My buddy and I were fishing from the mud bank at the back of sailboat cove yesterday. Usually when the lifeguard boat comes into the cove to keep an eye on things, it SLOWLY comes in, the lifeguards wave at you, then the boat turns around and leaves. At about 1pm, the lifeguard boat comes into the cove with authority, bumrushes straight towards us and they beach it right on the mud bank while our lines were in the water . 2 lifeguards and a San Dimas sheriff jump off the boat and the sheriff asks us for our fishing licenses and drivers' licenses. We comply. He then asks us if we have any weapons or dope (dope? are we in 1963?), we said no, but being an honest guy my buddy says he has a few unopened beers in his cooler. He proceeds to ransack our tackle backpacks and leaves everything on the bank in the dirt . Cop says, "Do yourselves a favor and keep those beers closed until you get home." Then the lifeguard says he noticed I was smoking a cigarette. I'm aware that Bonelli Park is a no smoking park but there's NEVER been any kind of enforcement whatsoever. You could smoke in front of the cops and lifeguards and nobody gave a rats behind. He proceeds to tell me that at the "lifeguard board meeting" on April 3rd, the board stated that the lifeguards MUST NOW strictly enforce the smoking ban due to too many complaints. So then he tells me, "Congratulations, you've just received the 1st ever smoking ticket at Bonelli Park." I said, "Do I get a prize for that?" He says, "Unfortunately no, you get to make an appearance in court though." All 3 of them jump back on the boat and split, leaving us to pick up our tackle. My buddy was not happy, the cop crushed his chocolate chip cookies to bits during the ransacking.
When I smoke and fish I don't start fires, I put them out properly, and always take my butts and trash with me and then some. A few disrespectful people can ruin it for the thousands of us who care. Oh, and we ended up with a skunk. Good times!!
If you fish Puddingstone and you smoke/drink, be careful because they're all over it now and will enforce it. The sheriff was carrying binoculars also so beware, they can spot you smoking or drinking beers from the middle of the lake if they want.