OUTDOOR NOTES : Tall Truths: Biggest Tree, Oldest Tree Are California Trees

What do the oldest living thing and the largest living thing have in common?

They’re both trees and they’re both well-rooted in California soil.

The American Forestry Assn. has released its biennial National Register of Big Trees, along with some facts about some of the more popular ones.

A California bristlecone pine, for instance, is getting up there in age. Called Methuselah, the tree is believed to be 4,700 years old.

But General Sherman, the tag given one of California’s giant sequoias, is much larger, weighing more than 1,400 tons--as much as nine blue whales or 360 elephants.

According to legend, treaties with Indians were signed under Treaty Oak in Austin, Tex.

And fact has it that the Osage Orange tree in Virginia shaded the home Patrick Henry died in. Legend says his doctor threw himself at the base of the tree and wept when he was unable to save Henry’s life in 1799.

Then there’s Doby Seven Sisters Live Oak in Louisiana, a stately specimen. The tree, the largest of its kind in the United States, is president of the Louisiana Live Oak Society, to which only trees can belong.

And while on the subject of champions, as the largest known of a species is called, a former champion deserves mention.

The Dyerville Giant, born 1,000 years before Christopher Columbus in a California redwood grove, crashed to earth when hit by another falling tree last March.

The majestic tree was 362 feet tall and weighed 500 tons. One local, who heard the falling trees from half a mile away, told Pacific Forests magazine he thought a train had crashed.

The giant yellowfin tuna are still are being caught off Mexico’s Revillagigedo Islands in what is being described as the best season in years.

The Royal Star was the latest to make the 1,200-mile trip, with 15 passengers. And when the boat returns to San Diego, it will have aboard three fish weighing more than 300 pounds and half a dozen topping 200, including two taken Tuesday morning. The biggest is estimated at 355 pounds.

Briefly

SALTWATER--Locally, most boats are fishing the deep water for rock cod, although a few skippers are reporting fair results on calico bass off Palos Verdes Peninsula and on halibut in Santa Monica Bay. The squid reappeared during the weekend, however, so many believe white sea bass could show up around the Channel Islands.

Cabo San Lucas: Striped marlin are very active in the area, according to Darrell Primrose of the Finisterra Tortuga Fleet, who said last Friday that boats were averaging between three and five stripers a day. Dorado between 10 and 30 pounds are abundant, as well. Tuna are fairly concentrated from Palmilla north to Gorda Bank. Best catch: a 180-pound mako shark by Mark Latimer of Long Beach. There have been periods of cloud cover, wind and light rain for much of the last two weeks.

East Cape: Yellowtail and sailfish are providing most of the action, with an occasional striped marlin and tuna taking the bait.

La Paz: Yellowtail have arrived in the area, according to Paul Bechely of the Mosquito fleet. However, the fish are using rocks and other structures to their advantage after being hooked. Bechely said only one of five hooked is being landed.

FLY FISHING--Allan Rohrer will discuss fishing Utah’s Lake Powell during the South Bay Flyfishers’ weekly meeting Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Westchester Townhouse. Details: (310) 372-0566. . . . Bob Moyer will teach beginning and intermediate fly tying Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the East Fork store in Irvine. Cost is $50.

CONSERVATION--Volunteers are requested by the state Dept. of Fish and Game and the Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep, who on Feb. 8-9 will lead two groups into the Granite and Iron mountains of Riverside County to replace failing water storage tanks at one site and add one at another. Information: (213) 256-0463. . . . H&M; Landing in San Diego is promoting catch-and-release in a unique way, by offering charter groups a 10% discount if they agree to release 90% of their catch. . . . Richard H. May, 56, co-founder and longtime president of CalTrout, is retiring. His successor is Tom Hesseldenz of Mt. Shasta.