To: Pier Fishing in California Message Board
From: soc-student
Subject: What sparked the interests in pier fishing?
Hey all, Please keep the responses coming! My project is close to wrapping up and all of you people have had great insight. It’s been a pleasure working with such a receptive audience.
The next question I had was on what sparked your interest in Pier Fishing?
I started fishing with my father, pier fishing represented an easy way in which I (and usually my friends) could go out on our own and enjoy the community aspect of fishing.
I'm sure you guys have some great stories, please share them! soc_student
Posted by polishfromthedeep
It all started when I moved here from Arizona when i was 7... life was boring and my bro was really into fishing already... after some convincing of my mom (waaay too protective) it was off to Pismo. My first time out (since i was like 4) after seeing some mackerel caught my bro landed a nice spiny dog shark, and BAM, i was hypnotized. After a few more trips of learning how to produce bait using a jig and learning how to set my own gear up, I was hooked. So I guess seeing that shark really sparked my interest... and of course being able to spend time with my brother. My third trip to backbay (a part of Morro Bay/Baywood Park) I landed a HUGE bat ray. I was only 85 lbs and it was 90... I have no pictures on my computer but you could see how pleased I was.
these two trips hooked me for life. and i'm glad I fish instead of going out and doing drugs or what ever... it's a great way to get away from the problems of life and relax... plus it's fun and produces food! Karl
Posted by Salty Nick
I had already been introduced to trout fishing with my dad when I was a kid, and then did some trout fishing with a friend I had met in junior high school. This friend introduced me to fishing for perch from Seacliff Pier, and I really enjoyed it. He also took me to a couple rocky cliff spots just north of Santa Cruz, where we would occasionally fish with a few friends.
After high school I didn't fish for a loooong time, just occasionally wet a line – more so for trout. After getting married, I found out my brother-in-law had an interest in fishing. So we started fishing at Fort Baker Pier, as well as some rocky coastal areas. Then I found the Pierfishing site, which increased my interest and knowledge in fishing techniques/locations. I also met up with a few people from the message board who shared my interests.
Although these are the circumstances that led me to my interest in fishing/pierfishing, I'm not sure if I answered your question of what sparked that interest. I wouldn't consider myself an “outdoorsman”, but I do enjoy spending time outdoors. As someone who sits in front of a computer all day for work, there's something to be said for the aesthetics of seeing the brilliant hues of a sunrise and the soft curves of a mountainside, as opposed to the rigid horizontal and vertical lines of a computer terminal. And there's also the occasional adrenaline rush of reeling in a big fish that you may or may not land. I suppose I get a kind of re-charging of the soul when I'm out fishing, as well as a sense of adventure.
Salty.
Posted by mel
Back in the days, you could drive on to the pier and you could park all night and fish to your hearts content right out of your car door without being hassled. This was along the SF waterfront at the piers along the Embarcadero. Of course me and my friends used to go out there with partying in mind first, with fishing second. We used to catch huge leopards and rays. Some of the best shore fishing spots are on piers. It's much more comfortable and further out into the water.
Posted by west coast dave
What sparked my interest in pier fishing was Ken's original Pier Fishing In California book. I was looking at some fishing books in the tackle section at a local K-Mart. I just got into fishing and was reading everything I could about fishing. I ended up buying the book that day.
Tight Lines, Dave
Posted by pinfish
My father introduced me and the family to fishing on a pier, when I was a kid. We went every weekend 100 miles round trip. Nightfishing.
Posted by dompfa ben
I grew up surf fishing, mainly at San Onofre SB and around Palos Verdes, but often at other places. Some of those places were piers. I don't know if there was a single thing that sparked my interest, but there have been countless memories and stories that surround my family's lifelong interest in fishing.
As my brothers and friends have gotten older (and consequently, more busy) piers have proven to be a great meeting place for fishing on different schedules. There is no specific time that the "boat is leaving the dock" or worrying about different skill levels when launching kayaks in the surf zone. Instead, piers are generally free, you can come and go as you please, and the pleasure derived from standing around on a pier with anglers and non-anglers alike makes nearly every pier fishing trip successful and enjoyable, even if the fish don't bite.
Posted by oldmanandthesea
I lived close enough to ride my bike to Seal Beach or Belmont pier around 1958 and would go with neighborhood kids every day in the summer. I got $1 a week allowance and that was enough for 2 boat ticket rides to the barge. Bonita on ultra light rod with a Mitchell 408 (I think that was the number) and halibut with my Penn Squidder, which I still use, was a blast. Sometimes my Pop would take me to Rainbow pier to catch bat rays and sometimes we would rent a skiff from Pier Point Landing. Back then I never thought I'd be around longer than those piers but Rainbow was torn down with the Pike, Seal and Belmont went in storms and got rebuilt. I'm in Nor Cal now but still close enough to ride my bike to fish and I do almost every day. Does anyone remember Dickie the slightly mental guy who would be at Seal Beach pier every day and loved to splash an iron tied to a rope from the pier and say “I'm ironing the ocean, I'm ironing the ocean”?
