large, large teeth.  Lings live to at least 20 years of age.

Lingcod taken from the Point Arena Pier by Dan and Renee in 2006

Lingcod taken by MBay from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier in 2010

Lingcod taken from the Cayucos Pier in 2003

Lingcod taken from the Trinidad Pier in 2003

Lingcod taken by frozendog from CenCal rocks in 2014

A lingcod that I netted for a guy in Santa Cruz back in the ’70s. He had been seasick all day, got up to fish for ten minutes, hooked this lingcod, brought it up, and I netted it (since the deckhand was busy with another fish). He then proceeded to throw up and quit fishing once again.

A lingcod and a kelp greenling that I caught one day fishing off of Fort Bragg

Another lingcod I caught off Fort Bragg

A tasty double — a lingcod and a sole caught by csmeril at the Cayucos Pier in 2013.

Small, immature “baby” lingcod taken from the Santa Cruz Wharf in 2007

On March 26, 1987, Point Arena had a celebration. On that date, a new pier was dedicated at the picturesque cove, located just down the road from the center of town. While state, county and city officials gave their usual speeches and congratulated one another, most locals eyed the blue ribbon which stretched across the front of the pier and gave a sigh of relief; perhaps things could now return to normal. It was important for both the local economy and the social well being of the town.

Dedication ceremonies

A pier is important for Point Arena, and it has been for more than a century. In 1866 the first wharf was built to load logs onto coastal schooners. Later, by the 1880s, shipping was needed for industry and commerce; every Wednesday was “steamer day” when local farmers would ship their produce to San Francisco and travelers could embark on the one-day trip south. After a while, commercial fishing became the main activity. Local waters yielded a wide variety of fish and crab. The hub of this commercial activity was the cove. But people who work hard also need to relax so the waterfront area near the end of the narrow valley that led to the cove also became a social center for the town and was busy most nights.

The “old” wooden Point Arena Pier — 1982

A view of some of the boats —1982

All of this came to a screeching halt on the day of January 26, 1983. Three tremendous waves struck the cove, wiped out the pier and an adjoining fish house, and nearly destroyed the small restaurant near the entrance to the pier. For four years after this, commercial fishermen and sportsmen would head south, to Bodega Bay, or north, to Albion and Fort Bragg, to launch their boats. A local pier fisherman named Ken Jones, living just over the hill in Boonville since 1979, was now left pierless and would need to journey to more distant venues to satisfy his pier addiction. During this time, the cove and the town would experience an easier and gentler life. But who really wanted it?

The “old” pier after the storm of ’83

This was not the first time the pier was destroyed, but it took one of the longest times to rebuild. The pier was a private pier owned by Edward Sudden (since the 1940s), which was, because of the lack of a breakwater and almost annual damage, uninsurable. Although yearly repair and upkeep was possible, a total rebuild just wasn’t affordable. It was decided that if the public wanted a pier, they would have to find a way to fund the pier themselves.

The “new” Point Arena Pier

Although it wasn’t easy, public financing was found. Normally, the local government would fund 50% of the project and the state Wildlife Conservation Board would fund the other half. Here, there simply wasn’t enough local funding to pay for half of the project. Although it was a long and tedious task, local leaders scrounged every available source and finally found the resources. The city came up with $250,000, which was matched by the Wildlife Conservation Board, and then additional money was obtained from the California Conservancy, DBW, and the Economic Development Administration (since the launching of commercial boats would be one of the main uses of the pier). Once funding was arranged, various contracts had to be drawn up, and then the work itself had to be finished. It was, and a sparkling new pier was ready for dedication.

The pier’s office, showers and restrooms

The 330-foot pier, built at a cost of $2.2 million, was a radical change from the former all-wood wharf. Built of concrete and steel, with a surface 25 feet above the water, it embraced the newest pier-building ideas, ideas conceived during the disastrous 1983 storms that smashed into and damaged many of the piers along the coast. Fears that boats would be unable to be launched from the new sling were found to be unwarranted So, too, have been the fears of some pier anglers who scoffed at the idea of bringing fish up from such a distance.

Today the pier is one of the best fishing piers in the state at the right time of the year (the spring) and is, beyond doubt, the best pier to fish if you want to catch rocky-area species like striped seaperch and kelp greenling. It is a good pier to catch cabezon and lingcod, and even offers at times a chance to catch salmon.

