Sports

Wednesday, Jul. 08, 2009

Fishing Report: Large catfish reeled in at Santa Margarita Lake

Mark Rodriguez estimated catch ‘weighed between 30 and 40 pounds;’ fish wasn’t weighed before release

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“It’s not often you’ll find fishermen scared to put their hand into the mouth of a fish,” admitted Mark Rodriguez of Paso Robles. It happened to him July 2 at Santa Margarita Lake while he was fishing with Jason Buchanan of Paso Robles.

“We were flipping bass tackle at the mouth of the Salinas River when we connected with a gigantic catfish,” Rodriguez said. “It took us about 10 minutes to get it up to the boat.

“We didn’t have a net. Besides, no net I own would have handled this fish. Jason and I estimated it weighed between 30 and 40 pounds. It was huge. Neither of us wanted to put a hand in that fish’s mouth. We took pictures and let it go.”

Rodriguez, 45, and Buchanan, 41, are veteran fishermen who are planning to return to bass tournament competition next year.

Rodriguez’s experience should inspire some catfish aficionados to pursue that fish. Because if the catfish was big as Rodriguez claims, it would have been a Santa Margarita Lake record. San Luis Obispo’s Nathan Gray holds the record when he caught a 29-pound, 8-ounce catfish April 16, 2007.

The heaviest catfish caught in the five local lakes is a 40-pounder caught by Bob Williams of Inglewood at Lopez Lake on Sept. 24, 1992.

———— Mexican fishing trip

Steve Barstow, owner of The Sportsmen’s Pub in Paso Robles, has organized a five-day fishing trip to San Quintin, Baja, Mexico.

Barstow has been offering similar bus trips to Mexico since 1994. This trip will begin with a 4 a.m. Aug. 14 departure from Paso Robles, Barstow said, with the bus arriving in San Quintin that afternoon.

The fishing trip is limited to 20 people. Four nights will be spent at the Old Mill Fishing Resort on the Bay of San Quintin.

The return trip will depart San Quintin at approximately 5 a.m. Aug. 18 and arrive in Paso Robles that evening.

“We will fish from pangas (open skiffs) Aug. 15, 16 and 17 for yellowtail, lingcod, red snapper and possibly albacore,” Barstow said.

Beverages and snacks will be furnished by Barstow for the trip south. The return trip will depart San Quintin at approximately 5 a.m. Aug. 18 and arrive in Paso Robles that evening.

Arrangements can be made to pick up passengers along the way.

The cost is $745 per person, double occupancy. For more details and reservations, call Barstow at (800) 894-7239.

Kids At Sea

Openings are available for kids ages 9-15 for two Kids At Sea free fishing trips aboard the Rita G out of Morro Bay. The trips are schedule for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday and July 21.

Reservations are required. Parents may make a reservation for their child by calling captain Michele Leary at 704-2084 and leaving a callback number. Reservations can also may be made by e-mail at centralcoastsportfishing@yahoo.com.

Leary founded the Kids At Sea program last year. Her goal is “to give as many kids as possible an introduction to fishing, boating safety, Morro Bay waterfront history and the incredible experience of being on the ocean.”

Port San Luis Boatyard

Seasonhighs in the number of boats launched and lingcod caught were recorded last week. Between June 29 and Sunday, 153 boats were launched and 192 lingcod were caught. The biggest halibut harvest (126) took place the week of May 25-May 31.

Steve Soule of Grover Beach caught the Whopper of the Week, a 17-pound, 6-ounce lingcod Sunday. Three-quarter to full limits were logged four days, half to full limits twice and full limits on Friday. Central Coast Sportfishing San Luis Obispo angler Jeremy Grant had the big fish of the week, a 9 1/2-pound red rockcod. Joe Solis of Monterey was the other jackpot winner with an 8-pound red. For trip schedules and reservations, call 704-2084 and leave a callback number.

Last week’s catch by 39 passengers included 169 red rockcod, 90 assorted rockfish, 47 bolina, 19 bocaccio and 7 lingcod.

Patriot Sportfishing

Six more anglers were awarded free tickets for a future rockcod fishing trip by catching and releasing a live lingcod weighing 10 pounds or more. So far this season, 52 free passes have been presented. For trip schedules and reservations call 595-7200.

Last week’s big fish was a 15-2 lingcod caught by Cristin Vodobocheus of Clovis.

The catch by 369 passengers included 77 lingcod, 261 red rockcod, 2,207 assorted rockfish, 795 bolina, 1 ocean whitefish, and 24 cabezon.

Other jackpot winners: Terry Kock, Tehachapi, 11-pound lingcod, Charles Kelly, Santa Maria, 10.35-pound lingcod, Aaron Manning, Visalia, Jodee Bybee, Hesperia, both 9-pound lingcod, Robert Osorio, Santa Maria, 6.53-pound lingcod, Jesse Guana, Santa Maria, John Godfrey, Nipomo, both 6-5 lingcod, Monte Cool, Shell Beach, 6-pound lingcod, Justin Gibson, Fresno, 4-pound ocean whitefish, Richard Allen, Lompoc, Mying Park, Los Angeles, both 3-pound vermillion, Johnny Hernandez, Lindsay, 3-pound red rockcod.

Virg’s Landing

A 14-pound halibut caught by Leon Daniels of Paso Robles was the big fish of the week. For trip schedules and reservations, call 772-1222.

Last week, 407 passengers caught 32 lingcod, 819 red rockcod, 2,316 assorted rockfish, 145 bocaccio, 264 coppers, 195 bolina, 2 rock sole and 1 halibut.

Other jackpot winners were Kevin Mendoza, 13-pound lingcod, James Garcia, Santa Maria, Jerome Harkins, Morro Bay, both 12-pound lingcod, John Stevens, Morro Bay, John Kim, Los Angeles, Ramona Hernandez, Exeter, Fred Molina, Anaheim, Dave Fleming, Bakersfield, all 8-pound red rockcod, Sam Gamboa, Bakersfield, 8-pound ocean whitefish, Gary Greer, Santa Maria, 7-pound red rockcod, and Bret Schroeder, Oxnard, 4-pound ocean whitefish.

Nacimiento Lake

Two bass tournaments will be held Saturday.

The SLO County Bass Ambushers have their seventh competition on the lake beginning at first safe light.

The third in a series of Jim’s Pro Bass Night Tournaments is set for Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Mark Rodriguez and Jason Buchanan had a successful experience bass fishing by the light of the moon on Tuesday, throwing crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Santa Margarita Lake

Marina operator Don Lopez says things are quiet at the lake. Fish that are being caught are early in the morning or after 4:30 or 5 p.m.

Lopez Lake

Saturday’s Campfire Show at the Nature Center from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. will be “All About Bats.” A ranger will lead hikers on a three-hour exploration of the High Ridge Trail on Sunday. To participate, meet at the Wittenberg Arm kiosk at 9 a.m.

Cachuma Lake

Norman Willis of Hawthorne won a 16-foot Triton boat raff;ed pff by the nonprofit Cachuma Lake Nature Center on Saturday.

Willis’s wife, Judith, aptly named the boat “Thirty Bucks,” which was the price of a ticket.

The boat, trailer, 50 hp motor, trolling motor, aerated live well and Lowrance fish finder was valued at $23,000, including tax and license.

Whale Rock

No fish were caught during the July 1-5 open period. It was the second week in a row and the fifth time this season anglers were blanked. Eight fishermen tried their luck. The reservoir has been open 53 days and 12 trout have been bagged. Whale Rock is open Wednesdays through Sundays.