Pete Thomas Outdoors

Rare catch: Pacific dog snapper speared off Palos Verdes

Todd Bergenbring with his 20-pound snapper

By Pete Thomas/GrindTv

Last year was marked by several peculiar catches off Southern California, thanks to unusual and persistent warm temperatures that allowed exotic species such as yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and blue marlin to venture much farther north of their typical range.

So deep into winter, however, those species have long since returned to familiar surroundings–notably, off Mexico.

But spear fisherman Todd Bergenberg proved recently that not all of the exotic visitors have gone home. While plying the waters off Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County on December 29,

Bergenbring speared a 20-pound Pacific dog snapper.

This rare visitor's typical northern range is off the southern Baja California peninsula, and in Mexico's Sea of Cortez.

“When I came around and I could see the body, I could see that it was short and stout and I thought maybe it was a black seabass,” Bergenbrind told the Daily Breeze. “I finally got 10 feet away and a little light came through and I could see an orange tint as it started to turn away and I knew immediately what it was and I thought, ‘You have got to be kidding me.’ ”

Environmental scientist Ryan Denton said these fish are rarely found in California.

David Bader, director of education for the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long beach, said in reference to this and other odd catches made during the past several months:

“I think the biggest story here is that we have a really dynamic biodiversity hot spot here in Southern California. Warm water currents come up, spin around and bring with them fishes typically found further south and leave them with us. Then we have the California Current drop off northern fish and leave them here with us as well.”

Bergenbring, 48, has been freediving with a speargun off Southern California for 21 years and had never seen anything so rare.

Hence, he will have the 34-inch fish mounted as a trophy, and prominently displayed. “This is just unheard of,” he told the Daily Breeze. “It’s amazing.”

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Any health dangers associated with eating ground squirrels?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I heard there are some concerns with eating ground squirrels in general. Is there some truth to this? If so, why do I see recipes to cook and eat them? Are they like chicken and pork where if you ensure the meat is cooked thoroughly, you should be okay? I like to go squirrel hunting with my son, but tree squirrels may not be hunted. Ground squirrels are our only option. Any guidance would be helpful! (Highhorse L.)

Answer: California ground squirrels are not a game animal, and so from a legal standpoint, they have no bag or possession limits. If taken in the condor zone, they must be hunted with non-lead ammunition.

However, before attempting to eat them, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife veterinarians, there’s a lot we don’t know about diseases in ground squirrels. We do know they carry fleas and are highly susceptible to plague and probably die within a short period of time after exposure to the disease agent.

Also, anyone even thinking of eating ground squirrels should first make sure there is no chemical ground squirrel control going on in the area because ground squirrels are commonly controlled by anticoagulant rodenticides. If the ground squirrel consumes a non-lethal dose, the rodenticide would still persist in their tissues for a few weeks or months.

Be aware that both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website www.cdc.gov/plague/ and the California Department of Public Health site www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/discond/Pages/Plague.aspx indicate the greatest risk of acquiring plague is being around infected rodents like ground squirrels due to their fleas. Humans usually get the disease after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an animal infected with plague. During the Middle Ages, plague is infamous for killing millions of people in Europe. Today, modern antibiotics are effective in treating plague. Without prompt treatment, the disease can cause serious illness or death.

Plague is endemic everywhere in California, except the southeastern desert and the Central Valley. It is not active everywhere in that range though, so before your hunt I suggest you contact the county public health department in the areas you will be hunting to find out the status and history of plague in those areas.

If after reading all this you’re still determined to eat them, like with all wildlife, make sure they are cooked thoroughly. Proper preparation and cooking is key to avoiding and minimizing exposure to disease.

Q: I have a question concerning spear fishing for carp. When I was a kid, we used to go into the creeks and spear big carp. On the Russian River during the fall, I would see tens of thousands of huge carp congregating. Can I let my kids go into the water with a mask and fins and spear these 10-20+ pound carps? I would think that would be helpful for the river and we can pass the meat out to our multi-cultural friends. (Anonymous)

Legal to carry shotgun slug ammunition when turkey hunting?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I wonder if you can settle a bet for me and my friends. They told me when hunting for turkeys, it is illegal to also carry shotgun slug ammunition. I disagree because what if someone wants to carry slugs in case they get the chance that a pig might run by. Please set us straight. (Rob, Paso Robles)

Answer: Sorry, your friends are correct! Only shotgun shells with loose #2 size shot or smaller may be in your possession while hunting for turkeys (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 311(b)). So, if you are hunting turkeys, you cannot carry a slug because it’s not shot loose in the shell. If you are hunting wild pigs with a shotgun using slugs in the California condor range, the slugs must not contain more than 1 percent lead by weight.