Kelp greenling, striped seaperch and cabezon are the three most common fish

Environment. The wharf sits in the Point Arena cove. Point Arena itself juts out to the west (and is, in fact, the closest point in the continental United States to Hawaii). Offshore are some of the world’s deepest waters in the Mendocino Trench, and the underwater Arena Canyon and Navarro Canyon begin directly out from the Point. The cove itself sits southeast of the point and is protected somewhat from northwest winds and storms; water depth is from 20-100 feet deep. The entire cove has a rocky bottom with no sand or gravel, a small stream runs into the ocean to the left of the pier, and there are reefs to the south of the pier.

The inshore rocks to the left (south) of the pier

The majority of fish found here are rocky-area species; they include kelp and rock greenling, cabezon and lingcod, striped, white and calico perch, walleye and silver surfperch, shinerperch, grass, black, blue, and China rockfish, small bocaccio, Pacific tomcod, starry flounder and an occasional salmon. Unusual species include large buffalo sculpin, wolf eels, and an occasional octopus (the harbormaster at the pier reported on a 50-pound octopus). The capture of that creature was quite a feat and included the help of four anglers using a crab net to bring the “big eye” up to the pier). Apparently even a few great white sharks are in the area. In March of 1997 fishermen were startled to see the carcass of a baby great white shark floating in the water by the pier. The four-foot-long creature was grabbed by a couple of interested kids.

A cabezon and a buffalo sculpin

Fishing Tips. The main fishing effort here is for striped seaperch, kelp greenling and rock greenling; both of the latter are usually referred to as seatrout. Bait and tackle is the same for all three, use size 6 hooks with a high-low leader or tie the hooks directly to the line. Best bait is shrimp (small pieces) followed by fresh mussels or pile worms. This same rigging and bait will also attract a variety of rockfish. All of these fish can be caught year round, but perch fishing can be tremendous in the spring when they come into shallow water to spawn. All can be caught anywhere around the pier but inshore to midway out, on the south side, is usually the most productive area. If fishing is slow, cast to the reefs which run parallel to the south side of the pier. The reefs are reachable with a good cast, but also be prepared to lose a lot of tackle.

My foreign exchange daughter Kimiko and a striped seaperch

This is also a good pier for cabezon and there are a least two cabezon holes. The best bait for these is live ghost shrimp (but you’ll have to bring your own). Next best baits are small crabs (which you can catch on the shore), mussels or pieces of shrimp. Many fisherman use abalone guts or squid and a few will be landed on these each year.

A decent-sized cabezon

During the summer months you will often see schools of small fish in the water. These are generally surf smelt (day smelt) but at times there are also a few night smelt, jacksmelt, Pacific herring and even anchovies. These can be caught on multi-hook leaders for live bait or food although it takes quite a few of the smelt to make a meal. You can try live bait for salmon in the fall; every year a few salmon (and steelhead) move into these shallow waters prior to entering local streams. Live bait can also entice the lingcod that like to hang around the pier.

Dan and a small lingcod from the pier

Last but not least is the silver and walleye perch that are often present in the spring through fall months. Best bet for these are small size 6 or 8 hooks baited with small pieces of anchovy and fished mid-depth.

Special Recommendations. (1) Make sure you always bring warm clothing with you to this pier. Point Arena is one of the windiest points on the coast. It’s easy to take off a jacket; it’s not easy to put one on if you didn’t bring it. This pier is also heavily used by both commercial and skiff fishermen. Skiff fishermen use it to launch their boats. Commercials use it to unload their catch of fish, crabs or sea urchins onto the pier and to get supplies, such as ice or gas. This means there are many trucks on the pier, so always be careful to stay out of their way. Also, be careful to not hit anyone as you are casting; remember the underhand cast. The commercial activity means that boats are often tied to the pier in spots you wish to fish or come into water you are trying to fish; be cautious and remember that without this mostly summertime hazard, there wouldn’t be a pier.