Posted by ShRimpCoCktAiL
I started fishing at the age of about 12. First did some fresh water fishing then one day a friend of mine took me to the Oceanside pier. I caught a mackerel with the help of my dad taking my rod and walking back and forth up and down the pier. My pops is old skool. He's from Mexico and he was telling me “How do you expect to catch a fish when your bait is just sitting there, u need to move it around” Well, sure enough, he took my rod and messed around with it for a few minutes and hooked a small mack. He went on to give me his whole lecture on how he used to catch big fish with his bare hands in clear rivers back in the days. Till this day he doesn’t understand the concept of sportfishing. He did it strictly to eat and feed his big family. Now I fish all the time. The pier is a cool place cuz for one it's free. Every once in a while you catch decent fish. There are always interesting people and good looking women walking up and down the pier so when the fish aren’t biting, you wont get bored. Just for the love of the sport, its all gravy baby!!!!
fish on pier ratas!!!
Posted by stripesidechaser
Less snags. I fished the delta shores for years, and found that I snagged up much less frequently, since my line could be running with the tide instead of sideways to it (causing drift). Then, I moved to Oakley, stopped by the Antioch Bridge Pier one day and came home with a 35” striper. The first year I lived here, I took home one striper (between 29" and 36" every time I went to the pier)... needless to say, I was majorly hooked on piers! Unfortunately, that was just a tease... it was summer (not striper time in the delta), but I just kept hitting them, haven't seen a year like that, since!
Posted by baitchucker
Now, I remember... Newport Pier.... hot chicks from the beach... hot chicks from Blackies and the Beachball (Beach front bars)! Good friends from the Newport Shark and Ray Club.
Posted by corbinaman1
Growing up by the beach for most of my life and being a surfer, fishing was something to do when the surf was small. Did a little freshwater fishing as a kid, and couldn't believe how much better the mackerel and bonito fought than the trout. Still remember my first ever bonito as a kid from Aliso Pier which was a blast!
From: soc-student
Subject: What sparked the interests in pier fishing?
Hey all, Please keep the responses coming! My project is close to wrapping up and all of you people have had great insight. It’s been a pleasure working with such a receptive audience.
The next question I had was on what sparked your interest in Pier Fishing?
Newport Pier
I started fishing with my father, pier fishing represented an easy way in which I (and usually my friends) could go out on our own and enjoy the community aspect of fishing.
I'm sure you guys have some great stories, please share them! soc_student
Posted by polishfromthedeep
It all started when I moved here from Arizona when i was 7... life was boring and my bro was really into fishing already... after some convincing of my mom (waaay too protective) it was off to Pismo. My first time out (since i was like 4) after seeing some mackerel caught my bro landed a nice spiny dog shark, and BAM, i was hypnotized. After a few more trips of learning how to produce bait using a jig and learning how to set my own gear up, I was hooked. So I guess seeing that shark really sparked my interest... and of course being able to spend time with my brother. My third trip to backbay (a part of Morro Bay/Baywood Park) I landed a HUGE bat ray. I was only 85 lbs and it was 90... I have no pictures on my computer but you could see how pleased I was.
these two trips hooked me for life. and i'm glad I fish instead of going out and doing drugs or what ever... it's a great way to get away from the problems of life and relax... plus it's fun and produces food! Karl
Posted by Salty Nick
I had already been introduced to trout fishing with my dad when I was a kid, and then did some trout fishing with a friend I had met in junior high school. This friend introduced me to fishing for perch from Seacliff Pier, and I really enjoyed it. He also took me to a couple rocky cliff spots just north of Santa Cruz, where we would occasionally fish with a few friends.
After high school I didn't fish for a loooong time, just occasionally wet a line – more so for trout. After getting married, I found out my brother-in-law had an interest in fishing. So we started fishing at Fort Baker Pier, as well as some rocky coastal areas. Then I found the Pierfishing site, which increased my interest and knowledge in fishing techniques/locations. I also met up with a few people from the message board who shared my interests.
