21 CALLING FALL TROUT
It’s still summer, but it’s never too early to be thinking about fall trout, one of the best times for California anglers to chase rainbows, browns and others. Cal Kellogg prepares your to-do list as you wait for cooler water temperatures and those autumn colors to start coaxing strikes from hungry trout.
12 STAMPEDE OF FISH
More Kellogg fish frenzy talk, as Cal also profiles the Tahoe-Truckee-area fishery Stampede Reservoir, which is known for its kokanee action but sometimes overlooked for introduced Lahontan cutthroat trout and a modest but feisty population of smallmouth bass. Kellogg talks tactics and lure/bait choices to tempt summer and fall bites in the high Sierra.
35 SPEAR FISHING FUN
Tim Hovey is always on call when his rancher buddy Roger has pesky invasive species around his property. In this particular case, carp from an adjacent river were wreaking havoc in Roger’s canals, muddying up his livestock’s drinking water. Come along as Hovey and his wife Cheryl busted out the bows and arrows to spear some unwanted fishy guests.
41 THE FRUSTRATIONS OF A SELECTIVE HUNTER
Scott Haugen loves to hunt, but often he’s not going to try and harvest any animal he can get a shot on. But much to his chagrin, fellow hunters don’t seem to understand that Haugen is looking for a specific target, which has created some awkward encounters. He vents some of his frustrations with other sportsmen on pronghorn hunts as part of his and wife Tiffany’s From Field to Fire column, including the latter’s delicious Indonesian spice-infused big game stew recipe.
Stampede Reservoir, near Truckee in the Lake Tahoe area, will host the next Kokanee Power-sponsored team kokanee derby on August 2. Go to kokaneepower.org for more information on future events. (CAL KELLOGG)
OUTDOOR CALENDAR
AUGUST
1-2
Bridgeport Fish Fest, Twin Lakes Resort; twinlakeresort.com
2 Stampede Reservoir Team Kokanee Derby; kokaneepower.org/derbies.php
9 Zone A (South Unit 110 and North Unit 160) general deer hunting season opens
9-17 Owens Valley multiple zone archery tule bull elk hunt dates
12-15 Grizzly Island period 1 apprentice antlerless general tule elk hunt
14-17 Grizzly Island period 2 apprentice spike bull tule elk hunt
16 Zones B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5 and B-6 archery deer hunting seasons open
16 Zones D-3 through D-10 archery deer hunting seasons open
16 J and J Tackle Stampede Reservoir #TeamNoDrama Kokanee Derby; jandjtacklecompany.com
16 Yurok Salmon Festival, Klamath; yuroktribe.org/salmon-festival
22 Start of Ambush at the Lake fall fishing derby, Convict Lake; convictlake.com or (800) 992-2260
23 Zone B-4 general deer hunting season opens
23-31 Most pronghorn antelope general, apprentice hunting season dates
27-Sept. 9 Siskiyou archery Roosevelt bull elk hunt dates
30 Free Fishing Day in California, no general license required in state waters; wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing/Free-Fishing-Days
SEPTEMBER
1-15 First dove season dates (mourning and white-winged dove)
3-25 Northwestern Roosevelt elk general season dates
6 Shaver Lake Team Kokanee Derby (Pardee Lake as an alternative); kokaneepower.org/derbies
6 Archery deer hunting opener for Zones D-11 and D-13 to D-19
10-21 Marble Mountains either-sex Roosevelt elk apprentice season dates
10-21 Marble Mountains Roosevelt elk general season dates
13 Zone Q1 mountain quail season opens
13 Opening of sooty (blue) and ruffed grouse seasons
13 Stillwater Classic catch-and-release fly fishing tournament, Crowley Lake; crowleylakefishcamp.com/new-events/stillwater-classic 13-21 White-tailed ptarmigan season dates
20 Zones B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, all of C, D-6, D-7, X-9a, X-9b and X-12 general deer seasons open
20-28 Northern Zone bandtail pigeon season dates
24-Oct. 5 Mendocino bull elk season dates
27 Zone Q2 all-quail season opens
27 Zones D-3, D-4, D-5, D-8, D-9, D-10, X-8 and X-10 general deer seasons open
27 Oroville Salmon Festival; visitoroville.com/salmon-festival
Note: General bear season opens concurrently with general deer season in the A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12 deer hunting zones and extends through December 28, 2025. For those portions of zones X1, X2, X3a, X4, X6a, X6b, X7a, and X7b open to bear hunting, the general bear season begins October 11, 2025, and extends through December 28, 2025.
For a complete list of California bass tournaments, go to wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/ Inland/Contests.
The gorgeous setting of Stampede Reservoir, near Lake Tahoe and Truckee, provides anglers with more than just kokanee. Elias tangled with this impressive Stampede Lahontan cutthroat trout on a stormy afternoon while trolling from his Hobie kayak. (CAL KELLOGG)
A STAMPEDE OF FISH
TAHOE-AREA FISHERY OFFERS MORE THAN JUST POPULAR KOKANEE
By Cal Kellogg
We were looking for more cutthroat trout and we’d been catching them on and off all morning long. Instead, we stumbled onto a handsome, amber-colored smallmouth cruising about 8 feet deep on a submerged rock-strewn flat.
The spawn should have been over long ago – there was no visible bed – yet this fish was reluctant to leave the area. I knew Stampede Reservoir had a smallmouth bass population, but this was the first bass I’d ever seen at the lake despite fishing there dozens of times.
Due to the lake’s high elevation and short feeding season, I always figured the bass would be on the small side, but this fish was anything but small. Indeed, it looked huge, magnified by the crystal-clear water.
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My two fishing partners quickly grabbed spinning rods and started rigging up with jigs. I did the same thing, but instead of a jig, I went with a wacky-rigged Senko. Cast, cast and more casts.
