Biscuit reminder..
 

As the season is starting to progress, just a little :wsb:'reminder' to some of the guys starting out & not too familiar with CA DFW regs, that you are only allowed to harvest (ONE) WSB till June 16th, 2014..
:reel:
From:https://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/mapregs4.asp#whiteseabass

White Seabass

"The recreational fishery for white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) remains open year round. The daily bag and possession limit is three fish except that only one fish may be taken in waters south of Point Conception between March 15 and June 15. The minimum size limit is 28 inches total length or 20 inches alternate length."







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pacific halibut is different from california halibut.
https://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/sfmp/halibut-id.asp

The only thing that makes it different is the location in which it was caught. Unless I read the regs wrong

No is a completely different fish

Yeah, i deleted the post after looking at the pictures.. but i have never seena pacific here in california so i dont thinki have a problem with that reg

I want to say that is the minimum fillet length (with skin attached).
You leave a patch of skin on the filet for identification (can't remember how big the patch has to be).

So a seabass fillet has to be 20" in length, if you get checked by DFG.

But I doubt anyone is filetting seabass on their kayak.

How come the rock fish, lingcod and sheep head say no fish until May 1, 2014? I have seen a few reports were these fish are being harvested now.

It's from "Base of foremost spine or dorsal fin, to longest tip of tail." Fillet size is different. Page 97 of the dfg ocean sportfishing regs under Measurement Methods.

That is for northern Cali, north of Point Cencepcion I believe.

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With this weather coming in, and sticking around for a bit, the biscuit bite is still a little bit further off. But hey, if there around, they can be caught; it's just the amount of effort it takes that changes.

is this fureal? there's dudes nailing them from shore.

What Wade said, and then some...
 

A very good reminder, Wade, for all those that are unfamiliar with that information.

I'll add this, if you catch a legal, gaff it, or just put it on a clip, don't try to upgrade to a bigger size, you'll only be killing the 1st fish. Just sliding the game clip, stringer through their gills will be traumatic enough to kill the fish.

If after you have one gaffed or kept, and a 2nd larger one comes up, even if by 10lbs or more, suck it up, and be a TRUE sportsman for the sanctity of our sport and that prize catch. If you can't leave it in the water to unhook it, cut the line and sacrifice a hook, even the expensive ones. If the fish swallowed down a jig so deep that you can't reach it, drag it's body out of the water as best you can and work on doing that fish as little damage as possible. That last scenario doesn't happen very often.

It's okay, to continue fishing after you boated one WSB, maybe trying for a yellow, or barndoor. Just keep in mind, that most of us will find you quite despicable if you kill a fish just to upgrade to a larger model.

Aaron

Good info right there!!

Personally, with the price of lead I could care less about the hook, gimmee my sinker back and I'll be a happy camper. Obviously, the same doesn't apply to jigs.

Good advice. Not only is it despicable, but also illegal.

25. What is "hi-grading", and is it legal?

"Hi-grading" is the practice of discarding smaller fish as larger fish are caught to round out an individual's daily bag limit with large or trophy fish. Hi-grading can lead to overlimits, as the smaller fish that are subsequently discarded are still counted against the daily bag limit, and this could also be considered a "waste of fish". Hi-grading is illegal.

Thanks Aaron! Ya,..you sure don't want to be 'that' guy that everyone refers to now.. :rolleyes:
(Also don't ever think about passing off your 2nd:wsb::wsb: to your buddy either...)



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It is also VERY important that you save your White Sea Bass heads & turn them ALL in to Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute!!!!! My very good friend Mike kayak caught a tagged Hubbs :wsb: a couple years ago right in LJ that was originially released in Carlsbad)
Its amazing how so many SoCal Anglers young & old alike, that have no idea about the amazing program our local Research Scientists are doing with the White Sea Bass replenishment program.

You can read more about the wonderful things going on over at Hubbs at the links below ..:wsb:
http://www.hswri.org/Save_Your_White_Seabass_Heads.php
&
http://www.hswri.org/media/White_Seabass_Handout_2b.pdf

"Beginning in 1986 scientists at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute started releasing cultured white seabass into coastal waters in southern California. Each fish is tagged internally in the cheek with a small, stainless steel coded wire tag (CWT). The purpose of this tag is to identify hatchery-reared fish from wild individuals. This CWT is not visible externally on the fish and can only be located by a specialized detection device. Some of the information obtained from tagged individuals includes their movement, diet, growth, and most importantly, survival rate. To date, we have received limited information, especially from legal-sized (≥28") individuals. This is where we need your help – we need white seabass heads!We would appreciate your help in saving and freezing
heads of adult white seabass with the stones/ear bines
intact. We will scan these heads for tags, and collect
the appropriate age and genetic stock information. To
facilitate data interpretation, heads should be bagged and labeled with your name, phone number, date and location of capture. Heads can be dropped off at one of the many freezer locations throughout southern California (see back side of this page). We will be checking and removing the heads from the freezers on a regular basis. If we do find a tagged fish, we will notify you promptly."

http://i60.tinypic.com/rc7f3q.jpg





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This is good info too, many people don't know that the law clearly states that although you are legally allowed to gift a salt water species, it is counted against the DONORS daily bag limit. The recipient is also breaking a law by accepting an illegaly harvested fish.

Sadly, a few years ago right around this time I was being "guided" by an experienced kayak angler for a small window WSB bite. I didn't even know these fish existed until I had one in my lap! The "guide" or let's just say mentor got his dates messed up and confirmed the limit was still three. I was dumb and naive and foolishly took his word for it. 30 minutes later fish number two was on board. I was stoked. I paddled around LJ with this big grin on my face bragging about my epic morning to everyone who would listen.

I couldn't have been having a better day. Lo and behold, I was a poacher, and I didn't even know it. Angler after angler congratulated me on my epic day, not a word about the limit. The fact that no one said anything makew me believe they didnt know either.

It wasn't until about four hours later, someone said something. I told him he was wrong and the "pro" I was with assured me. He pulled up his phone and confirmed my worst nightmare. My heart fell into my stomach and I felt like garbage. I've been fishing my whole life and have never broken a single fishing law. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to keep more than I was allowed, but the fish was already expired. So, I gave it away. Even that law, I didn't know existed. Man oh man that was easily my worst day on the water. In a court of law, ignorance is not a defense, and I accept full responsibility for my actions. The point of this story, which is hard to admit out loud, but if my screw up can serve as an example which may save at least one angler, is that you can not take anyones word for things like this, no matter how experienced. You need to stay educated. It could get you in a lot of trouble and "I didn't know" won't save you. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Since then, I have read and understood every word of the Cali regs and I encourage you all to do the same. Good guys like Wade won't be here to always post reminders. Maybe this is why I feel so obligated to release so many trophies. I owe it to the ocean. Every year since, my first WSB goes back. This year won't be any different. So I guess you can say....I'm "that" guy. :(

Have a great season everyone, and thanks Wade for raising awareness. A post like this a few years ago would have saved my ass. With the exponential growth of this sport and the blitz of trophy hungry new kayakers, this post will save a lot of fish and save someone from getting in trouble. Good on you.