Q: When I was a kid, we used to hunt carp with a spear gun. We’d jump into the creek and get carp up to 21 pounds. It was a lot of fun for a bunch of skinny kids with the fish pulling us all over the pool! Can you please clarify the regulations and let me know if, where, when or even if it is still doable? (Damian L., Modesto)

A: It is only legal to spearfish carp in the Colorado River District, parts of the Valley District, parts of the Kern River and in those areas listed in CCR Title 14, section 2.30. It is only legal to spearfish carp in the areas listed in this section.


Q: I am new to hunting and have a question. I understand that in order to hunt with a handgun, the barrel length needs to be four inches or longer. However, I have a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan 454 Casull 2.5 inch barrel. I do not plan to hunt with it, of course, but would like to know if I can carry it as a back up. I do not want to purchase another gun if I already have one. Please help me with my question. (Daniel K., Los Banos)

Spear successfully removed from Miami fisherman's brain

Yasser Lopez, 16, is recovering in a Miami hospital after doctors removed a spear that had been shot through his head during a June 7 spearfishing trip.

The spear, which was accidentally fired during the loading process, entered the skull just above the right eye. Three feet of the spear protruded from the back of Lopez's head.

According to the Associated Press, doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital said the spear missed all main blood vessels in the brain.

Lopez, who remains in serious condition, does not remember the incident.

The surgery lasted three hours.

-- Image is courtesy of Jackson Memorial Hospital

Orange County spearfisherman cited for black seabass kill

A Corona del Mar spearfisherman was cited Friday night for illegally harvesting a giant seabass, according to the Department of Fish and Game.

Scott Andrew Carlton was said to be hunting with a speargun just before dark off Salt Creek Beach in Orange County.

A DFG news release states that a concerned citizen snapped a photo of Carlton with his catch, then notified a CHP officer, who detained the fisherman until a DFG warden arrived.

Giant seabass, more commonly referred to as black sea bass, have been protected in California waters for decades, after nearly being fished and hunted to extinction. They can measure seven feet long and weigh up to 500 pounds.

DFG warden Justin Sandvig said Carlton claimed ignorance of the law.

Capt. Dan Sforza of the DFG's Law Enforcement Division stated: "Ignorance of the law is no excuse especially when poaching state-protected species. "Giant seabass are endeared by many ocean enthusiasts because of their size and docile nature."

That was what made them so vulnerable to divers before the 1950s, when they were hunted and fished extensively for trophy wall mounts, and for their tender white flesh.

Hunting or fishing license required for bow-fishing?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: I have been trying to get into the sport of bow-fishing but two issues have my parents and I a little puzzled. My dad heard that if you are going to bow-fish, you need some kind of special reel on the bow (don’t know whether it was an open face reel or a crank reel). We are also unsure what license I should use. Do we need a hunting or a fishing license to bow-fish? (Nicholas M.)

Answer: No special reels or gear are required for bowfishing by the Department of Fish and Game but you will need sport fishing licenses since you will be taking fish and not game. Be sure to check with the governing law enforcement agency for the area where you intend to fish because not all areas of the state (including various federal, state and local parks) are open to bow-fishing. Some areas prohibit using this type of fishing gear because they consider it possibly a "deadly weapon." This has been the case primarily in incorporated city areas. If fishing in freshwater, please read section 2.25 in the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations for the list of permitted species and any special water restrictions (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 2.25).

Q: My uncle has a ranch up in northeastern California and his property has become overrun with ground squirrels. He’s worried about his calves stepping in the holes and breaking their legs. Do we need hunting licenses to help him get rid of these varmints? How can we legally help my uncle control his ground squirrel invasion problem and not get in trouble with a game warden? (Anonymous)

Proposed PETA ad after Florida shark attack sparks outrage

A proposed billboard ad by PETA in the aftermath of a shark attack on a 21-year-old Florida spearfisherman is not sitting well with the victim's mother, who described PETA's response to the attack as "over the top."

The ad (pictured at right) shows a bloody leg protruding from the mouth of a menacing shark and features the slogan, "PAYBACK IS HELL, Go Vegan."

C.J. Wickersham, who is believed to have been bitten by a bull shark last Saturday off Anna Maria Island, is in stable condition after having had 800 stitches placed in his left thigh.

PETA reportedly is still trying to find a home in Florida for the ad.

Ella Wickersham, C.J.'s mother, told FoxNews.com, "I'm not even going to dignify them with a response. They are over the top. If they don't want to eat meat and fish, good for them; you can do whatever you want, and I'll do what I want."

The same story quoted PETA spokeswoman Ashley Byrne as saying the animal rights group is still seeking suitable locations for the billboard. "With the shark attack in the news, we thought it'd be a good time to remind people that sharks are not the world's biggest predator -- we are."

Of the injured spearfisherman Byrne added, "We're glad that Mr. Wickersham is going to be OK [but] we hope that after this experience he considers the pain and terror that fish feel when they're impaled and suffocated to death."

