Fishing Report: Bass tourney to benefit Quarles family

Fishermen are prone to help each other in times of need.

That was again demonstrated Aug. 5 when legendary saltwater angler Jim Nielsen was buried at sea. Fellow anglers, friends and family participated in the event celebrating his life.

A similar act of kindness is planned for Saturday when the proceeds of a bass tournament and a raffle will go to the Trishawna Quarles Memorial Fund. Her husband, Aaron Quarles, is a local bass fisherman.

Jim’s Pro Bass Tackle of Paso Robles has scheduled a bass tournament at Santa Margarita Lake on Saturday beginning at safe light and concluding with a 3 p.m. weigh-in. The entry fee is $200 per two-angler boat. There will be a $50 top-three option.

A Lowrance HDF5 fish finder has been donated as a raffle prize. It is valued at $700.

Trishawna Quarles died Sept. 16 because of complications at childbirth including Sickle cell anemia. She was 34 and a highly regarded English teacher at Santa Maria High. She is survived by her husband, Aaron, and infant son, Dorian Sinclair Quarles.

Contributions to the Trishawna Quarles Memorial Fund can be made at www.quarlesfamily.org or sent to P.O. Box 148, Nipomo, CA 93444.

Albacore Trip

The season’s initial tuna fishing trip out of Patriot Sportfishing’s Harford Pier will be aboard the Pacific Queen, an 88-foot vessel home ported in San Diego. SportfishingReport.com is sponsoring the trip, which will depart at 8 p.m., Oct. 7.

Cost is $300 with a 30-angler load limit. Return to port is scheduled for 8 a.m., Oct. 9.

Call 595-7200 for reservations.

Patriot Sportfishing

There was no change in the three leaders in the seventh-annual Lingcod Contest. The top three weights are 26 pounds, 24 pounds, 6 ounces and 19 pounds.

For reservations and trip schedules call 595-7200.

Santa Maria’s Fernando Garnin had the big ling last week, 15-6. Other jackpot winners included Jeff Massie, Simi Valley, 14-0 ling; David Hopwood, Twain Harte, 11-0 ling; Bobby Nelson, Poway, Jorge Vidal, Santa Maria, both 9-0 lings; David Ethied, Lompoc, 9-0 cabezon; Bobby Nelson, Poway, 8-0 ling; Marvin Pech, Arroyo Grande, 6-0 ling; and Jacob Magnuson, Littlerock, 6-0 red rockcod. Last week, 247 anglers caught 62 lings, 540 red rockcod, 976 assorted rockfish, 919 bolina, 14 cabezon, and one kelp greenling.

Port San Luis Boatyard

A 29-pound white seabass caught Saturday by Stacey Meacham of Paso Robles took Whopper of the Week honors.

Anglers aboard 65 boats launched last week caught 48 lingcod, 17 halibut 16 white seabass and one sheephead. Full rockcod limits were registered six days and half-limits Friday.

Virg’s Landing

On Saturday, skipper Brad League piloted the Princess 50 miles straight out from Morro Bay. The boat had live bait but just two tuna were caught, both on jigs. Twenty-five passengers were on board. The next tuna trip departs at 11 p.m. Tuesday with fishing the next day. The cost is $250.

For trip schedules and reservations, call 772-1222.

Last week 268 passengers caught 72 lingcod, 791 red rockcod, 1,470 assorted rockfish, 280 coppers, six cabezon, two bocaccio and two rock sole. Joe Valdez, Hanford, and William Bixman, Atascadero, led jackpot winners with 12-pound lings. Other winners were: Clay Chism, Cambria, 10-0 ling; Richard Schulz, Ridgecrest, 9-0 ling; Ray Aguilar, Dinuba, 8-0 ling; Mike Marrico, Fresno, 5-0 ling; Mark Martin, Simi Valley, 7-0 red rockcod; and Tabby Stamback, Morro Bay, 6-0 red rockcod.

SLO County Bass Ambushers

Paso Robles’ Jim Keeney became the first double winner in the ninth SLO County Bass Ambushers’ tournament Sept. 17. Both triumphs were at Nacimiento Lake.

Big-fish honors went to Greg Hanley with a 3.74-pound fish. Nineteen of the 26 entries had limits.

SLO Bass Ambushers No Fish, Weight, Winnings 1. Jim Keeney, Paso Robles, 5, 13.77 pounds, $232.50; 2. Marc Hazuka, Atascadero, 5, 10.23, $139.50; 3. Garrett Mills, Atascadero, 5, 9.12; 4. Ken Meeks, Atascadero, 5, 9.10, $41; 5. Al Rush, Paso Robles, 5, 9.06; 6. Neal Franklin, Atascadero, 5, 9.05; 7. Erik Zillig, Cambria, 5, 9.04; 8. Greg Hanley, Paso Robles, 5, 8.85; 9. Allan Branson, Paso Robles, 8.81; 10. Bryan Vogt, Paso Robles, 5, 8.57. Big Fish, 3.74 pounds, Hanley, $130.

FLW College Fishing

Cal Poly’s Scott Hellesen and new partner Russ Gruener placed seventh Saturday at Clear Lake in a field of 39 teams. Hellesen and Gruener caught a 16-pound, 6-ounce limit but it was 4 pounds, 4 ounces behind Chico State’s championship duo of Nicolas Carrico and Matthew Wetmore.

The top five teams in each of the four regular-season tournaments qualify for the Western Regional on Nov. 17-19 at Lake Pleasant, Ariz. Hellesen and his early season partner, Damian Bean, qualified for the regional by placing third in February at Arizona’s Lake Roosevelt.

FLW Everstart Finale

Last week, Buellton’s Whitney Uyeda finished 59th in a field of more than 100 co-angler entries at Clear Lake. His two-day total was six bass for 19 pounds, 5 ounces.

Chad LeBlanc of Sutter won the co-angler title with a three-day 58-pound, 15-ounce weight. Granite Bay’s Michael Tuck was the pro winner with a 76-pound, 9-ounce, 15-fish bag.

Santa Margarita Lake

Santa Margarita’s Janet Ross caught a 3-pound, 6-ounce crappie by the dam and Atascadero’s Dave Widger reeled in a 2-pound, 1-ounce redear. Both used micro mini jigs Monday for their catches.

Nacimiento Lake

Heritage Ranch fishing source Dave Rymal said that on Sunday, 10-year-old Rachel Hanley caught a 13⁄4-pound spotted bass drop-shotting while fishing with her grandfather, Greg Hanley. Three anglers aboard Jack Foster’s pontoon boat Monday caught 47 white bass, nine spots, three crappie and two catfish.

Lopez Lake

The marina’s Jonathan Garcia reports Arroyo Grande anglers Jeff Horton and Rodney Runels caught a 10-pound catfish and a 6-pound largemouth, respectively, Sunday. Horton used anchovy for bait, while Runels used a black and white jig.

Cachuma Lake

Marina manager Ken Hemer says mackerel is working for limits of catfish. Sweetwater Bay is the most productive spot with catfish to 8 pounds. Bass fishing is inconsistent. Fish are tight to shoreline cover early, then later are suspended at main lake points and over river channels. Bluegill remain in the backs of coves in the tulles.

Whale Rock

Ten anglers caught four trout last week bringing the yearly total to 91 fish. Gary Collier used worms to catch 13- and 15-inch trout Friday. He’s caught 24 fish at the lake this year and trails leader Joe Reynolds by three fish. Pat Morris landed 153⁄4 and 163⁄4-inch fish on PowerBait on Sept. 21.