California Sportsman Mag - Jan 2021

FISHING • HUNTING • TRAVEL CALSPORTSMANMAG.COM

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California

Sportsman Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 13 • Issue 3 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles

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CONTRIBUTORS Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Brandon Honig, Todd Kline, Lance Sawa, Bill Schaefer SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com Twitter @CalSportsMan Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine ON THE COVER Red Bluff resident Jayden Oaks, 12, is fighting a difficult battle with colon cancer, but his spirit and love for hunting is an inspiration in and around his community, including for Donn Walgamuth of the California Deer Association, who arranged deer, pig and predator hunting trips for Jayden. (DONN WALGAMUTH)

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4 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 3

37

UTILIZE THE DEPTH CHART Winter off the Southern California coast traditionally sends calico and other saltwater bass species scurrying for deeper water. But that doesn’t deter steadfast anglers like our Capt.

Bill Schaefer, who utilizes the quality electronics aboard his boat to find fish. He also shares advice for how to set up your gear so you can fill the cooler with bass.

(RYAN BARTLING/CDFW)

FEATURES 15

A DAM GOOD STEELHEAD STORY In World War II, the U.S. Army built a dam for recreation on Yuba County’s Dry Creek, but it prevented salmon and steelhead from completing their spawning runs. Now a federally supported dam removal and habitat improvement project provides safe passage for sea-run species, particularly threatened Central Valley steelhead. Brandon Honig of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the details.

21

A TROUT TIP GONE AWRY Editor Chris Cocoles grew up obsessed with fishing the Bay Area’s trout lakes and made it a habit to read an outdoor writer’s weekly fishing report in the sports section. Years later that same writer is still pounding away at the keyboard, and a story about November trout fishing destinations prompted a trip to Livermore’s Los Vaqueros Reservoir. As the editor discovered, a lot of other anglers seemed to get the same memo on a cold but crowded Saturday morning.

43

JAYDEN’S HUNTING ADVENTURES A colon cancer fight and an uncertain prognosis hasn’t slowed down 12-year-old Jayden Oaks’ spirit and passion for hunting. While nobody knows how much time the Red Bluff resident has left, Jayden’s recent experiences afield are moments he’ll never forget. Scott Haugen tells Jayden’s inspirational story in a special From Field to Fire column.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 9 10 12 13 31

The Editor’s Note The Adventures of Todd Kline Photo contest winners Outdoor calendar California golden trout memories ignite an American angler in Japan 53 Two-minute obedience training drills for hunting dogs

Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. Go to www.calsportsmanmag.com/digital California Sportsman is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2021 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 6 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

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THEEDITOR’SNOTE

H

ey, by the time you read this it will be 2021! Not that the early stages of the new year will necessarily be exponentially more palatable than 2020, but doesn’t every Jan. 1 signal the hope that this will be your time, my time, our time?

I don’t know what’s to come, but I know that I’m less concerned about what 2021 will bring for me as I just prefer that we can all get back to living a somewhat routine existence again. I’m not naive enough to expect world peace, a government that will work together and that those who follow different political ideologies will get along with each other.

No, I’m still expecting hatred, racial injustice and violence to dominate the headlines and flood social media. But maybe, just maybe, the COVID-19 vaccine will eventually help us return to some form of normalcy and save lives. Nothing is guaranteed, but it’s what we all need more than anything – for our health, for our livelihoods, for our relationships and for our sanity.

I can’t fathom scenarios continuing like I experienced on the two fishing trips I took during my November visit to the Bay Area.

In our December issue, I wrote about an outing to Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, which only allowed walk-in visits. It was an almost empty, apocalyptical setting.

Contrast that with my story in this issue (page 21), when my sister and I fished at a far more crowded Los Vaqueros Reservoir, where we were stressed about getting too close to the dozens of anglers lining the fishing pier and sections of the lake’s shoreline.

I found a spot that at least felt socially distanced enough from everyone else, but as another surge of the virus skyrocketed cases and prompted more stay-at-home restrictions in California, when will it all end?

And that’s the question that we’ll be asking as 2021 teases us, tempts us and taunts us until there’s a sense of normalcy again. It has to get better, right? We all need a little hope in our lives. That’s what new years are supposed to be all about. -Chris Cocoles

Crowded shorelines are usually part of the deal when it comes to fishing. But in a COVID-19 world, it just means to make sure your mask is handy and you’ve socially distanced yourself enough, which fortunately these Los Vaqueros Reservoir anglers were able to do. (CHRIS COCOLES) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

9

ures Advent

This past month I took my show on the road – to Bluegrass country for FLW’s Toyota Series Championship on Lake Cumberland. Here are a couple of nice smallmouth from the central Kentucky reservoir. (TODD KLINE)

W

e’re not ashamed to admit it: Todd Kline has the kind of life we wish we could experience. Kline’s a former professional surfer, a successful co-angler on the FLW Tour and a Southern California bass guide, plus he gets to travel the world as a commentator for the World Surf League’s telecasts.

Todd has agreed to give us a peek on what he’s up to each month.

For more on Todd or to book a guided fishing trip with him, check out toddklinefishing.com, and you can follow him on Instagram at @toddokrine. –The Editor

I made a quick stop to catch some cool rock formations as the backdrop. (TODD KLINE) Cold be damned, I was able to catch this nice Cumberland bass. (TODD KLINE)

On the way back to California I made a pit stop for some bass at an old favorite stomping ground, Lake Havasu.

(TODD KLINE)

And even though I didn’t get the tournament result I wanted, the trip was awesome. (TODD KLINE) 10 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

... And sure enough, the winter weather arrived in Kentucky. (TODD KLINE)

I wasn’t in Southern California anymore! I was bundled up as a cold front approached. Snow was on the way … (TODD KLINE)

Despite the snow and the long drive, it was great to meet up with my aunt and mom, who visited from Florida. (TODD KLINE)

k to pit an ing su.

The trip ended like it started – catching nice smallmouth, this one at Havasu.

Happy New Year!

INE)

(TODD KLINE)

I was able to match the hatch with my Coolbaits products at Havasu. (TODD KLINE) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

11

PHOTO

CONTEST

WINNERS!

