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Sportsman

California Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 6 • Issue 7 PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Brittany Boddington LEAD WRITER Tim E. Hovey CONTRIBUTORS Bill Adelman, Jon Baiocchi, Steve Carson, Jason Davis, Jason Haley, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Luke Kelly, Jeff Lund, Albert Quackenbush, Bill Schaefer, Mike Stevens SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Becca Ellingsworth, Mamie Griffin, Steve Joseph, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Beth Harrison, Sonjia Kells, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum PRODUCTION MANAGER John Rusnak PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Kelly Baker INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro

FREE SHIPPING to California Sportsman Readers

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn CIRCULATION MANAGER Heidi Belew ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com.

ON THE COVER Even in low-water years, Northern California reservoirs such as Shasta Lake will continue to spit out hefty spotted bass like this one, caught

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MEDIA INC PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 7

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 15 23 29 39

61 67

81 95 97 99

87

107 117

HEAD NORTH FOR BIG BASS We’re covering California bass fishing from one end of the state to the other this issue, and have tips and hot spots for hauling in NorCal and SoCal lunkers. Leading us off, our newest contributor, Jason Haley, breaks down five top-notch fisheries, including Trinity Lake, where he caught these beauties. (JASON HALEY)

Tales of a Biologist: Bizarre items found in the field A bass tournament for law enforcement personnel Bizarre history of Golden State gun law Q&A with archery company owner Howard Winther From Field to Fire: Finding the right trout boat; Salt-crusted trout recipe California dreamin’: Outfit your fishing boat right!

Catch bass and trout at the Bay Area’s Lake Del Valle California Sportsman-sponsored Clear Lake Team Classic bass tourney is this month Double-digit-sized largemouth biting in Southern California El Niño encore: Another wild summer in the Pacific ahead?

Wide-open San Diego yellowtail bite How to hunt feral boars’ beds

DEPARTMENTS 13 37 37

41

The Editor’s Note The Dishonor Roll: A French connection comes through for CDFW Outdoor Calendar Daiwa, Browning Photo Contest winners

FEATURES 43

FINDING MIDDLE GROUND Far away from the touristy crowd that flocks to Lake Tahoe, Plumas County, just to the north in the Sierras, features spectacular scenery and some epic trout fishing. Guide Jon Baiocchi takes us on a tour of the Middle Fork of the Feather River, which is a fly angler’s paradise for spring trout that clock in between 16 and 24 inches.

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THE RAFT PACK Jeff Lund is a native Alaskan who spent time as a teacher in California’s Central Valley before heading back to work in the Last Frontier. But he tries to get back to the Lower 48 each year and reunite with his Golden

State buddies to cast flies in search of hungry trout. During a spring break trip, Lund led a pack raft expedition down the Sacramento River with fly rod in hand. It was a bit of an adventure finding enough water to get going on, but fun always seems to be on the lesson plan for this crew.

109

BACK TO PASO ROBLES Our Urban Huntress, Los Angelesbased Brittany Boddington, has taken us on journeys to Africa, Macedonia and Spain for hunts that will be featured on the TV show filmed with her dad, Craig, The Boddington Experience. But this Californian hasn’t forgotten her roots.

She and Craig return to the scene

of her first-ever hunt for pigs, Paso Robles. It was just as thrilling this time for the Boddingtons, who score a big tusker and a meat pig.

129

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND Our SoCal Bowhunter columnist Al Quackenbush opens his time capsule and recalls a simpler time. The Long Beach resident grew up on a farm in sleepy but quaint upstate New York, and surrounded by lush forests where whitetail deer flourished.

When 14-year-old Al went out for his first solo hunt as dad tended the farm, he came face to face with a buck – did his training and target practice prepare him for the biggest shot of his young life?

California Sportsman goes digital!

Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. Only $1.89 an issue. 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. Send address changes to California Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues), 2-year subscription are $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 3829220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues are available at Media Index Publishing Group offices at the cost of $5 plus shipping. 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 © 2015 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. 10 California Sportsman MAY 2015

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12 California Sportsman MAY 2015

THEEDITOR’SNOTE

Pink shirts that help raise awareness of breast cancer have become a tournament tradition wardrobe choice for the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Association Bass Tournament brain trust – tournament organizer and deputy Ken Konopa (center), his dad Don (left) and Dave Huber.

(SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION)

hen May rolls around, specifically in and around Mother’s Day, it’s always a bittersweet moment.

My family lost Mom to breast cancer in September 2007. And while I have wonderful memories, I’ll forever question if I could have been a better son. But I don’t have the luxury to ask her and get a proper answer now that almost eight years have passed.

Which leads me to my story this month on Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Ken Konopa, who has tirelessly worked over the years to put on a bass tournament at Clear Lake for law enforcement personnel.

As the story goes, each year of the tournament has included a raffle. A few tournaments ago, Wrangler donated three pink cancer awareness khaki shirts. Ken, his dad Don, and Ken’s top assistant in coordinating the event, Dave Huber, all purchased raffle tickets.

“Wouldn’t you believe it that the three of us each individually won one of the pink cancer awareness shirts!” Ken says. “We knew it was a sign and we wore them the following day for the weigh-in. We have since worn them every year during the event.”

Ken lost an aunt to pancreatic cancer two years ago, and his mother-in-law battled leukemia (fortunately, it’s now in remission), so like just about all of us, he too has been affected by this dreadful disease.

The Sonoma County Deputy Sheriff’s Association 11th Annual Bass Tournament has partnered with a charitable organization, Casting for Recovery (castingforrecovery.org), which takes breast cancer patients on therapeutic fly-fishing trips.

“Anything I can do to support the patients going through the disease is something I’m passionate about,” says Ken. “Casting for Recovery’s program is fabulous, and the fact that fishing is incorporated into the program makes it just perfect for my event.”

Keep up the good work, Ken. My mom is rooting for you.

W

–Chris Cocoles

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LOST AND FOUND

OF A BIOLOGIST

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MAY FIND IN THE FIELD

By Tim E. Hovey

s soon as I saw the items hanging head-high in the path, I knew exactly what they were.

Having fished all my life, I had seen them thousands of times before. What sent a surge of panic through me was why someone would hang a half-dozen trebles along a trail in the middle of nowhere.

The hanging hooks were a warning and we backed out of the area. A few years later, I would be working nearby while a sheriff’s helicopter made countless trips over that same canyon, lifting bundles of marijuana out of the upper portion of the creek. I don’t know how close we were to the illegal plantation, but I know leaving was the right move.

Over a lifetime of working and playing outside, I have found some seriously strange things in the backcountry – animal oddities, primitive shelters and things that just defy explanation. Most of these discoveries can be considered humorous or fascinating, but on a few occasions, like along that trail, I’ve realized that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Despite the close calls, the majority of these discoveries are nothing more than interesting memories from a career spent in California’s wilds. Here are a few of the more unusual finds:

A wandering cow from a nearby ranch suffered its end in the notch of a tree trunk. (TIM E. HOVEY)

A

ANIMAL ODDITIES Death in the animal kingdom is almost always violent. Wildlife doesn’t die in its sleep or of old age. Predators usually easily pick off weak animals, and this mode of death is never peaceful or executed quickly. And occasionally, I find evidence that suggests that the dead animal may have had a lot to do with

its own death.

A few years back, I was walking the perimeter of a small pond that was slated for restoration. I was there to evaluate the overall plan and to get a general idea of the species composition of the area. I was on the far side of the lake when I spotted something near the bank. When I first spotted the item, I was convinced it was a dead bird, but its manner of death completely stunned me.

The cormorant looked like it hadn’t been dead very long and looked to have died in a serious struggle. Feathers and scuffed dirt surrounded the scene. I’ve seen this species of fish-eating bird swallow some very large specimens over the years, but this particular bird definitely bit off way more than it could swallow. The dead bird had a large fish lodged in its throat, clearly obstructing its ability to breathe or swallow. The spines of the fish were flared out and kept the bird from re-

The author found this dead cormorant with a rather large fish it tried to make a meal of, but the bird appeared to have literally bitten off more than it could chew. (TIM E. HOVEY)

gurgitating the fish.

Larger animals are not immune to making a life-ending mistake. During a pig hunt in 2012, I was walking an old MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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OF A BIOLOGIST

fire road when I detected a strong odor of decay. I left the road towards the smell to see what it was. What I found left me shaking my head.

The smell was coming from an oak tree, where the trunk was split into a Y-shape about 3 feet above the ground.

The ground around one side of the tree was completely rubbed down to the dirt, with no vegetation visible. The dead animal had ripped up the terrain around the tree. Now still and in decay, the evidence told of a lost struggle for life. The rest of the story was told by the cow’s head, firmly caught in the crotch of the tree.

I walked up and noticed a tag in the cow’s ear. I made a note of the number and decided to let the rancher know that one of the herd wouldn’t be coming back.

THE LIFE AQUATIC Another part of my job is to remove nonnative aquatic species in areas that will benefit native fauna. The most wanted species on my list is the common bullfrog. Brought into California over 100 years ago as a potential food source, the hopping mouth has decimated native species wherever it now exists. Armed with spotlights and frog gigs, we wade the ponds and streams at night and remove as many of the exotic frogs as we can.

Pancakes, anyone? After the author found this wallet with no identification but almost $200 in bills and coins, he treated his group to breakfast.

(TIM E. HOVEY)

16 California Sportsman MAY 2015

This is quite a massive frog that was found on a survey.

The 4-pounder had swallowed two smaller bullfrogs. (TIM E. HOVEY)

During one of our evening frog raids we encountered the largest frog I have ever seen. Bullfrogs average about half of a pound, with large specimens closing in on a full pound. That evening we had already collected a dozen smaller frogs when I spotted a pair of eyes in the reeds.

I waded closer and kept the bright light pointed at the frog’s eyes. I raised the gig and jabbed into the frog’s head.

When I went to lift it out of the water, I thought I had caught the gig in the reeds. I felt the frog struggle at the end of the gig, so I reached down to grab it.

Perhaps the aerobic workout of a good stiff hike led the owner of these VHS tapes – and a prescription for medical marijuana – to ditch the contents from their pack. (TIM E. HOVEY)

When I pulled it from the water, I was absolutely sure I had just gigged a different species.

The frog weighed 4 pounds and had two other smaller bullfrogs in its belly.

I have conducted many exotic removal surveys over the years, but I have never collected a frog anywhere close to the size of the one we caught that night.

Most of my work is centered near water and, at times, I need to get into water to do a species assessment. I hike in with a pack, suit up in a wetsuit and then jump in. During my time in the stream, my pack is usually left near the bank unattended.

On one particular trip I had just finished up surveying a small pool. I changed out of my wetsuit, grabbed my pack and hiked back to the truck.

As I drove home, the pack sat on the seat next to me the entire time. When I pulled into my driveway, I grabbed my gear and placed it in the garage. I was about to head inside the house when I noticed that my pack was moving.

Before I opened it, I gently kicked at it, hoping not to hear the sound of a rattlesnake. Hearing nothing, I carefully opened up the pack and found a 3-foot-

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This nonvenomous snake must’ve slithered into my pack during my survey.

I kept him for a few days in an aquarium until I was out near where I had conducted the snorkel survey and could release the snake near the creek. After that, I made sure that whenever I left my pack on shore, it was zipped shut.

STRANGE FINDS

Somebody put some time into building this Grizzly Adams-type cabin deep in the California backcountry. (TIM E. HOVEY)

18 California Sportsman MAY 2015

The wildlife discoveries are always interesting, but the items left out in the wild by humans are definitely my favorite finds.

During a dove hunt last year, I was walking near a canal looking for a downed bird. The flight had slowed and I was taking my time searching through the large tumbleweeds in the area.

I hadn’t seen anything and started heading back to my blind. Close to the canal, I spotted a purple object half bur-

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ied in the dirt. At first I thought it was a discarded beer cozy, but when I picked it up, I noticed it was a Velcro wallet.

I walked back to our blind and decided to open it up there. The coin pouch had two dollars in quarters inside. I think I would’ve been happy with that. I slowly opened the billfold and noticed several dirty $1 bills. The money was stuck together and filthy.

As I carefully peeled back the bills, the denominations began to rise. When all was said and done, the wallet contained $179 in bills, the two dollars in coins and nothing else. With no way to trace it back to the owner, I treated our hunting group to breakfast at IHOP. Occasionally, the items I find don’t make a lot of sense to me. During a creek survey last year, I was cutting a

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new trail back to the truck when I spotted a few items in a small clearing. Two VHS tapes looked to be arranged near a small, black circular container. The videos were exercise videos and the container was an empty medical marijuana container, complete with the “patient’s” name stamped on the label. The items didn’t look discarded – they looked placed. It made me wonder if the patient, “Richard,” decided to head to the wilderness for an aerobic workout, and then got distracted by his medicine.

One thing that constantly amazes me is the effort that some people will go through to construct a shelter out in the middle of nowhere. These structures don’t appear to be temporary builds, but in actuality pretty substantial forts constructed of logs and sticks from the surrounding area.

I’ve come across quite a few of these crude cabins in the wilderness.

One in particular was built out of

heavy logs – each one secured with a foot-long metal spike. It was lifted off the ground, had steps, four walls and a roof. Another smaller shelter nearby apparently served as an outhouse.

The structure was littered with graffiti, hearts and drawn animal prints. It definitely took some time and effort to construct.

MORE STRANGE DISCOVERIES I’m sure that I will continue to discover strange things out in the wild. I’m hopeful that I won’t stumble on anymore marijuana grows. However, I understand that the same remote places where I conduct species surveys are also where illegal activity can best be hidden.

The animal oddities and the strange items are all part of spending so much time in the outdoors. I’m sure I’ll find plenty more in time. However, it will be tough to top a 4-pound bullfrog and a wallet full of cash. CS

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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At the height of the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriff’s Association Bass Tournament’s 11-year run, 59 boats were entered. Even after the recession reduced the number of participants, the event still draws almost 40 boats full of law enforcement and public service employees each spring to Clear Lake. (SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION)

Ken Konopa grew up in San Diego, but after graduating from Sonoma State, he remained in the north Bay Area as a deputy sheriff for Sonoma County. Bass fishing has been a lifelong passion for him. (SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION)

!

BASSIN’, TOURNEY A PASSION FOR COP SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY PUTS ON ANNUAL CLEAR LAKE BASS TOURNAMENT

By Chris Cocoles en Konopa remembers those days spent on his dad’s boat, casting endless hours for Southern California bass.

Now all the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office deputy wants to do is get his colleagues hooked on largemouth

K

fishing. It’s why Konopa is still tirelessly working to put on his department’s 11th annual bass tournament, which is scheduled for May 7 and 8 at Clear Lake. It’s become a labor of love for Konopa to organize this event that’s open to police and fire department employees, plus public safety workers and the military.

“Of course I have helpers who do a

lot to help me, but ultimately it’s kind of my baby,” Konopa says of the event, officially known as the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriff’s Association Bass Tournament (sonomacountydsa.org/ bass-tournament-2015.html).

“It kind of started small and it’s gotten large – well, pretty large.”

And given his background in fishing, that’s just the way Konopa wants it.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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MIXED BAG FISHING WITH DAD Konopa is originally from San Diego and had the genes to be an outdoorsman. His father, Don, spent 45 years in the boat-repair business.

“There wasn’t a lot of hunting (in San Diego) between all the buildings,” Konopa says with a laugh, “but my dad was always a fisherman. We went out and fished in the ocean a million times.

We’d go to Mexico all the time, and my dad also owned a lake boat, so I grew up fishing.”

The deep sea excursions were full of excitement with friends who also tagged along. But the more intimate experiences were when father and son hitched the lake boat and caught bass together.

“When we were out on the ocean there would be four or five of us on the boat. It wasn’t quite the same experience,” says Konopa, who has a bass fishing theme as his home email address.

“But when we were bass fishing, you were always doing stuff – you’re always changing lures, always trying to figure out the fish. And you’re always moving around. Ocean fishing is pretty much putting the food on the table. Trolling all day for eight hours gets a little boring to me.”