Calrat and a cabezon from the pier

(2) Be sure to bring a net or gaff! One day two of my students, John Gowan and Antonio Soto, decided to visit the pier. Following my suggestions, they brought shrimp as bait and were soon fishing in the shallow waters near the inshore rocks. Almost immediately, Antonio had a savage hit from a large fish. Soon after, the still feisty fish was hauled to the top of the water. It was a ferocious looking wolf-eel, one that was a little over 4-feet-long. John and a large group of people watched the battle but there was a problem, since neither John nor Antonio had brought a pier gaff or a net. There were no shortages of suggestions from the onlookers but finally the pier attendant offered to help. A small hoist, usually used to lower and bring up dinghies, was fitted with a fish basket, and then it was lowered into the water. After the eel was brought into position above the basket, it was hauled to the top of the pier. On deck, everyone gave congratulations, a few snapped pictures, and Antonio and John thanked the pier attendant for the help. A few hours later John called and asked, “how do I cook this darn thing?” Remember, always bring a net or treble hook gaff with you.

Debbie and a nice rockfish from the pier

(3) Expect the unexpected. One day in late September, I was fishing with limited success (a few seatrout) when I spotted baitfish breaking the surface of the water.  Deciding to catch some live bait, I rigged up a multi-hook leader and cast it out. A couple of turns of the reel handle, a quick jerk, and I was hooked to a SALMON. Since the leader had size 12 hooks, and a light line, I knew my chances of landing the fish were slim but nevertheless I played the fish carefully and finally got it up next to the wharf. It looked like a silver salmon; about 8 pounds in weight. Unfortunately, the tiny hook, last one on the leader, was just barely caught in the tip of his mouth and about the time he spotted the pilings he decided he had given me enough thrills for the day. He made a sharp turn, the hook pulled out, and a salmon dinner became seatrout fillets (which weren’t too bad).

This large octopus was taken from the pier

(4) Pay attention to any fish you leave on a stringer in the water. One mid-October day I was fishing at the pier with John, I had caught a nice kelp greenling (seatrout), and had put it on the stringer, which was dropped into the water. Soon after, John gave an exclamation and ran to the stringer. A large lingcod, in the twenty pound category, had his (her) mouth around that seatrout and was hanging on, much as do the hitchhiker lingcod which grab hooked fish out on the rockcod boats. Although I tried to snag that fish with my treble-hook gaff, and almost got it with one drop, it ultimately proved too smart, and got away. Later, after talking to several anglers, I found out this had happened a number of times. Since there are a lot of lingcod around this pier, be prepared.

Renee and her lingcod

(5) Bring binoculars with you. This pier is probably the best in the state to get a really good view of a whale. Every year gray whales pass close to the cove while making their annual trips up and down the California coast. Several times I have seen these whales playing right in the cove, swimming around the boats which are anchored near the front of the pier, and at times, the whales were within casting distance of the pier. It’s hard to imagine whales in such shallow water but the moderate depth doesn’t seem to bother them.

Kimiko and a nice mess of perch

Author’s Note — An interesting plaque sits near the front of the pier: “This monument dedicated to the fifteen young men from Yawatahama, Japan who sailed 11,000 kilometers across the Pacific in a 15 meter wood boat to realize their vision of coming to America. Landing at Point Arena on August 13, 1912, their dreams and courage continue to be a source of inspiration and a foundation of the friendship between the people of Yawatahama and Point Arena.” Raven B. Earlygrow, Mayor of Point Arena.

James and a nice striped seaperch

••• Note — Now I don’t want to say that some of the people in my old Mendocino County stomping grounds are a bit strange, but… from the Barbary Coast Dive Club Newsletter of September, 1999: “Another highlight of the weekend was the Drowning Woman Parade on the Point Arena Pier. According to the locals, the Festival is a response to the annual Burning Man festival that is held in the Nevada desert. The parade featured a number of revealing, wacky costumes like a guy with a pig head mask who was walking around wearing a giant dildo…Perhaps next year the BCD club can enter a float in the parade. Any ideas…?” My suggestion would be to stick to diving.

••• Note Who doesn’t like a feel good nature story?

‘THE ALBATROSS IS BACK’ — Mr. Al B. Tross has a following at Point Arena

The “Cove Coffee” shop at the Point Arena pier held a modest crowd, with people sipping hot brew and peering at their newspapers shortly after 7 a.m. Saturday. Then the front door was flung open.

“The albatross is back!” a young, bearded man announced. “Just saw him come in and land.”

