On any given day, a stroll down the Huntington Beach Pier can be an eventful experience – a curious collection of humanity congregates there, from buskers to protestors to religious zealots and more.
But one day, a few years back, there was an altercation that went viral. A surfer, down below the pier, was hooked from a fisherman perched up top. The line had snagged him on the wrist. Profanities flew wildly. A battle between fishermen and surfers later ensued. And it was all caught on camera.
Now, the surfer is telling the story.
“It was just another day in Huntington Beach,” explained local surfer Willy Dobrenen. “I’m paddling out, just kind of looking out into the lineup, not really paying a whole lot of attention. I kinda felt a little bit of a snag, and I realized that it was a fishing line. Next thing I know, the hook got embedded in my wrist, and immediately started dragging my arm up to the pier.”
The footage, captured by DansSurfCave, soon made the rounds on social media. “Let the fucking string out!” screams Willy. Others chimed in with their own tales of getting hooked at HB Pier.
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“I started kicking, and screaming, and yelling at the guy,” Willy continued. “He was just reeling me in. So, I had to get my teeth and actually get the hook out with my teeth. But I was screaming out like a little crying, cursing baby at the guy. So, audio was perfect. I’m glad some people got some laughs out of it. It made a lot of fishermen and surfers get to know each other in the comments section.”
Sounds like Willy and the fishermen later squashed the beef. But he’s still got a scar from the hook.
Stay weird, HB.
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