OUTDOOR NOTES : Sports Fishing Woes Fanned by Weather

How unlucky has the San Diego sportfishing fleet been this year?

First, the exotic fish that keep the landings in business failed to show in any good numbers all summer and boats have been unable to run because of a lack of customers willing to take a $125 boat ride.

And now, after a few vessels about 120 miles south of Point Loma had stumbled upon a school of tuna so large it could help the fleet recover some of its losses, a winter-like storm hit, knocking the boats off the water and apparently scattering the fish.

“And word was just getting out,” said Bob Fletcher, president of the Sportfishing Assn. of California. “No one knows for sure how big of an area it is because there’s just not enough boats that have gotten down there at any one time.”

Still, skippers are not giving up, hoping that some of the tuna remain.

Ed McEwen, owner of the Pacific Queen, said it would take more than one brief storm to drive away so large a school.

“It might knock them down for a day or two and then it might not do that at all,” McEwen said before going down for a first-hand check of conditions earlier this week. “This storm was not of the magnitude to drive the fish away.”

Carol Stock of Fisherman’s Landing said she had a report from McEwen’s vessel Tuesday afternoon.

“He was metering fish and he was seeing breaking bluefin,” Stock said.

Meanwhile, other skippers are focusing their attention on the weather.

“Another cold front, we’re cooked,” Buzz Brizendine, of the Prowler, said. “Another Santa Ana-type anything, and we could have another bite.”

Four Sacramento area men were fined and sentenced to jail after pleading guilty in a municipal court to charges of snagging and illegally selling salmon.

Steven Douglas Moore, 26, of Orangevale, and Edward Lee Mack Jr., 34, of Folsom, were fined $5,700 each for the offenses. Larry Daniel Teague, 29, of Folsom, and Michael Bert Howell, 25, of Rio Linda, drew lesser fines.

All four were sentenced to jail, put on three years’ probation and lost their fishing privileges for three years.

They four were arrested Oct. 7 after a month-long undercover investigation by the Department of Fish and Game documented numerous instances of illegal snagging and sales of salmon from the American River near Nimbus Dam in Rancho Cordova.

Briefly

BAJA FISHING--The recent storm has served to shut things down--at least temporarily--for the Southland fleet operating around the Channel Islands, although boats are still buying squid from the bait fleet and catching impressive numbers of calico bass. Weather will dictate whether the fleet will continue to try for yellowtail and white seabass, or switch to bottom-fishing for rock cod and rockfish.

Cabo San Lucas: Last week’s full moon is being blamed for the near disappearance of large marlin in the area. Results of the annual Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament tell the story: Of the 138 boats competing, only three managed to land fish of 300 pounds or bigger. Since that weight was necessary for placement in the tournament, fourth and fifth places had to be drawn from a hat. Things should improve for this weekend’s Pete Lopiccola Memorial Marlin Tournament to benefit the Leukemia Research Foundation. Openings remain. Details: (619) 469-4255 or (714) 650-5447.

East Cape: Tuna and dorado are showing as far north as La Paz, but most of the action is offshore from Cerralvo Island. Farther south, blue marlin have been active, weighing about 250 pounds. Dorado are showing daily to 60 pounds.

HUNTING--Duck hunters are working the blinds at the state’s public facilities, with success depending on the areas hunted. At San Diego’s Lake Barrett last weekend, 36 hunters shot 49 ducks, mostly mallards and greenwing teal. John Howard, El Cajon, shot two cinnamon teal, one pintail and one mallard by 6:50 a.m. at Area 10. At Southerland on Sunday, 18 hunters managed only three mallards and one blue-wing teal. At Otay, 58 hunters were responsible for 11 limits and 98 ducks, mostly cinnamon and greenwing teal.

“Game Heritage Hunts for Juniors,” a program of the Department of Fish and Game to promote hunting among the younger generation, will begin Nov. 16 at three locations in Riverside and Imperial counties. Applications for the pheasant hunts are due Nov. 9. Details: (213) 590-5158.

FLY FISHING--The Sierra Pacific Fly Fishers are offering a free course in rod construction on four consecutive Wednesdays, beginning tonight at 7, at Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park. Details: (818) 785-7306. . . .At Bob Marriott’s Fullerton store: Hal Patterson and Mark Walpin will conduct 1 1/2-day weekend “Introductions to Flyfishing and Casting” throughout November, starting Saturday; Charlene Hanson teaches fly-tying on four Monday nights, beginning Nov. 4, and rod-building classes each Tuesday. Details: (714) 525-1827. . . . At East Fork Fly Fishing Store in Irvine: Advanced fly-tying classes Tuesdays from Nov. 5-Dec. 9., featuring such guest tyers as Bill Blackstone, Skip Conrad, Peter Koga and Tom Clark. Details: (714) 724-8840.

SHOWTIME--The 23rd Long Beach Boat Show opens today for five days at the Long Beach Convention Center. Hours: noon-10 p.m. today through Friday; 10 a.m.-10p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.