Mark Bonn is the winner of our monthly Fishing Photo Contest, thanks to his picture of superstoked grandson LB and his great bass, caught in a creek near Folsom Lake last month. It wins him gear from various tackle manufacturers!

Mike Bolt is our monthly Coast Hunting Photo Contest winner, thanks to this pic of daughter Grace and her special permit mule deer buck. It wins him a knife and light from Coast!

For your shot at winning hunting and fishing products, send your photos and pertinent (who, what, when, where) details to ccocoles@media-inc.com or California Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications.

12 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

Northern pintails, wigeons and shovelers take flight at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. Duck season will be open through Jan. 31 in many of the state’s various zones. (LORI DIETER/CDFW)

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Editor’s note: Because of COVID-19 restrictions, all events should be checked for changes or cancellations. Below are events that have been scheduled in January and February, with websites/ phone numbers for you to check for updates.

JANUARY 1 1

First day 2021 hunting and fishing licenses are valid Online harvest reporting begins for steelhead, sturgeon and North Coast salmon report cards 1-MARCH 31 Mad River Steelhead Derby; (707) 496-2948 13 Last day of duck and scaup hunting seasons in

Northeastern Zone 16-17 Northeastern Zone veterans and active military personnel waterfowl hunting days 27 Opener for falconry rabbits and varying hare 31 Last primary season day for falconry take of ducks (including mergansers), geese, American coots and common moorhens in most zones 31 Last day for duck season in most zones 31 Last day for most general quail hunts 31 Last day for statewide tree squirrel, rabbit and varying hare hunting seasons

FEBRUARY 1 6

Late-season Imperial Valley white goose opener White, white-fronted goose season opener in Northeastern Zone 8 Late-season Imperial Valley white goose opener 6-7 Youth waterfowl hunts in most zones 8-9 Second falconry waterfowl season in most zones 8-12 Late-season white-fronted and white goose season in Balance of State Zone 13-14 Veterans and active military personnel waterfowl hunting days in Balance of State, Southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Zones 19-21 The Fly Fishing Show, Alameda County Fairgrounds,

Pleasanton; flyfishingshow.com/pleasanton-ca 20 North Coast Canada goose late season opener 20 Bishop Trout Rodeo catch-and-release fishing events, various waters; swcffi.org/rodeo 25-27 Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Steelhead Derby; rowdycreek.org/annual-steelhead-derby For a list of upcoming bass tournaments, go to nrm.dfg.ca.gov/ FishingContests/default.aspx. calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA

Central Valley steelhead, like this one at Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Anderson, have been federally listed as a threatened species since 1988. A project to remove a dam on Dry Creek at Camp Beale Air Force Base offers hope the species can return. “Fish are amazingly resilient. If we get good water conditions, we can draw steelhead up here,” biologist Paul Cadrett says. (STEVE MARATARANO/USFWS)

FROM THE OLD SWIMMIN’ HOLE TO RESTORED FISH HABITAT: DAM REMOVAL HELPS DRY CR. STEELHEAD

By Brandon Honig

I

n 1943 the U.S. Army completed a dam on Yuba County’s Camp Beale so its soldiers could fish, swim and jump off the dam’s diving platform. Nearly 80 years later, the Air Force is giving Dry Creek back to the original tenants: its fish.

“The dam was built to provide

recreation,”said Paul Cadrett, a fish biologist and habitat restoration coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Lodi. “Then in the 1980s someone said, ‘Hey, there are fish banging their heads at the bottom of this dam,’ so they built a fish ladder. But it didn’t work very well, and most fish weren’t able to navigate it.”

The ladder was undersized, and the

design used in the 1980s is outdated.

Some fish made it upstream to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Spenceville Wildlife Area, but many more, including threatened Central Valley steelhead, were blocked by the 12foot obstruction.

The dam was originally built in conjunction with an Army officers club,

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists survey Beale Lake in 2019 in preparation to remove the dam and restore Dry Creek for threatened Central Valley steelhead. “It’s removing something that’s not really functional for us anymore and was actually going to be a hazard,” said Tamara Gallentine, natural and cultural resources program manager for Beale Air Force Base. (STAFF SGT. ALEXANDRE MONTES/USAF)

A newly installed “rocky ramp” on Dry Creek, to the left, enables fish to navigate to this pool, where they can jump the small natural waterfall on the right. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS) 16 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

but the club is long gone, swimming hasn’t been allowed for decades, and there’s better fishing elsewhere on the base, which was transferred to the Air Force and renamed in 1948.

In 2015, at Beale Air Force Base’s request, USFWS began a habitat assessment, which showed that tearing down the dam and restoring Dry Creek would be less expensive than installing and maintaining a new fish ladder. By then, the Air Force was ready to part with the dam.

“It’s removing something that’s not really functional for us anymore and was actually going to be a hazard,” said Tamara Gallentine, natural and cultural resources program manager for Beale Air Force Base.

“The dam really needed some repairs. It was starting to have some cracks in it … and we have whole trees coming down that creek sometimes. In the winter when

PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA

we have high flows, it’s really moving.”

BEALE, UNDER THE SIKES Act of 1960, works with USFWS, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service, and CDFW to manage, conserve and rehabilitate natural resources on the base. The installation also carries out programs, as required by the Endangered Species Act, to conserve endangered or threatened species like the Central Valley steelhead.

The dam removal and creek restoration project was carried out with Air Force funding and USFWS expertise.

The new creek channel was designed

by USFWS engineers from Alaska and Massachusetts, who surveyed a section (or “reach”) of the creek upstream of the restoration area to use as a model.

“You want to look at the characteristics of the reference reach in terms of, ‘What are the dimensions of a riffle, what are the dimensions of a pool, how sinuous or how curvy is the channel?’” said Jessica Pica, a USFWS fish passage engineer in Massachusetts who worked on the project.

“Then we apply that information to our site

Gallentine discusses details of the Dry Creek restoration project with Master Sgt. Jayson Wells of the Air Force’s 9th Civil Engineer Squadron and Jeff McLain and USFWS’s Paul Cadrett, right.

(BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)

when designing the project.”

Pica and her colleagues also designed a “rocky ramp” to help salmonids over a small natural waterfall upstream of the dam. The slope simulates a natural creek bed, but its

dimensions are based on Chinook salmon swimming and jumping ability.

