* Fly Fishing in Baja
Chip Franich is a guide in Las Barracas Baja sur, and would like to offer his services for guiding there for Roosterfish. He says he's had a great summer so far and there are still a couple more months of prime fishing to go. He has a house in Las Barracas beach about one hour from San Jose del Cabo on the east cape. The house can sleep up to six people, and meals can be prepared for an additional charge. Rhinos (dune buggies) can be rented for beach time. This is a semi new sport over the past seven or eight years and has developed into a feeding frenzy. If interested in more info please contact him by email, cfranich22@hotmail.com or on Skype at carlos_franich. Chip sends his thanks to the SCFF.

* California Department of Fish and Game News Release, July 15, 2010
Contact: Carrie Wilson, Communications Office, CalOutdoors@dfg.gov
(This bit of info came from member Dennis Davie, who says you can subscribe to the DFG news releases by going to the web URL cited at the end of this article.)

California Outdoors Q & A: If the fish will die anyway, shouldn't I keep it?
Question: If I catch an undersized fish that swallows the hook so deep that it starts to bleed from the gills, should the fish still be released even though it will most likely die? If I do keep the fish under these circumstances, how could I prove to a game warden that I didn't want to waste the fish because it was going to die anyway? (Eddie H.)
Answer: Unfortunately, even if your fish is undersized and going to die anyway, you must still return that fish immediately. It won't be wasted as it will go into the food chain as nourishment for other fish, invertebrates, and maybe marine mammals and birds. The bottom line is you cannot keep any fish that does not meet the minimum size requirements. If you deeply hook an undersized fish, it is best to not lift the fish out of the water and to quickly cut the line as close to the mouth as possible. Fish are more likely to survive with the hook left inside than if you try to dig it out, tearing the gills or stomach in the process.

Question: If I am trying to attract fish to a spot to fish for them, can I sink some chum there? I would tie the chum to a rope that's connected to a buoy, throw it overboard and then let it soak. In a couple of hours I'd come back and first retrieve my chum, rope and buoy, and then would fish on that spot. Is there any problem with this? (Ricky Z.)
Answer: Chumming in inland waters is generally illegal, but in the following locations (CCR Title 14, Section 2.40), it is allowed:
1. The Colorado River District, where only the approved bait fishes for the District may be used as chum (CCR Title 14, Section 4.15) except in the Salton Sea, where corn may also be used.
2. The Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay and their tributaries and saltwater tributaries.
3. The Sacramento River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 80 bridge.
4. The San Joaquin River and tidewater of tributaries downstream from Interstate 5 bridge.
Chumming is defined as placing any material in the water, other than on a hook while angling, for the purpose of attracting fish to a particular area in order that they may be taken (CCR Title 14, Section 1.32). Chumming is not prohibited in the ocean.

Question: I have been hiking upstream though a riverbed to fish the Sespe River in the Los Padres National Forest. A man who thinks he owns the river told me that I'm trespassing. What are my rights and what is the best way to show him I know it is my right to stay on the river in order to pass through "his property"? (Kyle L.)
Answer: It is possible that the man is accurate and you are trespassing. According to Department of Fish and Game Ret. Captain Phil Nelms, generally, surface water belongs to the state but stream and lake bottoms and shorelines are often in private ownership. Property rights questions are only minimally covered in California Fish and Game laws and the circumstances you describe are not included. You will probably need to speak with an attorney or other person licensed to provide legal advice for a solution you can rely on with confidence.

Question: I plan to take my young niece and nephew steelhead fishing. Since they are too young to need fishing licenses, are they required to have steelhead report cards? We're getting different answers. Thank you. (Scott H., Redding)
Answer: Even though your niece and nephew are too young to need fishing licenses (under 16 years old), they must still have Steelhead Fishing Report and Restoration Cards in their possession while fishing for steelhead. This law changed a couple of years ago. Now everyone who fishes is required to buy the card, regardless of age.

Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. She cannot personally answer everyone's questions but will select a few to answer in this column each week. Contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov
- Subscribe to DFG News via e-mail or RSS feed -- go to http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/
- Subscribe (or unsubscribe) to DFG Marine Region News Service (e-mail notification of ocean-related news and information) at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/subscribe.asp.