The bass rejected the jigs, moved up to my Senko, glared at it from a halfinch away and rejected that too. As my partners cast again, an idea hit me. I ripped off the Senko, grabbed the tub of nightcrawlers from the cooler and pinned a fat worm on my hook.
Seconds later the worm plunked into the water and started to slowly sink. Almost immediately the bass spotted the now wriggling and writhing crawler and moved upward a foot or two. The bass positioned itself under the falling bait like an outfielder waiting for a fly ball.
Slowly, the bass rose as the worm dropped until the worm was an inch or two from its nose. The strike was fast, but without violent motion. The
smallmouth simply flared its gills and sucked the 6-inch-plus worm into its mouth.
I waited a beat and drilled the hook home, not wanting to hook the bass deeply. At first the bass reacted with only a few half-hearted headshakes, as if it wasn’t sure what was happening. But then it wised up and bolted away from the boat. When that tactic didn’t free the bass of the hook, it exploded to the surface in a wild, gyrating jump. Free from the water, the bass looked smaller, but not by much.
After a half-dozen spirited power dives, I slid the fish into the waiting net and found myself admiring an impressive smallmouth a few ounces under 4 pounds. I was blown away; not only was it one of the best smallmouth I’d caught in a few years, but it was my first highSierra smallmouth from a lake I was convinced only held a small
population of small bass. I’ve never been so happy about being so wrong!
STAMPEDE BASICS
Nestled high in the Sierra Nevada northeast of Truckee, Stampede Reservoir is overlooked by most Golden State anglers, especially those who aren’t interested in the lake’s often tiny kokanee salmon.
Completed in 1970 with the construction of Stampede Dam on the Little Truckee River, the reservoir was designed for water storage, flood control and environmental management as part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Washoe Project. What was also created, perhaps unintentionally, is a remarkably diverse and productive fishery that goes far beyond kokanee.
At just over 5,900 feet in elevation, Stampede spans roughly 3,500 acres when full. The lake’s clear, cold waters support a robust forage base –
Guiding a feisty Stampede cutt into the net. The species was introduced between the late 1990s and the turn of the 21st century. “While the reservoir isn’t yet a top destination for catching giants, it represents a key piece of the puzzle in the larger Lahontan recovery plan,” author Cal Kellogg writes. (CAL KELLOGG)
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primarily chubs, crawdads, plankton and aquatic insects – that fuels a thriving population of gamefish. Unquestionably, Stampede is best known for its stellar kokanee salmon fishing, and, to a lesser extent, there is a small contingent of anglers who visit the reservoir in the spring and fall looking for trophy brown trout action. But
anglers in the know are beginning to whisper about two other players in the system: Lahontan cutthroat trout and smallmouth.
INTRODUCTION OF LAHONTAN CUTTS
Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) were introduced into Stampede Reservoir as part of a broader effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore this iconic native species to its historical range in the Truckee River Basin. Historically, LCT, the largest cutthroat subspecies, were native to the Truckee River and its tributaries, including the area now occupied by Stampede Reservoir. However, due to dam construction, overfishing, water diversion and the introduction of non-native
The author hooked this huge Stampede smallmouth on a weightless live nightcrawler. The lake has a modest population of smallies, but you can have a lot of fun catching these plump bass. (CAL KELLOGG)
species, LCT populations were gone from much of their native habitat by the mid-20th century.
The reintroduction efforts at Stampede began in earnest in the 1990s and early 2000s, with the focus on the Pilot Peak strain of Lahontans. This strain was genetically matched to the original Pyramid Lake population, known for producing fish that grow well into the 20- to 30-pound class under ideal conditions. The goal was to reestablish a naturally reproducing population in the upper Truckee River system and to provide a backup recovery population for conservation purposes.
Stampede Reservoir was chosen because of its relatively cold, clean
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water, large size and proximity to the Little Truckee River, one of the region’s best remaining trout streams. The hope was that these fish would not only survive but thrive and eventually use the river for spawning.
While initial stocking focused on establishing numbers, more recent efforts have emphasized monitoring growth, survival and potential reproduction. LCT have shown good survival skills in Stampede, and while the reservoir isn’t yet a top destination for catching giants, it represents a key piece of the puzzle in the larger Lahontan recovery plan.
It took a while for cutthroats to begin showing in the catches at
Stampede. In the early 2000s a few 12- to 14-inch Lahontans began being reported by kokanee anglers. Over time cutthroats have become a commonly caught species at Stampede, and in recent years big fish in excess of 5 pounds and 24 inches have been reported.
Hooking LCT at Stampede requires a blend of finesse, mobility and an understanding of seasonal patterns. While these fish aren’t always easy to find, they’re aggressive when feeding and will take a variety of presentations when conditions line up.
Timing and location are everything. In spring and fall, when water temperatures are cooler, LCT
often move toward the shallows and cruise shorelines, especially near creek inlets, points and rocky flats. This is the best time to target them from the bank, kayak or a boat working the shallows. During summer, they tend to retreat to deeper, cooler water – often suspending off points or holding near drop-offs.
Trolling is one of the most consistent ways to hook cutts at Stampede. Run spoons, Rapalas or small minnow-imitating plugs in silver, gold or perch patterns at 1.5 to 2.0 mph. Long setbacks or leadcore line help cover water and keep your lure in the strike zone. Flashers or small dodgers can be added to draw attention in stained water.
Casting can be effective near creek mouths or in the Little Truckee River inlet area. Try spinners like Panther Martins or Mepps, or small spoons such as Kastmasters. Fly anglers will find success with streamers, Woolly Buggers or leech patterns on intermediate sinking lines.
Live bait is prohibited, but bait anglers can do well with inflated nightcrawlers or PowerBait-style doughs fished off the bottom.
Keep in mind that Stampede’s Lahontans are part of a conservation program. Practice catch and release when possible and handle fish gently.
