Dr. Clark, who has recorded runs from Ventura County to 

 Mexico, says certain beaches with easy access and a minimum 

 of disturbing influences are best bets for catching grunion. One 

 favorite spot is Belmont Shore near Long Beach; another is the 

 beach near La Jolla. State fish wardens report that man-made 

 Cabrillo Beach near San Pedro is host to record-size runs year 

 after year. 



Often grunion are confused with smelt, both having a translu- 

 cent blue stripe along their bodies. But grunion are members 

 of the silversides family, and only grunion come up on the beach 

 to spawn. The female flips her tail around, burying herself up 

 to her head. Then the male arches himself around her to fertilize 

 the eggs. After the mating, the male flops away to the ocean, 

 and Mrs. Grunion remains behind to ride the next wave out. 

 The whole process takes only the interval between waves 12 to 

 30 seconds. 



It is during this half-minute period that the eager grunioneer, 

 if he has a three-dollar fishing license, can take as many grunion 

 as he can catch with his bare hands. Although the fish are wet 

 and full of wiggle, chances are good that the excited hunter will 

 get all he can eat. No artificial means are allowed no nets, 

 scoops, sieves, or strainers. Torches and flashlights are permit- 

 ted, however. 



By instinct the grunion deposits its eggs at the upper limit 

 of the tidal zone. There they will be undisturbed by waves till 

 the next high tide two weeks later. When the movement of the 

 surf agitates the sand, the eggs hatch and the liberated baby 

 grunion wash back to their habitat, the sea. 



Grunion haven't always been so plentiful. Although they have 

 never been fished commercially, there was a time when hordes 

 of hunters would go after them with sink strainers, window 

 screens, car blankets, buckets, and trout nets. Fearing depletion 

 of the species, conservationists succeeded in having mechanical 

 contrivances banned and a closed season established. 



Regional-minded Californians are gradually realizing that 

 the only fish in the world that lays its eggs on land does so 

 exclusively on their California coast. 



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