Cs april

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/26/14

1:57 PM

Page 1

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:06 PM

Page 2

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:06 PM

Page 3

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:08 PM

Page 4

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:09 PM

Page 5

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:11 PM

Page 6

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:12 PM

Page 7

masthead:Layout 1

3/24/14

12:31 PM

Page 8

California

Sportsman Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

Volume 5 • Issue 7 PUBLISHER

James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Dick Openshaw EDITOR

Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTORS

Nick Barr, David Brabec, Bob Brown, Steve Carson, Chris Gregersen, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen,Tim E. Hovey, Luke Kelly, Albert Quackenbush, Bill Schaefer, Mike Stevens SALES MANAGER

Brian Lull ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Lee Balliet, Maime Griffin, Karl Kukor, Chuck Leininger, Mike Nelson, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS

Dawn Carlson, Beth Harrison, Christina Poisal PRODUCTION MANAGER

John Rusnak INBOUND MARKETING

Jon Hines OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING

Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Lois Sanborn CIRCULATION MANAGER

Heidi Belew ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE

Email letters, articles/queries, photos, etc., to ccocoles@media-inc.com.

ON THE COVER

Orange County trout angler Craig Adkinson, who is on the pro staff for Phenix rods, Outcast float tubes, Izorline, Skinny Bear bass jigs and Trout King lures, looks ready for the spring trout opener with this brown he caught in the East Walker River. (CRAIG ADKINSON) Inset Photos: Brandon Moss of the Oakland A’s is an avid hunter. (OAKLAND ATHLETICS) This converted boat constructed out of a 1961 Amphicar retails for $135,000 and will be on display at this month's Lake Havasu Boat Show. (PANTHER WATERCAR) Wild turkeys can be taken despite warmer spring weather. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

MEDIA INDEX 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 8 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:13 PM

Page 9

toc:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:40 AM

Page 10

CONTENTS

VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 7

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 16 25 38

119 Kayaking Clear Lake Massive Clear Lake is full of coves, tributaries, marsh areas, and lots of fat largemouth and catfish. It’s a great and sometimes overlooked option for kayak fishing too. Clearlake Outdoors co-owner and avid kayaker David Brabec explains how to paddle your way to big whiskerfish like this one and lots of bass. (DAVID BRABEC)

103 105 107 115 125 131 139 143

Fred Hall Show-Long Beach in photos “WaterCar”a big draw at this month’s Lake Havasu Boat Show California’s drought a concern for native fish species Jig of the Month: The Wonker Jig San Diego’s big start to bass season ProsJoes: Bassmaster Classic wrapup Clear Lake team bass derby SoCal calico invade kelp beds From Field To Fire: Hunting turkeys in warmer weather Wyoming offers new‘Super Tag’raffles for nonresident big game hunters SoCal Bowhunter: Choosing camo 101

DEPARTMENTS 13 31 32 35 35

The Editor’s Note Reader photos Wright & McGill, Browning Photo Contests winners The Dishonor Roll Outdoor Calendar

FEATURED STORIES 50 Ground-Rule Double For A’s First Baseman Brandon Moss of the Oakland A’s grew up hunting whitetail deer in his native Georgia. But he took a trip of a lifetime last fall to Western Montana, where he stalked the elk he’s always dreamed of tagging, and added a mule deer in extra innings. We caught up with the gregarious Moss in Arizona during spring training.

ALSO Athletics starting pitcher Dan Straily on the simple joys of hunting with family and spending time in the outdoors in the offseason.

61

The 2014 Trout Opener: Opening For Business

95 Plastic Particulars Trout worms, jigs and swimbaits are all popular options for spring trout anglers. Mike Stevens has an look at colors, sizes and tactics to get you that early-season rainbow or brown.

Anglers have circled April 26 for a long time awaiting the first crack at Crowley, Convict, Bridgeport and other mountain lakes. Eastern Sierra guru Kent Rianda of the Troutfitter has tips for the opener.

83

Derby Day Lake Isabella’s popular trout derby is a Kern River Valley tradition that attracts anglers up and down the Golden State seeking out a lucky-tagged fish – one’s worth $25,000! – for cool, hard cash.

More Trout Coverage!

69 Silver Lake’s golden for browns, ’bows 73 Throwing flies around Lone Pine 89 April’s the best month at Lake Irvine for trout, other species

101 Light rods a smart approach for trout

California Sportsman goes digital!

Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. Only $1.89 an issue. Go to www.calsportsmanmag.com/digital CALIFORNIASPORTSMAN 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) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues are available at Media Index Publishing Group offices at the cost of $5 plus tax.

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 © 2014 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 APRIL 2014

toc:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:40 AM

Page 11

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 11

editor_letter:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:44 AM

Page 12

ANYONE CAN SELL YOU A GUN...

JOHN HERKOWITZ WILL SELL YOU THE PERFECT GUN Here at Pacific Sporting Arms, I’m proud to say we’re the largest volume dealer in the US, with an extensive inventory of high-grade competition and hunting shotguns and rifles.

When it comes to selecting the perfect gun, you can rely on my experience as multi-time Skeet All-American, Master Class Sporting Clays shooter, gun design consultant and master gun fitter to assure you of a purchase that will suit your need today and be a source of pride for years to come.

And you won’t pay more for this, our pricing is extremely competitive and our after-sales service is the best in the industry.

Check out our website, and then visit our showroom in California or call me directly.

John Herkowitz

www.pacificsportingarms.com

FACTORY DIRECT DEALERS FOR: KRIEGHOFF PERAZZI KOLAR BLASER BERETTA BERETTA PREMIUM LJUTIC BENELLI AYA MERKEL DAKOTA STEYR MAUSER SAUER 912 West 10th Street Azusa, CA 91702 | 1- 866- 4SHOTGUN | www.pacificsportingarms.com John Herkowitz | email: pacificsporting@earthlink.net | ph: 626-633-1022 | fax: 626-633-1113

12 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

editor_letter:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:10 AM

Page 13

THEEDITOR’SNOTE Weather permitting, expect lots of rods sticking out of the shorelines of Convict Lake and other fisheries that will open for business again on April 26 throughout the state.

(THE TROUTFITTER)

W

hen it comes to the anticipation of spring, I realize that growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area doesn’t carry the same expectation for those living in the snow-covered Midwest or Northeast or Northern Rockies. For those folks, especially after this winter’s series of powerful snow and ice storms, spring probably can’t come soon enough.

But for most Californians, we’re spoiled by mostly mild weather for 365 days. Having spent over half a decade in Arkansas and nearly a year in Washington state, point taken that the transition from winter to spring and the promise of warmer, drier weather is coveted in places like Fayetteville and Seattle. In California, particularly during historically drought-like conditions (see Tim Hovey’s report on the lack of rainfall’s effects on fish species this month), it’s mostly business as usual.

That said, we hope our April issue will give our California readers thoughts of baseball and trout fishing, rites of passage for the spring and summer. I just got back from Arizona, where I visited the spring training facilities of both the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants and chatted up outdoorsmen from both teams. We have stories this month on Athletics’first baseman Brandon Moss and pitcher Dan Straily, who represent two extremes of sportsmen. Moss is a seasoned hunter who grew up hunting whitetail deer in Georgia. Straily, an Oregonian, is a newbie to the sport and still trying to get that first big-game harvest. But they both love heading into the wilderness when their busy schedules allow some free time.

Then we follow that up with a lot of trout stories. We get you ready for the April 26 statewide opener with an overview of the Eastern Sierra lakes and rivers that will open for business. We have updates on lakes in both Northern and Southern California, and tips on how to fish plastics and light rods for hungry trout.

So take in a baseball game in San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Anaheim or San Diego this month. And pack a rod, some of your favorite lures or bait and head to a lake and stream and see if a rainbow or brown comply on the other end of the fishing line.

Welcome to spring, California Sportsman style. –Chris Cocoles FISHING AND HUNTING PHOTOS WANTED! Did you catch a massive trout or bag a big buck? We’re looking for your photos to display in the magazine and for our monthly Wright & McGill/Eagle Claw and Browning Photo Contests! Please send your images to editor Chris Cocoles at ccocoles@media-inc.com. You can also post pics on the California Sportsman Facebook page. You could win great prizes!

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 13

editor_letter:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:45 AM

14 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Page 14

editor_letter:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:46 AM

Page 15

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 15

mixed bag - FRED HALL:Layout 1

3/21/14

2:27 PM

Page 16

California Sportsman at the Fred Hall Show F

or eight decades now, the outdoors show that Fred Hall founded has been a must-see stop for Southern California’s anglers, hunters, boaters and simply fans of the outdoors. California Sportsman was one of the sponsors of this year’s Long Beach edition of the Fred Hall Show. The following pages feature some of the scenes from the show. Photos by Tim E. Hovey, Brian Lull and Mike Stevens.

Marlon Meade gets his trout on with a seminar on Southern California fishing techniques.

16 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Those who attended the show had a chance to sign up to get a free one-year subscription to California Sportsman at our show booth.

Jessica Hovey gets photobombed by a rather harmless bear.

mixed bag - FRED HALL:Layout 1

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

3/21/14

2:29 PM

Page 17

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

MIXED BAG

Reeling in a big one at the kids’ fish-free trout pond is a Fred Hall Show staple.

Looking for some vintage fishing or used tackle?

This guy had show-goers covered.

This is a pretty cool king salmon display, courtesy of Queen Charlotte Safaris of Sandspit, British Columbia.

A splashdown from the waterfowl entertained those at the duck-race booth.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 17

mixed bag - FRED HALL:Layout 1

3/21/14

2:30 PM

Page 18

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

A 1925 Dodge truck with a California Department of Fish and Wildlife theme caught the eye of outdoorsmen who love classic cars.

We didn’t want to leave out some elk for those aching to get a real-life bull on your upcoming hunt.

18 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Not far from the UCLA campus, the Bruins were represented by this bruin.

mixed bag - FRED HALL:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:21 PM

Page 19

mixed bag - FRED HALL:Layout 1

3/21/14

2:37 PM

Page 20

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com CDFW staffers were on hand to answer hunters and anglers various questions.

Lip Ripperz’ eye-catching booth at the Fred Hall Show. The Orange County-based company makes spoons, trout worms, jigs and dough bait.

Even The Creature from the Black Lagoon wants in on the latest scuba gear.

20 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Adrain De Orta was quick to volunteer to get a portrait the Bulletbomb girls of High Tide Sportfishing.

mixed bag - FRED HALL:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:22 PM

Page 21

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 21

cs-hawgz outdoor expo:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:29 AM

Page 22

HAWGZ OUTDOOR EXPO • Saturday, May 17th

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/25/14

9:37 AM

Page 23

mixed bag - lake havasu:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:23 PM

Page 24

mixed bag - lake havasu:Layout 1

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

3/21/14

2:41 PM

Page 25

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

Sunday Drive...

MIXED BAG Inquiries about ordering a WaterCar, retailing for $135,000, have been made by NASCAR drivers, Silicon Valley executives and the Prince of Dubai. This intriguing craft, off which fishing can also be done (below), will be on display at this month’s Lake Havasu Boat Show. (PANTHER WATERCAR)

WaterCar’s Versatile Transition Into Unique Craft

By Bob Brown LAKE HAVASU—Over the last decade, multi-dimensional sport-utility vehicles have exploded for the serious outdoor sportsman.

There’s seemingly a UTV, ATV or side-by-side for every purpose, but there’s none that can hold a candle to the versatility and endless possibilities of the new WaterCar. After all, how many UTVs are equally at home on land or sea?

After more than a dozen years of development, the Panther WaterCar may have good reason to stake a legitimate claim to the title of outdoor super vehicle. It’s an 85-mile-an-hour jeep-like highway/off-road car and a 45-mile-an-hour boat that’s not afraid to do some offshore fishing or tow a wakeboarder around the lake. If you want to see several models in person and in action, the Panther WaterCar will be doing demos and a display at the April 11-13 Lake Havasu Boat Show at Lake Havasu State Park.

What’s now a full-fledged business started as a hobbyist’s whim. In 1999, Orange County, Calif., resident Dave March caught a glimpse of an amphibious vehicle on a local TV show.

“It looked pretty cool, driving a car on the water,” recalls March.

A few months later he bought a 1961 Amphicar and spent a year restoring it with his then-10-year-old son.

“We were pretty excited to try it out when we were done,” said March, “but when we got it in the water and pressed on the accelerator pedal, it was putt-putt, not much happened.”

While some might have been disappointed with that outcome, it was only a challenge worth pursuing. March knew he could design, fabricate and build something better, which he did.

Today, his new Fountain Valley factory is turning out Panther WaterCars in impressive numbers. And when you consider that they retail for about $135,000 each, his dream doesn’t seem so crazy anymore.

To Sunday Sail “We have firm orders and are building products,” says March.

“We’re getting a lot of interest from the United Arab Emirates, and the Prince of Dubai has ordered six. We’ve also taken a couple of deposits from two prominent business executives in Silicon Valley. We’ve even had several NASCAR drivers express interest in purchasing the car, especially for hunting and fishing in the offseason.”