BIG FUN WITH SMALLIES
Smallmouth bass were introduced to Stampede Reservoir decades ago – likely in the late 1970s or early 1980s – as the result of an illegal plant from an unknown angler. While Stampede was initially managed as a cold-water fishery for trout and kokanee, the reservoir’s rocky structure, clear water and abundance of crawdads created a perfect environment for smallmouth to take hold and quietly flourish.
For many years, smallmouth bass in Stampede remained largely under
Don’t forget what brown (trout) can do for you here. Fueled by a diet of small kokanee, Stampede Reservoir produces brownies that can weigh as much as 20 pounds. (CAL KELLOGG)
“Unquestionably, Stampede is best known for its stellar kokanee salmon fishing,” Kellogg, a veteran of this fishery, writes. But don’t forget about the other fish targets that can make for a fun day in the Sierra. (CAL KELLOGG)
the radar. Anglers targeting trout or kokanee would occasionally catch one and write it off as a fluke. But over time, observant anglers began to recognize a pattern – not only were smallmouth present, they were growing big and reproducing successfully.
Today, Stampede holds a modest but healthy and self-sustaining population of smallmouth. They aren’t present in huge numbers like in more dedicated bass lakes, but what the fishery lacks in density, it makes up for in quality. Many fish range from 1.5 to 3 pounds, and bass over 4 pounds are caught every season. The low fishing pressure and plentiful forage – including crawdads, juvenile kokanee and pond smelt –allow these fish to reach solid sizes and maintain excellent condition.
As water levels and seasonal conditions vary, so does smallmouth behavior. In high-water years, increased shoreline cover and habitat promote successful spawning and juvenile survival, helping maintain a balanced age structure.
Though still considered a “sleeper” fishery, Stampede’s smallmouth bass have proven themselves to be a
worthy target, especially for finesse anglers willing to scale down and work rocky structure methodically. For those in search of high-country bass with size potential and minimal competition, Stampede offers a unique and rewarding opportunity.
Catching Stampede smallies requires a finesse-first approach and a sharp eye for structure. With its clear water, rocky shorelines and deep points, Stampede offers ideal smallmouth habitat, but you’ll need to fish smart and adapt to the season.
In late spring and early summer, smallmouth move into the shallows to spawn. During this period, look for beds along gravel flats, tapered points and inside coves, especially on the lake’s western and northern arms.
Sight fishing is possible on calm days. Cast tube baits, Ned rigs or small jigs in natural colors like green pumpkin, brown or smoke. Soft plastics rigged on light tackle work best. Stampede smallmouth are wary and prefer a subtle presentation.
As summer progresses, the fish move deeper, staging around submerged boulders, drop-offs and ledges in 10 to 30 feet of water. Use
your electronics to locate structure and suspended fish. Drop-shot rigs, Carolina rigs and deep-diving crankbaits can be effective when worked slowly along the bottom.
Early morning and evening offer brief topwater windows; try walking baits, poppers or small buzzbaits near rocky points or over deeper water. These short feeding bursts can produce surprisingly aggressive strikes.
In early fall, cooling water temps bring smallmouth back toward middepths. Fish become more active and chase baitfish near rocky banks and open-water flats. This is a great time to cover water with jerkbaits, spinnerbaits or swimbaits that mimic pond smelt or juvenile kokanee. Use light fluorocarbon line (6 to 8 pounds) and sensitive rods to detect subtle bites, especially in deeper water. Stampede bass aren’t overly pressured, but they are cautious and respond best to naturally finesse tactics.
With a stealthy approach and the right presentations, anglers can enjoy consistent action and occasionally hook into a 4- to 5-pound highcountry bruiser at this lake that features more than just kokanee. CS
PYRAMID LAKE, NEVADA
Permits for summer camping, boating and jet skiing available at Pyramid Lake Marina and the Ranger Station, located at 2500 Lakeview Dr, Sutcliffe, NV.
Permits also available online at plpt.nagfa.net/online, and the Pyramid Lake Museum at 709 State Street, Nixon, NV. Visit pyramidlake.us for more information on permit prices.
AUTUMN ON THE HORIZON
HOW TO GEAR UP, APPROACH FALL TROUT FISHING FRENZY
By Cal Kellogg
Here in Northern California, we are blessed with the opportunity to catch trout all year long, but at no time is the action more exciting than it is during the spring and fall.
During spring trout are recovering from the lean winter months and are eager to feed. During the fall the situation is similar, with trout feeding aggressively in preparation for the tough winter months to come. It is the aggressive nature of the trout and their zeal to feed that makes spring and fall the prime times of the year for trout trollers as well as bank anglers.
As I sit here at my computer, July is giving way to August, days are getting shorter and fall trout action is right around the corner.
The first point I should make is that the actual beginning of the fall trout bite is influenced by several factors, but water temperature is the central issue. Just because the calendar says it’s early September or early October, it doesn’t mean you can count on encountering red-hot fall trout action, especially if you are fishing at a low-elevation lake.
As a general rule of thumb, the fall trout blitz won’t begin at any given lake until the surface temperature dips into the middle to lower 60s. Trout will actively feed and chase lures near the top of the water column once the surface temperature hits the 60s; the action will only intensify until the surface
It’s not quite time to break out the warmer clothes for fall just yet, but it’s never too early to prepare for the fall trout frenzy. Author Cal Kellogg pulled this rainbow off a rocky point during an October trolling adventure. The trout couldn’t lay off a fast-moving Optimizer Spoon. (CAL KELLOGG)
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temp dips to the 50-degree mark. Sure, you can catch trout in water that is below 50, but in most cases the trout will be lethargic and the action slower.
Naturally high-elevation lakes cool faster than low-elevation reservoirs, and as a result the trout fishing at high-country impoundments heats up earlier.
Having established the surface temperatures that coincide with productive fall fishing, let’s look at the best lures and strategies for targeting fall trout. Conventional wisdom dictates that slow trolling is the best approach for hooking trout, because all trout and especially large trout like to burn as little energy as possible in obtaining a meal. Certainly, this is true at times, but during the fall there are other factors at play too.
