Poole Makes Addition to San Diego Long-Range Fleet

San Diego’s long-range sportfishing fleet has a new long-ranger, Bill Poole’s 90-foot Polaris Supreme, launched last week.

The half-dozen or so long-range boats take anglers as far as the Revillagigedo Islands, 400 miles south of Baja California’s tip, and Costa Rica’s Clipperton Island, in search of 300-pound-plus yellowfin tuna. It’s the only such sport fishery in the United States.

Poole, 63, who started in Southland party-boat sportfishing in 1946, has pioneered long-range tuna trips to Mexican waters.

The Polaris Supreme, powered by twin 640-horsepower GMC V-12-92 turbo engines, has 29 long-range trips scheduled, from June 7 to Dec. 27. Trips range from 4 to 16 days and cost from $650 to $2,400. Fuel capacity is 4,000 gallons, which means the boat can reach the Galapagos Islands and return with only one fueling stop.

Poole, who built the Polaris Supreme in 14 months at his Chula Vista boatyard, said the Supreme is an improvement in several areas over the Polaris Deluxe, his 78-foot long-ranger of recent years.

“I guess I’m happiest about the better configuration of the Supreme’s 13 staterooms,” he said. “I think we’ve made better use of available space.

“I was never happy with the speed (10 knots cruising) of the Deluxe. But this time we have much more horsepower, and I’m sure we’ll cruise at around 13 knots. Also, we’ve got some exciting electronics aboard. Our Weatherfax machine will give us a twice-a-week readout of sea temperatures anywhere in the world. That can save us a lot of time--and disappointment--by tipping us ahead of time if drops in sea temperatures in areas where we want to go have chased the fish away.”

Briefly A soon-to-be-released Department of Fish and Game study will show that California’s most successful fishery may be the Salton Sea, based on catch counts. “We interviewed 19,000 Salton Sea anglers in 1982 and ‘83,” said biologist Glenn Black, chief of the project. “Based on data we obtained and a lack of similar data from other lakes in California, we concluded the Salton Sea, considering catch counts, is at least equal to any other fishery in the state.” The Salton Sea’s most prized gamefish is the orangemouth corvina, introduced from the Sea of Cortez in the early 1950s. Tilapia, croaker and sargo are three other frequently sought species. . . .

The DFG says as many as 206,000 California deer hunters won’t have to wait long to buy deer tags this year, if they want to hunt in Zones A, B or D. Instead, those tags will be available over the counter at several DFG offices around the state. Applicants for Zone X and other special hunts will still have to send applications to Sacramento for public drawings. A, B and D tags can be obtained over the counter at DFG offices in Rancho Cordova, Redding, Yountville, Fresno, Long Beach, San Diego, Menlo Park, Eureka and Monterey. . . .

Arizona’s Game and Fish Department has published a 122-page book, “Javelina,” representing 25 years of biologist Gerald I. Day’s research on the collared peccary, known popularly as the javelina. . . . Nevada’s deer hunters shot at a 52% success rate in 1984, a slight drop from 1983. . . . John Reason of San Jose,won the recent Stren Longcasting Tournament in San Francisco by casting a 5-ounce sinker 559 feet. He won $500. . . . U.S. Bass will hold a $75,000 pro bass-fishing tournament at Lake Mohave Saturday and Sunday, with $7,000 cash and an $18,000 bass boat going to the winner. .