Golden Trout Available, but There Is a Hike Involved

The golden trout, California’s official state fish, can be an angler’s shimmering reward if he is willing to combine some serious hiking with his fishing.

Goldens can be found in many waters of the High Sierra with some of the best fishing taking place in the wilderness areas of Inyo and Sequoia National Forests, according to the Department of Fish and Game. Getting to most streams, however, requires a hike of five or more miles.

Cottonwood Lakes 5 and 6, located about 30 miles southwest of Lone Pine in Inyo County, are also popular golden trout spots. Only artificial flies with single barbless hooks are allowed, and there is a five-fish limit.

The other lakes of the Cottonwood system, Nos. 1 through 4, are the source of golden trout used for stocking other lakes in the High Sierra and are closed to fishing all year.

Trail information and a free required visitor’s permit for the Golden Trout Wilderness Area is available at the Mt. Whitney District Forest Station, P.O. Box 8, Lone Pine, CA, 93545.

An international marlin tournament has been scheduled for Kialua-Kona, Hawaii, Sept. 8-12. First Prize is $400,000 and the boat that catches the largest marlin over 1,000 pounds will win a 1985 Ferrari.

Teams will be allowed to switch anglers during the tournament but only seven will be allowed aboard any boat on each day of the three-day event. As many as 21 anglers may split the entry fee of $21,600. The entry fee includes lodging, and the use of a charter boat for three days.

Australian Mike Kehoe, aboard the Right Prize, won last year’s event with a marlin weighing 532 1/2 pounds.

The banning of lead shot is the object of a suit filed by the National Wildlife Federation against the U.S. Dept. of the Interior. The suit seeks to protect the endangered bald eagle from lead shot poisoning.

Bald eagles develop lead poisoning after they eat the flesh and gizzards of waterfowl containing lead shot. At least 96 bald eagles have died of lead poisoning since 1966, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The suit alleges that the Dept. of Interior’s failure to ban lead shot in areas of high risk to the bald eagle violates at least four major federal environmental and wildlife statutes, including the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Briefly Showtime: The Big A Gun and Collectors Show will be held June 29-30 at Anaheim Stadium, featuring both modern and antique weaponry. . . . The second annual O’Hara’s 1985-86 International Sport Fishing Tournament Directory has been released and is available at bookstores. . . . Three San Diego men will serve jail terms ranging from 30 to 100 days after having been found guilty of possession of a gill net within 500 yards of the Salton Sea and of corvina in excess of the limit. The legal corvina limit at Salton Sea is nine per person. Sentenced were San Van Xe, 21; Doi Do, 22, and Le Dung, 25. . . . All commercially caught sardines taken in the incidental catch in California after noon today are prohibited by law from being sold as fresh-caught fish. Sardine catches incidental to other fishing operations are permitted as long as sardines do not exceed 15% of the total catch. The restriction will continue through Dec. 31. . . . The Dodge and Coors Catfish Fishing Challenge will run until July 7. Irvine Lake, the Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake have been stocked with tagged catfish that are worth from $5 to $200. Admission at those lakes is $8 for adults, $6 for children under 12.