FOR STARTERS, TROUT HAVE a sense of urgency when it comes to feeding in the fall, because on an instinctive level they understand that there is a finite amount of time before dropping temperatures bring the fall feeding foray to an end.
From that point until the water temperature rises in the spring, the trout will have to rely largely on their fat reserves to survive. As a result, fall trout are aggressive strikers as they try to pack on as much weight as possible with winter looming.
Slow trolling will certainly take these aggressive fall fish, but fast trolling and large lures will draw more strikes and enable you to hook larger trout than you would while trolling slowly.
Most of the time in most lakes, fall trout will be feeding on baitfish, which should be reflected in your lure
During a trip to Lake Davis, the author pulled this 3-plus-inch baitfish out of the stomach of a 20-inch rainbow, illustrating how aggressive fall trout can be.
selection. If your goal is to tempt a large trout, your best shot at success comes in the form of fast-trolling medium to large baitfish imitations. This means spoons, trolling flies and minnow plugs will be your go-to baits.
Starting with spoons, there are only a few spoons on the market that have both the 2.5- to 3.5-inch size that appeals to large rainbows and browns and the ability to be trolled at a brisk 3 miles per hour.
While I’m surely not familiar with every spoon on the market, I’ve only found a handful out of the dozens I’ve tried that have both a long, slim profile and the ability to run in the 3-mph range. Thomas Lures Speedy Shiner, Mack’s Lure Magnum Hum Dinger, Catch America’s Speed Spoon and Trinidad Tackle’s Optimizer meet these specs.
The Speedy Shiner comes in 2.5-,
(CAL KELLOGG)
3.25- and 4-inch sizes and is available in more than a dozen different colors. Nickel, red/gold, blue/white and watermelon are tried-and-true favorites.
Hum Dingers are available in 1/8 - or 1/2-ounce sizes. It’s the 1/2-ounce model that you want. For the best results pick up a few in red/brass and chrome/blue.
Speed Spoons weigh in at a 1/2-ounce and are about 3 inches long. The Speed Spoon comes in a wide range of colors, with minnow finish being the favorite of many trollers.
Optimizer Spoons range in size from 3 to 6 inches and can be trolled up to and beyond 4 mph. The Captain America and Metallic Watermelon Optimizer patterns are favorites of mine.
Moving on, trolling flies are the most overlooked trolling bait on the West Coast trout fishing scene. Big fish eat smaller fish, and trolling flies do an outstanding job of mimicking a panicked baitfish.
MANY FOLKS BELIEVE FLIES must be trolled slowly, but that is simply not true. I often run Arctic Fox Flies and Catch America Metal Heads right next to Rapalas and Speedy Shiners when trolling at 3 mph, and I consistently
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Flies come in a lot of colors.
In general, I think dark over light patterns do the best job of imitating baitfish, but I always have some bright-colored flies on hand too.
Minnow plugs in the 3- to 5-inch range are the other lures you’ll need. The floating Rapala minnow is the lure against how all other minnow plugs are measured. They’ve been catching big trout for decades and
are still the first lure I grab when big brown trout are on the menu. Yet these days the Rapala has plenty of competition from other minnow plug manufacturers, including Yo-Zuri and Lucky Craft.
Minnow plugs, whether you choose Rapalas or baits from another manufacturer, come in a long list of colors, but you don’t need a whole lot of variety. This is a blessing since minnow plugs tend to be pricey.
hook fish on the flies.
Spoons and plugs that can be worked quickly are outstanding offerings during the fall trout frenzy. (CAL KELLOGG)
Trolling flies can be absolutely deadly in the fall, especially if trophy trout are on the menu. Your tackle arsenal should include both bright colors and subtle baitfish patterns. (CAL KELLOGG)
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If you only carried minnow plugs in rainbow trout, black over silver and firetiger, you’d be ready to face 95 percent of the challenges commonly encountered out on the water. You’ll want to employ the rainbow trout and black over silver models when water clarity is good and the firetiger units when the water is stained or cloudy.
A lot of anglers ask me if I upgrade the hooks on my trout lures. In some cases I do, but in reference to the lures I’ve recommended in this piece, I’ve always found the factory hooks to be needle sharp and reliable.
NOW THAT WE HAVE a selection of lures in hand, it’s time to hit the water and consider how best to fish them. In the fall, trout that had been locked into the cool water of
the thermocline zone all summer can once again move about the lake freely. Cool fall temperatures chill the surface temperature of lakes and reservoirs. Eventually the thermocline disappears as the water attains a common temperature from the top of the water column to the bottom. Based on temperature alone, trout could be scattered throughout the lake across a variety of depths during the fall, but this is generally not the case.
Fall trout are focused on feeding, which means they concentrate in and around areas that provide forage. In most situations, baitfish such as threadfin shad and Japanese pond smelt represent the primary forage of reservoir-dwelling trout, so you’ll pinpoint the trout once you locate the bait.
Luckily for us, the movements of baitfish during the late fall and
early winter are predictable. After the thermocline disintegrates, baitfish move to the top of the water column and stack up along the shoreline. It is in this narrow band of near-shore water where you’ll find most of the actively feeding trout, and this presents a problem.
We know where the trout are located, we know what they are feeding on and we know what types of lures they will respond to, yet presenting our offerings in the near-shore strike zone of the trout can be tough for boaters, but not for bank anglers willing to hike from spot to spot.
In terms of trolling, if you keep your lures too far off the bank, you won’t get many strikes, but if you put your boat too close to the bank, you will spook the trout or bang up your prop, or both.
NorCal fishing guru Gary Miralles taught me how to target these fish
This big rainbow was landed during a November outing at Don Pedro Reservoir. Fall action tends to kick into gear later in the season at lowland reservoirs. (CAL KELLOGG)
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years ago by maneuvering the boat out past points and then swinging back toward the bank at a hard angle, causing lures to sweep across the shallow water at the tip of the point. This worked great for Miralles because he intimately knew the contours of Lake Shasta, where he did a lot of his fishing. If you don’t have this knowledge, using a side planer offers a shortcut to success (see sidebar below).