Such a demeanor was also beneficial to how Konopa chose his profession. Many law enforcement careers are based on genealogy, with sons and daughters of cops following in their family’s footsteps. Not in this case;

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Bass topping 10 pounds have been regularly weighed in over the course of the two-day event annually held on Clear Lake, one of the state’s top largemouth fisheries. (SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION)

no previous generations of Konopas served in the field.

“When I went to the academy on my very first day and we talked about our backgrounds, there were 50 people in the class and I was one of two who didn’t have family backgrounds in law enforcement,” he says. “It was just one of those things where it was something I always wanted to do.”

Essentially, if his passion for a certain genre of fishing was going to parallel his career choice, Konopa didn’t want to pursue a job equivalent to simply dunking a nightcrawler and waiting for something below the surface to bite it as he sat back in a lawn chair. He wanted something more.

Wanting to go north for college, Konopa chose Sonoma State and earned a degree in criminal justice.

His first job was with the nearby San Rafael Police Department before eventually settling in with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, which he’s been with for almost 15 years now.

Participants of course want to win by catching the biggest limit of bass, but “The whole the bottom line for this tournament is to bring together police, sheriff, fire and other public service workers, and to have fun. “It’s all about having a cop thing – I like good time,” Konopa says. (SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION) to be challenged.

24 California Sportsman MAY 2015

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Being a cop and bass fisherman is kind of the same thing, in a way,” he says with a laugh.

BRING ON THE TOURNEY After few years on the job in Sonoma (he works out of that city, while the department’s home base is in Santa Rosa), Konopa and three fishing buddies teamed up and split themselves into two boats for a friendly competition on a local lake.

“We said, ‘All right, we’ll all throw in $20.’ We did it and (my team) ended up winning. That following year, I started thinking about and wondered if we could put together a bass tournament,” Konopa says. “There were guys who bass fished at the sheriff’s office.

Cops like to bass fish, and so do firemen and we’re all public safety. So we could probably get more people if we add firemen.”

That first tournament saw all of nine boats take to the waters of Clear Lake, just northeast of Sonoma County. Lakeport’s launching facilities and the tournament’s official hotel, Skylark Shores Resort (800-675-6151l; lakeportskylarkshores.com) have made for convenient places to hold the event.

The hotel essentially closes up for the two days and leaves blocks of rooms for the participants.

“The excellent bass fishing plus the amenities (is hard to pass up),” Konopa

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Bass are checked between livewell and weigh-in. Over the tournament’s history, only one outing has really been a disappointment, and that was mostly due to wind and rain. (SONOMA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION)

A barbecue for all the participants is part of the festivities. “I’ve had people for 11 years coming here, so there’s no way I can stop now,” Konopa says.

says. “They take care of us.”

At the height of the tournament’s participation, before the recession in the last 2000s, 59 boats were entered.

Still, most years the boat totals remain impressively around the high 30s.

The tournament previously lasted just a day, but the consensus seemed to be to add a day and make it a getaway overnight trip, and that has been popular. Vacation time gets planned around this event, which takes place on a Thursday and Friday this year. But participants will have the flexibility of fishing both days or just for one day.

And the turnout now includes probation officers, local and state fire officers and prison guards. Military personnel are being officially invited as well this year. Mostly, the anglers hail from offices in the Bay Area and Northern California, but there is a diehard group that makes the trek down Interstate 80 from Reno every year.

“We’ve even had guys who’ve come all the way from Seattle (Police Department). So we have some coming from pretty good distances, and they were saying, ‘It’s great to come down for the tournament, and since we’re driving all this way, why don’t you make it two days?’” Konopa says.

Most years the fishing has been outstanding for the participants. Konopa remembers one tournament where wind and heavy rain slowed down the 26 California Sportsman MAY 2015

fishing, but there are high hopes for the norm, when plenty of fish in the 10-pound range have been part of the daily weigh-in. A 14-pounder-andchange is the largest fish caught in the 11-year run.

“I get a lot of people telling me it’s by far the most fun tournament they’ll do all year,” Konopa says.

HAVE FUN FIRST This idea wasn’t designed to create a police vs. fire department competition or its own version of fish wars. It’s always been meant for a fun, couple days for law enforcement types to catch some bass, enjoy some good food and take a break from their hectic and stressful occupations.

“So many of these tournaments are crazy-competitive and nobody’s having fun because you’re trying to win. Of course people want to win some money. But we’re all good guys; we’re all in public safety, so it’s all about having a good time,” Konopa says.

“We get a lot of bad press (in law enforcement). And doing the job has changed dramatically. We have a lot of Sacramento guys who come down who say they aren’t able to do anything else together. They work in the same department, and they’re friends. Yet this tournament brings them all together every year. Stuff like that is really cool.”

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Asso-

ciation has partnered with a nonprofit organization, Casting For Recovery (see Editor’s Note on page 13) that receives proceeds from an annual raffle during the tournament.

Konopa knows that when the time comes to do the heavy lifting and planning for the event, it can be time-consuming to make phone calls, secure donations for the raffle and fill out the piles of paperwork – law enforcement officials are no stranger to that last chore.

He purchased a new bass boat 1½ years ago, but with a wife and two kids, plus a demanding work schedule, getting out on the lake for more than twice a month on his favorite fisheries like Lake Berryessa is unrealistic. So despite the grunt work required to put this tournament together, it’s well worth it for the end result of F-U-N. “I get so many emails asking me, ‘When’s the tournament?’ So there are plenty of days when I think, ‘Man, this is so much work.’ But again, it goes back to supporting Casting For Recovery, hanging out with my buddies and so many people that I know now. I’ve had people for 11 years coming here, so there’s no way I can stop now.” CS Editor’s note: To see more photos from past tournaments and for more information, go to http://sonomacountydsa.org/ bass-tournament-2015.html.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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A COMPLEX HISTORY DIGGING INTO CALIFORNIA’S FIREARM LAWS TIMELINE Editor’s note: The following was first printed on the website calgunsfoundation.org, and is being reprinted with permission.

By Jason Davis alifornia has one of the most, if not the most, complex and convoluted regulatory structures relating to firearms in the U.S. The system created by the legislature has been a thorn in the side of those who must comply with the law and those who must enforce it.

After the passage of the state’s “assault weapon” laws, Sen. Don Rogers described confusion among law enforcement with the new law in a letter to Gov. George Deukmejian, re: Sen. Bill No. 2444 (1989-1990 Reg. Sess.) Aug. 23, 1990:

C

“I am writing to request your signature on SB 2444, which would enable law enforcement personnel in the field the means to be able to recognize what actually is or is not an “assault weapon,” as defined under state law ... Unfortunately, a great many law enforcement officers who deal directly with the public are not experts in specific firearms identification ...

There are numerous makes and models of civilian military-looking semi-automatic firearms which are not listed by California as “assault weapons” but which are very similar in external appearance. This situation sets the stage for honest law-enforcement mistakes resulting in unjustified confiscations of non-assault weapon firearms. Such mistakes, although innocently made, could easily result in unnecessary, time-consuming, and costly legal actions both for law enforcement and for the lawful firearms owners affected.”

The confusion was not limited to law enforcement alone. In Rash v. Lungren (1997) 59 Cal.App.4th 1233, it became

clear that judges were equally confused.

Perhaps California Appeals Court Justice William Bedsworth, writing about firearm laws, said it best: “At first blush, the statutes seem impenetrable. Reading them is hard, writing about them arduous, reading about them probably downright painful. The As governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger told state Sen. Jack Scott, “Instead of (complexity) makes for adding to the lengthy and complex area of firearm laws, a reorganization of the current laws should be undertaken to ensure that statutes that impose tough sledding. As Al- criminal penalties are easily understandable.” (NATE MANDOS/WIKIMEDIA) fred North Whitehead area of the law than to protect children. wrote of rationalism, the effort is, itself, an Before a government exercises its power to adventure in the clarification of thought.” take away one’s liberty, it should be clear to every person what actions will cause Even one of cinema’s greatest action them to forfeit their freedom. Instead of heroes found the state’s plethora of fireadding to the lengthy and complex area of arm laws confusing. In his 2005 veto firearm laws, a reorganization of the curmessage to Sen. Jack Scott, Gov. Arnold rent laws should be undertaken to ensure Schwarzenegger stated: that statutes that impose criminal penalties are easily understandable.”

“California’s laws already impose strict liability on gun owners who allow a child Subsequently, in 2006, lawmakers to access their firearm. Ensuring firearms passed the Assembly Concurrent Resoare stored properly is an important public lution, which described the state of the health goal and that is why I support the firearm laws: current criminal storage laws. The additional firearm storage restrictions pro“Many other provisions of the Penal posed by SB 1140 are vague and unnecCode are very confusing. In particular, the essary to our criminal justice system. Strict laws relating to the transfers of firearms liability is the most stringent legal liability are lengthy, with numerous cross-refertheory available and only five other states ences, highly fact-specific exemptions, beside California currently impose such a and complex provisions. For example, harsh penalty. SB 1140 would further exPenal Code Section 12078 is 5,880 words pand the liability to situations that cannot long and occupies 11 pages if printed in a be easily defined and thereby provides no 12-point font with conventional margins. guidance to a person as to how to avoid The section has cross-references to many criminal penalties. Such ambiguity in the scattered sections of other firearms provilaw invites arbitrary enforcement and jusions, some of them hundreds of sections dicial review. Unfortunately, SB 1140 does away. The firearms laws occupy over 100 more to confuse an already complicated MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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30 California Sportsman MAY 2015

CENTURY ARMS C39V2 CALIFORNIA-COMPLIANT SEMIAUTO RIFLE, AKA, THE AMERICAN AK Century Arms introduced the first 100-percent American-made AK rifle to the market five years ago, and is excited to now offer the newest addition to the C39 line of rifles, the C39v2, the American AK, to the California market. It is 100-percent American made with no imported parts, is built on a milled receiver machined from a solid 11-pound block of 4140-ordnance quality steel and uses the proprietary Chevron muzzle brake. Enhancements include a T-shaped magazine catch, compatibility with AKM furniture, a bolt hold-open safety, an enhanced dust cover and standard AK sights. The C39v2 is coated with black nitrite and uses the new RAK-1 enhanced trigger group. Its barrel has a concentric left-hand 14x1 metric thread and is ready for a variety of muzzle attachments. The rifle comes with bullet button installed, two 10-round magazines and a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty.

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pages of an unannotated version of the Penal Code when printed in dual column in tiny print.”

California as a region of sleepy mission towns with a tiny population of about 7,300 – not a tragic loss to the empire, but had they known that gold had been discovered at Sutter’s Mill nine days before they signed the peace treaty, they likely would have kept hold of California.

Unlike most newly acquired regions of the U.S. that went through long periods as territories before they had the 60,000 inhabitants needed to achieve statehood, California took the fast track.

Prior to the Gold Rush, immigration to California had been so slow that it would have been decades before the population reached that number. But with gold seekers pouring in at a torrential pace, more than 60,000 people came to California in 1849 alone, and Congress allowed California to jump straight to full statehood without ever passing through the formal territorial stage in the Compromise of 1850.

But relations between settlers and the Native Americans were strained, to say the least. The state’s first governor, Peter H. Burnett, on January 7, 1851, described California’s view of the Native Americans as follows:

Since then, the Penal Code has been restructured, but the complexity still exists. Even more new laws regulating firearms have been added.

Today, a search of the Official California Legislative Information website of the term “firearm” reveals that there are currently 68 bills pending that address or affect firearms in one way or another for this legislative term alone. Most have nothing to do with safety, security or reducing crime within the state. In fact, they are just the opposite.

These bills are designed and intended to harass gun owners (a favorite target for the current ruling class) and to create a new class of crime and criminals out of those individuals who have sought to collect firearms for self-defense, sporting and other lawful uses.

These bills further regulate the who, what, where, when and why of how firearms can be sold, used, possessed, transferred, displayed and more. They are far reaching; one bill goes so far as to make illegal the possession and sale of one of the most common firearms in America.

Once passed, these bills have a tendency to spread throughout the country like a virus. The proponents of these bills create classes and groups of firearms and firearm owners to mitigate public outrage, e.g. “assault weapons,” “Saturday night specials,” “sniper rifles,” “short barrel rifles,” and “prohibited persons.” With all these laws already on the books and more coming, it is important to know the evolution of California’s gun control movement – beginning with its genesis.

CALIFORNIA’S FIRST GUN CONTROL LAW Though it was never a territory, California became the 31st state in the union on Sept. 9, 1850. Two years prior, Mexico had ceded California and much of its northern territory to the U.S. in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Signing the treaty was a decision Mexican diplomats would soon regret. They pictured 32 California Sportsman MAY 2015

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“That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the races, until the Indian race becomes extinct, must be expected. While we cannot anticipate this result but with painful regret, the inevitable destiny of the race is beyond the power or wisdom of man to avert.”

With his powers as California’s governor, Burnett sought to achieve that goal of exterminating Native Americans using Article VII of the first California Constitution, which gave the governor the power “to call for the militia, to execute the laws of the State, to suppress insurrections, and repel invasions.” MilitaryMuseum.org details his actions: “In his annual address to the California Legislature on January 7, 1851, Governor Burnett highlighted significant events that transpired during 1850, including ‘repeated calls … upon the Executive for the

California’s first governor, Peter J. Burnett, was in office when the state’s first gun law was introduced in the early 1850s, which would regulate a class of “prohibited persons” from bearing arms. It did not pass. (WIKIMEDIA)

aid of the militia to resist and punish the attacks of the Indians upon the frontier.’

During 1850, Governor Burnett called out the militia two times. The first order was prompted by incidents at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers on April 23, 1850; in response, the Governor ordered the sheriffs of San Diego and Los Angeles to organize a total of 100 men to ‘pursue such energetic measures to punish the Indians, bring them to terms, and protect the emigrants on their way to California.’”

The second instance occurred in October 1850, when Governor Burnett ordered the sheriff of El Dorado County to muster 200 men. The commanders were instructed to “proceed to punish the Indians engaged in the late attacks in the vicinity of Ringgold, and along the emigrant trail leading from Salt Lake to California.”

Thus, with the Native Americans facing “extermination” at the hands of the governor and still being able to defend themselves with firearms and ammunition purchased on the open market, the proverbial crisis that precedes most gun control measures was born. The solution

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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was to create the first California firearm law, which regulated a class of “prohibited persons.”

In 1851, state Rep. Alonzo Adams “gave notice that he would, at an early day, ask leave to introduce a bill entitled ‘an Act to prevent the sale, or furnishing firearms and other implements of war to Indians.’” As with most first attempts at gun control, the act wasn’t passed.

Three years later, in 1854, the act was geographically narrowed and picked up

by Rep. Edward A. Stevenson. He gave notice that “he would, at an early day introduce a bill for an Act to prohibit Indians from carrying firearms or munitions of war in El Dorado County.” But he too was unsuccessful, because his efforts were too narrow in scope.

Soon after Rep. Stevenson introduced his bill, Rep. Stephen Girard Whipple introduced Assembly Bill No. 80 (1854), which stated, “An Act to prevent the sale of firearms and ammunition to

the Indians in this State.”

Note the lack of the bill’s inclusion of “munitions of war” and “implementations of war” that existed in the bill’s predecessors. By this time, there was no need for propaganda and the agenda was clear – “Indians” should not have guns or ammunition.

On March 21, 1854, Assembly Bill 80 was passed, making the sale of firearms and ammunition to “Indians” a misdemeanor. The full text of California’s first statewide gun control law, which became Penal Code section 398, is as follows:

34 California Sportsman MAY 2015

Section 1. Any person or persons who shall sell, or give, or in any way dispose of, to any Indian or Indians, of either sex, in this State, any fire-arms or ammunition of any description, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof in any court of competent jurisdiction in this State. [sic] shall be

fined in a sum not less than twenty-five dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, or sentenced to the county jail not less than one month nor more than six months, or both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

Sec. 2. Of all fines so collected onefourth shall be paid to the person informing, one-fourth shall be paid to the County Treasury for road purposes, and one-half shall be paid into the State Treasury, for Common School purposes.

Sec. 3. This Act to take effect from and after thirty days after its passage.

It remained law for almost 60 years.

Then, in 1913, the Legislature approved repealing section 398. CS Editor’s note: Jason Davis is one of the leading firearm lawyers in California. Contact his Mission Viejo-based firm, Davis and Associates, at (949) 436-4867, or go to calgunlawyers.com.