If you’re wondering about reliability and performance, don’t. In mid-January, the Panther WaterCar successfully made a journey that March had been thinking about ever since he began this decade-long project. Starting at his factory about 8 miles from Newport Beach, March drove to the water’s edge, pulled the lever on his patented transfer case to convert wheel power to water jet pump thrust on-the-fly, and off he went to Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island, some 31 miles away across the blue Pacific.

“I’ve been dreaming about making this trip ever since I started the WaterCar project,” March says.

“Every time I looked across the channel to Catalina on a

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 25

mixed bag - lake havasu:Layout 1

3/24/14

3:59 PM

Page 26

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

MIXED BAG

clear day, I kept saying to myself, ‘It doesn’t look that far.’ However, once you get a mile or two out from the mainland your perspective kind of changes. After all, I’m driving a boat that’s barely 16feet long, and it’s a big ocean out there.”

But the weather gods smiled upon

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

Dave March’s Panther WaterCar cruises the shoreline at historic Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island. March watched television footage of an amphibious vehicle and had an idea to restore a 1961 Amphicar and sail it on the Pacific Ocean. (PANTHER WATERCAR)

Built for Adventure!

North Nor th River, River, Riv River er Ha Hawk, wk, Boulton Weldcraft, Duckworth W eldcraft Duck worth

White & Sons BOATWORKS Marine Services & Towing

Clear Lake’s only boat shop located on the water.

Located at Braito’s Buckingham Marina With W ith our our factory-trained factory-trained ttechnicians echnicians for for Y amaha, Yamaha, S uzuki, M ercury, Tohatsu Tohatsu Suzuki, Mercury, and Honda motors, we can handle any project from electronic installs to complete boat and motor overhauls.

MAXXUM MARINE

• Boat & PWC Repair • Towing on Water and Land • Boat Salvage • Boat Rentals Need a new motor for your current boat?

Best prices around on Repowers!

Toll Free 877-4-Maxxum

1700 Hwy 99 N, Eugene, OR

NEW LARGER LOCATION! 26 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

(877-462-9986) Local 541-686-3572

Full Service Marina

707-279-1325 1555 B Eastlake Drive Kelseyville, CA 95451

Available 7 days a week

Live Lake Cam

www.wsboatworks.com

mixed bag - lake havasu:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:25 PM

Page 27

mixed bag - lake havasu:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:08 AM

Page 28

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG March on that mild January day as water conditions were ideal for the attempt with only a light swell; the water seemed more lake-like than an ocean.

“It was really a pretty pleasant crossing,” recalls March, after he made a celebratory sweep past the iconic Avalon casino structure marking the entrance to the harbor. “It was really cool about halfway over. A pod of curious dolphins picked me up and chased alongside the WaterCar for a couple of minutes. I was doing about 30 mph, and they didn’t seem to have any problem keeping up.”

In less than 90 minutes, March had driven out of his factory, down Orange County streets, into the water and ultimate sailing into Avalon Harbor to achieve a long sought-after goal.

“I think we proved a lot today,” March said at the time. “Anybody can build a car that floats, but getting it so it will plane and run with stability, efficiency and reliability is a whole different matter.”

28 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

After trying a number of different engine and jet pump combinations, today’s WaterCar has seemingly found its ideal match. The standard engine is a 250 horsepower V-6 Honda V-Tech, which is the same powerplant that Honda uses for its dependable fourstroke 250 horsepower outboard.

The jet pump is an axial-flow Panther jet-drive system, which March now owns the tooling, and was quite popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The transfer case, which converts engine power from the wheels to the jet pump and back, is something March developed years ago and is one of 27 patents he holds for the WaterCar. And most importantly, the Panther is street-legal and also able to be registered as a boat for use on all waterways.

If you’d like one for yourself, maybe a tender for your yacht or just an incredibly versatile vehicle for the consummate outdoorsman, orders are now being taken and delivered.

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com “I know we’re still in the very early stages,” says March, “but we want the WaterCar to be the Henry Ford of multipurpose amphibious vehicles.”

See the WaterCar at the Lake Havasu Boat Show, April 11-13 at Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4 special event area.

Show hours are Friday from noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults; kids 6 and under are free, and parking is free. In addition to the boat show, there’s also an ICS sanctioned chili and salsa cookoff; the Legends by the Lake Car Show; high-speed waterski racing; and an appearance by the MISS GEICO 2013 Offshore World Champion race boat. More show info is available at lakehavasuboatshow.com. CS Editor’s note: For more information about the WaterCar, go to watercar.com; write them at 17481 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708; or send emails to sales@watercar.com.

mixed bag - lake havasu:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:25 PM

Page 29

mixed bag - Readers Photos:Layout 1

30 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

3/22/14

9:29 PM

Page 30

mixed bag - Readers Photos:Layout 1

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

3/21/14

2:45 PM

Page 31

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

MIXED BAG

Joe Everett is at it again. The Southern California angler, who has been featured in cover stories in past California Sportsman issues, is back to his spring ritual of trying to catch the world record largemouth bass. Everett settled for “just” a 13-pound, 7-ounce beauty here. (JOE EVERETT)

Joe Everett the sequel, and this time he’s doublefisted with a pair of lunker fish. Give Joe credit for his passion and drive to break that 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth record. (JOE EVERETT)

Caydence Cunningham of San Jose was at Lake Del Valle, in Livermore, and caught a 3-pound trout to highlight a stringer limit of five, totaling 8 pounds.

The fish were caught on PowerBait at the West Beach. (LAKE DEL VALLE)

Brothers Matthew Ling (left), 12, and Mitchell Ling, 9, had fun at a junior duck hunt in the South Grasslands area in the San Joaquin Valley. Matthew bagged his first duck limit with six goldenwing teal and one bull sprig. Mitchell scored his second duck ever, a hen spoonie. The boys are from Fremont. (MARC LING)

To submit your photos send them to ccocoles@media-inc.com. By sending us images, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 31

Mixed bag_photo contest:Layout 1

3/21/14

2:47 PM

Page 32

PHOTO CONTEST

WINNERS!

A cold day in Northwest Montana this winter now pays off thrice as nicely for Amanda Bielby. This pic, forwarded by hubbie Mark Sommer, is our April issue’s Wright & McGill/Eagle Claw Photo Contest winner. It wins the Missoula angler a package worth $50 of Lazer Sharp hooks, pliers and a Lazer Sharp hat!

Luke Miller’s picture of his son Josh and Josh’s 2013 mule deer is this issue’s Browning Photo Contest winner.

Josh bagged the buck on a special permit.

It scores Luke a Browning hat and puts him in the running for the grand prize, a Browning Buckmark pistol!

For your shot at winning Wright & McGill/Eagle Claw and Browning products, send your photographs 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.

32 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Mixed bag_photo contest:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:30 PM

Page 33

mixed bag dishonor:Layout 1

3/22/14

34 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

9:33 PM

Page 34

mixed bag dishonor:Layout 1

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

3/21/14

2:48 PM

Page 35

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

By Chris Cocoles

Nothing Good Happens After Midnight t was all about preventing the deer in headlights syndrome, and because of it, five convicted and sentenced poachers in Lake County won’t be allowed to hunt anytime soon.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers went on patrol at night with the intent of targeting folks using bright lights to shine on deer with intentions to shoot the animals.

The poachers, Alfonso Ochoa of Petaluma; Alfonso MaganaTorres of Gardena; Arturo Villanueva-Gomez of Fairfield; Jose Alberto Rodriguez of Inglewood; and Jaime Rodriguez of Lennox, all were ordered by the Lake County District Attorney’s Office to pay fines of $1,155. Each of the quintet will on be three years of probation, and some forfeited various weapons. A CDFW press release said they faced charges that included conspiracy, spotlighting, wanton waste of game and other charges.

Last August, Lake County Wildlife Officers conducted night patrol work around the town of Lucerne, located on the eastern shore of Clear Lake. Just after midnight, the officers saw spotlighting coming off a vehicle, from which the suspects killed and abandoned two does with the assumption they were leaving the carcasses to waste.

“Without the cooperation of local judges we cannot obtain sentences that significantly punish violators and deter would-be violators,” said the case’s prosecutor, Richard Hinchcliff, who is Lake County’s chief deputy district attorney. “Our local judges continue to demonstrate how much they care about our fish and wildlife resources. Poaching will not be tolerated in Lake County.”

CDFW officials encourage anyone concerned about possible illegal hunting or fishing violations to call the CalTIP hotline at (888) 334-2258.

I

MIXED BAG

CALENDAR

The statewide trout opener on April 26 should, weather permitting, feature big crowds like this group of anglers last season at Crowley Lake.

(MIKE STEVENS)

APRIL 5

This date in 2007: state record for tilapia (6 pounds); caught at Palo Verde Lagoon by Gary Horton of Palo Verde 12-14 Lake Isabella Fishing Derby (isabellafishingderby.com) 12-13 Lake McSwain Trout Derby (855-800-2267) 22 This date in 2003: state record for flathead catfish (72 pounds, 14 ounces); caught in Colorado River by Billy Joe Potter of Blythe 26 This date in 1971: state record for white crappie (4 pounds, 8 ounces); caught at Clear Lake

by Carol Carlton of Lakeport 26 Statewide trout opener 26-27 Blue Lakes Trout Derby (thenarrowsresort.com) 30 This date in 1987: State record for brown trout (26 pounds, 8 ounces); caught at Twin Lakes

by Danny Stearman of Bakersfield

MAY 3

3-4 4 7

8

9

22

This date in 2001: state record for spotted bass (10 pounds, 4 ounces); caught at Pine Flat Lake by Brian Shishido of Lindsay Bass Lake Fishing Derby (basslakeca.com/derby) Closing day of spring general wild turkey season This date in 1992: state record for striped bass (67 pounds, 8 ounces); caught in O’Neill Forebay

by Hank Ferguson of Soquel This date in 1972: state record for white bass (5 pounds, 5 ounces); caught at Ferguson Lake

by Milton Mize of Chula Vista This date in 1985: state record for American shad (7 pounds, 5 ounces); caught in the West Branch of the Feather River by Craig Stillwell (hometown not listed) This date in 1979: state record for Sacramento perch (3 pounds, 10 ounces), caught at Crowley Lake by Jack Johnson of Carson

If you have an event coming up, send info to ccocoles@media-inc.com.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 35

mixed bag dishonor:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:33 PM

Page 36

CHICO Valley Truck & Tractor 489 Country Dr (530) 343-8288

DIXON Valley Truck & Tractor 793 N 1st St (707) 678-2395

ROBBINS Valley Truck & Tractor 17698 Hwy 113 (530) 738-4421

COLUSA Valley Truck & Tractor 2100 State Hwy 20 (530) 458-4923

ELK GROVE Valley Truck & Tractor 10490 E Stockton Blvd (916) 714-2600

WILLOWS Valley Truck & Tractor 160 County Rd G (530) 934-7051

GRIDLEY Valley Truck & Tractor 1751 Hwy 99 (530) 846-3677

WOODLAND Valley Truck & Tractor 2100 E Main St (530) 662-4637 YUBA CITY Valley Truck & Tractor 1549 Colusa Hwy (530) 673-8283

36 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

mixed bag dishonor:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:34 PM

Page 37

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/21/14

3:03 PM

The water level is dangerously low at Cachuma Lake near Santa Barbara. Historic drought conditions up and down the state have threatened everything from drinking water to farms to native fish species. (TIM E. HOVEY)

38 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Page 38

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

3/22/14

9:38 PM

Page 39

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

When The Rain Goes Away How California’s Drought Impacts Fish

By Tim E. Hovey

SANTA CLARITA–If you spend enough time in the outdoors, you start to understand that the climate and weather conditions do impact wildlife movement.

Heavy snow events will push deer and elk herds to lower elevations, and good rain years will usually show an increase in upland bird and small game population numbers. Conversely, dry years or drought conditions negatively impact most wildlife populations.

Paraphrasing one of my favorite biol-

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 39

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:43 AM

Page 40

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG ogy professors: “Water, no matter what the form, eventually means life.”

The rainfall totals up and down California are historically bleak. While a late February storm soaked much of the state, as San Francisco’s seasonal total reached 8.01 inches as of March 1, the city was almost 10 inches below normal for that time of year.

“We would have to double the normal monthly rainfall from now through June in order to be normal for the whole rainy season,” National Weather Service forecaster Steve Anderson told the San Francisco Chronicle.

In Los Angeles, the weather system dropped 3 inches of rain on downtown, but that more than doubled the scant 1.3 recorded inches the city received since July. “‘All this rain has been really helpful, but we are still behind the curve in terms of the drought,’’ NWS meteorologist Matt Mehle told The Associated Press.

Gov. Jerry Brown is constantly responding to drought-concern questions, and right around the time of the storm that helped,

40 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

Water is essentially invisible at San Felipe Creek near Julian in San Diego County. A late February weather system swept through the state to help, but hardly solved California’s lingering drought crisis.(TIM E. HOVEY)

but was nowhere near enough, signed a drought relief package worth $687 million to fund relief for the lack of water.