While trout and baitfish can be found holding along nearly any stretch of shoreline, some areas are more productive than others. Long featureless shorelines with a consistent depth seldom attract large concentrations of fish or bait, since such areas provide little cover. The best areas have a lot of contours, depth changes and structure in the form of rocks, shelves, points, coves, and submerged trees. These areas are attractive to baitfish because the structure gives them a place to hide and a sense of security. CS
Editor’s note: Cal Kellogg is a longtime Northern California outdoors writer. Subscribe to his YouTube channel Fish Hunt Shoot Productions at youtube.com/ user/KelloggOutdoors.
PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT SIDE PLANERS
Undoubtedly, there are some folks out there who are unfamiliar with a side planer, which is a piece of wood, plastic or foam that when attached to a line, travels away from a moving boat based on its shape.
Planers skim along the surface 50 to 100 feet beside the boat with 20 to 100 feet of line tipped with a lure tailing out behind them. This enables the angler to present the lure to trout without moving through the area with the boat where the trout are holding.
There are a couple different types of side planers available to anglers these days. There are small inline models that are efficient, inexpensive and easy to use.
These inline planers can usually be adjusted to track either to the port or starboard side of the boat. To employ this type of planer you let your offering out the desired distance behind the boat, attach the main line to the planer and then free spool the planer out the desired distance to the side of the boat. When a trout is hooked the planer
partially disconnects, allowing the fish to be fought with minimal resistance.
Serious planer trollers often graduate up to large mastpulled models. These planers require the angler to mount a short pole or “mast” in the boat. At the top of the mast there are a pair of large reels spooled with heavy line. These lines are attached to big stable planer boards that will buck stiff breezes and surface chop.
On the rear of the planer or on the planer line there is a release – just like the one you attach to your downrigger. After spooling a lure out the desired distance behind the boat, the line is attached to the clip on the planer, which is spooled out from 50 to 100 or more feet to the side of the boat. When a trout is hooked the line pulls free of the clip and the fight is on.
Rigging side planers and working close to structure-rich banks can be difficult, but the reward for trollers who learn how to effectively work close to shoreline structure comes in the form of big, beautiful fall trout. CK
Pete nailed this beautiful fall rainbow while pulling a trolling fly 5 feet deep at Eagle Lake from his Hobie kayak. (CAL KELLOGG)
LOCKING IN LANDLOCKED KINGS
By Mark Fong
Ihave a general rule when it comes to fishing on summer holiday weekends: I don’t go.
Yet, when Brett Brady of Bare Bones Guide Service told me that on a string of recent trips to Lake Oroville, he and his clients had hooked up with three big landlocked king salmon that he estimated to be near double digits, it was all the convincing I needed to jump on board.
Lake Oroville’s landlocked kings are managed as a “put and grow” fishery. As the fish are triploids, or sterile, and do not reproduce, the fishery is dependent on stocking by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fish are planted when they are 2 to 3 inches in length and typically reach catchable size by year two.
“This season is probably the best year I have seen for fish that were planted as 2- to 3-inch fingerlings,” Brady says. “The majority of the fish we are catching are 2-year-olds that are about 2 to 3 pounds with some bigger, older fish mixed in as well. The fish have an incredible growth rate; they can grow an inch a month when they are on good food (pond smelt). They are just eating machines; next year we should see some really nice fish in the 5- to 7-pound range, and the following year a 4-year-old fish can weigh between 8 and 12 pounds.”
THE NEW NORMAL
It was very early on the final morning of the July 4 weekend when I arrived
ANGLERS TAKE ON LAKE OROVILLE’S SALMON
Lake Oroville offers anglers some outstanding fishing for landlocked king salmon. Fish are plentiful here, and when the bite is on the action can be nonstop fun. (MARK FONG)
Jerry’s turn to hook up. The fish made a powerful initial run, but unfortunately it came unbuttoned before Jerry could get it near the boat. Within a few minutes the rod went off again; then it was my turn. As salmon are strong battlers, on light tackle I enjoyed the fight before bringing the fish boat-side, where Brady reached over the gunnel and released it. We were on a roll and then, like a light switch, the bite just turned off.
“Salmon bite in spurts,” Brady concluded. “The key to finding the salmon is finding the bait; you just
gotta have bait. The will fish move in and out of the pond smelt. They will go on in and gobble up, digest and then they’ll come back in and do it again. That’s their cycle.”
ON THE MOVE
Brady continued to work the area for a while longer, but with no bites he opted to run to a new spot near the spillway. With the gear deployed, we trolled along the edge of an underwater shelf. The bait was present, and like clockwork the salmon bit again. This time Jerry’s luck was better; he put the first fish
in the boat. Two more passes gave up several more fish, and then like that the bite stopped and it was time to move again.
Our next destination was a stretch of water near the Bidwell Bar Bridge, a well-known salmon hangout. With the gear in the water, it did not take long for the action to begin. Unfortunately for us, none of the fish stayed stuck. After several missed opportunities, we finally got a fish to the boat. To our surprise it was a fat and healthy spotted bass. It wasn’t quite what we were looking for, but a fun bonus nonetheless.
Guide Brett Brady (left) and Jeff Armstrong show off a nice Oroville king. The fish can grow larger than the ones the guys caught on this day, but they still provided plenty of good times. (MARK FONG)
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Over the next few hours, we were able to hook up and release a handful of kings along with several more spotted bass and a rainbow trout. It turned out to be quite the mixed bag.
THOUGHTS ON GEAR
While there are many options when it comes to trolling for landlocked kings, Brady employs a simple, welldialed system that he has perfected over many seasons on the water.
