Herring Spawn 2011

                 Mixed feelings about this photo.  I mean really, how many do you need?

Well, they ran.  It happened.  And I think it's safe to say it's now over.  The guys at the ballpark tell me it's down to a mere trickle.  Time to start thinking about night smelt and halibut I guess (sturgeon is off
my radar). Anyway, I took a truly epic amount of footage, stuck one of my band's signature songs on it, edited into something resembling thematic coherency and uploaded it here.  Haven't made a full on movie in a while... here it goes (see below).  

Oh yeah.  There were some disturbing images I purposefully left out.  A few people harvesting the poor
little guys at nauseatingly excessive levels.  I mean filling a bucket is one thing.  But twelve buckets, 4 ice chests, a plastic bin and five garbage bags?  (Seriously, this was one guy's take) I mean come on.Thing is, it's difficult to begrudge someone their 600 pounds when a commercial boat is 40 feet away towing in 3 tons per pull.  But seriously, at the risk of drawing everyone's ire, what's up with Fish and
Game not establishing a sane bag limit on herring?  Say, fifty pounds?  I mean wouldn't fifty pounds be reasonable?  Is there any conceivable reason that a person  
needs to take more than fifty pounds of herring per day?

Anyhoo.  It was interesting to see who showed up on the fish.  Only the most hardcore of hardcore fishermen. "Sharky" (above left) rockin my mind with his three foot net.  "Pissed off Pete"--regaling me with a wild stream-of-consciousness diatribe on the subject of DFG's mismanagement of our resources.  "Champion de la Banana," (left) who despite his errant throws in the movie, had no problem filling his bucket later on.  "Morgan," (below right) the maker of soda-pop-bottle crab snares. Even Iso Rabins, (above) head Honcho at Forage SF, got in on the action.  And despite it being his first casting net experience, managed to bag quite a few pounds of fish. 

Anyway, I'm rather happy with this latest Monkeyface Production, I think it at least nominally captures the perfect awesome insanity of the SF herring spawn.  Go ahead... have at:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    The Great Van Sharky

Comments

[Scott Parker]

Bravo Kirk. I think that Ode to Joy was an absolutely perfect accompanyment (sic?) for this video!

[Sanchezoli]

hey kirk its oliver, man you guys killed them!!!! grrrrrrr i hella missed out on that spawn, checked out about 2 days after the spawn and got about 20, good for my bait.

[Tom Tom]

Kirk, you need to call me next time that happens. but then again, work will get in the way but i can make exceptions right?

[otobe]

Kirk, Nature IS amazing and thanks for bringing us along on your great finds.

[sam]

Hey - i think I was talking to you when I was taking these pictures: http://samfrancisco.me/2011/01/trawling-for-herring-in-mission-bay/
I was just walking by and was amazed by the unexpected (by me) scenes.