Written for and dedicated to Hashem aka Mahigeer when he was seeking out his first bonito at Catalina in 2006. Although the rest of the UPSAC/PFIC gang was pulling in the bonies, Hashem just couldn‘t seem to hook one.

Hashem aka Mahigeer

Oh, the Dompha, he draws circles
Up and down the mole.
I’d ask him what the matter was
But I know that he don’t talk.
And the anglers treat me kindly
And furnish me with line,
But deep inside my heart
I know I can’t escape.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

Dompfaben and a bonito

Well, Ken, he’s in the alley
With his pointed shoes and his bells,
Speaking to some French girl,
Who says she knows me well.
And I would send a message
To find out if she’s talked,
But the tackle store’s been stolen
And the tackle box is locked.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

KJ and a bonito

Gordo tried to tell me
To stay away from that Catalina mole
He said that all those older fishermen
Just drink up your blood like wine.
An’ I said, “Oh, I didn’t know that,
But then again, there’s only one I’ve met
An’ he just smoked my eyelids
An’ punched my cigarette.”
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

Rita, Gordo and Kyle with bonito

Grandpa died last week
And now he’s buried in the kelp,
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked.
But me, I expected it to happen,
I knew he’d lost control
When he built a fire on the mole
And shot it full of holes.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

Kelp at the Mole

Now the GDude came down here
Showing ev’ryone his rod,
Handing out free tickets
To the gathering on the mole.
An’ me, I nearly got busted
An’ wouldn’t it be my luck
To get caught without a license
And be discovered beneath a trunk.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

GDude and a bonito

Now Baitfish looked so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of feathers
Stapled to his chest.
But he cursed me when I proved it to him,
Then I whispered, “Not even you can hide.
You see, you’re just like me,
I hope you’re satisfied.”
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

 Baitfish and a bonito

Now Mahigeer gave me two cures,
Then he said, “Jump right in.”
The one was Persian medicine,
The other was just plain Raki gin.
An’ like a fool I mixed them
An’ it strangled up my mind,
An’ now people just get uglier
An’ I have no sense of time.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

Mahigeer and his Persian “Raki”

When Rita says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon,
Where I can watch her waltz for free
‘Neath her Avalonian moon.
An’ I say, “Aw come on now,
You must know about my debutante.”
An’ she says, “Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want.”
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

Rita, a bonito, a yellow submarine, and Hillary a fish-grabbin’ pelican!

Now the bricks lay on Metropole
Where the neon madmen climb.
They all fall there so perfectly,
It all seems so well timed.
An’ here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get new balls and feathers
After losing them more than twice.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck in Catalina
With the bonito blues again.

The Metropole at night

(With apologies to Bob Dylan and “Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again)

The group at the 2006 PFIC-UPSAC Catalina Get Together

Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito

With a little help and advice from his friends, Hashem learned the “Tao of Bonito“

Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito

The Cast of “The Bonito Blues Again”

Ben Acker aka “DompfaBen” (Dominating Positive Fishing Attidude Ben)

Ben’s a real fisherman as seen in this wedding picture with his bride Brandy (and assorted fishing lures)

Ken Jones aka “The Pier Fisherman” with a halfmoon and a bonito

Ross Kestin aka “Gordo Grande”

James Liu aka “GDude”

James (GDude) and Adam (Baitfish)

The Liu Family

Adam Cassidy aka “Baitfish”

Hashem Nahid aka “Mahigeer” kissing a whitefish and with a bonito

Rita Magdamo aka “Rita” with a sheephead, triggerfish, and a kelp bass

Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito—Catalina—Bonito

As for the original song — given that many younger anglers may never of heard of Dylan, or the original song, here’s a few versions of “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again”

1. Dylan on an early acoustic version of “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again” (with slightly different wording). Not as good as the final version in my opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WS-TTNaLyg

2. A good Grateful Dead version of “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwsjQbf0czc

3. A third version of the song by Old Crow Medicine Show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kpq5UMlpQE

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2018/01/stuck-in-catalina-with-the-bonito-blues-again/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2017/09/2017-trinidad-pier-youth-fishing-derby/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2017/09/2017-trinidad-pier-youth-fishing-derby/#comments Wed, 20 Sep 2017 04:27:14 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=16195 Although chilly the previous afternoon, Sunday, September 17, 2017 turned out to be a beautiful day at Trinidad, the small town located on California’s scenic redwood-forested, northwest coast just 24 miles north of Eureka. It was a perfect day to go fishing! Luckily, a kids fishing derby just happened to be scheduled at the Trinidad Pier. The event was the 4^th Annual Trinidad Pier Youth Fishing Derby sponsored by United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers, Pacific Outfitters, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Free loaner rods and reels, free terminal tackle, free bait, free hot dog lunches, raffle prizes, and a winner in each age group helped generate excitement. In response, 45 youngsters along with roughly 60 adults turned out to enjoy the short-sleeve weather and fishing which, although a little slow, did produce a variety of fish—striped seaperch, cabezon, kelp greenling, rock greenling and one ugly buffalo sculpin.

The Trinidad Memorial Light House

The Trinidad Pier

Setting up

Cutting bait

Trinidad Rancheria Booth

The kids and families were ready

What would be the catch?

Douglas and David Shigematsu.

Looks like they’re ready!

All ages were present!

First fish of the day, a striped seaperch caught by David Shigematsu

Nothing like spending a little time in the great outdoors!

Ready for action!

What’s the best spot?

Fish slayer!

Avalon, owned by Ed Roberts, was the unofficial mascot for the derby!

The second fish of the day was another striped seaperch caught by David Shigematsu

Sit back and wait for the fish to bite!

They look like fishermen!

He was ready!

How about a rock crab?

Anglers at the railing

A young “Lady Angler”

They look HAPPY!

A small kelp greenling

What a grin!

What a smile!

Young Angler!

Trinidad Pier

The biggest fish was this striped seaperch caught by Desirae Ferguson

Wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

A happy family!

Pier Fishing In California member Jose and his family

Ken Jones (me) and Jose; he had once sent me a question on PFIC asking how to fish rocks and practiced on the rocks at the Trindad Pier.

Another rock crab

A rock greenling caught by Malachi Costa

Fishing!

A buffalo sculpin caught by Nate Ferguson

Robert Gardner, Vice President of UPSAC, traveled up to the tournament from the Bay Area, served as a judge, and got a little fishing in himself.

Each age group winner received a trophy from United Pier and Shore Anglers of California, a beautiful certificate from the International Game Fish Association, and an autographed copy of Pier Fishing In California by Ken Jones (and pierfishing.com).

The under age 6 category winner was Leo Dixon of Trinidad

The age 6 category winner was Malachi Costa of Trinidad

The age 7 category winner was Anyia Benemann of Trinidad (not pictured)

The age 8 category winner was Lucy Bertrand of Arcata

The age 9 category winner was Kalgin Drake of Eureka

The age 10 category winner was Evan Unmack of McKinleyville

The age 11 category winner was David Shigematsu of Davis

The age 12 category winner was Seth Noel of Hidsville

The age 13 category winner was Desirae Ferguson of McKinleyville

The age 14 category winner was Kodiak Drake of Eureka

The age 15 category winner was Lilly Thiesfeld of McKinleyville

The Grand Champion was determined by total points. The winner was David Shigematsu. Here is is with Ed Roberts and a nice rod and reel from Pacific Outfitters.

Next up was the raffle with EVERY entrant winning at least one gift. Gift items were bought from a donation by the Humboldt Salt Water Anglers Club supplemented by a few gifts from United Pier and Shore Anglers of California.

A separate raffle was held by “Bass Man Dan” for a custom-wrapped fishing rod with all proceeds going to UPSAC for next year’s event.

