Park Ponds Popular : Fishin’ Hole Goes Uptown

There are as many methods of fishing the lake at MacArthur Park as there are people willing to try.

The faithful at the busy park just west of downtown do more than jog, play chess, sell drugs or watch the world go by.

Each day, as life is being played out in different corners of the 32-acre park, fishermen--in groups of two or three or by themselves--come to try their luck with the catfish and bluegills in the pond. They come equipped with everything from elaborate gear to pop cans that serve as reels.

“I used to fish this way in El Salvador,” said Andres Chavez, 26, a Pepsi can devotee. “I can’t afford a fishing pole. It’s just simpler this way. And it works.”

With that, he proudly held up his day’s catch--four bluegills no more than four inches in length.

Fishing has become increasing popular at MacArthur and other urban lakes as the influx of immigrants into Los Angeles has continued. It got to the point that officials of the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department decided to look the other way and not enforce a requirement for a state fishing license.

“We’re trying to keep up with present times,” said Dick Ginevan, supervisor of city park operations. “As the culture of the city changes, so do the activities. . . . We’re being flexible in interpreting the laws as best we can.”

MacArthur Park’s anglers reflect the ethnic diversity of the surrounding Westlake community, described by urban planners as the most crowded and one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city. Fishing techniques are debated in many languages, including Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese and, occasionally, Russian.

A Soviet emigre, who said his name was Sergei, seemed shocked recently when a companion suggested that he was not showing enough patience as he moved from spot to spot in search of fish.

“Nyet, nyet, “ replied Sergei, dismissing his friend with a wave of the hand. “Fish come.”

They never did. Sergei later stormed off when the woman friend jokingly suggested that she would buy him a fish dinner.

Others are more relaxed as they work the lake’s edge.

Cecelia Cooper, for example, plants her fishing pole in a metal holder and passes the time looking at the characters around her. Others, like 13-year-old Mario Lemus, gently drop their lines in by hand and hope for the best. He had no luck during an hour’s time.

Mess of Bluegills

But nearby, Hector Calderon, 27, and his nephew, Adolfo, 17, both from Guatemala, caught 11 bluegills in just under 30 minutes.

The two dropped their line shallow enough so that they could yank it in just as the fish took the bait. The older Calderon gave such violent jerks on the line that the fish came flying out of the water, landing sometimes 10 feet behind him. One even landed in his shirt collar.

“They never get away from me,” he said.

Most of the urban anglers fish for the fun of it, but a few have dinner on their minds.

“If the fish were bad, I’d be dead by now,” Cooper said. “I’m still here so they must be OK.”

Ginevan and officials of the state Department of Fish and Game, which stocks the urban ponds as often as twice a year, said they welcome the growing popularity of fishing in the inner city.

Better Environment

The city has installed aeration and circulation systems to enhance the fish populations at several lakes, including MacArthur, Lincoln, Harbor and Echo Park. Similar work is scheduled to begin shortly at Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights.

City park officials do discourage some things: Anglers are warned about digging up park grounds for worms and about mutilating the fish.

That certainly was not on the mind of two Filipino men, admirers of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, for whom the park is named, as they squabbled on a recent afternoon about the type of bait they ought to use.

Juan Gomez, 66, claimed that worms, freshly dug out of the ground, are best. His friend, Miguel Ramirez, favored masa-- dough used to make tortillas and tamales.

“Masa? “ Gomez cried. “You come here to catch fish, not to eat the bait.”

Ramirez, appearing a bit stung by his friend’s criticism, nevertheless argued in favor of the dough. “I caught two fish with masa the other day,” he countered.

The dispute dragged on until the pair, walking on the lake’s south side, came to the statue of the great general. The two stood silently for a moment and then respectfully bowed their heads. They then walked off, continuing the Great Bait Debate.