“I like to use a 5.5-inch teardrop dodger followed by an 18-inch leader of 15-pound fluorocarbon line tied to a 1.5- to 3-inch hoochie,” he said. “I have had really good success with RB Tackle dodgers and
hoochies (rbtackle.com), which are locally made. As far as hoochies (go), greens and whites are some of my best colors, but pink and chartreuse can be good too. You’ll want to have three to four colors available so you can rotate through them to find what is working best that day.”
When it comes to the allimportant trolling rod, Brady worked with Prolite Rod Technology (proliterods.com) to design the 7-foot, 10-inch BBPSDR710L-C Bare Bones Pro Series trolling rod.
“These salmon can be big, so your typical kokanee rod can be underpowered,” Brady says. “If you hook into a good salmon, you are
gonna want something that has a little backbone, and this rod is perfect.”
Finally, Brady spools up a small levelwind reel with 15-pound monofilament to complete his setup.
While we did not get into any of the big salmon that Brady had encountered in recent outings, we did catch and release a variety of nice fish, along with receiving a true masterclass in trolling for landlocked kings. CS
Editor’s note: To book a trip with Brett Brady or to learn more, please visit his website at fishbarebones.com, follow him on Facebook at Bare Bones Guide Service, or contact him directly at (530) 263-4451.
“The fish have an incredible growth rate; they can grow an inch a month when they are on good food (pond smelt),” says the guide Brady (right, with Jerry Armstrong) about Oroville’s salmon population. “They are just eating machines; next year we should see some really nice fish in the 5- to 7-pound range, and the following year a 4-year-old fish can weigh between 8 and 12 pounds.” (MARK FONG)
ARROWING AWAY A PEST
CALLING ON BOWFISHERS TO ERADICATE INVASIVE CARP
By Tim E. Hovey
Ihave been working with landowner Roger for over four years now on his property. I originally met the rancher through the local resource agency, as Roger was having varmint problems on his ranch and needed some help.
Happy to provide my hunting services, I quickly removed over 100 nuisance animals off his property during that first season. Since that time, I’ve kind of become Roger’s own personal “cleaner” – to use a mob term – when it comes to eliminating unwanted critters on his ranch. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to calls and texts from Roger asking for help regarding everything from beavers to coyotes, but this call was different.
“What do you know about carp?” he yelled over the sound of some monstrous farm vehicle operating close by. Over the next few minutes, I received the specifics of what was happening on his ranch.
ROGER WATERS HIS CROPS and his cattle using a series of canals throughout his property, all fed from an adjacent river. During this season, carp had found their way from the main river into the canals, stirring up mud and causing issues with water quality – so much so that the cattle on the property had refused to drink from the muddy canals.
Carp are a nonnative fish species that were planted in the West in
When there’s something strange in the watershed, who are you gonna call? Author Tim Hovey, who is adept at bowfishing for invasive species such as carp. (TIM E.
HOVEY)
FISHING
the 1870s, essentially to supplement a growing public’s interest in consuming fresh fish. They were planted in just about every impoundment and now are one of the most prolific freshwater fish in the region. Unfortunately, their regular placement on the dinner plate never materialized, and they are now viewed as little more than a trash fish. Able to live in water of questionable quality, carp gather during the summer in the warmer, more shallow waters to spawn. Hundreds pack into these limited spaces during the spawn, and in doing so they can churn up and absolutely wreck the water quality in the shallows. I drove over
to Roger’s place to see what was happening. Honestly, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Usually tranquil and crystal clear, the canals he used to keep his ranch alive were now muddied brown and completely plugged with thrashing carp. He indeed had a carp problem.
Once I identified the problem canals, I had to locate access to the water. These canals had been providing water for Roger’s family property for over 80 years, and as long as they
moved water, keeping them free of overgrowth was not a high priority. They were heavily overgrown and tough to access. After a little search, I found three spots that would serve as perfect bowfishing perches. The next day I returned to Roger’s property with my Muzzy fishing bow and a secret weapon.
“While the bows used for fishing and hunting are essentially the same, they do use very different components,” Hovey writes.
“Bowfishing arrows are heavy and usually made of fiberglass. The tip is sharp and designed to punch through scales and fish flesh.” (TIM E. HOVEY)
I FIRST GOT INTO bowfishing about five years ago on another property that had a carp issue. Not only did bowfishing prove effective, but it was also a heck of a lot of fun. So much so that my wife Cheryl decided she wanted to give it a try. And once she let loose her first fishing arrow, there was no stopping her. With Roger’s approval, that next day my secret weapon and I began the great carp harvest. Shooting targets in water takes practice. When bowfishermen draw the arrow back on a target in the water, they must deal with refraction, the bending of light through liquid. This phenomenon makes it appear that the underwater target is in a different vertical position than it really is. The rule of thumb for most bowfishermen is to aim low. If a carp is spotted below the surface, the archer must aim below the fish to hit it. It does take practice. But honestly, once you do it a few times, it does become second nature.
I’ll admit that even as a lifelong outdoorsman, I have never been into archery of any kind. Prior to bowfishing, I had never actually picked up a bow. In fact, the very
FISHING
first arrow I ever released at a target was at a drainage canal carp. And that first arrow went right through two spawning fish. But I’d catch on eventually.
While the bows used for fishing and hunting are essentially the same, they do use very different components. Bowfishing arrows are heavy and usually made of fiberglass. The arrow tips are not made for cutting and passing through an animal, but for holding. The tip is sharp and designed to punch through scales and fish flesh. Heavy-wire prongs extend out and back from the fish arrowhead and are designed to be almost impossible to pull out once it pokes through a fish. The arrow also has no fletching on the back. Its weight and construction are made for relatively short shots. A 20-yard bowfishing shot is considered long. A sliding collar fits on the arrow shaft, where a heavy Dacron fishing line can be attached so the arrow can be retrieved after the shot. That line is held in a plastic bottle attached to the bow and retrieved using an attached reel handle. The fishing reel-like component usually attaches to the bow in the same area where a hunting bow quiver would sit. This component acts just like a fishing reel and the fisher can use it to reel back the arrow after the shot. If a carp is struck by the arrow, the fish can be fought and retrieved using the line reel on the bow.