Ed Roberts and the rod to be raffled!

And the winner was… Kodiak Drake

“Bass Man Dan” decided to offer a second rod for the raffle and we soon had another winner.

Ken Jones (me) and David Shigematsu, the Grand Champion.

A big thank you is due to all who contributed gifts and helped out at the tournament.

Donating money, food and gifts for the meals, insurance and prizes were a variety of different groups and businesses—Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA), Pacific Outfitters, United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), Ken Jones—Pier Fishing in California (pierfishing.com), and Ed Roberts. A custom built rod made by Dan Troxel of “Bass Man Dan’s Custom Fishing Rods” was raffled off with proceeds going to help pay next year’s costs.

Organizers were Ed Roberts of the California Fish and Wildlife Department, Ken Jones, President of United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) and owner of pierfishing.com, and Grant Roden of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria.

Helping out at the event were a number of different people. Several came from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife—Dustin Hixon, Carly Stanton, Kevin Butler, and Russell Janak. Robert Gardner, Vice President of UPSAC traveled north from the Bay Area. Local residents providing assistance included Nate Ferguson, Dan Troxel, Ed Roberts and Grant Roden.

“Good By” to Trinidad for another year. Looking down from the “Trinidad Memorial Light House” with the pier just barely poking out around “Little Head Rock” (which sits next to the pier).  

Trinidad Memorial Light House

The Marin Rod and Gun Club, started in 1926, celebrated its 91st birthday this year and is one of California’s oldest and, in my opinion, best clubs in the state.

August 19, 2017 saw the 29^th Annual “Kid’s Day on the Pier” at the Marin Rod & Gun Club on San Quentin Point in San Rafael, California. The event was co-sponsored this year by UPSAC (United Pier and Shore Anglers of California), PFIC (Pier Fishing In California), and the IGFA (International Game Fish Association).

The day saw an enthusiastic group of 57 youngsters, a crowd of roughly 150 people, great weather (until the winds decided to be a little gnarly), and a very good number of fish.

Loaner rods and reels were available as well as free bait and assistance when needed. Combined with the fishing was a free hot dog lunch and every participant received a rod and reel from the club.

Marin Rod & Gun Club members worked at a variety of jobs

UPSAC/PFIC Members Brian Linebarger and Robert Gardner helped rig up the UPSAC loaner rods for the kids.

The pier was full of families enjoying the great outdoors!

Mother and Child!

Jacksmelt were the predominate catch of the day!

This was the largest striped bass of the day

Hans Jones Jr. with a bat ray — Photo courtesy of Hans Jones

Hans Jones and Hans Jones Jr.

Monteriro Family

Mel Kon from Pier Fishing In California

Photo courtesy of Rita Magdamo

Fish On!

Leopard Shark — Photo courtesy of Rita Magdamo

Bat Ray — Photo courtesy of Hans Jones & Rita Magdamo

UPSAC/PFIC member Robert Gardner with a jacksmelt to be used for live bait

UPSAC/PFIC member Brian Linebarger with a Diamond Turbot

Each individual age group winner received a 1^st Place trophy, a beautiful IGFA certificate, and an autographed copy of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones.

The crowd waiting for the derby results to be announced

Ken Jones and John Evans announcing the results

Age group winners: 5-year-old and under: (Tie) Sierra Maeda and Liam Connell (2 time winner)

Sierra Maeda

Liam Connell

6-year-old: (Tie) Eva Orsi and Azai Handy.

Eva Orsi

Azai Handy

7-year-old winner Nicholas Yaitanes

8-year-old: Tyler Yerkey — No photo

9-year-old winner: Michel Monteiro (2 time winner)

10-year-old winner: Priscilla Villalpando

11-year-old winner: David Shigematsu

12-year-old winner: Micah Sweet

13-year-old winner: Dylan Monteiro (3-time winner) 

14-year-old winner: Ethan Chu

15-year old winner: Emily Olewinski.

The largest fish of the day included a 25-inch striped bass by Eric Jamison Stone (who also caught a 15-inch striper and a 14-inch halibut), a 26-inch leopard shark and 15-inch striped bass by Liam Connell; a 39-inch bat ray and 19-inch leopard shark by Priscilla Villalpando; two large bat rays by Michel Monteiro; a 15-inch halibut by Michael Ng; a 16-inch striper by Alexander Yaitanes; a medium-sized striped bass by Cody Monteiro, and several large 13-15-inch jacksmelt.

Representing the Marin Rod and Gun Club: Chairmen Gary Colmere, Vice-Chaiman Roy Jackson, John Evans and upwards of 30 or more club members who performed a plethora of duties—serving as judges on the pier, cleaning and fixing rods and reels for both the derby and the raffle, cooking the hot dog lunch, setting up and cleaning the auditorium and kitchen, helping with the registration, and helping announce the results of the raffle.

Gary Colmere

Roy “Sarge” Jackson

Representing UPSAC: President Ken Jones, Vice-President Robert Gardner, Secretary Brian Linebarger, Board Members: Hans Jones and Rita Magdamo.

Representing the Pier Fishing in California (pierfishing.com) website family were the above UPSAC members as well as  Melvin Kon.

A huge thank you goes to the Marin Gun and Rod Club and the various other organizations and volunteers for putting on this great annual event.

All unattributed photos, with the exception of the derby winners, taken by Ken Jones — Derby winner photos taken by Rita Magdamo

Bat Ray logo developed by esteemed “Pier Rat” Lucy Phillips in 2004.

I’ve been a fan of bat rays for many years and for over a decade Pier Fishing In California (PFIC) and the United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) held an annual “Mud Marlin Derby” at the Berkeley Pier.

Given my affection for the big old beasts, it stood to reason that I was offended by the following story in my hometown (at the time) newspaper, the Lodi News-Sentinel. I felt the story was so filled with errors that I had to respond.

Bat ray taken from the Morro Bay North T-Pier in 2006.

LODI’S ‘STINGRAY HUNTER’ — Local says his passion is capturing ‘ghetto fish’, By Scott Kaul, Lodi News-Sentinel Staff Writer

At the age of 13, Lodi resident Kevin Burns made his way from his father’s house to the nearby San Francisco Bay and set up for what he thought would be a normal day of fishing for striped bass. After resting his fishing rod against a trash can, he sat back and enjoyed the cool Bay air. Minutes later, the rod leapt off the can and down the shore with Burns darting after it.

After about half an hour of wrestling with the mystery fish in the water, Burns reeled in his strangest catch ever. It was a stingray. “And boy was it ugly,” he said. But that ugly fish set him on his lifelong passion.

Now 43 and residing in Lodi, Burns is a self-described “stingray hunter.” He makes his living marketing timeshares, but he said catching stingrays is his life’s work.

Burns said he was shocked to hear the news that Steve Irwin, the famed “crocodile hunter” was recently killed by a stingray. Though he said the creatures are generally not hostile and will only attack when bothered, they are relatively easy to control when they do attack. “It must have just been a freak accident,” he said.

Using his own combination of squid and anchovies as bait, Burns said he regularly makes the trek back to the Bay to hunt what he and his friends call the “ghetto fish.”

The name comes from the fact that most fishermen avoid hooking the rays, which they see as troublesome and mostly useless — stingrays are practically inedible and rather poisonous. Burns and his buddies, however, actively seek them out, if mostly just for the thrill of the catch.

“Stingrays are probably the hardest-fighting fish out there,” he said. “Reeling one in is like a full workout at the gym.” After he’s caught the stingray and taken a picture with it, he usually throws it back, he said.

