Fishing for Salmon and Rockfish with Mixed Tackle?

Question: I fish out of Port San Luis. When fishing for salmon in a private boat, as long as I am trolling with barbless hooks, am I allowed to have barbed hooks in my boat? I am asking because we would like to troll for salmon in the morning and rockfish in the afternoon. Last year we didn’t know what to do so we fished with salmon gear in the morning, then came back in and swapped for our rockfishing gear. That extra trip cost us two hours of travel time and a lot of extra fuel. When asking around I heard from one guy that I was not allowed to have barbed hooks in the boat while salmon fishing, but then another guy said it was ok to have barbed hooks in the boat as long as I was trolling barbless hooks. What’s the correct answer? (Carl R.)

Answer: You can have the two types of gear on the boat, but since you’re fishing north of Point Conception, once you begin fishing for salmon or have salmon on board, you can troll using only one line with up to two single-shank, barbless hooks regardless of what you’re fishing for (California Code of Regulations Title14, section 27.80(a)(2)).

You did mention that you’re usually trolling, but if you’re mooching for salmon using bait and not trolling, you’re allowed to use only barbless circle hooks between Point Conception and Horse Mountain.

For complete salmon fishing regulations, please visit our ocean salmon website. For a summary of the recreational groundfish (including rockfish) fishing regulations for 2016, please check our regulation summary tables online. Complete sport fishing regulations are also available online. Regulation booklets are available on this website for download; paper copies are also available at your local California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) office and wherever sport fishing licenses are sold.

Selling a Canadian mounted full size bear?

Question: I purchased a full size mounted black bear from a machine shop owner in 1996. The machinist told me he bought the bear from a store in Canada in 1982 and brought it back to California for display in his shop. He didn’t provide me with any kind of paperwork confirming this. I just bought it by chance when I saw it in his office while having some metal parts fabricated for a job.

I know it’s illegal to kill game in California and sell it for profit, but is it also illegal for me to sell the bear I have that isn’t even from California? I’ve had the bear for about 20 years and now it’s time to pass it to someone else to appreciate. Do you have any advice? The last thing I want to do is unknowingly break a state law and get arrested. (Steve H., Long Beach)

Answer: It is unlawful to sell, buy or possess for sale the meat, skin, hide, teeth, claws or other parts of any bear in this state (FGC, section 4758). Unfortunately, this section applies to all bears, including those lawfully taken out of the state, and this is one of the few violations in the code that may be punished as a felony. In addition, FGC, section 3039 prohibits selling or purchasing any part of a bird or mammal found in the wild in California, and this includes taxidermy mounts. However, for purposes of passing it to someone else to appreciate, you can give your mount away. Your best bet might be to contact a museum, school or service club to see if they might want it.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer in this column. Contact her at CalOutdoors@wildlife.ca.gov.