BASS FISHINGBass Fishing Sports Blog

By The Record May 09, 2012 12:00 AM

Sportsmen’s Club dinner – The Stockton Sportsmen’s Club will hold its 10th annual dinner, raffle and auction to benefit the Junior Hunters of California Program at the Stockton Ballroom, 9650 Thornton Road, Stockton. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. and the raffle and auction to follow. Donation: $50.00. Information: West, (209) 481-3522;or Manuel, (209) 473-9041.

Veteran’s Appreciation Day - The Manteca Bassin’ Buddies Bass Club is sponsoring a “Vets Day on the Delta” for military veterans at Russo’s Marina on Bethel Island. Fishing, prizes and food will be available all day through donations from the Manteca Bassin’ Buddies. A three-flight fishing tournament starts at 7 a.m. with prizes and a barbecue following the weigh-in at 1 p.m. Information: Ray Yamada, (209) 482-1943, or rayyamada@gmail.com.

Glide fishing contest – The Calaveras Glide Fishers will hold the White Pine One Glide Contest at White Pines Lake in Arnold. only one glide can be used in the competition, which starts with registration at 7 a.m. and fishing at 9 a.m. Fishing ends at 1 p.m. and is followed with a tri-tip lunch (included in the $25 registration fee). The event benefits the Calaveras Glide Fisher’s Scholarship Fund. Information: Delta Glide Fisher’s Facebook event page and click the “Join” link by May 7.

Elk bowhunting – Get ready for the season to start in September by attending a free seminar at 1 p.m. at Manteca Bass Pro Shop’s conservation room at 1356 Bass Pro Drive, Manteca. The seminar will be repeated at 1 p.m. on May 26. Information: (209) 825-8400.

Glide fishing – An intro to glide fishing seminar will be held at 2 p.m. at the Manteca Bass Pro Shop’s conservation room at 1356 Bass Pro Drive, Manteca. Information: (209) 825-8400.

Festival – Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge will host a free outdoor festival, “Walk on the Wild side,” with lively entertainment, including a falconry demonstration by Karl Kerster and folk music by Horse Sense, and up-close views of many wildlife species. The event is from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. near Freeport at the Beach Lake picnic area. Information: (916) 875-9453 or fws.gov/stonelakes.

Kayaking – An informational seminar with Manteca Bass Pro Shops’ kayaking expert will be at 6 p.m. in the conservation room, then go out to the kayak pool for hands-on paddling at 1356 Bass Pro Drive, Manteca. Information: (209) 825-8400.

Kids Don’t Float – A kickoff event for the program, which provides life preservers for borrowed use to visitors enjoying the Mokelumne River, will be held at 11 a.m. at Stillman Magee Regional Park, 23801 North Mackville Road, Clements. it will highlight the program, how it works and rules and regulations for enjoying safe recreation on the Mokelumne River. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department and the Clements fire District, both of which patrol the river, will be on hand for the event.

Catfish derby – San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation and the Delta Glide Fishers will present the 28th annual Catfish Derby at 6:15 a.m. at Oak Grove Regional Park in Stockton. More than 2,500 pounds of catfish will be planted before the derby, which is open to everyone. Participants must supply their own fishing equipment. Information: (209) 331-2050 or mgzoo.com.

Hunter safety class - The California Waterfowl Association will hold a hunter safety class at 8 a.m. at the Waterloo Gun & Bocci Club, 4343 North Ashley Lane, Stockton. Fee: $20, includes materials and lunch on Saturday, and $10 lunch for non-participants. Information: Tim Davanis, (916) 335-9604, and Don Giottonini, (209) 464-4565, or calwaterfowl.org/web2/supportcwa/attendevents/default.htm to view event flyer.

Hunter education course - The Galt Parks and Recreation Department and Valley Waterfowl have teamed up for a three-day hunter education course at the Galt Police Department’s community room, 455 Industrial Drive, Galt. Cost: $10. Classes are limited to the first 25 to register. Enroll at the Galt Parks and Recreation Department, 610 Chabolla Ave., or call (209) 366-7180. The course also is available Aug. 24-26. Information: Bruce Bullard, (209) 744-2766.

Send outdoors calendar items to sports@recordnet.com.

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It looks like the saltwater season is upon us. one showing great promise is San Clemente Island. The rockfish bite has been epic. Captain John Ackley of the Westerly out of Long Beach Sportfishing was at the island over the weekend for wide-open simple limits of rockfish as well as several nice lingcod.