“This legislation marks a crucial step,”

Brown said in a statement at the time, “but Californians must continue to take every possible action to conserve water.”

As Californians, we have dealt with dry

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:38 PM

Page 41

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:44 AM

Page 42

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

MIXED BAG years and even drought conditions in recent history. However, the current conditions gripping California are beyond what has been recorded previously. We are in the midst of the worst drought the Golden State has experienced in recorded history. As a hunter, I’ve seen firsthand how the lack of consistent and quality rainfall over the last several years has affected the game I chase. I’ve observed the seasonal abundance that usually fluctuates from year to year, drop far below previous levels.

As far as fisheries, it is obvious how drought conditions can negatively impact fish numbers; no water means no fish. However, I think it’s important to understand how broad the impacts are on several different SoCal fisheries.

When I think about California’s diverse fisheries, I tend to think far beyond the catchable species. I work with several fisheries programs that routinely monitor federally listed and nongame species all over Southern California. It really doesn’t matter if they are catchable fish or special-status species. The

one thing that ties them all together is water.

THE CRISIS FOR STEELHEAD The Southern California steelhead is considered endangered in the Southland. While this species has adapted to the warmer environment, certain creek conditions are absolutely essential for steelhead to breed and succeed. Steelhead are an anadromous species, which means that sea-going adults migrate into freshwater streams to spawn.

The fry will mature in the creek for a few years and then, when conditions are right, the resident fish will emigrate out of the creek and enter the ocean. Once this group reaches maturity, they’ll return to the same creek or one that’s close by and accessible to spawn.

In Southern California, this life-cycle strategy, even in good conditions, is tough. Due to the high demand for water, many streams may not possess enough flow for adult steelhead to make their way to the spawning grounds upstream. In most cases, there isn’t even enough flow for a water connection from the freshwater creek to the ocean.

Southern steelhead in this portion of the state have adapted to staging near their home creek during the winter.

Anticipating high flows during winter storms that blow out lagoons and provide creek access from the ocean, steelhead instinctively know where they need to be at this time of the year. Unfortunately, in dry years, creek access may be measured in days – if access is even available. In severe drought conditions, staging steelhead will likely find hundreds of yards of sand between them and their spawning grounds. If no access is available, no reproduction will take place and no new recruits will be added to the already dwindling ocean stocks.

PLANTING TROUT Many recreational fisheries in California are supported by stocked trout planted into some lakes and reservoirs by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Rainbow trout are cultured and raised in state-run hatcheries located at strategic locations around the state. Once these fish reach a

CAL+KONA

Marine

We are a factory authorized service center for Suzuki, Evinrude & Johnson, Mercury, and Volvo Penta.

We also service; Honda, Yamaha, Mariner and Force outboards.

As well as all inboards.

We are a fully equipped repair facilty capable of: * Inboard repairs * Outboard repairs * Stern Drive repairs

* Full Engine Rebuilds * Gel Coat * Fiberglass

* Transom damage repairs * Trailer repair

* Boat detail * In-house machine shop * All Your Boat Needs!

Call Us Today! (760) 722-5817 1517 South Coast Hwy, Oceanside, Ca, 92054 42 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:39 PM

Page 43

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 43

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:45 AM

Page 44

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG catchable size, they are loaded into tanker trucks and driven to approved bodies of water for release. Countless young anglers have started their fishing career by catching stocker trout from the banks of one of their favorite lakes.

Low-water conditions provide a series of challenges for stocking some fishing spots.

Drought conditions amplify those challenges, and in some cases prohibit stocking.

The tanker trucks carrying trout need relatively close access to the water’s edge. Lower water levels on lakes and reservoirs mean that the tanker trucks can’t safely access the water, making it tough to stock.

Drought conditions also affect water quality. As water levels drop, water quality usually degrades.

Less lake or reservoir water will warm up quicker, lowering the dissolved oxygen to dangerous levels for fish. These water conditions can also encourage the culture of algae growth, which can further degrade water quality. Both accessibility and water chemistry play a huge role in whether some lakes

44 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

The last resident steelhead detected in Devil Canyon Creek near the San Diego coast. This fish is the offspring of an anadromous pair of adults that came into the creek to spawn. (TIM E. HOVEY)

can and will be stocked with catchable trout.

NATIVE SPECIES In Southern California we have several

species of native, freshwater fish. They are small, nongame species, scarcely larger than a few inches in length. These fish inhabit some of the most water-stressed streams in

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:39 PM

Page 45

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/21/14

3:19 PM

Page 46

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG the state. Two of the species are federally listed, meaning that their population numbers are severely reduced and they’re in danger of becoming extinct.

One of the reasons these species are so tenuous is the loss of their stream habitat due to development. The native fish of Southern California have literally been pushed to the edge of existence by an increase in the human population and the need for housing developments. They now hang on in areas too rough to develop or located on private or federal (U.S. Forest Service) property.

Due to their limited distribution, these species are already considered stressed from an abundance standpoint. Drought conditions will certainly compound those stresses, and will result in reduced or eliminated fish habitat as creeks began to dry up. I think that it’s important to know that even nongame species, including those at the literal edge of existence, will also be impacted severely by drought conditions.

In serious drought conditions, it’s important for everyone to do their part to conserve

46 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

The Santa Ana sucker, like this one recovered from a Southern California creek, is a federally threatened species in the state. Drought conditions in the state’s rivers and streams are making survival even more difficult for these fish. (TIM E. HOVEY) water. I believe for those of us who understand how seasonal water fluctuations impact fish and wildlife, we have more of a responsibility to participate in water conservation. Not only should we do our part, we have a vested interest. It may seem like a weak connection, but the more we conserve, the less we tax reservoirs or groundwater supplies that may also support fish and wildlife.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fly fisherman

or an upland game hunter: annual water availability does impact your season. Do what you can to conserve, and remember, water is indeed life, and every drop does counts. CS Editor’s note: Author Tim Hovey, a regular California Sportsman correspondent, is a fisheries biologist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:39 PM

Page 47

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 47

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:41 PM

Page 48

mixed bag - Drought:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:42 PM

Page 49

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 49

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

Oakland A’s first baseman Brandon Moss went on a memorable elk hunt to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Western Montana last fall.

He also tagged out on a mule deer on this trip. Moss has found a home in Oakland after toiling for three other organizations.

(MONTANA BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURES)

50 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

3/22/14

9:51 PM

Page 50

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

SPONSORED BY

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

3/24/14

11:06 AM

Page 51

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

MIXED BAG

STRAIGHT A’S

For Hunter/ Hitter Moss FIRST BASEMAN AT HOME IN OAKLAND AND OUTDOORS

By Chris Cocoles

Moss works out for the Athletics in spring training at the Papago Baseball Facility in Phoenix. (CHRIS COCOLES)

PHOENIX—Brandon Moss was a busy baseball player during a February Monday at the Oakland Athletics’ Cactus League spring training home.

He’d just finished a workout at nearby Papago Baseball Facility, but back at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium clubhouse, there was too much to do and little time. He was ushered onto the field by a staff member for a quick television interview with a Bay Area station.

The team’s first baseman was supposed to be arranging to retrieve his dog to a photo shoot for a special pet calendar (pitcher Sean Doolittle’s Rhodesian ridgeback, Stella, was holding court at the ballpark that day). Then he got a call from his wife, Allison, who’d tweaked her back and could use a little help back home.

But Moss loves to talk hunting, and he found time to share his passion with a visitor that day. He pulled out his smartphone and flicked through the camera roll with some epic photos of a Montana elk hunt he and a friend from their native Georgia went on last fall, after Moss helped the A’s to a second consecutive American League Western Division title.

“Just one of those hunts where I had an elk, mule deer, mountain lion and wolf tag,” Moss says.“It was us packing in on mules. And we had a great time. The guides were amazing. I don’t think the experience could have been any more fulfilling.”

It’s been quite the ride, both in the hunting field and the playing field, for Moss, a baseball grinder who spent time bouncing between the big leagues and the minors for three previous clubs before finally catching on in Oakland as a contributor the last two seasons.

But for the sudden ascension as a run-producing hitter – he hit a career-high 30 home runs last season – the 30-year-old Moss considers himself a simple man of the South who loves to hunt. A’s Teammate Josh Reddick, a more recreational sportsman than Moss, also hails from Georgia, and respects that Moss is a dedicated hunter.

“He’s pretty nuts about it. When I talk to him in the offseason that’s all he’s really doing once hunting season is on, from start to end,” says Reddick, Oakland’s right fielder. “He’s very committed to it, and (the end of the season) is perfect timing for us ballplayers to go right into the offseason and hunt. But he’s in love with it; he’ll have plenty of stories to tell you about.”

GEORGIA ON HIS MIND Moss hails from Loganville, Ga., about 40 miles east of Atlanta. Getting outside is a way of life in these parts, and Moss was no different. Some of the less experienced fellow play-

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 51

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:48 AM

Page 52

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG ers he’s taken on hunts aren’t comfortable in the woods on their own. Not this guy.

“I grew up being allowed to play in the woods from the time I was a child with a BB gun,” says Moss, whose grandfather, Doug Moss, lived on a farm with plenty of open spaces to explore.

Brandon was hunting with a bow by the time he turned 12. He also discovered a love for duck hunting which continues today.

“I was hunting with my granddad so often, I can’t remember not going out with him,” he says.“We didn’t always shoot anything. Heck, sometimes we’d just sit near the car and look for deer with a gun. The outdoors was where I can find myself.”

Doug Moss – “He’s a good man,” Brandon says – was great at telling stories, and he soon became a role model that helped morph young Brandon into the ballplayer, hunter, husband and father he is today.

“I think what most people don’t realize until they do it, is the killing of the animal, while it is the end result of what you do, it’s very anticlimactic,” Moss says of hunting.“When I got my elk (in Montana), I had just climbed 3,500 feet. There’s something about the challenge of what I did. There’s something about a man who wants to conquer things. You see a mountain, you want to climb it. You see a baseball, you want to hit it. There’s something inside of us that was wired that way.”

He’s introduced teammates into that same zone of conquering in recent seasons. Infielder Daric Barton, who’s from Huntington Beach, joined Moss on deer hunts in Illinois and around his property in Georgia, the latter hunt during the rut.

Barton shot his first buck there, with Moss arguably getting a bigger rush of adrenaline than the shooter.

“It was a great feeling. Because I can remember what it was like to get my first.

And he shot a really nice one,” Moss says.

“What’s so unique about hunting, especially bowhunting like I love to do, is it keeps that challenge going. You’re not just trying to see an animal. You need to get close, you have to scout him and you have to find him. I see a lot of ballplayers get into bowhunting, because it keeps that competitive fire burning.”

52 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

Brandon Moss and his hunting party used mules to pack in for their trip, but he also had to do a lot of climbing steep terrain before finally getting his prized elk. (MONTANA BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURES) FROM CASH REGISTERS TO DOG HOUSES Fort Myers, Lowell, Augusta, Sarasota, Portland, Pawtucket, Indianapolis, Lehigh Valley, Sacramento.

Brandon Moss’ minor-league teams in professional baseball aren’t atypical of the stubborn player who takes the long route to success. The 2002 eighth-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox reached the bigs by 2007. He was traded to Pittsburgh, playing as much as 133 games for the Pirates in 2009, then signing as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.

By the winter of 2011, Moss was again granted free agency, when that ugly crossroads loomed ahead of the late 20-something player without a lot of success during his stints in Major League Baseball.

Having never made the big money farmhands dream of before sticking fulltime at the big-league level, Moss filled his resume with hardly Fortune 500 positions: cash register operator at the MaxiMart gas station in Loganville; driving range cart operator at Lane Creek Golf Course; assistant at a veterinary clinic.

“I worked in the kennel, which means I got to clean up poop and walk the dogs,” Moss told The San Jose Mercury News in a 2012 interview. “The worst was the cats.

There’s nothing worse than cleaning out litter boxes.”

Or not getting to play baseball anymore when that’s been your job for a decade. And even at a still young 28 but with parts of four nondescript seasons with three different teams, nobody could have predicted Brandon Moss’ best years in the game to date were ahead. The A’s, a small-market, budget-conscious organization that ferrets deep for undervalued talent, signed him to a minor-league contract in 2011 and then promoted him to Oakland in the middle of the 2012 season.

An outfielder until going to the A’s, Moss has successfully made the transition to playing first base.

“Two years ago, he comes up and really took advantage of an opportunity he got, and at a different position, which can be difficult,” A’s manager Bob Melvin says.

“And then last year he was a 30-home run guy for us. So he’s an integral part of what we do here, and one of the most popular guys in the clubhouse on top of it.”

Moss started quickly when he first was recalled to the majors, and Melvin was impressed how he handled some slumps along the way. Expected to be the team’s primary first baseman this season, Moss has hit a combined 51 home runs with 139 RBI in 229 regular-season games for the A’s.

“It’s satisfying because it was my dream.

Obviously, I love baseball. When I was going through those struggles, as far as a

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:52 PM

Page 53

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 53

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:53 PM

Page 54

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG

Brandon Moss discusses hitting techniques with teammate Josh Donaldson (20) during spring training. Moss hit 30 home runs with 87 RBI last season in helping Oakland to a second consecutive American League Western Division championship.