Neither Burns nor any of his friends have ever been seriously injured by a stingray, but he says they have been stung several times. He keeps pictures of the wounds and paper towels spotted with blood as mementos from the one time a stingray’s barbed tail caught him across his right knee. Burns regularly fishes at his secret spot on the bay to catch the poisonous rays. “I was lucky, though,” he said, rubbing the scar the attack left behind. “The barb didn’t stick in, so it only bled.”

Since the incident, Burns said he has learned to properly handle his prey without getting stung. The trick, he said, is to hold the ray by small “port holes” located on either side of its head near the eyes. “That way, they can’t get to you,” he said.

The stingrays Burns and his hunting pals usually snare at his “secret fishing spot” in the Bay range from tiny to enormous, with the largest he’s ever caught weighing close to 240 pounds. Though generally, he said, they are closer to 100 pounds.

Burns said hunting stingrays requires no special equipment. “Just a pole and 30-pound test line,” he said. “And about 45 minutes to reel it in.”

Aside from the stingrays, Burns also seeks out sand sharks and leopard sharks, which he said are “good eatin’.” His largest catch, he said, was a 6-foot leopard shark, which he nicknamed Jaws after the film, which had been released around the time he caught it. “I got it just barely in the water, and I had nothing to keep pulling it out of the water with,” he said. “So I just grabbed its gills and pulled it, saying ‘you are not going to be a fish-that-got-away story!’”

Hunting stingrays and sharks is his life, but Burns said his ultimate dream is to go after big game fish in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, or compete in ESPN’s “Monster Shark Tournament” where contestants pull in sharks weighing up to 1,200 pounds. “I want to get out there and have proof, instead of just talking about it.” He said. “I refuse to tell fish stories.”

A bat ray at the Elephant Rock Pier in Tiburon

Stingrays at a glance: Stingrays generally do not attack, but if they do they use their poisonous barbed tails to sting predators.

• A sting will usually cause intense pain and swelling to the victim, but in very rare cases it may kill. Only two other reported instances of a sting directly to the heart, as occurred in the death of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, have been reported.

• Only 17 deaths related to stingray stings total have been reported.

• Rays can grow up to 6 feet in diameter. Their diet consists mostly of squid, small fish, and crabs. Their natural predator is the shark.

• Most of the stingray is considered inedible or flavorless, but some people do eat it the wing-like fins and the meaty area around the eyes called the cheek.

Source: http://www.discovery.com.

Lodi News-Sentinel, September 6, 2006

The newspaper article almost demanded a response.

To The Editor, Regarding Lodi’s ‘Stingray Hunter’

As a Lodi resident, and a subscriber to the Lodi News-Sentinel, I was flabbergasted and rather disgusted this morning when I opened the paper to see your story on Lodi’s ‘Stingray Hunter.’ The story is filled with inaccuracies and unfortunately does harm and disservice to a species that is not a ‘ghetto fish’ as you suggest but instead is a quite charming species. In fact, if you have ever taken your children to the Monterey Aquarium (or several other coastal aquariums) a highlight was probably the “petting pool” where “sting rays”—generally bat rays, allow the children to pet them and actually will come up to the children in a non-fish-like manner.

About now you may be questioning my credentials to criticize your story. I am the author of Pier Fishing In California, 1^st and 2^nd Editions. I am president of United Pier and Shore Anglers of California, the largest organization dedicated solely to pier and shore anglers. I am vice president of the Outdoor Writers Association of California (OWAC). I am also an angler who has several thousand fishing trips under my belt (yep, I’m old) and one who has caught several hundred bat rays—your so-called ‘ghetto fish.’

A bat ray caught at the Fortman Marina Pier in 2012

I also own and run a website—Pier Fishing In California, pierfishing.com—that was started nine years ago to educate fellow pier anglers and to serve as a home base for those same anglers.

One of our main goals has been education regarding the marine environment and the development of ethical and conservationist attitudes toward fishing. Early on there developed a special focus on bat rays because (1) they are a common catch from piers and shoreline areas, (2) they were abused more than almost any other fish, and (3) they’re neat little (and big) creatures.

Many, many posts and threads on the website have focused on bat rays and I believe I can say that today they are a respected species. In fact, we have had a “Mud Marlin” Derby at Berkeley Pier for the past five years with upwards of one hundred people in attendance at most of the events. At the derby, any bat rays that are caught (called mud marlins for their hard fighting character) are netted, measured, and then returned via net back to the water.

What are the factual errors that need correction? In chronological order —

1. “Though he said the creatures are generally not hostile and will only attack when bothered, they are relatively easy to control when they do attack.” I have NEVER seen a bat ray attack a person nor does my extensive library of books on fish document actual “attacks” on people. If stepped upon, sting rays (and bat rays) will, in reflex, swing up their tail that contains the barb and people can be hurt. And, careless anglers are sometimes stuck with the barb when inappropriately handling the rays. But I do not think I would call these attacks.  In addition, I would suggest that bat rays are not only not hostile, but indeed fairly gentle in manner most of the time.

2. “Burns said he regularly makes the trek back to the Bay to hunt what he and his friends call the ‘ghetto fish.’ The name comes from the fact that most fishermen avoid hooking the rays, which they see as troublesome and mostly useless — stingrays are practically inedible and rather poisonous. Actually there are a vast number of anglers (i.e., Burns) who fish specifically for sharks and rays mainly because of their fighting ability. In fact, the term mud marlin has become a favorite name for these hard fighting fish.

Inedible and rather poisonous? No, no, no. Many people find bat ray meat delicious and in days gone by you may have found yourself eating their meat disguised under another name. Indeed, in Pier Fishing In California, 2^nd Ed., I show how to clean bat rays and give recipes on how to eat them.

3. “Since the incident, Burns said he has learned to properly handle his prey without getting stung. The trick, he said, is to hold the ray by small ‘port holes’ located on either side of its head near the eyes.” Although not technically a factual error, most experienced bat ray fisherman, those who are conservationists, do not hold the rays in such a manner. Instead they actually hold up the rays by their mouth (and we can show you how to do it).

 The correct way to hold a bat rat. A bat ray taken at the “Mud Marlin Derby” at the Berkeley Pier in 2015.

4. “The stingrays Burns and his hunting pals usually snare at his “secret fishing spot” in the Bay range from tiny to enormous, with the largest he’s ever caught weighing close to 240 pounds. Though generally, he said, they are closer to 100 pounds.” The official California record fish weighed 181 lb 0 oz and was taken at Huntington Beach in 1978. Bat rays to 240 pounds have been reported while most that are caught from piers and shoreline areas are under 50 pounds in weight.

From Pier Fishing In California, 2^nd Ed. —

Bat Ray

Species: Myliobatis californica; from the Greek words myl (a tooth or molar), io (an arrow or poison), batis (a skate or ray) and the Latin word Californica  (referring to location).

Alternate Names: Stingray, stingaree, sea ray, eagle ray, batfish, big black, sea bird, flapper, rat tailed sting ray, mud marlin (my favorite), and monkey face ray.

Identification:  Bat rays have a very heavy raised head and a dorsal fin at the base of a long whip-like tail with a stinger just behind it. Their coloring is blackish or blackish brown above and white below. Beware of the stinger.

A bat ray stinger

Size: To six feet across and over 200 pounds; a 240-pound bat ray was reported from Newport Bay in 1957. Most bat rays caught off piers are under 50 pounds, but many in excess of a hundred pounds are caught every year. I’ve seen pictures of a 176-pound bat ray from the Newport Pier and a 175-pound bat ray from the Aliso Beach Pier. (I also received a report on the Pier Fishing in California Message Board of a 246-pound fish with an 8.5-foot wingspan that was reputedly taken from the Newport Pier in the ’80s). The official California record fish weighed 181 lb 0 oz and was taken at Huntington Beach in 1978.

