Snowshoes Paddleboards and More at North Shore Trading

Big Bear, Ca March 18, 2011 5:00 pm – Big Bear is a wonderful place to play outdoors.  Across the lake in Fawnskin is a great place to get your gear for outdoor activities, the North Shore Trading Company.  For winter sports, the store carries both high tech snowshoes and traditional designs, beautiful wooden sleds and antique style toboggans.  When the weather warms up, they have a full line of stand up paddleboards, kayaks, and beautiful, lightweight wooden canoes.  If you need a canoe for your home instead of for the lake, North Shore Trading has classic cedar and mahogany bookcases, coffee tables, and other furniture in a canoe motif.  The store carries boots, jackets, and beautiful sweaters for winter wear, sandals, shorts, and paddle sports clothing for the summer.  Owners Jim and Janet Dooley can set you up for a fly fishing trip with Big Bear Fishing Adventures or for canoe, kayak, or paddleboard lessons on the water.  In July, North Shore Trading Company hosts the Big Bear Paddlefest, 2 days of clinics, races, and a paddle sports expo.  If you’re looking for outdoor clothing or equipment, a fishing, boating, or snowshoe adventure, North Shore Trading Company is a short trip to the north shore of Big Bear Lake.  Call 866-3414 or go to gopaddleacanoe.com for directions and more information.

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No Fishing in Big Bear Streams

Big Bear, Ca March 11, 2011 5:00 pm – Streams and creeks that flow into Big Bear Lake are closed to fishing during the trout spawning season, from March 1 through May 27.  No fish may be taken from the streams and fishing with a pole, net, or by hand may lead to a ticket or arrest.  Fish in the streams may be observed but should not be harassed or caught.  Valley citizens and visitors are asked to help keep the lake’s Rainbow Trout numbers strong by reporting violators to the Department of Fish and Game’s tip line at 1-888-334-2258 or 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.

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Troutfest

Since 2004, the Big Bear Lake October Troutfest (a joint venture between Western Outdoor News and Big Bear Municipal Water District has proven to be a popular outing for all members of your family. Come on up to the crisp clean air of Big Bear and enjoy a weekend among your fellow anglers as you fish for fun and thousands of dollars in cash and prizes! Please visit www.wonews.com for more information about the 2010 Troutfest or call Ashley Hartman at (949)366-0030 Ext. 38

Aaron’s Fall Big Bear Lake Big Bass Tournament

Aaron’s Fall Big Bear Lake Big Bass Tournament will be held on Saturday September 18th, at Holloway’s Marina.  Team tournament entry fee is $200.00 and a team consists of two people.  Teams must use a boat that contains a properly aerated or recirculating livewell to keep alive a team’s catch of fish.  Teams can catch a limit of five fish per a team, with the official minimum length being 12 inches.   There will be a raffle, and tickets can be purchased ahead of time at the Big Bear Cool Cabins Office located next to the Alpine Slide, on Big Bear Blvd.   Call 800-475-3166 for more information.

Free Fishing in Big Bear Lake on September 6th

Big Bear Lake, Ca, September 1, 2010, 3:00pm - The California Department of Fish and Game invites all anglers to celebrate Labor Day by fishing in California’s spectacular waters – even without a license.   This Sept. 6 is one of California’s two Free Fishing Days (the other being the July 4), when residents and nonresidents alike can try their hand at fishing without needing to buy a sport-fishing license.   All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures remain in effect. While you will not need a fishing license to fish in Big Bear Lake on the 6^th, you will still need a boat permit.  So if you plan on fishing from a boat, instead of from the shore, make sure you get a boat permit from the Municipal Water District.  For more information of boat permits visit www.bbmwd.org.