The Huge Game 90 was also at San Clemente Island catching a white seabass while the Black Pearl had 12 halibut to over 26-pounds. “Clemente is ready to go,” said Ashley, who points to the recent catches, warming water and a great weather forecast for this weekend.

“It’s the perfect scenario,” he said, “It’s a excellent chance for some surface action with lots of fantastic-eating rockfish backing you up.”

Ashley is sending the Toronado to San Clemente Island Saturday at 10p.m., returning Sunday around 8 p.m. The trip will focus on surface action and rockfish so that anglers are sure to go home with lots of fantastic-eating fish. in addition, there will be pro-staffers on deck to help you along and hundreds of dollars in free raffle prizes for the ride home.

“We are expecting huge things out of this one,” Ashley said. Cost of the overnight trip is $150. Call or text 424-237-0250 to get on.

The Native Sun out of Long Beach Sportfishing continues to lead the way with some great Twilight fishing. Besides the twilight bite, there have also been some great spectacles of nature. last weekend alone, anglers got to see balls of tiny market squid in the water, a swarm of moths and a few dragonflies, several octopus, a pod of dolphin in the harbor, and an unidentified snake-like creature swimming around the boat.

The fishing was brilliant on Friday night with lots of huge sand bass being taken on 2-ounce banana leadheads on 20-pound test tipped with squid. Brittany Nguyen, six months pregnant, showed the boys how to fish with the largest sand bass of the weekend. Nguyen caught a sandie that was close to 6 pounds.

Four brand new Daiwa rods and reels were given away, several free fishing trips and lots more prizes in the regular free raffle. The Saturday evening trip was slow.

“That’s fishing,” said Raul Martinez from Long Beach. “That’s what makes it so fun; you never know what’s going to happen.”

The Native Sun is going Friday and Saturday evenings, 6:30p.m.-midnight. Reservations at 562-432-8993.

Captain Mike Slater was fishing just north of Todos Santos Island on the Gamefisher Ensenada when he metered something other than the lingcod and rockfish he was catching there. Before long, the fish he was metering were biting casted lures with reckless abandon.

“Barracuda,” Slater yelled, and his passengers started lifting the elongated, toothy, hard-fighting critters aboard.

“This is the first real sign we have seen that spring is here,” said Jimmy Bass from Tradition Sportfishing in Redondo Beach.

Bass says this is a signal that things could break loose at any time. “I can’t tell you how many years I’ve seen a barracuda bite in Baja one day and it breaks wide open shortly thereafter in Southern California.”

For the last several years, Gerald Long has spent most of his days in bed, confined by debilitating pain.

He could barely leave the house, missed meals and visits with family members and wondered if his neighbors even knew he was still alive.

But for the past seven weeks, the Olivehurst resident has become a familiar face once again. one of the first people in California to undergo a new surgery that combats pain with motion sensor technology similar to smart phones and gaming systems, he is back to driving, playing with his grandchildren and soon, he hopes, going fishing.

“I’ve done more in the last month than I’ve done in the last year,” Long said Tuesday, as doctors made final adjustments to his new device in Sacramento. “I haven’t run any marathons, yet, but it’s coming.”

Back problems have plagued Long, 55, for the past 25 years, likely stemming from his work in drywall and carpentry. Then, six years ago, the deep throbbing and burning forced him to leave his 13-year maintenance job at Beale Air Force Base to go on permanent disability.

He tried physical therapy, then steroid injections, epidurals, pain blockers, silicone pushers and even a few experime tal treatments before he finally opted for surgery. Three years ago, he had two discs removed and part of his spine fused.

“None of that helped a thing,” Long said.

Sitting, standing and lying down were all uncomfortable, and at times the pain would bring him to tears.

“I’ve got a boat I can’t fish out of. I’ve got a motorcycle I can’t ride anymore,” Long said. “It’s just depressing to lie there and know what you could be doing if you felt like it, and you don’t, so you don’t even try.”

He could no longer help with household duties, putting all the burden on his wife, Tammy, and she said the laid-back, simple-going guy she had loved for so many years had become grouchy and bitter.

“It just controlled our entire life,” Tammy Long said.

Some doctors said Gerald Long had nothing wrong with him. Others pushed him away, assuming he was hunting for pain medication.

“People think doctors can solve everything,” Tammy Long said. “Then they start to say, ‘You have to learn to live with this.’”

Gerald Long had practically given up on the medical world when he was referred to a pain management specialist in Sacramento. The new surgery was suggested immediately, and after talking with the doctor, he chose for one last try.

