Avila Beach Pier 

In 2006 another strange beast decided to attach itself to my line, a spiny mole crab about 4-inches long and the largest I have ever seen. What would really be interesting would be to see a barred surfperch large enough to swallow that crab!

Mole Crab

<*}}}}}}}}}>< —My best day at the pier was a day that I caught absolutely nothing worth keeping and in fact did not get a even a nibble on my 2nd, larger rod and reel. Not that I didn’t try. I tried several baits on the larger rig, everything from anchovies to mackerel to squid and live bait, but none of the larger fish were biting that day. Everything was caught on my perch rig and everything was basically small excepting a fair-sized barred surfperch and jacksmelt that were returned live to the water. Nevertheless, it was quite a few fish, constant action, and provided a nice variety of fish — something I always love. It was on August 3, 2013 from 7 :05 A.M. to 1:50 P.M. and resulted in 114 fish and 13 different species.

The catch — barred surfperch, jacksmelt, white croaker, lizardfish, speckled sanddab, brown rockfish, cabezon, kelp greenling, onespot fringehead,  and several small, juvenile rockfish — bocaccio, vermilion rockfish, yellowtail rockfish, and blue rockfish.

<*}}}}}}}}}>< — Avila Beach is recorded as the southern limit for redtail surfperch—so go get one.

<*}}}}}}}}}>< — As far as Avila culture, the locals who keep an eye on such things claim there’s an over abundance of beautiful young ladies from nearby Cal Poly on the beach and they have given them the nickname “Poly Dollies.” Being the gentleman that I am I would never use such a sexist term, in fact I try to avert my eyes from the beach when entering and exiting the pier. I’m not sure what the guys from Cal Poly are called? “Poly Guys” sounds just a little too tame and I hope not too many are “Poly Daddies.” Would “Polly Doodles” do? But I digress.

<*}}}}}}}}}>< — August of 2008 saw a PFIC Get Together at the pier with members from throughout the state. It turned out to be a great gathering and included some pretty fair fishing—as seen in the post below.

Date: August 24, 2008; To: PFIC Message Board; From: Gordo Grande; Subject: Mid State Get Together Aftermath…

It’s Sunday night, and I’m still dead tired, but I can’t go to bed without posting a better report. I think our first mid-state get-together was a smashing success, and everyone involved said we have to do it again. Many thanks to Santa who helped with the planning and did quite a bit of scouting ahead of time. Our first surprise of the day was when Santa found out that the police weren’t ticketing parked cars around the pier. We thought we were all in for some long walks from the free parking zones, but it turns out that we were able to park right next to the pier the whole time. It sure saved a lot of wear and tear on our feet.

Sylvana and Redfish

The next surprise was when I spotted a certain mad Turkish/Iranian strolling the pier, who had surprised us with his attendance. The shock was almost too much for me, and I attempted to leap from the pier in fear, only to be pulled back in by my family members.

Mad Iranian? Actually Mahigeer (Hashem Nahid)

We had a great turnout for our inaugural event, although we were disappointed that several people who signed up couldn’t make it. However, that usually happens with GTs to some extent, so we didn’t let it stop us from having a good time. Most of the folks congregated in the mid-pier area, thanks to the advice of our locals, Polishfromthedeep (Karl), Kingfisher (Brian), and his little brother, KingfisherBro (Mathew). These guys knew this pier well, and they were tuned in perfectly to the halibut bite. Polish drew first blood with a legal hali, soon followed by Kingfisher and KingfisherBro. Between the three of them, I think they pulled in 5 halis, four of which were legal.

Sylvana, Dave and Eugene

Their technique was flawless. I’ll let them fill you in on the details, if they think it’s a good idea. It’s up to them to do so, because I wouldn’t want to blow up a good spot by giving away their trade secrets. Suffice it to say, I was grateful for their advice, and used it as best as I could.

Santa (Mike Spence) and his wife Cheryl

As usual for our GTs, we weren’t wanting for good eats. Hashem (aka BananaMan) brought along some cioppino, which he heated up on a propane grill beneath the restaurant at the foot of the pier. Riorust’s pal Ken made some killer ceviche. Kcruise and Mrs. Kcruise contributed greatly in the sandwich department, and Santa brought along a ton of eats as well. Next year I’ll try to remember to bring along a table so we can set it all up on the pier. Please forgive me if I’ve forgotten to mention anyone’s contribution.

KCruise family

These little sea stars provided us with some cheap entertainment. There didn’t seem to be any crabs at this pier, but the sea stars took their place, snatching bait every chance they got. It seemed they would wait for something to hit a bait, and if the bait died these guys would grab on for dear life. Several of us brought up half-eaten mackerels with sea stars wrapped around them.

Of course, the high point of the day for me was catching this beast, [30-pound angel shark] which hit a live mackerel. I was using the same technique that the guys were using to catch all the hali’s. As I was pulling it up I thought it was a ray, because that was the way he was fighting. No headshakes, just a lot of dead weight and an effort to get under the pier. I was able to horse him away from the pier and out of the kelp, where he was expertly netted by Kcruise. Many thanks for the assist, Kel. See, El Gordo actually does catch fish from time to time. Santa was nice enough to clean him for me, because he knew an amateur like me would botch the job. It took him about an hour-and-a-half from start to finish. He and I split the filets, and mine are destined for the vacuum packer in the morning. BTW, I’m happy to report that this beast was hauled in on my G-dude Special, custom wrapped Rainshadow Forecast, 8 ft. 2-piece rod that I won at the Fred Hall Show last year. The reel was a Penn 535 GS spooled with 20 lb. mono.

