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2B Daily News – Saturday, June 2, 2012 Outdoorlife living & California Outdoors Q&A Planning is key to making your 1st-time angler want to come back for more BY RAY SASSER first child, Lily, who's now 5 weeks old. I'm sure Lily's dad will teach her to fish, but not without my help. I grew up roaming East Texas creeks with a fishing pole and a can of worms. To me, fishing seemed as easy as falling off a log _ literally. I've learned something about fishing from almost everybody who I've fished with. There have been hundreds, including Rick Clunn, Tommy Martin, Bill Dance and Kevin Van Dam. I learned a lot from Jenny, too, about the real value of fishing. I expect to learn even more from Lily. Early sum- mer is a great time to involve a child in a lifetime sport. Here are some things to consider: Safety rules Young children should not go fish- ing without adult supervision. There are many potential dangers, from deep water to fish hooks. Fishing is not for the careless. Stress safety when teach- ing your child to cast and put together a basic first-aid kit for your tackle box. Commemorate the first catch Keep a camera handy to record your was about 4 when she caught her first fish. Until she was 11 or 12 years old, she fished with me on a pretty regular basis. Then she reached the inevitable "cool" stage where she wasn't interest- ed in fishing, at all. Last year, Jenny and her husband, Dylan Misslin, met my wife and me for a late-summer break on a secluded ranch. I was shocked when Jenny announced that she wanted to fish with us. She did just fine, too, and even caught a personal-best largemouth bass. She wasn't feeling very well, though, and didn't know why. Turns out she was pregnant with her The Dallas Morning News (MCT) DALLAS — My daughter, Jenny, half-day trip is all you'll need, and your young angler will be virtually guaran- teed success. The nation's most popular sport fish — the largemouth bass — is a poor choice for beginning anglers because of the skill set required to consistently catch bass. There are days when bass are almost impossible to catch. Live- bait fishing makes striped bass and hybrid stripers easy enough to hook, but small children may not be strong enough to handle them. Keep it simple You don't need fancy fishing tackle to catch fish. A cane pole works fine. A fishing pole doesn't even need to be cane. A sapling or a supple limb of the right length will do, but only if you have access to a wooded area and per- mission to cut a pole. Attach a fishing line that's about equal to the length of the pole. If you don't need that much line, wrap the spare line around the end of the pole. You'll need small fish hooks (small it, make a compost pile to grow your own fishing worms. It's one more way to have fun and connect with a child. Effective lures Most kids lack patience and, all things equal, they'd rather cast with artificial lures than wait for a fish to be tempted by a natural bait left dangling under a cork for minutes at a time. Small lures catch more fish than large lures. For safety purposes, avoid lures with multiple hooks. Small, inexpen- sive spinners like the Roadrunner or the Johnson Beetle Spin catch a variety of fish while leaving few scars on anglers. Practice casting The worst place to learn casting skills is on the bank of a pond with other anglers watching or, worse yet, with the fish biting like crazy, just out of casting range. The best place to learn casting skills is a backyard or uncrowd- ed neighborhood park. You can make a casting plug by fish are hard to catch on large hooks). A No. 8 to No. 10 is about right. A long shank hook makes it easier to unhook the fish. You'll also need a package of split shot sinkers, about BB size. Use needle nosed pliers to clamp a sinker on the line to make the bait sink. The pliers can also be used to unhook fish and cut line. Attach a small (one- to two-inch diameter) bobber above the sinker. Most bobbers can be easily attached or detached. They can also be slid up and down the line to adjust the depth to which the bait sinks. First rod and reel child's first fish, then download a Big Catch certificate from takemefishing.org. Write a note to the child. Include the date of the catch, where you were fishing and memo- rable things that happened. It's a neat reminder of a fun time spent together and it's also a way to remember the specifics. Sadly, memory fades with time, but a handwritten note lasts much longer. Frame the photo and tape the note to the back. Best fish for kids Sunfish like bluegill, redear sunfish or longeared sunfish are the first catch for most young anglers. Catfish are also good. The key is a fish that can be caught on a regular basis without sophisticated fishing skills. Crappie and white bass are great targets for youth anglers, if you're fishing from a boat. fishing guide who specializes in white bass (sand bass) or catfish fishing. A If you can afford to do so, hire a This depends on the age and ability of the youth angler. For most children, the first casting rig should be a spincast outfit. They are available for as little as $20 and even come in popular chil- dren's themes. A rod-and-reel combo that costs $20 is not exactly topnotch fishing gear, but it's fun and a steppingstone to the next level. That next level means better spincasting equipment or spin- ning gear. Both start at about $40. A child who is keenly interested in fish- ing can master spinning gear at age 10 and move up to models with good drag systems that allow large fish to be land- ed. anything that's edible. Common baits that will tempt a variety of fish include crickets, grasshoppers, worms (night crawlers, earthworms or red wigglers), minnows, chicken livers and cheese. Prepared catfish baits are available at most lakeside stores and are often smelly. Catching grasshoppers or other bait may be as much fun for children as catching fish. Common freshwater baits Small sunfish will bite just about If your youth angler is serious about Night Diving for Scallops? Question: Is it legal to dive for scallops at night? I have found in the regulations where it says that clams may not be taken at night but I cannot find regulations that apply to scal- lops. Can you help? (George B., Newport Beach) Answer: Yes, you may dive for scallops at night. The restriction on digging for clams at night does not apply in this situation. The regula- tions you are looking for are covered under the General Invertebrate provi- sions in the