OUTPOST.

Casting call: Children ages 7-14 are encouraged to compete in Saturday's Casting Kids event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the northeast section of Lake Balboa in Encino.

The contest is free and gear will be provided; however, contestants are welcome to bring their own equipment. That way they can fish while awaiting the results.

Participants cast for accuracy and vie for medals, fishing rods and the opportunity to compete in the next round of the national Casting Kids program, which is sponsored by Bass Anglers Sportsman Society - a Montgomery, Ala.-based fishing and education group better known by the acronym B.A.S.S. Saturday's event is coordinated by West Valley Bassmasters, an arm of B.A.S.S.

There will be two divisions - ages 7-10 and 11-14.

Information: [phone].

Dear Fishermen: More evidence that anglers are being recognized outside of their niche: Just weeks after a fisherman's letter to Abigail Van Buren was printed, syndicated columnist Heloise responded to a communique from a fisher with a flair for ingenuity.

The letter from Don Gerber of Canton, Ohio, read:

``Dear Heloise: While fly-fishing in Colorado, I caught a nice-sized trout. Not having a tape measure, I remembered that a dollar bill was 6 inches long and folded in half it was 3 inches. I measured the fish; it was 17 inches long.

``After releasing the trout, I went to the local pub to crow to my friends. Ah, yes, it was still 17 inches.''

Heloise's response:

``Now, this is sure a good fish tale! So, your trout was worth about $2.88? Drop a line anytime.''

Are these fish spoiled? First they send fish to school, now they're sending sharks to camp. The Upper Newport Bay Eco Reserve hosts a Shark Camp Saturday from 7-9:30 p.m. at the reserve's Shellmaker Island. Participants will assist Department of Fish and Game biologists in catching, tagging and releasing leopard and smoothhound sharks back to bay waters. Participants may name any shark they catch and will be notified of that shark's travels if it is caught again in open waters. Registration and information: [phone].

More schooling: Radio talk show personality Ronnie Kovach will conduct his ``Fresh and Salt Water Symposium'' from 6:45 p.m.-9:45 p.m. Tuesday at College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.

The $29 seminar will concentrate on summertime tuna and freshwater bass fishing. Reservations: [phone], ext. 3304.

Mako my day: Honestly, that's what it's called, and it's the International Gamefish Tournament's $25,000 saltwater contest at Dana Point on Saturday. Information: [phone].

Fish in the news: An 85.9-pound blue catfish caught on 50-pound line by Chula Vista's Floyd Talmadge at Lower Otay Lake July 27 is being touted as a new state standard and an international line-class record.

The state mark for a blue cat is 82.1 pounds, also taken at Lower Otay, in April 1996, by John Collins of San Diego.

The International Game Fish Association recognizes a 69-pound blue caught in Oklahoma in 1977 as its 50-pound line class record. If Talmadge's line is determined to gauge heavier than 50 pounds, he would still break the mark for 80-pound line, which was set in 1980 on another Oklahoma blue that tilted the scales at 80 pounds.

Long way to ski: The 49th annual Catalina Ski Race will kick off Sunday at 8 a.m. from the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Some 130 teams will vie for the coveted silver trophy. Water-skiers sporting long, specially designed boards are pulled up to 80 mph the 62 miles to Avalon and back. Last year's winner finished in 52 minutes.

Spectators are welcome. Information: [phone].

Oh, WOW: The 18th annual Women on Water (WOW) Regatta is set for Saturday and Sunday, with post-race hospitality events both days, at the Marina Venice Yacht Club. There are daily drawings for crew prizes. Saturday's races will be held on the Olympic Circle off the Marina del Rey breakwater; Sunday's will be staged off Venice Pier. Race times and information: [phone].