The ramp provides passage upstream and rocks for fish to rest behind while they gain elevation to arrive at a waterfall-fed pool. The high end of the ramp also acts like a dam, ensuring the pool’s water level is high enough for fish to jump over the waterfall.

“The goal is to raise the water surface elevations and create a jumping pool so fish are able to navigate over the waterfall,” Pica said. “We played with different slopes and dimensions to get [a ramp] that worked.”

WITH THIS NEW PATH, Cadrett expects

A pipe diverts water around the restoration area and reunites it with Dry Creek downstream of the Beale Lake dam.

(BRANDON HONIG/USFWS)

steelhead and salmon to pass through Dry Creek into Spenceville in much greater numbers.

The Air Force, CDFW and USFWS plan to further restore Dry Creek in the future by injecting gravel into Spenceville upstream of the base and removing a fish barrier on private land downstream.

“Fish are amazingly resilient. If we get good water conditions, we can draw steelhead up here,” Cadrett said. “A lot of people have this thought that salmon and steelhead will only go back to their own river to spawn, but that’s not completely true … This allows salmon and steelhead

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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PROTECTING

WILD CALIFORNIA

A rocky ramp designed by USFWS engineers, partially seen here, enables Chinook to reach a pool at the far end and jump a waterfall to continue upstream. Newly planted native vegetation is also visible on the banks of the channel. (BRANDON HONIG/USFWS) to recolonize areas where they might have been extirpated from.”

On the banks of the new channel on Beale, crews planted a variety of native vegetation to prevent erosion, attract birds and insects, and provide shade to help maintain fish-friendly water temperatures.

They also reinforced the piers of a

pedestrian bridge that crosses over the creek, so the bridge is safe without the dam’s support. In addition to providing great views, the bridge connects visitors with a nature trail on its south end.

“It’s a great fishing hole, and lots of people enjoy it,” Gallentine said. “Now instead of having a small pond to fish in,

18 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

they’ll have a creek – a little different style of fishing – and they’ll be able to get closer to the creek and see the fish up close.” CS Editor’s note: Brandon Honig is an external affairs specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more on the Pacific Southwest Region, check out fws.gov/cno.

FISHING

JOINING TOM, DICK & HARRY AT STIENSTRA’S HOT FISHING LAKE LOS VAQUEROS TROUT TRIP FUELED BY CHILDHOOD SPORTS SECTION IDOL’S TIP

By Chris Cocoles

L

IVERMORE—As we headed along a lonely road bound for what Google Maps suggested was the fastest route to our fishing destination, I wondered where everyone else was.

Granted, it was a frigid Saturday morning on Thanksgiving weekend, so it was understandable that during this pandemic folks would be staying under the covers in their postholiday slumber.

But it also seemed like my sister Charlene and I were on the road to nowhere (spoiler alert: we were). A dead end awaited our arrival. Google Maps had us taking the North Livermore Road exit off Interstate 580. We followed the directions,

eventually passed by the Livermore Pleasanton Rod and Gun Club, a horse farm and then a gated barrier that was the end of our route.

We got back to 580, typed in Los Vaqueros Reservoir instead of my original destination, “Los Vaqueros Watershed and Marina,” and we were

Cars line up on a late fall Saturday morning to enter the Livermore area’s Los Vaqueros Reservoir, where the banks of the lake were packed with anglers out for trout. (CHRIS COCOLES)

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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FISHING

Even in the temperate Bay Area, this late November morning was a frigid one. (CHARLENE KING)

Anyway, he still has an influence on me. During my visit to the Bay Area and wanting to redeem myself for a fishless outing to Pleasanton’s Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area (California Sportsman, December 2020), I stumbled onto a Stienstra-penned column on best Bay Area trout fishing options for Thanksgiving weekend.

I told my sister I felt like a kid again grabbing the paper off the porch to read Stienstra’s fishing report. He listed Los Vaqueros, located between Livermore and Brentwood to the north, as one of the best options to catch a trout due to several scheduled plants from both the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and private trophy trout stockings from the lake’s concessionaire, the Contra Costa Water District.

My sister, who is not an angler but loves to be outside, agreed to take the early-morning trip with me, so after our Google Maps detour got us back on track, we arrived at the Los Vaqueros Watershed sign around 7:14 a.m. And there were the cars ahead of us. A lot of cars.

WAIT YOUR TURN

Operated by the Contra Costa Water District, Los Vaqueros was a popular Bay Area destination this past fall thanks to several California Department of Fish and Wildlife and private trophy rainbow releases. (CHRIS COCOLES)

on the right path toward the south entrance to the lake. Then we quickly realized that everyone else wasn’t in bed but also seeking a trout bonanza.

A WISE MAN’S ADVICE As a future journalist I always devoured the newspaper’s local sports section. My family subscribed to the San Francisco Examiner, then the afternoon counterpart to the morning San Francisco Chronicle, and each Thursday one of the first pages I’d turn to was outdoor writer Tom Stienstra’s fishing report.

As a kid, pestering my dad and friends’ dads to take us fishing at a Bay Area lake was commonplace, and I’d show them what Stienstra’s best bet of the weekend would be.

Stienstra wasn’t the sports reporter who influenced me to get into the business, but he still had an effect on who I’d become professionally.

And though I’ll always be a sports beat writer at heart, I can call myself an outdoors writer colleague – but hardly his equal – to Stienstra, now the longtime outdoors columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle.

22 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

We methodically waited to get through the main entrance leading into the park. There were probably 30 vehicles in front of us, and the wait was agonizing once I grasped the idea that this must be a productive fishery.

We passed the time away listening to news radio station KCBS, and at 7:35 wouldn’t you know it but none other than KCBS correspondent Tom Stienstra (you can’t make up this stuff!) came on with an outdoors report about the start of recreational crabbing season.

Anyway, the temperature gauge on Charlene’s car hit 27 degrees, and my sibling’s tolerance level for cold weather isn’t great, so she wondered if this wasn’t the best decision. Then there was how painfully slow that vehicles were moving through the kiosk. One jovial but frustrated guy got out of his car and, while doing his best to socially distance, struck

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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FISHING BACK TO WHERE IT STARTED SAN FRANCISCO—Lake Merced was once editor Chris Cocoles’s go-to fishing destination, only about a 15-minute drive from his childhood home in San Bruno.