Said shark angler Bill Goldschmitt on Florida's WWSB-TV: "If I see one of those billboards that they plan on putting up, I will burn it down."

Can glitter be used as a baitfish attractant?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I have been studying up on different methods of spearfishing while freediving and have read about the use of "glitter" as an attractant for baitfish. I have an idea to sprinkle glitter in the water so that when the baitfish come to investigate, the large game fish will follow and be caught as they attack the baitfish!

What are your views and the legal ramifications of this method? I understand chumming is not legal for taking game animals in our state, but the use of artificial lures is. With my idea the game fish would not be chummed by this method but instead just attracted by the collection of baitfish. If this method actually works, would it be legal?  (Theodore G., Stockton)

Answer: You have an innovative idea there. Unfortunately, even if your plan to lure unsuspecting fish to you by sprinkling shiny, sparkling glitter in the water were to work, you could be cited for doing so. Placing glitter in the water is littering and is prohibited under Fish and Game Code, section 5652.

The activity you describe would be considered chumming. According to DFG Game Warden Michele Budish, chumming is defined as "placing any material in the water, other than on a hook while angling, for the purpose of attracting fish to a particular area in order that they may be taken" (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 1.32). Chumming in the ocean is allowed, but chumming in freshwater is permissible only in specific areas and for certain fish species (see CCR Title14, sections 2.30 and 2.40).

Q: I was diving in Sonoma County last weekend (Aug. 28) in Fisk Mill Cove. The water was dirty, as if there was a plankton bloom, and visibility was only four to five feet. On my very first dive to about 12 feet I looked into a cave in the rocks with my light and saw something I’ve never seen before in 50 years of diving for abalone. There was an abalone laying upside down and clinging to a piece of kelp rather than clinging to a rock like usual. My dive partner told me he picked up two similar abalone on one dive. They were also in a rock cave just laying upside down on the rocks. Later we met two other divers who had been diving at Timber Cove the day before and they too came across a couple of abalone laying upside down on their shells among the rocks.

Have you heard or seen this before? Are these abalone dying? Is the plankton bloom doing something to the abs? Are the abs suffocating from the plankton bloom? Are the abalone ok to eat? (T. Yamashita)

Diver spears massive grouper to win Florida tournament

For John Ciulla, winning the "biggest grouper" award in a recent spearfishing tournament off West Palm Beach, Fla., was a team effort and the culmination of a fish story he'll not soon forget.

Ciulla and dive partner Louis Devaliex were competing in the third annual Big Bang Open and the former was watching as the latter struggled to reign in a 20-pound amberjack he had speared at a depth of about 140 feet.

The amberjack dove for the cover of a nearby reef but hidden within the reef was a massive grouper, which darted out and devoured the jack.

"It was insane," Ciulla recalled in a story on the TC Palm website. "To see how big the grouper was, it was huge."

Though Ciulla was already near a depth-limit he considered to be safe, he could not resist pulling the trigger when the grouper presented a broadside target.

It was a perfect shot, behind the gill-plate. The grouper peeled line from Ciulla's reel as it dove. Ciulla, who was pulled downward to about 175 feet, could not stop his reel handle from spinning so he wrapped the line around his right wrist and tried motoring upward with his underwater scooter.

But he went nowhere.

"He was so strong. We were both at a standstill in the water column for about three minutes," Ciulla said.

Daveliex was ready to offer assistance but finally the grouper succumbed and the divers began their slow ascent and decompression maneuvers.

The grouper weighed 82.625 pounds, gutted, so it was much larger as a whole specimen.

Ciulla, who also set a tournament record for heaviest fish speared, called his catch "the fish of a lifetime." He plans to have it made into a mount and displayed prominently on the wall of a restaurant he's close to opening.

Presumably, it's a seafood restaurant.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of John Ciulla with his prized catch provided to TC Palm by Ciulla

Torrance spearfisherman nabs 66-pound white seabass

Corey Fujita was nearly spooled as the 66-pound white seabass he speared recently sprinted into the distant haze and ultimately into the kelp forest.

But the Torrance fisherman, who frequently spear-hunts with friends off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, activated a CO2 float, released his gun and followed his line toward the massive croaker, which he carefully cut from the seaweed and brought to the surface.

With the spring seabass at hand, and hook-and-line anglers waiting for the finicky fish to begin their sporadic surface frenzies, Philip Friedman chose a timely period to feature Fujita's exploits in his weekly Daily Breeze article.

Fujita's catch is noteworthy also because there remains a movement to close Rocky Point off Palos Verdes as part of the Marine Life Protection Act process.

Anglers and spearfishermen, of course, support the KeepRockyPointOpen.com movement. As made clear in Friedman's article, Fujita was not wasteful but selective in making this very impressive catch.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Corey Fujita courtesy of Corey Fujita