One of my favorite memories from the 1970s, when I was a teenager, is going fishing at Lake Merced. You could rent a rowboat at the Lake Merced Boathouse, and it was very low cost, maybe eight, ten, or twelve dollars for several hours. I don’t remember exactly, but it felt affordable.

I did this quite often. From the boat launch in North Lake, I’d row a little east, under where the golf course was. I remember going there many times to fish for trout. I used salmon eggs (PowerBait hadn’t been invented yet, I think) and they worked pretty well. Usually, I’d catch a couple of planter rainbows, usually about 10 to 12 inches.

Back in the ’70s, the water levels in the lake were quite low. It was many years before they restored the water levels to what they are now. If you went out to that spot under the golf course, you’d find the lake bottom absolutely paved with golf balls. Sometimes, while I was fishing, golf balls would splash into the water near the boat, which was a little scary. Luckily, I was never hit.

It was nice out there. Even with the fog, it was often warm enough to get a sunburn. Fishing was always something I did in solitude, and that made it special. I’d tie the bow to the tule reeds and just sit there. The lake had other fish besides trout, like tule perch and prickly sculpins.

Being out there gave me a sense of independence. It was the first place I learned to fish. My grandfather taught me when I was nine. That’s how I caught the fishing bug. Even though Lake Merced is right here in San Francisco, it felt worlds away from houses, traffic, and people. Nobody bothered you. It felt safe.

I enjoyed the peaceful nature of it. Just me, the water, and the rowing, which felt good in itself. I wish I had taken some pictures from the boat back then, but I didn’t own a camera. The only photo I have is of me fishing from shore with my grandfather and dad.

But I have my memories. And they are deeply nostalgic.