Hoping to have it in stores by August 1. What's in it?
Chapter 1 — Introduction
Chapter 2 — Short stories on 14 Fishing professionals.
Chapter 3 — My story.
Chapter 4 — Stories from a group of nine “Outdoor Writers.”
Chapter 5 — Fishing autobiographies from 18 well known senior PFIC Pier Rats.
Chapter 6 — The Pier Rat Autobiographies of 51 SoCal Pier Rats.
Chapter 7 — The Pier Rat Autobiographies of 46 CenCal and NorCal Pier Rats.
Chapter 8 — Memories, Stories & Favorite Scenes from 20 Pier Rats.
Some samples of the autobiographies:
Pier Rat Name — Corbinaman1
Personal Information: Name: Todd B. Grew up in Costa Mesa... moved to Dana Point back in 1977 when I was 9 years old. That is when I discovered surfing, bodysurfing, spearfishing, diving, fishing, and an overall love of the ocean. In fact, I chose UC Riverside over UC San Diego partly because I needed to get away from the ocean to concentrate on my studies. If I chose UC San Diego, I probably would have ditched school so much (to surf and fish) that I would not have graduated! I did come home some weekends to surf and fish, though! Years Fishing: 20 (Seriously, for the last 5 years). Favorite Piers: Aliso Pier [in Laguna Beach] because I caught my first bonito ever there when I was about 14. I cast an anchovy out and got a great hookup, but the hook snapped in half. So I put on a bigger hook, cast to the same spot, and hooked a 2-pound bonito. My drag on my wimpy Zebco pole broke, so my buddy hand-lined the fish up the pier, and I got it! It seemed that everyone on the pier came over to watch me fight the fish. I was stoked! Favorite Fish: Bonito from piers. Pound for pound, they are the toughest fish out there! Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: Definitely catching my first-ever bonito at Aliso Pier in the story above... too bad there is no pier there anymore... had good memories there! Last summer, I caught my first-ever bonefish off the Dana Point Harbor Pier (on sand crabs)... that was an unusual catch for me. While surf fishing last summer, I still remember my first-ever Corbina (2.5 pounds) as if it were yesterday. I hooked up the fish, thinking it was a big perch... horsed it in. I was about to grab it, but it then took off and made three hardcore “reel screaming” runs. I couldn’t believe the intensity of it... my knees were actually shaking when I beached it (like it was a big yellowtail/tuna, etc.)! The last memorable, unexpected surf fishing catch was this summer when I caught my 25-pound, 4-foot Shovelnose Guitarfish in three feet of water on a large sand crab. I was using 20-lb. test and a tiny size 10 hook... after tons of runs and fighting the fish for about 15 minutes, I was ready to beach it, but the fish was too big to land on shore. Luckily, a kid was walking on the beach, he held my pole, and I waded into the water and dragged it to shore! That Shovelnose Guitarfish made my summer of surf fishing...I have a newfound respect for BIG Shovelnose! Also, last summer, catching 12 Giant Squid off the Dana Harbor Pier (yes, they were in the harbor for a few days. Thanks, Snookie! It was a night I won’t forget. Words of Wisdom for Pier Rats: Ask questions, observe the regulars, and be willing to try new things if what you are doing is not working. Respect the ocean, and don’t take it for granted. Please eat and/or use everything you take, and try not to waste the resource, so future generations can enjoy fishing like we do today. It is one of the most popular sports/hobbies in America (and the world), providing lifelong enjoyment and memories for millions of people!