(CHRIS COCOLES)

player, I was doing it someone else’s way,” Moss says. “I was being what everyone thought I should be. And then I finally got fed up with it and started being the player I wanted to be, is when I really took off. You can be who you want to be, if you do it your way.”

54 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

BIG SKY, BIG REWARDS Moss and the A’s have ended the last two seasons in eerily similar and disappointing fashions. In both 2012 and 2013, A.L. Westchampion Oakland faced the Detroit Tigers in the Division Series, both going to a deciding Game 5. But Detroit ace pitcher Justin Verlander spoiled the party with a combined 17 scoreless innings and the Tigers shutting out the host Athletics to win both series.

For Moss, his best season to date didn’t have a happy ending when he hit just .111 in the series. But he’s been through far more doldrums in his baseball career, and he fled for Montana to reflect and fulfill a check of his bucket list of stalking an elk.

There were days when two generations of the Moss family would sit on a log, and he’d hear grandpa tell stories of elk hunts he once went on, a precursor to young Brandon eventually having quite a tale of his own, which he’ll someday surely tell his young children, Jayden, 3, and Brody, who turns a year old this month.

Moss and his friend, Thad Clark, got

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com hooked up with guide Roby Bowe of Montana Backcountry Outfitters (406-293-1988; montanabackcountryoutfitters.com). “Being from the East, you spend most of time whitetail hunting, so you spend most of your hunt in a deer stand, whereas as out there, you’re hunting,” Moss says. “And Montana was just gorgeous. I couldn’t compare anything else to it. I enjoyed every second of it.”

Even the grueling aspect of the hunt was satisfying. Moss must be in peak physical condition to get through a 162-game season (he played in 145 games in 2013), but this was an intense test of his stamina.

“It was hard.The hiking is hard.You spend a lot of time climbing. At the same time, when you get to the tops of those mountains and you’re glassing down, it’s completely worth it. For people who do it all the time, it’s probably something they get a little jaded to. But it being my first time doing it, I soaked in every second of it.”

Clark, Moss’s friend, passed up a possible shot on a 5X5 elk on the second or third day of the hunt. Clark eventually rued that deci-

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:53 PM

Page 55

IT WORKS HARD. SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO.

LARGE INVENTORY TO CHOOSE FROM!

FourTrax® Rancher®

FourTrax® Foreman® 4X4 FourTrax® Foreman® Rubicon

Elk Grove Cycle Center 8672 W. Stockton Blvd.

Elk Grove, CA 95758 (916) 525-2444 www.elkgrovecycle.com honda.com UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, BE RESPONSIBLE. READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS. ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887). NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON PAVED SURFACES, ON PUBLIC ROADS, WITH PASSENGERS, OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS. NO STUNT RIDING. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING. FourTrax®, Rancher®, and Foreman® are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 2012

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 55

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:49 PM

Page 56

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com

A HUNTING ROOKIE’S QUEST PHOENIX– Dan Straily knows a lot about being a rookie in a tense situation.

In 2012, he was a top Oakland A’s pitching prospect in the minor leagues, but injuries and a suspension took a hit to the club’s starting rotation. And if that wasn’t challenging enough, the A’s were contending in the American League’s Western Division. No sweat, as Straily gave the eventual divisionchampion seven effective starts (he won two), and pitched admirably in an A.L. Division Series elimination game his team ultimately won.

The 25-year-old Straily, now entering his second full year with Oakland, is a rookie all over again, as a hunter still seeking his first big-game animal. But it’s been fun trying so far.

Although he grew up in outdoors-rich Springfield, Ore., Straily was not the dedicated sportsman he is now.

“My family was never really the outdoorsy type,” says Straily, who played college baseball at Western Oregon University and Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. “We’d go fishing, but never really serious fishing. My dad (Steve) went hunting one time and shot a buck, but that’s it.”

Mr. Straily has one more deer than his son so far. But starting in 2009, when he went on an elk hunt with his soon-to-be father-in-law in Eastern Oregon, a goal to match his dad’s accomplishment was born.

Straily may have been hooked when the duo woke up to 5 inches of snow, and then out of nowhere two bulls sprinted right in front of them after they planned to call it quits on day one. They ended up futilely chasing those elk for another two hours.

“I just fell in love with it.You just can’t beat the views, and you can’t beat the hikes,” he says.“When my father-in-law asked me to go, I didn’t realize what went into it. And I bought into it the last few years.

“For me, it’s not always going to be about the kill. And I say that because I’m still empty.

I still haven’t gotten anything,” adds Straily.“I once had an elk shot right in front of me. A guy sneaked into our hunt after we had cornered him. This guy came through and he shot it. That was kind of frustrating.”

And it was the adrenaline rush that really

56 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

fueled Straily. Mind you, this is a professional athlete who’s taken what can feel like the loneliest spot in sports: the pitching mound in hostile environments like Yankee Stadium in New York, Comerica Park in Detroit and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. But as he glassed that elk he seemed poised to take down, Straily remembered his heart pounding with anticipation, as if that bull was Mike Trout in the batter’s box in a key game with the rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

“I took my deep breaths and stayed calm.

When the elk start crashing through (the brush), you get so excited,” Straily says.

Now what’s missing is that first magical successful shot. Check out these posts and accompanying gorgeous Pacific Northwest scenery photos on Straily’s Twitter feed (@danstraily67): “Still looking for my (blacktail) buck!”“No deer, but you gotta love this view.”“Came up empty yet again. But had this view and 12 degrees to greet me this morning. One final chance tomorrow.”

There have been near-misses like the elk that someone else harvested. Straily went bowhunting in Oregon last year and spotted a couple bucks that were beyond 40 yards from him, which as a relatively inexperienced shot was beyond his comfort range.

Straily could be the poster boy for a bad day of hunting is better than a good day at work.

“I just really enjoy myself out in the woods. It’s just you and your thoughts,” Straily says. “A week and a half after our season ended last year I was sitting up against a log for eight hours. And it was a nice getaway.”

Straily doesn’t mind considering him a work in progress when it comes to calling in deer and elk, or glassing a buck.

“How else am I going to learn, though? I can only watch so many (DVDs) and read so many books,” he says. “Just get there and do it. I’ll make mistakes. Last year I rattled in a deer. I sat for like 45 minutes as soon as I got up he was 15 yards from me. He was around the corner. And I taught myself I need to be more quiet. You learn that by experience.”

He’s already got Oregon deer tags for 2014, and is looking into a possible moose hunt in British Columbia, Canada in the near future. But he has more pressing matters as

Oakland Athletics pitcher Dan Straily is rather new to the hunting arena. But the Oregon resident is eagerly anticipating that first deer he’s tried to shoot but come up short on thus far. (CHRIS COCOLES) the A’s open defense of their consecutive division titles. Expected staff ace Jarrod Parker is out for the year after elbow surgery. Straily is going to be counted on even more to pitch well despite having a modest 34 career starts.

He went 10-8 with a 3.96 earned-run average in 2013 “It was just getting your dream job,” he says of sticking in the majors.“People ask you if you’re nervous. If you’re confident in your skills, there’s no reason to be nervous. For me, it’s something you don’t realize it’s going on until you step back and go ‘Wow, I just did that.’ That’s when you enjoy it.”

Straily is enjoying life. He married his high school sweetheart, Amanda, and looks forward to more hunts, both the good and bad.

There was a trip last year when Straily had a makeable shot on a smallish buck. His hunting partner talked him out of it, promising there was a bigger and better first kill down the line. Of course, Straily joked that another buddy who once passed on a deer is in an 11year skid. So he hopes that’s not his fate.

“I enjoy the process of it. And once I do finally take an animal down, I’m sure I’ll enjoy that process as well,” he says. “But for now, I just enjoy hiking through the woods, spending my time out there when it’s so quiet.”

So Dan Straily, what’s it going to be like when you do break your scoreless streak on a deer or elk hunt?

“I don’t know. How do I get this thing?

I’ve put in a lot of hours and made a lot of rookie mistakes,” he says. “I just have to keep putting in my time and not get frustrated. But I’m really going to appreciate it when I do get it.” –CC

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:49 PM

Page 57

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:49 AM

Page 58

SPONSORED BY

MIXED BAG sion and didn’t harvest any animals.

“He had seen a bull every day, and his logic was‘I’m going to wait.’ And he didn’t see another one,” Moss says.“I’d told him that we were in the wilderness,‘and if you see a legal bull that you want to shoot, you should shoot it.’ But that whitetail hunter in him takes over, when you’re at home hunting whitetail, we’ve shot so many of them, that you’re going to wait for a bigger one. But that’s not what you’re doing out there (in Montana). He regretted it, and I gave him a real hard time about it.”

Learning lessons from his buddy, Moss wasn’t about to go home empty-handed. He filled two of his tags that trip in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Western Montana. He scored an elk and mule deer.

“It’s one of those things where I could do it every year for the rest of my life, I would never forget the experiences of the shots that I made,” says Moss, recalling his shot on the elk.

“We had rifles – I usually bow hunt – because it was late in the season and I

58 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PRO-CURE BAIT SCENTS

knew that we might not be able to get close enough. The first shot on it was from 325 yards facing to me. The guide had the range on him and I thought he’d said 225. So the shot was a little low. He took off running, down a mountain, into a ravine and then back up the other side of the mountain.

“He was calling out ranges to me as he was coming to intermittent openings. And the last opening he went to before he went back into some bush, he was at 490 (yards).”

The hunters waited; and waited. And still they waited. The guide wondered aloud if the elk was down and to give it a few minutes. But it reappeared on the other side of the bush. Moss, channeled the hitter in him, like he does when guessing if pitchers are about to throw him a curve or fastball; the hunter in him made an educated guess: 550 yards. Mind you, as a whitetail deer hunter, Moss estimated 200 yards out is the maximum he’ll shoot in that arena. So this was a new challenge altogether.

800-776-2873 www.pro-cure.com “We didn’t even have time to call out the range, and I had to take a shot when he was broadside. I guessed 550, I shot and he dropped. There’s no feeling like making that shot on such a beautiful animal.”

It might not have been the same feeling as hitting a series-winning home run off Verlander in Game 5. But this is what defined Brandon Moss, one of the more affable players in one of the more likeable clubhouses in baseball.

If he can swing it during the season when the A’s have a rare off-day, Moss would like to find a hunt on some private land close to the Bay Area. But you can bet at the end of the 2014 season, he hopes after helping his talented team win a World Series, Moss will be somewhere trading bat and glove for a rifle and bow.

“I’ll tell ya: hunting is a part of me,” he says.

“There’s nothing I would rather do. Being in the woods at dawn on a November morning seeing the sun rise, it’s the best part of any day. It’s therapy, you can reflect, and kind of get a moment.” CS

mixed bag - A's Baseball Player:Layout 1

3/22/14

9:50 PM

Page 59

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:00 PM

Page 60

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:00 PM

Page 61

FISHING

SIERRA TROUT OPENER SECRETS MILD WINTER MEANS MORE OPTIONS; ‘PRETTY DAMN GOOD OPENER’ EXPECTED

By Chris Cocoles

MAMMOTH LAKES–By April 26, when the figurative shotgun start signals the California statewide trout season, Crowley Lake will be full of Eastern Sierra boat and shore-based anglers searching out its trout residents.

But Kent Rianda of The Troutfitter fly shop and guide service in Bishop says anglers should take advantage of some less frequented spots around Crowley ...

Crowley Lake is a great option for trout anglers headed to the Eastern Sierra for the April 26 opener. Also of note are three tributaries: McGee Creek, Hilton Creek and Crooked Creek, which are outstanding fly fishing options. (MIKE STEVENS) APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 61

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:01 PM

Page 62

FISHING

An angler finds solitude at Ellery Lake in the Eastern Sierras. A mild winter could make for more access to certain lakes at high elevation for the April 26 opener that would normally not be open until later in the spring. (MIKE STEVENS)

Spawning time is rarely ever predictable for the fish that head into the famed lake’s fishable tributaries, creeks such as McGee, Hilton and Crooked, says Rianda (760-934-2517; thetroutfitter).

“In those tributaries you will find big fish that are moving up,” he says.

“It’s primarily a fly-fishing deal. But very few people do that.”

Convict Lake is also popular with Eastern Sierra visitors. It differs from Crowley in that it’s more of a traditional deep mountain lake and drops off to deeper water quickly from the shore. So fishing from the bank can result in more big trout hauls at Convict, while trollers and other boaters seem to have the most successul fishing at Crowley.

62 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Boat anglers can find some secluded spots on Convict as well.

“A really good spot always on Convict is at that little shelf that exists right at the inlet from where the stream comes in,” Rianda says.

A similar option to Crowley Lake is Bridgeport Reservoir, roughly an hour north on Highway 395.

Rianda calls Bridgeport “an instant replay to Crowley.”

“You can expect lots of hungry fish on opening day, depending on water temperature, which this year should be fairly high,” Rianda says. “The consequence of that is the fish should be actively feeding and growing. I would probably say the forecast for Crowley and Bridgeport Reservoir is to have a pretty damn good opener.”

