White sharks off California’s coast will receive additional protection
beginning March 1, the date it becomes a candidate species under the
California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
In February 2013, the
California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) determined that listing white
shark as threatened or endangered may be warranted and designated the
species as a candidate pursuant
CESA. As a candidate species, white sharks will be entitled to the full
legal protection afforded to a listed species once notice of the
Commission’s action is published in the California Regulatory Notice
Register, which is scheduled to occur on March 1,
2013.
CESA prohibits the take
of listed or candidate species, even if that take is incidental to
otherwise lawful activity, unless authorized by permit. As defined in
state law, take means “hunt,
pursue, catch, capture, or kill or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch,
capture, or kill.” Anyone who takes a white shark without a permit may
be cited for violations of CESA and subject to criminal prosecution.
“While targeted sport
and commercial fishing for white shark has been banned in waters off
California since the mid-1990s, there were some exceptions that allowed
for incidental take and take
associated with research activities,” said Marci Yaremko, program
manager for state and federal marine fisheries at the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). “The Department now will
consider exceptions only on a case-by-case basis, and will authorize
take only under permits issued pursuant to CESA.”
Under CESA, research
permits may be issued for bona fide scientific research relating to
white sharks. An incidental take permit may also be obtained by
commercial fishing operations or others
whose non-research activities may result in take. Information regarding
CESA permitting is available on the Department’s website (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/habcon/cesa/).
The Commission received a
petition to list the Northeast Pacific population of white shark as
either threatened or endangered in August 2012. Now that the species is a
candidate, CDFW will
conduct an in-depth status review to provide the Commission with
information to aid in its decision on whether or not to list the
species. The status review is slated for completion by early next year.
More information on white shark and CESA candidacy is available on the Department’s white shark information page (www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/whiteshark.asp).
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Contest
winner reeled in record-setting 427-pound yellowfin tuna
Long Beach, February 20, 2013 – The 2013 Fred Hall
Show–The Ultimate Outdoor Experience, will host the presentation of a $1
million check to Guy Yocom, the winner of the Mustad Hook Co.’s “Hook a
Million” contest at the Ultimate Saltwater Experience Theater at 2:00 p.m. on
Thursday, March 7th. Pat McDonell, editor of Western Outdoor News, will be the
Master of Ceremonies.
This year’s Fred Hall Show is expected to reel in
thousands of people with the display of the world-record setting yellowfin
tuna. The week-long event, scheduled March 6-10, 2013 at the Long Beach
Convention Center, will showcase the 427-pound yellowfin tuna, caught off the
coast of Mexico in September 2012 by Yokom.
The tuna, which was caught on a 130-pound fishing line,
is also an IGFA All-Tackle World Record, and Yocom will be presented the World Record Certificate in
addition to the $1 million dollar check from Mustad.
“Yellowfin
tuna is one of the most sought after fish species in the world,” said Steve
Tagami, sales manager for Mustad, the world’s largest hook brand. “Everyone at
Mustad is excited about the new record and the contest winner.”
Yocom caught
the big tuna while fishing aboard his boat, El Suertudo (“The Lucky One”). The
boat was captained by Greg DiStefano, who put Yocom on the fish approximately
100 miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Yocom and another angler
were chunking to a school of yellowfin, and Yocom just happened to be “the
lucky one” who landed the record fish. Fifty minutes later – a relatively short
fight for a yellow fin of that size – Yocom had reeled in what would be the
world’s next all-tackle yellowfin tuna record.
Yocom’s fish also broke the
men’s 130-pound line class record, which previously belonged to Mike
Livingston, who broke the record less than two years ago with a 405-pound
yellowfin he caught off Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
Tagami said the Fred Hall Show is the
perfect venue to present Yocom with the $1 million dollar prize.
“The Fred Hall Show is a cornerstone
event,” he said. “Part of our job as an industry is to get people interested
and excited about fishing. These shows
allow fishing tackle companies to interact with consumers and expose them to
the excitement of these special catches.
There are times that we can get so focused on our core group of
consumers that we can forget to communicate to the people who we want to
attract into our sport. Mustad ran the
‘Hook A Million’ contest to draw attention to the quality of our hooks, and to
attract new consumers to fishing. After
all, who wouldn’t want to win a million dollars?”