RA’s Fishin for $50K Trout Derby Results in Two $500 Prizes for Colton’s Kim Bray, and a Big Fish Prize for Local Ray Pulsipher

Big Bear Lake, CA — On what was a beautiful weekend to be on the lake, the Big Bear Lake Resort Association hosted the Fishin’ for $50K Trout Derby on June 5 and 6. Though two tagged fish were reeled in during the derby, it was Big Bear Lake resident Ray Pulsipher who bagged one of the biggest cash prizes of the day: $500 for the largest trout, weighing 3.77 pounds. However the biggest catch of the day was a 5.54 pound trout, reeled in by Kim Bray of Colton, which secured her a $500 cash prize for the Largest Trout caught by an Adult Female—plus $500 for the largest trout caught on Berkley PowerBait. The RA had planted 10 tagged trout in Big Bear Lake, with one worth a $50,000 prize; two of those tagged fish were reeled in by Cynthia Ybarra of Cerritos and Stephen Ashton of Calimesa. As recalled by tournament director Alan Sharp of Big Bear Marina, “My heart was pounding when I saw them bring the tagged fish to the weigh station—I really thought someone was going to walk away with $50,000!” Turns out that the tagged trout translated into prize packages for the two, with Ybarra winning a two-night stay in Big Bear, along with a charter fishing trip from Cantrell’s, while Ashton’s tagged trout scored him a two-night Big Bear stay and tickets to the pirate ship and Alpine Side; both anglers also received rods and reels, tackle boxes and lures. Though none of the 539 fishermen secured the $50,000 in the Fishin’ for $50K Trout Derby, Sharp says, “Nonetheless everyone had a great time fishing in Big Bear Lake with dozens and dozens of fish caught, including some nice trophy-size fish.”

Record Number of Entrants for Jim Hall Memorial May Trout Classic; Apple Valley’s Carl Van Burger Reels in $2025

Big Bear Lake, CA — The 28th annual Jim Hall Memorial May Trout Classic took place over the weekend and drew a record 401 entrants for the ever-popular fishing tournament run by the Hall family and local volunteers. The overall winner in the two-day event was Carl Van Burger of Apple Valley, who reeled in an 8.55 pound trout, which also netted him the top cash prize of $2025. Second place honors went to Neal Stueve of Monrovia for his 6.08 pound trout, and Big Bear’s Danny Marshall rounded out the top three with his 5.55 pound catch. Other anglers to collect cash prizes for their catches include Justin McKinley of Romoland, James Rafferty of Big Bear, Jose Martinez of Azusa, Stan Hayes of Poway, Jack Greenleaf of Big Bear, and Steve Rzepka of Running Springs.

In the juniors category, for anglers ages 12 to 15, a trophy, rod and reel were won by 14-year-old Joseph Knapp of La Quinta, given his 2.35 pound catch. Other junior winners include 14-year-old Eugene Kessler of Norwalk and 15-year-old Robert Ash of Bellflower. Trophies, rods and reels also went to the top three in the pee-wee division, for those ages 5 to 11. The top catch among the pee-wees was a 4.37 pound trout, reeled in by Luke Bianchi of Northridge; five-year-old Tyler Palhegyi of Upland and eight-year-old Cheyenne Arroyo of Burbank also won in the pee-wee bracket. And, all told, all anglers on Big Bear Lake win with the Jim Hall Memorial, as the entry fees from the event go toward stocking the lake with $10,000 worth of trophy-sized trout!

Big Bear Lake Gets Stocked With More Trout, in Anticipation of 28th Annual Jim Hall Memorial Trout Classic on May 15 & 16