Range:  From the Gulf of California to Oregon.

Habitat: Prefers a flat, rocky bottom or sand among rocks. Most commonly caught in bays and the deeper water areas around piers.

Piers:  Bat rays are caught at almost all piers in California, both oceanfront and those in bays. Best bets: Shelter Island Pier, San Clemente Pier, Balboa Pier, Newport Pier, Huntington Beach Pier, Redondo Beach Pier, Hermosa Beach Pier, Stearns Wharf (Santa Barbara), Gaviota Pier, Cayucos Pier, Berkeley Pier, Elephant Rock Pier (Tiburon), Angel Island Pier, and Del Norte Street Pier (Eureka).

Bait and Tackle: Oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, abalone, snails and worms are their main food, but bat rays will take almost any bait. However, live bait such as anchovies, ghost shrimp, mud shrimp and grass shrimp work best. Frozen squid also works well and is probably the least expensive and easiest bait to use. Central California anglers like to fish at night with a whole cut fish (small croaker or mackerel). It’s reported by the way that these strong rays use their pectoral fins to lift their body rapidly up and down to create a suction that sweeps away the sand and gives easy access to their food on the bottom. Because of the potential large size, anglers wishing to fish specifically for bat rays should use heavy tackle and have a net available to bring the fish up onto the pier. 

Food Value:  Excellent.

Comments: Many anglers concentrate on bat rays because of their large size. The bat rays also put up a strong fight and are delicious to eat once the fight is over. Of interest are the bat ray pools found at several aquariums (including the Monterey Aquarium and the Chula Vista Nature Center). The bat rays can be petted and in fact are rather pet-like; some even seem to like to have their backs stroked. Yes, their stingers have been removed! The stingers are cut off about once a month before they reach a length long enough to hurt anyone. The bat rays evidently suffer no harm from this minor surgery. However, bat rays in the wild still have their spines and can do a lot of damage if handled in a careless manner, so be very careful if you catch one (and some bat rays have two or even three stingers). For some reason Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara sees a lot of small, immature bat rays and they’re usually called monkey face rays.

Scientists report that bat rays move into inshore waters to breed during the summer then tend to move offshore in the winter (so guess when they are more likely to be caught from a pier). While inshore, they are sometimes found in large concentrations. At times these bat ray gatherings contain several thousand individuals. The sea bottom holding these creatures must look a little weird and would certainly have a somewhat alien feeling; not sure if it would be more like a black-cloaked Darth Vader convention, a Raider Nation convention, or something even more outlandish (and scary), a political convention.

One additional thought concerns your use of the term ghetto, and I must admit that I hate to bring it up. It’s a legitimate word but the context in which it was used here is suspect. Although I myself cringe at how easily people can get upset over the use of a word, as a former teacher I also realize that words do have an impact. Too often the word ghetto is used imputatively in relation to a race or to a certain culture. I’ve rarely heard it used in reference to a fish, or a type of fishing, unless used in a pejorative manner. Hopefully here it was just carelessness but again I think it opens you to criticism.

In conclusion, please be careful when you write a story such as this. There’s enough sensationalism, exaggeration and poor reporting in the newspapers today without including yourself in the mix. And, as for the poor bat rays, I’m sure there will be some determined anglers that set out to avenge the Croc Hunter by killing a few of the creatures. Stories such as yours may encourage such fools.

Rita Magdamo and a bat ray taken at the Green Pleasure Pier in Avalon

In response to my letter I was asked to write a short article.

The Mighty Mud Marlin, By Ken Jones, Lodi Sentinel-News, September 8, 2006

Fish are just fish, right? That might have been the accepted opinion at one time but today with whole industries devoted to black bass, trout, and billfish, it seems a slightly outdated concept. Some fish are big bucks, some are not, and in our consumer-dominated society that simple fact often translates into publicity and sharp distinctions as to what fish are good and what fish are bad.

One fish that has recently begun to gain attention in California, and to buck this trend, is the Darth Vader imitatin’ bat ray, Myliobatis californica, a ray found from the Gulf of California to Oregon. Long maligned, and still abused by some ill-informed anglers, it has begun to attract a new legion of admirers even though it wouldn’t seem to be able to compete with the better-known species.

Perhaps in part this is due to the various aquariums around the state. Bat rays, minus their stingers (they’re generally trimmed down once a month), are allowed to be in petting pools that kids can reach. The rays almost always display a nose nuzzlin’, non-fish-like behavior loved by most kids. Happy kids = happy parents.

 It may be due to the publicity surrounding the fighting ability of the bat rays, a trait that has led to the popularization of a second name—mud marlin. They are often the largest and strongest fish in the areas in which they are found and even though a Huntington Beach fish weighing 181 pounds 0 ounces holds the state record, several fish approaching or exceeding 200 pounds in weight have been reported.

Another reason for their popularity may be the Mud Marlin Get Togethers that have been held at the Berkeley Pier for the past five years. Most years see upward of a hundred anglers and also a medley of concoctions (including anchovy-stuffed squid) cast out by anglers eager to lure the hard fighting fish to their hooks. When hooked, the crowd follows the fight, although only about one in three fish actually is netted and makes it up to the pier. Once measured, the fish are gently returned via the net to fight another day.

Lastly, a major reason for their popularity may be the discussions and posted threads on the Pier Fishing In California Message Board (pierfishing.com). Often the neophyte anglers simply admire the fighting ability of the fish or their size. Several of the more experienced anglers though have noted their special traits and some have even decided to no longer pursue the fish. One long time expert, Boyd Grant of Goleta, stopped completely after catching a large ray—and giving it away—to a fellow angler in Morro Bay. He said the fish had watched him with its Bette Davis eyes and he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind. Strange talk from an experienced angler with nearly fifty years fishing California’s south coast.

The bat ray, often given such nicknames as stingray, sea ray, eagle ray, batfish, big black, sea bird, flapper, and monkey face ray (not to count the derisive term ghetto fish used in a Lodi Sentinel story), just seems to glide along winning converts and respect.

Attention though must be given to their stinger. The stinger, located on their whip-like tail, can cause a painful wound. And, as seen in the recent case of Steve Irwin, the noted crocodile expert who was stung by an Australian species of stingray, even death is a possibility.  However, most anglers who seek out the fish are careful and most have never been stung.

Aside from the stinger, the fish is a harmless fish never known to attack a person. They tend to prefer a flat, rocky bottom or sand among rocks and most commonly are caught in bays or in waters around coastal piers. The distinctive rays have a very heavy raised head and a dorsal fin at the base of their tail. Their coloring is blackish or blackish brown above and white below.

Oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, abalone, snails and worms are the rays’ main food but bat rays will take almost any bait. Frozen squid seems the favorite bait of most anglers but live bait such as anchovies, ghost shrimp, and grass shrimp often work best.

Catch and release has become the model for an increasing number of ray hunters but some people still keep and eat the rays. Their flesh is good eating but has a strange texture, much like scallops, and they do take time to clean. Recipes on the Pier Fishing In California web site have ranged from teriyaki smoked bat ray to bat ray chowder so the meat is versatile. Still though you have those Bette Davis eyes and many prefer just to release the fish gently back into the water.

