OUTDOOR NOTES : Another Delay Keeping Haiwee Reservoir From Opening

It’s eight miles long and loaded with bass, but Haiwee Reservoir has been anything but paradise for fishermen or anybody else familiar with the southern Inyo County lake.

For the fishermen, there were 40 years of restrictions in the form of no-trespassing signs and armed guards, courtesy of the Department of Water and Power, which operates the reservoir for the residents of Los Angeles.

Finally last summer, a local fishing organization, armed with Article 1, Section 25, of the state Constitution, which guarantees the right “to fish upon and from the public lands of the state and in the waters thereof . . .” won the right of access.

For the DWP, there was the subsequent inconvenience of acquiring the permits to provide access--and the burdensome task of providing that access.

Now comes the Department of Health Services, which says the DWP has not provided adequate guarantees that such access will ensure that water passing through the reservoir will still be safe to drink when it reaches Los Angeles.

The Health Services notified the DWP, in a letter last week, that its first permit application was not adequate and ordered that “fishing shall not occur at Haiwee Reservoir” until the DWP obtains a valid water supply permit.

“They want additional things at the reservoir, such as restrooms and patrolling,” said Chris Plakos, a spokesman for the DWP.

Further, Health Services says it wants “additional information,” including a new application form, to amend its water-supply permit and confirmation that the appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has been completed.

Fishing reportedly is still going on at Haiwee, because there are no barriers or signs keeping fishermen away. And the Department of Fish and Game says it plans to continue its electro-shocking studies on the lake until told it cannot do so.

Although the DWP owns about 70% of the land around Haiwee, Plakos said it is up to the Inyo County Sheriff’s Dept. to enforce the closure.

He added, however: “We’re going to need, like, 100 signs (advising people of the closure). It’s going to take a little bit of time.”

Add Haiwee: Should the DWP resolve its differences with Health Services and thus with the angling public, Haiwee may soon gain fame as a prized black bass fishery.

Curtis Milliron, a DFG biologist, said that Haiwee “has the makings of a very healthy bass fishery.”

Bob Hayner, president of the Owens Valley Warm Water Fishing Assn., which was credited with obtaining public access to the reservoir last summer, once boasted that he and two others caught and released 136 largemouths and five smallmouths in three hours.

“A fish on every cast,” he said.

The Hubbs-Sea World Researching Institute on Monday deployed a 1,000-pound fish aggregating device (FAD) about 15 miles off the La Jolla coast as part of a program to determine whether FADs can be used to enhance sportfishing in local waters.

FADs have been in place in Hawaiian water for years and reportedly have been observed “holding” as many as 1,600 tons of tuna for as long as six weeks. Another FAD can be found about five miles off the San Diego coast. Both are marked by surface buoys.

For what it’s worth: The Department of Boating and Waterways, in a March news release, reported that boating fatalities in California were down from 94 in 1981 to 58 in 1991 and credited new boating safety laws, increased enforcement and education.

In an April news release, the same department noted that 10 people have died in eight accidents so far this year, almost double that for the same period in 1991.

The release didn’t offer any explanations for the increase, but did point out that most of those who have died over the years were victims of capsizes or falling overboard--and they weren’t wearing life jackets.

Briefly

SALTWATER--The water off the Baja and Southern California coast continues to warm and experts say it is only a matter of time until exotic species begin to show south of San Diego, courtesy of El Nino.

Water temperatures have been monitored as high as 73 degrees. Yellowtail and white seabass are showing at the Coronado Islands and one private boater reported seeing a school of dorado within range of the San Diego fleet.

The fleet south of Oxnard is focusing on calico bass, sand bass, bonito and barracuda.

Cabo San Lucas: Blue marlin are coming in more regularly, the largest a 578-pounder by Jose Mendoza of Mexico City. Others: a 513-pounder by Bob Moleski of San Jose and a 374-pounder by Don Barker of Austin, Tex. Striped marlin apparently are moving from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific and are concentrated in an area 30 minutes from the harbor. One was reported at 250 pounds. Dorado and tuna fishing has been fair. Air temperature, 90s. Water, 76-80.

East Cape: Dorado, yellowfin tuna and marlin are feeding about six miles off Punta Colorada. Last week’s catch included a 200-pound blue marlin. Robert Morgan of Huntington Beach reported catching two striped marlin and hooking and losing a large blue that spooled his reel.

Loreto: Yellowtail fishing is slowing and dorado fishing is picking up, with fish coming in between 18-32 pounds. Sailfish are steadily moving into the area, signaling an early start to the season.

Mazatlan: Sailfish, tuna and dorado are providing most of the action, but blue marlin are showing frequently enough to make things interesting. Top fish: a 312-pound blue caught by Californian Lynne Kirkland.