Stringing Together Generations

If you want to drop a line in Ventura’s Gone Fishin’ Sportfishing Tournament on Saturday, you’ll first have to hook someone over 50.

That’s the ticket for admission to this unusual contest, now in its third year. It’s free, as long as each angler or fishing party is accompanied by someone a half century or more.

“It’s an intergenerational event,” said Skip Robinson, recreational coordinator for the city, which is organizing the tournament with the help of Eric’s Tackle of Ventura.

The idea behind the tournament--the first of its kind in the state--is to bring kids, teens, and adults together with the over-50 crowd.

The fishing action takes place on the Ventura Pier, shortened in the wake of last winter’s storms that tore off a chunk at the end of the historic wooden structure.

“It’s still very adequate for fishing,” Robinson said.

Last year about 200 anglers took to the pier with rod and reel. The spectators numbered about 400.

“We had 3-year-olds catching fish,” Robinson said. They shared the pier with 80-year-olds. One of the old-timers was a dockworker on the pier in the 1920s. Last year’s winning fish was a halibut, about 7 pounds, snagged by a young girl.

Robinson expects an even bigger crowd this year. Prizes will be awarded for the 10 largest fish with the grand prize a custom pole and reel from Eric’s Tackle. Other prizes--dinners, fishing trips, equipment--have been donated by sponsors.

There also will be an award for the largest shark pulled in. For that event, anglers must weigh the fish and then release it back into the water. To encourage conservation, there will be no award for the total number of fish caught.

Although seniors are a must for the tournament, they don’t have to fish. They are welcome to come and just hang out. And for children too antsy to fish, there is a playground on the sand next to the pier.

As far as the fishing goes, it’s fairly uncomplicated. You don’t need a license to fish off the pier. Nor will you need bait for the contest--anchovies and squid will be provided. Anglers need only bring equipment, and that ranges from sophisticated gear to what Robinson calls little “Snoopy” poles for children. Registration opens at 6 a.m. Saturday at the pier, and early birds are likely to be there then. Weigh-in is at noon, and prizes will be awarded after that.

What kind of fish can you expect? Halibut, shark, mackerel, surf perch, smelt, croaker--and possibly a white sea bass, as the result of a breeding program near the Ventura Harbor, Robinson said.

“That’s the neat thing about saltwater fishing,” he said. “You never know what you’re going to get. Lakes are pretty predictable.” He claims you are more apt to catch fish in saltwater than fresh, and off the pier it’s not uncommon for an 8- to 10-pound fish to be hauled in.

Fishermen can use either freshwater or saltwater gear, he said. He recommends a 6-pound test line or stronger, and a No. 2 hook. But high-tech equipment isn’t a must. Some people keep it simple and use only a drop line with a hook and a weight.

“Pier fishing doesn’t require high skill,” he said. “It’s user-friendly. If you can drop a line, there’s a real good chance you’ll catch a fish.”

DETAILS

* WHAT: Gone Fishin’ Sportfishing Tournament.

* WHEN: 6 a.m.-noon Saturday.

* WHERE: Ventura Pier, near Harbor Boulevard and California Street.

* HOW MUCH: Free

* FYI: 658-4726.