Pier Rat Name — frankythefish
Years Fishing: My father used to take me to Hermosa Pier in a stroller. Ever since I could remember, I was always making bait for him. I finally started going on my own when I was about 13. Favorite Piers: Hermosa Pier: I grew up on it... literally. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trip: Hermosa again... one day, my little sister bugs me to go fishing. It’s mid-October, and I’m thinking we may have a shot at some early-season perch. We go, and as we arrive there, it’s really overcast and slightly nippy. I’m thinking, “Great, perfect weather for perch!” because all the big ones I’ve caught have come in that weather. So we get there, and the pier is lightly to moderately packed. After about 30 min, it starts to rain. Everyone leaves the pier. My little sister and I are the only ones on the pier. We brave the rain for a while and then decide to pack up. As we do, the sun breaks through a pocket in the clouds. So there is this eerie gloom/bright blast of rays thing going on with no one else in sight. So we decided to stay. Best idea ever. As soon as we drop our poles in the water, we are into barred surfperch in the 2-lb. class non-stop. Between us, we caught about eight of them. Huge slabs. All on 4-lb. test. We also had two corbina mixed in with one going about 19”. My sister and I were so elated. She and I still talk about it to this day. She actually pulled in the biggest of all the big ones, and her response was “yay!!! Mine’s bigger than yours!!!” Every time I think of that moment, I have to sit and smile because of how happy she was that day. I’ll never forget it. Words of Wisdom For Pier Rats: Always take the time to entertain kids/teenagers/ adults/elderly/anyone at all, even remotely interested in fishing, whether you know them or not. Just today, I was on the Santa Monica Pier, and this 60-year-old Japanese lady came and asked if she could borrow my fishing pole. I was a little leery about it, but before I could answer, she said, “Don’t worry! I know how to use it!” so I said, “All right.” She takes it and sends my lure out there pretty far. Very impressive, especially because it just caught me off guard. Anyhoo, we are both fishing for bonito and talking at the same time. I’m hooking bonito, and unfortunately, she wasn’t. I was trying to coach her, but to no avail. So I let her play a few of the ones I was hooking. I have never seen a middle-aged/elderly lady so ecstatic before in my life. She was having a blast fighting those bonies. That right there made my day. Fishing is a really big thing to a lot of people and can potentially be a really big thing to people who don’t know it yet. We often get caught up in keeping things hidden from other people, about “where the big ones are at” or “secret spots” and whatnot. That is totally cool. Fishing is great by itself, but what makes it special and memorable are the people you are with when you catch that big one, find that secret spot, or just catch a few drag-pulling bonito.
Pier Rat Name — Slash
First Memories of Fishing: My first fishing memories involve a Southern California pier. I was so young, I wasn't aware of the pier’s name—only that I was at The Pier. Dad equipped us kids with bamboo poles and assured us that if we kept the bait in the water, we would catch a fish. I wasn't able to sit still enough to do that, but it didn't seem to matter. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: My most memorable pier-fishing trip was to the Cayucos Pier in the fall of 2003. My friend Dale and I were enjoying a peaceful morning soaking bait at various points along the pier. A spot opened up at the end of the pier, so we moved down there to take advantage of it. Dale had baited his Sabiki rig with cooked bacon after getting an earful from me for using such “unsophisticated” bait, but he was the only one catching fish at that time. They were too small to keep, so they all went back into the water—until he caught a small shiner perch. That one I kept to use for bait. I had just finished reading Ken’s book, and I was ready to try my hand with live bait. I made up a trolley rig using the little perch and sat back to see what would happen. After 20 minutes of nothing but a little twitch (which I put down to the movement of the bait), I decided to see if my perch was still alive. When I picked up my rod, it was heavy. Darn! I'm caught on kelp! No, something started swimming around on the other end of my line—Fish On! I reeled it in and, as I watched from up on the pier, an ugly face with a wide mouth that had my line coming out of it emerged from the water. As it got closer, I could see the blue markings on its flank—lingcod! Wow! I was sure I would have to throw it back; it didn't look long enough to keep, but it sure was heavy! We got the fish up on the deck to measure it. It wouldn’t hold still, and nobody wanted to put their hand in that mouth full of half-inch teeth. I solved the problem by putting the toe of my shoe in its mouth to hold it down, and, while we put tape along it, I could feel the fish chewing on my foot. 24-1/2 inches—a keeper! That was a great day. Words of Wisdom for Pier Rats: “When you discover something you like, enjoy it! Wallow in its pleasure before it goes away in our ever-changing world. Yet, do not be afraid of change. Embrace it. For, without change, we would never discover that new thing.”
