FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
KEY TO SYMBOLS
FG=fishing good; FF = fishing fair; FP=fishing poor; OG = outlook good;
OP = outlook poor.
MARLIN: FLORIDA: Blues and whites moving into Gulf Stream from Bahamas area; visitor Harlow Curtice took time off from Miami Motorama to hook estimated 250-pounder, play it for half hour, lose it; OF through February.
BAHAMAS: Blues were plentiful in waters off Andros Town last week and should provide good action; recent winds have abated.
MEXICO: Mazatlan boats averaged nearly two marlin per trip last week, and OG; fish are 15-20 miles offshore and striking freely. 380-pound black brought into Acapulco dock last Friday.
PACIFIC SALMON: CALIFORNIA: Ocean salmon season south of Tomales Bay opens Feb. 15; no closed season elsewhere on coast except east of Carquinez Bridge. Possession limit is three fish except south of Monterey-San Luis Obispo county line, where limit's two; FP due to cold weather and wrong attitude of salmon.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Poor steelheading has produced record turnout for winter springs, with boats off Campbell River averaging four to five fish to 20 pounds. Good catches to 22 pounds off Oak Bay; Saanich Inlet reports small silvers showing; Horse Shoe Bay producing whoppers, and all other points near Vancouver declare FG and OG, with fresh and frozen herring or herring strip best bait.
BLACK BASS: TENNESSEE: FG in Center Hill Lake (but big noise is walleyes on feeding spree). D. P. Zimmerman removed 10-pound 14-ounce bigmouth from Chickamauga Lake last week to set new local record. FF in other lakes but should pick up as weather warms.
NORTH CAROLINA: Fontana Lake so low that one boat dock is now 10 miles from water, says spy.
LOUISIANA: Leon Amadee of Baton Rouge set new state mark with 8-pound 15-ounce large-mouth from False River; OG there and in Bayou Lacasine near Jennings.
MISSISSIPPI: OG in Biloxi River and Pearl River backwaters; minnows and shrimp best bait.
FLORIDA: Lakes in central Florida producing well as weather warms (but winds are high enough to dump boats and drown fishermen on bigger waters); Lakes Harris, Little Harris, Dora and Griffin near Leesburg among top producers. Withlacoochee River reports FF but few limits. In south, FG in most fresh water; try top-water plugs, bugs or bucktails on both sides of culverts along Tamiami Canal right up to Miami city limits.
NEVADA: Lake Mead improving; Overton arm best area but, with low water and displaced fish, a guide is a good investment.
CALIFORNIA: FF and improving at Havasu Lake; old-timers predict two-week-early spring. In north, Shasta and Clear lakes producing for experts.
MISSOURI: Lake of the Ozarks (Niangua region) in top condition and FG with plugs and minnows; bass are averaging 3 pounds. In Gravois arm area water is clear, FF and OG.
STEELHEAD TROUT: WASHINGTON: Last week's rain may have nudged runs into river to end dullish spell; no signs at press time.
OREGON: New runs in most streams, but fish are smaller, averaging 8 pounds; Nestucca up slightly and warmer, with cluster eggs and cherry drifters best lures; Alsea in fine shape, with best fishing below Five Rivers Junction, eggs best bait: Siletz, Salmon, Siuslaw and Chetco rivers are in promising condition. With many steelhead now near spawning stage, veteran sportsmen are releasing uninjured fish' to improve future fun.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: FP in Vancouver Island streams as fish dilly-dally in salt water despite good levels of Campbell, Cowichan, Stamp and Somass rivers; mainland is better, with rising levels and new runs in Vedder, Seymour and Cheakamus rivers; OG in all rivers.
SAILFISH: FLORIDA: Sails are still plentiful from Palm Beach south and in Vero-Stuart area, but bonito, dolphin and kings are getting the biggest play now.