OUTDOOR NOTES / RICH ROBERTS : Unidentified Trout-Planting Object Visits Urban Lakes
Terry West needed a map to find his way to Alondra Park in Lawndale on Tuesday, and when he got there, he said, “People were probably wondering what this one-ton truck was doing on their launch ramp.”
West had come from the California Department of Fish and Game hatchery in Fillmore, where he is assistant manager, to deliver the first load of trout in the state’s expanded urban lakes planting program.
“A few kids were there fishing,” West said. “A park ranger came out to see what was going on, but when he saw our (shoulder) patches, he told us to go ahead.”
West then drove to Echo Park Lake near Dodger Stadium. Each lake received 400 pounds of trout, or about 760 fish.
“We caught Echo Park totally by surprise,” West said.
Tri-City Park Lake in Placentia and Centennial Park Lake in Santa Ana also were planted for the first time Tuesday with trout from the Mojave River hatchery in Victorville. Balboa Park Lake in the valley was planted last week. The experimental plants will continue every two weeks through May.
“After evaluating fishing success and lake usage by anglers at each lake, a decision will be made regarding further stocking,” said John Sunada, who heads the urban lakes program for the DFG.
The desired catch rate calls for half of the fish to be caught within 12 days. Tip: try Power Bait.
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Trimming or removing a tree--even one in your own yard--could cost a $1,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail.
Section 3503 of the state Fish and Game Code makes it illegal to chop a tree that contains an occupied bird’s nest. It is permitted if a nest is under construction and the occupants haven’t moved in. But Tim Dillingham, a DFG wildlife biologist based in Julian, said, “Nest building is just now getting under way.”
Otherwise, you will have to wait until they all move out.
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CalTrout is supporting the DFG’s recommendation to continue to withhold plants of conventional hatchery trout in the Upper Sacramento River this year, but to return to limited fishing in 1994.
That could help local businesses recover from the absence of anglers.
All fish and much of the wildlife along a 42-mile stretch from above Dunsmuir to Shasta Lake were destroyed in 1991 when a Southern Pacific tank car derailed and spilled weed killer into the river.
“The river is recovering well . . . (but) is still far from being recovered,” CalTrout’s executive director, Tom Hesseldenz, told the state’s Fish and Game Commission. “We realize that local business people along the river are extremely concerned about their short-term economic situation.”
Briefly
MEXICAN FISHING--The San Diego long-range fleet took a dozen 300-pound-plus yellowfin tuna and 78 of more than 200 pounds this month before the government placed a 100-square-mile area of the Revillagigedos Islands, including Socorro, San Benedicto and Roca Partida, off limits to sportfishing because of a recent volcanic eruption on Socorro. The island is about 300 miles south of Cabo San Lucas. Clarion and the Hurricane banks remain open. Capt. Bob Burns’ Red Rooster III, out of San Diego on a 17-day trip with 22 anglers, was off Socorro when the long-dormant Everman volcano was reported to be erupting, but no dust or lava was visible because of a cloud cover. After collecting bait, Burns went to Roca Partida and took 143 yellowfin and 246 wahoo--a couple of which leaped the rail without being hooked. Mike Tucker, Mission Viejo, had a 305.2-pound tuna. About 90% of the hookups over 200 pounds escaped. Dave Uradomo, aboard the Royal Polaris on an 18-day trip to Roca Partida and San Benedicto, took first and third jackpot with yellowfin weighing 312 and 250.3. Glen Estes, Camarillo; Bob Yokoi, El Segundo, and Bob Etheridge, San Diego, each had two 200-pound-plus tuna. Capt. Randy Touissant’s Excel, 16 days out with 29 anglers, took 245 yellowfin, 60 wahoo and 45 grouper, topped by 324 and 241.8 tuna by Bruce Sogioka, Fullerton. Cabo San Lucas: A full moon failed to slow the billfish bite significantly. Ralph Riggins of Reno took a 612-pound blue marlin. The overall tally last week was 51 striped marlin (38 released) for 36 boat days. San Jose del Cabo: A flush of clear, warm water revived the outer Gordo Bank eight miles offshore with runs of wahoo, dorado and stripers. Gil Kraemer, South Laguna, landed two 70-pound wahoo and a 40-pound dorado. Steven House, Ontario, and Thomas Ford, Los Angeles, also hooked wahoo and dorado. Manzanillo: Yellowfin tuna, sailfish and dorado, in that order, dominated the catch.
SHOOTING/HUNTING--The national sporting clays series stops at Raahauge’s in Norco Saturday, Feb. 20. Winners from 12 such events throughout the country will compete in the national finals at Griffin, Ga., in June. Details: (714) 735-7981. . . . California’s bighorn sheep season in the Eastern Mojave Desert ended six days early when the last of 12 permittees bagged his animal. Jerry Chandler of Fall River Mills took the highest-scoring ram--173 4/8 on the Boone & Crocket scale--edging out a 172 4/8 ram taken by Stan Boots of Baldwinsville, N.Y. Boots was the auction hunter who paid $61,000 to start 28 days early in November.
CONSERVATION--The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep is seeking volunteers for tamarisk removal projects Feb. 20 at Granite Springs near Laughlin, Nev., and March 6 at Anza Borrego Desert State Park. No experience required. Details: (213) 256-0463.
FLY-FISHING--John Sheway will tell the Pasadena Casting Club about Oregon’s best streams at their meeting Thursday, 6:30 p.m., at the Masonic Temple, 3130 Huntington Drive. . . . Don Blanton will discuss “Fishing for Freshwater Stripers and Kelp Bass” at the Wilderness Fly Fishers’ dinner meeting next Tuesday, 6:15 p.m., at the Ramada Hotel, 1150 S. Beverly Drive. . . . Leo Monahan of Burbank, one of the world’s top paper sculptors, has several of his trout flies on display at the Fisherman’s Spot in Van Nuys.