Lower Twin Lake, near Bridgeport, should be ready to go for the opener, which means the large brown trout there could make for an enticing opportunity, provided the season’s lack of heavy snowfall stays constant and makes that location access to drive to.

“There are some particularly large holdover brown trout that live in Lower Twin Lake,” Rianda says. “And they are extremely difficult to catch over the summer, but they get dumb in the winter. I guess you would consider it a feeding strike if it’s chasing a streamer. But it’s also an aggression strike. They’re big, full-of-testosterone monsters, and if something comes across their nose, they’ll strike at it, anywhere from half their own length.”

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:03 PM

Page 63

@KMK^SYX >\KSVO\ <OX^KV] Serving the Largest Area in the Eastern Sierras from Bishop North to Bridgeport.

We park vacation trailer rentals in the campsite you choose.

Camping made easy - We Park it For You! Featuring the largest and newest fleet of rental trailers & the largest solar cell battery system available on rental trailers.

UP TO 30% OFF PEAK RATES IN MAY * Excluding Memorial Weekend. Please call for details.

Visit www.adventureincamping.com/csm or call 760-935-4890

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 63

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:04 PM

Page 64

Fly anglers in float tubes would probably have the best opportunity to do battle with one of these German browns in Lower Twin. The trout are much more likely to caught in the middle or far side of the lake by float tubers than shore anglers.

Certain lakes and streams in the past have been all but impossible to reach in late April due to heavy snowfalls. But the lack of snow during this drought period should make for some wild card options for those anglers who do some selective searching.

“Anything you can get to that hasn’t been fished all winter on opening day can be particularly good,” says Rianda, who stresses how many fish get planted.

Weather permitting, of course, Rianda expects massive crowds to the 64 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:04 PM

Page 65

A rainbow is released into June Lake.

There are opportunities from larger Crowley and Convict Lake to the south, north to the Bridgeport area and the June Lake Loop as trout season is set to begin at the end of this month. (MIKE STEVENS)

lakes like Crowley and Convict and the other popular lakes of the June Lake Loop (Silver, June, Grant, Gull etc.), Mammoth Lakes Basin and Bridgeport area. But he says a great opportunity exists for undisturbed fishing shortly thereafter.

Fly anglers begin invading the area around March 1, when there are plenty of places to throw flies at big trout in places like Hot Creek, Rock Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, the upper Owens River and East Walker River. Essentially, those areas from Bishop to Bridgeport are open for fly fishing. Even with a dusting of snow during some storms in late February and early March, the roads have been fairly easy to navigate, giving anglers access to some outstanding rainbow and brown trout action in the aforeAPRIL 2014 California Sportsman 65

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/22/14

10:05 PM

Page 66

FISHING mentioned areas.

“The fly fishermen tend not to come from opening day through the first two weeks of the season, because all the bait guys are out and it’s more crowded,” Rianda says. “Once you get halfway through May and maybe up until the middle of June, the fly fishermen will start coming back and the bait fishermen will be there.”

Following the April 26 opening, June 10 seems to be the next big weekend when the lakes, rivers and creeks are flooded with all types of fishing fanatics, including families and their kids catching that first postschool getaway bug. So Rianda says the window between the dates make for an ideal spot to try your luck.

“That first weekend will be extremely crowded on into Monday and Tuesday, and the second weekend will be very, very crowded. But once you get beyond that in the first two weekends, then we go into kind of a slow

66 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Hot Creek has plenty of both brown and rainbow trout, and will be open throughout April leading into the statewide opening day, when other waters that have been closed for the winter will reopen on the last Saturday of the month. (THETROUTFITTER.COM)

period between, say, May 10 and June 10,” Rianda says. “That’s a great time to come up and fish here – very low

crowds. In a year like this, the fishing’s going to be excellent already with warmer temperatures everywhere.” CS

Fishing - Eastern Sierra Trout Opener:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:09 AM

Page 67

Fishing - Silver Lake Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

6:58 PM

Com e

Bridgeport

rs oo td

ce the Grea rien tO e p x u E

in the Eastern Sierra Nevada of Mono County, California

BridgeportCalifornia.com (760) 932-7500

68 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Page 68

Fishing - Silver Lake Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

6:59 PM

Page 69

FISHING

SILVER LAKE LOOKS GOLDEN EARLY THAW MEANS STRONG OPENER ON TAP

By Luke Kelly JUNE LAKE–The freshwater opener for

the Eastern Sierras starts on Saturday, April 26. It has been a mild winter in the area, and an early thaw of the region’s ice could make for some strong trout fishing on Silver Lake in the season’s opening weeks.

“Normally all the lakes in the area are still frozen, but this year they are not,” says Andrew Jones of Silver Lake Resort (760-648-7525; silverlakeresort.net). “Some years in the past, our lake in particular has not opened because it’s still been frozen.”

But this year, the region’s lakes will have been without ice for at least 10 weeks before the opener. Jones believes that such an early thaw will make for a more productive start to the season.

“I think that this will help the fishing. With the ice being off the lake, in particular, more sun’s going to be on that water, so the fish are not going to be as deep,” he says. “They’re going to be up towards the surface and ready to chow down.”

Equally as promising, Jones doesn’t expect the below-average precipitation in California to have much of an effect on Silver Lake fishing this spring, either. “We’ve seen a lower end of water over the last two to three years. But as of right now, I don’t see it causing any problems.”

In fact, Jones says that the lake’s levels look just right.

“The water levels, believe it or not, still look good. The levels look just like they did at the end of last year when we closed in October,” he says.

With no ice and optimal water levels, expect to see healthy numbers of both rainbow and brown trout. Jones

Steve Archer of Anaheim landed two nice rainbows weighing in at 3 pounds, 3 ounces and 2 pounds, 2 ounces using a Mice Tail last year at Silver Lake. The June Lake Loop location opens on April 26. (SILVER LAKE RESORT)

anticipates that Silver will be stocked a week or two prior to when the fishing begins, with plants coming consistently throughout the season.

“The lake is stocked once a week

every week with rainbows from the (California) Department of Fish and Wildlife,” he says. “And you’ll have some browns in there, especially when the water is colder. We’ll dump APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 69

Fishing - Silver Lake Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

6:59 PM

Page 70

FISHING in some Alpers trout the week before the opener as well, which are the 2to 3-pound, bigger trout. But rainbows are the most prevalent.”

Earlier in the spring, Jones points out that spincasting tends to be the most effective method of fishing, especially when using PowerBait. Fly fishing, on the other hand, doesn’t become more productive until the warmer summer months when the bugs come out.

When it comes to choosing lures, Jones has a wealth of experience.

“In April, I always say worms are going to be your best bet. Take them down to the bottom, then bring them back up,” Jones says. “It’s what those fish have been looking for all winter long.”

He continues, offering up more advice on how to catch fish on Silver Lake this spring.

“PowerBait always works. They were working great at the end of last

70 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

PowerBait is one of the most effective and popular choices for Silver Lake anglers like Joshua Lopez of Riverside, who landed a nice 1-pound, 13-ounce rainbow from the shore using salmon-egg-red PowerBait.

(SILVER LAKE RESORT)

year. Mice Tails are always great. If you’re looking at spinners, a gold and red Thomas Buoyant is probably our most successful lure on the lake. And then, if you’re going to troll, Tasman-

ian Devils and Rapalas are always good to troll with.”

Whatever your preferred fishing method, all signs point toward a solid opener at Silver Lake on April 26. CS

Fishing - Silver Lake Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

6:59 PM

Page 71

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:08 PM

Page 72

/%4 " 3 #

1 0 5

t 0/ * 5 $ & 0( & 4

" 5 5 4 " & $

( & 3 & -" '3 t 4 5 * ,

& 5 & . $0.1 $0' 3 & &

$ " 5 " )0-&

% 6 .

8 8 8

30%4

0 (

0 3 % & 3

0 / * / &

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:10 PM

Page 73

FISHING Ed Davis casts his flies with a glorious High Sierra backdrop. Davis and the author covered a lot of ground hiking to several remote spots. (TIM E. HOVEY)

TROUT TALES IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

FRIENDS BOND FISHING SIERRA STREAMS, LAKES

By Tim E. Hovey

T

he fly line seemed to float out over the creek as I brought the rod forward. The tippet laid the tiny fly down on the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface without a ripple.

If you had to determine my skill level from that one cast, you could conclude that I was an accomplished fly angler.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be wrong. That cast, was in fact, the best one out of the last 40.

The rod in my hands was borrowed,

and, in a lifetime of fishing, I had spent close to no time swinging a fly rod. My first attempt, many years ago, did not go well.

I was casting a plastic bass popper at a local lake with a fly rod for the first time when I was 14. On the fourth cast, the bug got hung up in some reeds. After several aggressive tugs, the lure finally came loose, whipped back and hooked me in the crotch. After a minute of delicate work, I removed the bass bug from

my pants and hung up the fly rod for good.

After the golden cast, the fly drifted with the current on the surface and eased around a boulder. It stopped briefly in an eddy and just floated there. A trout longer than my forearm, twice as thick, came to the surface, briefly nosed the fly and then disappeared back under the rock. My heart jumped. I quickly lifted the fly line from the water with the rod and snapped it behind me. As I went to cast it back to the trout, the fly caught on some brush. Frustrated, I grabbed the bush to tug the fly free and inAPRIL 2014 California Sportsman 73

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:12 PM

Page 74

FISHING stantly buried the small hook deep into my thumb.

My good friend, Ed Davis, and I were at the start of a two-day hunting and fishing trip in the high Sierra Mountains. We had stopped off to cast at this fly-fishing-only stream on our way into our camping area. Ed thought it would the perfect spot for me to practice swinging a fly rod.

Clearly, it was going well.

After Ed helped me yank the hook from my thumb, we continued fishing the creek. Ed caught and released several healthy brown and rainbow trout and I systematically whipped the fur off my fly with every cast.

MANY DEDICATED TROUT fishermen head to

the Eastern Sierras to chase the diverse trout species available during the spring and summer months. Rainbow, brook and brown trout are abundant in the different creeks, streams and lakes. You can even target the state

74 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

fish, golden trout, in lakes around the town of Lone Pine.

Anglers looking to add this species to their list will need to check accessibility due to snow levels, and will have to put in the hiking effort to get to the high-altitude lakes that hold this golden member of the trout family.

I’ve fished all over the high Sierras over the years, and I always enjoy seeing new areas. Many of the streams and creeks are easily accessible and often have campsites nearby. Best of all, if you’re looking to learn how to fish or teach a youngster to fish, you can’t beat the immense opportunities in the Eastern Sierras. You’re only limited by your hiking ability and conditioning. In short, you can tailor your mountain fishing experience to your liking.

We grabbed lunch and headed up to our camping area near Tioga Pass.

After a quick break, we hiked to a nearby meadow with the fly rods.

Trout were abundant in this small stream during the author’s trip. There are plenty of easily accessible creeks and small rivers in the Sierras for anglers young and old to wet their lines. (TIM E. HOVEY)

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:12 PM

Page 75

CALIFORNIA DREAM PROPERTIES

:[[h >kdj[hi FWhWZ_i[ • Deer, Quail, Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Bear, Golden Eagles, 100-yard Shooting Range, Snowmobiling, Hiking, Tracking • 103 private secured acres surrounded on three sides by Los Padres national forest • Professional guide recommended • 50 minutes from Los Angeles, 55 minutes from Bakersfield, 90 minutes to international airport • You have the national forest to yourself much of the year • Owner allowed exclusive hunting rights to one of the few California licensed professional guides • He used it for his private hunting, public never allowed to hunt this land situated on Tecuya Mountain • Guide, as a bonus to new owner, will share hunting secrets for the entire Tecuya range • Cabin with stone fireplace • Solar, wind, propane and septic system. Potable water has been delivered to underground tanks • Best star gazing in Southern California • Year round access land on the south face of the mountain • Access road to land 12 minutes from highway 5. Access road is dirt and climbs 1500 feet and 1.5 miles into the wilderness

Owner open to swapping for waterfront land and cabin. Land must be directly on ocean or lake. No exceptions. Land does not need to be on sand and can be cliffs. Not Florida.

For Pricing and Detailed Information contact: Kimberley @ 818-421-3950 email: kheart@apex.net

river hawk:Layout 1

3/23/14

2281 Industrial Blvd Juneau, AK 99801 907-789-4831 www.williesmarine.com

7:14 PM

Page 76

1700 Hwy 99 N Eugene, OR 97402 541-686-3572 www.maxxummarine.com

11704 NE Hwy 99 Vancouver, WA 98686 360-573-0621 www.pacificboatland.com

915 S Ely Kennewick, WA 99336 509-586-8213 www.travelandrvmarine.com

river hawk:Layout 1

3/23/14

12604 E Sprague Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99216 509-926-6894 www.elephantboys.com

7:15 PM

Page 77

311 E 76th Ave Anchorage, AK 99518 907-344-5092 www.deweysmarine.com

5731 Crater Lake Hwy Medford, OR 97502 541-826-5535 www.waterworldboats.com

1920 E Wellington Rd Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 5X6 250-741-1618 1605 Comox Road Courtenay, B.C. V9N 3P7 250-334-4808 www.parkermarine.ca

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:16 PM

Page 78

FISHING A large staging rainbow trout hugs the edges of a Sierras creek. Some high waters require that hearty hikers cover a lot of ground to reach them, but the rewards can be worth the distance. (TIM E. HOVEY)

With some pointers from Ed, I finally caught my first trout on a fly. By the end of the afternoon, I added a few more and I actually began appreciating the new technique.

