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Trout plants for Southern California and Eastern Sierra during the week beginning Feb. 14

Trout

Barring adverse weather, water or road conditions, the following is a list of Southern California and Eastern Sierra waters, listed by county, that will be stocked with rainbow trout throughout the week of Feb. 14 by the Department of Fish and Game:

VENTURA: Rancho Simi Community Park lake and Reyes Creek.

SANTA BARBARA: None.

ORANGE: Yorba Regional Park lake.

LOS ANGELES: Castaic Lake, Cuddy Creek Pond, Elizabeth Lake, Hansen Lake, Legg Lake, Peck Road Park lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Pyramid Lake and Santa Fe Flood Control Basin.

SAN DIEGO: Lower Otay Lake, Morena Reservoir and Murray Reservoir.

IMPERIAL: Sunbeam Lake and Wiest Lake.

RIVERSIDE: Hemet Lake and Lake Cahuilla.

SAN BERNARDINO: Cucamonga-Guasti Regional Park Lake, El Prado Regional Park lake, Glen Helen Regional Park lakes, Mojave Narrows Regional Park lake and Yucaipa Regional Park lake.

INYO: Diaz Lake, lower Owens River from Stewart Lane to Laws and Pleasant Valley Reservoir.

MONO: None.

 Photo: Rainbow trout. Credit: Eric Engbretson / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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Fish and Wildlife Service issues new report on hunting and fishing trends

A hunter and his dog, surrounded by decoys.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a new report, "Trends in Fishing and Hunting 1991-2006: A focus on Fishing and Hunting by Species," that provides a detailed look at fishing and hunting by species and offers information on national and state fishing and hunting expenditures, participation rates and demographic trends. 

The 72-page report, an addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation, represents a comprehensive survey conducted by the Service’s Wildlife Sport Fish and Restoration Program. Data used to support the study were obtained from 11 fishing and hunting surveys sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Assn. of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

"We want reviewers of this research to understand that while the generalization that hunting and fishing are declining in popularity is often heard, this report shows that the truth is more complicated," Richard Aiken, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lead economist for the study, said in a news release.

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Fish and Game Q&A;: May a photo be taken with a 'no-take' fish before it is released?

Giant (black) sea bass. In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I fish in Southern California and have a question about black sea bass. I know they are illegal to keep when caught. However, when they are caught while targeting other species, what is the regulation for releasing them? After the hook is removed and swim bladder punctured, may a picture be taken with the fish out of the water before it is released? I am under the impression they may not be removed from the water. I ask because a friend of mine accidentally caught a small black sea bass (about 30 lbs.) and after removing the hook and puncturing the swim bladder, he held it up and posed for a quick picture with the fish. I told him I didn’t think that was legal and he argued it was. He did release the fish immediately after the photo was taken, and the fish swam off, apparently unharmed. I’ve searched the website for clarification, but have found nothing. Can you please clarify this issue for me? We are very conscientious fisherman. (Dave L.)

Answer: Giant (black) sea bass and other no-take species cannot be retained and must be released immediately. Therefore, holding the fish out of the water for a picture is unlawful. The best-case scenario for the fish would be to cut the line while it is still in the water.

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Ski report for California, Feb. 10

Outposts will attempt to post the most recent ski report for California, courtesy of SkiReport.com, each Thursday:

Open
BASE LIFTS SURFACE 24 HR 72 HR
75-140" 9 of 13 PDR 0" 0"
66-72" 4 of 5 PP 0" 0"
24-36" 7 of 12 PP 0" 0"
78" 9 of 9 PP 0" 0"
84-160" 7 of 8 PDR 0" 0"
84-120" 9 of 11 PP 0" 0"
45-57" 9 of 11 HP 0" 0"
52-174" 8 of 8 PP 0" 0"
65-90" 26 of 29 PP 0" 1"
41-77" 6 of 8 PDR 0" 0"
48-96" 6 of 7 PP 0" 2"
88-94" 12 of 12 PP 0" 0"
110-205" 28 of 29 PP 0" 1"
24-48" 6 of 16 PP 0" 0"
Mt Baldy (1 day old)
10-20" 4 of 4 PP -- --
Mt Shasta (1 day old)
28-62" 3 of 4 PP -- --
46-82" 16 of 19 PP 0" 0"
Royal Gorge (2 days old)
60-75" -- PP -- --
39-118" 9 of 14 VC 0" 0"
24-36" 9 of 14 HP 0" 0"
12-30" 4 of 12 HP 0" 0"
82-120" 6 of 7 PP 0" 0"
109" 24 of 33 PP 0" 0"
64-132" 9 of 13 VC 0" 0"
Tahoe Donner (1 day old)
56-72" 4 of 4 PP -- --

Click on ski area for detailed California ski report, cams, weather conditions, and more.