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A TOAST TO THE FRENCH A stuffed barn owl – a protected bird in France – was among the unlawfully possessed wildlife found in a San Jose home. A French wildlife officer first contacted California officials about the possible violations. (CDFW)

ive la France.

American and French agencies joined forces to nab an illegal taxidermy import racket in Northern California. Forty-two-year-old Dora Martha Jimenez Zepeda of San Jose pled no contest to charges she violated California wildlife laws for unlawful possession of birds of prey that ultimately will cost her fines, community service and probation in a rather unique investigation spanning two continents.

“This is one of the most unusual cases we have seen in a while,” said Department of Fish and Wildlife assistant chief Bob Farrell.

CDFW’s very successful CalTIP hotline

BY CHRIS COCOLES (888-334-2258) received a call with suspicions of illegal activity. Except it wasn’t a good Samaritan from California on the other end of the line. The French national fish and wildlife agency, National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, contacted CDFW when an officer there had reason to believe a protected barn owl was being sold to California via France’s eBay website.

The tip led CDFW officials to Zepeda, whose San Jose residence contained 50 stuffed or mounted animals, including barn owls among several protected bird species, plus a sea turtle. Zepeda turned over all the illegal wildlife mounts, paid $3,600 in fines to the Santa Clara County Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund, and must serve 300 hours of community service and three years of probation.

“The international trafficking of protected species usually falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but since some of these animals were also protected under state law, it was a particularly complicated case,” Farrell said. “We appreciate the collaboration with our French and federal counterparts.

Call it an international success story. CS

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR MAY 1-2 Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament (konocti-vista-casino.com) 2 Shasta Lake Classic Team Kokanee Derby (kokaneepower.org) 3 Close of spring turkey hunting season 3-4 Bass Lake Trout Derby (basslakechamber.com) 16 Pardee Lake Kokanee Derby (ciffi.org) 16 Rohnert Park Fishing Derby, Roberts Lake (fishing-derby.org) 17 NorCal Trout Challenge, Camanche Lake (anglerspress.com) 22-24 Size Doesn’t Matter Fishing Derby, West Walker River (northernmonochamber.com) 30 Don Pedro Lake Team Kokanee Derby (kokaneepower.org) JUNE 5-7 Hangman’s Bonus Derby at Convict Lake (convictlake.com) 6 Lake Berryessa Trout Derby (ciffi.org) 13-14 New Melones Lake Team Kokanee Derby (kokaneepower.org) 20 Fresno Scottish Rite Shaver Lake Fishing Derby (fresnoscottishrite.com) 21-22 Modoc Sportsman’s Expo, Desert Rose Casino, Alturas (modocoutdoorrecreationandtourism.org/ sportsmans-outdoor-expo/) 27 Bridgeport Trout Tournament (bridgeportfishenhancement.com) 30 Final day 2014-15 California hunting license is valid

Clear Lake’s outstanding bass fishing will be featured early this month with the Team Bass Tournament at Konocti Vista Casino. (JASON HALEY)

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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A MAN AND HIS BOWS ARCHERY INVENTOR TALKS ABOUT HIS LATEST VENTURE

By Luke Kelly oward Winther is a man who knows how to adapt and adjust.

In the mid-1980s, when home computers were just becoming popular, the Santa Clara-area resident formed a company that installed disk drives. Howard was met with a great deal of success, until the competitive electronic industry eventually forced him to go back to the drawing board.

A born innovator, Winther decided to try something new. With a wealth of knowledge and experience as an archer, he began a bow-making business, what is now known as Liberty Archery (408-983-1127; libertyarchery.com).

Working with small, compact computers, Winther had learned how to make his designs both small and efficient – a talent that he applied to his bow business. Liberty bows are known and loved for being exceptionally fast, light and small.

We caught up with Winther to talk a little bit about how his unique business came to be and he’s working on next.

H

Luke Kelly Tell me a little bit about who you are, and how you became interested in archery, and the business of making and selling bows.

Howard Winther I used to make arrows, and I made bows as a kid, but mainly, it was that I needed an income.

And so I just sat down and said, “Well, I need to do something that I know about.” And I knew that I had a talent for making things small, because I was in the disk drive business. So I sat down and said, “Well, I know something about (archery), I can make a bow.” Within 20 minutes I had the basic content.

LK You mentioned that as a kid you made your own bows and arrows.

Do you still make everything that you sell?

HW I make everything – all the bows. I had to learn machine, so I set up shop. I have enough machine parts to last me over 20 years! The limbs are from Barnsdale, and those are the best limbs out there.

LK Tell us about the products that you make and sell.

HW It’s mainly just the archery bow. It’s 2.3 pounds. And it’s high let-off – 85 percent. We essentially are going light, in other words, light bows and light arrows.

The other companies are going heavier; they want to try to keep it lighter, but they can’t because they want to try to separate the limbs. We know a lot of people who, after six months of shooting my bow, they go back to the closet and pull out their old bow, and they say things like, “I can’t believe I ever shot that thing!” They just get used to the light weight of (my bow).

LK What current projects are you working on?

HW I’m (working on) having some arrows developed specially out of high carbon. The arrows are going to be 5.85 grains per inch, with a spine of 320, so that’s the big project now. They’re lightweight arrows, and that gets your speed up, and the stiffness of the spine – 320 – that’s very stiff. So what we’ve got by using the very expensive carbon is the light

weight and the stiffness.

If you look at the penetration power of a heavier arrow versus a light arrow, the difference is only 5 percent. It’s not that much.

LK Tell me about your customer base, and the feedback that you get on your bows.

HW People really like our bows. Many times, they think it’s a toy, so they buy it for their son. A couple of weeks later, they’re buying one for themselves because they like it so much! CS MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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PHOTO CONTEST

WINNERS!

Matt Gibson is our inaugural Daiwa Photo Contest winner, thanks to his photo of daughter Wylie and their Clackamas River, Ore., spring Chinook. It wins him a Daiwa hat, T-shirt and scissors for cutting braided line, and puts him in the running for the grand prize of a Daiwa rod-and-reel combo!

Our monthly Browning Photo Contest winner is Josh Etringer, who sent this pic of Danica Denham and her first duck hunt ever. They and Teal the German wirehair were on Washington’s Skagit Delta last season. It scores him a Browning hat!

For your chance at winning Daiwa and Browning products, send your photos to ccocoles@media-inc.com or California Sportsman, PO Box 24365, Seattle, WA 98124-0365. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications.

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FISHING The Middle Fork of the Feather River was designated Wild and Scenic in 1968, and it’s among Northern California’s top spring trout streams for fly anglers. (JON BAIOCCHI)

MEET ME ON THE

MIDDLE

WILD AND SCENIC SECTION OF FEATHER RIVER IS A TROUTER’S PARADISE

By Jon Baiocchi

NEVADA CITY—The words unique and magnificent best describe the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Feather.

The river’s headwaters begin in the mountains around the fourth-highest dry lake bed in North America: the Sierra Valley. Before these flows come together and become one they must first pass through Frenchman and Davis Reservoirs, both from the state water project.

The Middle Fork then forms on the west side of the Sierra Valley and flows slowly downstream through eastern Plumas County before it plunges through vast gorges into Butte County and finally Lake Oroville.

One of the first rivers to be designated Wild and Sce-

nic in 1968, this stretch of the Feather is referred to by many as the most beautiful river in the state of California. The river is divided into three sections, the first being the 65.4-mile recreational zone from the town of Beckwourth to the tiny community of Sloat. That is followed by the 9.7-mile scenic zone from Sloat to just past Nelson Point. The third is the 32.9-mile wild zone where access is limited to strenuous hikes or traveling down some serious four-wheel-drive roads.

The upper river is lined with lush native grasses and rich green forests, while the lower end is dominated by polished granite honed from flowing water over the ages. There are areas like the Bald Rock gorge, which has 2,000-foot walls rising up to the sky. It is

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING quite spectacular!

DIVERSE FISH POPULATION The river supports many different species, from smallmouth bass, monster carp and brown trout in the upper section to gorgeous native rainbows that reside in almost the entire river. The Middle Fork is also planted with hatchery rainbows in the recreational zone in the more popular areas (the limit is five fish of any size with no special regulations).

It always makes me cringe to see anglers walk away with a stringer of small native rainbows that could grow into something of larger proportions. The average rainbow here runs about 10 to 16 inches; they are beautiful creatures with crisp, clean lines and white-tipped orange fins that offer some serious eye candy for those who are looking.

The Middle Feather runs quite cold in the winter due to its origins at higher elevations, and after the bulk of runoff from snow melt is gone, the river can heat up like bathtub water in the hotter months. That’s good news for the carp and bass, but for the native trout, they do what they must in order to survive: they mi-

grate to cooler water temperatures.

Small streams, including little jewels like Jamison and Nelson Creeks, provide cold water during the summer. The fish will also seek out springs, deep pools and areas of shade to keep comfortable. The river’s wild trout have adapted to the wide range of water temperatures over the years. They actually do quite well when the water warms; they are hardy and resilient.

TWO DISTINCT SEASONS There are two periods of opportunity for the fly angler when it comes to fishing: spring and fall. While autumn is a stunning time to fish – the Feather’s cottonwoods and willows glow like coals from a well-stoked fire – it’s spring that produces the best results and biggest fish of the year.

There are no dams on the Middle Feather, making runoff predictions tough. Every year is different and depends on the snowpack and passing weather systems that range from Arctic to tropical.

A special portion of this river opens earlier than most Sierra waters and it was legal to fish from the Beckwourth-Calpine state A-23 Bridge 4 miles east of Portola down

CHOOSING SPRING FLIES Fly selection for this time of year on the Middle Fork of the Feather River depends on whether it is early or late in spring and which game you opt to play.

For early-season nymphing, the flashback beadhead Pheasant Tail is king, as is the beadhead gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear. Carry both nymphs in sizes 10 to 16. Other effective flies include free-living caddis imitations (12 to 16) and Copper Johns (10 to 18), and don’t forget about San Juan Worms in natural colors; it’s an important fly, considering there are six golf courses in the area.

For streamers, the top flies include beadhead Woolly Buggers in black with copper flash (6 to 8), minnow patterns in olive and white schemes (4 to 8) and brown Zonkers with gold mylar bodies (4 to 8).

The top nymphs are still those listed above with additions of the G6 Caddis in olive (12 to 16), golden stone nymphs (6 to 8) and black Rubber Legs (6 to 8).

Now the fun stuff: dry flies. As spring progresses and the trout see more flies presented before them, a sparser pattern may be needed, along with a fly-first presentation to selective feeders. Effective dries to carry include Parachute Adams (12 to 18), PMD Sparkle Comparaduns (14 to 16), X-Caddis in olive, gray, yellow and tan (12 to 16), stimulators in tan, yellow and orange (6 to 8), and Loco Ants (12 to 16).

Don’t be shy about using your confidence patterns, but presentation before pattern holds true on the Middle Fork of the Feather River. -JB 44 California Sportsman MAY 2015

Fly fishing has two distinct seasons in the middle fork of the Feather: fall and spring. June figures to be the peak time of the spring season. (JON BAIOCCHI)

to the Mohawk Bridge beginning on the first Saturday of April.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife implemented this early opener to appease the locals after the first treatment of Lake Davis to eradicate the northern pike. Water levels and temperatures will predict just how good fishing will be, and these fish will start to take flies when the thermometer hits 50 to 55 degrees.

As stated earlier, these fish do well in warmer water than trout in other Sierra rivers, and, because of that, they do not take flies readily when the water is 50 degrees or lower.

Early and late spring can be vastly different in both fish behavior and hatches. In early spring the trout tend to be in their winter homes, which are usually the slower, deeper tailout of major runs.

It can be quite frustrating to have good numbers of aquatic insects on the surface, but the trout not looking up yet. When water temperatures start climbing in the 55- to 60-degree

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FISHING see, even with good polarized glasses.

For nymphing in the early spring I’ll use 3X tippet to my first fly, which is usually a bigger fly, and 4X tippet to my smaller dropper. Basic rigs work just fine here, and there is no need for any specialized set-ups; good drifts in the seams are far more important.

PATIENCE CAN PAY OFF

There are several go-to flies Middle Fork anglers can turn to, depending on the time of season in the spring.

One of the author’s favorites is a yellow stimulator, here next to a golden stonefly shuck. (JON BAIOCCHI)

range, you’ll start seeing active feeding fish taking aquatic insects off the surface. There are two main tactics during this time: nymphing with or without an indicator, and swinging streamers with a sinking line.

The fish will be hugging the bot-

46 California Sportsman MAY 2015

tom for the most part, so additional weight to the leader is essential to getting down and ticking your fly along the bottom structure. Plan on losing flies, not only on bottom cobblestones but also submerged log jams and brush piles that are hard to

Spring streamer fishing on the Middle Feather involves many casts and covering vast amounts of water.

You’re not going to have big-number days generally, but if you do hook up with a fish, it’s going to be large.

Swinging streamers involves a lot of work, but the anticipation of a grab keeps you plying the water. This is the time of year when an angler will have the best chance at hooking into some real toads, 16- to 24-inch trout running 2 to 5 pounds.

Water levels will dictate which sinking line to use. In high, roily water, a 24-foot fast-sinking tip

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FISHING with a moderately weighted fly is a good choice.

With conditions looking a lot like last year – i.e., a weak winter and a skimpy snowpack – a clear camo intermediate line with a heavy fly will work great, especially with lower water levels that are usually clearer.

Short 7-foot leaders to 2X are good insurance that you will not break off any nice fish if you do indeed get a solid hook-up.

The layout of the upper river is riffle, pool and long areas of calm “frog” water. For early season, the frog water is your best bet when swinging big flies, as the water has a chance to warm up a few degrees.

Methodically work a run from the tailout and on downstream; think classic steelhead-swinging tactics.

Strip the fly back in when your swing is done, as many trout will follow and attack then.

Sloughs off the main stem of the

The Middle Feather contains both native rainbows and hatchery-stocked fish. The author says it’s important to know when to keep and release native fish and not keep too many smaller trout that won’t be allowed to grow bigger. (JON BAIOCCHI)

river are a wise choice when fishing streamers. Without current, the water can be considerably warmer, as well as provide trout with plentiful food sources.

THE MONTHS AHEAD June is the banner month on the Middle Feather; hatches are starting

to peak, and fish are feeding more aggressively. It’s also the time of year when tourism kicks in and the river receives more pressure. Nymphing early is a smart tactic, but be observant for a late-morning hatch and rising fish.

From the middle of the day to late afternoon, subsurface presentations are best, and nymphing gets the job

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FISHING A pretty Middle Feather rainbow is a reward for fishing one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the state. There may not be fish in bunches to be caught, but part of the experience is the view. And the fish you do land should be large. (JON BAIOCCHI)

done. Lighter tippets to 5X and longer leaders come into effect now, and the only line you’ll need is a floater.

The heads of runs, pools and riffles with highly oxygenated water are where you will find the majority of fish. As evening comes, switch over to dry flies and hunt these heads.

Make sure you stay for the last few hours of light. A typical run will produce a few fish during the day, but when the magic hour occurs, that same run can come alive with a high level of active surface feeders.

Bug life is very prolific; on low water years without major runoff and scouring of the bottom substrate, the populations are profuse and abundant. The major players during early spring are March browns, gray drakes, skwala stoneflies, brown duns, midges and blue-winged olives. These aquatic insects can be found on streamside foliage, adapting to their new world out of the water and on the surface of river.

If the water temps are in the right range, there can be some dry fly action, but it is rare this time of year, as the fish are not looking on top.

In late spring, there are even more aquatic insects with a few remaining 50 California Sportsman MAY 2015

from the previous months’ hatches. Golden stones, salmonflies, pale morning duns, carpenter ants, green drakes, pale evening duns, craneflies, little green stones, yellow sallies and at least a half-dozen different caddisflies flourish in the mountain air.

Damselflies and dragonflies can be found in slower frog water. Terrestrials include good numbers of grasshoppers and beetles. Rounding out the menu are crayfish, a favorite of the bigger fish. Sometimes the Middle Fork of the Feather’s hatches are so grand that I set the rod down and sit mesmerized while watching the show. Observations of these kinds can teach a fly angler so much more, as you are only focused on trout and insect behavior, and most importantly their interaction with each other.

