Pete Thomas Outdoors

Rare 'albino' gray whale returns to Scammon's Lagoon, this time with a baby

By Pete Thomas

A gray whale believed to be albino has been documented in Scammon’s Lagoon in Baja California, Mexico, for the first time in at least three years.

The same whale was spotted in 2008 and 2009, as a juvenile. It might also have been spotted in 2013, according to at least one report.

This time, though, the white whale is traveling with her calf, who is not albino. (Both whales can be seen in the accompanying video, and a second video showing basically the same footage. The footage was captured last week.)

 

The whale’s identity was confirmed this week by Benito Bermudez, regional director of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas.

Bermudez told BCS Noticas that the whale is albino, not leucistic, a condition also caused by a lack of pigment. However, nobody has provided photos showing pink eyes, which would prove that the cetacean is albino.

Bermudez said the whale was most likely born in Scammon’s Lagoon, known locally as Laguna Ojo de Liebre. He said there are only “three or four records” of albino gray whales worldwide.

About 21,000 gray whales feed during the summer in Arctic waters, and migrate to Baja California each winter to give birth and nurse their young.

The northbound migration is just beginning, and over the next several weeks more than 1,000 gray whale mothers and calves – the last to depart – will begin their 6,500-mile journey to and beyond Alaska.

Of course one whale will stand out among the others: the now-famous white whale from Scammon's Lagoon.

–Image is a video screen grab

Giant Delaware largemouth bass is a new state record

Sometimes when you’re fishing, that last extra cast really pays off.

A.J. Klein, of New Castle, Delaware, can attest to this after landing an 11-pound northern-strain largemouth bass to establish a new state record.

The lunker was caught over the weekend at Wagamons Pond near Milton. It breaks the previous record, a 10-pound, 10-ounce largemouth also caught at Wagamons, in 2012.

Fishing had been slow for Klein, 36, and his friend, Joe Lattis, They had spent four hours on Lattis’ boat and teamed to catch only one small bass and a yellow perch, before giving up.

But Klein made one last cast, to the center of the pond, and began to bounce his jig during the retrieve.

The angler explained to Wired2Fish: "I was slow rolling a Bleeding Shad Strike King Premier Plus spinnerbait, letting it drop and bounce along on the bottom. On one of the drops the fish hit. It was a subtle hit, and I set the hook and thought I was snagged. Two seconds later my line dropped, and I had a crazy fight on my hands. It lasted for 2 minutes.”

The fish, kept alive in a live-well on the boat,  was weighed at a local tackle shop and certified as a record by a Delaware Fish and Wildlife  representative. It was then set free.

Said Klein: "The health of that beautiful beast was Joe and I's primary concern through the whole process Joe has taught me almost everything I know about bass fishing. He is my mentor and my good luck fishing buddy!"

For the sake of comparison, the International Game Fish Association lists as the all-tackle world record two 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass caught in Geporgia in 1932, and in Japan in 2009. But they were Florida-strain bass, which reach much larger sizes than northern-strain bass.

Bamboo shark rescued while inside egg; blossoms into striking critter named Panda

Most shark stories have to do with the capture of enormous specimens, or attacks on humans by sharks that mistake surfers and swimmers as prey.

The following story, however, is of the heartwarming variety, involving a colorful shark named Panda, saved by a student in Queensland, Australia, and his dad.

Panda is a brownbanded bamboo shark, whose life began inside of an egg, which somehow became snarled in a net found by a Dunwich State School pupil named Laurence, and his dad.

The egg was delivered to the University of Queensland’s Moreton Bay Research Station and Study Centre just before Christmas.

On Monday, the research facility broke the happy news on Facebook:

“We have been monitoring her all that time, and late last night she finally hatched! She had her first feed this morning and is happy and healthy. We will release her once she is a bit bigger and able to fend for herself.”

Brownbanded bamboo sharks, which are found in the Indo-West Pacific from Japan to about northern Australia, are hardy predators that can reach lengths of nearly four feet. They prey on small fish and crustaceans, and pose no danger to humans.

Their striking appearance makes them popular as aquarium pets, but of course they belong in the wild.

The Moreton Bay facility announced that Panda will be set free once she “can fend for herself.” Laurence and his dad are expected to participate in the release.

–Image of Panda courtesy of the Moreton Bay Research Station and Study Centre

Kayak angler's giant white seabass could set a world record

A massive white seabass caught recently by a kayak angler off La Jolla, Calif., might break a line-class world record that has stood for nearly 50 years.

Brian Fagan, 56, hooked the 74.2-pound seabass near the kelp beds at sunrise. The Poway angler was towed for 30 minutes before the weary fish appeared within range of his gaff.

Fagan told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he expected the white seabass, which he enticed with a live mackerel and delivered to shore on his lap, would weigh at least 50 pounds – but it tipped the Dana Landing scale at 74.2 pounds.

Fagan this week informed the International Game Fish Association that he'll submit catch details for world-record consideration in the 80-pound line class. The current record in that category is a 74-pound white seabass caught at Santa Catalina Island in 1968.

For the sake of comparison, the IGFA lists as the all-tackle world record (the biggest fish regardless of line strength) as an 83-pound, 12-ounce white seabass caught off San Felipe, Mexico, in 1953.

Jack Vitek, IGFA World Records Coordinator, said Thursday that he received a “head’s up” from Fagan that the record submission for his catch is forthcoming.

–Photo: Brian Fagan displays 74.2-pound white seabass. Credit: Brian Fagan, via the IGFA