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Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
Everyone is invited to enjoy free indoor and outdoor events in and around Point Arena, which is a national monument gateway community, on Sunday, Jan. 10.
“This will be the first in a full year of California celebrations to mark the 10th birthday of the California Coastal National Monument and the 10th anniversary of the larger National Landscape Conservation System of which the monument is part,” said Monument Manager Rick Hanks.
Events begin at 9 a.m. with a guided bird watching walk led by the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society. Participants should meet at a parking area outside of the Point Arena Lighthouse gate. Binoculars and spotting scopes are helpful.
The Point Arena Lighthouse will waive its admission charge from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for those with free admission tickets available from participating Point Arena merchants. Additionally, tickets can be downloaded from the Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers website at www.pointarenalighthouse.com, the Point Arena Merchants Association at www.pointarena.net, or the BLM California Coastal National Monument, www.blm.gov/ca/ccnm (click on the Point Arena special event link).
At 10 a.m. the focus shifts to the historic Arena Theater for the “Rocky Shore Picture Show.” Events include a screening of Huell Howser’s “California’s Golden Parks” episode on the monument, a slide show by renowned photographer Craig Tooley, of The Sea Ranch, and recognition for California Coastal National Monument partners. Coffee and snacks will be provided.
Partygoers can choose from four guided outings, all starting at 1:30 p.m., one in downtown Point Arena and three at the BLM Stornetta Public Lands along Lighthouse Road.
The Point Arena Merchants Association will sponsor a one-hour stroll focusing on historic downtown Point Area. Walkers should meet town historian Steve Oliff at the pebble mosaic in Centennial Plaza.
The BLM will lead the Stornetta outings. Participants can choose from easy walks to learn about coastal prairie habitat and coastal geology. All walkers should meet at a parking area along Highway 1, immediately south of the junction with Lighthouse Road. The walks will be cross-country on uneven surfaces.
The birthday party moves to the Point Arena Lighthouse at 3 p.m. for an opening reception for a California Coastal National Monument exhibit by BLM photographer Bob Wick. Beverages and appetizers will be served.
The California Coastal National Monument includes more than 20,000 rocks, small islands, exposed reefs and pinnacles from mean high tide out 12 nautical miles, stretching along the coast from Oregon to Mexico. These features provide important habitat for marine mammals, seabirds and plants, and in many cases have important historical and cultural resource values.
It is part of the BLM National Landscape Conservation System, also celebrating its 10th anniversary. The NLCS conserves and protects treasured landscapes including national monuments, wilderness, wild and scenic rivers and other special areas across the west.
Point Arena was the first city to be formally recognized as a California Coastal National Monument Gateway Community. Other local partners include Mendocino Coast Audubon, Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Coastwalk California, Redwood Coast Chamber of Commerce, Mendocino County Historical Society and the Moat Creek Managing Agency.
The core managing partners for the monument are the BLM, California Department of Fish and Game and California State Parks.
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- Written by: Dorothy De Lope
New Flotilla 88 Commander Dane Hayward will preside at the meeting with newly appointed Flotilla staff officers and new members in attendance.
Anyone interested in joining this active group is encouraged to attend and learn how you too can become one of America's volunteer life savers.
For additional information, please call the Flotilla's information line at 707-513-5122.
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- Written by: Editor
Thirty-six men (18 teams) participated in a 3X3X3 Doubles Tournament.
The results were:
Gold flight; The teams of Paul Berlin/Ron Martinez and Jerry Sullivan/Arch Madsen tied for first with 31; Bill Ferris/Bob Schlosser had 32.
Green flight; A six-way tie for first with 29 – Olie Smith/Bob Costello, Phil Tyler/Byron Hoss, Jim Hodges/Jay Hodges, Gary Pickrell/Cliff Hughes, Mason Butler/Mike Casolo and Jim DeRosa/Ron Hallman.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Overall, the fishing is typical of this time of year. The bass bite continues to be better on live bait than on artificials. The crappie thing is about to get a whole lot more interesting – stay tuned! And well, catfish are slow but clearly some are still willing. Here's your Christmas holiday fishing report.
Bass anglers, surprisingly, are finding feeding fish in 5 to 13 feet of water. The deep water (18 to 25 feet) bite doesn't kick in until the mid-day sun has taken the chill out of the air. The key to wintertime success is slow, slow, slow. The deep water bite is very subtle and requires anglers to pay close attention to line movement. The shallow water bite is much more lively but with smaller bass overall. Any way you slice it, when the weather permits winter time angling is a fun and peaceful.
Crappie: I have had some interesting things mentioned to me about what boaters are seeing at the now defunct Konocti Harbor resort. I have had no confirmed reports of fish being caught there. You can no longer fish from the docks there. But, a bass fishing boater friend told me this week that he saw an abundance of crappie there with nobody around to fish for 'em. Any of you die-hard crappie anglers care to give it a try and report in on your success?
We've had cold ... and we've had rain ... both are what it usually takes to bring the slab bite on nice and strong. I'm hoping some of you will be the 2010 pioneers who find 'em and report! I'll up the stakes! I'm offering a FREE Shimano Convergence or Clarus fishing rod to the first customer to bring in a limit of Clear Lake Crappie to be photographed in January. That's right. Find the fish – win a rod!
And now ... catfish. The longstanding Clear Lake channel cat record of 33.25 pounds was broken this past week by Clampers Fred Miranda and Greg Spelhaug with a 33.33 pound giant whiskerfish. The fish was caught using a home brew of mackerel, shad and special sauce on 25 pound line. The Indian Island area of the Redbud Arm of Clear Lake is responsible for producing the fish.
Miranda and Spelhaug brought the beast to Lakeshore Bait & Tackle for preliminary weight and pictures. LSBT staffer Jerry Sloneker took a couple photos in front of the store and put the fish on our scale. When our portable scale hinted at a possible lake record, the two attempted to have the fish weighed with a local grocer but were turned away.
Frustrated but resourceful, the two found that the wonderful staff at Redbud Hospital were willing to weigh the fish. The fish was weighed three times with all three resulting in the 33.33 pound reading.
It's official! Clear Lake has a new catfish record! And if that news wasn't enough, I'm proud to share that these two local guys released the fish back into Clear Lake. The legend lives!
To add some commentary to this – Jerry and I both agree. This was simply the healthiest BIG fish we've seen come out of Clear Lake. The lake conditions earlier this year frustrated us immensely. Apparently they were nothing but great for our fish population.
And lastly kudos and a heartfelt thanks from all of us here at Lakeshore Bait & Tackle to Redbud Hospital for stepping up and truly being a part of our community.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Bob Rider is owner of Lakeshore Bait & Tackle, 14913 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, telephone 707-994-FISH (3474). Visit the store online at www.994Fish.com .