The following morning, Ed sug-

78 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

gested that we hike to one of the high mountain lakes to fish for brook trout.

Despite the steep hike, he assured me that the fishing was well worth the trouble. I was up for the adventure and quickly agreed.

We left the trailhead at around noon and started hiking the switchbacks. The trail was indeed steep and it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long for Ed to leave me behind. Twenty minutes later, I had completely lost sight of him. When I finally reached the end of the trail and the small lake 30 minutes later, Ed was sitting on a boulder getting his gear ready. I tried not to sweat on him.

Ed waded out a bit and started fly fishing the dropoff. I hiked around to the other side of the lake and started tossing a small Kastmaster lure. On the second cast I hooked a small brook trout that was about twice as long as the lure. I glanced over to the other side of the lake and saw that Ed was hooked up as well.

In the next 90 minutes we caught and released a dozen brookies in various sizes. The scenery around the lake was amazing, and though the hike had worn me out a bit, just being there was well worth the effort. As Ed always says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming up here is like

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:17 PM

Page 79

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 79

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:17 PM

Page 80

AUTHORIZED

HEWESCRAFT DEALERS ALASKA Compeau’s (Fairbanks) 907-479-2271 or 800-478-7669 Dewey’s Cook Inlet (Anchorage) 907-344-5092 River & Sea Marine (Soldotna) 907-262-2690 or 907-262-7402 Rocky’s Marine (Petersburg) 907-772-3949

CALIFORNIA Boat Country (Escalon) 209-838-2628 Harrison’s Marine & RV (Redding) 530-243-0175

IDAHO Idaho Marine (Boise) 208-342-0639 Mark’s Marine (Hayden) 888-821-2200 Valley Boat & Motor (Lewiston) 208-743-2528

ILLINOIS Calumet Marine (Calumet City) 708-862-2407

MINNESOTA Badiuk Equipment, Inc. (International Falls) 218-286-0813

MONTANA Dream Marine (Libby) 406-293-8142 Gull Boats & RV (Missoula) 406-549-6169

The author with a healthy Eastern Sierra rainbow. The April 26 statewide trout opener should attract a lot of anglers for fish like this one. (TIM E. HOVEY)

Wallace Marine (Great Falls) 406-453-9392

OREGON Clemens Marina (Eugene) 541-688-5483 Clemens Marina (Gladstone) 503-655-0160 Clemens Marina (Portland) 503-283-1712 Pelican Marine (Klamath Falls) 541-882-5834 Y Marina (Coos Bay) 541-888-5501

WASHINGTON Clark’s All Sports (Colville) 509-684-5069 Northwest Marine & Sport (Pasco) 509-545-5586 Tom-N-Jerry’s Boat Center (Mt. Vernon) 360-466-9955 Westside Marine (Port Townsend) 360-385-1488

visiting an old friend.” I couldn’t have stated it any better, and I was beyond grateful that he had shown me the hidden gem.

On the hike out, I got a well-deserved head start, and Ed still beat me back to the truck! Back at camp we shared stories of the areas we’d explored and of the fish we’d caught. As the day faded, I stared into the embers of the campfire and watch the stars punctuate the sky.

Those are the type of evenings that make you hate your TV. ON THE DRIVE home the following day

we stopped off at mountain creek that feeds one of the many area lakes.

Large rainbow trout were running up from the lake and staging in the creek. The stream was only 4 feet 80 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

wide and the trout were stacked up in the shallows. We spent an hour tossing small white jigs to the hungry rainbows, each catching several larger fish – a perfect ending to a great trip.

Whether you’re an accomplished angler or just starting out, the highmountain streams, creeks and lakes of the Eastern Sierras offer adventure for the expert and novice alike. Even if you don’t like to fish, the scenic views, numerous camping areas and abundant hiking trails will provide adventure for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Hiking to the upper lake with Ed was a first for me and really made the trip. When I got home, I rummaged through all my fishing rods and found the fly rod I last used when I was 14. I set it near my camping gear. Next time! CS

Fishing - Hovey Trout:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:18 PM

Page 81

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 81

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:37 AM

Page 82

Fishing - Lake Isabella:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:19 AM

Page 83

FISHING Trout are planted in Lake Isabella for a past fishing derby. The popular lake located about an hour east of Bakersfield will go on with its 25th annual derby despite concerns about drought conditions that have plagued various lakes in the state.

(LAKE ISABELLA FISHING DERBY)

ON WITH THE SHOW! DROUGHT DOESN’T SLOW DOWN ANNUAL TROUT CONTEST AT LAKE ISABELLA

By Chris Cocoles LAKE ISABELLA–California’s drought has taken a toll on Lake Isabella, as it has with many other fisheries in the Golden State, but low water levels were not about to prevent one of the state’s most cherished angling events from taking place.

The Lake Isabella Fishing Derby (760-379-5236; isabellafishingderby

.org), now in its 25th year, is on for the weekend of April 12-14. George Stahl of the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce said that while canceling the 2014 event was mentioned, the organizers continued to weigh the pros and cons, and realized that not having the event would take away a destination event that attracts visitors from up and down the state.

“People look at the lake level and say that’s it really low. But the fact is, as it sits (in mid-March), the recorded acre-feet is 61,033. So it’s still larger than a lot of lakes in Cal-

ifornia that hold derbies at their lakes,” Stahl said. “Some of those lakes aren’t even built to hold the capacity of 50,000 acre-feet. And they still have derbies, successful derbies. We have plenty of water in the lake to hold a fishing derby. And that’s not deterring us at all.”

The lake remains at its usual 35foot maximum depth, and Stahl promises the anglers who have flocked to Isabella’s location in the San Joaquin Valley about an hour east of Bakersfield will enjoy what has become one of the state’s premier fishing derbies.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 83

Fishing - Lake Isabella:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:19 AM

Page 84

FISHING “We realized not having the derby would be a detriment to the valley,” Stahl said. “The derby itself is one of the biggest events that we have in the Kern River Valley. The motel owners, the merchants, they depend on this for a substantial part of their daily intake along with the other major events we have up here.

We decided to push forward with it.”

Stahl said the chamber has been getting daily phone inquiries, sometimes along the lines of 20 per day, of anglers interested in signing up or to double check that the event is still on.

And that should mean a lot of visitors from a lot of surrounding San Joaquin Valley communities like Bakersfield, Visalia, Hanford and Fresno. But Stahl said south of the Grapevine should bring plenty of anglers in search of tagged fish worth as much as $100,000.

“A lot of people come up from

the L.A. area, and even further south in Orange County, and some from San Diego, even,” Stahl said.

“It’s become something that people look forward to. This is the 25th year that we’ve done it. It’s not just a fishing derby. It’s an expected event in the Kern River Valley.

“People from outside the valley come up and have family fun, and to camp around the lake. They experience what we have up here, and we want people to see what we have. And what we have is not just the lake: We have the mountains, the river, we have hiking. All those people come up for the derby. But they also come up for those auxiliary things too. It’s a communitywide event that makes us appreciate where we live.”

One tagged trout caught would be worth $25,000 (that fish is worth $1,000 if caught between April 15 and Sept. 1). Five trout are worth

Anglers of all ages and hometowns in California flock to the Kern River Valley for the derby. Last year, Lytra Evans represented Orange County.

The Huntington Beach lass caught this $100 trout on green garlic PowerBait at Lake Isabella’s Engineer Point. (LAKE ISABELLA FISHING DERBY)

CROSSROADS MINI MART Lake Isabella is the largest freshwater lake in Southern California and is the recreational focus of the Kern River Valley. Each year in early spring, the local chamber of commerce sponsors their highly successful and generous fishing derby. In additon, Lake Isabella offers a wide variety of year-round family fishing, from native crappie, bluegill and catfish to the literally thousands of pounds of trout stocked on a regular basis. The warm summers bring fishing to a peak with trout fishing improving in the cooler weather.

Campsites are abundant around the lake with many available at water’s edge. The advantage of beaching your boat at the shoreline and pushing off again at sunrise can’t be beat. Afternoon prevailing winds make Lake Isabella one of Southern California’s most popular wind-surfing havens.

With something for everyone, the combination of the Kern River fishing and rafting, giant Sequoias within an hour’s drive, and the many recreational activities of the lake, you have to look far and wide for a more perfect choice for your family vacation.

While staying in the area, you can get everything you need at Crossroads Mini Mart. We’re located at 155 and Lake Isabella Blvd; you can reach us at (760) 379-8170.

84 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Fishing - Lake Isabella:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:25 AM

Page 85

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 85

Fishing - Lake Isabella:Layout 1

3/24/14

3:39 PM

Page 86

FISHING $1,000 each, five are $500 and 489 more are worth between $50 and $100. Anyone catching one of the $1,000 trout during the three-day event while wearing the official 2014 Lake Isabella Fishing Derby T-shirt – available for purchase at $20 – will be see the prize increased to $2,500. There are also four longest-fish prizes ranging from $200 to $1,000.

There will also be a raffle for a 19foot travel trailer recreational vehicle, donated by DC’s RV Center in Bakersfield, valued at $18,000, a change from the derby usually raffling off a boat. But organizers decided to use more of a camping/multi-purpose outdoors prize.

Stahl said the easiest way to register ahead of time is through the online form on the official website: isabellafishingderby.org. But you’re also able to register up until 8 a.m.

Friday morning, April 12, before the

86 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Besides having tagged fish worth around $100,000, there are also cash prizes for the longest trout caught in the three-day event that begins on April 12. (LAKE ISABELLA FISHING DERBY)

derby officially begins.

And for those derby veterans or potential first-timers unsure of what to expect given what’s been in the news in California, the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce says the trout will be ready to bite what’s on the end of your fishing line.

“There are still thousands and thousands of fish in this lake,” Stahl said. “And there are going to be 3,000 more on derby day. And the fish that

will be in the derby, people will have a better chance to catch them, if you want to look at that way.” CS Editor’s notes: The Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce can be reached at (760) 379-5236. Primary tagged-trout sponsors for the derby include Berkley, Budweiser, Crossroads Mini-Mart, Sierra Gateway Sporting Goods, Mt. Mesa Market and Isabella IGA Market and Tackle.

Fishing - Lake Isabella:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:26 AM

Page 87

SEQUOIA LODGE On the Kern River

16123 Sierra a Way, Kernville,, CA

This Riverfr Riverfront front Property p y Is A FFisherman’s is isherman’ s Dream 14 Sparkling Rooms R • New Flatscreens Flatsccreens With DVR’s DVR’s HBO And Wi-Fi W Fi • Fridge/Micro/In-Room Wi-F Fridge/Micro/In-Room ridge/Microo/In-Room Coffee

Call C all Today!

Today! 7 760-376-2535 60-376-2535

www.sequoialodge.net ww.sequoialodge.net dge.net APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 87

Fishing - Irvine Lake:Layout 1

3/23/14

88 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

7:22 PM

Page 88

Fishing - Irvine Lake:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:22 PM

Page 89

FISHING

TROUT ACTION PEAKS AT IRVINE APRIL ALSO SEES ACTIVE BASS, EXCELLENT PANFISH BITE, HUNGRY HOLDOVER CATFISH

By Steve Carson IRVINE—Since the beginning of Southern California’s “Urban Trout” season back in early November, Irvine Lake (IrvineLake.net; 714-649-9111) has planted thousands of pounds of additional trout each week, and will continue stocking every week until around the middle of May. That results in April being probably the best opportunity of the year for trout anglers. There are literally tons of trout swimming free in the lake. As temperatures warm toward the end of the month, the trout will begin to drop deeper in the water column, though early April often sees them right up on top.

Catching several varieties of trout is possible here this month. Most common are rainbows, which will generally be in the 2- to 6-pound range, along with enough 7- to 14pounders to make every nibble exciting. Some bigger ’bows to 20 pounds were stocked this year, but a combination of skill and luck are needed to lug one of those beasts to the scales.

Good numbers of the rainbow variant known as “Yosemite red” were planted in February, and are distinguished by their firm, pink meat.

Lesser numbers of steelhead are present, mostly in the 5- to 12-pound range, along with moderate numbers of brown trout of about that same weight. Brook trout show up now and then, and they average 2 pounds.

Trollers do exceptionally well on the bigger specimens, partially due to the slightly heavier tackle that can be used. Slow trolling from 0.9 to 1.9

Jim Thorpe of Laguna Woods is happy about the beautiful 9.3-pound steelhead he caught off Irvine Lake’s west shoreline using a Power Worm. April’s usual ideal weather conditions should leave plenty of big trout swimming near the surface before water temps send them deeper. (IRVINE LAKE)

mph is the name of the game, with favored spots including along the west shoreline, along the dam restriction lines, and at midlake.