This
year’s Fred Hall Show will also display a 445-pound yellowfin tuna, which is
the largest yellowfin ever caught on rod and reel but was disqualified as an
IGFA World Record. Show attendees will also get an up-close look at the
1,000-pound bluefin tuna caught off the coast of Nova Scotia in November 2012.
Photo opportunities with all three catches will be available.
“Avid
anglers are going to be very excited,” said Bart Hall, producer of The Fred
Hall Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience. “This will be the first time many
people, including myself, have seen fish this size.”
The Fred Hall Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience – is
the world’s largest consumer fishing show, the largest boat show in the Western
United States, and California’s largest travel show. This year’s show will
include nearly 600 exhibitors (almost 10,000 products), over 400 seminars, and
some of the most highly engaging, unique and interactive family-fun
entertainment and activities found anywhere in the world.
About The Fred Hall
Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience
The Fred Hall Show will be held March 6-10, 2013 at the Long
Beach Convention Center located at 300 East Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802.
Admission to this year’s show is:
Adults: $15; Seniors: (62 and over) $14; Children 15 and
under: Free with a paid adult; Active Military with ID: Free.
For show hours and directions log onto www.FredHall.com
Read, see, and hear more on Phil Friedman Outdoors
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s
(CDFW) Law Enforcement Division offered assistance last Sunday to the
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office in the search for Christopher
Dorner. Six CDFW officers have been involved in
the search since that time.
Approximately 12:45 p.m., a CDFW officer traveling
down Highway 38 recognized a man who fit Dorner’s description in a car
traveling in the opposite direction. The wildlife officer pursued the
car, and a shooting ensued.
The CDFW vehicle was shot numerous times. The
suspect escaped on foot. There was an immediate call for backup, which
included law enforcement officers from CDFW and other agencies.
Videoconferencing
allows Aquarium educators to provide live, hands-on learning experiences for
students around the world
Long
Beach, CA—The Aquarium
of the Pacific has won a 2013 Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in
Museum Education for its interactive videoconferencing program. Videoconferencing
allows the Aquarium to deliver its education programs to classrooms around the
world. “This expanded reach, spreading the Aquarium’s messaging
beyond its walls, is a key example of how the institution fulfills its vision,
connecting people in a shared mission of protecting natural capital,”
says David Bader, Aquarium of the Pacific director of education.
The Superintendent’s Awards for Excellence in Museum
Education competition is a joint project between the California Association of
Museums (CAM) and the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
CAM received twenty entries representing a diverse range of institutions and
the contributions museums make to California’s
K-12 educational system. After a formal evaluation and scoring by three
reviewers, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson chose
six recipients, including the Aquarium of the Pacific. The awards will be
presented in late February at the 2013 CAM conference.
In fifty-minute videoconferencing sessions available for
students of all ages from kindergarten through twelfth grade, an Aquarium
educator teaches interactive marine science lessons remotely in a
screen-to-screen format similar to online video chat. Students are expected to
participate, asking and answering questions, and even conducting dissections.
The Aquarium debuted the Roddenberry Foundation Education
Videoconferencing Studio in 2011, with founding support from the Roddenberry
Foundation. Groups can schedule a videoconference with an Aquarium educator by
calling (562) 951-1630 or find more information online.
The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community
gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and a place
where important topics facing our planet are explored by scientists,
policy-makers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. General Info:
562-590-3100 or www.aquariumofpacific.org
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A carcass of a mutilated sea lion washed up on the beach at
Surfside on Thursday, the victim of a possible great white shark attack. Philip
Friedman Jr. spied the dead sea lion from the Phil Friedman Outdoors Radio
Studios in Surfside during a live radio show and decided to go down and
investigate.
“I couldn’t tell exactly what it was,” said Friedman. “It
looked like some kind of marine animal so I went down to take a look.” Friedman
said the stench was strong and it looked like the creature had been dead for a
while.
Friedman took photos and sent them to Ralph Collier from the Shark Research Committee. Founded in 1963 as a tax-exempt, non-profit scientific research organization, the Shark Research Committee's primary goal was to assist Leonard P. Schultz of the Smithsonian Institution in documenting shark attacks from the Pacific Coast of North America.
