Month: November 2019

River stories

From the LAT: Rains push mountains of L.A. trash into Ballona Creek
LA Public Works removing debris caught by booms from the L.A. River after a storm event. (Courtesy Algalita Marine Research Foundation)

Columnist Steve Lopez writes in the LA Times:

“This is gonna blow your mind,” Josey Peters promised, calling me down to the banks of Ballona Creek. “You’ll never be the same.”

I pushed through the bushes, eased down the slippery slope and stepped into the muck of a million pieces of trash. For as far as I could see, east and west, the banks were littered with plastic cups, fast-food containers, spray paint cans and chip wrappers.

It had rained a smidgen the day before, the first wet weather of the season, and this was what had washed downstream from the area west of downtown Los Angeles. Debris floated in the murky water, too, and a lot more, no doubt, had washed out to sea.

Events

So. Cal. Women on the Fly enjoy a banner day on the LA
Southwest
 Lesley Smith, with finny friend, from Golden State Fly Casters shows off why carping the Los Angeles River can become an obsession. Analiza del Rosario, far left, organized the event for SoCal Women on the Fly. Many of these women were just at the Southern Sierra Fly Fishers “Celine’s Fly Gal Weekend” last month learning how to fly fish for the first time. Karen Hall, third from left, from Sespe Fly Fishers enjoyed the best carp fishing day, hooking five. L.A. carp guru Lino Jubilado helped them, making flies and leaders for them, as well as brought rope to rappel down the rip rap to reach the river.  (Courtesy Lino Jubilado)

Organizations

Check out the American Carp Society

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Jeff Hernandez is a Southern California based and nationally renowned carp on the fly specialist.  A true fishing addict, known better to his many social media friends as youngunz_612

Hernandez has been fishing since he could walk and has had a fly rod in his hand since he was 6, fishing trout rivers and streams for the majority of his childhood with his father. Fishing other Western states such as Utah, Colorado, Arizona along with steelhead fishing in Northern California and local inshore and offshore saltwater fly fishing has helped hone his skills. He has also worked his way up to the position of assistant manager at Bob Marriotts Fly fishing Store in Fullerton, Calif.; a dream job indeed and the envy of many a fly-fishing enthusiast.

“I’m completely consumed with carp fly fishing and love nothing better than a good ‘golden bonefish’ chase,” Hernandez said.

He currently spends almost all of his free time chasing carp in the local Los Angeles area urban rivers and back waters.

“Anytime I’m not on the water is spent creating on the vice. I am really excited to be a part of the ever growing sport of fly fishing for carp and completely stoked to be able to share my knowledge and love for the sport here via the American Carp Society’s website.”

Political action

Friends of the River’s advocacy training program opens for registration

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Are you motivated to push back against the tide of environmental rollbacks? Would you like to be part of a campaign that works to build a more resilient water future?

FOR is seeking motivated, gritty folks who want to train as organizers, be part of a Point Positive campaign and get an inside look into California water issues. There is no right age, just the right time for you. RATS can be working parents, retired professionals, students seeking more career experience or someone looking to take action on the value of community and action.