Pier Rat Name — mandooz
Favorite Piers: Seacliff, Santa Monica, and Pacifica. I remember going to Seacliff as a kid and catching those ugly-looking fish inside the cement boat. Santa Monica, because I used to go there regularly during college. Pacifica is just a beautiful place. I had good experiences fishing and crabbing there. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: Santa Cruz Pier has a special place in my heart because I have a wonderful memory of fishing there with my mother once. It was a beautiful day, and it was a total spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. We decided to go buy an inexpensive pole at the local store and just took an hour drive to Santa Cruz, where we spent the day fishing and talking. I didn’t catch anything, but it didn't really matter, you know?
Pier Rat Name — blast29
Personal Information: Real name: Richard. Years Fishing: I’ve been fishing off and on for more than 40 years. First Memories of Fishing: My first memories of saltwater fishing go back to the old Redondo Pier with my father when I was about five or six. I don’t really remember much about what we caught, but I’m sure it was small (perch, maybe tomcod). At that age, I was really there just to spend some family time at the beach. I also recall going up to Pismo in the ‘50s, where we would go clamming. The world-famous Pismo Clams were both plentiful and huge back then, and we would set aside one day to head out to the nearby sand dunes, dig a shallow BBQ pit, and enjoy a wonderful, fresh clam picnic lunch. Favorite Piers: The old wooden Redondo Pier—Although I haven't fished there in more than 20 years (actually, it doesn’t exist anymore. Redondo still reigns supreme in my memories and in my heart. It’s where I started fishing and where I “grew up” as a fisherman. We used to catch bonito all day in the late-‘50s and ‘60s on light setups with Mitchell 300s using live anchovies that we bought for a nickel. I also remember the time when my little brother leaned over the railing to look at his line, and his glasses just sort of slipped off and fell into the ocean. Then there was the time I was on the hamburger run and drenched my friend Mike with Tabasco sauce. (I know that sounds juvenile, but I was a juvenile at the time, and it was really funny. His hair nearly stood on end!) As I grew into my teens, I gravitated to the breakwater, the “short rocks,” the barge (the “Sacramento,” if I recall correctly), and the “City of Redondo” half-day boat, but every now and then, I still went back to the pier. I haven’t fished the new concrete pier. It’ll never be the same, not without the old splintered seating, the carved up railings, and that smell of decades of anchovies, shrimps, mussels, and whatever else ground into the wood. My current favorite pier is Hermosa, where it’s clean and convenient, and the fishing can be very good at times. Favorite Fish: I still like catching bonito, but halibut are probably my favorite saltwater fish. I also like bluefin, albacore, and yellowtail (both to catch and eat), but I find I’m beginning to lose my taste for the whole “big production” aspect of it (minimum of an all-day boat, etc.). Words of Wisdom For Pier Rats: (1) It’s a wonderful planet we share, so let's try hard to be nice to one another. (2) “The Man who never alters his Opinion is like Standing Water & it breeds Reptiles of the Mind.”— William Blake, “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” c. 1790
Pier Rat Name — SteveO
Favorite Piers: Berkeley Pier, I would have to say Berkeley gets a nod for its good action on rays & sharks. So far, I've caught my two favorite sharks from this pier— sevengill & leopard. Plus, as experienced with the MMD (Mud Marlin Derby), you can gather a large group and have plenty of space to fish and hang out without getting bothered. So far, I've met more cool people at Berkeley than at any other pier. And what a view! Santa Cruz Wharf—I have to say the most impressive thing about Santa Cruz is the plethora of fish species that can be found there. Fishing the holes for rockfish and lings. Jigging the Sabiki’s for bocaccio. Soaking bait off the end for macs, sanddabs, jacksmelt, croaker & octopus. But the great catch to Santa Cruz, when the fishing is bad, there’s always plenty of eye candy running around. From the stupid tourists getting smacked as they try to get closer to the pelicans for a photo, despite numerous warnings by fishermen, to all the beautiful people that come to check out the Santa Cruz vibe. When the bite is off, the people watching is on. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: a tale that has not been written about by others yet, was a night, Scooter and I fished Berkeley. We spent the night out on the end, nailing ray after ray. We lost count halfway through; there were so many. It was awesome, one after the other. We were there from about 9:30 pm to 5:30 am. The bite finally died down around 3 a.m., but we gave it a few more hours just to make sure. With all the fish swimming around in our bloodstreams, we were not ready to call it quits. So we bid Berkeley a fond farewell, made two pit stops, and were on our way to Santa Cruz. We spent all day there catching macs and rockfish on light-weight tackle, and Sabiki rigs baited with strips of squid. Finally, about 4:30 pm, I was done. I was on my 46th consecutive hour of consciousness, and my eyes had to close. Scooter, on the other hand, in his 32nd hour, was in a world of bliss and could have stayed another 24. After talking him into dropping me off at home, we split and ended the 18-hour fishing mission. I was delirious by the time I got home and dreamed of lots of fish that night. And last but not least, the last day I fished with Scooter at Santa Cruz. Not many fish that day. In fact, I don’t think I caught anything at all. We hardly spoke a word to each other all day. We didn’t have to. Shortly after that day, I helped him pack the moving truck, and with that, our days in the bay together were done. Scooterfish, thank you for bringing fishing back into my world. [Scooterfish moved to Louisiana.] Words of Wisdom for Pier Rats: If ya got a best bud that loves to fish, go with them as often as you can. If you are a person who loves to fish, take your best crew and enjoy these precious moments.
Chapter 1 — Introduction
Chapter 2 — Short stories on 14 Fishing professionals.
Chapter 3 — My story.
Chapter 4 — Stories from a group of nine “Outdoor Writers.”
Chapter 5 — Fishing autobiographies from 18 well known senior PFIC Pier Rats.
Chapter 6 — The Pier Rat Autobiographies of 51 SoCal Pier Rats.
Chapter 7 — The Pier Rat Autobiographies of 46 CenCal and NorCal Pier Rats.
Chapter 8 — Memories, Stories & Favorite Scenes from 20 Pier Rats.
Some samples of the autobiographies:Pier Rat Name — Corbinaman1
Personal Information: Name: Todd B. Grew up in Costa Mesa... moved to Dana Point back in 1977 when I was 9 years old. That is when I discovered surfing, bodysurfing, spearfishing, diving, fishing, and an overall love of the ocean. In fact, I chose UC Riverside over UC San Diego partly because I needed to get away from the ocean to concentrate on my studies. If I chose UC San Diego, I probably would have ditched school so much (to surf and fish) that I would not have graduated! I did come home some weekends to surf and fish, though! Years Fishing: 20 (Seriously, for the last 5 years). Favorite Piers: Aliso Pier [in Laguna Beach] because I caught my first bonito ever there when I was about 14. I cast an anchovy out and got a great hookup, but the hook snapped in half. So I put on a bigger hook, cast to the same spot, and hooked a 2-pound bonito. My drag on my wimpy Zebco pole broke, so my buddy hand-lined the fish up the pier, and I got it! It seemed that everyone on the pier came over to watch me fight the fish. I was stoked! Favorite Fish: Bonito from piers. Pound for pound, they are the toughest fish out there! Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: Definitely catching my first-ever bonito at Aliso Pier in the story above... too bad there is no pier there anymore... had good memories there! Last summer, I caught my first-ever bonefish off the Dana Point Harbor Pier (on sand crabs)... that was an unusual catch for me. While surf fishing last summer, I still remember my first-ever Corbina (2.5 pounds) as if it were yesterday. I hooked up the fish, thinking it was a big perch... horsed it in. I was about to grab it, but it then took off and made three hardcore “reel screaming” runs. I couldn’t believe the intensity of it... my knees were actually shaking when I beached it (like it was a big yellowtail/tuna, etc.)