ODDS AND ENDS Outfitting yourself with the right rod is as basic as can be. For early nymphing and streamer fishing, a 9-foot 5/6-weight rod with a medium to fast action is perfect. In late spring, when dry fly fishing is at its best, an 8- to 9-foot 3- to 5-weight rod with a medium action is preferred. I also like the lighter weight

rods when nymphing; these rods will help protect lighter tippets, resulting in less breakoffs.

Access and parking for the Middle Feather in the recreational zone is easy, and many roads pass next to the river. Some of the areas will require a little hiking, but nothing like the lower end of the river.

There are also five bridges that provide access. Starting at the state A-23 bridge and traveling downstream, Rocky Point Road runs parallel to Highway 70 before the river flows through the town of Portola.

Your next access road is Clio State 40A, which follows the river down to the town of Clio. This section requires some hiking to get into the canyon below Gold Mountain, but it’s worth it. I’ve caught my biggest smallmouth bass in this section.

From Clio down to Mohawk are the Blairsden and Highway 89 bridges. These provide very good access to areas where an angler can hike upstream or downstream and cover productive water. Google Earth, Mapquest, and USFS maps can be of great use; if you’re new to the area, do your homework, take notes and make a plan.

A TRUE WILD RIVER The attraction of the Middle Feather is natural beauty and abundant wildlife; you never know what will be around the corner – a bobcat or river otter just might surprise you.

Solitude and complete bliss can be easily found if you are willing to hike along the river. I have had plenty of days where I have not seen another angler, and only a joyful dipper was there to keep me company. When it comes to spring time in the northern Sierra, the Middle Fork of the Feather River is a fantastic area to escape, explore, and lose yourself. CS Editor’s note: The author operates his own Feather River and north Sierra guide service, Baiocchi’s Troutfitters (530-228-0487; baiocchistroutfitters.com). Read his blog at jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com.

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FISHING

The author’s Water Master raft weighs only 47 pounds and comes in a dry bag with straps, so it’s easy to carry to destinations for inflation and launch. (JEFF LUND)

FLOATING THE DAY AWAY

FISHING NOR CAL RIVERS FROM A PACK RAFT

By Jeff Lund

REDDING—I only have good ideas.

Even my bad ideas start off good.

This is how I persuaded my buddy Kurt to sit on the back of my brandnew Water Master raft.

“Dude, you fish from the back, I’ll row. This is a good idea.”

The raft can support 750 pounds and we represent only about half

that. There was swift water ahead but the raft is rated to Class IV rapids, and I am not, but that’s the wrong detail on which to focus. The water was probably 100 yards of gentle undulating river that broke white.

There were no exposed rocks and nothing to gash or turn us. But Kurt snagged his nymphing rig on a rock and I dipped an oar, which started a

spin that lasted 180 degrees. Everything was all bad yet still funny. In a hasty attempt to free himself, he broke the line right about the time we hit the fastest water facing upriver. No danger, and still funny.

The water turned calm, evened out and I rowed us to shore. We recounted the adventure like a couple of kids at a water park wanting to get back in line for the slide.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING Some waters in drought-affected California are low on water, and some portions are not navigable, but several stretches of the lower and upper Sacramento around Redding are accessible and have lots of trout. (JEFF LUND)

RETURN TRIP It’s worth it to endure the winters of Alaska for the buffet of outdoor opportunities. Traveling there for the summer makes for incredible experiences, but to continue the metaphor, it’s like just hitting the featured item on the menu. There’s so much more to Alaska than guided trips, or do-ityourself adventures during summer.

That said, when you do live there year-round, it’s nice to have a break and fish warm water in warm air and be in a place where “clear and cold” doesn’t exist, as it does in the 49th state.

So while there’s a mass exodus during spring break to sandy beaches in tropical locations, I prefer the gravel bars of Northern California. I choose this mostly because I made 54 California Sportsman MAY 2015

good friends during my time living there, but also because, even in drought, there is so much good water to fish and even float. It was just a matter of figuring out how to stuff all the fishing I wanted to do in one week and where I could become acquainted with my new raft.

PLACES TO GO Redding is the perfect home base for a Northern California river extravaganza. We started with shore fishing on the lower Sacramento River in Redding. Spring isn’t the best time of year, but it’s still productive and not slow by any means. The state’s drought and season-induced low flows make the river much less daunting. It’s still incredibly slick and potentially dangerous, but cautious wading and diligent covering of wa-

ter can get you into big fish.

Getting a guide and fishing from a drift boat is a good idea, not just because you’re out off the shore, but because a good guide knows the river and will get you fishing the good runs, not floating over them.

After two days on the lower river, Kurt and I headed north to the upper Sacramento. The water was low and incredibly clear, which made the fishing a little more difficult. We stalked the best runs that had previously been successful and even tried a few new areas.

As is the case with any river, everyone has a favorite. Kurt and I have fished the upper Sac a bunch but rarely throw the same pattern. I tell him that not using a Rubber Legs is akin to fishing without a hook.

That’s an exaggeration, but it does do

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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The author is a teacher in Alaska who tries to get back to California (where he once lived) during spring break to warm up and take advantage of rafting rivers like the Sacramento. (JEFF LUND)

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tion and love for the stoney nymph imitation. I’ve even threatened to drop rubber legs off Rubber Legs if a Dark Lord, micro mayy, Birds Nest or Zebra Midge aren’t doing the job.

We got into ďŹ sh, then headed south because not all occupations have spring break. I would have liked to revisit the McCloud, Pit, Trinity and/ or Klamath, but there wasn’t time.

We did head south to a river that I will describe as wet and incredibly ďŹ shy. The only better hint I will provide about its location will come in a statement: there are a lot of great rivers owing on both sides of the reservoirs that lay at almost consistent intervals along the west side of the Central Valley. Some are tough, but great for big ďŹ sh. Some are easy, but with a smaller average. The one Kurt took me to turned out to be a dry y bonanza and happened to be perfect for trying out my new raft.

RIVER TOYS My pack raft weighs 47 pounds but comes in a dry bag with straps, so it’s easy to carry and doesn’t count as oversized baggage when checked at the airport. We humped upriver

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57

A Northern California rainbow trout makes all the hard work of getting your gear to the shore and inflating your pack raft worth it. (JEFF LUND)

from the parking lot for about 20 minutes. I inflated the raft while Kurt and his buddy Mike started throwing dries to match the pretty radical bug life. I launched in flat, even water and then made my way down to them.

I couldn’t believe I had waited so long to pull the trigger on a watercraft. They aren’t exactly easy to fish from in all cases, what with rowing and steering being required, but the thing about the Water Master is its versatility. In flat water, it’s just like an elongated float tube. Put your feet up on the strap and you’re ready for fast water. Tired of sitting?

Stand up and wade.

When considering a raft, or kayak or canoe, you have to look at the type of water you will be fishing regularly and consider amount of use. I haven’t seen many people using rafts on the upper Sacramento because there is some seriously sketchy water, but I have seen a few.

The Stanislaus usually has 58 California Sportsman MAY 2015

a bunch of recreational floaters during the summer, but from Knights Ferry to the Orange Blossom bridge has some great fishing, which would be nicely covered in a canoe, raft or kayak.

I do a good amount of canoe floating on one of my home rivers in Alaska, but it’s always a hassle loading it up and figuring out drop off and pick up logistics. Canoes also aren’t conducive to airplane travel. However, you don’t have to inflate them.

Given these considerations, I went with a raft because I’m willing to hike in to my spot, inflate the raft, paddle upriver and float back to my truck. Or inflate, float, deflate, pack, then hike back to my truck.

It’s only a one-man vessel. Unless you’ve got a friend like Kurt. CS Editor’s note: Jeff Lund is an Alaskan who has returned to the Last Frontier after spending some time teaching in Central California.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING

HONING YOUR CRAFT CLEVER BOATING OPTIONS FOR EVERY TROUT ANGLER’S BUDGET

FROM FIELD ...

Looking to increase your trout catch this season? Consider investing in a craft that will allow you to cover more water, just as the author and his son, Kazden Haugen, did. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

By Scott Haugen

T

rout season is finally here, and with it, many opportunities to get after one of the most popular gamefish in the country. No matter where in California you pursue trout, accessing them is key to consistently catching them.

There’s nothing more frustrating than standing on a riverbank or the shore of a pond or lake and watching people in boats catch fish as quickly as they can get their lines in the water. While not everyone can invest in a motorized boat or a drift boat, there are other options.

Used drift boats can be picked up for a good price, and some of the newer models and styles feature

plenty of bells and whistles to make your time on the water more comfortable and efficient. Drift boats are nice because you can cover so much water, be it in a river or lake.

Rubber rafts are a good, cost-effective option too. Compared to drift boats, rafts are challenging to maneuver in fast-flowing rivers, but they achieve the purpose of helping access prime fishing holes in lakes and ponds. While drift boats allow easy trolling speeds to be reached, rubber rafts usually have too much drag to gain enough speed, thus are best for stationary fishing styles.

Pontoon boats offer the best of both worlds: the speed of a driftboat so trolling can be done, and the lightweight versatility of a raft to access

more places. Pontoon boats are a one-person show, whereby rafts can easily accommodate two or more people while a drift boat can fit up to four anglers.

Pontoon boats are a joy to fish from, as they’re quiet, smooth and easy to handle. Their lightweight construction makes them quick to react, meaning you can hit target water with pinpoint accuracy and fish multiple ways. Trolling both tackle and flies is easy and effective from a pontoon.

Float tubes, or belly boats, are also a one-person setup more anglers are going to. Lightweight, durable and sporting a low profile, float tubes allow anglers to access a great deal of water in smaller lakes and ponds.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING

TO FIRE

Crusting your catch in salt can make for a delicious and moist dinner. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

GO HEAVY ON THE SALT

By Tiffany Haugen

T

ired of eating trout the same old way? Here’s a fun, innovative way to bake them, and not only is this method easy, it produces a deliciously steamed, moist flavorful fish.

Salt crusting will work with any whole fish; try it with a fresh-caught cutthroat, kokanee or small steelhead, or get into the freezer and use up what you caught over the winter.

For best results, use kosher salt. The amount of salt will vary for the size of the fish. The key with the salt crust is getting the salt moist enough with egg white and water to form around the fish without falling apart. Additional flavorings are endless, as the cavity of the fish can be stuffed with any herbs, citrus slices, garlic and/or ginger.

Salt-crusted trout Two to four trout 5 cups kosher salt Three egg whites 1 to 3 tablespoons water 62 California Sportsman MAY 2015

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, dill, thyme, cilantro, basil and/or sage) One orange, lemon or lime, sliced Additional herbs (optional) In a large bowl, mix salt and egg whites until moistened. Add enough water for the salt mixture to stick together. Rinse and pat cleaned fish dry, inside and out. Divide herbs and citrus slices evenly among fish. Brush both sides of fish with a light coating of olive oil.

On a large baking sheet, spread a layer of the salt mixture about ¼-inch thick for the fish to lay on. If you have additional herbs, put a single layer of leaves on the salt, right where the fish will sit. Lay stuffed fish on top of the salt or herb layer on the baking sheet.

Mound the rest of the salt mixture on the fish and cover completely. Pack the salt down evenly and try to keep the shape of the fish intact.

If there isn’t enough salt to completely cover the fish, it is fine to leave the head and/or tail exposed.

Bake fish in a preheated, 400-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until fish reaches an internal temperature of 135 to 140 degrees. If using an oven-safe thermometer, insert probe before baking so the salt crust doesn’t crack when checking the temperature.

Let fish sit five to 10 minutes before cracking the crust and removing. Skin should lift easily off the fish. Remove fish fillets from the salt crust prior to serving.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s latest book, Cooking Seafood, send a check for $20 (free S&H),, to Haugen n Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR, 97489.

This and other cookbooks can also be ordered at tiffanyhaugen.com

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

63

FISHING However, unless you’re a veteran float tuber, you should avoid putting these crafts into rivers and other moving water. Start in small bodies of water and learn how they operate, then expand from there.

Looking to wet a worm beneath a bobber, work lures or float bait off the bottom? Float tubes are ideal for stationary approaches. Want to whip flies? Float tubes are good for this approach as well.

For those who like the tranquility and seclusion of fishing small ponds and lakes, a canoe or kayak might be a good option. Canoes can be prone to tipping and tricky to handle at first, so practice in a shallow lake where you can stand up. Learn the paddling strokes and how the canoe reacts to any shifts or sudden movements made when adjusting your seating, casting or reaching to net a fish. These are great crafts for working so many of California’s small, pri-

Pontoon boats are easy to operate and allow a great deal of water to be accessed. In addition, a wide-range of fishing techniques can be applied from them. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

vate ponds and little bodies of water stocked with trout. The more experienced you become in a canoe, the bigger the bodies of water you’ll be able to eventually fish.

Kayaks have come a long way in

recent years. Today, many are designed for anglers and their sturdy structure makes them safe and efficient to maneuver and fish from. I really like the models with the peddle-style controls, as they allow you to power the craft and achieve accurate positioning. By using your feet for power, your hands are free to cast as needed and allow for much more water to be covered versus having to use a paddle.

If you don’t have the means or interest in investing in a craft to access more trout this spring, don’t overlook waders. Chest waders are affordable and allow you to wade to places and cast well beyond what’s reachable from dry land.

If looking to catch more trout this season, it might be time to invest in a craft that allows you to access more water. Buy what’s right for you, what you’ll use the most and what will serve your specific needs. Ultimately, it will allow you to catch more fish and have more fun. CS Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, 300 Tips To More Salmon & Steelhead, send a check for $29.95 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or visit scotthaugen.com.

64 California Sportsman MAY 2015

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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ou’ve saved your money, you’ve been thorough in your research, and you haven’t made a hasty decision – and now you have your dream fishing boat for taking on California waters.

It might be a loaded bass craft ready to take on double-digit Southland largemouth.

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But what’s a boat without the proper swag to make your fishing experience a perfect one? You need the best fishing rod, the bass-slaying swimbait, the top-of-theline sunglasses and the most effective protection from Mother Nature.

The good news is, even in a drought year, there is plenty of water to explore. Mountain lakes like Tahoe are a great place to troll for Mackinaw or brown trout. San Francisco Bay will be soon be full of kings entering the Golden Gate on their way to spawn in the Central Valley rivers. Do you live closer to Los Angeles? Try the Eastern Sierra’s large lakes like Crowley or Convict. This month is an ideal time to catch some hard-fighting rainbows before the kids get out of school and the area is buzzing with tourists.

So as you prepare to hitch your new outdoors toy onto the trailer and seek out the nearest launch and christen it with its maiden voyage, take a look at the diagram we’ve put together. You can’t go wrong with any of the equipment we’ve showcased. Good luck as you plan to enjoy the Golden State’s lakes, rivers and saltwater fisheries. CS

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72 California Sportsman MAY 2015

FISHING

LOW AND SLOW DROUGHT CONDITIONS HAVE ALSO AFFECTED SIERRA FISHERIES, BUT ALL IS NOT LOST

Backcountry lakes in high elevation probably won’t be greatly affected by drought-like conditions. You’ll likely be able to reach usually iced-out lakes earlier than in more normal snowpack years. (MIKE STEVENS)

By Mike Stevens

S

o apparently, we are in a drought.

Reservoirs all over Southern California are fractions of what they should be. For example, Diamond Valley Lake had to close its launch ramp (and it’s the longest I have ever seen) because it no longer reaches the water, and by the time you are reading this, Lake Isabella will be nearing 5 percent of capacity.

When the fingers of guilt are pointed, many of them are aimed directly at the Sierra snowpack, which is what much of the state’s water supply is based on. It’s crazy to think of how snow in the Sierras, or in this

case, the lack of it, will directly affect how many days some dude in San Diego is allowed to water his lawn.

But what does this mean to the Sierra angler? Well, it is going to create specific situations you might need to adapt to, but that is the case during freakishly high snow years, too, such as in 2009 when you couldn’t get all the way up Tioga Pass until late July.

