Tag: Ventura

• “Catching” Up…

  It has been a while since my last blog post but that doesn’t mean that I have not been out to my home pier in Ventura to check on fishing conditions, it just means that there is still little to report due to the continued cold water in the Pacific Ocean. The weather in Ventura […]

  John Darling – Author

  March 10, 2020

  Uncategorized

  Pacific Ocean, smelt, Ventura, Ventura Pier, Wall Eyed Perch

• Stearn’s Wharf I: What a MORNING!

  When I moved from Phoenix, AZ to Santa Barbara, CA in 1979, Stearn’s Wharf was not open to the public.  It was closed due to a huge fire that roared through it in 1973.  It finally reopened in 1981 but by that time, the Goleta Pier was my fishing spot of choice so I never […]

  John Darling – Author

  September 3, 2019

  Bait, Calico Bass, fishing, Goleta Pier, Mackerel, Pacific Ocean, sportfishing, Stearns Wharf, Ventura Pier

  Calico Bass, fishing, Phoenix, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Ventura Pier

• Advice from Grandpa: Patience is the best bait (this worked today)

  As a 5 to 7-year-old kid (which were the years I spent fishing with grandpa or just talking about fishing with him), I wanted to catch a fish every time my bait hit the water while not understanding how unrealistic that was.  Grandpa told me more than once that “patience is the best bait” meaning […]

  John Darling – Author

  August 31, 2019

  Grandpa Duffy, Mackerel, Ventura Pier, wishing pole

  fishing, Grandpa, Mackerel, sportfishing, Ventura, Ventura Pier, wishing pole

• Weekend fishing on the pier

  I normally don’t fish on weekends due to the crowds on the pier but I bought a brand-new outfit (rod & reel) and I wanted to try it out. The new set replaced a rod & reel that I had for over 35 years.  This new setup is fantastic. My Shakespeare ATS30 combined with my […]

  John Darling – Author

  August 19, 2019

  Uncategorized

  Bat Ray, fi, Mackerel, Shakespeare ATS30, Shimano rod, Ventura, Ventura Pier

• Croaker Tsunami

  From FB Post of August 8, 2019 Today’s fishing effort picked up right where it left off yesterday. I caught my first fish on my first cast. It was a Croaker, one of seventeen Croakers that I caught along with two Perch and two Smelt one of which was a foot long. It was lucky […]

  John Darling – Author

  August 19, 2019

  California White Croakers, fishing, fishing pole, Perch, smelt, sportfishing, Ventura Pier

  croaker, Perch, Pier, smelt, Ventura, Ventura Pier

• Sunshine or Fog, The Fishing Goes On

  From FB post of August 2, 2019 My slow fishing day (2 Mackerel, 2 Smelt, and 1 #&% bait stealer) got off to an auspicious start when I arrived at the Ventura Pier at 6:45 AM only to find it still closed even though it is supposed to be open at 6:30 AM. There were […]

  John Darling – Author

  August 18, 2019

  fog, Mackerel, Pacific Ocean, smelt, Ventura Pier

  fog, Mackerel, Pacific Ocean, Pier, smelt, Ventura