Motion-sensing save

Neurostimulation systems have long been used to combat chronic pain. An implantable device partners with a handheld programmer to adjust stimulation that interrupts pain signals from the brain.

Medtronic’s new AdaptiveStim with RestoreSensor neurostimulator automatically adjusts to a patient’s changing needs by recognizing and remembering the correlation between body position and the necessary stimulation.

“It’s like having a TV remote that knows when you want to turn the volume up and does it for you,” said Mike Rusinek of Medtronic.

Some users of previous neurostimulators would eventually not use or lose their devices, and learn to live with over- or understimulation. Humans innately like shortcuts, Rusinek said, and eliminating manual adjustments improves quality of life.

“This is as huge as the automatic transmission transforming the automobile industry,” he said.

Gerald Long marvels at the technology, but more importantly, he said, it works. he estimates his pain has been cut in half since the surgery.

He slept for eight hours straight for the first time in years, drove to Folsom to see his daughter and is plotting to glide to North Carolina to meet his twin granddaughters, who are expected to be born in August.

“I couldn’t pick up my grandson off the ground and hold him. now I’m gonna be chasing him around,” he said.

Long is also looking forward to striped bass season and riding on his Yamaha, and his wife is excited he can mow the lawn and fix the pool.

“I have a nice honey-do list for him that’s been going a couple years,” Tammy Long said.

The couple celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary March 21. they still have two children at home, custody of their niece and nephew and a neighbor who went in when his parents kicked him out and left town.

They’re hoping life will now return to normal.

Tiny device, huge difference

Pain specialist Dr. Lee Snook, of Metropolitan Pain Management Consultants in Sacramento, is one of about 100 physicians in the country who have used the device, with Long as one of his first patients.

Anyone with chronic back pain, and possibly those with chronic neck pain are candidates for the surgery, and it’s being considered for people with abdominal, chest and pelvic pain.

“Incredible” was an oft-repeated word when Snook spoke about Medtronic’s latest device. Its technology, life span and size are a remarkable difference from the “bricks” he used to install in patients.

Gerald Long said he can barely feel it. a tiny scar is all there is to indicate the almost 2 inches by 2 inches device, which is less than half an inch thick, is just below his rear belt line.

It’s designed to adjust for seven positions: Lying on the back, front, left and right sides, sitting, standing and standing with motion. If the energy it puts out is too much or not enough for the pain, the stimulation can be adjusted with a hand-held device.

The elective surgery costs about $25,000 to $30,000 with device, doctor and operation expenses, but that can be quickly recouped through medication savings, Snook said. many of his patients spend at least $2,000 a month on pain pills, antidepressants and other medication, and after surgery, those costs are cut dramatically.

The operation itself lasted about 11⁄2 hours, but it took less than 15 minutes to activate the device and calibrate it to Long’s needs. The battery should last nine years before it needs to be replaced, and the electrodes near his spine could last for the remainder of his life.

When Snook questions his patient if he’s happy, Gerald Long smiles and has only two words:

CONTACT Ashley Gebb at or 749-4783. Find her on Facebook at /ADagebb or on Twitter at @ADagebb.

Outdoorsmen and women are looking to the skies in order to plot their weekend activities. if it’s honest or only party cloudy there will be a wide array of outdoor activities available. the bass fishing on Clear Lake should improve, there are several choices available for trout fishermen and the spring wild turkey season opens. in other words, there is no reason to sit on the couch and watch television.

The recent series of storms have slowed the bass fishing at Clear Lake. the lake level is up more than a foot and some of the tules now have water. the lake is also muddy in a few areas. the lake level as of Thursday was 4.5 feet on the Rumsey Gauge and slowly rising. It could reach 5 feet within two weeks, which would have a positive impact on the fishing.

The other surprising factor is the bass are finally hitting a wide variety of lures and not just the Alabama Rig. the winners of the WONBASS team tournament held Saturday were Wally Smith and Andrew Loberg of Marin County with 29.99 pounds. Smith said they caught their limit on jigs and then switch to swimbaits to bring up their weight. They didn’t use an Alabama Rig. Troy Bellah of Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport says that popularity of the Alabama Rig is starting to taper off as fishermen go back to drop-shotting a plastic worm or working a crankbait or swimbait. Jumbo minnows are still taking most of the bass as expected.

Some of the more productive areas have been in the vicinity of the Lakeside County Park, Corinthian Bay, the State Park, Konocti and Jago bays and the Nice-Lucerne Shoreline. the rain has warmed up the water temperature and it’s now averaging 54-57 degrees in the afternoons.

