‘Free Fishing Day’ Is Set for Saturday

Most Californians 16 or older are required to have licenses to fish in state waters, except on two days of the year: Free Fishing Days.

The first of 1993 will be Saturday, when the California Department of Fish and Game will waive the license requirement for all of the usual fresh- or saltwater fisheries. The second will be Sept. 25. The idea is to introduce the sport to non-anglers and encourage former anglers to return.

There will be programs for instruction at Alondra Park Lake in Torrance and the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve in Newport Beach. The DFG planned to stock 600 channel catfish at Alondra this week, supplementing the lake’s populations of trout, largemouth bass and bluegills.

Tackle and bait will be available at both sites. At Newport, there also will be a live marine fish touch tank, boat trips and nature tours. All activity will be free.

Alondra Park is on Redondo Beach Boulevard. The Upper Newport Bay Reserve is on Back Bay Drive off Jamboree near Pacific Coast Highway.

For those 16 or older who want to fish on any other day, the basic state fishing license is $23.90.

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A record snowpack in the Eastern Sierra has been great for skiing but bad for the back-country pack business. Bob Tanner of Red’s Meadow Pack Outfit said his phone stopped ringing again when Mammoth Lakes got another six to eight inches of snow last weekend.

Tanner said the perception is that the back country is snowed in, when in fact the Red’s Meadow road was expected to open this week and most of the major trails are open.

“With the ski people saying they’re going to be skiing until the Fourth of July, everybody thinks we’re shut down,” Tanner said. “The snow line is around 9,500 to 10,000 feet, and the extreme high country at 11,000 still has a deep snowpack. But it will be a very normal year in the Sierra . . . just a few more mosquitoes, and the wildflowers will be a little late.”

Information on pack trips is available from Red’s Meadow at (800) 292-7758 or the BishopChamber of Commerce at (619) 873-8405.

Briefly

SALTWATER FISHING--The excellent barracuda bite continues locally, with most anglers taking limits of 10. The only problem is finding them because they chase baitfish around the San Pedro Channel from day to day.

MEXICAN FISHING--San Jose Del Cabo: Tim Williams of San Clemente landed a 433-pound blue marlin after a four-hour fight from Capt. Hugo’s panga. The marlin had a 25-pound dorado in its throat. Yellowfin tuna 40-50 pounds returned late last week in a line six-eight miles offshore from Gordo Point to Cabeza de Ballena. Jay Tinachman, 70, Los Angeles, caught 19, including six larger than 40 pounds. Doug Prater, Woodland Hills, had six tuna, nine pargo, four jack crevalle and a 50-pound amberjack. Wahoo at San Luis Bank. Loreto: Bottom fishing best, with some sailfish. Bait plentiful.

BOATS--Castaic Lake Boating Demo Days will be presented by the Southern California Marine Assn. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Marine products will be displayed, with water ski and personal watercraft exhibitions and new boats available for test drives.

FRESHWATER FISHING--The California Department of Fish and Game is planting catfish in several urban lakes of Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside Counties through October. The sites are Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, Echo Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake in El Monte, Alondra Park Lake in Torrance, Legg Lake in Whittier, Centennial Park Lake in Santa Ana, Tri-City Park Lake in Brea and Evans Lake in Riverside.

Friends of Castaic Lake will hold two benefit night bass tournaments, Saturday and July 31. Entry fee: $100 per two-person team. Details: (805) 295-1916. . . . Don Stehsel will tell the Pasadena Casting Club about two of the best trout streams in Southern California--Bear Creek and Deep Creek--at Thursday night’s 7:30 meeting at the Masonic Temple, 3130 Huntington Drive. . . . Steelhead expert Lani Waller will address the Wilderness Fly Fishers Tuesday, June 15, 6:15 p.m., at the Ramada Hotel, 1150 S. Beverly Drive. Dinner: $22 prepaid, $25 at door.

HUNTING--Attrition of deer because of heavy snow has caused the DFG to cut back on the number of tags it will issue for the Eastern Sierra this year. Applications are available at DFG offices and sporting goods stores. . . . The Antelope Valley Chapter of Quail Unlimited and the Antelope Valley Sportsmen’s Club will conduct the National Sporting Clays Assn. pre-Zone 7 tournament Sunday at Lancaster. Entry fee: $45. Details: 805) 724-1291. . . . The Inland Empire chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will have its first Superfund banquet June 24 at the Ontario Airport Hilton, 6 p.m. Tickets: $45 apiece or $70 per couple, including one year’s membership. Details: (909) 985-5896.

NOTEWORTHY--John S. Griffith Jr. of Corona Del Mar has been elected as a California representative for the International Game Fish Assn., the authority on world records.