BOB FRANKO

A legend in Half Moon Bay for fishing 200 days per year out of Pillar Point Harbor and beyond across the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Brazil. He has pioneered new fishing methods for albacore, has caught salmon on 4- pound line, hosted a local TV show and has openly shared his secrets to inspire thousands to take part in the sport. One of his inventions, the Franko Bullet Rotator, is a successful new salmon lure.

This maverick also invented a new-style conservation organization, the Coastside Fishing Club, which anybody can join for free on the Internet. Franko has led a drive to gain 7,000 members in only three years, that is, forming the largest fishing club in Northern California virtually overnight, and supporting it solely by donations. Already, he has placed a member on the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. "My goal is to protect our fishery for our children through conservation, and to protect the rights of the recreational angler," Franko said.