Newport Harbor 110609

[Ohana]

Originally Posted by SGV Rookie

I was out with my girls throwing lures just pass where the road meets the water and summons by two seventy year old volunteer fish and game people. They told me I could not be north of the first bend at the NAC. They said they are protected waters. I advised them that I had not seen any signs or anything on the DFG website, The website mentions fish taken on Hook and Line with no removal of kelp or sea weed. There funny response was that the sign was removed when they did the dredging and never replaced it. This was the first time I have been talked to in that area. They stopped a kayaker that was in a hand made cedar kayak and told him to get out of there too. The man in that kayak came up to me and said he grew up there and has kayak into the back almost everyday and never heard of such a thing. A fisherman on the shore by the road and water said he has been checked by DFG for his license and never told he could not fish there.

I still have not found anything on the website and the NAC workers had no idea. (Nac Kayaks and canoe things are always up north) If anyone knows of the restrictions maybe you can post where we can find them.

I'm all for an aquatic preserve but make it well know and avoid the doubt.

Dave

I got this straight out of the DFG 2009 - 2010 Ocean Sport fishing regulations (pg. 64) for Newport Back Bay:

Upper Newport Bay State Marine Park (estuarine)
Species Prohibited/Recreational Fishing: All marine aquatic plants EXCEPT kelp
Species Allowed/Recreational Fishing: Kelp; Invertebrates; Finfish by hook and line

I have also fished that area and never been questioned and seen plenty of other kayakers go past me into the back bay to bird watch. While the recent BRTF map showed the back bay as planned for MPA listing this has not been implemented and from what I read this would not restrict hook and line fishing.

It appears that the volunteers were a little over zealous.


Kevin