Ed's 2006 Article

Fishing derby lures a crowd

By Ed Zieralski
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 23, 2007

LAKE CUYAMACA – As seasonal transitions go, there can be no more dramatic one than summer to autumn, and no better place to watch it go down than the Cuyamacas.

A dark gray cloud clawed its way over Cuyamaca Peak and covered the sun just before sundown Friday, and I felt the chill of the seasons changing clothes. A husky mule deer buck and his doe – both already thick-coated – bounded below me as I worked a ridge for a better view of a valley that had been so lush and green in May. But now its grasses were golden brown and swaying in a crisp breeze.

Campers along the shoreline at Lake Cuyamaca tied down their tents snugly to prepare for the season's first true storm, which disappointed as darkness draped summer.

We hoped for rain that these dried-out mountains desperately need, but there were only short waves of mostly mist. Not nearly enough to chase home an estimated 800 folks – including more than 300 kids – who braved the cold and occasional drizzle yesterday to fish in the O.P. Ball Memorial Fishin' In The Pines Free Kids Fishing Derby.

Every kid went home with something, thanks to the derby's 55 sponsors, including a generous gift from the Orville P. Ball family. Steve Tillesen organized the prize patrol for Christmas in September at Cuyamaca under the supervision of lake superintendent Willard Lepley and general manager Georgia Martin.

Bob Katula, who represents Mustad and lives in Anaheim, drove 2½ hours to reach Lake Cuyamaca. He set up a work station where volunteers such as John Grabowski, Ed and Gary Ceiplis, Don Deaett, the Golden State Fly Casters and others tied proper Mustad treble hooks, line and sinkers for kids, many of whom came rigged for ocean fish.

“Gary (Ceiplis) and I walked a lot of the shoreline and I'd say 80 percent of the folks weren't rigged right for trout,” Katula said. “But when we left them, they had Mustad treble hooks on 4-pound Ultra Line leader below a swivel and a small egg sliding sinker.”

Rebecca Mascarenhas of Chula Vista brought her son, Ray, 8, and nephew Garrett High, 8. “Their dads were chickens and didn't want to come out because of the rain, but I bought them a couple of ponchos and figured they'd have as much fun playing in the rain as they would fishing,” she said. Holly Steele, Ramona, had her six kids there, mainly because Landon, the oldest at 11, already is a true fisherman. “Landon woke me up at 4 this morning and said it was time to go fishing,” Holly Steele said.

The San Diego Anglers cooked fish donated by long-rangers through Mario Ghio at Sportsmen's Seafood. Gary Shiebler of the World's Greatest Fishing Band warmed folks with good fish tunes.

The lake wasn't open for swimming, but Elijah Wagner, 4, of El Cajon took an unexpected dip when he tumbled off the fishing pier. His alert mom, Sandy, fetched him from the water and hustled him to their heated auto, where he was quickly stripped out of his wet clothes and wrapped in a blanket. If anyone felt the autumn chill all the way to their bones yesterday, it was young Elijah.

Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com

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Kids get hooked on fishing at local lakes

By Ed Zieralski
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 24, 2006

It was National Hunting and Fishing Day, but at Lake Cuyamaca yesterday it was all about fishing and all about setting a Southern California record for kids with rods and reels in one place.

“I'm pretty sure this is a record for a kids' trout fishing event,” said Steve Tillesen, major volunteer for the Lake Cuyamaca Fishin' In The Pines Free Kids Fishing Derby.

No one had an official count of munchkins, but supervising ranger Willard Lepley and Captain John Grabowski of the Red Rooster III and All Outdoors Radio figured it was more than 550. Throw in the adults who accompanied them and the crowd of more than 1,000 that lined the shoreline and dotted all parts of the lake with boats.