During a recent visit to the Bay Area, Cocoles and his dog Emma made a quick stop at Lake Merced – he didn’t have any fishing gear with him – but he took a walk down memory lane at a place that, from a fishing perspective, has seen better days. -CS

Lake Merced had just a handful of anglers giving it a go on this gorgeous fall morning. (CHRIS COCOLES)

One memory I have of fishing here was hearing the roars of lions at the nearby San Francisco Zoo. (CHRIS COCOLES) 24 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

This was one of many piers along the shoreline of the North Lake, which my friends and I always hoped were empty so we could claim them. Now, they are blocked by tules that blanket the shoreline. (CHRIS COCOLES)

This critter stared down my dog and me as it seemed to hold court in and outside the men’s restroom. (CHRIS COCOLES)

The South Lake marina (as well as the North Lake one) used to offer rowboat rentals, which I did frequently. But the boats, along with the boathouse and tackle store, are gone. (CHRIS COCOLES)

My dog Emma was more focused on catching some rays than understanding what a special place this was in my fishing-crazed youth. (CHRIS COCOLES)

The lake’s biggest draw is the Harding Park Golf Course, which hosted the 2020 PGA Championship. (CHRIS COCOLES)

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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FISHING up some chit-chat with us. “What’s taking so long? The cars ahead of us must be paying their parking fees in pennies.”

WINDY AND COOL

At least someone trying his luck on this day had a consolation prize: a nice bass. (CHRIS COCOLES)

Finally, 45 minutes after we’d hit the traffic jam, we exchanged pleasantries and some dry humor with the gate attendant, paid parking and daily fishing permit fees and were finally on our way.

We saw several bank anglers already taking up shoreline spots along the side of the road, so we headed to the main parking lot, checked out the rocky shoreline near the marina, which didn’t look like a comfortable spot to fish, and noticed that the fishing pier was already a crowded mess as well. So we backtracked to another spot with parking and a restroom near a trail that led down to the bank.

By the time we found a cove with some room to socially distance

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FISHING ourselves from other anglers, set up the chairs and I had rigged up my rod with a sliding sinker rig and hooked on a nightcrawler, I was cold but hopeful. Shortly after my cast, the wind started to pick up. And a cold day became a miserably cold day.

WHERE ARE THE FISH? Still, we were prepared for a chilly day. Charlene went back up to the car to grab even warmer outerwear, and to her credit she stuck it out pretty well. I too put on a brave face and bundled up while the wind played havoc with my rod. With every jerk of the tip I wondered aloud if I was getting bit or just teased by the gusts.

But while I had little luck catching fish during this most unlucky 2020 for so many, the sun was out and I was outdoors. In my perceived lack of fishing prowess, I was comforted that everywhere I looked nobody else appeared to be pulling in any trout

A story by longtime outdoors reporter Tom Stienstra convinced the author to give this lake a chance, and while it didn’t work out that day, it’s probably a place to come back to in the future. Maybe 2021 will be different. (CHRIS COCOLES) 28 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

(Charlene took a walk further down the shore out of my sight and also saw no signs of anyone scoring a rainbow).

The highlight of our roughly three hours of fishing was a bass angler who showed up down the bank from me, cast a swimbait and quickly hooked up with a nice one. I asked to take a socially distanced photo and he smiled as he held up what he estimated as a 2½-pounder before releasing the largemouth. A coupledozen casts without a strike later he moved on. Soon enough we did too.

It was time to go home.

Tom Stienstra’s advice clearly convinced more than just me to give this lake a try, based on the attendance that day, and while I didn’t catch a fish it stoked memories that made me feel nostalgic. Here’s to better fishing days and a more peaceful and safer 2021. CS Editor’s note: For more on Los Vaqueros Reservoir, go to ccwater.com/losvaqueros.

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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Author Lance Sawa’s childhood fascination in California with rare fish, including golden trout, has followed him into adulthood in Japan. He traveled north to discover more about the itou, a long-lived but highly endangered member of the salmonid family. (LANCE SAWA)

ON THE TRAIL OF THE ITOU

MEMORIES OF CALIFORNIA’S ICONIC TROUT STIRRED ON A FISHERMAN’S EXPLORATORY TRIP TO NORTHERN JAPAN

By Lance Sawa

D

own a nondescript road north of Independence, in California’s high desert area in Inyo County, is a historical landmark, Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery. Mount Whitney started raising fish in 1917, but in 1918 it began rearing golden trout, which is California’s state freshwater fish and one of its “heritage trout” species.

The golden trout is endemic to California waters, but through their efforts the fish is now in multiple states and no longer endangered.

My dad and I would go to the old fish hatchery before it was closed temporarily in the late 1990s – before the restoration of the old building.

The fish food was only 25 cents and we would throw it out for the many large fish in the front pond. Then we’d walk out to the rearing ponds and be

in awe of the huge fish mere feet from our fingertips. They too would get a handful of fish food as they fought and splashed for the pellets.

Inside the old main building there was information not only about the local area but also about the important work they do. Displays on the lifecycles of the trout they raised.

History about the fish hatchery itself.

One photo of a train of mules heading up a snowy pass with fish fry

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Sawa took one of Japan’s high-speed bullet trains north to snowy Aomori Prefecture at the top of Honshu Island. (LANCE SAWA)

to transport into the high mountains stays with me to this day. Always the “Staff Only” door with a small window into the hatchery proper called out to me.

Years later I learned that the serious fish rearing is done just 10 minutes up the road at Black Rock Fish Hatchery. I never had the chance to go see it, and I believe it is not open to the public. This is where all those golden trout were – the ones I never

saw at Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery.

As you might guess, catching and seeing interesting fish is where my passion lies. It would be great to see a school of those once endangered fish swimming around.

THE SNOW FELL AS I got off the bullet train in Aomori, located in the northernmost prefecture (also known as Aomori) on Japan’s Honshu Island.