There are no bass tournaments scheduled on the lake for the weekend but the remainder of April has a tournament every weekend. the second annual Konocti Vista Casino Team Bass Classic is scheduled for April 14-15. the entry fee is $160 and includes big fish. the tournament is limited to 100 teams. Entry forms are available at all the local tackle shops. call 823-3252 for more information.

There’s not much to report on catfish and crappie. One fisherman reported catching three catfish near Dollar Island and another said he caught two at Shag Rock. There have been no reports on crappie or bluegill.

Trout action remains good at Upper Blue Lake and Lake Mendocino. both shore anglers and boaters have been catching fish. At Upper Blue Lake, fishermen report the trout are still biting very lightly and for every fish you land you get at least three other bites. Upper Blue Lake is scheduled to be stocked next week. also on the stocking list is Lake Pillsbury.

The spring wild turkey season opens Saturday morning. It has become one of the more well loved hunting sports in the state. the good news for local hunters is that Lake County offers an excellent chance to bag a gobbler. the hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. each day. the daily limit is one bearded turkey and a total of three for the season. in other words, if you’re on a three-day trip you can bring back three turkeys as long as you don’t shoot more than one each day. in addition to a current California hunting license, you must have an Upland Game Bird Stamp. Junior hunters aren’t required to have the stamp but must have a current junior hunting license. Shotguns, archery and even .177-caliber pellet guns and larger can be used.

Lake County has thousands of acres of public land that hold a good population of wild turkeys. the Mendocino National Forest has turkeys at just about all elevations below 3,000 feet. For those who want the solitude of the backcountry, a good bet is Tar Flat, located near Hull Mountain in the Mendocino National Forest. the turkeys in this area are Merriams, which are the mountain species and can be identified by the white-tipped tails. the Cache Creek Wildlife Area, located on Highway 20 in eastern Lake County, is an excellent choice for wild turkeys. Another good choice is the Knoxville Wildlife Area, located near the old gold mine out of Lower Lake.

After taking the long, circuitous route through the regulatory process, a rules change that will allow anglers to keep coho salmon that have gone either over or through Oroville Dam was made legally effective as of March 1.

Local Department of Fish and Game warden Lt. Sam Castillo explained, “The way the regulation is constructed, coho salmon can be taken in Lake Oroville, the diversion pools, the Forebay, and the Afterbay — including the canal leading into the Forebay — and the Feather River between the diversion pool dam and the fish barrier dam. currently, if you catch a coho in the Feather River low-flow, you must release it.”

Castillo cautioned, “As for trespass issues, folks would be subject to citation if they fish in the canal between the Ddiversion pool and the Forebay, and the canal between the power dam and the Afterbay. all of those lands are currently clearly posted prohibiting trespass.”

Department of Water Resources biologist Julie Brown added, “The limit for coho salmon in those areas is the same as Lake Oroville (5 per day and in possession). DWR is doing a ‘creel census,’ and may be interviewing anglers to count and measure their fish. With the angler’s permission, we would also like to collect the heads of coho caught, so that we can recover the coded wire tags (CWTs) and learn more about the species’ survival, age, etc.”

Turkey hunting

Saturday’s general wild turkey hunting opener is forecast to be a soggy affair. some opportunities may still present themselves, according to Dave Ebright at Chico Sportsman’s Den.

“It may be a small hard if the opener sees heavy rain,” observed Ebright. “The birds may come off the roost a small later, and if it’s raining hard, it may be hard to hear a gobble. The upside is that not a lot of people will be going out, and of course when the weather breaks, things will be more normal.”

Ebright continued, “During last Saturday’s youth hunt, the rain that was forecast did not materialize. some junior hunters who went out anyway got some nice birds.”

The general season runs through May 6, with additional days until May 20 for junior hunters and archery. a valid current California hunting license with upland bird validation is required. The bag limit is one bearded turkey per day, and three per season.

Chico State Bass Team

Not many people realize that the Chico State Bass Team has qualified for the National Championship in their chosen sport. Chico State will be represented by Tony Dayton of Walnut Creek, Robert “Bo” Harkins (also originally from Walnut Creek), Thomas White (Fountain Valley), and Frank Vogt (Chico). The first-place team will receive $50,000, and the school will receive $25,000. Also included will be a Ranger bass boat wrapped in the school colors.

The finals will be held April 13-15 on Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., as part of the 2012 National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship. a total of 25 teams will be competing, from schools such as Sacramento State, Texas A&M, LSU and Virginia Tech.