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2017/03/bat-rays-a-brouhaha-in-lodi/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/10/spiny-dogfish/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/10/spiny-dogfish/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2016 21:05:44 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=12242 Order Squaliformes 

Dogfish Sharks—Family Squalidae

Large spiny dogfish taken at the Cayucos Pier in 2007

Species: Squalus acanthias (Linnaeus, 1758); from the Latin word squalus  (shark) and the Greek word akanthias (spines), or Squalus suckleyi; from the Latin word squalus (shark) and suckleyi honoring George Suckley (1830-1869), a naturalist and Civil War surgeon. Pick A or B—but why the choice? It’s an ichthyologist thing! Squalus acanthias is the scientific name given to the common North Atlantic (or worldwide) dogfish. Squalus suckleyi is a name given to the dogfish found in the north Pacific. These fish are considered a distinct species by some ichthyologists. California Fish & Game Bulletin No. 28, edited by Lionel Walford (early ‘30s), lists the scientific name of spiny dogfish as Squalus suckleyi. California Fish & Game Bulletin No. 91, edited by Phil M. Rodel (1953) lists the name as Squalus acanthias and makes the following statement, “The north Pacific and north Atlantic dogfishes were long regarded as separate species (S. suckleyi and S. acanthias respectively), but Bigelow and Schroeder (1948) found no difference between them. Because the Atlantic dogfish was described first, its scientific name takes precedence.” Since that time the California Fish & Game has used Squalus acanthias as the official scientific name. In Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras of California by David A. Ebert (2003), perhaps the pre-eminant book on these species, he uses Squalus acanthias and states, “no significant morphological characteristics have been found to separate these species.” Still, if you open ten books you may find five listing one scientific name, five the other.

Spiny dogfish taken at the Ventura Pier in 2002 by Tim Durham

Alternate Names: Dogfish, dog shark, gray shark, grayfish, paloma, spinarola (in Humboldt Bay), pinback shark, mud shark, sand shark, Henle’s shark, and my favorite, green-eyed grinner. The fact that dogfish have an almost worldwide distribution means they also have a plethora of interesting names. On the west coast of America dogfish are called k’aaxada can, q’ad can or kaad (Haida and Tlingit—British Columbia,) and tiburó de Espina or galludo (Mexico). Given their worldwide distribution, dogfish may be the winner of the “Most Alternate Names Award.” Apparently, the common name “dogfish” originated not from looking like a dog, or barking like a dog (although that would be interesting), but from fishermen who described these fish as chasing smaller fish in large dog-like “packs.”

Usually if you catch one dogfish there will be more around

Identification: They have a spine at front of each dorsal fin (the only other shark that has this is the horn shark) but no anal fin. They also have a long, flattened, pointed nose. Their coloring is generally gray or light brown above and white below. Spiny dogfish are sometimes confused with smoothhound sharks but smoothies do not have dorsal spines.

Large catches are not uncommon — all taken at the Ventura Pier in 2003

Size: To slightly more than five feet; those caught at piers are generally less than  four feet in length.

Spiny dogfish at the Cayucos Pier in 2007

Range: Found throughout temperate seas; in the eastern Pacific it ranges from Isla San Martin, southern Baja California, to the Gulf of California, and on to the Bering Sea, coast of Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands. A population is also found in Chile. In the western Pacific, the dogfish occurs from the Bering Sea to New Zealand. Dogfish are found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Greenland to Argentina and in the eastern Atlantic from Iceland and Murmanski Coast (Russia) to South Africa including the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. An example of their range (and wandering nature) was seen in a dogfish that was caught on the half-day boat Daily Double off San Diego on September 23, 2013. It had been tagged on July 20, 2010 in Yakutsk Bay in the Gulf of Alaska, 1,847 nautical miles away.

Spiny dogfish from the Cayucos Pier in 2006

Habitat: Generally found in deeper water in southern California and shallower water north of Point Conception. Inshore areas see the best fishing from the spring to the fall; may move offshore during the winter. Typically found in large schools with young, immature dogs found in mixed groups of males and females; older, mature dogs hang with those of a similar sex, males in one school, females in another. How boring.

Spiny dogfish from the Ventura Pier in 2003

Piers: Although many dogfish are caught from piers in Washington and British Columbia, they are of much less importance to piers in California. Nevertheless, a number are caught every year from piers in central and northern California. Best bets: Pismo Beach Pier, Cayucos Pier, Capitola Wharf, Santa Cruz Wharf, Pacifica Pier, San Francisco Municipal Pier, Fort Baker Pier, Fort Mason Piers and the Berkeley Pier. Almost any of the piers in Humboldt Bay can also be labeled excellent. Quite a few have also been reported from the Huntington Beach Pier, Hermosa Beach Pier, and Ventura Pier, all in southern California.

A number of dogfish and one small swell shark from the Cayucos Pier in 2007

Shoreline: Quite a few are caught from shoreline areas in Humboldt Bay.

Boats: A common catch for boaters in Humboldt Bay and occasionally taken by rockcod anglers from central California north,

Bait and Tackle: Most dogfish caught from piers are of moderate size, 18 to 36 inches long. Because of the sharp teeth, a light wire leader or heavy monofilament line should be used. Generally medium tackle is used with hook size 2 to 4/0. Best bait seems to be squid but in San Francisco Bay ghost shrimp and small live fish also work well. Dogfish have a disturbing habit of twisting around the line and are a pain in the proverbial butt to remove.

A spiny dogfish from the Elephant Rock Pier in 2007

Food Value: Considered a fair quality fish that is moderate in fat content. The flesh is firm, moderate in taste, and is generally considered best suited for frying.   The English must agree since have used dogfish for their fish and chips for centuries. However, it is also very popular in Europe as a hot-smoked product, especially in Germany and the Netherlands. It does need to be cleaned properly and kept cool before cooking.

Spiny dogfish from the Newport Pier in 2003

Comments: Like the horn shark, anglers should be very careful when handling dogfish. Watch out for the dorsal spines and the unexpectedly sharp teeth.

The spine of a spiny dogfish taken at the Ventura Pier in 2011 by Yomero

Since dogfish generally swim in large schools, if you catch one there is a good chance that others may not be too far behind. On a trip to Washington back in the ’70s, I learned about their prodigious numbers and schooling nature. In Tacoma there was (and maybe still is) a sportfishing company called Dogfish Charters. Although the boats primarily fished for walleye pollock, rockfish, and Pacific cod, the dogfish were bound to show up. In fact the boat offered a free trip to anyone who failed to catch a dogfish. How did I do? Mixed in with 20+ pollock and copper rockfish were four dogfish. I didn’t earn a free trip—darn!

Another example of their numbers was seen during a doctor’s office visit in 2013. One day I was calmly gritting my teeth and nodding approvingly as my doctor stun-gunned my face and asked if I was OK. The ”this might sting a little” routine had out lived its usefulness but I would show my manliness and toughness by refusing to show the pain (and there was pain). Following the masochist session we talked of fish. She asked if I had ever heard of dog sharks? “Yes, but they are actually called dogfish sharks, so called because they travel in packs like dogs.” She said she had been at the Pismo Beach Pier in August when she had seen 50-60 dog sharks, most around three feet in length, laying on the deck at the end of the pier. Anglers were bringing more sharks up every few minutes. It was dark and as she had looked down into the waters she said she could actually see the sharks massed below. I asked if the anglers had said what they intended to do with the sharks and she said they were going to eat them. “Good thing,” I said, “since I hate to see fish wasted.” No wonder a lot of guys like to fish the Pismo Beach Pier for sharks!

The number of dogfish does seem a little surprising to me. Although the fish can live to be 70-80 years old, females are not mature until about age 35. Though the ladies can produce 70-80 young in a lifetime, how many actually reach maturity? Questions, questions!

A final note! For years dogfish were one of the most common cadavers used by junior CSI’ers cuttin’ up bodies in high school biology (along with da frogs).  Today, some scientists have discovered they can use the cartilage from dogfish spines in a cancer medicine. AEterna Laboratories, a small Quebec company, uses purified spines to produce Neovastat, a medicine that seems to inhibit blood vessel growth in lung and kidney cancer tumors. The result is longer lives and a better quality of life. Although still experimental, results to date are very promising.

