Hunting • Fishing • Camping
• Reloading • Clothing • Footwear
FRESHWATER
8 July 21 - August 4 , 2017 VOL . 36 • ISS . 16
WHAT ’ S HOT Continued from Pg 1
cob Hurd won the Mens ’ Division Heavy Stringer weighing 13 pounds , 14 ounces , while fishing in the Bridgeport area .
Nick Robles was the winner of $ 500.00 educational fund , sponsored this year by KokaneePower . org .
One angler won the $ 500.00 Adult Angler Grand Prize by winning the drawing of all of the adult participants in the derby .
The event featured over $ 4,000.00 in donated raffle prizes . Next year ’ s tournament is scheduled for June 23 , 2018 .
“ The turnout was the biggest in 14 years ,” said Ken Hoffman , board member
Kevin Murdock won the men ’ s big fish division of the BFEF tournament by catching a 5 lb . 1 oz . rainbow at Bridgeport Reservoir .
Photo by ROSE DELGADO-LIERLY , Bridgeport .
DARE TO COMPARE !
GO AHEAD ! Put our Price , Service , Brand Name Selection , Local Knowledge and Complete Outdoor Needs up against ANY Competitor !
3615
Hunting • Fishing • Camping
• Reloading • Clothing • Footwear
Rocklin 6640 Lonetree Blvd . ( 916 ) 782-9900
Redding 1659 Hilltop Drive ( 530 ) 222-5500
Chico 765 East Ave . Suite 170 ( 530 ) 897-0500 of BFEF . “ On the day after our event , Ex- Cel / Hot Ticket held their 50 / 50 tournament Skip Baker Memorial Tournament . They raised $ 400 for our organization .”
“ The fishing was above average in all of the Bridgeport area waters ,” said Hoffman . “ They money raised will be put back into our stocking program .”
Anglers fished all over the Bridgeport area , but most of the big fish came out of Bridgeport Reservoir this year .
“ All of the adult participants ’ tickets go into a cup and the grand prize winner is chosen in a drawing ,” he explained . “ To win , all you have to do is participate in the derby ; it doesn ’ t matter whether you weighed in a fish or not .”
“ At the awards ceremony and dinner , we supplied gifts in addition to the category prizes and raffle prized . Every junior participant received a new rod / reel combo and a plaque whether they caught fish or not ,” Hoffman noted
BFEF is a non-profit , all volunteer program . All donations are tax deductible .
BFEF also continues to plant tagged trophy trout .
If you catch one of these trout when fishing in the Bridgeport area , bring it to Ken ’ s Sporting Goods for a picture , verification and to claim your gift certificate ..
BFEF , with the help of their sponsors , also sponsored the USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center ’ s annual kids fishing derby for active military families this year .
“ We planted a mixture of smaller trout and some larger trophy fish in the 5 lb . class in their pond ,” said Hoffman . “ We donated 35 brand new rods and reels , courtesy of Berkley . Ken ’ s Sporting Goods also donated 35 small tackle boxes to the kids .”
BFEF last year entered a public / private partnership with the local Bridgeport Lower Twin Lakes Resort marina operator to implement cage culture fish rearing .
NEW EUREKA STORE ! 3456 Broadway • Eureka NOW OPEN !!!
COMING SOON ! New Stores in Stockton and Visalia !
Fairfield 1590 Gateway Blvd . ( 707 ) 389-7400
Rancho Cordova
2344 Sunrise Blvd . ( 916 ) 635-7800
Fresno 8468 N . Friant Rd . ( 559 ) 261-2900
Rohnert Park
5195 Redwood Dr . ( 707 ) 585-1500
BFEF provides the fish as well as some equipment , while the operator has agreed to conduct care and maintenance of the cage culture fish growing operation and to release the fish periodically throughout the season as seen fit .
“ Last year we raised about 150 1 to 3 lb . rainbows in pens at Twin Lakes Resort that were released later in the season in Lower Twin Lake and Robinson Creek . We hope to continue that program in the future ,” said Hoffman .
The Fish Sniffer donated a float tube , hats , and subscriptions for the event . Some other donors included ; Kens Sporting Goods , Gold Dust West Casino , Peppermill , Big Meadow Lodge and RV , Hank & Rays Trailer Rentals , Bridgeport General Store , Ex-Cel and Hot Ticket Lures , Keith Rondeau , Snap N Crackle Candy , Walker River Lodge , The Burger Barn , Ken Hoffman ’ s Guide Service , Sep ’ s Pro Fishing , Sweetwater Outpost , Carson Valley Inn , Atlantis Hotel & Casino Resort , Silver Maple and The Cain House .
