Judge Rules Against Gill-Netters’ Request for Injunction

A San Diego Superior Court judge last Thursday denied a request by gill-net fishermen for a preliminary injunction to delay the removal of gill nets from California waters until their lawsuit against the state of California is settled.

The Gillnetters Assn. sued the state last March, seeking to declare Prop. 132 unconstitutional on the grounds that it is discriminatory and deals with more than one issue--the establishment of ecological reserves as well as outlawing gill nets.

Superior Court Judge Arthur W. Jones, who denied the gill-netters’ request for an injunction, will decide the case against Prop. 132 in San Diego on April 1.

As a result of the measure, passed in 1990, use of the efficient but controversial fishing gear--known to trap mammals and birds as well as targeted species--became illegal within three miles of the coast or within one mile of or in water less than 70 fathoms (whichever is less) around the Channel Islands on Jan. 1.

Jim Paulk, president of the United Anglers of Southern California, spearheaded the signature-gathering effort to put the measure on the ballot. He called its passage “the most important step ever taken to restore our fisheries” and said he is looking forward to a final resolution on the issue “so that we may concentrate our efforts on other things.”

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Fishing stinks: Four Los Angeles anglers aboard the vessel Hildago, fishing off San Cristobal near Cabo San Lucas, were overwhelmed recently during an encounter with hundreds of hungry dorado.

Two in the group passed out on the deck in a cold sweat. But this had nothing to do with the strength of the fish. The dorado had taken refuge beneath the floating carcass of a huge whale, rotting fast beneath the hot Baja sun.

“I’m a die-hard when it comes to fishing,” angler Dick Rutherford told Fishing International, “but even with a heavy cold, that carcass put me on my knees.”

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The most dangerous animals in southeastern Ohio? Humans. More precisely, pot growers.

A large area where marijuana is being cultivated on public lands has been dubbed the “weed belt,” and according to Backpacker Magazine, hikers run the risk of encountering such obstacles as bear leg-hold traps, dynamite and fish hooks strung between trees at eye level.

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A moose is generally no match for a bear, but a moose does not always go quietly.

Christopher Batin, in Western Outdoors Magazine, recalls coming across the site of one such encounter between a bull moose and a brown, or grizzly bear, while with fly-fishing guide Jim Bailey in Alaska’s Talkeetna Mountains.

A huge area of Alpine tundra had been ripped from the earth and on the ground lay a set of antlers with a record-book spread of more than 68 inches.

Bailey determined that the bear had chased the moose into a lake and charged the animal when it emerged.

“A brown bear can kill a full-grown moose like this in a matter of seconds with the right bite behind the neck, or it can take 15 minutes or longer,” Bailey told Batin. “From the depth of the ruts and torn up area, I’d say it was some battle.”

The bear apparently buried the moose and fed on the carcass until going into hibernation.

Batin found only a few scattered bones, some dried-up hide and part of a spinal column. “All in all, not much left of a 1,200-pound animal,” he wrote.

Briefly

SALTWATER--Locally, fishing for bottom fish has been the most productive and lingcod remain the most prized of bottom fishes. The Pacific Dawn, running out of CISCO Sportfishing in Oxnard, ran a “lingcod special” on Sunday near Santa Rosa Island and 16 anglers boated 37 fish, most weighing more than 20 pounds. Randy King, marina manager at Lake Casitas, landed a 38-pounder.

Mexico: Striped marlin are abundant off Cabo San Lucas, as is typical of January. And an occasional large blue marlin is showing at the scales. Alfonso Vicente of Spain landed a 528-pound blue after a two-hour fight at Jaime Banks. Dorado are also plentiful and wahoo are showing more frequently. San Jose Del Cabo: Yellowfin tuna are the main fare, with anglers scoring in double figures fish to 30 pounds. But dorado are abundant as well. Victor Gutierrez of Victor’s Panga fleet said a camper at Rancho San Luis reported dorado--typically a pelagic fish--chasing baitfish onto the sand. The camper claims to have landed eight dorado from the beach. Revillagigedo Islands: The season is underway and off to a good start. Skippers John Grabowski of the Red Rooster III and Frank LoPreste of the Royal Polaris arrived at the islands off southern Mexico in the past few days and both reported Tuesday that the tuna were so plentiful that fishermen were releasing those weighing less than 150 pounds. There were not yet any 300-pounders, but several weigh more than 200. Both vessels are due back late next week.

MISCELLANY--Starting March 1, fishermen must wear their fishing licenses attached to their outer clothing above the waist or around the neck--either pinned or in a clear holder. It is hoped that the new regulation will reduce loss of revenue to the Department of Fish and Game by illicit fishing. . . . A 38-mile section of the Upper Sacramento River, closed since July of 1991 because of a toxic spill, will open when the season begins April 30. However, to protect the fragile wild trout fishery, most of the section of river will be restricted to catch-and-release.