The medical uses for dogfish are not new. As described in Some Common Marine Fishes of British Columbia by G. Clifford Carl (1973), “Both the oil from the livers and the flesh were eaten by Indians on the west coast of Vancouver Island and Cape Flattery.” Interestingly, he gives a quote from (Swan, 1870) which gives reference to George Suckley, the doctor used in the scientific name Squalus suckleyi. “Dr. Suckley states that while he was on service as surgeon at the U.S. military station at Fort Steilacoom, he used dogfish oil with great success in pulmonary affections, and considered it, when fresh, equal to cod-liver oil.” So there you have it, the rest of the story.

A dogfish caught at the Capitola Wharf in 2008 by Rusty: picture by anchovinator

It was windy the night before but Sunday, September 25, 2016 turned out to be a beautiful day at Trinidad, the small town located on California’s scenic redwood-forested, northwest coast just 24 miles north of Eureka. It was a perfect day to go fishing!

Getting the loaner rods and reels ready

Luckily, a kids fishing derby just happened to be scheduled at the Trinidad Pier. The event was the 3nd Annual Trinidad Pier Youth Fishing Derby sponsored by United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers, Pacific Outfitters, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Mary Patyten setting up the California Fish and Wildlife Display unit

The United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) banner

Getting the prizes and trophies ready to go

Free loaner rods and reels, free terminal tackle, free bait, free hot dog lunches, raffle prizes, and a winner in each age group helped generate excitement. In response, 96 youngsters turned out to enjoy the short-sleeve weather and fishing which, although a little slow, did produce a variety of fish—cabezon, buffalo sculpin, kelp greenling, and shinerperch.

Carrie Wilson from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Ken Jones from United Pier and Shore Anglers of California helping with registration (Photo courtesy of Ed Roberts)

Carrie Wilson

It was beautiful shorts and short sleeve shirt weather

 As at the previous tournaments, a large group of parents and friends, estimated at 200+ people (not counting dogs) also attended making the event a true family event, one full of smiles and good-will.

The first fish of the day was a kelp greenling caught by Malaki Costa (Photo courtesy of Ed Roberts)

“My fish”

Getting the whole family involved.

There were a LOT of families

People checking out the Fish and Wildlife information (Photo courtesy of Ed Roberts)

Catching any fish?

Is this the way?

Either let me fish or give me that sandwich!

First fishing trip?

She’s ready to catch a fish

I hope I catch a fish

Showing ‘em how it’s done.

Are those good raspberries?

Family time!

Let me show you how to hold that reel

Bonding!

What a grin!

It is always special when a father takes the girls out fishing!

Lots of smiles!

Family time!

Who’s going to catch the fish?

Parents and grandparents!

Looks like they are set.

Pretty nice weather for the coast.

A lot of smiles.

They’re all ready.

I think a fish is going to bite.

Hey Mom!

Officer Wells of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Photo courtesy of Ed Roberts)

Sitting back and enjoying life.

Nothing like taking your kid fishing.

I can’t wait for the hot dogs, I’m hungry now.

Not everyone wants their picture taken.

Nice!

They look like fishermen!

We’re ready.

What a smile!

A little one!

Life is good.

Dad’s teaching their daughters to fish is special!

A budding “Lady Angler”

Lots of free stuff!

Ed Roberts of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The “Roberts” sisters (Photo courtesy of Ed Roberts)

Mary Patyten of the California Department of Fish and Wiildlife

A nice crowd.

The pier

Grant Rodin of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria.

Just a boy and his dog!

An Orioles fan!

Dad and son!

Group effort.

I like that flag!

When things got a little slow a few of the youngsters decided to check out the local family of otters. River otters I’ve been told even though these favor the salty Trinidad Harbor.

Back to fishing.

What a pretty day!

The fish don’t always bite.

She’s got her own rod and reel.

Waiting for a bite!

Maybe the dog is waiting for the hot dogs to be finished?

Buds!

No fish!

A crowded pier!

Under the pier!

What a gorgeous day!

Prisoner Rock — a name acquired during the “Gold Rush” when unruly prisoners, often drunks, would be left on the rock overnight to contemplate their misdeeds

Looking up at the Trinidad Head Lighthouse from the pier.

Each age group had a winner with each winner receiving a trophy, a beautiful certificate from the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), and an autographed copy of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones

Age group winners: 3-5-year-old winner—Malaki Costa (Trinidad); 6-year-old winner—Sonny Hopper (McKinleyville); 7-year-old winner—Dylan Collart (McKinleyville); 8-year-old winner—Jasiah Wheeler (Trinidad): 9-year-old winner—Jocelyn Sundberg (McKinleyville); 10-year-old winner— Emma Sobehrad (McKinleyville); 11-year-old winner—Gabriella Davidson (Trinidad): 12-year-old winner—Andrew Leverett (Eureka); 13-year-old winner—Devon Rodriguez (Trinidad); 14-year-old winner—Alaura Romo (Eureka); 15-year-old winner—Cameron Romo (Eureka). Four of the winners were repeat winners—Malachi Costa who won in 2014, Sonny Hopper Jocelyn Sundberg and Alaura Romo who won or tied their age group divisions in 2015.

The 3-5-year-old winner—Malaki Costa (Trinidad) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 6-year-old winner—Sonny Hopper (McKinleyville) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 7-year-old winner—Dylan Collart (McKinleyville) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 8-year-old winner—Jasiah Wheeler (Trinidad) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 9-year-old winner—Jocelyn Sundberg (McKinleyville)  and Kj (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 10-year-old winner— Emma Sobehrad (McKinleyville) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 11-year-old winner—Gabriella Davidson (Trinidad) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 13-year-old winner—Devon Rodriguez (Trinidad) and KJ (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 14-year-old winner—Alaura Romo (Eureka) and Kj (Photo by Carrie Wilson)

The 15-year-old winner—Cameron Romo (Eureka) and KJ

Donating money, food and gifts for the meals, insurance and prizes was a variety of different groups and businesses—Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA), Pacific Outfitters, United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), Ken Jones—Pier Fishing in California (pierfishing.com), and Ed Roberts. A custom built rod made by Dan Troxel of BassMan Dan’s Custom Fishing Rods was raffled off with proceeds going to pay next year’s insurance costs.

The last events were the raffles  of which there were two. The first was the raffle for the custom built rod made by Dan Troxel of BassMan Dan’s Custom Fishing Rods.

Dan Troxel of BassMan Dan’s Custom Fishing Rods and the lucky winner of his rod.

Last but not least was a plethora of raffle prizes for the youngsters. There were not enough gifts for every youngster to receive a prize but the majority received prizes.

Prizes donated by the Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA) — Photo courtesy of Ed Roberts

Organizers of the derby were Ed Roberts of the California Fish and Wildlife Department, Ken Jones of United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) and pierfishing.com, and Grant Roden of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria.

Ed Roberts (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Ken Jones (United Pier and Shore Anglers (UPSAC) and Pier Fishing In California (pierfishing.com)

Grant Roden of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria and Ken Jones (United Pier and Shore Anglers (UPSAC) and Pier Fishing In California (pierfishing.com)

Members of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

A big thanks to the various members of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who attended the event, helped out (in many ways) and served as educators to a  future legion of anglers. Attending were: Mary Patyten, Carrie Wilson, Dan Troxel, Dustin Hixon, Matt Wells, Dave Walker, Rob Mengel and, of course, Ed Roberts.

The day was over, the crowd dispersed, and the pier now empty of anglers. A trip back up the hill, a short stop at the lighthouse to bid adieu for another year, and goodby to Trinidad, one of God’s little gifts to us all.