All the weather forecasts called for

Itou have become sporadic in their native habitat in Russia’s far east and northern Japan, but the Ajigasawa Itou Farm has been producing more of these fish, many of which go to market as a local delicacy. (LANCE SAWA)

32 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

rain, but a sudden change in the wind turned that into snow for three days.

I had carefully planned to drive around in northern Japan during those days before the snow started, but now I was not looking forward to driving a rental car someplace I have never been to in the snow.

The next morning greeted me with even more snow that had fallen overnight. I could see the mountain in the distance that I would be driving

Thanks to crossbreeding Russian and Japanese strains, the itou farm’s broodstock program is doing much better these days. (LANCE SAWA)

An albino itou at the fish farm is allowed to live, but others end up as sushi in local restaurants, connecting residents to a native species. (LANCE SAWA)

around, and it was covered in snow.

After a local specialty apple Danish for breakfast I got onto another local train to get to the car rental. The handdrawn comic illustration on the wall to remind me of social distancing was drawn up by an Aomori artist. A model of a Nebuta hawk lit up and a display showcased Aomori’s proud heritage.

The drive took me around Mount Iwaka, the one with fresh snow on its peak, and as I drove the wind pushed the small car around. I reached the city of Ajigasawa along the coast as the early winter storm created whitecaps on the ocean. From there I headed straight into the mountains once again. After a nerve-wrecking two-hour drive I was finally at my destination: Ajigasawa Itou Farm.

Itou, or Japanese huchen, are a species of taimen and member of the salmonid family, and are critically endangered. Their range once encompassed far eastern Russia, the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and parts of northern Japan on Honshu – mostly around Aomori. Now they are only found in some remote parts of Russia and a couple of lakes in Hokkaido.

Fishing for them is strictly catch and release, but itou are so rarely seen that many times they are taken out of confusion. Their rarity has given the species the name “phantom fish.”

But in 1985, Ajigasawa Itou Farm began with the dream of keeping the itou alive. In 1987 the first fish were hatched and began to grow. It was the first time itou had been in Aomori since before World War II. As the fish grew, a serious problem began to surface: inbreeding. The broodstock was just too few in number and many of their progeny were dying before reaching sexual maturity. Even worse, there was no new broodstock to be had in Japan.

Takayuki Kato had an idea how to solve it, but his plan had its own problems. Kato’s idea was to go to Sakhalin Island in Russia and get more broodstock. Hokkaido and Sakhalin used to be connected and the fish should have been able to interbreed, but it had never been done before. Russia did not agree to the idea; Japan also did not agree to the idea. Even with this, in 1996 Kato went to Sakhalin to capture wild itou.

At the end of the trip he brought back sperm and eggs. Kato used the eggs and sperm to see if the Russian itou and the Japanese itou were still close enough to breed.

THANKS TO KATO IT was discovered that the two strains of fish were indeed close enough to breed. With the newly fertilized eggs, the farm began to see clear improvements. But just as that problem was cleared up, another showed up in the form of water.

Fish began to die and get sick in the summer once the temperatures got too high for them. The farm had been using river water, but with new dams and an increase in water temperature, it was getting too hot for the fish.

The search was on for a water source that was warm enough in winter but also cool enough in summer. The adjacent Shirakami Mountains had just the cooler water they needed. A small weir was built to supply the farm with water and then it was piped in. It still feeds the farm today.

This was all recalled to me by Takahashi-san, the main worker

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Even short on time and despite frigid weather, it’s hard to keep our American Angler in Japan away from a river full of fish. “Fifteen minutes of fishing just wasn’t enough, but I had to get going,” Sawa writes. (LANCE SAWA)

now. He talked with so much pride about keeping these magnificent fish alive and all the care that went into them, as well as the hardships just getting started. I had called ahead and Takahashi-san happily showed me around, telling me stories about the phantom fish.

One story about itou was that the meaning of their name is demon fish and about how they truly live up to that. Even though they are fenced in, if any kind of animal gets into their water, the itou eat them. He has seen birds, raccoons and even monkeys

eaten by these fish.

I was first shown the market fish, which are 10 years old. Ten years before they are ready for market seems to be a long time. But the goal behind this whole endeavor was to be able to share itou with everyone.

Some of the fish are sent to museums and aquariums for shows and exhibits. Many are kept for broodstock, but most are sent to market for eating purposes and they are starting to become an Ajigasawa speciality product.

While one special albino itou was

34 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

allowed to grow, these fish are at a minimum 24 years old, with one this year dying at 31. Takahashi-san said it was sad to see it die because of the amount of care that goes into each fish. He laughed, though, and said her age in human years was about 110, so the fish had had a long life.

Lastly, I was shown fry born in 2020. Two large tanks in the small room held them. I had expected more and asked if that was all there was.

They explained to me that itou do not produce as many eggs as salmon because they don’t die after they spawn. They also spawn in the spring, not in fall like salmon.

The tiny fish were all swimming happily, though, and they looked to be in good health, without a single dead fish in sight.

The fish for the market were already gone by the time I had arrived, but Takahashi-san told me about a restaurant that received a fish just that morning.

It is always best to ask the locals about fishing spots and I asked him if he knew of any nearby. Most were done for the season, but he did show me one that should have fish, though there was no guarantee because of the weather. We talked a bit more before I wished him luck and thanked him for his time and all his hard work with these remarkable fish.

I PRAYED AT A nearby shrine for safety in the treacherous two-hour drive ahead of me. The fishing spot wasn’t far from the farm and I was able to find it, thanks to Takahashi-san’s directions.

A dead fish on the banks and another swimming not far from shore gave me hope. The one fish swam away the second I got too close, but I still tried for a bit. The cold wind bit at my face, but the clear water and white mountains called to me. Though not surprising, 15 minutes of fishing just wasn’t enough, but I had to get going.

Back in Aomori, after four hours of driving I was ready for dinner.

The small restaurant Takahashi-san mentioned was not hard to find and

the warm fireplace welcomed me wholeheartedly. With my body finally starting to warm and the snow still falling outside, I ordered; the assorted fish came out and everything looked great. But the two pieces of itou really stood out to me, and the thought of all the hard work that went into them had an impact.

Yes, the flavor and texture was wonderful. For a freshwater fish it tasted so clean. The oils stayed on my tongue just enough to enjoy, but not too long to be overwhelming.

