Imperial Valley press., 1939-04-30

When does trout season open?
Where can you catch yellowtail?
George Bucklin. Post-Press roo
and reel expert, takes over this COL
unn. as he will each Saturday dur
ing the fishing season, to tell you
BY George Bucklin
Ocean angling in the vicinity of
the Coronado Islands continues to
be good generally. There are some
off days. but. according to the
Logs of the star Angler" Mascot
III" and other sport fishing boats.
there have been some fine catches
of yellowtail.
Thursday Is fishermen on the
Star Angler" caught 5 bluefin
tuna and 25 yellowtail. Tuesday Is
anglers on the Star took 81 yellow
tail. That was a harvest.
The Mascot III" recorded
catches totaling l67 yellowtail. 10
white sea bass and 3 tuna, from
April 18th to 25th, inclusive. The
yellowtail averaged Is pounds:
tuna IA pounds; white sea bass %
pounds. Other units of the San
Diego sports fishing fleet brought
in similar catches during the same
period.
Best Fishing
The best fishing is being found
at the north end of the North
Coronado Island and off the resort
in the lee of the South Island.
The prohibition of purse seining
by commercial vessels around the
Mexican islands is having consid-
erable to do with the consistently
good fishing. The schools are not
being constantly harassed and
broken up. particularly just about
the time the sport fishing crowd
prepares TO commence operations.
In the words of Art Ponsford,
bard of the San Diego embarca-
dero. and one of the southland's
best ocean fishing authorities,
Purse seining will ruin an other
wise good fishing bank. The Gorda
Bank. about 10 miles off Cape San
Lucas. at the tip Of Lower Califor-
mia, has been the really 'hot spot
for tuna catches from Cedros ISL
and to the Galapagos Islands.
when the banks off Costa Rica
and Salvador failed the long range
tuna clippers in March. many of the
big clippers came north and loaded
up on the Gorda Bank and in the
southern waters of the Gulf of
California. During the early part
of April however, about so big
purse seiners arrived there and
have taken several thousand tons
of yellowfin and skipjack. The re-
suit is that this prolific bank has
been completely ruined for the
hook and line boats.
April in consequence. proved TO
be a very short tonnage month for
the live bait clippers. OF course II
is not only what the selners take
in the nets which they can use
but the countless tons of diversified
and small fish they cannot use and
which. when released from the nets
die by thousands"
Meanwhile, it is rumored that
representations are being made tc
Mexico City to restore the priyi-
leges of seining within the three
mile limit. Al present, the prohi'
bition extends to a radius of five
miles around the islands In the
meantime. fishing is good IN Sar
Diego offshore waters, and will be-
come continually better as the sea
son advances, providing the purse
seiners are not allowed to invade
the sports fishing territory.
Good Catches In Lakes
Various reports have been re
ceived concerning fresh water fish
ing which opened in San Dieg'
lakes this week. Good catches o
legal size bass were recorded a
Lower Otay--but no large fish
Bass in quantity, scaling almos
5 pounds in may instances, wer'