OUTDOOR NOTES / RICH ROBERTS : CalTrout Keeps Eye on State’s Fishing

Short on money and personnel, the California Department of Fish and Game has trouble keeping up with the needs of fishermen, hunters and non-game issues, so it welcomes help from private organizations such as California Trout.

The DFG operates on about $140 million a year. Last year, CalTrout, founded in 1971, spent $350,000, most of which was raised from memberships, donations and fund-raisers. But CalTrout perhaps gets more for its money because it is more sharply focused and less encumbered by bureaucracy. Most of its effort is directed at the ongoing war over water with agricultural interests and municipal water and power districts.

Jim Edmondson, regional manager for Southern California and the Eastern Sierra, says he is one of only “4 1/2” paid CalTrout employees. The operations are fleshed out by appointed, volunteer “streamkeepers,” who monitor key locations throughout the state. One of those was Tom Hesseldenz, who has succeeded Richard May as CalTrout’s new executive director.

Just in his region, Edmondson’s agenda grows constantly. He gives this partial update:

POLLUTION IN THE OWENS VALLEY--About a dozen ranches have built close to four miles of fencing to keep the cows out of the water. Edmondson says 50 miles are needed.

EAST WALKER RIVER--It has taken nearly four years since the Walker River Irrigation District--Nevada farmers--destroyed this trophy trout fishery by releasing too much water too fast from Bridgeport Reservoir, but enough court orders have been issued so that proper dredging of sediment is under way.

SANTA ANA RIVER--The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has allowed total diversion to Southern California Edison’s power purposes for 50 years, but the license is coming up for renewal, subject to environmental review.

MONO BASIN STREAM RESTORATION--Work has started on long-diverted Lee Vining Creek. Rush Creek, at U.S. 395, seems to be a whopping success. Edmondson says he caught and released “about 40 wild trout in two hours.”

MALIBU CREEK--CalTrout researched building a ladder over Rindge Dam for the steelhead. Now the DFG has decided that the dam should come down to restore the historic spawning run and, Edmondson says, “let the steelhead go home.”

BEAR CREEK--When the Big Bear Water District fixed the dam, it agreed to maintain the seepage flows that sustained a population of wild trout. “They fixed the dam but forgot about the flows,” Edmondson says.

OWENS GORGE--Working with the DFG, CalTrout commissioned its own study, which supported a need for more re-watering flows than the DWP wanted to provide--but will.

WEST FORK SAN GABRIEL RIVER--Edmondson says after six years of negotiations, the L.A. County Flood Control district has “reneged” on an agreement for more favorable water management.

And so go the fish wars.

Frank Matsuhara is glad the big one got away.

That’s because the big one the 64-year-old angler from Gardena hooked last week during the Hawaiian International Billfish tournament was a 15-foot mako shark.

Matsuhara apparently was reeling in a 140-pound marlin, “and this big mako came up from behind and swallowed it from the tail up, pretty near to the fins,” according to Ray Hawkes, Matsuhara’s Balboa Angling Club teammate.

“The shark crunched down and took about half of the marlin with him,” Hawkes said.

The weight of the shark was estimated at between 800 and 1,100 pounds.

Briefly

BASS FISHING--A few spots remain open for Puddingstone Reservoir’s annual night tournament Saturday. Two-person entries are $100. Information: (714) 599-8411. . . . Castaic Lake’s national reputation for big largemouths was reinforced when Bob Crupi’s 18.58-pound catch was the largest among 49 states (Alaska excluded) to qualify for the Big Bass World Championship tournament at Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 18-19.

WILDLIFE--The California Department of Fish and Game, acting on a late recommendation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has cut the bandtailed pigeon season from 16 to eight days, citing an apparent population decline. The season will be Sept. 19-27 in Northern California counties, Dec. 19-27 in Southern California. . . . The annual San Gabriel Mountains bighorn sheep survey estimated the highest population in 17 years since the census projects started: 828, with a margin of error of 150. A crew of 50 volunteers working with the DFG and the Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep actually counted 283 sheep and noted encouraging increases in ram-ewe and lamb-ewe ratios.

FLY-FISHING--John Van Derhoof, saltwater and casting school instructor, will be featured at the Pasadena Casting Club’s meeting Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the clubhouse.