The customers all nodded and smiled. They were relieved, because the bird had vanished for almost a week. It was easy to understand why someone might get excited about seeing a bird with a 6- to 7-foot wingspan sail into the home cove. I jumped from my table and went to take a look.

This illustrious visitor is a legendary bird locals had named Mr. Al B. Tross, a wandering Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) who has wintered at this harbor in southern Mendocino County for fourteen consecutive seasons. Though the phenomenon of “”agrants” — individual birds who depart or are blown away from customary migratory routes — is well-known in the birding world, this albatross is something special. He’s not simply dropping by. It seems he has adopted Point Arena as his winter home.

—Paul McHugh, San Francisco Chronicle, February 1, 2007

This sign sits near the front of the pier

••• Note —  The Point Arena high school mascot is the “Pirates” but perhaps a better name would be “beavers” since Point Arena is the home of an endangered species of beaver—the Point Arena Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra). The beaver, a sub-species of Mountain Beaver is only found in a 24 square mile area around Point Arena

A typical mix of fish — rockfish, greenling and perch

History Note.  Originally home to the Native American Pomo Tribe, the first European to “discover” Point Arena and give it a name was the Spaniard Bartolomé Ferrelo who named it Cabo de Fortunas (Spanish for “cape of fortunes”) in 1543.

A little over two hundred years later, in 1775, the cape was renamed Punta Delgado (narrow point) by lieutenant Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra (commander of the schooner Sonora), part of a royal expedition chartered by the government of Mexico to map the north coast of Alta California.

However, by the late 18th century the common name among sailors for the point and town south of the point seems to have been Barra de Arena (sand bar) which in turn became Punta de Arenas (sandy point). This name was eventually Americanized into Point Arena.

Early wharf and chute — 1884

Prior to the 1860s Point Arena was one of many sites along this stretch of coast that utilized chutes and wire trapeze rigging to bring supplies to local residents while loading the small coastal schooners with redwood lumber, dairy products, hides and other exports destined for San Francisco and beyond.

Arena Cove — 1896

Most of these ports were so small they were called dog-hole ports—since they supposedly were just big enough to allow a dog to get in and out. Dozens of these were built, and almost any small cove or river outlet was a prime candidate for a chute. Luckily, the captains of these schooners were masters of their art and were able to get out of places like Hard Scratch and Nip-and-Tuck.

Point Arena got its first store in 1859 and a real wharf in 1866. With a prime location, roughly 40 miles south of Fort Bragg and 110 miles northwest of San Francisco, Point Arena became the most active port between San Francisco and Eureka during the booming logging period of the 1870s (in fact at one time the cove had two wharfs). Steam schooners like the Seafoam, Pomo and Point Arena made regular runs along the Mendocino coast.

Unfortunately shipwrecks occurred at the point at an alarming rate so a lighthouse was needed and the original Point Arena Lighthouse was constructed in 1870; this lighthouse was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and later replaced.

In the years since 1866, Point Arena has seen several wharves, testimony to the killer storms (primarily from the south) and waves that periodically thrash the cove. The storm in 1983 was only the latest but it ended the life of the old pier and resulted in the building of a completely new pier in 1987, a pier that hopefully will be better able to weather the storms.

The pier before the 1983 storm

Mendocino Coast Ravaged By Storm

Thousands of coast residents remained without power this morning in the wake of wind and heavy rains from the winter’s roughest storm, but damage was light throughout the inland areas of the county…

Point Arena, at the county’s southern tip, was the hardest hit. Waves, wind and localized flooding caused the collapse of two buildings near the water at Point Arena Cove and smashed through the front windows of the Cove Café.

Eight people were caught inside the restaurant and its rear buildings when the high water struck, but all were rescued without injury.

“My little boy was trapped,” Betty Moran said. “I floated around and started screaming for help. I was afraid that another wave would come and force them to leave me.”

“I was in the building taking a shower when it happened,” said Dori Fox, daughter of the restaurant’s owner.

“I was standing in there looking out the window like I always do and then I saw a wave coming eye level.”

 “I’ve never been so scared in my life. The water was coming in all over — under the door, up the drain. I got out of the house, and people were running all over screaming.”

Fox, 26, said she had lived there all her life and never seen such high surf.