BCFGC meeting

The Butte County Fish and Game Commission will hold its quarterly meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday in Conference Room 2 of the Chico Municipal Building, 411 Main Street. Agenda items will include a warden’s report, biologist’s report and Public Lands Management update for M&T Ranch and Desert Farms. The public is invited.

Send your outdoor news-related items to Steve Carson at .

American Legion baseball try-outs in Orland

The Orland American Legion baseball program is holding sign-ups and try-outs in February, and players must first sign up before trying out. Sign-ups are from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 11 at Bihler Field, with try-outs Feb. 18, 19 and 25.

There will be three Orland teams this summer, including an under-19 team, an under-17 team and a team for players ages 13-17. Team will play between 30 and 45 games, with tournaments in Reno, Redding and possibly Oregon.

For more information, email Greg at orlandbearcats@hotmail.com, or call Kyle Dahlgren at 521-9215, Evan White at 624-8740 or Dean Fumasi at 521-1577.

T-ball registration in Orland

The Orland Recreation Department is currently holding registration for its youth T-ball league, which will play from March 17 to May 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at Spence Park.

The league is for youth ages 4-6 and the fee is $40. Registration deadline is March 2.

For more information, call the Recreation Department at 865-1630.

DFG votes against striped bass proposal

The California Fish and Game Commission took final action Thursday to reject proposed changes to striped bass regulations.

In a unanimous decision, commissioners voted not to pursue a proposal that would have changed sport fishing regulations related to anadromous striped bass, including increasing bag limits and decreasing size limits.

The proposal that was introduced by the Department of Fish and Game arose out of a settlement agreement resulting from a 2008 lawsuit. In that lawsuit, the Coalition for a Sustainable Delta, a group of San Joaquin Valley water districts, asserted that striped bass are harming native species, including endangered salmon and Delta smelt.

Chico Starz holding softball try-outs

The Chico Starz are holding try-outs for their Junior Olympic fastpitch softball teams Feb. 11 at Hooker Oak Park in Chico.

U-16 and U-18 players will try out from 9-11 a.m.; U-14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; U-12 from 1-3 p.m.; and U-10 from 3-5 p.m. Players should arrive 30 minutes early.

For more information, call Lance Whittaker at 342-8533 or Adele Johnson at 898-9777.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Military veteran Stacey Twiggs has always loved the outdoors, even before he was severely injured while serving during the first Gulf War.

It’s been exactly 20 years since that injury on Feb. 5, 1992, and this weekend Twiggs is a guest of Nick Patronis on a spot of hunting land in north Bay County, part of a segment being filmed for the TV show Destination Whitetail and set up in conjunction with The News Herald. The show focuses on “hidden gem” hunting spots across the country and, in this case, the healing effects of outdoor life. This episode, to air in the fall, is designed to highlight that the Bay County area has more to offer than sandy white beaches and that while most of the country may not be aware of it, the Panhandle offers prime whitetail hunting only a small drive from the coast.

The show will air on either Outdoor Channel or NBC Sports. A second show for Deer and Deer Hunter is also being filmed here and features local hunters, including News Herald Editor Mike Cazalas, hunting while talking about their experiences here.

It took two years of hospital rehabilitation in California before Twiggs was able to venture out and do the things he loved, such as fishing and hunting, but when he got back to it, “I’ve found my inspiration from the outdoors,” he said.

But Twiggs has never bagged a huge buck, and was looking forward to this weekend.

Twiggs, who currently lives near Orlando, became involved with Destination Whitetail while living in Texas after his discharge from the U.S. Navy led to helping other paralyzed vets and youngsters.

Twiggs, a marvel of inspiration, said the last 20 years since his lower body was crushed on the guided missile frigate USS George Philip “have been a blessing.”

“It’s been 20 years of borrowed time, is how I look at it,” he said.

The Patronis family, which also owns Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant, has had the hunting land for 50 years. Growing large white-tail deer out there, and sharing that hunting experience with the disabled, has become a passion of his, Patronis said.

“I want to give opportunities to people that don’t have them,” he said. “whatever I can do, I hope it brings joy to them.”

Patronis said he never wants his children to take anything for granted, such as their health and mobility, and showing them the strength of individuals facing and overcoming disabilities reinforces the lesson.

It’s an thought that fits like a glove with the thinking of Twiggs, who said “when I got out of the hospital, I realized how much I had taken for granted.”