! The last memorable, unexpected surf fishing catch was this summer when I caught my 25-pound, 4-foot Shovelnose Guitarfish in three feet of water on a large sand crab. I was using 20-lb. test and a tiny size 10 hook... after tons of runs and fighting the fish for about 15 minutes, I was ready to beach it, but the fish was too big to land on shore. Luckily, a kid was walking on the beach, he held my pole, and I waded into the water and dragged it to shore! That Shovelnose Guitarfish made my summer of surf fishing...I have a newfound respect for BIG Shovelnose! Also, last summer, catching 12 Giant Squid off the Dana Harbor Pier (yes, they were in the harbor for a few days. Thanks, Snookie! It was a night I won’t forget. Words of Wisdom for Pier Rats: Ask questions, observe the regulars, and be willing to try new things if what you are doing is not working. Respect the ocean, and don’t take it for granted. Please eat and/or use everything you take, and try not to waste the resource, so future generations can enjoy fishing like we do today. It is one of the most popular sports/hobbies in America (and the world), providing lifelong enjoyment and memories for millions of people!
Pier Rat Name — frankythefish
Years Fishing: My father used to take me to Hermosa Pier in a stroller. Ever since I could remember, I was always making bait for him. I finally started going on my own when I was about 13. Favorite Piers: Hermosa Pier: I grew up on it... literally. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trip: Hermosa again... one day, my little sister bugs me to go fishing. It’s mid-October, and I’m thinking we may have a shot at some early-season perch. We go, and as we arrive there, it’s really overcast and slightly nippy. I’m thinking, “Great, perfect weather for perch!” because all the big ones I’ve caught have come in that weather. So we get there, and the pier is lightly to moderately packed. After about 30 min, it starts to rain. Everyone leaves the pier. My little sister and I are the only ones on the pier. We brave the rain for a while and then decide to pack up. As we do, the sun breaks through a pocket in the clouds. So there is this eerie gloom/bright blast of rays thing going on with no one else in sight. So we decided to stay. Best idea ever. As soon as we drop our poles in the water, we are into barred surfperch in the 2-lb. class non-stop. Between us, we caught about eight of them. Huge slabs. All on 4-lb. test. We also had two corbina mixed in with one going about 19”. My sister and I were so elated. She and I still talk about it to this day. She actually pulled in the biggest of all the big ones, and her response was “yay!!! Mine’s bigger than yours!!!” Every time I think of that moment, I have to sit and smile because of how happy she was that day. I’ll never forget it. Words of Wisdom For Pier Rats: Always take the time to entertain kids/teenagers/ adults/elderly/anyone at all, even remotely interested in fishing, whether you know them or not. Just today, I was on the Santa Monica Pier, and this 60-year-old Japanese lady came and asked if she could borrow my fishing pole. I was a little leery about it, but before I could answer, she said, “Don’t worry! I know how to use it!” so I said, “All right.” She takes it and sends my lure out there pretty far. Very impressive, especially because it just caught me off guard. Anyhoo, we are both fishing for bonito and talking at the same time. I’m hooking bonito, and unfortunately, she wasn’t. I was trying to coach her, but to no avail. So I let her play a few of the ones I was hooking. I have never seen a middle-aged/elderly lady so ecstatic before in my life. She was having a blast fighting those bonies. That right there made my day. Fishing is a really big thing to a lot of people and can potentially be a really big thing to people who don’t know it yet. We often get caught up in keeping things hidden from other people, about “where the big ones are at” or “secret spots” and whatnot. That is totally cool. Fishing is great by itself, but what makes it special and memorable are the people you are with when you catch that big one, find that secret spot, or just catch a few drag-pulling bonito.