Big Bear Lake, CA — The ever-popular Jim Hall Memorial May Trout Classic returns to Big Bear Lake in May’s third weekend—which also means that anglers can look forward to plenty more trout. “There is still space available for the 28th annual Jim Hall Memorial May Trout Classic,” Jacque Hall tells KBHR, “because this year we are increasing to 500 entrants. The entry fee is $60, and those fees go toward stocking Big Bear Lake with $10,000 worth of trophy-sized trout.” Last year’s event resulted in a $2,025 top prize for George Burruss of San Diego, who reeled in a 13.83 pound catch—the second largest trout ever in the long-running event, named for Jacque’s husband Jim Hall, a Big Bear City resident who formed the tournament back in 1983 with fellow fisherman Jerry Eden. As Jacque explains, “The Jim Hall Memorial is run by volunteers. It really is a family-oriented event, because we also have two categories for the children, who can win rods and reels and trophies—last year, seven-year-old Kaelee Haggerty, winner in the Pee Wee Division, outfished a lot of more experienced anglers!” This year’s prize pool is even bigger as, based on 500 entrants, the total cash purse is now up to $7,700, with cash awards to the top nine participants. The 28th annual Jim Hall Memorial Trout Classic is May 15 and 16, and entry applications are currently available at Big Bear Sporting Goods, Big Bear Marina, Holloways Marina, and the offices of the Big Bear Municipal Water District; registration forms should be mailed in, though Friday, May 14 sign-ups will also be available, in person, at the MWD offices, provided the event doesn’t sell out prior to that date, as it has in the past. For more information on the tournament, which will include a Sunday afternoon awards ceremony at the Big Bear Convention Center, call Jacque Hall at 585-4007.

The Trout Are Biting on Big Bear Lake; Fowler’s Fish Tales Returns on Saturday

Big Bear Lake, CA — With lake access, given the re-opening of the boat launch ramps on April 1st, and a break in the snowy weather, ’tis the season to fish on Big Bear Lake. With lake temperatures in the 40s, local fishing guide Cliff Fowler has been testing the waters, so to speak, and found that there were plenty of good-sized trout to be reeled in. “It’s still a little cooler than the optimal environment for trout,” Fowler, a fishing guide for Cantrell’s Fish and Guide Service, says, “so they are a little deeper in the lake right now. The water is still too cold for any other species right now, so fishermen should try to focus on trout on Big Bear Lake.” On a preliminary fishing tour this week, Fowler says that trout were caught at Sawmill Cove, Lagonita Point, in Trout Alley (between Boulder and Metcalf Bays), off Eagle Point, and near the observatory on the North Shore and, he noted, the trout aren’t tightly concentrated in any one area on Big Bear Lake. “We caught the trout on lures: silver shads, red-dot frogs, chicken wing, and CD Rapala. Each of the trout we reeled in was at least two pounds plus, which is a nice native holdover—pink meat! And this is the time of year that bait fishermen can really score well, because the fish are everywhere given current lake temps, so the trout are a lot more accessible to shore anglers. In the spring months, the fish are a lot more accustomed to natural feed entering the lake, either through tributaries or snow melt, so live bait like nightcrawlers works really well. Zeke’s Sierra Gold is also a spring favorite over the other prepared dough baits, because it stays more pliable in cold water, increasing your hook sets.” If planning to take rod and reel to the lake this weekend, know that the limit for trout is five per day per fishermen and, if you don’t yet have a license, they are available from sporting goods stores at a cost of $41.50 or $13.40 for a one-day license. For more info and tips for fishing on Big Bear Lake, Cliff Fowler returns to KBHR with Fowler’s Fish Tales, which airs daily at 8:45am and 4:45pm, starting Saturday, April 17.

MWD Board Unanimously Adopts New Lake Ordinance Pertaining to Non-Marina Kayak Rentals

Big Bear Lake, CA — The updated Big Bear Lake ordinance, as it pertains to non-marina kayak rentals, was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of the Big Bear Municipal Water District at their April meeting, which took place on the 1st. As adopted, explains MWD General Manager Scott Heule, “The big piece on Ordinance 43 allows the kayak rental businesses to continue renting to customers but prohibits them from conducting any commercial activities on the lake, meaning they cannot provide instruction, training or tours unless they are conducting that business at a commercial marina. That is the gist. In the future, by next boating season, they will be able to secure a commercial permit from the district that would allow them to do those things.” Prior to making this decision, the MWD Board considered public input, dating back to last summer and including a community workshop in October. In other news from the MWD, which launched boating season on the lake just days ago, on April 1st, Heule reports that just two boats entered the water on day one and yesterday, April 5, the public boat launch ramps closed early, at 10am, due to the snowstorm and wind event. Despite a slow-go for boating season’s first week, Heule notes that fishermen are catching their limit of hungry trout on Big Bear Lake; that limit is five trout per fisherman per day.

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