When it comes down to it, being able to improvise, adapt and overcome is what makes the Sierras the Sierras. Even in a normal weather year, the specific week you picked to head up there could be plagued with thunderstorms, hail, high winds, unseasonable heat or cold, even wild-

fires. When that happens, do you just pack it up and flee down the hill with your tail between your legs, or do you cowboy up and figure out how to pull on some fish?

TELL YOU WHAT, I would take a lowsnow year over a lot of other headache-y conditions that could put a wrinkle in my Sierra trout game plan.

Yet, despite all the tales of doom, gloom, “human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!” that we are exposed to on a daily basis – and in some situations, it’s warranted – your Eastern Sierra fishing trips shouldn’t be affected a whole heck of a lot. In fact, there are even MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING The Owens River is primarily spring-fed, and while it still will drop a bit under these conditions, a fair amount of water is always moving through there. (MIKE STEVENS)

some advantages that come along with these conditions.

“Because releases to DWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) have to be met by Southern California Edison, creek flows have to be maintained, and while they’re a bit low because some of the seasonal feeder streams are dry, most of the normal spots in a good year are still the best spots in a lean year,” said Jared Smith of Parchers Resort and Sierra Slammers Lures (706-873-4177; parchersresort.net).

“One big advantage of these drought years has been early access – backcountry lakes that can be frozen well into late June or July are icing out in late April or May. Even roadside water like Sabrina or North Lake, which are often frozen for the fishing opener, are ice-free and ready for anglers from day one of fishing season.”

The first advantage took place before opening day of the general trout season arrived in late April. Waters that typically are frozen, inaccessible or both were wide open and heavily stocked before the crowds arrived.

Some of these waters include Lake Sabrina or North Lake in Bishop Creek Canyon and the watersheds in the Mammoth Lakes Basin. This scenario plays out in dozens of lakes as you make your way north on Highway 395.

This year, the managers of Lake Mary in Mammoth actually rented 74 California Sportsman MAY 2015

The deeper end of this Sierra creek has enough water to hold plenty of fish, and smart anglers will seek out the deepest holes, undercut banks and fishable areas next to whitewater stretches. (MIKE STEVENS)

boats the day before the opener – even though the boaters couldn’t fish until the next day – on Friday, which allowed for some preopener scouting; but really, they were just enjoying the fact that they could.

In fact, in most Sierra waters it’s likely that you won’t even notice a difference until June – at the earliest – because the snow that is there will melt when it usually does, if not earlier, feeding the creeks and lakes. That runoff just won’t last nearly as long, so in July and August you will notice that the creeks and lakes that are primarily dependent on snowmelt will indeed shrink in surface area (lakes) or have dramatically lower-than-normal flows.

When that is happening, your fishing success is a simple matter of picking your spots. More shallow,

weedy lakes are going to be tough to attack in the second half of the season. A perfect example of this is Twin Lakes in Mammoth, which is an incredible and versatile fishery, but it is chock-full of weeds.

Most of the time, there is enough wiggle room between the top of the weedline and the surface to work a lure through, but when the water level drops, all those weeds get all matted up on the surface, and your only option is “flippin’ in heavy cover” like a bass guy, or seeking out the limited areas of open water or channels between the weeds.

Rather than deal with that fiasco, it might be a better idea to look for deep, rocky-bottom lakes at the bottom of craters like Convict, George or bigger waters without a lot of weeds, like Saddlebag. Your tactics

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Ever fished the Owens River?

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don’t need to change at all; there is simply more exposed shoreline to patrol, and who knows? There may be a loaded offshore structure spot that is now well within reach, when in a normal season, you might be 50 feet further back and out of casting range.

Tactically speaking, one thing you can plan on is trout heading deep earlier in the season, and staying there until a good fall cold snap arrives.

Without all that frigid snowmelt running into the lakes at all times, Sierra trout – especially those of the stocked variety – will move into the deeper areas of the lake, and you’ll have to go “slow and low” to get to them.

This happens every year, usually in the second half of July, but plan on the possibility of it happening earlier.

WHAT ABOUT THE backcountry? Even some of the closest hike-in spots are typically locked up by snow covering trails, if not making them downright impassable through much of the spring. While overnight lows remain cold enough to keep some ice on the surface for a while, you can at least get up there to check it out and find some open water to cast in. Regardless of when your favorite backcountry haunts “ice out,” getting to them is going to be possible much earlier this year.

If you are looking for moving water to fish, there aren’t as many positives to a low water year, but there are still ways you can narrow down the most frustration-free creeks to fish. Your standard campground creeks like Bishop, Rock, Convict, Mammoth, Rush and Lee Vining Creeks (to name a few) are going to be low most of the year and reduced to a trickle (compared to what you might be used to).

But their fish aren’t going to just disappear. They are in there, and they have to eat. When it gets low, seek out the deepest holes, undercut banks and fishable areas next to whitewater (higher oxygenated), and use techniques that remain in the strike zone as long as possible.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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For instance, splitshot a salmon egg, trout worm, mini jig or nightcrawler and slowly crawl it through the zone, rather than ripping a Rapala or a Rooster Tail through.

Low-water creek fish are spooky as hell and less likely to bolt very far out of their happy place for a meal.

That being said, you have to increase your stealth level from “casually camouflaged” to “full ninja” as skinny water gets even skinnier.

Another moving-water option is no secret at all, but it does surprise me how much room to fish there is in the stretch between Benton Crossing and Crowley Lake, even when the resort towns and drive-to lakes are crowded. And the Owens is primarily spring-fed, and while it still will drop a bit under these conditions, a fair amount of water is always moving through there. There is a bit of the Twin Lakes effect, where the weeds that are usually blown over by the current have at least a couple feet of water between them and the surface; it’s a lot easier to find channels and open-water spots to pinpoint.

All this being said, keep in mind that all of the water up there holds fish no matter what the conditions are, and they can all be caught. Some places are just easier to do it when we run out of snow than others.

An extreme example is Hot Creek, a world-class, fly-fishing-only trout fishery that really takes the brunt of low-water years. It’s weedy, and it has recently dropped well below 10 cubic feet per second, and experienced fly casters literally walk along a weed-matted creek and cast towards openings in the salad the size of a coffee can – and it works.

The bottom line is, it’s a balancing act between your own skill level and knowledge of the water you are fishing against your desire to avoid uncomfortable fishing situations. Once you do the math between those factors, the type of water and specific locations that you should be targeting will present themselves. CS

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING Located just about half an hour from Livermore in the Bay Area, Lake Del Valle offers a strong spring fishery for trout, and also boasts some great bass and catfish action. (BILL ADELMAN)

AN EAST BAY GEM LAKE DEL VALLE OFFERS TROUT, BASS, CATFISH OPTIONS

By Bill Adelman

L

ake Del Valle, but a half-hour drive out of Livermore in the East Bay Area, offers a quickie getaway for camping, hiking, bicycling, swimming, wild critters and fishing. Guess which activity most grabs our attention?

The lake offers stripers, smallmouth and largemouth bass, catfish, perch, crappie and trout. Between the East Bay Regional Parks District and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, around 200,000 total pounds of trout and catfish are planted annually. This gives the day guy a great option to catch trout, either from a boat or shore.

A walking trail along most of the

northeast shoreline opens up a few miles of fishable water, if, of course, you have the legs for it. With the tworod stamp, soak bait and toss a lure at the same time. The catch could be the regulation of how close to a fixed rod an angler must be. Walking the bank and tossing a Kastmaster while your bait rod is resting on a forked stick could create a prickly situation if you’re checked.

Dunking PowerBait is a very popular technique, as is fishing a nightcrawler or Lake Shasta fly. What, you might ask, is a Shasta fly? Way back in the old days, we pushed one half of a mini marshmallow up on the shank of our hook and tipped it with a salmon egg or two. The leader varied between 12 and 15 inches, and

the ’mallow floated the egg off the bottom. A precursor to today’s floating dough baits, perhaps?

As trout are known to travel in small packs, using a bobber over a small, white crappie-style jig or even a worm also works. Drop the bait 4 to 5 feet, fling it and just let it sit for a minute or two. Then, crank it in just a few feet and repeat. If using a small jig, a slow, jerky retrieve is the hot ticket. No live bait is allowed at Del Valle except worms, so minnows are a no-no! All state possession limits are in effect at the lake.

Rental boats are available at Del Valle, which is part of the parks district (888-327-2757; ebparks.org/parks/ del_valle). The lake also has a ramp and floating dock that is better than MAY 2015 California Sportsman

81

FISHING

Guide Danny Hollis caught these rainbows, weighing 10 and 12 pounds, respectively, on a Lucky Craft Pointer jerkbait. Big trout are common at Del Valle. (ROCKY MOUNTAIN RECREATION COMPANY)

82 California Sportsman MAY 2015

most. Just know that a boat check for mussels is required. If even a single drop of water is found on your boat, anchor rope or engine, a denial to the lake is certain. Fish holds, boxes and the bilge area are checked too. Any water in these spots must be completely sopped up prior to a check.

When you pass and launch, you must stop at the check station on the way out. Parks district staffers will place a plastic tie on your boat, the OK for the next time you launch. Without a tie, a new test is required.

Many anglers use a boat to reach more private areas, anchor up and ďŹ sh bait. As the wind will be a factor most days, the two-anchor, bow-andstern system will provide a much better presentation. You can also dunk a bait and free-cast from this position.

Or skip it and troll. Keep in mind that the speed limit on the entire lake is 10 mph, so be careful when running from one spot to another.

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FISHING lures at about 80 feet behind the boat.

The usual metal spoons like Kastmasters work extremely well. Del Valle trout, however, have a strong penchant for small crankbaits. The minnow or shad patterns are the best choices. If anchored, tossing a cranker is a positive alternative to a bladed lure. Spinners are a distant choice, but shouldn’t be ignored either.

Another option is trolling with a downrigger. Consider a trolling fly on a light-action spinning rod. Drop the fly back about 80 to 90 feet, set the line in the clip and lower it to 4 to 5 feet under the surface, allowing for shallow trolling without the fly popping to the surface.

This technique is productive with lures and minnow-type baits as well.

Be aware of shallow underwater ridges at the lake. If you decide to troll deeper, say 15 to 30 feet in the upper half of the lake, keep an eye on the fishfinder for shallow spots.

Though not stocked, bass thrive at Lake Del Valle.

(BILL ADELMAN)

One happens to be not too far into the Narrows after leaving the dock.

Should you wish to make a weekend of it, a camping area just off the lake’s upper end offers tent sites as

well as hookups with electricity, water and sewer.

All in all, Del Valle is a positive location for close-to-home fishing trips for anglers in the Bay Area. CS

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FISHING

THE CLASS OF NOR CAL BASS THESE FIVE DESTINATIONS BECKON IN SPRING

By Jason Haley

I

t’s that tweener time: days are longer, water temperatures are warm, and it’s not quite spring or summer. May can be prime time or tough for bass anglers, depending on whom you ask or where you go, but several Northern California fisheries clearly stand out as places to be this month. Here are FIVE to keep and eye on:

CLEAR LAKE Clear Lake is no secret. It has hosted major professional tournaments for many years. There’s a reason for that. California’s largest natural lake boasts some of the biggest largemouth in the Golden State, and it appears to be on the upswing, if that’s even possible.

It routinely takes five-fish limits of over 30 pounds to win tournaments here, and sometimes that’s necessary just to cut a check. If you go, you’ll find many nooks and crannies, including docks, large bays, tule-lined shores, weedbeds, rocky points, springs and other unique features that hold bass. The south end, as locals call it (it’s actually east), is deeper, rockier and a bit slower to warm. The north end, near the Lake County seat of Lakeport, is big, open and shallow, and at times resembles a giant grass flat during summer.

At roughly 1,300 feet, it’s fishable virtually year-round. But watch the wind – it can be dangerous.

The average largemouth will run about 3 pounds, with 6- to 9-pound-

ers common and decent numbers – as in 20-fish days – very possible.

You’ll find the biggest stringers in early spring, but there’s really no bad time.

It took nearly 27 pounds per day over a three-day tournament, to win the Bass California Open last June. Because there are so many ways to catch bass here, the event wasn’t even won by a local angler.

Water levels are better this year, which has already improved fishing, and weights are up. As the month progresses, expect spawning fish, as always, but a postspawn bite should take hold soon. Look for bass on deep weedlines, rock piles, the ends of docks and beneath matted vegetation. Fish also stack in places when the afternoon’s healthy winds kick up.

Punch a pegged, 1-ounce tungsten sinker and creature- or beaver-style bait through a likely looking mat and wait for that telltale thump. Set the hook and horse it out fast on heavy tackle. Slow-rolling a spinnerbait or swimbait past likely targets works also, particularly when there is wind, as does a strategically placed topwater plug.

The author caught and released this 7.60-pounder at Lake Berryessa, which gets a lot of fishing pressure from the Bay Area. (JASON HALEY)

I like buzzbaits or prop baits, but don’t overlook frogs; they’re popular choices. Dragging football-head jigs in cleaner, rockier water is effective, as are shaky head and Texas-rigged 7-inch worms.

Many locals, hardcore anglers, and even once-a-year guys take Clear Lake for granted, but it truly is a destination checked off on bucket lists. It’s not just for trophy hunters, either. Anglers and guides are starting to report multiple age-classes of largemouth – a good sign for a healthy fishery going forward. There are numerous public launches distributed throughout the lake, and MAY 2015 California Sportsman

87

FISHING they are, amazingly, still free.

Oregon anglers Dave Bishop (front) and Jimmy Johnson enjoy a day of bassing on Lake Britton at Burney Falls State Park. Britton is a lesser-known and hidden gem of a bass destination. (JOAN MCBEE)

LAKE BERRYESSA I first fished here 25 years ago as a college kid. I’d travel through the cute, historic city of Winters and fish Markley Cove from shore. Heck, it was pretty good then! Catching quality smallmouth on shallow-running crawdad crankbaits, like the original Berkley Frenzy, was not uncommon, and you’d catch a big largemouth now and then on top.

I recently spent four days on the lake in a Triton 19XS Elite with a 225 Mercury Optimax Pro XS. It’s easy to see why Berryessa ranks 22nd (behind Clear Lake at second) in this year’s Bassmaster “Hottest Fisheries on the Planet” issue.

Despite being relatively close to the urban strongholds of San Francisco and Sacramento, this fishery has it all. On any given cast, you might catch a quality largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass. The spots and the smallies run big here, and there are some giant largemouth.

The California Tournament Trail Pro-Am in March produced a 31-pound bag that included a largemouth over 12 pounds and a

With pre- and postspawn in progress at various Northern California lakes, May should be an ideal month to get into big bass and big numbers of fish. (JASON HALEY)

88 California Sportsman MAY 2015

7-pound smallmouth.

“There are 20-pound fish swimming around out there,” Vacaville’s Billy Hines, a guide and local pro, told me, and I believe him!

The lake is big and fishes even bigger, thanks to the abundance of shallow, offshore structure, creek inlets, flooded timber and large grass flats. Sample the narrow, east end of the lake for numbers and the occasional kicker fish. The large, shallow west end appears to hold the monster bucketmouths. Try the flooded timber on the northwest side. Pope Creek, Putah Creek and the waterski school are also good, as well as any number of spawning bays and associated points.

At 400 feet above sea level, this valley lake comes on early, so May will be mostly postspawn action.

That’s OK, but use site-specific poppers in the immediate postspawn (or even spawning) period while bass are still hanging around beds or fry. Move out to the points and deeper water as the postspawn progresses. Throw walk-the-dog-style topwater plugs, buzzbaits, spinners or trout-imitation swimbaits for bigger postspawn fish. Stick with tubes in natural colors, dropshots, Senkos and other soft plastics for numbers, shallow or deep, and use wind and shade to your advantage.

LAKE BRITTON Sleeper alert: This little Pit River impoundment located near the town of

Burney, in Shasta County, is getting better every year. Britton only offers about 20 miles of shoreline. This means a fast boat could travel end to end in about 10 minutes, if not for a couple of sharp channel swings and the 5 mph zone between the Highway 89 and McCloud River Railroad (where they filmed part of the film, Stand By Me, in 1986) bridges.

