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George Van Zant:: Long Beach Showboating & Fishing Reports
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Each March, ten's of thousands of anglers and boating enthusiasts converge on the Long Beach Convention Center for the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show. It's a ritual that has been going on for over 60 years.

The 2008 show opens March 5 thru 9 with a massive display of the newest in rods, reels and lures from leading manufacturers and hundreds of fishing boats, family runabouts, hot boats and personal watercraft from the top builders and every boating accessory.

Visitors will also find row after row of travel booths representing fishing and outdoor destinations from North and Central America and the South Pacific.

Over 350 fishing seminars over the five days will take place at the Triton Boat Freshwater and Saltwater Tanks, Quantum Kayak Center and Discover Fly Fishing area in the Sports Arena.

The show hours are 2-9:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.- 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.

Admission for adults is $15, seniors and military $14 and kids 15 and under is free. For more information call 805-389-3339 or on the web at www.fredhallshow.com

Local saltwater report

Man I'm really getting itchy, only nine days left until a couple of three-pound reds fill my ice chest on their way to the frying pan. Rockfish angling opens for the 2008 season on March 1 in the Southern Management Area, from Point Conception to the Mexican Border. You can fish only in waters less than 360 feet and there is a bag limit of 10 rockfish in combination per person.

Special exceptions are you can only keep one bocaccio (aka salmon grouper, slimy) 10 inches or more in length and the same goes for cabezon, one fish in the bag and the cabezon must be 15 inches in length. Lingcod are not included in the rockfish regs their season opens April 1.

Last week the Southern Cal sportboat out of Pierpoint Landing had surprising fish counts. They caught over 100 sandbass for three days in a row. These fish were not the spawners that do their thing in the summer, they were the ones living over the rocky spots and those that enjoy eating fresh squid. No doubt you can understand why they call fresh squid the `Candy Bait'. But truthfully skipper Ryan Carino really knows his stuff.

The week-six winner for the Pot Of Gold Halibut contest at Long Beach Sportfishing is Bill Dick who landed a 23.3-pound halibut to tie for the biggest fish with Arman Gevorkyam Sun Valley. The tourney ends March 9 with the top 25 anglers fishing off for prizes on March 16. Info. 562-432-8993.

Reminder that tonight the 17th annual Candy Bait Squid seminar takes place at the Church of Religious Science 500 Marina Drive Seal Beach.

Freshwater report

Santa Ana River lakes made their first plant of Lightning Trout last week with a stockings coming sporadically the next three weeks. With the nicer weather the lightning trout should spice up the bite. If you want to see these golden trout up close look for the SARL booth at the Fred Hall Show, chances are they will have a couple on ice for viewing. Info. 714-632-7830.

At Irvine Lake exotic trout species like brookies and steelhead continue to highlight the action with a 9.6 steelhead that just missed the lake record of 9.8 pounds bringing attention to a bonus stocking of inland steelies slated for the week. Info. 714-649-9111.

Laguna Niguel Lake just recently stocked those ever-popular Alpers trout to augment some plantings of the famous Utah `hook jaws'. The lake also reminds fishermen that they support a fly-fishing program in the lake. Check with Frank Murata's Fly-fishing classes Saturday mornings. Info. 949-362-3885.

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