some thoughts from Joe Lunchbucket

My old friend Russ Izor used to call the local fishermen (individually anyway) - Joe Lunchbucket. That name has stuck with me since his passing. It's not that I have been fishing longer than anyone else - nor that I have been thoroughly engrossed in the Southern California fishing scene forever. However, I am relatively certain I can count myself amongst an ever-decreasing group of crusty old fishermen that remember when there were two, maybe three times the number of people going fishing. I checked the California Department of Fish And Game website and found out the number of fishing licenses now being sold in the 2000's are about half or less compared to the 1960's and 1970's. Now mind you the area I am most familiar with is just the area from Morro Bay / San Simeon area to the Mexican Border - but mainly in the SoCal area. I do not know what the impact is in the San Francisco area - but I would bet the effect is similar. When I started to really like fishing in the mid-1960's, the LA Times had regular articles on fishing, and there was a daily fish report - listing the fish count from the pier at San Simeon to San Diego. Which brings me to why I started this post. This is going to ramble a bit as I did not have my thoughts synchronized quite well enough - but here goes. So there were two to three times the fishermen actively fishing recreationally from the Central-Southern area to Southern California/San Diego. There was a small operation at San Simeon Pier with party boats running daily for rockfish, as well as at least one (probably more) - Virg's in Morro Bay. Next there was Santa Barbara - Sea Landing, I think. Then Oxnard/Port Hueneme area - mainly Channel Islands Sportfishing Company (CISCO's) - a whole flotilla of boats fishing rockfish during the winter months at the channel islands. Not really sure what they fished during spring/summer - as I was fully engaged further south. Then there was a couple of boats running out of Paradise Cove. A quaint little place north of Malibu - with great calico bass fishing. Malibu Pier - who involved in fishing would not remember Malibu? I wrote about this in an earlier post. A few boats and a barge. It was fabulous. Next is Santa Monica Pier. About the only boat I remember out of Santa Monica Pier was the Kiaora. I am sure there were more. I am not sure - but I think Marina Del Rey's landing was a relatively recent business. Of the two piers north of Redondo Beach - I think Hermosa Pier was the one with the 1/2 day boat. There may have been a boat running out of Manhattan Pier - but not to the best of my recollection. Everybody knew Redondo Sportfishing. At one point, they had three (3) barges and a full range of 1/2 to full day boats - City of Redondo and Redondo Special running 1/2 days. I recall the Sharpshooter and New Dina Lee running the 3/4 days - not at the same time, but later on towards the 70's and 80's. The island boats were the Pursuit and Reel Special. Lots of activity. Going south around the Palos Verdes Peninsula now - Norm's Landing. I don't remember much of the early days of Norm's - but I do know it was the initial home of the two (2) 75 foot Drakes - Electra and Toronado, and the local boat Sport King. It was always a huge decision to decide which landing to go to in San Pedro - Norm's or 22nd Street Landing. 22nd Street Landing was always a busy place. Their boats and skippers were well known for consistently catching the most and biggest fish. Frank Hall (Sharpshooter) and Russ Izor (he had a few boats here - but I first met Russ Izor on the Indian in 1974) had boats there. It was always tough getting reservations there - it was always full. At that time I did not know a lot of folks fishing - so getting on a charter was out of the question. At any rate another busy area. Next is the Long Beach area - Pierpoint Landing and Pacific Landing. To me as a 10 year old kid, Pierpoint was like Disneyland. There was a tank with seals, a fish market called Dearden's (where I sold blue perch for .25 cents a pound), another flotilla of boats - both open party and charter. I could not get enough of the place. It even had its own TV show. WOW. Right down the street was Pacific Landing. There were not as many boats but was certainly a viable choice when the boats at San Pedro and Long Beach were full - or just wanted to go some place different. Next in line south was Belmont Pier. There was at least one boat that ran an operation there. Not sure about Huntington Beach Pier. Not sure I ever went there as a kid. Then Newport Beach - Davey's Locker and Art's. I think there was a few boats that ran out of there - but with all the choices between Redondo Beach and Long Beach - why go any further south? I know there was also an operation at Oceanside Harbor with open party and charter boats - but not sure there was anything at Dana Point Harbor until later. Then there is San Diego. Another big recreational fishing center with lots of boats and landings. This was the place to come for those 'long-range, multi-day' trips to Mexico. Albacore and Yellowtail Derbies - a multitude of open party boats leaving every night during the summer - full. Even in the winter time, there used to be good White Sea Bass bites at the flats, and Yellows at the Coronados. Did not get to go to San Diego much when I was a kid. Too far.