Twiggs, a 21-year-ancient gunners mate missile technician at the time of his injury, vividly recalls when his lower body was crushed by the operation of a missile launcher during a training mission. although not in a combat area, he thought he was going to die, and he prayed.

Since then he has met his wife, Debbie. they both now have a 13-year-ancient daughter, Torri. if not for his injury, he said, his wife and daughter would not have come into his life. In a way, “my injury was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Now, he’s a writer and photographer and goes fishing all over the world. An upcoming trip is planned for Brazil to go after the exotic peacock bass.

“if there are fish tugging on the other end of the line, I’m a happy man,” he said.

Patronis said he started taking disabled kids to his hunting land about two years ago. A youngster with muscular dystrophy will be out there Sunday, “and we will carry him up into that tree stand if we have to.”

He said the tree stand is 8-by-8 and large enough for parents to accompany their children.

Although Saturday’s hunt was unsuccessful, Twiggs and the group will try again Sunday.

“It’s been pretty overwhelming,” Twiggs said. “I’ve been humbled by the opportunity.”

When California’s then-governor, Gray Davis, signed into law the sweeping Marine Life Protection Act in 1999, state wildlife officials knew they’d have a fight on their hands.

The act was designed to simplify and strengthen a byzantine array of existing marine reserves and fishing regulations to create a coherent “ecosystem-based” policy of marine protection meant to allow fish populations, which have been in severe decline, to recover.

Later, the Arnold Schwarzenegger administration divided the state’s 1,100-mile coast into five regions and encouraged the participation of stakeholder groups that would hash out the location, size and scope of the reserves. Conservationists, scientists, fishermen, policy-makers and the public weighed in on the new regulations, each pushing hard for varying degrees of protection.

The meetings were often contentious, with commercial and sport fishermen claiming that the reserves would spell doom to their way of life. Some saw an aggressive green agenda at work.“What the environmentalists wanted, they wanted to take it all, “ said Michael Thompson, co-owner of Newport Landing Sport Fishing in Newport Beach, Calif. “They wanted to leave us with nothing.”

After much debate, the first phase of the plan went into effect in September 2007, with the creation of 21 reserves encompassing 20 percent of a 350-mile arc of the central California coast. A second phase started in may 2010, with the creation of 29 reserves encompassing approximately 153 square miles, or about 20 percent, of state waters from San Mateo County to Santa Barbara County.

But perhaps the largest test of the law started on Jan. 1, when reserves went into effect in Southern California, the state’s most populous region. the California Fish and Game Commission started enforcing the new regulations on some 50 marine reserves from Point Concepcion, near Santa Barbara, to the border with Mexico.

The reserves protect about 350 square miles of state waters, putting over 10 percent of the coastline off limits to any kind of fishing or even shell collecting along the beach or in tidal areas. Environmentalists hail the effort as a major milestone in marine conservation.

“No other state has attempted this nor has any state tried to set up as exhaustive and detailed a process,” Greg Helms, a program manager for the Ocean Conservancy in Santa Barbara, said. “It’s a national first, and we know that other states other places around the world are watching.”

In late December, I visited one of the hotly contested new marine reserves in Laguna Beach to produce a video about the effort. the area is favored by fishermen and lobstermen, who say they have lost some of their most cherished fishing grounds. Rodger Healy, a lobsterman featured in the video,says the new reserves may deal him a major blow.

“I stand to lose probably 60 to 65 percent of the area I fish,” he said. “Depending on the year, it’s probably 75 percent of my income.”

Michael Thompson of Newport Landing Sport Fishing said he expected a similar drop in business. “We lost about 30 percent of our area,” he said. mr. Thompson said he was now redirecting resources to other activities like whale watching, burials at sea and harbor cruises.

The California Department of Fish and Game said that there had been no citations or arrests related to violations of the rules.

Paul Hamdorf, assistant chief of law enforcement for the California Department of Fish and Game, said that “there have been violations, but since we’re just eleven days into it, we don’t want to issue a bunch of citations to people who make mistakes. We’re trying to educate now instead of making people angry.”

Conservationists and many scientists hail marine reserves as the best way to rebuild once-thriving fish populations in California, which in some species have declined by over 90 percent. they point to numerous studies showing the success of marine reserves around the world. In one scientific survey of more than 100 reserves worldwide, scientists found a 446 percent average increase in biomass of animals and plants..

Locally, biologists monitoring fish populations and kelp within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary say they have documented a 70 percent increase in biomass within the reserve after only five years of protection.

