Fishing on the fishing pier

Posted on October 16, 2021 by dinajohnston

One of the fun things about walking around on the fishing pier besides fishing, is watching the birds steal the bait fish. The snowy egrets get in squabbles over the tiny fish.

All lined up, waiting for someone to pull up a bait net full of fish.

This great blue heron had already eaten and was wiping his beak on the light.

Cruising by with the big boats in the background.

The guy who owned this rolling bucket was not paying attention. He had some fish already in there but left it open and walked farther down the pier to pull up another net full of bait fish. The snowy egrets and great egrets were having a feast until he came back.

Going somewhere

Posted on August 19, 2021 by dinajohnston

Getting to the fishing pier at Fort Desoto Park early on a Saturday morning in June, I caught this cargo ship going into port.

It’s always fun standing on the pier watching the ships go back and forth. Wondering what they are carrying and where they are going. Being out at sea for weeks at a time. (Makes me sea sick just thinking about it). I wonder if this Del Monte ship is really carrying Del Monte canned vegetables?

Heading out.

It was beginning to look like rush hour traffic around the pier. Lots of sailboats and fishing boats going by.

The guys on this boat pulled up to the pier and caught some bait fish. I just keep thinking about what Dory said in “Finding Nemo”. “Just keep swimming.”

The bridge in the middle of the morning with the sun sparkling on the water.

Turning around, another ship goes behind the dog beach as it turns the corner past the park.

Bait fish thieves

Posted on September 5, 2020 by dinajohnston

What were all of these snowy egret doing on the roof of the shelter at the fishing pier at Fort Desoto?

They were waiting for some clueless guy pulling up bait fish and dumping it on the pier before putting it in his bucket. The guy dumped out the fish and then turned his back on the fish to get something out of his cart before he was going to put the bait fish in his bucket. The birds swooped down and had a feast before he realized what was going on and scared them away. There was still plenty of fish left but it was funny to watch.

After the snowy egrets left, Harry, the hybrid great blue heron and great egret, decided to swoop down and grab a fish before they were all picked up.

Dolphin day at Fort Desoto

Posted on October 19, 2019 by dinajohnston

Dolphins were swimming all around the fishing pier in late September.

This fishing boat came close to the pier to pull up some bait fish. It became clear that these guys didn’t really know what they were doing as they ended up hitting the pier and breaking several of the the fishing poles sticking up in their boat. All of the fishermen on the pier were giving them a hard time about getting stuck. They eventually got some bait pulled up and left.

Then they went out to the tower where the pelicans were peacefully sleeping. They got too close to the tower and scared all of the pelicans away. I hope they eventually got the hang of it, for the wildlife’s sake. Never a dull moment at Fort Desoto Park.

Hanging out at the fishing pier.

Posted on November 3, 2016 by dinajohnston

Yes, I cut off his wings. Who cares anyway, the sandwich tern has a fish.

The hybrid great egret/great blue heron has been hanging around the pier for a while now.

This guy was scurrying across the pier with his stolen bait fish. It wasn’t until I got home and cropped this up that I realized he has string wrapped around his leg.

This guy is just too pretty to be a laughing gull.

Fish under the pier.

The one that got away! The fisherman was bummed.

Going fishin!

Posted on October 19, 2015 by dinajohnston

Sandwich terns completely ignoring me.

“Hey guys look over here.”

Junior on the left is yelling at Mom to go get some fish.

Here is where you can find some bait fish. A net that hasn’t been completely emptied yet.

The laughing gulls were getting some fresh bait fish.

The water around the fishing pier was full of tiny fish.

Even the snowy egrets were getting snacks.

A sandwich tern coming up empty.

A pelican flies in to the jetty next to the pier.

“Lady, you’re not going to catch any big fish right there. And keep that fishing line away from the birds.”

Busy Saturday morning in early October at the fishing pier.

Saturday morning at Fort Desoto.

Posted on September 17, 2015 by dinajohnston

Random things around Fort Desoto.

I found this guy on the fishing pier. I don’t know what that is sticking out of his beak. Is it a fishing hook? A fish bone? He didn’t have any trouble flying or eating.