Irvine Lake lunker trout going off big time

7-year-old Derek Weise of Huntington Beach checks in a 14.04 pound rainbow caught on the troll with a Thomas Bouyant at Santiago Flats. It took the young angler around 20 minutes to subdue the beast before his dad could net the fish. Here's this week's Irvine Lake fishing report, written by veteran angler Steve Carson:

Beautiful quality-grade trout were the rule this week at Irvine Lake, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The trout bite has just been insane on big fish. We have had countless trout in the 5- to 9-pound class, and quite a few were even bigger than that. We also had a five-trout limit that totaled over 27 pounds, and a 14-4 trout caught by a 7-year-old kid!"

Getty added, "Just before Presidents [Day] weekend [Feb. 19-21], we will have two special trout stockings. The first will be another load of rainbow trout in the 10- to 20-pound 'super lunker' category. The second will be a batch of drag-sizzling steelhead in the 7- to 10-pound range."

Most of the trout on the stringers this week were beautiful 2- to 8-pound rainbows, with a surprising number of larger-grade rainbows from 9 to 14 pounds. A few exotic brown trout to 6 pounds and steelhead to 8 pounds also added variety.

The hottest baits for trout were Berkley Mice Tails and Pinched Crawlers. The Irvine Lake Pro Team has been fine-tuning the best presentations, and demonstrated that an exceptionally productive technique is slow trolling.

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Access is an issue that affects 1 in 5 anglers

A fly-fisherman on Colorado's White River.

Considered a challenge faced largely by hunters, access to areas to enjoy their sport is an obstacle anglers deal with as well, according to results of a recent survey.

When anglers were asked by AnglerSurvey.com if, in the past year, they had to cancel a trip or stop fishing a particular area because they could no longer access it, 19.5% of respondents said they had, largely consistent with results to the same question posed the previous year.

The 2010 survey, which measured angler experiences from 2009, found that 81.5% of concerns raised involved freshwater fishing locations where angler access was affected by low water levels due to drought or lake draw down, pollution generated from excess runoff as a result of storms, boat ramp closures, and limited public right of entry points. Only 19.7% of access concerns affected saltwater anglers that year, but in the January 2011 survey -- measuring angler experiences from 2010 -- that number jumped to 24.8%.

While the poll did not examine causes for limits on access, 2010 witnessed several issues affecting  saltwater fishing which may have led to the jump in access issues. Chief among these were the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which closed much of the area to fishing last summer; bottom fishing closures in the Southeast; and additional sportfishing closures along the California coast as part of the Marine Life Protection Act.

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Jeremy Lusk memorial ride Wednesday at Pala Raceway [Updated]

Jeremy Lusk Wednesday marks the two-year anniversary of the death of freestyle motocross star Jeremy Lusk, who died Feb. 9, 2009, as a result of head injuries sustained in a crash during a competition in Costa Rica.

To celebrate the memory of the popular rider, Metal Mulisha will be hosting the second annual "Lusk Memorial Ride Day" from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pala Raceway in northern San Diego County.

[Updated, 5:06 p.m.: An earlier version of this post stated this was the inaugural Ride Day. This is actually the second year it is being held.]

Metal Mulisha has a flyer available on its website, which can be printed for a $5 entry discount to the event.

"Jeremy impacted so many different people's lives in a positive way," said a statement posted on the Metal Mulisha site. "Come ride with the Metal Mulisha and friends to celebrate 'The Pitbulls' legacy."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Jeremy Lusk. Credit: Metal Mulisha


Chuck Patterson skis the waves of Maui's 'Jaws'

 

Here's an exciting way to tackle the waves, courtesy of Chuck Patterson. A big mountain free-skier who spends time each year in Hawaii, the extreme athlete knows how to move on big swells as well.

Patterson recently traveled to Jaws off the northern coast of Maui to try his hand at tow-surfing, except instead of using a surfboard he donned a set of skis and hit the waves -- complete with ski poles.

The above video, shared by Pete Thomas Outdoors, shows Patterson in action at the famed surf spot, even planting his poles on his way down the face.

"Ever since I started I was hooked like a little kid -- just like I was when I started snow skiing," Patterson said. "Something like that really keeps me going and I know that that's what I'm looking forward to as far as proving that you can actually turn on the waves."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Video via YouTube

 


U.S. led the world in shark attacks last year

Great white shark prowls the waters near Guadalupe Island off Baja California.