Although these are the circumstances that led me to my interest in fishing/pierfishing, I'm not sure if I answered your question of what sparked that interest. I wouldn't consider myself an “outdoorsman”, but I do enjoy spending time outdoors. As someone who sits in front of a computer all day for work, there's something to be said for the aesthetics of seeing the brilliant hues of a sunrise and the soft curves of a mountainside, as opposed to the rigid horizontal and vertical lines of a computer terminal. And there's also the occasional adrenaline rush of reeling in a big fish that you may or may not land. I suppose I get a kind of re-charging of the soul when I'm out fishing, as well as a sense of adventure.
Salty.
Posted by mel
Back in the days, you could drive on to the pier and you could park all night and fish to your hearts content right out of your car door without being hassled. This was along the SF waterfront at the piers along the Embarcadero. Of course me and my friends used to go out there with partying in mind first, with fishing second. We used to catch huge leopards and rays. Some of the best shore fishing spots are on piers. It's much more comfortable and further out into the water.
Posted by west coast dave
What sparked my interest in pier fishing was Ken's original Pier Fishing In California book. I was looking at some fishing books in the tackle section at a local K-Mart. I just got into fishing and was reading everything I could about fishing. I ended up buying the book that day.
Tight Lines, Dave
Posted by pinfish
My father introduced me and the family to fishing on a pier, when I was a kid. We went every weekend 100 miles round trip. Nightfishing.
Posted by dompfa ben
I grew up surf fishing, mainly at San Onofre SB and around Palos Verdes, but often at other places. Some of those places were piers. I don't know if there was a single thing that sparked my interest, but there have been countless memories and stories that surround my family's lifelong interest in fishing.
As my brothers and friends have gotten older (and consequently, more busy) piers have proven to be a great meeting place for fishing on different schedules. There is no specific time that the "boat is leaving the dock" or worrying about different skill levels when launching kayaks in the surf zone. Instead, piers are generally free, you can come and go as you please, and the pleasure derived from standing around on a pier with anglers and non-anglers alike makes nearly every pier fishing trip successful and enjoyable, even if the fish don't bite.
Posted by oldmanandthesea
I lived close enough to ride my bike to Seal Beach or Belmont pier around 1958 and would go with neighborhood kids every day in the summer. I got $1 a week allowance and that was enough for 2 boat ticket rides to the barge. Bonita on ultra light rod with a Mitchell 408 (I think that was the number) and halibut with my Penn Squidder, which I still use, was a blast. Sometimes my Pop would take me to Rainbow pier to catch bat rays and sometimes we would rent a skiff from Pier Point Landing. Back then I never thought I'd be around longer than those piers but Rainbow was torn down with the Pike, Seal and Belmont went in storms and got rebuilt. I'm in Nor Cal now but still close enough to ride my bike to fish and I do almost every day. Does anyone remember Dickie the slightly mental guy who would be at Seal Beach pier every day and loved to splash an iron tied to a rope from the pier and say “I'm ironing the ocean, I'm ironing the ocean”?
Posted by ShRimpCoCktAiL
I started fishing at the age of about 12. First did some fresh water fishing then one day a friend of mine took me to the Oceanside pier. I caught a mackerel with the help of my dad taking my rod and walking back and forth up and down the pier. My pops is old skool. He's from Mexico and he was telling me “How do you expect to catch a fish when your bait is just sitting there, u need to move it around” Well, sure enough, he took my rod and messed around with it for a few minutes and hooked a small mack. He went on to give me his whole lecture on how he used to catch big fish with his bare hands in clear rivers back in the days. Till this day he doesn’t understand the concept of sportfishing. He did it strictly to eat and feed his big family. Now I fish all the time. The pier is a cool place cuz for one it's free. Every once in a while you catch decent fish. There are always interesting people and good looking women walking up and down the pier so when the fish aren’t biting, you wont get bored. Just for the love of the sport, its all gravy baby!!!!
fish on pier ratas!!!
Posted by stripesidechaser
Less snags. I fished the delta shores for years, and found that I snagged up much less frequently, since my line could be running with the tide instead of sideways to it (causing drift). Then, I moved to Oakley, stopped by the Antioch Bridge Pier one day and came home with a 35” striper. The first year I lived here, I took home one striper (between 29" and 36" every time I went to the pier)... needless to say, I was majorly hooked on piers! Unfortunately, that was just a tease... it was summer (not striper time in the delta), but I just kept hitting them, haven't seen a year like that, since!
Posted by baitchucker
Now, I remember... Newport Pier.... hot chicks from the beach... hot chicks from Blackies and the Beachball (Beach front bars)! Good friends from the Newport Shark and Ray Club.
Posted by corbinaman1
Growing up by the beach for most of my life and being a surfer, fishing was something to do when the surf was small. Did a little freshwater fishing as a kid, and couldn't believe how much better the mackerel and bonito fought than the trout. Still remember my first ever bonito as a kid from Aliso Pier which was a blast!