The fish melted in my mouth like it was cooked, but it was rubbed with just a bit of salt, which made adding any soy sauce unnecessary. The other seafood was delicious and almost on par with the itou.

I saved the second piece of itou for last. It was just as great as the first piece. And the thought of that school of marvelous fish at the fish farm brought a smile to my face. CS

Back in town, a plate full of sushi, including some itou (front plate, center), tempted Sawa. It had him reflecting about all the hard work his new friends at the fish farm were doing. (LANCE SAWA)

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calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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FISHING

INCREASE YOUR DEPTH OF FOCUS WINTER FINDS SALTWATER BASS IN DEEPER WATER, AND HERE’S HOW TO TARGET THEM

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

A

s we head into 2021 and the dog days of January, I have started to fish a little deeper for sand bass and calicos off the Southern California coast.

Yes, you can always score some saltwater bass in the kelp, but as the waters of the Pacific cool, the bulk of the fish are off in deeper water on man-made artificial or natural structure. A lot of food is located in this deeper water – easy pickings for the bass. All it takes is bundling up a tad more and braving the cold of winter to fish. Come on, it’s Southern California for gosh sakes!

ELECTRONICS COME IN HANDY The day before I started writing this, I ventured onto the ocean to see if the salty bass would play. And I realized that the most important part of this type of fishing is a fish-finder.

Yes, you could drift all around, but the fish-finder is just that: a way of finding your target.

I run a Lowrance HDS Live 12 with amazing resolution, but many lowerpriced units have just as nice resolution nowadays, along with down-scan and side-scan sonar. This helps find even the smallest rockpiles or breaks in the contour of the bottom.

So while we were out there looking around, I found a large cloud

Author Bill Schaefer recently headed out to the Pacific to fish for saltwater bass, which generally move to deep water in colder winter conditions. Here, he shows off a nice sand bass caught off a natural drop-off in 100 feet of water. (BILL SCHAEFER) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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FISHING of bass hanging just off a natural drop-off that went from 80 to 110 feet of water. You will learn to recognize schools of fish and bait just by using your unit.

Calicos tend to look like the most classic marks we’ve all seen. If you see a ball of bait with streaks running all around and through it, then it can be bass feeding. Stop and give it a few lure drops.

The first mark I found looked right, but we couldn’t get a bite after a few drops, so we moved on. I’ve learned to never give up, though.

The bass may not be feeding, so find the area where the bait is and the fish are more active.

FINDING FISH

An umbrella rig baited with red swimbaits mimics a group of red crab, a favorite meal of bass in the Pacific. Schaefer says to note what fish you catch spit up, which will help better key in on color or bait types to use. (BILL SCHAEFER)

We traveled a few hundred yards south to another rockpile I had marked recently. Now, this is a great reason to have mapping on your fishfinding unit. It’s to your advantage to be able to mark spots and return to

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FISHING them later on or year after year.

The bait was there and the bass were feeding, as the streaks showed on my meter. We had numerous fish over the rails quickly and I had the big one that got away, but that’s another story. But seeing the bass on the meter enhances your confidence

and the excitement of catching fish.

Now that you found the fish, how do you catch them? The first thing to realize is where the bass are located in the water column. If they are up off the bottom feeding on a ball of baitfish, then you don’t want to throw a 2-ounce jighead with a

swimbait. It will rocket right past them and they’ll never even see it.

That said, you do have to take wind and current into account, but you don’t want to use any more weight than you have to. You want that bait to swim slowly by them on the way down. Then you can retrieve it at different speeds to see if the fish want it swimming slower or faster.

This technique will work no matter where the bass are depth-wise.

TACKLE CHECK For your tackle for this deep-water bass fishing, the tackle you use for kelp bed areas will work. For example, I use a Daiwa DXSB casting rod and Lexa reel with braid or Maxima 15- to 20-pound Ultragreen monofilament line. As I mentioned, jig heads will vary in weight.

Some like the braid because it lets you feel those bites easier when fishing in deep water. You can also use spinning gear if you like it. It is also better when you are being blown around a lot by the wind. Line drops off a spinning rod and reel easier, so it will sink to your spot instead of wanting to swing in towards the boat.

Those of you who are like me can use your trolling motor – I like my Motorguide Xi3 – and “anchor” in place over a spot with the GPS anchoring feature.

LOOKING FOR A GOOD MEAL

Once the bass school up in deep water it can be great for catching 2-pound calicos like Capt. Kelvin Nettleton shows off. (BILL SCHAEFER) 40 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

When you bring a fish up, they will usually spit up what they have been eating. Red crab, various shrimp, octopus, squid, mackerel, sardine or anchovy are all favorites of saltwater bass. Keep an eye out, as it just may tell you what color or type of bait to throw.

On our trip, the fish we caught were spitting up red crab, so we went with that and a lighter jig head, and our baits just fluttered down slowly, like a red crab drifting with the tides.

We had a great day on the water and so can you. Give it a try and you’ll be fishing salty bass as a year-round fun fest. CS

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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F

HUNTING

FROM FIELD...

JAYDEN’S SPECIAL ADVENTURE 12-YEAR-OLD BATTLING CANCER EXPERIENCES MEMORABLE HUNTS

By Scott Haugen

A

s I write these words early on Thanksgiving morning – alone, in my office where it’s quiet and my family is still asleep – the sun has yet to rise. The coffee is brewing and I eagerly anticipate that first cup as I reflect on the year 2020.

The world is in the middle of a pandemic, our country is in political and social turmoil, plus global climates are shifting. Then there are the personal issues we all face.

Still, each and every morning we get out of bed and push forward, hoping that one day the world will return to normalcy. Such is not the case for 12-year-old Jayden Oaks, who is fighting a tough battle with colon cancer. It’s a rare diagnosis in such a young person.

Jayden lives near Red Bluff with his 10-year-old brother and their grandmother, Jane, who is their legal guardian. Ten days prior to Thanksgiving, their grandmother lost her husband, who passed after a brief battle with a terrible disease.

Three days after her husband’s death, Jane was determined to take Jayden and his brother hunting for a Thanksgiving turkey.