WE ARRIVED AT ROGER’S place and found the canals full of carp. To spread things out, I positioned Cheryl in an open area at the head of the canal. I moved about 50 yards down the canal at the edge of the waterway. It didn’t take long to let the carp know we were there.
Cheryl scored first and stuck a fat female. Since it was her first carp of the day, I dropped my bow and headed over to help her. After a short battle, we had the 7-pounder on the bank. I showed her how to release the arrowhead and helped
Hovey’s wife Cheryl has also gotten into the act of skillfully hitting fish in friends’ canals. Carp can muddy up water on ranches. (TIM E. HOVEY)
Looking for a way to have fun and maybe do a favor for local ranchers? “Trading out a few bowfishing components on your hunting bow can have you shooting fish in no time,” the author writes. “Stay quiet and stealthy to get close and don’t forget to aim low.”
(TIM E. HOVEY)
her set up for another shot.
I walked back down to my spot, and after a brief wait, I got another female, a 10-pounder, and in short order had it flopping on the bank.
As the morning unfolded, the fish got wise and started hanging out in areas of the canal we couldn’t access. Indeed, this activity is and is not like shooting fish in a barrel. Once the fish are disturbed or startled by the constant arrows slamming into the water, they change their behavior and move to a less disturbed area. You also can’t just walk up to the water’s edge and start slinging arrows. The fish are wary, stay low and wear muted earth tones that match their surroundings. Staying quiet will get you more shots.
Cheryl and I spent the morning moving between three canals loaded with carp. We’d stick a few fish and
then move to the next canal once the carp changed their behavior. Roger stopped by to check on our progress. He was more than pleased to see our success. Looking over the dead fish, he asked what we were going to do with them. I really hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“If you don’t want them, I can cut them up and feed them to my chickens,” he said while kicking one of the dead fish lightly with his boot. Perfect!
When we were finished, I helped load up the dead carp into Roger’s side-by-side. “Keep shooting,” he said, “I have 500 chickens to feed!”
He got in his buggy and headed out.
OVER THE NEXT WEEK, Cheryl and I would make trips back to the ranch and sharpen our bowfishing skills. Almost
instantly we started to see a change. The canals that were once absolutely plugged with carp now only contained a few. It appeared that they had become tired of being harassed and moved back into the river. A few weeks after we started, all the carp had left Roger’s property.
Bowfishing is a fun activity that keeps you sharp in the offseason. Trading out a few bowfishing components on your hunting bow can have you shooting fish in no time. Stay quiet and stealthy to get close and don’t forget to aim low.
When the water gets warm and the carp spawning season arrives, I can’t wait to get that text from Roger letting me know the carp are back and he needs my help. CS
... TO FIRE ADD SPICE ISLANDS’ FLAVOR TO BIG GAME MEAT
By Tiffany Haugen
Following seven years of living a semi-subsistence life in Alaska’s high Arctic, Scott and I moved to Sumatra, Indonesia, in 1997. I was eager to delve into the cooking game in this part of the world. There, I quickly learned why the region is dubbed the Spice Islands.
Over our four years of living on Sumatra, I learned how to cook up all sorts of flavorful fish and game. This recipe is one I first tried with wild boar, then venison. Today, it’s still a family favorite.
Slow-cooked cuts of any venison work well in this uniquely flavored Indonesian stew. Be it the shanks, neck meat or a roast, a crock-pot or a slow cooker will infuse flavor deep into the meat, and it will stay moist and tender. Time can be cut in half if using a more tender cut or cubes of meat.
2 pounds venison
2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
One onion, chopped
Two shallots, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
8 to 10 whole garlic cloves
2 inches fresh ginger, diced
One 13.5-ounce can full fat coconut milk
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar or honey
1 tablespoon beef bouillon
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili sauce
Two stalks lemongrass, optional
2 inches galangal root, optional
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Cut venison into large chunks or bite-sized pieces. In a skillet or instant pot, sauté onions, shallots, pepper, garlic and ginger in coconut oil until onions begin to caramelize. Add venison and brown on all sides.
If using a slow cooker, transfer ingredients from the skillet into the Crock-Pot and add the rest of the ingredients. If using an instant pot/ pressure cooker, add coconut milk, soy sauce, palm sugar or honey, beef
bouillon, sesame oil and chili sauce. Stir well to coat meat with spices.
Cut lemon grass into three large sections. Pound with a mallet to tenderize lemongrass and tuck into the stew (this can be removed prior to serving). Chop galangal root into three to four large pieces (this can be very woody, so it may need to be removed prior to serving).
Set the instant pot to one hour, 15 minutes at high pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally before serving. Slow cook on high heat over four to five hours until meat has reached desired tenderness. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Big Game , and other best-selling titles, visit scotthaugen.com.
Chef Tiffany Haugen’s time spent in Indonesia introduced her to that nation’s collection of spices, which can add some unique flavor to big game stews. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)
HUNTING
He had no idea I was watching from a ridge above. It didn’t take the man long to realize the sagebrush was too tall to see over. That’s when he stood on the seat and slowly turned in circles, searching for antelope.
One morning I left camp at 3 a.m. to reach a distant spot where I’d seen a nice buck the evening prior. Two hours later, when I was just about there a man on a quad went by me. We were the only hunters out there and the track we traveled was an old, weathered road loaded with big rocks. Narrow and rough, it was slow going.
As the man got closer I figured he’d stop and talk. I dropped my binos and waved a hand to greet him. But he kept his head down and drove by. I could have reached out and touched him, he was that close. That thoughtless move infuriated me. Once again, it was not illegal; just
unethical and rude.