This initial objective was soon broadened to include conducting original research on the general biology, behavior and ecology ofsharks indigenous to waters off the Pacific Coast, with particular emphasis on potentially dangerous species.
“Although it is not possible to determine the cause of death, the sea lion did sustain several bites to the abdomen the result of sharks, most likely juvenile or sub-adult white sharks,” wrote Collier in an e-mail to Phil Friedman Outdoors Radio.
“The outer edge of the bite that exposed the rib-cage does demonstrate what appears to be individual upper tooth insertions from a white shark or shark's. However, it is apparent that the animal was at sea for some time following death, which would allow for multiple scavengers to utilize the carcass,” continued Collier.
Juvenile white sharks are known to feed regularly near Southern California beaches, which serve a as nurseries. Juvenile white sharks feed mostly on halibut, rays, smaller sharks as well as smaller fish. When they reach about 10-feet, they migrate offshore and begin to feed on sea lions and other pinnipeds. Statistically, humans have very little to fear from juvenile great whites.
“When I first saw the sea lion up close, the first thing that popped in to my mind was that a great white shark may have been the culprit,” said Friedman. “It’s pretty interesting to know now that that may not be too far from the truth.”
Phil Friedman Outdoors Radio plans to follow up on this story on next week’s shows.
Read, see, and hear more on Phil Friedman Outdoors
THOUSANDS OF POUNDS
OF ADDITIONAL TROUT GO INTO IRVINE
LAKE JUST IN TIME FOR
WEEKEND; HUGE 14-7 RAINBOW AND 10-2 BASS TOP CATCHES
Thousands
of pounds of additional trout were planted at Irvine Lake
late on Thursday of this week, and the big fish were definitely biting all week,
reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop.
“Just like
we do every week, we just had a double-truckload of rainbows put into the
lake”, observed Getty. “We also had the largest trout and the largest bass so
far of 2013 both caught this past week. There were a good number of
trophy-grade trout over 7 pounds, along with lots of those very nice 3 to
6-pounders. Our big Float tube and Kayak Tournament is going on this weekend
too!”
Getty
added, “When storms move through the area, the lakeside roads may close, and
require up to 24 hours drying time. Call the Pro Shop [714-649-9111] for up to
the minute road conditions.”
Good
catches were reported by bait dunkers from the west shoreline, Trout Island
and Boat Dock Cove, while trollers scored at mid-lake, Santiago Flats and near
the dam. A favorite bait among the Irvine Lake Pro-Team members is the Gulp!
Pinched Crawler in the new 1-inch size, with the chartreuse color getting the
nod most often. Rigging is Carolina-style for the floating version, or under a
bobber for the sinking version.
Pro-Teamers who troll are also
enamored with the new pink color in the size 4 Berkley Flickershad. Other productive
trolling lures have been the clown-color Flickershad, pink or brown trout-color
SC Shiner, and firetiger-color Rapala Countdown CD05’s.
Only a handful of bass anglers
ventured out this week, and although their quarry was generally un-cooperative,
a whopper 10-2 bucketmouth was fooled by a jig. A growing number of nice
crappie are also being caught incidentally by trout anglers trolling for trout.
Families
with children age 12 and under did well on 1 to 3 pound trout in the Kids Lagoon,
and the Lagoon received another big stocking this week. Surface temperature on
the main lake is 55 degrees, with underwater visibility rated crystal clear.
The lake level is holding steady.
Outstanding caches of
the week at Irvine
Lake included;
Travis Gunther of Long
Beach, 14-7 rainbow trout on an SC Shiner at the flats
Dwayne Washington of Long Beach
9-8 rainbow trout on PowerBait at Trout
Island
Mike Meredith of Irvine,
8-8 rainbow trout on Flickershad at mid-lake
Larry Pettus of Loreto,
Mexico, 7-12
rainbow trout on a Rapala at the west shore
Tim Moreno of Whittier,
7-8 rainbow trout on a Daiwa Peanut at mid-lake
Bob Munson of Lakewood,
10-2 largemouth bass [released] on a jig at the flats
Jason Muller of Orange,
2-1 crappie on a Rapala at mid-lake
Follow Irvine Lake on Facebook,
on the web at IrvineLake.net or call 714-649-9111
Read, see, and hear more on Phil Friedman Outdoors
Legendary Event Celebrates Boost in Outdoor
Recreation Activities
Long Beach, January 28, 2013 – With more
and more Americans hooked on fishing and other outdoor activities, the 2013
edition of the 67th annual Fred Hall Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience is
expected to reel in tens of thousands of attendees.