Don’t let the size fool you, though; this little lake packs a big punch, cranking out quality smallmouth and largemouth every year, with five-fish limits that can exceed 20 pounds.

Britton is chock-full of hard fighting smallmouth bass and contains plenty of 2- to 6-pound largemouth.

It has character and fishes bigger than it appears on a map. May is prime, with fall another great period.

There are practically two lakes on each side of Highway 89. The west side contains launch ramps at Jamo Point and Burney Falls State Park (an amazing treasure in itself); Northshore Campground and Burney, Clark and Cayton Creeks. The east side includes Dusty Campground and the major tributaries of Hat Creek and Pit River.

Bass typically spawn here this month, but with the dry and mild winter, things are liable to be accelerated, particularly with the smallmouth.

Sight fishing is not normally the deal here, due to stained water, afternoon breezes and riffles created by boat traffic, but there are a few backwaters where you can try.

FISHING Largemouth bed deeper here, due to historic hydroelectric drawdowns. They’ll bed on top of large-diameter stumps here too, and are susceptible there.

Topwater plugs are a great way to catch both species, but go with what you’re comfortable with. Tubes, Senkos, jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits all work. If the water is flat, fish plastics on light line and make long casts.

If it’s windy and rough, throw a spinner, crankbait or jig. There are lots of downed trees that the bass relate to. They also like mats and weedlines.

The lake has a healthy crawfish population. Most bass I’ve caught here cough up claws, tails and antennas; my livewell can look like a seafood market at day’s end. Public roads, campgrounds and foot trails provide excellent access for bank anglers and small boats.

SHASTA LAKE Let’s not forget Shasta. It ranked 32nd nationwide this year by Bassmaster. Pound for pound, it’s beyond compare. From January through December, low water or high, this foothill jewel kicks out amazing numbers of riled-up spotted bass for young and old, rookies and tournament anglers alike.

At full pool, Shasta has a surface elevation of 1,067 feet, but even with it nowhere near that this year, not to worry: It is the largest reservoir in the state and can swallow up countless boats without crowding, even in drought years. The manmade wonder, Shasta Dam holds back the waters of the Pit, McCloud and Sacramento Rivers, as well as Squaw Creek and numerous other tributaries. It’s worth a tour, as is the natural wonder, Shasta Caverns, located up the McCloud Arm. Despite its location on Interstate 5 just north of Redding and moderate to heavy fishing pressure, 50- to 100-fish days are not only possible, they happen routinely. Some bass guys have started bringing clickers to 90 California Sportsman MAY 2015

This month will look nothing like May of a few years back at Shasta Lake, due to the lack of precip, but there’s still a ton of shoreline to fish. (STEVE BRETH)

set goals and reduce boredom.

Still, the big ones also live here. Spotted bass reach their full potential, and it’s not uncommon for tournament bags to exceed 20 pounds. Clear water makes them relatively spooky, and catch-and-release angling helps keep the big females around. World-record spots were caught at New Melones and Bullards Bar respectively, each of the last two seasons, but there are some who believe the next record lives here.

Shasta is all about big swimbaits.

Everything works here, but if you want to tie into a 5- or 6-pounder, you’ve got to learn to throw them.

For numbers, try soft plastics on tungsten weights and 8-pound fluorocarbon. Carbon is virtually invisible underwater and you get more bites. I prefer Seaguar. Tungsten gives you a smaller profile with the same weight, and better feel. You can distinguish soft from hard bottoms and feel subtle bites at depth,

plus it’s nontoxic.

Weather and water temp dictate action more so than the calendar, but May will be mostly postspawn. If the swimbaits aren’t working, try Bone Zara Spooks, early and late, over long, tapering points and the backs of coves in deeper water. You might try the same thing along vertical walls in the upper river channels.

TRINITY LAKE The cat’s been out of the bag for years in Nor Cal, but not so much elsewhere.

Weaverville is the only full-service town for miles from Trinity. This reduces angling pressure, particularly in the winter and early spring when the road over Buckhorn Summit can be dicey. For those willing to make the

SIX-PACK FOR MAY BASS In bass fishing, it helps to understand seasonal patterns, but ignore hard-and-fast rules. Each fishery differs, sometimes day to day. The constant in spring is change, so be ready to adapt with these staples:

Stickbaits: Senkos, Yum Dingers, etc., provide versatility. They’re great in clear water on light or heavy line. Rig them to suit the application on prespawn, postspawn or bedded bass.

Topwater plugs: Sometimes topwaters outproduce all, including during the spawn. Poppers can trigger vicious strikes in all three phases. Throw beyond a ball of fry and work it back. Walk-the-dogstyle baits cover more water, and smallies pound them.

Crankbaits: You can’t go wrong with crawdad-pattern cranks. There are literally too many good ones to list.

Tubes: Everybody makes one these days, and colors abound. Hop, drag or swim them deep or shallow. Tubes imitate crayfish and baitfish. They’re simple to use, and all species love ’em.

Jigs: Jigs are suitable for heavy cover, can be fished fast, and imitate nest raiders like bluegills. Modern head and weedguard designs fit most conditions.

Spinnerbaits: Well-presented spinners make killer baitfish imitators. Spawners rarely move far enough, but prespawn and postspawn bass annihilate them.

Blades excel in wind. -JH

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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FISHING trip, though, it can be lights out.

Big smallmouth are what Trinity is known for. The former state record, a 9-pound beauty, came out of here in 1976 and stood for 30 years until it was bested by a couple fish from Mother Lode country. Many feel the record will again be broken here.

My first recollections of this beautiful place are catching a golden 4-pound smallmouth on a 4-inch curl-tail worm rigged on a darter head in my first 20 minutes. I finished the day deep-cranking smallmouth in the tailings at the lake’s north end. It’s like Hawaii – once you’ve visited, nearly everyone returns, if they’re able.

It’s not just about big bronzebacks anymore, though. Most tournaments are being won with largemouth. In fact, an American Bass team event held there last April was won with four fish for a whopping 28.21 pounds.

May/June is typically best here, as the runoff from the Trinity River via

92 California Sportsman MAY 2015

the majestic Trinity Alps continues to warm. The water is lower and warmer than normal this year, however, so it’s likely to be postspawn fishing, except for the deeper areas near the dam. That’s not bad, necessarily, as spawning fish can make fishing mysterious and tough.

If you do encounter bed fish, soft plastic tubes or flukes in white can help you see your bait in relation to the bed, and they’re easy to see when moved. Ease closer and gauge the fish’s mood. If you spook it and she doesn’t come back right away, forget it, as it’s probably not catchable. If it comes back immediately, or never leaves, spend a few minutes. Slide in a tube or creature bait. If the fish approaches, leave it. If it goes nose down to look, she’s likely yours.

Don’t set the hook until you feel it or see your line go tight. Your eyes can deceive you. Enjoy a little fun, but don’t spend all day there. Let the

bass do their thing; easier fish await.

Above all, practice CPR: catch, photograph and release.

Despite drought conditions, there’s plenty of fishable water. Trinity is our third largest reservoir. Still, this season, shore anglers and anglers with small craft, kayaks or float tubes may actually have an advantage when it comes to launching or accessing some of the shallow, hard-to-reach places.

Bass dwell from the dam to the upper reaches near the Trinity Center boat launch. Coves, long points, rocky outcroppings, stump beds and the tailings at the north end are excellent places to begin. Start with oldiebut-goody bass baits – tubes, ripbaits, crankbaits and spinners – but swimbaits are popular now too. A spinning rod is all you’ll need, but bring a baitcaster if you feel like throwing cranks or big swimmers.

Trinity Lake has camping, and the views are amazing. CS

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94 California Sportsman MAY 2015

FISHING

A CLEAR WINNER SPRING SCHEDULE HEATS UP AT LAKE COUNTY BASS FACTORY WITH CALIFORNIA SPORTSMANSPONSPORED TOURNAMENT

Two early-morning bassers take on Clear Lake during last April’s Team Classic tournament. (BRIAN LULL)

C

lear Lake’s reputation as one of California’s, if not the nation’s, premier largemouth bass fisheries gets annually showcased by the Konocti Vista Casino’s (707-262-1900; konocti-vista-casino.com) schedule of tournaments it hosts every spring.

California Sportsman is among the primary sponsors for this month’s fifth edition of the Team Classic, slated for May 2-3 at the marina on Konocti Harbor. Among the highlights of the event: *Every participant who signs up for the tournament will receive a complimentary subscription to California Sportsman; *Anglers’ $175 entry fee will make them automatically eligible for a guaranteed $1,000 bonus each day for the largest bass caught; *A tournament entry also includes a $10 credit that can be used for slots or table games at the casino.

Clear Lake hosts multiple bass

The 2014 edition of the Team Classic saw participants bring in 219 bass that weighed a combined 820 pounds. The winning bag went 51.05 pounds. (BRIAN LULL)

tournaments every year, and with its facilities, Konocti Vista is one of the premier places for organizers to headquarter their events.

In late February and early March, Konocti held its 28th annual Clear Lake Bass Tournament (formerly known as the Holder Ford Tournament). Kelly Maughs and Kyle Maughs were the tournament champions and finished with a total weight of 65.96 pounds. The

Maughs also scored the biggest fish of day two (10.27 pounds).

Last year’s Team Classic, which was held in April 2014, was won

by Marvin Dixon and Roy Desmangles, Jr., who caught a total of 51.05 pounds. Adam Martin and Chris Dabbs caught the biggest bass at 7.81 pounds. All of the 219 fish that were weighed in – and which tallied a total of just over 820 pounds – were successfully released. CS MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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96 California Sportsman MAY 2015

FISHING

WHERE THE BIG BASS SWIM SWIMBAITS ENTICE TROPHY SO CAL LARGEMOUTH

Southern California lakes are churning out monster bass this year. This massive 16.20-pound largemouth was caught by Ryan Block on a trout swimbait at Lake Skinner in Riverside County. (RYAN BLOCK)

By Bill Schaefer

I

hope you are all out catching big bass, because they seem to be around right now. During April, four fish over 15 pounds were caught, and in March, there was at least one more over 15 pounds. Top fish at the time of this writing is a 16.20-pounder caught out of Lake Skinner by Ryan Block. It’s a new record for the Temecula-area water.

Many 10- to 15-pounders from all around the Southern California lakes were landed as well. And the middleweights, those bass from 5 to 10 pounds, can’t be kept track of because there have been so many!

I know you all want to know what they are catching all these bass on. The problem is, some big bass hunters are a little secretive, but I’ll bet a good number of them came on some type of swimbait,

which has become all the rage among go-to options.

Swimbaits come in all shapes and sizes to emulate anything from a mouse to a bluegill to a trout, and even another bass. You have to determine which will work best at the time of year you throw them.

Just know that they will work yearround. You just have to have the patience and stamina to throw them.

Some quick tips would be to throw a trout swimbait at any lakes that plant trout. The more realistic, the better, but that is not an issue nowadays, considering some look like taxidermists painted them. Baby bass swimbaits or bluegill can be thrown around the spawn; they are predators of the nest, or an easy meal for a giant female about to spawn. There are baits that look like household rodents as well; they can be effective when those mice or rats might be near the water’s

edge in search of a drink but fall in.

Try during low-light conditions, like in the morning and evening. All will work for almost 365 days, but you will increase your odds by doing a little thinking like the bass you are after.

For tackle, try and use a 7½- to 8-foot rod with a heavy-fast action.

Each angler likes a little different action, so stick with what you like and how you throw those heavy baits.

Line should be a heavy braid like Daiwa or Maxima in 50- or 60-pound test. Leaders vary, but I think most go with 25- to 50-pound fluoro for their leader. You’re going to need a heavy-duty reel, and my favorite lately is the Daiwa LEXA 300 or 400 models.

Pick your favorite lake, put in time on the water and with the baits, study the fish, and we just might all be reading about your record bass next time. Now, go get one! CS MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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98 California Sportsman MAY 2015

FISHING

WHAT’LL SHOW UP THIS YEAR!?

AFTER EL NIÑO MADE FOR A WILD 2014 FOR EXOTICS, WHAT DOES THE SUMMER LOOK LIKE IN THE PACIFIC?

A strong yellowtail bite that has continued throughout spring could mean for more successful fishing for exotics this summer off the California coast.

(STEVE CARSON)

By Steve Carson

A

fter 2014’s invasion of tropical species like wahoo that almost never reach into California waters, what could 2015 possibly have in store?

Although they have been caught in Golden State waters as recently as 2010, no Sierra mackerel were reported in 2014, and the tasty inshore fighters would be a welcome addition by all anglers. And while only a handful of species still remain on the “theoretically possible” list, first among them is roosterfish.

Various reference texts claim that roosterfish range as far north as San Clemente, and a few sources unfamiliar with California geography will state San Clemente Island. The truth is that no roosterfish has ever been caught in California ocean waters, or even anywhere close to it.

Way back during the mega-El Niño of 1959, the then-Department of Fish and Game tried to compile as long a list as possible of exotic ocean visitors.

The crew of a live bait boat making a set on a school of anchovies tight to the beach at San Clemente spotted what appeared to be a roosterfish in the water. DFG gave credence to this visual-only sighting, and the legend grew from there.

Otherwise, the furthest north a roosterfish has actually been caught

is Turtle Bay, some 300 miles south of the Mexico-California border.

Although the sighting is, of course, possible, a fast-moving yellowtail seen from above the surface certain-

After El Niño created chaos off Southern California in 2014, who knows if exotic species like roosterfish, usually found off Mexico, will find their way north this year. (CAROL NEUHOFF/WIKIMEDIA) MAY 2015 California Sportsman

99

FISHING ly resembles its close relative, the roosterfish. (As a side note, the early 1950s saw a plethora of experimental fish plantings in the Salton Sea, east of Palm Springs, including a handful of roosterfish, although none were ever caught by anglers.)

COLORS OF THE RAINBOW Another species never before caught in California waters that could easily happen in 2015 is rainbow runner. One hangup that may prevent a confirmed catch is the species’ close physical resemblance to yellowtail. If a casual or inexperienced angler happened to catch one, it is probable that they would not notice the difference and just tally it as another yellowtail. In a few cases of yellowtail being caught in Oregon waters – well north of their usual range – baffled anglers have consulted fish ID books, and have misidentified their catch as a rainbow runner.

Yet another such mistake in Oregon occurred in April, when a large piece of Japanese tsunami debris drifted close to shore. Oregon officials euthanized several California yellowtail spotted lurking under the debris, mistakenly thinking the fish were buri, also known as Japanese yellowtail.

Speaking of yellowtail doppelgängers, their close relative, the Pacific almaco jack (Pacific amberjack), have occasionally been caught in San Diego Bay. It’s thought that these were fish brought back and liberated by tuna boat crews when much of the commercial fleet was based there.

DO YOU KNOW JACK? Any number of lesser members of the jack family have been seen during previous El Niño events, but only rarely since then. Family members jack crevalle, gafftopsail pompano, lookdown and paloma pompano (Pacific permit) have all been caught here before, but the cool-looking

African pompano and very similar threadfin jack have not been seen north of the border.

One of the oddest situations concerns a pair of grouper species that are common in Baja, broomtail grouper and gulf grouper. Way back in the 1940s and ’50s, tuna boat captains would often sail home from the tropics with small grouper in their live bait tanks, usually releasing them at La Jolla Cove. The fish inevitably grew much larger, and by the early 1950s a good number of big grouper were established there. Divers often took photos and fed them, almost as if they were tame dogs. To protect these vulnerable fish from anglers’ lines and spearguns, the local dive club petitioned CDFG to pass a regulation that prohibited catching them.

As the decades went by, most of the tuna fleet relocated far away, and fresh residents of the grouper colony stopped arriving. Apparently, spawning in the isolated environment was

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FISHING not possible, and eventually the fish all died out or disappeared. Very few if any have been caught in California since the mid-1980s, although some purported visual sightings have been made near Redondo Beach.

Ironically, the long-standing ban is still in effect on fishing for these “pet” grouper that – by modern standards – would be considered illegally introduced. Should any broomtail or gulf grouper wander north of the border in 2015, they must be released.

Luckily, other common Baja species like leopard grouper and snowy grouper are legal to keep, but would not be a “first.” A couple of baqueta were caught during 2014, but this deepwater grouper species would be welcome to visit the Golden State again.