California Code of Regu- lations, Title 14, section 29.05, which states in part, "Except as otherwise provided in this article there are no closed hours for any invertebrate." Declarations Question: I am a license agent and last year just two days before the waterfowl season opened, a longtime cus- tomer of 25 years came into my store to purchase his license. He had experienced a fire in his home the previous summer and had lost some possessions, including his hunt- ing license evidence. I explained that DFG doesn't accept declarations any more, and I couldn't sell him a license. I know he had taken the hunter safety course in the past, and hunted since he was a teenager. What would have been the best course of action for the hunter and a license agent in this situation? What can other longtime experienced hunters do if they find themselves in a similar unfortunate situation? When will DFG accept declarations again? (Kevin Jeffs, Jeffs Sporting Goods, San Gabriel) Answer: It is unlikely that declarations will be accepted again. However, according to DFG Sport Fishing/Water- fowl/Upland Game Program Analyst Glenn Underwood, there may be something we can do for hunters in this situa- tion. If he applied for waterfowl or big game drawings in the past, we may have his information in our drawing database. The hunter should contact DFG's License and Revenue Branch at (916) 928-5805 and explain what happened. If they can find proof that he had a hunting license in the past, they can update his hunter education status in the database and he will be able to again purchase a hunting license. Full-size Cheetah/Leopard taxidermy Question: My uncle recently passed away and left me in Carrie Wilson charge of his estate. One of the items he left is a full size Cheetah/Leopard taxidermy. Is it legal for me to sell it? If not what do you recommend that I do with it? (Michael C., Modesto) Answer:You are allowed to give it away but you are not allowed to sell or trade it (California Penal Code, section 653o). You might want to contact a museum, service club or local school to see if they may have a use for it. Using live minnows from a bait shop? Question: When fishing in a reservoir, can I use live minnows purchased from a bait shop? (Roger L.) Answer: While moving live fish and/or placing live fish removing fish hooks from an old lure. Use colored yarn or ribbon to create circles at different distances and prac- tice casting at the targets. Make certain the student knows the risks associated with casting with sharp hooks and stress staying a safe distance from other anglers and overhanging trees. Start with large targets and decrease the size of the target as your angler becomes more proficient. Casting accuracy is a very impor- tant part of consistently catching fish and avoiding hang-ups. Knot so fast Monofilament line is standard for most types of fishing. Reels made for youth anglers are almost invariably filled at the factory with monofilament. It's made from extruded nylon, casts well and has built-in stretch that teams with the bend of the rod to keep a strong fish from breaking the line. It's also slick, meaning a normal, overhand knot will pull loose. If you lose a hook or a lure, examine the end of the line. A curlicue of line in the last inch or two indicates your knot pulled loose. Tying good knots is one of the exer- cises you can practice at home with a youth angler. There are many knots that do a good job with monofilament line. Two of the easiest knots to tie are the improved clinch knot. Another is the Palomar knot. Where to fish into a different body of water from where they originated is usually illegal in California (CCR, Title 14, section 1.63 and FGC section 6400), there is an exception. Depending upon which district you are fishing, certain species are allowed to be purchased and used as bait, while other species may only be allowed as bait if captured on the specific water you are fishing. Live bait regulations are found starting with Title 14 Section 4.00 of the California Code of Regulations. You should review sections 4.10-4.30 for specific information regarding the species that may be used in your district. Fishing multiple rods from shore outside San Francisco Bay? Question: I know that you can use as many rods and hooks as you want outside the Golden Gate, but can I use multiple rods to catch striped bass and halibut from the shore? I already know that only one rod can be used for salmon, rockfish and lingcod. I have heard if you have a striped bass or a halibut in possession, then only one rod can be used. Is this true? (Eddie H.) Answer: Outside of the Golden Gate, if you are fishing from shore for halibut and striped bass, you can use as many rods and hooks as you want. If you were to catch a species like salmon or rockfish, however, you would have to release it, as only one line may be used for these species. Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. While she cannot personally answer everyone's questions, she will select a few to answer each week. Please contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov. CalFire and Nature Conservancy planning rangeland burns In an effort to control invasive weeds like medusa head and star thistle, the Tehama-Glenn Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will team up with the Nature Con- servancy on Thursday. The 357-acre burn will take place on the Nature Small ponds or streams are the best bet. It's much easier in small bodies of water to identify where fish are likely to live. Most fish prefer hanging around some kind of submerged structure — usually stumps, bushes, vegetation or the pilings that support fishing piers. When the sun is bright, try a shady spot. Remember the places where you catch fish. They are likely to be good again during similar weather. Conservancy's Vina Plains Preserve, east of Hwy 99E in the Vina area. A 262 acre burn is planned on Friday, June 8, on Nature Conservancy land in the Dye Creek area. Both burns will be conducted weather permit- ting, starting about 9 a.m. and should be complet- ed by 3 p.m. CAL FIRE conducts burns with cooperating land managers under the Vegetation Management Pro- gram (VMP), a state sponsored cost sharing pro- gram to encourage prescribed fires on private prop- erty. The purpose of the burn is to improve range- land and reduce noxious grass species for better cattle grazing. In addition, it gives returning sea- sonal firefighters live fire training in preparation for the upcoming fire season.