Along with the destroyed boathouse and outbuildings, raging seas demolished much of the Point Arena Cove pier, built during the last century to load timber ships…

—Charles Rappleye, Ukiah Daily Journal, January 27, 1983

The storm and its aftermath

All storm pictures courtesy of Nicholas King and from his EXCELLENT book The Great Disaster at Arena Cove (a recommended purchase if interested in local history of Mendocino County).

Today the nearest oceanfront pier to the north is at Trinidad, a nautical distance of 131 miles. Such was not the case back in the late 1800s. There were a number of true wharves along the Mendocino and Humboldt coasts including those at the Navarro River, Albion, Little River, Caspar, Noyo Harbor, and Fort Bragg (where C.R. Johnson built a wharf at Soldiers Harbor Cove in 1885). To the north was Roger’s Wharf at Westport (which was called Beal’s Landing in the 1860s and Westport after the late 1870s). Eventually Westport had two wharves. Further north, a wharf was built at Rockport in 1876 by W.R. Miller; at the time it was built it was claimed to be among the finest on the coast. Bear Harbor had its own wharf until it was washed away by a tidal wave in 1899. Across the county line, in Humboldt County, a 900-foot-long wharf was built at Shelter Cove in 1886.

Smaller dog-hole ports (which generally had a chute, sometimes a modified type of wharf, but rarely a true wharf) came and went depending on the health of their lumber mills. Still remembered were those at Iversen’s Landing and Saunders Landing, which were south of Point Arena.  Rollerville (near the Garcia River), Greenwood Cove (where Casket Wharf operated until 1929), and Cuffey Cove, were located south of the Navarro River. Mendocino, Cleone, Newport, Kibesilla, Union Landing, Juan Creek (McFall’s Landing) and Hardy Creek are/were all located in central to northern parts of the county still located on Highway 1. Usal, Northport, Little Jackass Gulch and Needle Rock were found in the territory that today is called the “Lost Coast.” Most of these date from the 1860s to 1880s and many today are just history. Although Humboldt and Del Norte counties both saw extensive timber operations in the late 1800s, most of their movement of logs was done by railroad.

Although stories of people fishing on the wharves are to be expected, what is really interesting are the stories of fish caught off the chutes. The chutes weren’t always as safe as wharves, but some people, especially kids, would hardly be stopped just because there was a little danger.

Looking up from the water

Point Arena Pier Facts

Hours: Open 24 hours a day.

Facilities: Restrooms with toilets, coin-operated showers, fish cleaning stations, free parking, some benches, night lighting, boat launching (up to 5 tons and 27 feet) are all available on or near the pier. Food is available at the Arena Cove Bar and Grill just a few feet from the foot of the pier. Bait and tackle is available near the foot of the pier. Picnic tables are available near the front of the pier. Private Sportfishing boats are also available some years; check with the harbormaster at (707) 882-2583, he usually has the phone numbers of local craft.

Handicapped Facilities: Handicapped parking and handicapped restrooms. The pier surface is concrete and the railing is 40 inches high. Not marked for handicapped.

How To Get There: From the south, turn left from Hwy. 1 onto Iverson Ave., which will turn into Port Rd. Simply, follow the road to the pier. From the north, turn right onto Port Rd. and follow it to the pier.

Management: City of Point Arena.

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/04/point-arena-pier/feed/ 4 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/04/anderson-valley-high-school-marine-biology-class/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/04/anderson-valley-high-school-marine-biology-class/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2015 02:11:23 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=6700 Part of the class

Last century, mid-80s to be exact I, was living in the beautiful Mendocino County hamlet of Boonville. The town was small, the high school was small, and in such places it’s very easy to get involved in a mix of activities. Thus I found myself helping out at the school, coaching and helping assist a couple of teachers with projects. Since my son Mike was in the marine biology class, and since Linda Wallace the teacher knew of my love for fishing, she recruited me to be an “advisor” for the class.

Looking for plants and animals

It would turn out to be one of my favorite projects at the school. Monthly the students would “pike to the briney in our moshe” (that’s Boontling for travel to the ocean in our bus), specifically to the cove at Point Arena. The task was  to collect new specimens from the briney (the ocean) and put back into the briny the old creatures that had served their time in our aquariums. When the work was done we would have some time to fish from the Point Arena Pier and almost everyone, every trip, caught a few fish so it was a very pleasant time. When they returned to the school they would put the new denizens of Anderson Valley High School into their appropriate tanks and then begin to do a variety of odds and ends to help them better understand those same denizens.