Paradise Cigars of Orange California , The Bridgeport Inn , Big Meadow Brewing Company , Will Clayton , The Foxy Den , Bridgeport Gun Club . Anaheim Resort & RV Park , Rhino ’ s Bar and Grill , Sportsmens Bar and Grill , Paradise Shores RV Park all donated to the event .
Other donors to the tournament include ; Eastern Sierra Trading Company , Fishing Mission Foundation , Fish O ’ Rama , Napa Auto Parts , AOCDS ( Association of Orange County Sheriff ’ s Deputies ) Mono County Tourism & Film Commission , Mono County Fisheries Commission , Eastern Sierra Bank , Cameron Family , Simpson Family , MoMart / Shell Gas , Doc & Al ’ s Resort . Desert Springs Trout Farm
The June 17 collision between the destroyer USS Fitzgerald and a Philippine-flagged container ship has been titled “ Maritime Mystery .” Reporters all blamed the crew of the 505-ft . destroyer for not having seen the 703-ft . Crystal bearing down on them in the dark of night . Nobody asked why the Crystal ’ s crew failed to see the destroyer in its path .
Crystal ’ s crew has issued a report that the freighter flashed warning lights at the destroyer 10 minutes before slamming into its starboard side .
Apparently no sound warnings were heard by the commander and his crew .
I don ’ t know who was at fault in the accident that took the lives of seven young seamen and injured almost 300 more , including Commander Bryce Benson . But I know what I saw at the banks one day in the early 1980s .
Back then Bob Strong still owned and operated the New Sea Angler , and fishing at Cordell Banks was not a federal crime . We did it all the time with clear consciences . It was a calm sunny day with a boat fairly full of passengers even on a weekday . Lots of seniors .
You could see for miles under that blue sky . Boy , those container ships were pretty , a palette of bright colors patterned geometrically like a Picasso painting . I was fishing in the bow , and it was a slow bite .
Everyone else was soaking shrimp flies , and Bob had therefore targeted schoolfish . So I yo-yoed my Tady lure
Gail Whisnand captured the women ’ s division big fish category by nailing a 5 lb . 13 oz . rainbow at Bridgeport Reservoir . Here she poses with her big fish and another hefty rainbow .
Photo by ROSE DELGADO-LIERLY , Bridgeport .
in Oregon , the Richards Family , Larry Carpenter and Jon Jensen and Family , Mono Village , High Sierra Bakery , Joe Huggans , Redwood Motel and the Warner Family .
For more information , contact ; Bridgeport Fish Enhancement Foundation , P . O . Box 23 , Bridgeport , CA 9351 , www . bridgeportfishenhancement . com , ken @ bridgeportfishenhancement . com , 714-227-0765 . For tournament questions please call Ken @ 714-227-0765 or Email : tournament @ bridgeportfishenhancement . com
MYSTERY & HISTORY AT CORDELL
THE SONOMA COAST by Kathie Morgan
and watched as the container ship plowed through the water , its bow wake dazzling white .
Bob Strong stepped into the wheelhouse , and I stuck my head in to suggest that maybe we should get out of the way of the freighter . He tried to reach them on the radio but no luck . “ Don ’ t worry ,” he said . “ They ’ ll see us .” I made another cast .
Who knew a ship that size could move so fast ! We in the bow began to speculate about why they were proceeding straight at us . Maybe the guy at the wheel went below for coffee . Maybe he was in the head . Maybe we were just a speck on their windshield . Surely we were a blip on their radar .
My fellow passengers wondered about right of way . Did a drifting fishing boat with gear in the water have to get out of the way of a freighter bearing down at full speed ? I replied that the applicable principle seemed to be similar to the sailboat-vs-motorboat issue . Yes , the sailboat has the right of way , but a windsurfer is wise to stay away from a ski boat whose operator is watching the skiers behind him .
I reeled up my line , secured my rod in the holder , then began to look for a good spot to jump from . As I did , Bob ran to the wheel , and we surged forward , all those lines still in the water , now terminally tangled . The ship missed us but its wake tossed us about like flotsam .
Were you aboard that day ? Do you remember ? I ’ d love to hear from you . Email me at fishrap @ att . net . I ’ ll be looking for you on the water .