YELLOWTAIL STILL BITING Meanwhile, the springtime yellowtail bite rages on, and prospects for more commonly seen exotics like yellowfin

102 California Sportsman MAY 2015

tuna and dorado are good. Bluefin tuna fishing is also projected to be good, but anglers need to be aware that the daily limit on the species in California waters will be changed to two fish as of mid-May. At press time, bluefin fishing was still closed in Mexican waters, so 2015’s new limits remain unknown.

SARDINES As mentioned in this column last month, the West Coast sardine population has plummeted to below 100,000 metric tons, which triggers a shutdown of most directed fisheries for the species. The live bait industry has a long-standing exemption, because 99 percent of the catch is returned to the water alive in the form of bait or chum. Members of the Pacific Fisheries Management Commission remind anglers that even this exemption expires if the population dips below 50 metric tons.

However, chances are good that the supply of live bait will be inter-

mittent when demand is high. It also bears repeating that anglers should not leave the dock without a selection of several sizes and styles of quality bait catchers, like Owner Sabikis or similar rigs.

In decades past, primitive yarndressed hooks known as “Lucky Joes” were considered sufficient to catch baitfish. Higher-quality rigs will produce much better, and can be fine-tuned for the size and species of bait. Anchovies, smelt and small sardines are best caught with size 12 or 14 Sabikis.

Larger sardines, juvenile jack mackerel and smaller greenback mackerel go for a size 8 or 10 rig. Standard-size mackerel, jacksmelt and brown bait can be caught on size 6 or 4 rigs, but anything size 2 or larger can be very counterproductive, unless you are trying to get some larger bullfrog-sized mackerel for marlin or large tuna. CS Editor’s note: Email the author at scarson@sunset.net.

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FISHING

YELLOWTAIL ACTION

EXPLODES FISH BITING FROM LONG BEACH SOUTH TO THE BORDER

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

SAN DIEGO—Southern California yellowtail action has been off the hook lately, and everyone from weekend warriors to sport boats have been scoring on nice-sized fish.

A warm winter, coupled with ocean water temperatures above normal, had the fish biting right on through the winter and it never stopped. And the amount of baitfish and red crabs drifting in Southern California waters has also helped keep the fish around.

Around Long Beach and out to Catalina and San Clemente Islands, plus all the way down to the Mexican border, has been good. If you have a favorite area anywhere in that box, get there now! I know it’s hard to chase yellows when the bluefin and yellowfin are showing up, but you can probably, at some point, fill your fish box with plenty of each species.

The fish have been seen breezing and feeding on bait schools and larger areas of red crab. They have been taken on bait, slow-trolling mackerel, on the surface iron, and yo-yoing the iron on meter marks.

There seems to be a pattern to suit any fisherman’s style. Don’t be so quick to pass up any kelp paddies either, as some have had the motherlode of yellows on them.

When fishing the paddies, posi-

Joel King shows off a nice yellowtail that bit a scrambled egg-pattern jig at the Coronado Islands. Many techniques can be used off the Southern California coast to land these tasty fish. (BILL SCHAEFER)

tion your boat to drift with the wind past the paddy, tossing a few baits to see if the fish explode on them, or just soak a few as you go by.

A gentle reminder to rookies: If you approach a paddy that another boat is fishing, the most courteous thing to do is ask permission to pull in, even if the other boat is off it a ways. The key is to not just charge up to paddies or boiling fish. You will just put them down. Rather, ask to join the fun, pull to the windward

side, and drift to the yellowtails.

For equipment, anything from heavy bass gear, if you like a good battle, to medium-heavy saltwater gear will do. Braid or Spectra with a leader will do fine for bait. I like the Maxima braid in 50 pounds, with a Maxima 20- to 25-pound-test fluorocarbon leader on my Daiwa Saltist 30 two-speed reel and baitstick. Always check your gear and drags before a trip like this, as you don’t want to lose that trophy yellowtail. CS

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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108 California Sportsman MAY 2015

A FAMILY TRADITION, REVISITED BRITTANY BODDINGTON’S FIRST HUNTING EXPERIENCE WAS FOR PIGS IN PASO ROBLES. A DECADE LATER SHE AND HER DAD, CRAIG, HEAD BACK

By Brittany Boddington

On a hunt outside Paso Robles, Craig Boddington (center) got the monster wild boar that he wanted so badly – check out the tusks on that California hog! Even if he’s hunted around the world for dozens of species, daughter Brittany Boddington says her dad was so excited, it was as if he had never shot a feral pig before.

Craig took it with a long-distance shot using a Legendary Arms Works .300 Win Mag and Hornady’s Full Boar ammunition. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON) MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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A

s some of you may know, my first hunt ever was a wild boar hunt in Paso Robles, a couple hours north of Los Angeles on the central coast. In March, I had the opportunity to relive that special memory by going hunting for pigs with my dad – author and big game hunter Craig Boddington – in the same area that we did that first hunt together in 2003.

The hunt was organized by Oak Stone Outfitters, and there were a few different areas for us to hunt.

My dad wanted to shoot a massive boar, but my main goal was to fill the freezer with meat.

The first morning, we met at owner Chad Wiebe’s studio (when not hunting, he is a taxidermist) in the dark. We started early – right around 5 a.m. – and drove into the hunting area. The idea was to pick some high points and glass. These wild boars tend to only move in the early morning and late evening, so catching them on the move or feeding is crucial.

We picked one nice high ridge to glass and I looked around a few times but didn’t see anything. Chad obviously has better pig vision because he picked out a group of boars moving through tall grass on the ridge ahead of us. We closed some distance with the truck and then got out and stalked up as quietly as possible. We got within good shooting range, but I was too low to get a clear picture of the pig in the tall grass.

We quickly shifted left and up onto a small grassy mound, and when I got on the sticks I could clearly see the ears, neck and top of the shoulder of the pig as it shuffled through the grass. As soon as the boar stopped, I squeezed the trigger. The boar let out a strange highpitched noise and dropped down in its tracks. I could not wait to get up to see what kind of pig I had gotten.

It was a sow, about 200 pounds 110 California Sportsman MAY 2015

The author made her hunting debut in Paso Robles in 2003 when her celebrated hunter father Craig Boddington took her pig hunting there. The Boddingtons’ return to the rugged, wooded country between Los Angeles and San Francisco was a successful one. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

worth, and would make a perfect meat pig! I was elated, as this is exactly the type of pig I wanted and now the freezer would be full for a long time!

MY DAD WAS up next. He was on a quest for a massive pig, a big old gnarly boar with tusks. We glassed the rest of the afternoon but didn’t find anything worth chasing. The next day we switched to a different property. This area was very similar, but had even more rolling hills and looked like pig paradise, with fields of crops for them to munch.

The landowner did not appreciate the pigs turning his livelihood into their own personal buffet and was happy to have us there to help out.

This area didn’t have much cover, so if a pig was there, it would be in a few small shaded spots or moving through the grass or crops.

We stopped to check the first shady spot with a couple of trees and some undergrowth, and sure

enough, a sow with piglets jumped out and took off up the hill with a trail of tiny babies running behind her. We watched them run over the next ridge and out of sight, and then continued on our way.

We checked a few more high spots but didn’t see much. But when we reached a huge field of barley, we got out and decided to hunt the area.

The landowner had seen some pigs in this area and we thought it might be worth taking a walk.

My dad and Chad walked in front with our camerawoman, Kelly, while I walked behind with our other cameraman, Conrad. Halfway down the hill into the field, we were all caught off guard when a boar that had been napping jumped up and ran down the hill in front of us.

My dad and Chad took off running after the pig with Kelly chasing and filming them at the same time.

They were sprinting downhill on uneven ground and took a few tumbles along the way. I stayed where I

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The duo’s hunt was filmed for their Sportsman Channel TV show, The Boddington Experience. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

was and watched the scene unfold from above.

My dad disappeared from sight for a moment, popped back up and then disappeared again; obviously he had found some sort of hole.

Kelly is a runner and outpaced the two guys to get ahead and film them from the front.

Chad threw up the sticks and my dad got ready to shoot. The pig had passed through the valley below and was climbing the hill that we were facing. I could see the black spot moving up the hill clearly from where I stood, but my dad would be shooting into the sun.

I kept expecting him to shoot but it was a more difficult shot than I realized. The pig had crossed the 400-yard line and was still going.

The hillside was dark and shadowed from where my dad stood;

112 California Sportsman MAY 2015

the light was changing rapidly. The pig didn’t seem to have any plans to stop and was headed right for the top of the ridge, where it would dis-

appear completely. At last I heard the pop of the rifle and saw the pig take a tumble.

I raced down the hill toward the

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Proud father Craig poses with Brittany and her wild boar for the freezer.

It was a Paso Robles reunion for the Boddingtons, almost 12 years after Brittany’s first hunt, also for pigs on the Central Coast. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

The author and outfitter Chad Wiebe after getting Brittany’s prized pig into the truck as twilight set in. (BRITTANY BODDINGTON)

group as they started to head to the boar. We didn’t have time to really check out the pig before the chase began, but when we got up to it, we realized that this was no ordinary boar; this was the monster that my dad had been after!

As we walked up, the pig looked bigger and bigger; it would certainly

be over 300 pounds. My dad was so excited that you would have thought he had never shot a pig before!

Hunting California pigs is a tradition in my family; it is a fun and relatively inexpensive way to get the whole family out for a hunt and fill the freezer. I enjoyed this hunt just as much as my very first wild boar

hunt, and I know my dad did too! CS Editor’s notes: If you would like to check out Chad Wiebe’s hunting areas, contact him at OakStoneOutfitters.com. Brittany Boddington is a Los Angeles-based hunter, journalist and adventurer. For more, check out brittanyboddington.com and facebook.com/brittanyboddington.

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HUNTING

THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED

Jessica Hovey and Jose De Orta watch for pig movement over a thick drainage. Pigs will hold tight in their beds if they feel like they can escape danger and go undetected. (TIM E. HOVEY)

PUTTING THE SNEAK ON FERAL PIG NESTS WILL IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF HARVESTING A BOAR

By Tim E. Hovey

I

eased over some boulders at the top of the running creek, looking downstream. Beyond the

large rocks, the drainage attened out and a well-worn game trail would make getting back to camp a lot easier.

A large oak tree sat near the

stream, casting a huge portion of the area in a dark shadow. I had about an hour of daylight left and I had already decided I needed to start heading back.

With the wind in my face and the sound of the creek masking my movement, I started walking down the game trail near the edge of the MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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HUNTING a pig. When I went to retrieve the animal, I realized that the sow had been bedded under the giant oak.

The ground was rubbed down to hardpan, there were several wallows surrounding the trunk and a dry dust bed had been dug out near the base of the tree that extended deep into the roots.

AFTER THAT HUNT, whenever I hunted

No, that’s not a crop circle. Rather, the ring of dirt surrounding the brush indicates heavy use by hogs. (TIM E. HOVEY)

creek. I hiked around the low oak and was moving my way downstream when I heard a twig snap deep in the shadow of the big tree.

I looked into the darkness and saw the outline of a wild pig. I dropped the magnification on my scope to

118 California Sportsman MAY 2015

3X, aimed for the spine and fired.

The 140-pound sow dropped right there. The pig was a short 6 yards off my barrel.

That memorable hunt occurred about 15 years ago and was the first time I had ever snuck up on

wild pigs, I made a point to try and sneak close to the animals I chased.

I started spending a great deal of time looking for pigs’ bedding areas. I quickly learned the difference between an old bed and a new one.

I’d look for fresh sign and tracks, and figure out what time of day the animals were using it. I made note of water sources close by, fresh trails to and from the site and, most importantly, how I would approach the area when it came time to hunt.

Pig bedding areas are usually heavily brushed with thick cov-

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HUNTING er and adjacent to a good feeding area, and if you know what to look for, they’re pretty easy to spot. Beds that are used regularly will have a heavily traveled dirt border surrounding the vegetation. Bedding areas will have several entrances and exits; pigs tear up the surrounding terrain looking for the easiest way in and out.

When I spot a pig bed that I want to get closer to, I carefully examine the terrain and decide on a point of approach. Pigs don’t see well, but they aren’t blind. I’ll stay close to cover when I hike in, and I move slowly. I check the wind religiously and adjust accordingly.

Once I get within 100 yards, I find a good vantage point and pick apart the vegetation with my binoculars.

To save time and energy, I’ll use a spotting scope to scan distant beds and decide if they are worth getting closer to.

Andrew Escamilla with his first big game animal, a feral hog taken on a recent hunt in California with the author. After a lengthy hike and stalk, Andrew made a perfect shot at 90 yards. It’s all about the smiles.

(TIM E. HOVEY)

As bedded pigs rarely stay still when they lay up I’ll search the bedding area for any sign of movement.

Some beds will have dusting areas

where the soil is as fine as powder.

Pigs will roll in these dust spots to combat the parasites that live on their skin. Occasionally, small clouds

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HUNTING of dust wafting above the vegetation will be a dead giveaway to pig presence in a bed.

When I head out to hunt wild pigs, I completely understand that success will not be easy. I spend lots of time with maps and Google Earth to decide on a plan of action prior to each hunt. I expect to do quite a bit of hiking on each hunt, and I rarely give up. But above all, the one thing that I can say separates a successful pig hunter from one who has the occasional sighting is that I hunt where others don’t. That’s why I like to sneak into their beds.

Pigs will hold tight in their beds if they feel like they can escape danger and go undetected. While pigs can be spotted moving early in the morning and at sundown, once they become pressured or the weather heats up, they usually stay in their beds until they feel safe to forage. And if they feel safe, they won’t flush from their

A happy group of hunters – from left: Jose De Orta, his son, Adrian, Alyssa Hovey and her dad, the author – pose with a hard-earned pig taken after miles of hiking and several creek pushes. The kids earned this one. (TIM E. HOVEY)

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HUNTING spots until you’re just about right on top of them.

I was hunting pigs on a piece of property that is heavily pressured by other hunters. I knew the pigs would be holding tight in their beds and I knew if I wanted to be successful, that’s where I needed to be.

I was at the last bed of the drainage, slowly walking through old sign.

I was just about ready to head back when I cut a single set of very fresh tracks. I stopped, quickly checked the wind and kept going.

Quietly following the tracks to a narrow trail in the bed, I took four steps and nearly stepped on a 160-pound boar sleeping in the middle of the path. I pointed the rifle at the back rib, angling up towards the shoulder, and fired. The boar exploded out of the brush, ran 50 yards and died near a creek bottom. Getting close to wild animals, especially sturdy pigs with tusks, isn’t like kicking

up quail. Before I head into a bed, I search all possible hiding spots and make sure I have an escape route in case I need to leave fast. I’m cautious, careful and always armed. I usually carry my .357 revolver and my .30-30 lever gun whenever I search a pig bed.

In most cases, bedded pigs will scatter when disturbed. Placing hunters downwind of occupied beds will present opportunities if shooters are lucky enough to be ready for action and in the right position.

Adrian De Orta and Alyssa Hovey worked together and tag-teamed this huge boar on a recent hunt. It was their first big game animal as young hunters. (TIM E. HOVEY)

IN EARLY SPRING I headed out to hunt pigs with my daughter, Alyssa, my

good friend, Jose De Orta, and his son Adrian. The goal for the Saturday

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HUNTING hunt was to get the kids on their first big game animals.

After several hard creek pushes, several miles of hiking and a handful of pig sightings, the cooler was still empty. After a hearty lunch and some glassing, we decided to try some new areas. On the drive over, Jose spotted a bedding area just off the dirt road that he wanted to investigate.

We got close, set the kids up in a safe direction and Jose headed out to walk the pig bed. I stayed with the kids and we waited.

Through the binoculars I watched Jose slowly move through the vegetation, kicking the brush and weaving his way through the bed. The kids were searching, excited and silent. I was watching Jose when he stopped suddenly. He was deep inside the bushes and looking in front of him. All of sudden, a large boar broke cover and headed out as fast as a pig could run.

126 California Sportsman MAY 2015

Alyssa and Adrian spotted the pig and started lining up on him. Another 20 yards and he’d be running broadside right across their firing line. Then, for some reason, the pig changed direction and came running right towards our position.

