Mike Stevens

BY MIKE STEVENS MAMMOTH LAKES –  Taking a “grab-and-go” approach to Eastern Sierra road trips occurred to me no less than two decades ago after staying up way too late in the garage putting gear together on “getaway day” eve. The solution at the time was a simple Rubbermaid tub one might stuff in the rafters full of Christmas decorations. It did the job well enough for years, but it wasn’t perfect, a bit of an overkill size wise on some Sierra runs requiring less gear.

Captain and crew of the Clemente kept anglers within reach of Catalina’s top targets from beginning to end BY MIKE STEVENS DANA POINT – The annual Dana Wharf Sportfishing full-day WON charter may have hit Catalina the day before the yellowtail bite really materialized for Dana Wharf boats last week, but it was still a great trip where anglers were always within casting range of big, breezing mossbacks while also picking off decent numbers of quality calico bass.

NO BOAT REQUIRED – Accomplished shorepounder and pier angler Brandon Dawson bagged this tanker homeguard yellowtail while fishing off of Crystal Pier in San Diego. BY BRAD VAN ZYL and MIKE STEVENS SAN DIEGO – Landing a 45-plus pound homeguard yellowtail within half-day range of San Diego would be newsworthy if not “local fish-of-a-lifetime” status on its own.