California officials said they would spend about $60 million to build a channel along the Yuba River so that salmon and other threatened fish species can get around a Gold Rush-era dam that has cut off their migration along the chilly waters of Sierra Nevada streams for over a century.
Some environmentalists and fishing advocates have already blasted the plan and say that a better solution would be the removal of the dam.
LINK (via The LA Times)
But think of the money that some construction firm / friendly political donor would make…..
Sorry to sound cynical, fellas, but, as a Brit, I see a lot of hairbrained white elephant / Pyramids For The Dead / “A brand new bread and circuses for the masses Colosseum, but this time even bigger!” Save Ourselves building schemes (built – or not built – for umpteen $$$ / £££s in excess of the original budget) by “pals” over here.
I’ve been an avid inshore fisherman along the Panhandle for years, and have fished offshore/reefs a number of times but generally only trolling for billfish or dropping frozen baits down to fill the cooler with whatever’s in season.
Recently I acquired a new boat more suited to running the beach and X miles offshore. I’ve been filling the live well with some 5-9 inch pinfish and taking them out to some shallow (65-90 foot of water) reefs. I drop shrimp down on my jigging setup while I soak one of the Pins on a heavier combo, (6000 Penn Slammer, 7 foot heavy rod maxed with 65 Lb braid). I have caught a number of 80-150 lb. sharks on this setup and there was never really an issue.
THREE TIMES in 3 consecutive trips I’ve apparently been hooked to a tractor trailer, twice on the same reef and once on one fairly adjacent. Not like insane drag buzz, I’m talking like a slow burn, whatever it is gradually makes it’s way over to its hiding spot and parks itself like a tour bus. Pins were again 6-8 inches, not monster baits that typically catch the eye of 200+ lb fish.
Definitely not big sharks because I’ve yet to be cutoff on 70lb mono leader and they just didn’t fight like sharks at all. Is there anything it could be besides big Goliath slurping up what amounts to a potato chip? I do intend to solve this mystery by taking my big Senator rig out next time, just wanted to ask if there really is any other potential options than a Goliath.