The boar was 150 yards out and running straight towards us. Alyssa fired first and I saw a puff of dust near the top of the pig’s head. Adrian hit the boar in the front leg, causing it to stumble slightly. Despite the firing, the pig kept coming. The next two shots were clean misses by the kids, but he was wounded and slowing down.

Twenty yards from our position, the boar veered to our left and kept running. Since he was now clear of where we were and headed towards cover, Jose and I took over. Jose hit the boar on the run with a shot to the vitals. I added one more as the pig disappeared over a small rise.

The kids and I jumped into the truck and raced over to where we had last seen the pig. As we rounded the hill, we found him down. With both the kids hitting him first, they shared the glory together of taking their first big game animal as young hunters. They handled themselves perfectly and safely in all the excitement; as a father, I could not have been prouder.

Walking the beds, as I call it, is my favorite way to hunt pigs. The action is close and usually fast. Pigs inhabit areas wherever good forage and cover exist, and they can be found throughout California.

The season for this non-native animal is open year-round with no limit on the number of pigs you can harvest. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife does require a harvest tag for each pig. And they are without a doubt my favorite California big game animal to pursue. CS

Liberty Achery • The Big Game Compound Bow The original intent of The Big Game Compound Bow was to make a small, lightweight complete hunting package. A bow with four arrows that I could hook onto my backpack and not even feel it. A complete small bow kit that I could put into the corner of my car trunk. In many ways, the goal was met with positive surprises along the way. I will go through the various parts of the design and how they satisfy this goal, but one of the most enjoyable surprises was the human energy expenditure, so I will cover it first.

HUMAN ENERGY We had a physiology consultant calculate the energy expended while shooting the Liberty I as compared to a lower let-off bow. His result was that shooting a 70-pound Liberty I bow consumed the same energy as shooting a competitor’s 60.56-pound bow (assumptions: 2-second draw, 5-second holding time). The benefits from this are plentiful: You can enjoy the speed and not get tired, spend more time at the range enjoying your favorite sport, experience much less hand shake (therefore, be more accurate), and hold at full draw longer until an animal is in the clear.

MASS WEIGHT With sight and arrow rest, the Liberty I weighs 2.52 pounds “loaded” and 2.3 pounds unloaded. Reducing the weight of present-day bows was the main reason we made the Liberty I. We toyed with magnesium, carbon, no limb pockets, a walnut handle and hollow limbs. The greatest weight reduction was the shooting between and limbs and elimination of the sight bar. We incorporated the sight bar extension into the riser, something other bow manufacturers can’t do. When you add up the 3.5-inch sight bar and the attachment brackets on both ends (one to sight, the other to the bow), you eliminate about a third of a pound.

We researched all sights on the market and picked the lightest and strongest. The Whisker Biscuit or Hostage model were chosen for their weight and semi-nonadjustability, as they should be left at the factory setting. We suggest the Catquiver by Rancho Safari for walking around, and a detachable one for tree stands.

It was possible to increase the holding weight equal to that of other bows and have an extremely fast bow or to keep the low holding weight, we chose the low holding weight.

A special peep was made to accommodate the string angle (three sizes). Peep sights can be eliminated by using the Hind Sight-Inc. (734-8782842), also available from Liberty Archery. Use the no-peep rear sight with the Liberty three pin regular sight.

RISER The basic design was to shoot through the limbs and eliminate the heavy riser. We made an investment in a cast A357-T6 aluminum riser that is very strong (used for jet impeller blades) and got the riser close to half a pound. With the “A” frame structure that the separated limbs make, you have a wide, three-point architecture for the top and bottom set that is very stable. This limb configuration twists the limbs during draw, adding rotational stored energy.

CAMS Dave Barnsdale of Barnsdale Archery was very instrumental in the cam design. It was Barnsdale who had the idea of spreading the cables in the cam itself. This was a patentable idea, but was not pursued at the time and Martin Archery now holds the patent on that design, even though Barnsdale had the idea first. To make a very short bow, most of the string must be in the cams. This means that the cams must be quite large. There were two unexpected results from the prototypes: first, the large cam increased the leverage at full draw, greatly decreasing the holding weight; and second, the large cam had amazing speed. Typically, when you have a low holding weight, you lose a lot of speed. It was possible to either increase the holding weight to equal that of other bows and have an extremely fast bow, or keep the low holding weight. The most important feature is that the cams will never go out of sync. This is due to the steel cables that do not stretch over time. Tested against other fast bows (even with the low holding weight), we matched them. A possibly third unexpected result was that for heavy arrows, the Liberty I was extremely fast. The bow shoots 338 fps with Liberty light weight arrows.

CAM SIZES It is impossible to make the very best shooting bow from one modular cam. At best, you can make an optimum bow every for ½ inch of draw length. That is what we did: a completely redesigned bow every ½ inch. That meant 22 cam jigs for our CNC (each jig is 16 inches by 38 inches), a big expense, but we feel it is the only way.

HANDLE At first, the handle was walnut, which is very light, but for the shape we needed, it chipped. Next we tried solid-Sarlink 3180 (EPDM) and found it to be very heavy. The final result was to mix the Sarlink with Safoam, a lightweight filler, and to rib the inside of the handle to increase cushioning and reduce weight. To keep the cable from hitting your wrist, the handle angle is 29 degrees.

PEEP SIGHT Because the bow is so short, the string angle puts the peep sight far up the string and at the wrong angle. Initially, the bow was 18.5 inches from axle to axle, but the peep did not have enough string and wrapped into the cam. Consequently, the cam was modified and the axle-to-axle length was increased to 20.5 inches. A special peep was made to accommodate the string angle (three sizes). No-peep sights are available from Liberty Archery (The Hindsight) and Hind Sight-Inc. (734-878-2842); use the rear sight with the Liberty 3 pin regular sight.

VIBRATION Noise took us a long time to solve. We mounted a decibel meter on the Hooter Shooter (shooting machine) and compared the Liberty I to other bows. Now we use Vapor Trail pre-stretched strings as some dealers prefer them over Winners Choice strings. At first it was very noisy, so we tried Limb Savers (no improvement) and other products. The end result was that the noise was coming from four places: limb pockets, cable heads, cables and the string. With a redesign of the cable head, polyurethane pocket cushions, Sims and Bow Jacks, all was solved. Retesting against our competitors we were lower on the decibel meter, i.e., made less noise.

CABLES The manufacturers of synthetic cables cannot make extremely accurate cables. The only solution was to make adjustable cable heads. With 6-32 threads, it means that one turn is 1/32 or .03125 inch. We found that as little as an eighth of a turn made a big difference when setting the timing of the cams. First, we adjusted the cables so that the cam was not tilted, then we marked the cable head and turned each head equally to get perfect timing.

ACCURACY The owner of our limb manufacturer, Barnsdale Archery, happens to be an expert shot. Dave Barnsdale, winner of 2005 Vegas Tournament, has tested our bow and we print his quote again: “Without much practice I shot a perfect 300 NAFF round (on Liberty I bow)”; “will be hunting this fall with a Liberty.”

LIMBS Made of Gordon composite-core laminated with Ultra S on the outside and Bow Tuff on the inside by Barnsdale Archery, this combination provides limb integrity for the amount of bending. It is well known that Barnsdale limbs are the best in the archery industry.

SIGHT Vital Bow Gear now has a complete sight line that works with the Liberty I. As only the sight head is used, it saves weight.

ARROW REST Initially we tried a simple rest, but because of the string angle the arrow would pop off. So total containment rests are a must: Whisker Biscuit or Hostage are recommended. The best drop-away is Tri-Van Vanishing Rest, by Tri-Van. STRING We mounted a decibel meter on the Hooter Shooter (shooting machine) and compared the Liberty I to other bows. Now we use Vapor Trail pre-stretched strings as some dealers prefer them over Winners Choice strings.

For more, check out libertyarchery.com or call (408) 983-1127.

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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128 California Sportsman MAY 2015

HUNTING ON MY OWN

THE AUTHOR RECALLS WHEN, AT 14, HE STALKED HIS FIRST DEER WITHOUT DAD

By Albert Quackenbush

O

utdoor activities are growing amongst our youth and it is up to us seasoned outdoorsmen and -women to properly guide them.

I was blessed with a dad who loved being active in the outdoors.

Whether it was hunting or fishing, that was where it was at for him. My dad also involved us in many other facets of hunting at an early age. One of my first memories was tracking a deer through an open corn field. He taught my brother and I what to look for and to be very patient.

Growing up on a farm in rural western New York was a blessing for me. We had a pond with hefty largemouth bass, bluegill and sunfish.

Even the occasional snapping turtle would grab our bait from time to time, and we sure got a thrill out of that. But as wonderful as fishing is, bowhunting is my passion, and so I want to share my first solo hunt that got me hooked for life.

ALL SUMMER LONG we worked hard on the farm. When the work was done and with the barn serving as a backdrop, my dad, brother and I took turns sending $3 aluminum arrows into a paper rifle target mounted on straw bales stacked three high, pretending that each one was a kill shot on a deer.

The hot, humid summer did not deter us. Neither did the long days of baling the straw we were using and stacking in the barn. Archery was our stress reliever and bonding time.

After mentoring from his father and learning the layout of his family’s upstate New York farm, the author put himself in a perfect place to take a first shot at a buck. (ALBERT QUACKENBUSH)

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In what seemed like an eternity to the 14-year-old boy, the buck approached out of the autumn ground fog to within 10 yards before facing him head-on. (ALBERT QUACKENBUSH)

I knew the farm well, as I had been helping out there for two years and come to learn nearly every nook and cranny where the deer hid. My dad had taken me out hunting with him multiple times and had shown me how to hunt the elusive cervid known as the whitetail deer. He had spent countless hours showing me how to properly shoot a bow, breathe correctly and just when to release my fingers off the string.

Up until this day, I had always been accompanied by him on our hunts, but this day he felt I was ready to hunt on my own.

WHEN ARCHERY SEASON for whitetail deer arrived, I found myself standing alone beside a drainage ditch because my gut told me that this was where I needed to be. The cool autumn morning was peaceful. A light fog was lifting and the trees were starting to materialize.

I stood, unmoving, for a half an hour after the sun rose, waiting and watching. For a 14-year-old boy, it was invigorating, exciting and it had me on edge.

Suddenly, I caught movement 130 California Sportsman MAY 2015

about 100 yards away, upwind and walking straight toward me. It was a deer! As it continued, I felt my heart thumping in my chest, along with each hoofstep as it hit the ground. When I realized that the deer was a large buck, it made my heart beat even faster.

Steam shot out of the buck’s nostrils as he breathed and then smelled the air. He had no idea I was there, but I was extremely concerned, as I was neither in a treestand nor a ground blind. Rather, I was standing in an open field, right in his walkway as he walked closer and closer. I froze.

Would the buck see me against the backdrop of our overgrown pasture?

I was only wearing my department store-bought camouflage coveralls and boonie hat. I had no pack, no rangefinder or handy gadgets like we use today. I had my antlerhandled hunting knife on my belt.

In my gloved left hand was a Bear compound bow given to me earlier that year by Dad. I have no idea what the draw weight was set at. My sight pins,

all three of them, had a little dot of paint at the tip of each one. Fiber optics were not something widely thought of in 1989 for bowhunters.

Even a release was a new topic of conversation. Adorning my right hand was a well-worn leather glove, covering three fingers that were just waiting to grip the bow string.

IN WHAT SEEMED like an eternity to me, the deer closed the distance to 50 yards, 40, 30, 20 … I drew my bow and the buck abruptly stopped at 10 yards, facing me head-on. I saw antler points, but I was taught not to count them. Instead, I was taught to focus on the animal itself and not take anything for granted.

Our staring contest lasted only a few seconds as I anchored, found the crease in his front leg and sent the arrow on its way. It buried itself in the exact spot where I had aimed.

The buck bolted west and up the hill. I watched the deer run away

MAY 2015 California Sportsman

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from me and suddenly drop 60 yards from where I had shot him. One kick in the goldenrod and he was done.

The intensity of the moment left my mind whirling. Had I made a clean shot? Did I really see my arrow hit like it did? I stood in my spot, stunned and in awe of what had just happened. To be honest, I was in disbelief. I had just killed my first deer ever and it was a buck. Best of all, I had done it with archery equipment while on my first solo hunt.

Having no idea how to field-dress a deer, I didn’t even walk up to the buck. Ten yards forward, I marked the start of the blood trail with an arrow. I knew I would need the help of my dad, so I said a quick prayer and began the long walk back to the farmhouse.

I had about a half-mile walk back, and the entire way I tried thinking of the best way to tell my dad about what I had just done. Every scenario in my head disappeared when I walked in the kitchen and he asked me, “So? How many arrows do you have left?”

I just showed him and then proceeded to tell the story. His eyes lit up, and huge hugs and cheers erupted from that small kitchen. I’ll never forget my little sister asking me, “Did you catch a deer?” I could only respond with, “Yes, yes, I did!”

WE HOPPED IN the truck and drove to the drainage ditch. Even though I knew where my deer had dropped, I brought my dad to the spot of the kill. The blood trail was like a super highway.

We followed it so I could practice blood trailing, but it didn’t take long to find my buck. My dad reached down, gripped the antlers and raised him up. We counted the points together and I couldn’t stop smiling. There were seven perfect tines pointing up, and I was thrilled.

Thrilled I had made a quick, clean kill and that my dad was proud.

Thrilled that the look on his face said so much to me.

Together, we field-dressed the deer and brought him back to the house to show my siblings. My brother was just as excited as I was. After seeing the look in his eyes, I knew he’d grow up to be a hunter himself. He helped us hang the deer in the barn as I told the story once more.

We feasted on the tenderloins for

Al couldn’t tell his story of getting this buck too many times to his proud father and his siblings. While it was the first of many deer for him, he still remembers the upstate New York whitetail fondly 25 years later. (ALBERT QUACKENBUSH)

The author, circa 1990, shows off a buck in the barn of his upstate New York home. Now a seasoned bowhunter who lives in Long Beach, he was thrilled and nervous the first time he hunted by himself in the cornfields near home.

(ALBERT QUACKENBUSH)

dinner that evening, a tradition that has lasted 31 years. To this day, we continue to enjoy the fruits of our labor on the day of a kill.

OF MY HUNTING memories, this is one of my favorites. There is nothing like being alone in nature and bowhunting whitetail deer with the scent of corn and apples filling the air, the feel of the cool mist as it lifts off the ground, and the sudden appearance of a mature buck.

The anticipation as he walks towards you; the moment of truth when you make the most of every second of the time you spent practicing; and the feeling of sheer happiness when you see the look on your dad’s face when you tell him your hunt was a success.

The younger generation of hunters needs to hear our stories, regardless of whether they’re of failed hunts or successful ones. They need encouragement, guidance and the proper tools so that when they do get an opportunity to harvest their first game animal, it is done with focused precision and respect for that animal.

Mentor a new hunter this year and help keep hunting alive! CS Editor’s note: For more on the author, go to socalbowhunter.com.

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PRODUCT REVIEW Uncle Sharkey’s Woodworks

Auto Jerk Decoy Systems

We live in violent times – don’t be a victim. Uncle Sharkey’s Woodworks has your solution: hide your guns or valuables in plain sight, which makes them accessible and safe. Their furniture not only looks great, it also has a keyless lock so that now you can retrieve your guns in seconds. unclesharkeyswoodworks.com

In the San Joaquin Delta, in the heart of the Pacific Flyway, we started our voyage over 30 years ago searching for the most effective way to decoy in waterfowl. The only things that have not changed are how waterfowl sound and look on the water.

Even the first hunters saw this and tried to duplicate waterfowl movement with manual jerk strings/cords. This was an effective and proven method to natural movement of several decoys with one motion of the arm.

Movement in your spread and ripple on

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the water are crucial to waterfowl success.

The two biggest complaints using a jerk string is in the setup, and pulling a string while calling and holding a gun.

This is why we invented the Auto Jerk Decoy System. Set up and hunt all day with the most effective natural decoy system on the market without having to pull on a string. It puts ripple and nonstop motion in your spread. autojerkdecoysystem.com (209) 400-4889

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136 California Sportsman MAY 2015