The U.S. led the world again in the number of shark attacks last year, according to a University of Florida report released this week.

Worldwide, 79 attacks occurred in 2010 -- the highest number since 2000 (80) -- with 36 reported in the United States. Australia was second with 14, then South Africa with eight and Vietnam and Egypt with six each.

While Florida led the nation with 13 reported attacks, this total was significantly lower than the state's yearly average of 23 over the past decade.

"Florida had its lowest total since 2004, which was 12," said George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the university. Florida typically has the highest number of attacks worldwide, but 2010 marked the state’s fourth straight year of decline, Burgess said. "Maybe it’s a reflection of the downturn in the economy and the number of tourists coming to Florida, or the amount of money native Floridians can spend taking holidays and going to the beach."

Of those attacks in the U.S. outside of Florida, five were in North Carolina, with four each in California, Hawaii and South Carolina. There were single attacks in Georgia, Maine, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Surfers were the victims of slightly more than half of the incidents reported worldwide in 2010, nearly 51% of the cases. An economic downturn will usually influence tourists but not necessarily surfers, whose sport is relatively low-cost, Burgess said.

Swimmers and waders were the second-largest group affected, accounting for nearly 38% of the shark attacks internationally.

Continue reading »

Poll finds rifle hunters, shooters consider scopes essential gear

Kathy Hansen, right, tests a Trijicon rifle scope at January's Safari Club International Convention in Reno.

Scopes are considered to be essential gear for sportsmen who shoot or hunt with rifles, as evidenced by the number of respondents to a recent survey. Conducted by HunterSurvey.com, the poll revealed more than 92% of rifle owners own at least one scoped rifle, and nearly three out of four own multiple scoped rifles, while only 7.7% responded that they do not own a scope.

Scopes are also a prominent purchase for many shotgun and handgun owners. While both types of firearms are generally used with open sights, 28.7% of shotgunners and 24.5% of handgunners say they own at least one scoped model.

"While firearms and ammunition purchases have been extensively analyzed, not a lot is known about scope ownership and usage," said Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which creates and manages the surveys. "This information can be valuable to manufacturers and particularly retailers who now know nearly every rifle buyer is also a potential scope customer as well."

Of those sportsmen surveyed, 26.2% said they intend to purchase a scope in 2011, while 32.5% are not sure.

Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries and wildlife officials, and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The results are scientifically analyzed to reflect all U.S. anglers and hunters.

Those who hunt, fish and target shoot are invited to participate in either or both survey sites. Respondents are entered in a monthly drawing for one of five $100 gift certificates to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Kathy Hansen, right, tests a Trijicon rifle scope at January's Safari Club International Convention in Reno. Credit: Max Whittaker / Reuters



Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk files for divorce

Tony Hawk and Lhotse Merriam, in 2005 at Merriam's shop in Encinitas.

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk has filed for divorce from his third wife, Lhotse Merriam. People.com reports that Hawk, 42, filed the documents Friday in northern San Diego County. The two have been married since 2005 and have one child together.

"We have made the difficult decision to file for divorce," the couple said in a joint statement released Monday.

"We remain deeply committed and loving parents to our daughter, and out of respect for that responsibility we ask that people honor our family's privacy during this important time of transition," the statement said. "Thank you for your understanding."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Tony Hawk and Lhotse Merriam, in 2005 at Merriam's shop in Encinitas. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times



Portuguese man-of-war invade Florida beaches

 

More than 450 beach-goers were treated for injuries after scores of Portuguese man-of-war washed ashore on South Florida beaches over the weekend.

"It's extreme. It is wall-to-wall man-of-war," Delray Beach ocean rescue supervisor Heather Irurzun, a 14-year veteran, told the Palm Beach Post. "I've never seen it this bad."

Delray Beach actually closed to swimmers because of the influx of the stinging creatures, and lifeguards elsewhere were flying yellow caution flags, indicating the presence of the organisms.

While Portuguese man-of-war are a rather common occurrence in ocean waters off the state between Thanksgiving and Easter, consistent southeast winds over the last several days have sent a high number toward South Florida beaches.

The above video, shot by an area resident, shows hundreds of man-of-war left on the sand by tides and is reminiscent of the tranquil nature scenes that end CBS Sunday Morning, if not for the fact of the dangerous nature of the creature's tentacles, which remain capable of delivering painful stings even when on the sand.

Authorities have urged beach-goers not to touch the dead man-of-war, even with a stick. Meanwhile, lifeguards remain at the ready, equipped with treatment gels and ointments.

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Video: LalaFizphotography via YouTube






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