Free Fishing Day Lures Anglers to Newport Bay

Six-year-old Alanah Bruce leaned back her head of long brown hair, squinted her eyes under the Saturday morning sun and looked up solemnly at the marine biologist explaining the fine art of fishing.

The young novice then took hold of the rod cast for her into Newport Bay and asked her only question: “I hold it until I feel something?”

And for the umpteenth time that day, Eddy Konno of the state Department of Fish and Game replied: “Yes. Then you reel it in like this.”

The lesson was repeated at the bay for hundreds of youngsters by their elders and volunteer marine biologists during Free Fishing Day. The seminar was sponsored by the Fish and Game Department.

“We like to do this so that families can have a chance to experience fishing together,” said John Scholl, a wildlife naturalist with the department. “The learning process for the children is a lot of fun.”

The free fishing day takes place two Saturdays annually, in June and September, and allows people to fish in state waters without a license. State workers also took groups out on boats Saturday to discuss natural history, and tagging and tracking procedures for marine creatures.

Other families milled around several booths set up on the beach. At one, children painted a frozen fish green and imprinted it onto paper towels. At another, they were encouraged to hold different kinds of fishes while biologists explained what each creature was.

Though not required to have a license, anglers still had to follow regulations on species size and limits to protect the younger fish. Newport Bay, stretching inland to Jamboree Road, is an ecological preserve where saltwater animals gather to spawn.

Before noon, Josef Holzer, 5, already caught two fishes: a stingray and a halibut. The Huntington Beach boy could only grin broadly as his older brother and friends yelled excitedly to their parents about his success.

“He’s the only one in our family that’s ever caught anything,” said his mother, Luana Holzer. “It’s really strange.”

Nearby, 8-year-old Joshua Zimmerman mockingly lamented his catch of the day: “Seaweed. The bottom of the harbor.”

Then, in the best tradition of fishing, he turned to Josef and asked, “Can I trade my spot with you?”

Meanwhile, Alanah pondered the texture of the fish she hoped to hook.

“They are mushy a little bit,” the little girl said.

She then wanted to sit down but didn’t want to sand to get on her shorts.

Family friend Luana Holzer put down a paper towel and guided Alanah onto it.

“You can’t be a princess and fish,” Holzer said with a smile.