The week-long event, scheduled March
6-10, 2013 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif., will
feature nearly 600 exhibitors (almost 10,000 products), over 400seminars, and
some of the most highly engaging, unique and interactive family-fun
entertainment and activities found anywhere in the world.
The Fred Hall Show – The Ultimate
Outdoor Experience – is the world’s largest consumer fishing show, the largest
boat show in the Western United States, and California’s largest travel show.
The show’s attendees will enjoy the Kid’s Fish Free Trout Pond, the popular
Dock Dogs and Great American Duck Races, air gun and archery ranges, laser shot
games, saltwater and freshwater mobile aquariums, three large touch tanks, a
dry suit dive tank, and free fly fishing and casting lessons (including adult
casting range and contest).
The Phil Friedman Outdoors booth will be broadcasting live from the Fred Hall Show for several hours each day. The Phil Friedman Outdoors All Stars will be on hand to answer all your questions about tuna fishing, local fishing, surf fishing, Fishing with Phil, lake fishing, free diving, kayacking, travel to BAJA,
In addition, the Phil Friedman Outdoors booth will have free raffle for you to win a trip for 4 to La Paz, with hotel, fishing, diving and more with Tailhunter International. You can sign up for Phil's Private boater GPS service as well as join the Phil Friedman Outdoors Club. You can also purchase fishing trips at a trmendous discount and listen to a live radio show.
Also returning this year is precision
knife thrower, Jack Dagger – The King of Fling – and The Sporting Chef, Scott
Leysath, the world’s leading expert in cooking fish and game. Hundreds of seminars,
panel discussions and demonstrations will also take the stage during the event,
including the Ultimate Eastern Sierra Experience, The Ultimate Salt Water
Experience and the Ultimate Bass Fishing Experience.
One of this year’s many dynamic displays
will be a 427-pound , world class yellow fin tuna,caught off the coast of Mexico in December 2012. The tuna, which
was caught on 130-pound fishing line, is also an all-tackle record. Mustad Hook
Co. will present the winning fisherman, Guy Yocom, with a $1 million check during
the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach. A 445-pound yellow fin tuna, which is the
largest fish ever caught (strict industry regulations disqualified that catch)
will also be mounted and on display. If that isn’t fishy enough, show attendees
will also get an up-close look at the 1,000-pound blue fin tuna caught off the
coast of Nova Scotia in November 2012. Photo opportunities with all three
catches will be available.
“Avid anglers are going to be very
excited,” said Bart Hall, producer of The Fred Hall Show – The Ultimate Outdoor
Experience. “This will be the first time many people, including myself, have
seen fish this size.”
The show also promises celebrity
entertainment, including Dave Marciano, captain of the boat Hard Merchandise,
in National Geographic’s popular fishing reality series Wicked Tuna.
Captain Marciano will be appearing and
signing autographs at the Accurate Fishing booth on Friday and Saturday of the
Long Beach show. Other new features in this year’s Fred Hall Show include a
climbing wall in conjunction with the Sierra Recreation Center, and a display
by famous extreme sports photographer Christian Pondella.
For Hall, the show is all about getting
families back into the great outdoors.
“Outdoor activities can be enjoyed by
everyone,” Hall said. “This show is about promoting outdoor recreation and we
are getting more kids and families involved. Our goal is to keep them going
outside – enjoying hiking, fishing, boating, camping, diving, hunting and
climbing.”
The number of Americans enjoying the
outdoors has increased over the last few years. More Americans hunted, fished
and watched wildlife in 2011 than five years earlier, according to the latest
statistics released by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Here are some fast facts from the
Agency’s final 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated
Recreation, which was released in late December 2012:
· More than 90 million U.S. residents
16-years old and older participated in some form of
wildlife-related recreation in 2011;
that is up three percent from five years earlier. The
increase was primarily among those who
fished and hunted.