 

Angel Shark caught by Gordo Grande (Ross) with help from KCruise

Mrs. Gordo Grande

At the risk of forgetting someone, the attendees were Gordo and family, Santa and Mrs. Santa, I’llcatchanything2 (great to finally meet you Brian), Polishfromthedeep, Kingfisher and Kingfisherbro, Kcruise and family, Huntress and friend, Red and friend, Riorust and pal Ken, Kelpangler and family, and a certain mad Turkish/Iranian.

 <*}}}}}}}}}>< — From 2011 to 2014 PFIC and UPSAC conducted a series of kids fishing derbies at the pier. We introduced a lot of youngsters to the joy of fishing and had a lot of happy faces. Herein a few of the pics —

Some great friends — James Liu, Santa (Mike Spence), and Dora Liu

A happy young lady and her dad

This young man was the winner for his age group

Even a thornback ray earns a smile

Carrie Wilson of the Department of Fish and Wildlife showing some of their literature

Granddaughter Katie with a lizardfish

Another lizardfish

2013 was the year of the lizardfish — Grandson Adam

Some of the raffle prizes and prizes for the various age group winners

One of our many young winners

 <*}}}}}}}}}>< — Great white sharks always seem to add a certain element of thrill to a story and this bay has seen a number of the large beasts make visits during the past decade.

Shark Attack 

Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo County — A woman swimming among sea lions in the ocean off the Central Coast town of Avila Beach died Tuesday morning after she was bitten by what authorities believe was a large great white shark. Deborah B. Franzman, 50, was attacked as she swam alone within sight of beachgoers on the Avila Beach pier and of about 30 lifeguards training on the beach.

The shark struck from below, breaching the surface and tearing most of the tissue from Franzman’s left thigh. Although no one saw the entire animal, a witness saw a gray fin in the churning water, and authorities said the nature and severity of the attack left little doubt it was a white shark. “The bite was fairly massive,” said Robert Lea, a marine biologist with the state Department of Fish and Game. “The white shark is one of the few animals that could make a bite that large. From the description witnesses gave, everything indicates” it was a white shark.

Should the autopsy slated for today confirm that Franzman was killed by a shark, it would be the first fatal shark attack along the California coastline since 1994. Two men were attacked by white sharks off Bay Area beaches last year, but both survived. Despite the animals’ fearsome reputation as relentless predators, attacks by great white sharks—and all sharks, for that matter—are exceedingly rare. There have been 106 shark attacks along the West Coast since the Department of Fish and Game began keeping statistics in 1952. Just 10 have been fatal. All of the deaths occurred in California, and at least nine involved great white sharks, officials said.

Authorities closed the picturesque beach in Avila Beach as well as those in Cayucos, Morro Bay, Oceano and Pismo Beach immediately after the 8:15 a.m. attack. The beaches reopened at midday, drawing hundreds of visitors, but authorities barred people from entering the water until further notice.

Avila Beach is a beach town of 2,300 people in San Luis Obispo County 241 miles south of San Francisco. Franzman lived in the nearby town of Nipomo and was a regular at the beach, officials said. Her teenage son, Alex Franzman, said his mother taught philosophy and ethics at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria. She was a strong athlete who swam in the ocean three or four times weekly. She was often joined by friends, but she swam alone Tuesday when none showed up, he said. Her partner, who declined to comment, watched from shore as Franzman ventured into the sea. Franzman was about 75 yards from shore and 200 yards south of Avila Pier in water roughly 20 feet deep when the attack occurred, officials said. Authorities said she was well within the swimming boundary. As she swam, more than two dozen local lifeguards were training and competing in shows of skill just north of the pier.

Swimming With Sea Lions — Witnesses told investigators that Franzman, clad in a wetsuit and fins, was swimming among a pod of sea lions when the mammals suddenly vanished and something large and gray breached the water.

A friend of Franzman’s screamed, “A shark’s got her! A shark’s got her,” bringing five lifeguards dashing off the pier, said Casey Nielsen, head of the San Luis Harbor District, which has jurisdiction over the beach. One grabbed a passer-by’s cell phone and called 911. The others dove into the water despite having no rescue gear and little idea what might be waiting for them, Nielsen said. “It was heroism,” he said. “They knew someone was bit, and they went into the water and brought her to shore anyway. My first thought would have been ‘Stay out of the water.’” The four men, who could not be reached for comment, pulled Franzman ashore and loaded her into a pickup truck, where they began cardiopulmonary resuscitation and tried to stop the bleeding. “A bunch of local lifeguards come out and drag her in, and she was bleeding. It was bad,” eyewitness David Abbott, his voice cracking, told KCOY-TV in Santa Maria. Paramedics pronounced Franzman dead at the scene.

Signs Point To Great White —  Experts said the attack is typical of the white shark, an “ambush predator” that strikes quickly and from below with a devastating bite. One witness told investigators the animal bit the woman twice, but that could not be confirmed. “It appears she was bitten once primarily in the left leg, but there also is a wound on the right leg,” said Lea of Fish and Game.

Few animals other than the white shark are capable of so large a bite, he said. The bite in all likelihood severed Franzman’s femoral artery, contributing to her death, Lea said. Had the bite missed the artery, she might have survived the attack but would have undoubtedly lost her leg, he added. Lea said he will not know for sure it was a white shark until he examines the woman’s wounds, which also may shed light on the size of the animal. “We know it’s large, and large for a white shark can be anywhere from 12 to 18 feet,” he said. Such an animal could easily top two tons, he said. Sharks do not prey upon humans, Lea said. Instead, researcher believe most attacks are “a case of mistaken identity” in which the animals mistake humans—especially those wearing fins or riding surfboards — for seals or sea lions, their primary prey.