Still lookin”

Look at what I found!

Interesting!

Lots of algae!

Time to go fishing!

Debbie and Ms. Wallace with a couple of striped seaperch

Debbie with a rockfish

James with a striped seaperch

James with a greenling

Back to school!

James checking out a rockfish

Eventually, at the end of the year, we would all make a trip to San Diego. On the way we would spend a night fishing on a barge out of San Pedro — the whole night. We then would sleepily finish our drive to San Diego where we stayed at the Crystal Pier Motel (where we could fish from the pier when we weren’t visiting attractions). We had a back scene’s tour of Sea World. We did the same at Scripps Aquarium. And, we traveled out on a sportfishing boat where at least a majority of the students, and myself, got seasick. Lots of fun! The story and pictures of that trip will come later.

   Striped Seaperch from the Trinidad Pier

Species: Embiotoca lateralis (Agassiz, 1854); from the Greek root words embios (living) and tocos (to bring forth) and the Latin word lateralis  (lateral, due to their blue stripes). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae.

Alternate Names: Striped surfperch, rainbow perch, blue perch, striped surf fish. Early-day names included squawfish and crugnoli. In Mexico called mojarra azul or perca.

Identification: Striped seaperch have narrow orange and blue longitudinal stripes with blue spots on their head. Their dorsal spines are low and their body is deep and compressed. Dark and light color variations.

Striped Seaperch from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier — color variation

Size: To 15 inches; most caught from piers are 9-13 inches long. The California record fish weighed 2 lb 3 oz and was taken from Wilson Beach, Del Norte Co. in 2008.

Range: Punta Cabras, northern Baja California to Klakas Inlet, southeastern Alaska. Unverified range to Port Wrangell, Alaska.

Habitat: Shallow-water, rocky-shore areas, typically found on the bottom.

Striped Seaperch from the Trinidad Pier (2004)

Piers: Common at central and northern California piers situated near rocks. Best bets: Cayucos Pier, Santa Cruz Wharf, San Francisco Municipal Pier, Elephant Rock Pier, Point Arena Pier, Trinidad Pier, and Citizens Dock in Crescent City. The Point Arena Pier is undoubtedly the top pier in the state for striped seaperch; late winter to spring will almost always yield perch and most are fairly large fish.

KJ and a Striped Seaperch from the Stillwater Cove Pier at Pebble Beach

Shoreline: One of the main catches for rocky shore anglers in central and northern California.

Boats: An inshore species rarely taken by boaters.

Bait and Tackle:  A high/low rigging is most commonly used for these large perch. Use a size 6 or 4 hook, a weight heavy enough to keep your bait stationary, and fish on the bottom near the pier. Striped perch most commonly travel in schools; if one is caught more are probably around. These perch will often make a sharp first strike without hooking themselves. Be patient, they will return and often keep pecking at the bait until hooked. The best bait depends on location. North of San Francisco the best bait is fresh mussels, raw shrimp (small pieces), live rock crabs, live pile worms, frozen tube worms and crab backs; in the Bay Area live grass shrimp and fresh mussels are the top baits.

James Thomasson and a Striped Seaperch from the Point Arena Pier

Food Value:  Large enough to eat but the flesh is only fair. Generally pan-fried.

Comments: Although these perch are often large, some anglers do not like to fish for them. In the spring, the largest perch will often be females loaded with live young; when landed, the fish will start to give birth and the angler will be faced with the question of what to do with dozens of small live baby perch.  A few anglers save them as bait, many throw them in the water, and some simply refuse to keep the mother perch preferring to let nature work its answer to the question of survival.

Striped Seaperch from the Brookings Harbor Pier, 2016

Kimiko Kamata and a Striped Seaperch from the Point Arena Pier

Small striped seaperch from the Eureka Boardwalk, 2016

Striped Seaperch, San Francisco Municipal Pier, 1999

Striped Seaperch, San Francisco Municipal Pier, 1999

Picture Editor — Robert O’D