So, think about it - all these businesses catering to the recreational fisherman. Lots of fishermen. Which means lots of fishing licenses being sold - and the accompanying equipment. If you look now, from the north - there is three (3) separate operations between Morro Bay and Port San Luis. But, as rockfish and albacore being the only species fished for - the season is between April and December every year. A collective five (5) boats fighting for a limited number of fishermen - a seasonal one no less. Rockfishing seems to remain reasonably good - but albacore? They have not been caught in any numbers for a few years now. There is a small operation running one (1) boat in Santa Barbara - seasonal here also, and mainly rockfish. At Oxnard/Port Hueneme the huge crowds that used to gather around every winter for the rockfishing extravaganza are now a thing of the past. There are a few boats here - but the crowds...sparse at best. Nothing until you get to Redondo Beach. Recently, Redondo Sportfishing went out of business. There is a boat or two running operations right off the boat. Then there is two (2) operations in San Pedro - 22nd Street and L.A Harbor (ex-Ports of Call) Landings with local and island trips - but, certainly nothing like it used to be. Pierpoint Landing was replace for a while by Queen's Wharf Sportfishing - but was revived in a new location. The Toronado all day and Victory 3/4 day are the mainstays here. I think Queen's Wharf has morphed into something else - but not sure what. Newport Harbor still has Davey's - but what else I do not know. Small operations at Dana Point and Oceanside. San Diego is nowhere near what it used to be. Since albacore was the mainstay of the summer season - the absence of albacore put a huge damper on things here. Many of the boats are just not able to get much interest. I mean, what for? A lot of operations are resorting to 'hoop-netting'.....for lobster. Huh? That ain't fishin'!!! The only vestige of successful operations remaining was the long-range boats. But with a consistent - but limited clientele, the recent addition of newer boats has hurt these operations also.

Well, that was a bit of a memory dump. So is our local ocean fishery that much worse than what it was forty or fifty years ago? Is there just too many choices for kids now to get involved in besides fishing? I guess I feel fortunate to have seen a small bit of recreational fishing in its heyday. Recently, I asked a friend of mine if the recreational fishing environment was any better on the east coast. Perhaps this is a case of things always looking brighter on the other side of the rainbow. I don't know.