And don’t get me going on the man who took a dump in the middle of a main road and left – toilet paper and all – when all he had to do was take two steps into high sage. Or the ridiculous number of beer cans I picked up. Or the number of ATVs I saw heading across the sagebrush going after antelope when fire danger restricted off-road travel. Did these people honestly think they were going to get in range of animals by driving toward them?
WITH TWO DAYS LEFT in the season, I’d passed on six bucks I figured were between 77 and 82 inches. I placed the crosshairs on two of the biggest bucks, knowing I could have filled my tag either time. They were fun, memorable stalks I thoroughly enjoyed. I saw dozens of smaller bucks, none of which I desired to pull the trigger on.
By choice, I didn’t fire a shot on my pronghorn hunt. I could have. I’d set my standards and held to it. It was my decision and no one was to blame for my
choosing to end the hunt with a tag in my pocket. I have no regrets. I’d do it all over again.
If you hold a prized pronghorn tag for this upcoming season, congratulations. You’re going to get to see country you may never have laid eyes on: From big herds of antelope to wild horses, sage grouse to famous landmarks, even petroglyphs that tell stories of the same hunt you’re going on but are etched in stone thousands of years ago, may unveil themselves. I loved these facets of the hunt, things I’d otherwise not see were it not for the tag I held.
Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I hope all hunters know the difference between what’s morally right and wrong. The important part is always doing what’s right and realizing selfish actions impact more than just ourselves. Good luck out there. CS
Editor’s note: Want to learn proper pronghorn field care? Order Scott Haugen’s educational DVD, Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game at scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
One of several bucks the author passed during his pronghorn hunt. “I’d set my sights very high. I wouldn’t call them unrealistic; rather just on the brink,” he writes. “I wanted a buck in the mid-80-inch class.” (SCOTT HAUGEN)
THERE’S MORE TO GUN DOG FITNESS THAN JUST EXERCISE
LATE
SUMMER BUILDUP TO
By Scott Haugen
While exercise is important to keep your dog in good hunting shape, getting the proper amount is difficult during the hot days of summer. Hyperthermia is actually more dangerous and more common than hypothermia. We pay close attention to our dogs when hunting on cold days. But on hot days we assume they’ll call it quits when the training gets hard or they’re too hot. By the time they stop, it can be too late.
While summer conditioning by running and swimming is important for weight maintenance, a proper diet is where weight management actually begins.
FALL BIRD HUNTS A GOOD TIME TO FOCUS ON DIET
SOME GUN DOG OWNERS like feeding their dog once a day. Others, twice a day. During hunting season, I usually feed my dogs once a day. One big meal after a day of hunting maximizes nutrient absorption, thereby replenishing energy storage and optimizing muscle repair.
But during the summer, I feed my dogs twice a day, right after each outside training session. I add water to each meal, essential for keeping them hydrated on hot days. I’d rather them hydrate twice a day than just once.
I also feed less dry kibble in the summer and boost their raw food intake. My kibble of choice is NutriSource grain-free formulas because they deliver compact nutrition and include prebiotics and probiotics
to help support a healthy gut.
Check the label before choosing dog food; don’t let price and marketing sway you. Some of the most heavily marketed, least expensive dog foods are some of the most detrimental for your dog. Balanced Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids intake, along with L-carnitine, taurine, choline chloride and DL-methionine supplementation to boost overall health – including bladder, heart and more – are important to have in a dog’s diet.
We save scraps from the fish we catch, as well as bones and scrap meat from big game and birds. Even the internal organs, including gizzards, are saved for our dogs. These high-protein options contain a lot of moisture, vital
Hunting season will be here before we know it, and getting your dog in shape starts with a good diet. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
HUNTING
Make sure to have plenty of water on hand during the hot summer months. Having multiple bowls inside and outside the house, as well as in the truck, will help your dog stay hydrated and healthy.
to a dog’s health in summer. I mix one part kibble to half a part water and half a part raw food for each summer meal.
I also increase the number of water bowls inside and outside the house in the summer. This encourages the dogs to drink at will. They can’t get too much water this time of year.
ANOTHER STEP I TAKE in summer is to give my dogs healthy, frozen treats a few times a day. I make my own using NutriSource Come-pooch-a and blueberries, raspberries or blackberries from the garden. Come-pooch-a is a savory, meaty bone broth that’s packed with activated postbiotics from fermentation that promotes a healthy gut and digestion support in dogs. It can be used as a topper, but I make ice cubes from it, placing a berry or two in each one.
Blueberries are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and are low in calories, making them a great summer treat for your dog. Raspberries are low in calories, but high in fiber, manganese, vitamin C and antioxidants, which can be beneficial for a dog’s overall health. Blackberries offer vitamins and
antioxidants. In addition to freezing these berries with the Come-pooch-a, I’ll feed them to the dogs each day when we’re outside, right off the vine. Carrots, watermelon, kale and
is a
peas also make up my dogs’ summer diet. Start by giving these items in moderation in order to avoid digestive issues. Once your dog is used to it, these can make up 10 percent of their daily intake, collectively.
Never give your dog unhealthy table scraps. Items such as pizza crust, salty chicken skin, spicy foods, a potato with butter, the cooked fat trimmings of a steak, and more are not good for your dog. They’re hard to digest and loaded with calories dogs do not need.
WITH BIRD SEASON NEARING, get your dog in shape by providing a healthy diet and routine exercise early and late in the day. Water is crucial for conditioning and keeping dogs hydrated in these hot weeks of summer. Come opening day, you want your dog hunting at full speed, not struggling because it’s overweight and out of shape. CS
Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a fulltime writer. See his puppy training videos and learn more about his many books at scotthaugen.com and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.
(SCOTT HAUGEN)
Come-pooch-a
savory, meaty bone broth loaded with activated postbiotics that promotes a healthy gut. Mixed with berries, then frozen, it makes for a healthy summer treat your dog will love. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