Pier Rat Name — Slash
First Memories of Fishing: My first fishing memories involve a Southern California pier. I was so young, I wasn't aware of the pier’s name—only that I was at The Pier. Dad equipped us kids with bamboo poles and assured us that if we kept the bait in the water, we would catch a fish. I wasn't able to sit still enough to do that, but it didn't seem to matter. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: My most memorable pier-fishing trip was to the Cayucos Pier in the fall of 2003. My friend Dale and I were enjoying a peaceful morning soaking bait at various points along the pier. A spot opened up at the end of the pier, so we moved down there to take advantage of it. Dale had baited his Sabiki rig with cooked bacon after getting an earful from me for using such “unsophisticated” bait, but he was the only one catching fish at that time. They were too small to keep, so they all went back into the water—until he caught a small shiner perch. That one I kept to use for bait. I had just finished reading Ken’s book, and I was ready to try my hand with live bait. I made up a trolley rig using the little perch and sat back to see what would happen. After 20 minutes of nothing but a little twitch (which I put down to the movement of the bait), I decided to see if my perch was still alive. When I picked up my rod, it was heavy. Darn! I'm caught on kelp! No, something started swimming around on the other end of my line—Fish On! I reeled it in and, as I watched from up on the pier, an ugly face with a wide mouth that had my line coming out of it emerged from the water. As it got closer, I could see the blue markings on its flank—lingcod! Wow! I was sure I would have to throw it back; it didn't look long enough to keep, but it sure was heavy! We got the fish up on the deck to measure it. It wouldn’t hold still, and nobody wanted to put their hand in that mouth full of half-inch teeth. I solved the problem by putting the toe of my shoe in its mouth to hold it down, and, while we put tape along it, I could feel the fish chewing on my foot. 24-1/2 inches—a keeper! That was a great day. Words of Wisdom for Pier Rats: “When you discover something you like, enjoy it! Wallow in its pleasure before it goes away in our ever-changing world. Yet, do not be afraid of change. Embrace it. For, without change, we would never discover that new thing.”
Pier Rat Name — mandooz
Favorite Piers: Seacliff, Santa Monica, and Pacifica. I remember going to Seacliff as a kid and catching those ugly-looking fish inside the cement boat. Santa Monica, because I used to go there regularly during college. Pacifica is just a beautiful place. I had good experiences fishing and crabbing there. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: Santa Cruz Pier has a special place in my heart because I have a wonderful memory of fishing there with my mother once. It was a beautiful day, and it was a total spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. We decided to go buy an inexpensive pole at the local store and just took an hour drive to Santa Cruz, where we spent the day fishing and talking. I didn’t catch anything, but it didn't really matter, you know?