More old memories, Malibu Pier, Playa del Rey

In 1963, I was 8 years old and was already crazy about fishing. Everywhere I went I carried a fishing pole. My dad used to take me to the rocks along Ballona Creek Bridge. We used to buy shrimp at a tackle shop on Culver near Pershing. It was a small tackle shop and did not carry much - dang if I can remember the name of it. I was armed with a Thrifty special combo - small kiddie rod and spinning reel. We used to catch opaleye and calico bass. Little biddy ones - aquarium size. On one of our trips there - my dad bought me my first conventional reel. A Penn 501. Wow. I didn't know what the hell to do with it, but I had a 'professional reel'. My dad started expand from there - venue and method wise. He also used to take me to the Malibu Pier. I remember watching the old-timers making these long casts by swinging their sinkers under the pier. You walked up to the office, where you bought bait tickets. Each one entitled you to one anchovy - which you took back to your pole as quickly as possible and slid it down your line on a swivel to your sinker. I think the pier fishermen still fish like that. Every once in a while, you would hear someone yelling for the net. One of the pier guys would go running with a big net attached to a long rope. The net was carefully lowered to the water from the pier and the halibut netted. Exciting. At some point, my dad decided I was ready to do more. I was never really at the pier early enough to watch the day boat go out, but every hour or so, I would hear.....'ladies and gentlemen, alongside the pier is the Waaaaay Weeee Goooo, the ferry boat to the barge'. There was a fishing barge a few miles from the pier - The Star of Malibu. By then, I had a large spinning reel - 'Optimo' spinning reel and a Garcia Conolon rod. Look out fish.....here I come. There were bonito being caught at the barge - big bonito. I could hook them, but getting them was a whole different story. I had hit the big time. I just had a spontaneous thought - I recall talking to an old black guy on the pier. I don't remember what all we talked about - but he was a smallish old man, and he said his name was Sammy Davis. Not sure if he was the father to the famous Junior, but to the best of my recollection, he sure could have been. I drive by the old Malibu Pier almost weekly. Guess I should stop by and see if that joggles any more memories. There were several barges you can go fish around the Southern California area - the most fun was the barges at Redondo Beach. The timeframe had to be the early 70's/late 60's. I recall three barges - Sacramento, California and C-Coaster(?). You could take the ferry (Voyager) to and between all three. The Sacramento was the nicest one - it was mostly covered and had openings in the middle to fish from too. The California was sort of an open deck barge, and I don't remember the third one much. Used to catch them black cod and threw them back.....dang, if we only knew. Them things are great eating and expensive! There was also an open party 1/2 day boat running out of Hermosa Pier. Dang i wish i could remember the name of that boat. Then in the late 60's, I got introduced to Pierpoint Landing. WOW!! This is the Big Daddy of all landings. Big boats going out late at night to fish Catalina, San Clemente, Albacore - All day, Half day, Local All Day....all sorts of available trips. There was even a TV show - Fishin' Flashes with Mac McClintock. My dad used to go fishing and bring back yellowtail. I could hardly wait to be able to go. By now, both my dad and mom knew I was absolutely crazy about fishing. My dad would challenge me to do various things - which when accomplished would be rewarded with a fishing trip. Jump rope 100 times, good grades...all sorts of stuff. I was never very coordinated, so 100 times on a jump rope was a helluva challenge. Took me weeks. He would take me on the first few trips - but later, he would drop me off and I would go on my own. There was a barge parked right next to the landing there also. There was a lot of boats there - Freedom, Liberty, America, Pierpoint, Matt Walsh and charter boats too - Miss L is the only one I remember. The Miss L later turned into the Sea Hawk I think. It is amazing to think some of these boats are still operating. The Freedom is in San Pedro, the America is now the Grande and in San Diego, the Liberty is running trips out of Long Beach, Matt Walsh is in San Pedro, I don't know what happened to the Pierpoint. What I remember about going to Pierpoint the most is the smell. The sulphur-ish smell of petroleum that always welcomed you to Pierpoint. Dearden's fish market....I recall selling blue perch and blacksmith to them for .10 cents a pound. Then there was the landing down the street from Pierpoint - Pacific Landing. Home of the Pacific Queen and Eddie McEwen. There were several boats there also - Estrella, Fisherman I and II. I recall going rockfishing on one of the Fisherman boats - off the West end of Catalina Island. Big giant salmon grouper is about all I remember. I can go on and on - but one trip on the Freedom I recall vividly. The skipper's name was Bobby Carr. We made squid at Catalina first and went around the east end of San Clemente to the first cove, I think. We made a chum circle, anchored and the fishing was amazing. We caught black sea bass, white sea bass, yellowtail, calico bass....we were catching all of them. I still had pretty crummy gear then - and as much as I wanted to hook one of those yellowtail, I could not catch my ass. Bobby hooked one of the yellows and handed it off to me. I ended up losing it, but I will never forget the thrill. I recall one guy fishing on the bottom - he had a few large halibut in his sack. I was on sensory overload. Seemed everybody was catching fish, but me. I didn't care though. Because I got to pull on a yellowtail.

I get to go on another long one? DAMN!!!

Up until about a month or so ago, I really did not think I would be able to go on another long trip for a while. Seems as though the last few years have been more than my share of attending funerals, and the last few months is no exception. Perhaps as we all age, these events increase - simply because we do not live forever. And perhaps I am supposed to be more used to these now that I get a senior's discount at the movie theaters. The last funeral just wigged me out. He was 47 years old and a good acquaintance for the last 20 years or so. He left a 13 year old son and 15 year old daughter. I had already pretty much decided that I was going on this next trip. But this most recent event just really cemented the fact that I was going. The thought that kept crossing my mind........'when is it my turn?'. It was not like he was my best friend. Since his wife divorced him a few years ago, he has done well in his work life. But his personal life was anything but bright. I kept telling the dude he was drinking too much. I do not know if this is what did it, but it certainly could not have helped. So, I am going fishing again. The ultimate in 'fuck everybody' trips. More than 1000 miles from home, work and everything connected to both. Was this last year so bad that I deserve this trip? I just feel so goddamned selfish. By the latest reports from down south, the fish are biting pretty good. I haven't really started get the gear ready yet - but I have been playing with my gear more and more. Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch. In a few days, I'm outta here!!!