Sports

Wednesday, Oct. 08, 2008

Fishing Report: 'Kids at Sea' program thriving

Fundraiser set for Saturday

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A fundraiser aimed at helping the Kids At Sea program is coming to the San Luis Yacht Club in Avila Beach on Saturday.

Already close to 190 kids between the ages of 10 and 16 have been given the opportunity to experience being on the ocean. It was a first time experience for the majority of participants.

“Thus far the program has far exceeded our original goal, which was to offer five trips in 2008,” noted Michele Leary, who founded the program in March of this year. “We have done nine trips, and two more are in the planning stages over the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Major backers of the program have included the Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Association and the Central Coast Fisheries Conservation Coalition.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for a social hour with a no host bar. Tri tip and chicken are the main entrees for the 6:30 p.m. dinner, which will include Caesar salad, French bread and dessert.

Raffles and auctions are included in the program. Tickets are $12 per person. For tickets in advance call Karen at 748-1964.

“It is my hope that enough money is raised on Saturday to be able to also offer two-hour Whale Watching trips for kids after the fishing season ends Nov. 30,” Leary said.

In September, Leary, a third-generation saltwater boat skipper, purchased her own 50-foot vessel renamed the “Rita G” in honor of her late grandmother Rita Gartrell, a beloved skipper who captained boats out of Hittle’s Landing, Bob’s Sportfishing and Virg’s all out of Morro Bay.

Two of the nine Kids At Sea trips held were aboard the “Rita G.” Eighteen youngsters from the inner city of Los Angeles plus five chaperones were aboard on one of those trips with members of the Lady Hookers Fishing Club volunteering as deckhands. The first seven trips were out of Virg’s Landing while Leary was one of the ship captains there. Port Side Marine

Arroyo Grande’s Mark Wolfe caught a 20.4-pound halibut on Sept. 29 for Whopper of the Week honors. Launchings were logged only four days and totaled 26. The catch included 13 lings and 7 halibut. Patriot Sportfishing

Last week’s big fish was a 16-pound, 5-ounce lingcod landed by John Mulay of Atascadero on Sept. 30. One hundred ninety-six passengers caught 57 lingcod, 113 red rockcod, 846 assorted rockfish, 641 bolina, 5 cabezon, 1 bonita and 1 ocean whitefish.

For trip schedules, reservations call: 595-7200.

Other jackpot winners included: Harmon Rider, Templeton, John Gorman, Bakersfield, both 11-pound lingcod; Ron Ramey, Santa Margarita, 10-pound lingcod; Mike Collier, Hanford, 9-pound lingcod; Wayne Calvin, Bakersfield, 8-pound cabezon; Marcy Darfinger, Morro Bay, 7-pound lingcod; Steven Kim, San Luis Obispo; 6-pound lingcod; Robert Bumpass, Santa Maria, 5-pound red rockcod; Mike Balcian, Santa Maria, 3-pound red rockcod; Louie McCombs, Bakersfield, 2-pound blue rockcod. Virg’s Landing

Topping the catch during the week ending Oct. 4 was a 16-pound lingcod caught by Jim Lasswell of Bakersfield.

The next overnight trip departs at 3 p.m. Oct. 11 and returns by 5 p.m. on Oct. 12. Each angler may catch two limits of fish. The fare is $205. Call: 772-1222 for reservations, more information.

The catch on the Sept 27-28 overnight trip by 22 anglers included 31 lingcod, 400 red rockcod, and 40 assorted rockfish.

Other jackpot winners were: Rick Case, Lebec, 8-pound lingcod; Jim Rouse, Fresno, 7-pound lingcod; Paul Lee, Ivanhoe, 7-pound red rockcod; Jeremy Ochoa, Delano, Larry Morton, Morro Bay, both 6-pound red rockcod; March Swehblam, Bakersfield, 6-pound copper rockfish. Central Coast Sportfishing

Four of the six trips Leary ran last week on the Rita G were out of Patriot Sportfishing. Ninety-two passengers boarded the Rita G and hauled in 10 lingcod, 119 red rockcod; 489 assorted rockfish, 178 bolina, 7 ocean whitefish and 1 soupfin shark. Cesar Mecia of Santa Margarita was a jackpot winner with an 11-pound lingcod.

For reservations, trip information call: 704-2084. W.O.N. Bass Golden Valley

Morro Bay’s Roger Haas and Jerry Williams from Porterville placed 11th in the first Golden Valley Region tournament at Pine Flat. The tournament launched the 2008-09 tournament series. Their limit weighed 5.80 pounds. The winning team in the 33-team field had a 15.82-pound limit anchored by a 9.56-pound big fish. FLW National Guard Series The fourth and final event in this series got underway at the California Delta on Wednesday. After this event the top 40 anglers in the year-long standings will qualify for an East-West competition. Pro Louis Fernandes of Santa Maria ranked 43rd while Shawn Lee of Arroyo Grande was in 48th place. Paso Robles pro Tony Pratt and co-angler Jim Slusher also are entered at The Delta. Santa Margarita Lake

Christine Hutchison of Santa Margarita out performed her 14-year-old son, Colin, last Thursday. She caught an 18.7-pound catfish. The twosome caught 3 catfish in The Narrows weighing a total of 48 pounds. The bait was net dipped dead shad.

Ron and Bob Holder of Santa Margarita employed inflated nightcrawlers to catch catfish weighing 15.9 and 11.5 pounds. Lopez Lake

Catches of crappie and redear up to 1˝ pounds are being taken in the back of the Wittenberg Arm. The Lopez Arm also has been yielding some nice-sized panfish. Lake Nacimiento

Marina spokesman Jose Zaragoza reports catches of white bass by trolling and with topwater presentations. The Sandy Point Cove, which is the last cove to the right of the dam, has been productive. Las Tablas Cove has been a center of action for the whites also. Cachuma Lake No Report. Camp Roberts Fishing

A total of 63 trout were caught last weekend in the Nacimiento River — 21 Saturday and 42 Sunday. The turnouts were 16 adults and one junior on Saturday and 22 adults and 3 junior anglers on Sunday. There were three guests on Sunday. Whale Rock Reservoir

The line score: Two fishermen, 0 fish. The streak: 11 straight open periods with no fish. The facility is open for fishing Wednesdays through Sundays.