Pier Rat Name — blast29
Personal Information: Real name: Richard. Years Fishing: I’ve been fishing off and on for more than 40 years. First Memories of Fishing: My first memories of saltwater fishing go back to the old Redondo Pier with my father when I was about five or six. I don’t really remember much about what we caught, but I’m sure it was small (perch, maybe tomcod). At that age, I was really there just to spend some family time at the beach. I also recall going up to Pismo in the ‘50s, where we would go clamming. The world-famous Pismo Clams were both plentiful and huge back then, and we would set aside one day to head out to the nearby sand dunes, dig a shallow BBQ pit, and enjoy a wonderful, fresh clam picnic lunch. Favorite Piers: The old wooden Redondo Pier—Although I haven't fished there in more than 20 years (actually, it doesn’t exist anymore. Redondo still reigns supreme in my memories and in my heart. It’s where I started fishing and where I “grew up” as a fisherman. We used to catch bonito all day in the late-‘50s and ‘60s on light setups with Mitchell 300s using live anchovies that we bought for a nickel. I also remember the time when my little brother leaned over the railing to look at his line, and his glasses just sort of slipped off and fell into the ocean. Then there was the time I was on the hamburger run and drenched my friend Mike with Tabasco sauce. (I know that sounds juvenile, but I was a juvenile at the time, and it was really funny. His hair nearly stood on end!) As I grew into my teens, I gravitated to the breakwater, the “short rocks,” the barge (the “Sacramento,” if I recall correctly), and the “City of Redondo” half-day boat, but every now and then, I still went back to the pier. I haven’t fished the new concrete pier. It’ll never be the same, not without the old splintered seating, the carved up railings, and that smell of decades of anchovies, shrimps, mussels, and whatever else ground into the wood. My current favorite pier is Hermosa, where it’s clean and convenient, and the fishing can be very good at times. Favorite Fish: I still like catching bonito, but halibut are probably my favorite saltwater fish. I also like bluefin, albacore, and yellowtail (both to catch and eat), but I find I’m beginning to lose my taste for the whole “big production” aspect of it (minimum of an all-day boat, etc.). Words of Wisdom For Pier Rats: (1) It’s a wonderful planet we share, so let's try hard to be nice to one another. (2) “The Man who never alters his Opinion is like Standing Water & it breeds Reptiles of the Mind.”— William Blake, “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” c. 1790
Pier Rat Name — SteveO
Favorite Piers: Berkeley Pier, I would have to say Berkeley gets a nod for its good action on rays & sharks. So far, I've caught my two favorite sharks from this pier— sevengill & leopard. Plus, as experienced with the MMD (Mud Marlin Derby), you can gather a large group and have plenty of space to fish and hang out without getting bothered. So far, I've met more cool people at Berkeley than at any other pier. And what a view! Santa Cruz Wharf—I have to say the most impressive thing about Santa Cruz is the plethora of fish species that can be found there. Fishing the holes for rockfish and lings. Jigging the Sabiki’s for bocaccio. Soaking bait off the end for macs, sanddabs, jacksmelt, croaker & octopus. But the great catch to Santa Cruz, when the fishing is bad, there’s always plenty of eye candy running around. From the stupid tourists getting smacked as they try to get closer to the pelicans for a photo, despite numerous warnings by fishermen, to all the beautiful people that come to check out the Santa Cruz vibe. When the bite is off, the people watching is on. Most Memorable Pier Fishing Trips: a tale that has not been written about by others yet, was a night, Scooter and I fished Berkeley. We spent the night out on the end, nailing ray after ray. We lost count halfway through; there were so many. It was awesome, one after the other. We were there from about 9:30 pm to 5:30 am. The bite finally died down around 3 a.m., but we gave it a few more hours just to make sure. With all the fish swimming around in our bloodstreams, we were not ready to call it quits. So we bid Berkeley a fond farewell, made two pit stops, and were on our way to Santa Cruz. We spent all day there catching macs and rockfish on light-weight tackle, and Sabiki rigs baited with strips of squid. Finally, about 4:30 pm, I was done. I was on my 46th consecutive hour of consciousness, and my eyes had to close. Scooter, on the other hand, in his 32nd hour, was in a world of bliss and could have stayed another 24. After talking him into dropping me off at home, we split and ended the 18-hour fishing mission. I was delirious by the time I got home and dreamed of lots of fish that night. And last but not least, the last day I fished with Scooter at Santa Cruz. Not many fish that day. In fact, I don’t think I caught anything at all. We hardly spoke a word to each other all day. We didn’t have to. Shortly after that day, I helped him pack the moving truck, and with that, our days in the bay together were done. Scooterfish, thank you for bringing fishing back into my world. [Scooterfish moved to Louisiana.] Words of Wisdom for Pier Rats: If ya got a best bud that loves to fish, go with them as often as you can. If you are a person who loves to fish, take your best crew and enjoy these precious moments.