The Trinidad Head Lighthouse offers a great view!

The Trinidad Pier in the afternoon sun

So long for now!

The north woods and coastline — a world class view!

All photos by KJ (Ken Jones) unless otherwise noted.

The Marin Rod and Gun Club, started in 1926, celebrated its 90th birthday this year and is one of California’s oldest and, in my opinion, best clubs in the state.

Although a long-time club event, UPSAC (United Pier and Shore Anglers of California), the IGFA (International Game Fish Association), and PFIC (Pier Fishing In California) co-sponsored and provided part of the people and the gifts for the youngsters.

Rita Magdamo, a club member as well as an UPSAC and PFIC member, gets the UPSAC loaner rods ready for the youngsters.

An early morn on the bay and in the sky
Rita Magdamo and Robert Gardner, Vice-President of UPSAC

Loaner rods and reels were available as well as free bait and assistance when needed.

Kyle Pease and Alex Poone of Pier Fishing In California

Combined with the fishing was a free hot dog lunch and a raffle where every participant received a rod and reel from the club.

Club members setting up the tables and putting finishing touches on the rods and reels for the raffle.

A fairly empty pier awaiting the crowd.

Here’s the bait. All you need is some bait and a pole to catch a fish — right?

Once you got your bait you grabbed a loaner pole and then headed out to that secret “top spot” on the pier where the big ‘uns are caught.

The derby started at 10 A.M. and shortly thereafter the pier began to fill with youngsters and their families.

One of the many families.

A jacksmelt, one of many.

Leopard Shark

A total of 82 fish were caught including 6 California halibut, 2 striped bass, 4 leopard sharks, 2 brown smoothhound sharks (aka sand sharks), 7 bat rays (aka mud marlin), and 61 jacksmelt.

The San Rafael-Richmond Bridge is always an interesting sight.

The Kosla family

Bat Ray

Leopard Shark — Hans Jones Jr.

Largest fish of each species: California halibut: 14” by Liam Connell; striped bass: 16” by Theo Pontes; leopard shark: 22” by Tulan White; brown smoothhound shark: 18” by Hans Jones Jr.; bat ray: 32” by Jake Barnes; jacksmelt: 16 1/2” by Tyler Hemnings.

Striped Bass — Mikayla Melero (Photo courtesy of Lisa Lue)

 California Halibut — Mikayla Melero (Photo courtesy of Lisa Lue)

Jacksmelt

Jacksmelt — Audrey Kosla (Photo courtesy of Nick Kosla)

Grace and Mikayla

Sharing a shark!

Halibut — Michele NG (Photo courtesy of Herman Ng)

Bat Ray — Jake Barnes (Photo courtesy of Brent Barnes)

Jacksmelt — Audrey and Grace Kosla  (Photo courtesy of Nick Kosla)

Interesting sight looking at the bridge and the East Bay hills.

Rita Magdamo and Robert Gardner by the UPSAC sign.

Next up would be the hot dog lunch followed by announcement of the age-group winners and the raffle

Each individual age group winner received a 1^st Place trophy for their catch, a beautiful IGFA certificate, and an autographed copy of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones. UPSAC President Ken Jones and Dr. John Evans handed out the goodies.

Age group winner: 5-year-old and under — Lena Klyashchitsky

Age group winner: 6-year-old — Grace Kosla

Age group winner: 7-year-old — Jake Barnes

Age group winner: 8-year-old — Kody Monteiro

Age group winner: 9-year-old — Mikayla Melero

Age group winner: 10-year-old — Tulan White

Age group winner: 11-year-old — Tyler Hemnings

Age group winner: 12-year-old — Dylan Monteiro

Age group winner: 13-year-old —Joshua Klyaschitsky

Age group winner: 14-year-old — Pato Harris

Age group winner: 15-year old — Hans Jones Jr.

 Gary Colmere — Chairman of the 2016 “Kids Day In The Pier”

Joe Morrison, President of the Marin Rod and Gun Club, Ken Jones and Dr. John Evans to the right

Next up was the raffle. Each participant received a raffle ticket and as the numbers were called they would go to the front and pick out a rod and reel.

Representing the Marin Rod and Gun Club: Chairmen Gary Colmere, President Joe Morrison, and more than 20 other club members who performed a plethora of duties—serving as judges on the pier, cleaning and fixing rods and reels for both the derby and the raffle, cooking the hot dog lunch, setting up and cleaning the auditorium and kitchen, helping with the registration, helping announce the results of the raffle, and a hundred and one other things never even noticed.

Representing UPSAC: President Ken Jones, Vice-President Robert Gardner, Board Member Hans Jones and member Rita Magdamo. Representing the Pier Fishing in California (PFIC) website was Kyle Pease and Alex Poon.

All pictures by Ken Jones unless otherwise noted.

A huge thank you goes to the Marin Gun and Rod Club and the various other organizations and volunteers for putting on this great annual event.

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2016/08/marin-rod-gun-club-%e2%80%94-28th-annual-kids-day-on-the-pier/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/10/trinidad-pier-%e2%80%94-2015-kids-fishing-derby/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/10/trinidad-pier-%e2%80%94-2015-kids-fishing-derby/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2015 22:39:58 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=9792 The Trinidad Pier aka Seascape Pier

On Saturday, October 3, 2015, the wind at Trinidad was blowing at a 30-40 mile per hour clip with gusts hitting 50-60 mph. On the beach, visitors were greeted with gusts of sand and “watch your hat” conditions. The main question was would the wind continue AND would we be able to have the scheduled kids fishing derby Sunday morning? There really wasn’t much of a “Plan B” so fingers were crossed and perhaps a few prayers were said along the way. The question was answered early the next morning when arrival at the pier saw little if any wind and a beautiful sky. As it turned out it would be mostly shirtsleeve weather and just about perfect conditions for the 56 kids and the crowd of roughly 125 people who attended the derby.

The pier before the derby

The event was the 2nd Annual Trinidad Pier Youth Fishing Derby sponsored by United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), and Ed Roberts from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Eureka.

The front of the pier is sided by a cliff and rocky shoreline on one side and two large rocks on the other side.

Free loaner rods and reels, free terminal tackle, free bait, free hot dog lunches, raffle prizes, and a winner in each age group helped generate excitement, as did the opportunity to catch a fish (although the fishing was a little slow).  As at the inaugural tournament in 2014, a large group of parents and friends also attended making the event a true family event.

Ready for registration

Checking out the registration table — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

Each age group had a winner with each winner receiving a trophy from United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC), a beautiful certificate from the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), and an autographed copy of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones.

Age group winners: 3-5-year-old winner—(tie) Sunny Hopper (McKinleyville) and Thomas White (Trinidad); 6-year-old winner—Bryce Gruetzmacher (McKinleyville); 7-year-old winner—(tie) Nolan Sefcik (McKinleyville) and Dean Savieo (Trinidad); 8-year-old winner—Jocelyn Sundberg (McKinleyville); 9-year-old winner—Ryenne Kile (Eureka); 10-year-old winner—Caden Vance (Eureka); 11-year-old winner—Julian Sundberg (McKinleyville); 12-year-old winner—Nate Ferguson (Trinidad); 13-year-old winner—Alaura Romo (Eureka); 14-year-old winner—Cory Soll (Trinidad); 16-year-old winner—Callie Roberts (Loleta).

The Pier

The pier was quickly crowded

United Pier and Shore Anglers of California was one of the main sponsors

Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers donated money to buy many of the raffle prizes

As usual, it takes many people to put on an event of this size. Helping out at the derby were Kevin Butler from the Trinidad Rancheria,  “Big Rich” McIntosh from Pier Fishing In California (pierfishing.com), Scott McBain and Casey Allen from the Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA),  John “Grondo” Grondalski from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Natural Resource Volunteer Program (NRVP), Dan Troxel from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Vanessa Jenkins.