“The difference inside the reserve versus outside the reserve is so dramatic,” David Kushner, a biologist with the National Park Service, said. “If you’re swimming underwater, it is pretty simple to see the difference. You’ll see larger fish such as sheepshead and kelp bass and ocean white fish and large lobsters.

“Immediately upon swimming outside of the marine reserve, those fish are all of a sudden smaller and there’s fewer of them,” he said.

The ecosystem approach favored by the state of California is unparalleled. but questions abound over whether the economically strapped Department of Fish and Game will be be able to properly enforce the rules regarding the new reserves.

Indeed, some local conservation groups have taken it upon themselves to police the rocky tidal areas, posting volunteers who will gingerly inform recreational fishermen and shell-collecting beachcombers that they may be breaking the law.

“It’s a huge change, and it should be a huge boost to our marine life,” says Ray Heimstra, associate director of Orange County Coastkeeper. “It will create areas where they can recover and we can hopefully in a number of years see the types of populations we saw far in the past.”

California’s bays are chock-full of kayak fishing action. NorCal gets big game, SoCal boasts bass. 

Some people look a gift fish in the mouth. They scoff, refusing to see how good they have it. take California’s bays and marinas for example.

Incredibly, some kayak anglers not only take them for granted, they want no part of the brilliant fishing they offer.

“I’m not a bay guy. Give me the big water and big fish,” goes one chest-thumping line. If that’s not enough testosterone, try this one on for size.

“Fish for bay bass? Are you kidding? That’s like fishing for bait. They’re both small. Wake me when you catch a real fish!” I’ve heard it, read it, seen it, lived it.

Ok, I’ll fess up. Most of that blowback is nothing more than excellent-natured bluster, sort of a “My dad is larger than your dad” deal. I’m not going to debate which is better, the wilder world offshore or the usually mellow water behind the breakwater. They’re different, and brilliant in their own ways. Waiter, bring me the steak AND the lobster.

Bays and marinas are often seen as places for new kayak anglers to earn their “Water Wings.” Oops, I slid back into big Water Bill territory for a moment. But it’s right; a cool bay, a warm day, and lots of willing fish are just what a new kayaker needs to develop confidence. Skills learned on the bay – casting, fighting, and landing fish from the kayak – transfer directly to the big Blue Salty.

But hold on a minute, you doubters. It’s not necessary to go outside to get your big fish fix. Particularly not if you live within driving distance of San Pablo Bay.

San Pablo, a part of the vast San Francisco Bay complex, is ground zero for kayak sturgeon fishing. it takes a hardy individual to soak up the pounding that often raucous San Pablo dishes out. Fearsome wind and the constant slap of an icy chop are enough to make some successful sturgeon anglers weep out “No mas!” once they punch their hard-earned cards.

“How the heck can anyone sit still for hours in cold weather, waiting for that little bump?” asked Joel Lotilla, although I’m sure he knows the answer. Lotilla put in four full seasons to earn his first victorious “dino” sleigh ride.

“You’ve got to put your time in,” deadpans Lotilla. when he triumphantly hit the beach with his California-legal 47-inch dinosaur, Lotilla immediately gave away his sturgeon snare and other tools of the trade. Evidently he wanted to retire at the top of his game.

“Rainy season is sturgeon season,” says Erik Kunz, sturgeon guru extraordinaire of the NorCal Kayak Anglers online community. Kunz says good spots to soak grass or ghost shrimp are best accessed via China Camp, Black Point, or the Dumbarton Bridge.

From the forgoing, you might conclude the sturgeon game is for experienced kayak fishers only. You’d be right. San Pablo Bay is a challenging winter environment.

Come springtime, San Francisco bay area fishing options will multiply.

“Everything kicks into gear in April,” Kunz says, meaning stripers and halibut will be on the menu. Area kayak anglers unsure of the best local fishing spots should visit the NCKA website for up to date information.

Farther south, bay-bound big game is rare. There are the occasional oversized halibut of the back bays, rare but thrilling catches, and that so-called “mud marlin” the bat ray, more of an incidental than a typical kayak target. No, in Southern California, the fishing is more about numbers than size.

Oh, but what numbers, and it’s a year-round cornucopia. A dozen, 20, even 50 fish days are within reach. three varieties of saltwater bass, barracuda, halibut, and bonito – they’re all here at one time or another. And something very special, a hidden tropical treat. more on that in a bit.

Bays such as Mission, Dana, Newport, and King Harbor are all well loved kayak fisheries, and not just with novices. the water’s relatively warm even in the dead of a so-called Southern California winter (even the present chilly one), and there’s nearly always a little corner sheltered from the worst of the wind. No wonder so many new kayakers cut their teeth in the bays.

