To those MFN fans who have no idea what I'm talking about with all this Marilyn and Lana stuff, go here:
A big year for Marilyn
And so the errant blogger returns. Hmmmm. Where to go, what to do? Looks like the Marilyn numbers ain't bad (for April). Monterey had an epic week, and there were some decent numbers off Deep Reef (12 mi south of Princeton Harbor) for a minute. This just in: a pair of local commercial guys went out on a scouting mission two days ago, trolled popsicles 30 some odd miles out of the gate and caught -- if our sources are correct -- 20 salmon, catch and release style. Yikes.
Bette ain't biting.
But Bette Davis is still dead. In fact, I have bad feelings about Bette. I would imagine there will be another precipitous drop off this year. As if last year wasn't bad enough. Maybe all the brown water out there is keeping her off the bite. Or maybe there just ain't that many Bette Davises out there. Remember three years ago when party boats were limiting-out off the Alameda Rock Wall in an hour? Seems like an alternate reality at this point. But who knows, maybe she'll come back? Maybe the projected Marilyn abundance will take some pressure off of Bette... and then... maybe it won't.
Surf smelting back in the day.
What is of equal concern to me is the osmerid population. Where the hell are they? I mean I'm talking locally here. Lots of night fish coming down from Usal and points north, but what about our local smelts? Know this: I have gone out 5 times and have yet to produce a single fish. Wondering what's up. Yes, all that rain and ugly water in March didn't help matters (for smelt), and it's still a tad early for day fish... but damn. I mean, not one single fish?
Any day now on Lana!
Dusting off the ol' Lana Turner rod today. Maybe multi-tasking is the way to go. Hit the beach for Lana and hope the osmerids show up.
Heading Down To Fleishhacker
Strangely, although Ocean Beach is a mere five minute drive from my front door, I never fish it. This is because I spent five years of my life hopelessly casting hair raisers out there--with paltry results. I've actually done far better at Baker Beach. But I think this year it's time I manned up and started hitting Taraval or heading down to Fleishacker at night, as that seems to be the most productive way to fish OB.
Fleishhacker. Everyone knows about Fleishhacker right? I recently had an argument with a local striper fisherman about the exact location of this famous surf/fishing spot on Ocean Beach. I was wrong. As it turns out the original Fleishacker was a local politician who donated money for the construction of the largest heated saltwater pool in the world (hence: Fleishacker Pool). This pool was located where the current parking lot for the SF Zoo now stands. Unbelievable photos of this online. The pool employed 11 life guards and was so huge they used row boats to get across the thing.
As it turns out the city simply couldn't afford to maintain the pool. And after the original buzz wore off, people started to realize what a cold and blustery (read: stupid) location this was for a swimming pool. After the 1940s the pool fell into disuse and became a sort of ruin. Evidently, they filled it in back in the 70s. Turned it into a parking lot--you know the Joni Mitchell song. But the beach house still stands, just south of Sloat Ave. Seems the city might be able to do something other than letting our wayward youth run rampant there.
Bath house of the former Fleeshacker Pool
Really? The lockers are still standing? Man, strip those puppies down, shine 'em up and put 'em on Craigslist!
The thing that breaks my heart on this isn't the fact that the city let the pool go to seed, or that such an inspired contribution to the public weal fell flat on its face. It's the missed opportunity to turn the damned thing into an aqua-culture facility! Can you imagine the revenue the city (or some forward thinking individual) could have generated by raising oysters or clams or salmon or... I dunno... pompano there? Too late now. The pipes under Great Hwy are all gone, the pool is filled in, Fleishhacker's dream is but a crumbled ruin...
Oh well. At least the fishermen keep the name alive...
Heading down to Fleishhacker to see if the stripers are running...
More tomorrow.
Kirk-out
Kirk, I don't remember much about the Flieshaker pool other than it's relation to the zoo, but I do remember the Sutro Baths. I (a wee lad of ten years old) was at the Cliff House with my parents the day it caught fire. I was in the restroom as smoke was pouring through the floor boards. Back at the table I told my parents about the smoke and next thing you know all hell was breaking loose. My parents raced us out the door but somehow I was left at the curb (staring at the arriving fire trucks) as the family ran for the car. Yup, I got my butt smacked for not keeping up. I remember the day well...hehe
Posted by: o2b | 04/23/2012 at 07:42 PM
Kirk,
You need to add these to your collection
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa/2975391619.html
Posted by: Patrick | 04/23/2012 at 07:53 PM
Incidentally, the name "Fleischhacker" translates from German literally as "Meat hacker" - in other words, a butcher.
Yeah, those big cement ponds would've made great oyster culture facilities - not only a great source of revenue for the city, but also a decent source of employment, judging from its size: it would have definitely taken more than a couple of high school kids to pull up all the artificial reefs/grates you could fit in there ... and then think of all the shuckers and packagers you'd need!
History is rife with such missed opportunities ... but we never seem to learn from them ...
Posted by: Finesmell | 04/24/2012 at 10:51 AM