The way fishing at Newport used to be —

[Ken Jones]

Yellowtail at the Newport Wharf, the good old days. It makes you wonder who/what is to blame the most for the decline in fish since those days (and I know there are many, many causes) —

Santa Ana, Nov. 22.—Since the large catch of fish yesterday at Newport wharf nearly everybody wants to go fishing. A four-horse ‘bus-load’ was made up this morning at Orange by Inman & Canfield and driven to the beach early to try their hand at the fish pole. A large number went from this city and if each one had good luck they will flood the market with fish. A large consignment went to Los Angeles last night. We need a packing house at the wharf.
—Los Angeles Herald, November 23, 1894

Mr. J. M. Sare states that yesterday’s fishing at Newport wharf excelled anything he ever saw. The big yellowtail kept the water in a boil, chasing mackerel and other fish up to the very edge of the sands. His wife caught three fifteen-pounders in a few minutes. Fish were stacked on the beach like cordwood, the largest being offered at a nickel apiece. Newport wharf certainly offers good opportunities to a canning company. The best fish of the Pacific frequent the adjacent waters in numbers unparalleled on this coast.
—Los Angeles Herald, September 19, 1896

Good fishing at Newport wharf has attracted the fishermen of the San Pedro Canning company. On last Wednesday, by means of purse nets and hooks and lines, they captured four tons of yellowtail, sardines and mackerel. It is said the yellowtail were so plentiful and hungry that the net haulers had to beat them off with poles in order to land the nets which were crowded with sardines.
—Los Angeles Herald, September 5, 1898

Yellowtail made their appearance off the Newport wharf during the week, and on Wednesday the first fish of the season was taken on 9-9 tackle, the catch being made by William Goff, and the fish scaled 19 pounds 4 ounces.
—Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1908

Mackerel fishing at Newport has been good during the past few weeks. It is reported that mackerel are increasing in size and occasional “corn fed” mackerel are caught. Small horse mackerel have also been plentiful about the same seaport and are good for bait on account of small size. They make excellent bait for bass when placed on a hook alive and some big bass have been caught on them. The usual run of pompano was found around the Newport wharf Sunday and yesterday afternoon, and all those who fished from this station caught all they wanted. John F. Wright of Logan, Utah, who is spending the winter and summer in Southern California made a catch of eighty-four pompano, the largest string caught. Anchovies were plentiful about Newport Sunday and halibut were so numerous that A. A. Talbot snagged three of them while trying to catch some of the anchovies. One five-pound calico bass was caught on a yellowtail line, the bass taking a live greenback mackerel put out for a yellowtail.
—Los Angeles Herald, June 1, 1909

Some great sport has been had at with bass at Newport during the past week. These fish have never been known to bite better than they have during the past week. W. A. Cornelius got one yesterday weighing five pounds. Mark Baker captured seven last Sunday ranging from one to three pounds. Yellowfin and surf fish at the same place have also been plentiful along the coast, but most of the fishing for these species has been going on at Balboa. Dave Winans gathered in a fine catch of yellowtail from the Newport wharf last Sunday. Frank Fox at Newport got a big yellowtail yesterday noon, playing the fish for forty minutes before he was able to bring it to shore. George W. Kellogg caught a large king fish on his rod and reel line last Sunday at Newport and before he could bring it to landing a yellowtail came along and robbed him of his prize.
—Los Angeles Herald, June 8, 1909

Yellowtail ranging from twenty pounds upward are being caught from the Newport wharf.
—Los Angeles Herald, May 8, 1910

 

[moonshine]

Thanks Ken.

Those stories read like fiction. When I was a kid at King Harbor, the Bubble Hole was the hot ticket.

 

[Ken Jones]

Yes, but even that has changed since the power plant shut off the release of hot water (for the most part).

 

[Bendopolo]

I fished Balboa Pier starting in the mid-60s. Even then the fishing was great when you got on the pattern. Somedays it was sight casting to Corbina with Sand Crabs, the next week we threw white Bonita Feather Jigs for Halibut. A lot of times you could drop that Jig next to any piling and slowly twitch it up the water column. The Halibut looked like Brown Blobs as they followed up the Jig. If you left it in the water, and just swam it around they would eventually slurp it down. We had days where the Barracuda and Calico Bass would hit a Krocodile Spoon every cast, all day long. During the Offshore winds, we would drift a balloon, with 15 feet of Single Strand Wire leader and a split down the sides Mackerel for Blue, Mako, Thresher, Bat Ray, Pelagic Rays. The Bonito would harass schools of Anchovies that would hide among the pier pilings turning the water black. Whales would cruise by in the Spring, scraping themselves on the sand and leaving long trails of dirty water behind them. Spotfin and Yellowfin Croaker would fill buckets. Too bad is is all gone. The Fishermen now are happy with Small Mackerel and Sardines. They keep those instead of using them for bait. I guess there is not much out there to eat them any more. I still visit Snookie and her crowd, they get some Halibut and such. It’s more about time on the water now. The actual fishing isn’t as important as it used to be. While I miss those days, I’m happy I got to be a part of it. Maybe someday, in a world recovering from pollution, the fishing might return to its former glory, sadly many of us probably won’t live long enough to see it.

 

[moonshine]

The Balboa Pavillion used let folks fish off the skiff docks for a fee.