Productive trolling lures include the reliable firetiger-color Rapala Countdown CD05, or pink Shad Rap SR04. As springtime’s insects begin emerging, natural colors also work well, with brown trout- or brook trout-colored Jointed Rapala J05s being a favorite of lake regulars.

Early April should still allow topline trolling, but by the end of the month, downriggers or leadcore line will be necessary to get the lures down 20 to 25 feet.

Bait dunkers need to keep their tackle extremely light, with 2-pound-

test leaders giving a huge advantage over heavier gear. Most consistent hot spots for shorecasters are Trout Island and the West Shore Road. Best baits should be garlic PowerBait or Gulp! Pinched Crawlers, sometimes in combination with real nightcrawlers or Gulp! Salmon Eggs.

Casting with small plastics will also get plenty of trout, but again ultralight line in the 2- or 4-pound class is a must. Atomic Tubes or Atomic Teasers in chartreuse/orange or pink/white, fished alone or under a bobber are very effective. Dropshotrigged Power Trout Worms in the same colors get the fish better later in April as the fish head deeper.

No doubt, April is trout month in APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 89

Fishing - Irvine Lake:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:22 PM

Page 90

FISHING California. But Irvine does offer other options for anglers.

A moderate number of hybrid striped bass (aka wipers or sunshine bass) from 8 to 15 pounds, will also be caught and released as the water warms. The wipers most often are caught incidentally by catfish anglers soaking chunks of mackerel. Anglers sometimes find them boiling on schools of shad at midlake, and can get them by quickly tossing soft or hard jerkbaits at such times.

BASS More than 10 years after lake management instituted mandatory release on all bass species, Irvine Lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largemouth population is thriving. April will see most of the spawning activity completed, with the fish spread out and very active in depths from 1 to 20 feet.

Just about every legitimate bass technique will fool numbers of 2- to 4-pound largemouth, including dropshot-rigged plastics, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits like X-Rap XR10s and XR12s in shad-replicating colors.

Topwater action will have to wait until Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warm temperatures. The larger bucketmouths in the 6- to 12pound class are most often fooled with swimbaits.

Best locations for bass chasers are the hard structure at Rocky Point and

CATFISH

Jimmy Hernandez of Costa Mesa shows off a 13.85-pound rainbow trout he caught at Irvine Lake recently on a nightcrawler. Baitfishing should be done with extremely light line down to 2pound-test leaders. (IRVINE LAKE)

the Red Clay Cliffs. Depending on water levels, the dead trees in Santiago Flats can provide numerous flipping and pitching opportunities.

The massive stocking of catfish will not begin until June, but resident channels and blues will definitely be biting eagerly in April.

Targeting catfish means flylining a chunk of mackerel, but as previously mentioned, a live nightcrawler means trout, bass or even carp may end up on your line.

Most channel cats will weigh 2 to 8 pounds, but enough of the 15- to 50-pound blue cats are around to

Emphasis on Quality Accent on Innovation

We specialize exclusively in vacuum packers / sealers since 1984.

We are a complete center with repairs, supplies, sales of both home style vacuum sealers and commercial industrial vacuum packers.

www.vacupack.com and www.vacupack.ca Phone Toll Free 1-800-227-3769 90 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Fishing - Irvine Lake:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:23 PM

Page 91

Fishing - Irvine Lake:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:23 PM

Page 92

FISHING keep everyone on their toes. Any time April showers cause the creeks to run, every inlet will have whiskerfish stacked up and feeding on whatever washes into the lake. Otherwise, Sierra Cove and Santiago Flats are favored catfish spots.

dear sunfish moving into the brushy shallows. Standard rigging includes mealworms or waxworms fished with a split shot or under a bobber.

Both species of panfish often exceed 1 pound in weight, and sometimes even 2 pounds.

CRAPPIE

MORE SPECIES

April should be the peak of the crappie spawning run. The standard springtime tactic is dropping a white Atomic Tube with a mealworm pinned on down to about 15 feet, and drifting along with the afternoon breeze near the trees in back of Santiago Flats. The suspended schools will usually be over 25 to 30 feet of water. Big slabs exceeding 2 pounds are relatively common, and these plump spawners are almost always in the 1-pound class or better.

In addition to crappie, panfish springtime anglers can also find growing numbers of bluegill and re-

The warming waters also mean that the lake’s abundant 5- to 30pound carp are much more active.

They are occasionally caught incidentally by anglers offering nightcrawlers for trout or catfish. Much greater success is seen by anglers who employ specialized European carp techniques and specially formulated baits.

Sturgeon are also found in the lake, but not often landed by anglers.

Every season a handful of 30- to 50pound sturgeon are battled to shore, and at least one very large individual in the 200-pound class occasionally causes anglers’ hearts to skip a beat.

92 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

KIDS LAGOON Families with children age 12 and under will find the Kids Lagoon stocked with trout throughout April, unless water temperatures rise too quickly. The lagoon’s resident carp and catfish are also active in April, but catfish stocking will not begin until June.

WATER CONDITIONS Irvine Lake is a domestic water supply reservoir, and California is, of course, in the midst of a severe drought. Lake levels are down from the last few years, but not unusually down from the perspective of the past 20 years of major fluctuation. Some water was purchased in late March, ensuring plenty of water for the remainder of trout season, and also for the upcoming summer catfish season.

For more info, see Irvine Lake’s Facebook page, website at IrvineLake .net or call (714) 649-9111. CS

Fishing - Irvine Lake:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:24 PM

Page 93

Fishing - Plastics:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:32 PM

Page 94

Fishing - Plastics:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:32 PM

Page 95

FISHING

ONE WORD: PLASTICS

TROUT FISHING WITH PLASTIC LURES

By Mike Stevens

These various Sierra Slammers plastics are all outstanding options for trout.

These lures include trout worms (top right), trout jigs (lower right), the “Ball & Chain” series (top left) and 2-inch swimbaits (lower left). (MIKE STEVENS)

F

ishing for trout with soft plastics is nothing groundbreaking, as anglers have been using crappie jigs for salmonids for decades.

What has skyrocketed in recent years is how specialized this manner of trouting has become. Competition among smaller startup lure companies has benefitted anglers by providing them a wide range of styles of plastic lures that now extend beyond the tube-style crappie jigs that the plastic craze was rooted in.

Many hardcore Sierra anglers have turned to exclusively chucking plastics, and those who haven’t at least have it in their arsenal.

In slow-moving creeks like this one, go light, as in no heavier than 4-pound test. The plastic lures you’ll be tossing into the water are also extremely light. (MIKE STEVENS)

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 95

Fishing - Plastics:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:33 PM

Page 96

FISHING

A gorgeous Eastern Sierra trout is often a reward for fishing with plastics like jigs. In creeks, jigs can be cast quartering upstream and retrieved back toward you at a 45-degree angle. (MIKE STEVENS)

RODS AND REELS FOR PITCHING PLASTIC One thing that is common among all shapes and sizes of trout plastic is that they are all very light. The plastic itself is essentially weightless, for all intents and purposes, and typically a 1⁄16- or 1⁄32-ounce jighead or BB split shot is all you are working with when it comes to casting.

This all points to ultralight rods and reels, and 2- to 4-pound line. In most stillwater situations, 2-pound test is what you want to be working with. It allows for a longer cast, a more natural presentation in clear Sierra water, and you might be surprised how much pressure you can put on a fish on 2-pound with a balanced rod-and-reel outfit when the drag is set just right. I prefer P-Line Fluoroclear, because it handles like monofilament, but it’s coated with fluorocarbon, which gives it the invisible characteristic that fluoro is used for. P-Line tends to have a smaller diameter than other lines in the same weight class.

While you can get away with a shorter rod on creeks, the ideal ultralight spinning rod for throwing plastics on lakes will be in the 6foot-6 to 7-foot-6 range. The rod should have a fast action, with most of the bend at the top half of the stick, which keeps the setup sensi96 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

tive while it absorbs enough shock to shrug off a hard run by the fish.

The ultralight reel you already use for tossing lures or bait rigs should suffice, as long as it has a smooth drag that can be “micro-adjusted” and the spool allows the line to coil off easily when casting light If you might be in the market for several reels that fit the bill, the Shimano Sedona 500 is a great allaround trout reel that has been around for a decade-and-a-half, and the Okuma AV-15 offers a lot of bang for your buck at about $35.

LURES AND PRESENTATIONS JIGS Tube-style “crappie” jigs are still the most common style of soft-plastic lure for trout fishing, and for good reason. They are extremely versatile lures that can be fished a variety of ways in both lake and stream situations.

The most popular way to fish tube jigs in lakes is tying them directly to 2-pound line, letting them fly and varying your retrieve until you come up with the right depth and cadence.

Typically, a slow retrieve paired with subtle shakes of the rod tip and occasional pauses will produce. It’s a great way to sight-fish for schooling trout cruising the shoreline, or fish holding in shallow water where spoons or spinners will just scare them off.

Another way to fish jigs in a lake environment is under a bobber.

Jared Smith, general manager of Parchers Resort (760-873-4177; parchersresort.net) in Bishop and the founder of Sierra Slammers Custom Baits (530-310-1454; sierraslammers.com), says this is a go-to jig tactic of his when wind picks up.

A weighted bobber will allow you to cast a light jig in the wind, and the wind-chop alone on the surface will create enough action to get bit. The trick is to have at least 5 feet of line between the jig and the bobber.

“You also have to keep the line tight to the bobber; otherwise you

will miss strikes. There is a lot of slack line out there, so you really have to wind down and pick up just to get a hookset, but the rig will get bit.”

In creeks, jigs can be cast quartering upstream and retrieved back toward you at a 45-degree angle, or even fished vertically along undercut banks (this is a killer technique on the upper Owens River) for trout literally hiding directly below your feet. If you are targeting fish holding midcreek in the current, a good way to go is casting the jig well above the fish, allowing the jig to drift into their lane, and adding a little action when the lure gets close. Adding scent in this situation could get them to bite if your first attempts don’t produce.

TROUT WORMS Plastic trout worms are also widely available and can be fished in as many, if not more, ways than jigs can. One deadly technique is to thread them on to a size 8 or 10 Owner Mosquito hook and pinch a split shot 12 to 24 inches above it for casting and to keep it submerged if it’s a floating worm. They can then be fished on a slow crawl-and-pause retrieve or any way you would otherwise fish a live worm or a ball of PowerBait. PowerBait Floating Trout Worms are already scented, and after putting plastic worms on the troutFishing with a vertical jig setup on the upper Owens River is an effective technique in the Eastern Sierra. Ultralight tackle is the name of the game when using plastics. And in smaller creeks and rivers, short rods are OK to use.

(MIKE STEVENS)

Fishing - Plastics:Layout 1

3/25/14

9:59 AM

Page 97

FOR A DEMO VIDEO ON YOUTUBE:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq9RsTy7E8I

Leelock Anchor Systems has the most versatile power boat anchor â&#x20AC;&#x153;systemâ&#x20AC;? available.

It allows the boat owner to easily and quickly switch accessories depending upon fishing and boating needs.

Leelock also makes the most innovative anchor systems for drift boats, lake boats and pontoon boats.

The Bigwater is back! This is the original design that started it all.

It is now available from Leelock Anchor Systems.

www.leelock.com (360) 380-1864

Dealer Inquirees Welcome!

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 97

Fishing - Plastics:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:34 PM

Page 98

FISHING fishing map well over a decade ago, they are still among the top options for this type of fishing.

This split-shot rig can also be used in creeks as long as the weight is light enough to bounce along the bottom back toward the angler after an upstream cast.

The same setup can be employed to fish some of the newer Mice Tailtype plastic offerings that lure companies are starting to pour. These are basically a plastic version of the popular salmon egg-and-worm combo that has been slaying trout in Sierra lakes since there has been trout in Sierra lakes, and the artificial version is just as effective.

SWIMBAITS Since swimbaits are already catching everything else that swims, Sierra Slammers decided to pioneer their use for trout, and they were very effective even back in the test-

98 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

ing phase. They can be rigged on a light jighead and straight-retrieved at varying depths, bounced along the bottom like a plastic worm, or even fished on a mini-dropshot rig. These

2-inch, ringed swimbaits are also poured in colors hand-selected (or in many cases, invented) by their Bishop-based founder, who fishes plastic almost exclusively. CS

QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER PLASTICS SUCCESS While many jigs are created equal, the ones from Sierra Slammers Custom Baits come in Sierra-specific types, like Grasshopper, South Lake Special, Perch Fry and Cricket.

Trout will bite jigs in the fall, and sometimes within seconds of them hitting the water. Keep an eye out for your line to move unnaturally or a quick“tick” on your rod tip after casting, and set the hook just in case.

Nonscented trout worms are a great way to use bait tactics in waters governed by “artificial only”-type regulations. As far as the law is concerned, scent equals bait, but if the plastic is unscented, you’re good to go. You can always add scent if needed at other spots.

Using natural colors is always a good idea, but this is especially true when targeting brown trout or other wild fish.