· Wildlife recreationists spent $144.7
billion in 2011 on their activities, which equated to
one percent of the Gross Domestic
Product. Of the total amount spent, $49.5 billion was
trip-related, $70.4 billion was spent on
equipment, and $24.8 billion was spent on other
items such as licenses, land leasing and
ownership.
· The number of sportspersons rose four
percent over the last five years. The data showed
that 33.1 million people fished, 13.7
million hunted, and 71.8 million participated in at
least one type of wildlife-watching
activity such as observing, feeding or photographing
wildlife.
One big change in the outdoor recreation
industry is that more women are now involved in previously male-driven outdoor
activities such as fishing. For example, there were 8.9 million female anglers
in the United States in 2011, compared to 7.6 million in 2006.
Sports and outdoor activities, such as
fishing, can cross all generations, said Hall.
“After my father died 12 years ago, I
came to the show that day and I had dozens of people come up to me and tell me
‘I caught my first fish at the show and my son caught his first fish at the show.’”
“When I fish, I release most of what I
catch,” Hall added. “The ones I keep I eat. That’s the idea. There’s nothing
quite as good as catching your own fish and cooking it. If you want fresh sashimi
you could catch it, filet it and eat it right there, fresh out of the ocean.”
Hall was only 1-year old when his late
father, Fred, launched the first of the Fred Hall Shows in 1946 at Gilmore
Stadium in Los Angeles. Back then, the show was even popular among “Hollywood”
cowboys such as John Wayne and Roy Rogers, and cowgirl/actress Dale Evans. Much
has changed since then, including the industry.
“There has been a lot of consolidation,”
Hall said. “But there are still a lot of great companies out there that are
involved. So many people in this industry love the outdoors and that passion is
still driving even the biggest companies.”
All of the proceeds from the Fred Hall
Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience, are donated to support the fishing and
boating industries, including protecting angler access and opportunities and
clean water initiatives.
One big change in the outdoor recreation
industry is that more women are now involved in previously male-driven outdoor
activities such as fishing. For example, there were 8.9 million female anglers
in the United States in 2011, compared to 7.6 million in 2006.
Sports and outdoor activities, such as
fishing, can cross all generations, said Hall.
“After my father died 12 years ago, I
came to the show that day and I had dozens of people come up to me and tell me
‘I caught my first fish at the show and my son caught his first fish at the show.’”
“When I fish, I release most of what I
catch,” Hall added. “The ones I keep I eat. That’s the idea. There’s nothing
quite as good as catching your own fish and cooking it. If you want fresh sashimi
you could catch it, filet it and eat it right there, fresh out of the ocean.”
Hall was only 1-year old when his late
father, Fred, launched the first of the Fred Hall Shows in 1946 at Gilmore
Stadium in Los Angeles. Back then, the show was even popular among “Hollywood”
cowboys such as John Wayne and Roy Rogers, and cowgirl/actress Dale Evans.
Much has changed since then, including
the industry.
“There has been a lot of consolidation,”
Hall said. “But there are still a lot of great companies out there that are
involved. So many people in this industry love the outdoors and that passion is
still driving even the biggest companies.”
All of the proceeds from the Fred Hall
Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience, are donated to support the fishing and
boating industries, including protecting angler access and opportunities and
clean water initiatives.
About
The Fred Hall Show – The Ultimate Outdoor Experience
The Fred Hall Show will be held March
6-10, 2013 at the Long Beach Convention Center located at 300 East Ocean Blvd,
Long Beach, CA 90802. Admission to this year’s show is:
Adults: $15; Seniors: (62 and over) $14;
Children 15 and under: Free with a paid adult; Active
Military with ID: Free. For show hours
and directions log onto www.FredHall.com
Read, see, and hear more on Phil Friedman Outdoors
I woke up this morning and looked out the window... the wind
was blowing over 10 knots, but I was the "Perch Slayer" and even
though I had never really caught fish in the wind, today was going to be my
day. Was I being cocky and arrogant, absolutely.
Fishing can often turn grown men into little boys and also
it can often humble the most experienced fisherman. I guess that's why they
call it fishing.
I proudly carried my sidewinder crab down the beach and
located one of my backup areas for the Surf Crappie whacking. I made cast after
cast with no bitters. I have a couple of Hispanic males about a quarter mile to
my North and another couple South. Unfortunately, they were both parked on two
of my favorite areas to fish.
