California is known to have some of the best ocean fishing in the world. The trick is to know where the fish are - and the best way to find them is to fish with the professionals. For the final Kid's Summer Passport Challenge, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and United Anglers of Southern California (UASC) are having a party - a partyboat fishing excursion with the experts - off the coast of San Diego on Monday, Aug. 21.

"Fishing with the pros is a great way to learn about the ocean, its underwater inhabitants, and how to successfully reel in such tasty fish as yellowtail, bass and bonito. Kids who sign up for this final Summer Passport Challenge will have a unique ocean fishing adventure," DFG Director Ryan Broddrick said.

Seaforth Sportfishing and UASC's Friends of Rollo will sponsor this final kid's passport event aboard the New Seaforth - an 85-foot long, 24-foot wide state-of-the-art vessel. The New Seaforth will ferry passengers from Mission Bay out to the local kelp beds off San Diego for a half-day of fishing fun. Beginner's luck is nearly a given with this sportfishing operation.

"There's just no way to measure the positive energy generated by the Friends of Rollo-UASC Kid's Fishing Program," said John Rowe, Executive Director of Friends of Rollo. "Getting kids out into the ocean environment broadens their horizons tremendously, and shows them what fishing on the ocean is all about."

For each adult who purchases a ticket for the trip ($38, or $28 for military, and seniors 65 years of age or older), two children will ride for free, courtesy of Friends of Rollo. UASC will loan each child a fishing rod and reel to use during the trip, complete with tackle, and Seaforth Landing will provide free bait for the children. Reserve your space early by calling Seaforth Landing at (619) 224-3383, and be sure to mention that you are signing up for the Fishing Passport event. A credit card is required to make reservations. Event participants will also need to sign up on the Fishing Passport Program Web page at www.dfg.ca.gov/fishingpassport/registration.html.

Ocean partyboat fishing with the experts is the third and final Kid's Summer Challenge - a "sneak peak" into what the new California Fishing Passport program will entail after its official launch, for all ages, on Jan. 1, 2007. This summer, kids were challenged to experience a variety of fishing experiences, including pier fishing off Santa Monica's historic pier, High Sierra trout fishing at Mammoth Lakes, and this final challenge of ocean sportfishing off the coast of Southern California.

At each event, participants receive a free introductory Passport book to keep their special stamps earned from each fishing challenge, along with the opportunity to win a variety of fishing-related prizes.?Į"We have some great prizes lined up for the ocean sportfishing trip, which challenges kids to experience some of California's best ocean fishing for a wide variety of fish species in our local kelp beds, one of California's most productive marine habitats," said Carrie Wilson, marine biologist and coordinator of the California Fishing Passport Challenge.

During the ocean sportfishing excursion, deck hands and experienced fishermen from the DFG and UASC will be onboard to assist kids with rigging up their tackle and providing lessons on how to properly manage an ocean fishing rod and reel, "which is quite different from what is involved with freshwater fishing," Wilson said. Towards the end of the trip, New Seaforth staff will offer to fillet each angler's catch for easy preparation for that night's dinner.

The California Fishing Passport program is the first of its kind in the nation and is supported by UASC, West Marine, Alpen Optics, Berkley, and many other groups and organizations, including the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation's Angler's Legacy program (www.AnglersLegacy.org), which challenges avid anglers to "take someone you know out on the water, and give back what you've been given, the great gift of fishing."

For additional information on the California Fishing Passport Challenge, log on to www.dfg.ca.gov/fishingpassport/. For more information on fishing aboard the New Seaforth out of San Diego, go to their Web site at www.seaforthlanding.com.The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds hunters there are no refund or exchanges for premium deer tags where areas are closed due to fires. The general deer season in the A zone - in all or part of 29 counties that stretch from Mendocino to Los Angeles - opens beginning Saturday, Aug. 12.

"Each year some of California's hunters face the possibility of the state's devastating fire season impacting their planned hunting trips," said Craig Stowers, DFG's Deer Program Coordinator. "However, DFG does not control that element of the deer hunting experience. Hunters should consider shifting their focus to another site within the zone they have selected. Funds raised from the sale of hunting tags are used to conduct surveys and research, perform habitat maintenance and improvement projects that meet the requirements necessary to conduct all hunting seasons."

DFG deer officials anticipate additional restrictions on U.S. Forest Service lands located within deer zones D11, D13, D14, and D15 as the deer hunting season progresses. A map of zones can be found at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting/deer/zonemapsinfo.htm.

The Forest Service has implemented fire restrictions on the Los Padres and Mendocino national forests. The fires have caused public access restrictions to many of these areas and may affect deer hunters. Additional and Area-specific Archery Hunts within these zones may also be impacted.

DFG prints the following on each deer tag, "No refunds or exchange for premium tags. No refund or exchange for emergency closures due to fire, weather or other conditions." DFG also prints the refund policy on page 8 of the 2006 Big Game Book.

Refunds for unused deer tags (for zones A, B, C, D, AO#1, and AO#2), bear, antelope, elk, and bighorn sheep tags may only be requested prior to the opening of the earliest season for which the tag is valid. Deer tags for X zones, Additional Hunts, and Area-specific Archery Hunt tags are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Zones A, B, C, D, and archery-only tags may be exchanged if the following conditions are met: 1) the earliest season for the tag being exchanged has not yet opened; 2) tags are still available for the zone or hunt requested; and, 3) payment of a nonrefundable $6.50 exchange tag-processing fee.

DFG recommends that hunters seriously consider the consequences of requesting refunds. Moisture conditions could change at any time, allowing the reopening of the forests in time for a portion of the season to occur.

For further information regarding the status of the fire restrictions, contact the Forest Service direct at the following numbers:

?Ģ Los Padres National Forest: (805) 968-6640 ?Į?Ģ Mendocino National Forest: (530) 934-1266