“I offered to cancel the hunt,” shares Donn Walgamuth, the man

A truly magnificent buck taken by 12-year-old cancer patient Jayden Oaks. This was Jayden’s ultimate dream hunt, one in which many people devoted much time and effort to help it come true. (DONN WALGAMUTH) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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HUNTING

... TO FIRE

Did you harvest a post-Thanksgiving turkey?

Tiffany Haugen has a great recipe to try out in the new year. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

NEW YEAR, NEW DELICIOUS TURKEY DISH

By Tiffany Haugen

L

ooking to prepare the perfect meal with that harvested wild turkey from December? This is it! Taken in the fall or spring season, free-range wild turkeys are some of the best game birds you’ll find for the table. The key to success when cooking any wild turkey is to not treat it as you would a store-bought, domesticated turkey.

Wild turkey meat is very lean and should not be overcooked. Before cooking, ensure all shot is removed from the breast meat, including any feathers that may have been carried into the wound channels. Remove any bloodshot meat and sinew, especially from around the shoulder. The bird’s tenderloin can be included in this recipe that includes cranberry and citrus glaze.

One skinless, wild turkey breast 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt

STUFFING 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup Italian sausage ½ cup diced onion ½ cup diced celery ¼ cup chopped cranberries 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 cup dry bread cubes ½ cup turkey or chicken stock One egg, beaten

GLAZE ¼ cup butter ½ cup cranberry sauce ½ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons lemon and/or lime juice 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar 2 teaspoons orange, lemon and/or lime zest Clean any silver skin, fat or sinuous tissues from the turkey breast. On a sturdy, flat surface place turkey breast between two large sheets of waxed paper. Using a meat mallet or heavy skillet, pound turkey breast to ¼ inch to 1/3 inch thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt. In a large skillet, cook sausage, onion and celery in olive oil on medium-high heat until sausage is fully cooked. Add cranberries,

44 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

seasonings and dry bread cubes and sauté a few more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in bread cubes and beaten egg and mix until combined.

Prepare a baking sheet with a layer of foil. Spread stuffing mixture evenly over turkey breast. Roll – long ways – placing on foil, seam-side down. Cover lightly with foil and place in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 20 minutes.

While turkey is cooking, mix all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium and continue to cook five to 10 minutes or until glaze begins to thicken.

After turkey has cooked for 20 minutes, remove foil and baste with a few tablespoons of glaze and return uncovered to the oven for five minutes. Continue to baste turkey with glaze every five minutes until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Cooking time should be 35 to 40 minutes total.

Let turkey sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. CS Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, visit scotthaugen .com for this and other titles.

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HUNTING from Redding who, through the California Deer Association, met Jayden a few months prior when he took the young man on his dream hunt for deer. “But the grandmother refused, saying this was a time for her and her grandsons to be together.”

Donn is just one of the many players in this story, for were it not for the heartfelt efforts of so many people – including guides, outfitters, landowners,

hunting organizations, and many more – Jayden’s dreams would not have been realized. But this isn’t about those people, or how the hunts unfolded. This is about what happens when a passion to do the right thing opens doors, and minds, to bigger things in life.

FOR THE LAST 19 years, Donn has helped disabled hunters. “You know the funny thing about these hunts?”

Donn asked me. “They always end in success, and the best part is, family is usually around, making for indelible memories. If that’s not a testimony to God working in our lives, I don’t know what is.”

The day Jayden shot his Thanksgiving turkey was a day I was to join Donn on a wildlife photography trip.

Donn called and asked if we could reschedule, as he wanted to take Jayden hunting after a last-minute opportunity arose. Donn, Jayden, Jayden’s brother and Jane met guide Perry Cremeans, who successfully guided the 12-year-old to his first turkey.

“I talked with Jane this week, and they were all excited,” shares Donn.

“She made it a point to have an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner each evening of the week because they had so much to be thankful for. The turkey didn’t last long and they all loved it, along with some of the venison and wild boar Jayden took in October.”

On that October deer hunt – Jayden’s ultimate dream hunt – the window of opportunity came at midmonth, about the most challenging time to take a blacktail buck.

“No one cared how big of a buck Jayden got; everyone involved in the hunt just wanted him to have a fun experience and close the deal with a clean, ethical shot,” Donn reflects.

“After two days of hunting and not seeing a single deer, I was getting concerned. Then a coyote stepped out at 125 yards, and Jayden made a perfect shot. He was so excited and his shot placement reaffirmed this young man was an excellent shot.”

THE NEXT MORNING THE crew was at it

The Red Bluff lad’s smile says it all as he hoists his first coyote, taken near Redding.

(DONN WALGAMUTH)

46 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

again, and finally they spotted two small bucks bedded several hundred yards away. As they made a game plan and started their approach, a nicesized boar slithered out of the brush bordering a creek. Jayden had a pig tag and really wanted one for his family to eat. Again, a perfect, one-shot kill.

By the time they got the pig fielddressed and hanging in a cool place,

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

47

HUNTING the bedded bucks were gone.

“I was really beginning to worry because the conditions were very hot and deer just weren’t moving in daylight,” Donn recalls.

“Then, the following morning, we all said a prayer to help find Jayden a buck, and at daylight we found it.

It was a monster, and it was bedded beneath a single oak tree on a rolling hillside. The crew made a stalk and got Jayden within comfortable shooting range, setting him up in a prone position. (He was) rock-solid with shooting bags and a bipod rest.”

For two hours they remained there and waited for the buck to stand and present a shot.

“Jayden felt really confident,” Donn says. “He dry-fired the gun several times and was very calm and collected, but excited. During that time we

whispered, laughed and shared stories.

He asked how I got into hunting, and I shared the story of the man who took me when I was young, as I, like Jayden, didn’t have anyone in my family who hunted. Jayden was enthralled by the story, and at the end, asked where the man was. ‘Well, he passed away due to cancer, and now he’s with Jesus,’ I said. ‘He’s with God, too!’”

It was a surreal moment, one where the hunt became secondary to sharing life stories. When the buck finally stood, Jayden made a perfect shot. And yes, the deer was a monster.

It was one Perry Cremeans had spent two months guiding other hunters for.