Suddenly, I see a surge of water... the best way I can
explain it is like a mini Tsunami. As the water rushed through my Hispanic comrades
fishing hole it completely buried their equipment and ripped the sand spikes
with the rods out of the ground and through them like wet noodles. One of the
gentlemen, didn't even move as the wave was nearly waste high. Visually, it was
incredible because these guys were standing a good 30 yards from the water and
their gear about 40 yards. The other guy made the mistake of trying to out-run
the rogue wave rather than stand still. As he ran he fell and then tried to do
the Army crawl like he was racing under barbed-wire in Bastogne. By a miracle,
he had crawled so fast he had barely stayed ahead of the monster wave, but then
he disappeared, fully engulfed in a few thousand pounds of rushing water. When
the wave reseeded he friend was laughing so hard that he nearly fell over.
Then, I was laughing, laughing at the man laughing at his friend and as I
looked over my should WHAM! ROUGE WAVE! My gear was 50 yards from the beach,
where the volleyball courts are... just to give you an idea of how ominous
mother nature can be. My gear disappeared into the water, as the wave went
inland another 25 yards... how is this possible? Then the mad dash was on. Ever
try to catch 35 pissed off sidewinder crabs running every which way? Finally
after I caught maybe 15 of them; the others where cum I guess? I looked around
and figured everyone was now laughing at me, but they weren't and we were all
humbled very quickly. I fished for another hour, and then carried my gear back
to the truck and home.
While at home, I started washing all of my gear with fresh
water and when I started to clean my back pack something was moving inside. The
force of the wave that hit my bucket, sent it flying into the air, along with
my sidewinder crabs. Somehow, about 6 crabs were launched into my backpack from
about 5 yards away. It was pretty wild. The moral of the story is don't be too
cocky, be humble and respect mother nature, because she will never respect you,
and she doesn't care about anything except her own interests.
After getting shut-down the day before with a total of ZERO
fish... I was heading out with my friend Doug Lowery to the spot I call,
"The Temple of Doom." The spot looks like something out of an Indiana
Jones movie. I grabbed a totally different rod and reel to try some new
techniques, but it was all for not. My buddy Doug, was fishing a double-rig
with a 2 ounce pyramid sinker and sticking the rod in the sand spike and letting
the fish hook themselves... this style is against my religion and I will not do
that; to me is sucks. Doug pulled in Perch after Perch, but I refused the
double-rig and when the sand settled he had caught about 18 fish to my ZERO.
Now I was at 2 trips back to back with ZERO fish... what the hell? This is why
it is called fishing... right?
Day 3 in a row of fishing... I know for a fact today I will
not get skunked... there is no wind, there are no double-rigs within miles, the
weather has warmed up and I still have some sidewinders left over for the day
before. After walking about a mile from Grand, I baited up the sidewinder and
started soaking the bait. I would move it every so often, but after 10 minutes,
not a bite, not nothing... would this be 3 days in a row of the skunkage? I
winded a little more and the bait dropped into the trough... WHACK! I was bit
and it was a toad. I barely moved it out of the trough and when I beached it,
the fish was a nice 2.3# Surf Crappie. It was almost as if I was Keanu Reeves
in the last scene of the Matrix... I could see the code and I was back to that
place. Every cast was a fish over 2 pounds. My first 8 casts I had 8 fish, all
toads. I had never seen a bite like this ever. After a mere 30 minutes I had
caught and released over 20 fish. but then everything shut off, almost as fast
as it started. So, I walked and walked, looking for signs of fish. I finally
found what I was looking for a cast my bait about 10 yards off the beach and
reeled in until it dropped into the trough and then WHAM! I was bit again, but
this time it was even better... 30 fish, 40 fish, 50 fish and then 60. I kept
telling myself, that when I got to 60, I would stop, but I couldn't. Suddenly,
Roger Maris entered my dome... 61, I am going to 61. I caught it and then I
caught 62 and 63. At this point my elbow was ready to fall off, although it was
so numb I barley felt it. I had now evened the score... those Surf Crappies had
stoned me for two days and now I put the hurt to them, but let them live to fight
another day and isn't that all we can ask for?
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