There’s a breed here that’s just as dedicated as the sturgeon hunters up north, and maybe even more prone to obsession: kayak bass fanatics. something about bay bass, especially the mean little red-eyed spotty, inspires a single-minded devotion to catch (and release) larger bass than the other guy.

Why? I reckon it’s the addictive nature of saltwater bass fishing. These fish aren’t too hard to catch. They’ll latch onto just about anything you’ll find in the freshwater bass aisle at the neighborhood tackle store. Some days you can toss a Berkley Frenzy back there and troll up a couple dozen without really trying.

It’s not always that simple, and some days it’s brutally hard. Consistently lassoing the cranky bruisers of the bunch? That takes artistry, and explains why kayak bay bassers are always on the prowl for their next secret weapon.    

Remember that tropical surprise I hinted at? It’s hiding in plain sight way down south at the very end of San Diego Bay: the legendary bonefish. Most accounts date their appearance to a 1980s El Nino cycle. Since then, if they haven’t exactly flourished, they have at least established a solid foothold.

An average San Diego bonefish runs around 18 inches. These aren’t the grey ghosts of the Florida Key flats, but the frenetic little fish can still spin a kayak in circles. Most are caught incidentally on the small plastics that are so effective for the area’s spotties. to up your odds, opt for live ghost shrimp or imitations.  

Shoot, some people just don’t know how good they’ve got it here in the Golden State. They’ll sit on the beach, hemmed in by high winter surf, or shiver out on the ocean, waiting in vain for a bite, and never even reckon of sneaking away to a little ol’ bay. me? I wouldn’t dream of passing up the rich banquet of fishing opportunities. besides, if I feel like suffering, I can always paddle wind-whipped San Pablo for sturgeon. 

Top, FISH OF THE FROZEN FINGERS – The hardcore kayakers who suffer for sturgeon in chilly San Pablo Bay pay heavy dues, making eventual success so much the sweeter. Here’s Joel Lotilla with his first legal “dino.”

Above,

BEHOLD, THE SPOTTED BAY BASS – Something about this small red-eyed fish makes Southern California bay bassers a little bit crazy. You can’t catch (and release) just one. Ed Whited roped this typical specimen in Mission Bay.

This tale originally appeared in Western Outdoor News in 2007. Republished here by reader request. -ed.

Imperial, California (NAPSI) – if you’re looking for a gift people really want, pick up a gift card. According to a study by the National Retail Federation, it is the gift of choice over clothing, consumer electronics and jewelry. In addition, a gift card never has to be returned and is convenient to buy at the grocery store.

To personalize gift card giving, Michele Beschen, host of PBS and Make TV’s B. Organic, suggests some fun, simple, homemade ways to get creative. These ideas can be made on your own or as part of family time:

• Help someone relax with a SpaFinder Gift Card presented with a beautiful homemade tea kit created from an old tin box and cardboard. a SpaFinder Gift Card is excellent for spa treatments in over 7,000 spas, salons, yoga or Pilates studios and fitness centers. There’s likely a spa or wellness experience in most areas and global travel destinations.

• Make a homemade fishing pole using a long branch that incorporates handmade tackle accessories and a bobber. Hang a Bass Pro Shops gift card from the end of a hook. Bass Pro Shops has fantastic gear for people of all ages and for a number of outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, camping and kayaking.

• Plotting a night out with family or friends can be simple. Make a handmade magnetic calendar from a dry erase board and pair it with an Applebee’s gift card. mark down your next family, girls or guys night out. Applebee’s has a healthy indulgence menu and is a fantastic place to watch a game.

• if you’re shopping for a music lover, you can make a one-of-a-kind scarf out of a few T-shirts from favorite bands. cut the shirts, sew them together and add a pocket to hold an iTunes gift card, which can be a fantastic gift for anyone. iTunes gift cards provide one-stop entertainment as they can be used to purchase music, movies, TV shows, apps, games, books and more.

• Make a wall rack organizer using the front of an old dresser drawer. Add vintage doorknobs, accessories and hooks. Hang a jcpenney gift card from it. jcpenney offers a large selection of unique and affordable gifts for just about everyone. It’s a fantastic place to find style at compelling prices that make sense in this economic climate.

Gift cards and many of the materials used to make these unique gifts are conveniently available at grocery stores.

To learn how to save with gift cards and other creative tips and to share your gift card tips, visit facebook.com/GiftCardsRock.