“I truly believe that God somehow picks people with the best character in the world to go through these trials and tribulations,” says Donn about Jayden’s battle with cancer. “This kid is sick, real

One perfectly placed shot was all it took for Jayden to secure this boar. It’s an animal he, his brother and grandmother enjoyed eating for weeks to come. (DONN WALGAMUTH)

48 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

sick, yet he wanted to jump out of the ATV and open every gate. He was always commenting on how beautiful the land was and how much he enjoyed seeing the cows on the ranch we hunted. When my wife joined us for a hunt one day, he hopped out of the front seat and got in the back, offering his seat to her. For a 12-year-old to be that aware and kind-hearted is amazing, especially in his situation.”

“And not once did he complain, fall asleep or look at his phone. He enjoyed every moment in nature, and (cherished it) with the people who surrounded him. He never showed sadness or weakness, and appreciated every moment.

The time we spent

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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HUNTING together, hunting, was so peaceful.”

“He enjoyed every moment in nature … with the people who surrounded him,” guide Donn Walgamuth says of Jayden’s hunt, adding of his cancer battle, “He never showed sadness or weakness, and appreciated every moment. The time we spent together, hunting, was so peaceful.”

Jayden continues his fight. (DONN WALGAMUTH)

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AT THE TIME I wrote this, Jayden’s prognosis was unknown. Each week the doctors ask if he wants to keep fighting it, and each week he responds with a resounding “Yes!” At the culmination of their hunts, Donn and all the other adults who helped make the opportunities possible agreed that they benefited more from being with Jayden than Jayden likely did from filling a few tags.

That’s hunting. So often the actual hunt pales in comparison to the life lessons we learn along the way.

May you all enjoy your life and future hunting and fishing trips as we head into a new year. And keep Jayden in your thoughts. CS Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a full-time author. To learn more about his books on hunting, fishing, and cooking game and fish, visit scotthaugen.com.

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2021 California Sportsman

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HUNTING

THE TWO-MINUTE DRILL

By Scott Haugen

S

“

o, how much time should I dedicate to training my dog each day?” asked a gentleman, following a long conversation we’d just had on the topic.

“Well, that depends,” I replied.

“Are you looking to train your dog and keep him in shape, or teach him discipline, or both?”

“Discipline!” the man said, without hesitation. “My dog is in great shape but does so many things that annoy me, like jumping on people when they come over, not sitting when I say, not staying put when it should, not retrieving to hand upon command, not wanting to get in its kennel each night, and ...”

I interrupted him and asked how he’d been training his dog over the past 18 months, since it came into his life as a puppy.

What I concluded was the owner thought of training time as a single, elaborate interaction where intensity was the name of the game. While this may be true for some conditioning drills, such vigor is not needed when teaching a dog how to behave. In fact, short and sweet disciplined training sessions are a rule for me, as is carrying out consistent commands throughout the day.

“If I were you, I’d keep doing the conditioning part of your training, but think about changing up your obedience training,” I suggested.

“For instance, I condition my dogs about 90 minutes a day – 45 minutes either before breakfast or one hour after they’ve eaten, and another 45 minutes in the evening – every day.

I also do obedience training, and that lasts about two minutes a day.”

You should have seen the look on the man’s face.

“Two minutes? What?” he inquisitively asked.

Professional dog trainer Josh Powell continually applies discipline and maintains control during work sessions.

He’s quick to praise a dog, and clearly and consistently communicates his expectations. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

I told him how I think of obedience training as a two-minute drill, like in football. We used to practice this all the time in high school and college, and it’s basically a fast, short version of regular practice. The only difference is the level

of intensity and the short duration.

During these football drills, you have to be very focused in order to succeed, and this maximizes your long-term memory of what it is you’re learning. The same is true with your

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HUNTING dog during short training sessions.

I LIKE WALKING my dogs and issuing a command to heel, then suddenly giving the command to sit. I’ll have them stay, then I’ll move forward a few steps, then give them a hand signal along with a verbal cue to come to me.

Then they either sit or heel, depending on what I instruct them to do.

The drills and commands are always changing, as I never want a dog to get bored or anticipate what’s coming. One day we do it in the driveway, the next in the yard, a field, in the hills, along a river bottom, or on brushy hillsides, even inside the house on a rainy day or after dark if we didn’t get to it during the day.

My goal in the two-minute drill is to maintain constant eye contact with my dogs (don’t wear sunglasses or a hat that shades your eyes) and get them to immediately respond to my verbal cues and hand signals.

The key to success is clear, consistent communication and reprimanding them the instant they fail to comply; also be sure to issue quick verbal praise when they do good. If you’d like, you can give your dog a small treat when they do well. Personally, I never give treats when training, as I want the dog’s desire to please me and receive verbal praise to be the driving force behind what they do and why they do it.

“But what about when I’m

A two-minute drill can involve many trainable moments, including getting a dog to sit, maintain eye contact, and respond to verbal commands, as well as hand signals. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 54 California Sportsman JANUARY 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com

conditioning my dogs? I’m doing obedience training then, too, right?” asked the man.

It was an excellent question and I knew right then this guy got it. Fact is, obedience training never stops, even during physical training or, for that matter, from the time your dog wakes up to when it goes to bed.

When letting it out of the kennel in the morning, a controlled exit is the priority. Same for when you open the door for it to go potty; it should be a calm exit, not a violent charge.

When you feed your dog, you’re giving orders for it to maintain control and not jump, run, bark or whine until it gets what it wants.

When company comes over, or someone is in the kitchen, or you go for a ride or a walk, you should continually be directing your dog to do the right thing.

So, yes, the man was right; obedience training is a never-ending process. What the two-minute drill does is it sets aside a specific time for you to teach your dog the commands and signals you want it to respond to. Taught in a controlled situation, obedience training allows a dog to learn with and without distractions.

It shows the dog you mean business and expect fast compliance. Quickly the dog will understand and respond more readily when you give it a command anytime, anywhere.

Be certain all family members are on the same page with commands, hand signals and maintaining eye contact. This is to ensure the dog receives the same messages from different people throughout the day, thereby allowing it the chance to properly respond. And remember, if a dog doesn’t get it, it’s usually the teacher’s fault, so constantly evaluate your teaching style and pay attention to how commands are issued. CS Editor’s note: To watch Scott Haugen’s series of puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.