Mary Patyten from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife office in Fort Bragg distributed information to the kids while Ed Roberts from the Eureka office was one of the main sponsors

There were a lot of smiles on the pier

This youngster was happy with his small greenling

The Thiesfeld family

A small greenling — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

Aston Husted and Russ Janak

Molly Roberts

Lucas Janak

Dan Troxel of the CDFW holding up a small rock greenling — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

The McTigues

Wardens Chase (left) and Alfaro (right) from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife provided information and “Junior Warden” stickers to the youngsters

The Romo Family

“Grondo” Grondalski of the CDFW NRVP and a young angler holding up buffalo sculpin — Picture courtesy of “Grondo” Grondalski

Warden Alfaro from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

A young angler with a striped seaperch — Picture courtesy of “Grondo” Grondalski

Callie and Molly Roberts

Laysha and Callie Roberts

A small greenling — Picture courtesy of Casey Allen of the Humboldt Salt Water Anglers

Another greenling — Picture courtesy of Casey Allen of Humboldt Salt Water Anglers)

A baby cabezon —Picture courtesy of Casey Allen of Humboldt Salt Water Anglers)

It was a nice crowd

“Big Rich” from the Pier Fishing In California Message Board drove all the way up from Vallejo to help out at the derby (with Mary Patyten)

Callie and Laysha Roberts

Fishing lasted from 10:30 until 12:30 at which time the kids were presented a hot dog lunch.

Ed Roberts cooking the hot dogs — Picture courtesy of Patricia Ornelas

Following lunch, the raffle was held with each participant receiving a gift. Raffle prizes were donated by a number of different groups and businesses—Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA), Pacific Outfitters, Mad River Tackle, Costco of Eureka, and Pier Fishing in California (pierfishing.com)

Ed Roberts — “How many are ready for the raffle?”

The number is…

The perfect prize!

This youngster won a “First Edition” of Pier Fishing In California but might be too young to read it

You can never have too many tackle boxes — right?

Each youngster also received a “Goody Bag” of gifts. Items were donated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the San Diego Sportfishing Council, and United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC).

Age Group Winners

KJ and an Age Group Winner — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

KJ and an Age Group Winner — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

KJ and an Age Group Winner — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

KJ and 12-Year-Old Age Group Winner Nate Ferguson — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

KJ and 16-Year-Old Age Group Winner Callie Roberts — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

Ed Roberts, Ken Jones (KJ) and Mary Patyten

Organizers for the event were Ed Roberts of the California Fish and Wildlife Department, Ken Jones, President of United Pier and Shore Anglers of California, and Grant Roden of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria.

An IGFA certificate for Ed Roberts — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

IGFA certificates for Grant Roden and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

An IGFA certificate for Mary Patyten — Picture courtesy of Ed Roberts

Later that day, after the kids and their families had returned to their homes, and the tables, BBQ, boxes, and supplies had been put away, the pier returned to its normal, more quiet nature. Tourists and locals wanting one final walk out onto the pier would be greeted by a pretty sunset and one of the most beautiful vistas confronting any visitor to a California pier.

All non-attributed pictures by Ken Jones

]]> http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/10/trinidad-pier-%e2%80%94-2015-kids-fishing-derby/feed/ 0 http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/trinidad-pier-%e2%80%94-2014-kids-fishing-derby/ http://kenjonesfishing.com/2015/08/trinidad-pier-%e2%80%94-2014-kids-fishing-derby/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2015 18:10:33 +0000 kenjones http://kenjonesfishing.com/?p=9369 The 2014 Trinidad Pier Youth Fishing Tournament was held on September 13 at the Trinidad Pier aka the Seascape Pier in Trinidad, California. The derby was sponsored by UPSAC (United Pier and Shore Anglers of California, IGFA (International Game Fish Association), and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria dba Seascape Pier.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife set up a booth where they distributed various materials and discussed their “Fishing Passport” program. Left to right: Carrie Wiilson, Ed Roberts and Mary Patyten.

All participants received free loaner tackle, free bait, a free hot dog lunch (cooked up by Ed Roberts), free goody bags containing several items, and raffle tickets to win prizes.

A small cabezon

A cabezon

Another cabezon

A rock greenling

A Pacific mackerel

A white seaperch

A baby rockfish

Following the fishing, and the hot dog lunch, it was time for the announcement of the age group winners. All age group winners received a trophy from UPSAC, a beautiful IGFA certificate, and a copy of Pier Fishing in California by Ken Jones.

Individual age group winners were: 6-year olds and under—Malachi Costa; 7-year olds—Sammy Luna; 8-year olds—Yelena Gulbransen; 9-year olds—Elijah Gulbransen; 10-year olds—Nate Ferguson; 11-year olds—Anthony Eggink; 12-year olds—Levi Robbins; 13-year olds—Charles Evans; 15-year olds—Kaden Lindquist.

UPSAC President Ken Jones announced the winners

6-Year-Olds and Under Winner Malachi Costa

7-Year-Old Winner Sammy Luna

8-Year-Old Winner Yelena Gulbransen

9-Year-Old Winner Elijah Gulbransen

10-year-Old Winner Nate Ferguson

11-Year-Old Winner Anthony Eggink

12-Year-Old Winner Levi Robbins

13-Year-Old Winner Charles Evans

15-Year-Old Winner Kaden Lindquist

Certificates were also awarded to several people who helped set up the derby

UPSAC President Ken Jones gives thanks to Ed Roberts of the California Fish and Wildlife Department and the man whose vision helped establish the Trinidad Derby

UPSAC President Ken Jones offers a big thanks to Leslie Sanders who represented and was the main contact with the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria  that owns and manages the pier. She also donated a plethora of raffle gifts from her shop at the foot of the pier.

Last but not least was the raffle contest that is always a highlight for the youngsters at the derbies. The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ed Roberts, Carrie Wilson and Mary Patyten handed out the gifts.

Planning and organization was carried out by Ken Jones and Ed Roberts while work during the day the of the event was done by Ed Roberts, Carrie Wilson, Mary Patyten and Ken Jones.

Ed Roberts, Mary Patyten, Carrie Wilson and Ken Jones

The derby was sponsored by United Pier and Shore Anglers of California (UPSAC) and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA)

You have to watch what you eat when you catch fish in the bay 

Hans Jones Jr. and Mack Jones

Sometimes when the fishing is slow you just sort of hang out — Danika and Brianna

Josh and Ramn

Tenzin and his dad

Kimberly

Josh, open your eyes

Juliana and her family

Kim and Samantha checking out something

Danika and Brianna and a little help with the cast

Hans Jones cooking up some mean hot dogs

Just shake hands with the rod

I think I understand

Following the fishing everyone, youngster and parent enjoyed some hot dogs, chips and soft drinks, That was followed by the raffle which was followed by the awarding of the age group certificates and trophies. The winners were: Juliana Li, Tenzin Kunsel, Danika Dougherty, Brianna Cooke, Kimberly Bierman, Ramn Namauleg, Josh Goldston, Samantha Biermann, Hans Jones Jr. and Mack Jones.

Juliana Li

Danika Dougherty and Brianna Cooke

Josh Goldston and Ramn Namauleg

Kimberly Biermann

Samantha Biermann

Mack Jones and Hans Jones Jr.

“The Winners”

Although it was sad to see the day end, all good things must indeed come to an end. Hosting the event, and doing the work, were UPSAC members Ken Jones, Robert Gardner and Hans Jones.

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