Anglers Hung Out to Dry by Seemingly Endless Storms

It took only one phone call to get an accurate assessment of the saltwater sportfishing situation off the California coast.

“Hell no, we haven’t gotten out,” said Don Ashley, owner of Long Beach Sportfishing. “It’s 40 days and 40 nights of rain and this is the 33rd day. There is no business. We’ve had to cancel our whale-watching trips, our fishing trips. It’s gloom and doom. All the way from the long-range trips to Baja up to Morro Bay, there’s nothing.”

Enough said.

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As for freshwater fishing, only the heartiest are out on the water and only in places where the water isn’t turning them back.

In Ventura County, two lakes--Cachuma and Casitas--were among the hardest hit Tuesday. Cachuma, which three years ago seemed to be drying up because of the drought, was spilling over its dam by midday and Casitas was close to doing so as of noon.

“We did have a guy pull out an 11-pound bass, though,” said Randy King, concession manager at Casitas.

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The effects of the storms on California’s wildlife won’t be known until the rain stops, but according to the Department of Fish and Game, animals should emerge in good shape.

“Wildlife have been surviving in this state in the face of floods, fires and droughts for several centuries,” said Pat Moore, a DFG information officer in Long Beach. “Our main concern is stream-bed erosion. And we get those few animals that do fall in (and drown) but they are so few in number that it is not enough to cause concern for their survival as a species.”

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About the only people benefiting from the rain are those running and attending the Sports Vacation & RV Show at Anaheim Convention Center.

“Things are rockin’ and rollin’ in here,” said Corrine Sydney, publicist for the event. “We’re one of the few shows that actually do benefit from poor weather.”

One of the most popular attractions has been the Hummer display at the Sidekick Offroad Map booth.

“Several people asked me if they could borrow it to go home,” said Sidekick’s Rick Russell, adding that the vehicle, 17 feet long and seven feet wide, is capable of driving through water 30 inches deep.

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The only way to escape the rain may be to leave California altogether. Or travel to the other California. Baja California.

“It’s nice, warm and sunny,” said Juan Arce, a spokesman for the Pisces Fleet in Cabo San Lucas.

Striped marlin activity has picked up and the year’s first two blue marlin, estimated at 375 and 225 pounds, were caught and released by an Arizona angler aboard the Bloodstock. The biggest fish was a 480-pound blue caught by an Idaho resident aboard the Anita J.

Seems the Southlanders are too busy protecting their homes from floods.

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That was no bullfrog, it was a pig.

Actually it was three pigs, and they were snorting mad.

Or so says Ian Browde. The 45-year-old jogger told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that three large wild pigs charged him recently while he was running in a rural part of Aptos, Calif.

His two German shepherds had gone ahead and Browde was alone when he heard a noise that “sounded like a bullfrog.”

“Then all of a sudden, my dogs came flying by me,” Browde said. He chased after his dogs, then looked back to see the three pigs chasing him. He estimated their weights at 200 pounds each.

Wild pigs thrive in the Central California hills, but attacks on humans are considered rare. DFG Warden Gloria Lopez told Browde that if it happens again to climb a tree until the pigs leave.

He was then reminded that a mountain lion was spotted by a jogger in the same area last fall.

“Give me a mountain lion any day,” Browde replied.

* Because continual heavy rains are making many rivers raging torrents and lakes inaccessible, there is no freshwater fishing report today. It will resume next week. Other reports, C6