Louder, brighter color schemes are great for stocked fish and in stained water.

Adding a trout worm to a jig“stinger style” adds casting weight and color contrast, makes a bulkier target, and it’s often preferred over a plain jig.

Always experiment with presentations. Along with the methods described above, I have also caught fish on fast, jerky retrieves,“deadsticked”on the bottom, and literally skipped across a creek’s surface.

Use your ugliest lures on backcountry brook trout. They’ll eat anything! -MS

Fishing - Plastics:Layout 1

3/23/14

ANTIOCH Inland Marine 1600 W 10th St (925) 757-1714 www.inland-marine.com AVILA BEACH Port San Luis Boatyard 3915 Avila Beach Dr (805) 595-7895 www.portsanluisboatyard.com CHULA VISTA JP Marine 630 Bay Blvd #106 (619) 564-4935 www.JPMotorSports.com COSTA MESA Maurer Marine 873 W 17th St (949) 645-7673 www.maurermarine.com LAKE ELSINORE Lake Elsinore Marine 18010 Grand Ave (951) 678-5599 www.lakeelsinoremarine.com LONG BEACH Avalon Yacht & Boat Sales 1300 W 14th St (562) 495-2130 NAPA Napa Valley RV & Marine 480 Soscol Ave (707) 252-6944 www.marinaservicenapa.com OXNARD Specialty Marine 3151 W 5th St (805) 984-6538 www.specialtymarine.com SAN DIEGO Pacific Marine Supply 4114 Napier St (619) 275-0508 www.pacmarinesupply.com SAUSALITO Hirschfeld Yacht 400 Harbor Dr (415) 332-3507 www.enginerite.com

7:34 PM

Page 99

Fishing - Light Rods:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:52 PM

Page 100

You Deserve A Honda.So Does Your Boat.

Honda quality, reliability, power, fuel-efficiency and ease of maintenance define outstanding boating performance.

Our quiet, four-stroke engines offer best-of-class features in models ranging from 2.3 to 250 hp. All are backed by our True 5 non-declining 5-year warranty—the best manufacturer’s warranty in the industry. Choosing the right boat is exciting. Choosing the right engine is essential. Go with the outboard that keeps your boat going strong. Honda.

Available only though the finest boat builders and your local Honda Marine Dealer.

BOAT SHOW SPECIAL! Act now and receive a stainless propeller and an engine cover with the purchase of any 40hp – 250hp Honda Marine outboard. Add to that our True 5 Warranty * for a show-stopping deal! HURRY, OFFER ENDS MAY 17.

A TOTAL VALUE

+ SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE! See Your Honda Marine Dealer For Details.

OF UP TO

+

= 3,000

CALIFORNIA

LONG BEACH Avalon Yacht & Boat Sales 562-495-2130 www.avalon-boats.com

SACRAMENTO Buck’s Outboard Repair, Inc. 916-428-3917 www.bucksoutboard.com

SANTA CRUZ Monterey Bay Marine 831-479-6910 www.montereybaymarine.com

MARTINEZ Eagle Marine 925-229-4881 www.eaglemarineonline.com

SAN DIEGO The Dinghy Doctor 619-804-6921 www.thedinghydoctor.com

SEBASTOPOL Guenter’s Outboards 707-887-7708 www.guenters.com

OXNARD Specialty Marine 805-984-6538 www.specialty-marine.com

SANTA ANNA Tradewind Inflatables 949-631-7334 www.twimarine.com

ALVISO Voyager Marine 408-263-7633 www.hondamarinedealer.com/ voyagermarinemain DIXON Gone Fishin’ Marine 707-678-1600 www.gfmarine.com LAKEPORT Hillside Honda 707-263-9000 www.hillside-honda.com

$

**

To Find Your Nearest Authorized Honda Marine Dealer, Visit marine.honda.com

OREGON CENTRAL POINT 4 Seasons Marine 541-665-2920 www.4-seasonsmarine.com

*Warranty value ($2,305) established by comparing to the cost of a competitive four stroke 250hp outboard extended service contract. **Receipt of propeller and cover upon retail delivery of boat package from a dealer.

Propeller and cover combined retail value of up to $700. © 2014 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual. All Honda outboards meet EPA and CARB emission levels.

100 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Fishing - Light Rods:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:52 PM

Page 101

FISHING

I’LL ORDER A LIGHT ONE TROUT SUCCESS STARTS WITH LESS HEAVY RODS

By Chris Cocoles

C

Craig Adkinson with an East Walker River brown trout. Using as lightaction a rod as you can get away increases your chances of getting wily Sierra trout like this to bite. (CRAIG ADKINSON)

raig Adkinson targets big trout in the Sierra’s lakes and rivers, but the Orange County-based angler stresses that less heavy is better when it comes to choosing an ideal trout rig.

“The lightest rod you can get away with,” Adkinson says. “I have a variety of fishing rods in different applications for the Sierras, especially from trolling rods for downriggers and leadcore lines.”

When he trolls lakes like Crowley or Convict, Adkinson uses a bass rod because, he says, “I feel that it takes the shock of the bite against the power of your movement, and puts the fish into the hook.”

Bait rods should generally be between 6 to 7½ feet in length for lakes and streams.

“I like to use the Phenix Elixir rod and the Mirage for their backbone on the hook set, as well as their flexibility to absorb the huge head shakes that are thrown by larger fish,” says Adkinson, who’s on the Phenix Rods pro staff. “I always like the larger rods, but if I have to, I will use a 5foot rod.”

The big advantage of using shorter rods, especially when bank fishing on lakes, rivers and streams, is maneuvering through bushes and trees. Adkinson refers to certain seemingly inaccessible areas as “crazy spots that most people overlook.”

Other rods worth looking into for Sierra trout anglers are jerkbait and swimbait models that are traditionally more used by bass anglers. Such bass rigs allow larger-diameter baits to target big and strong brown trout.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 101

Fishing - Light Rods:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:53 PM

Page 102

FISHING

Brown trout can be caught on mini-jigs or trout worms, and light line as low as 2- to 4-pound test is recommended, since browns can be very line shy. (CRAIG ADKINSON)

“These fish are massive, but use just a little bit smaller line than what you would use for bass fishing, because the larger browns are smart and usually a little line shy,” Adkinson says.

The rod of choice for brown trout can be 8 to 9 feet in length, like the Phenix Dragon Fly or Iron Feather.

For big browns, one setup worth exploring is throwing a mini-jig or trout worm, fished on a lead head, ball head or drop-shot rig. Weights in smaller sizes are preferable with smaller-diameter line and thus able to feel every bite.

But like going light on rods, Adkinson says don’t go overboard with heavy line. He suggested 2- to 4pound-test monofilament, choosing the color carefully.

“Your specific color depends on the water color of the area you’re fishing,” Adkinson says. “The best way to figure out what color line you should use is what the water color of the body you’re fishing. Use green-

or smoke-colored line in off-color water. In high visibility such as crystal-clear water, use clear line or fluorocarbon based on the sunlight reflection off the line.”

Wild trout are a big draw in the Eastern Sierras, especially early in the spring season. Adkinson says throwing wild colors for baits helps for catching wild fish.

“The wild trout are always feeding on insects as well as small game fish,” he says. “Large browns feed on Sacramento perch, small (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) rainbows and kokanee in the lakes that hold them.”

“The trick to targeting the fish you want to catch is try to figure out what the fish you are trying to catch are eating. You want to match that in size and color, and if so you will be successful.”

It all starts with the light rods and heavy thinking.

“If you’re stealthy,” says Adkinson, “you can outsmart the fish.” CS

PARK IT WITH POWER CASTER! Maneuver your trailer easily in limited space, around corners, forward or reverse with the flip of a switch!

Made in the U.S.A.

SAFE to use: ✓ Chain guard ✓ Ground wire

The Original Trailer Mover! Manufactured since 1967.

(800) 773-3833 (626) 287-6117

www.powercaster.com 5001 Encinita Ave., Temple City, CA 91780

102 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Fishing - JOTM:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:54 PM

Page 103

THE WONKER Article and images by Chris Gregersen

W

hen it comes to catching steelhead on a jig, you absolutely can’t go wrong with a pink worm. Fishing a pink worm on a jig can be as easy as throwing a worm on a jig hook, but a few simple steps can dress up your jig and really up the ante for fiesty natives. This jig takes that killer appeal of a pink worm and adds the action and full body of rabbit fur.

JIG OF THE MONTH

WHAT YOU’LL NEED Rubber worms (try Mad River or Delta); fine lure wire (the wire snap on a swivel also works well); strips of rabbit fur; rubber legs; polar chenille.

1) ANCHOR THAT TAIL 2) BUNNY BODY

3) ICING THE CAKE

Cut a ½- to ¾-inch piece of fine wire and bend the last 1⁄8 inch sharply forward – this will be your worm keeper. Wrap a layer of thread on the shank as a base, then lay your keeper on and wrap it tight against the shank.

By using a small keeper, you’ll be able to lock your worm in while still having the ability to change or replace them.

Top off your jig with a few wraps of polar chenille for some sparkle, or tie down a few strands of rubber leg material. Don’t overlook adding both!

4) MIX AND MATCH The beauty of this jig is that you can add virtually any worm tail to mix up your presentation. Virtually any of the smaller worms will work – just make sure they’re trimmed to 3 inches or less to cut down on missed strike

Above your worm keeper, lay a strip of rabbit fur skin side up against the shank and tie it in. To make your rabbit strips easier to wrap, give the strip a few tugs to stretch it out before you tie it in. Wrap this fur evenly and tightly up the shank, and tie off with plentiful wraps at the jighead.

5) ACE IN THE HOLE For another killer option, throw on a strip of four or five EZ Eggs instead of a plastic worm tail.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 103

Fishing - San Diego Bass:Layout 1

3/23/14

104 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

7:56 PM

Page 104

Fishing - San Diego Bass:Layout 1

3/23/14

7:57 PM

Page 105

FISHING

AT 17 EVEN SWEETER S.D. LAKES SPITTING OUT MONSTER LARGEMOUTH

By Bill Schaefer SAN DIEGO—San Diego lakes have been putting out giant bass

this spring, topped by a 17-pounder, which at press time was the largest fish of the year. A warm winter put the larger females on the prowl, and anglers have been taking advantage of the weather. Three of the hottest lakes have been Lakes Otay and Miramar, and El Capitan Reservoir.

The bait of choice has been one or another brand of trout-imitation lures, and that setup has been scoring fish from 5 to 10 pounds regularly. There are also a large number of fish in the 10- to 12-pound range being landed.

Fish in the teens have been landed as well, with Justin Hanold of San Diego bringing in the biggest largemouth bass in the country for the year so far, as of mid-March, at 17 pounds!

Hanold was fishing Lake Miramar, which is no stranger to large bass. It holds the number seven spot on the top 10 list of all-time largest largemouth. Miramar also yielded a 16-pound, 3-ounce and 13-pound, 14-ounce bass caught earlier this year. The latter fish also caught by Hanold.

There have also allegedly been some unreported 10- to 12-pound fish as well taken at the lake. Hanold’s bait of choice for this time of year is a Huddleston swimbait in trout pattern, and he doesn’t seem to be the only angler going in that direction.

Not to be outdone by Miramar, Lake Otay, in the southern end of San Diego County, has also been kicking out some giants. A 15-plus-pounder topped the list of its big fish, and bit – you guessed it – a swimbait.

Dean Jamieson fooled that 15-pound, 4-ounce fish with a trout-imitation swimbait. He has also landed a few other bass this year in the 10- to 12-pound range. Otay has had a number of bass ranging from 8 to 10 pounds, taken over the last several weeks with some 10- to 12pounders as well.

El Cap, usually not known for giant fish, has, like Otay, seen fish ranging from 10 to 12 pounds, and a ton in the 5- to 10-pound range. With trout being planted, swimbaits have been red hot here as well. At times, the lake’s aggressive bass can be seen chasing trout along shore.

Most of the lakes in San Diego plant trout as well, so many of the giants are feeding on them as they get ready to spawn. There are also large females locked on beds, and it’s up to you if you fish this way, but try to let them go where you took them so they can return to their bed and spawn out. Snap a quick few pictures, get your fish weighed, and

This 17-pound largemouth was caught by Justin Hanold at Lake Miramar on a trout-patterned swimbait. San Diego’s lakes are full of bass weighing in the double digits. (JUSTIN HANOLD)

let her go do her business. Let’s keep this great fishery going for future fish like Hanold’s 17-pound monster.

April, May and even June is the time for the largemouth to be in their spawn mode in San Diego, so take advantage of this time of year. Whether you want numbers of fish or to chase the giants, now is the time to go bass fishing in Southern California! CS APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 105

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:28 PM

Page 106

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:30 PM

Page 107

FISHING

PROS

INSTANT CLASSIC AT GUNTERSVILLE HOWELL RALLIES TO WIN BASS SUPER BOWL

By Nick Barr GUNTERSVILLE, Ala.–The 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville in North Alabama was just that: a classic.

I was blessed with the opportunity to be backstage in March and provide a unique insight into the event, where the top 56 bass anglers in the nation squared off for the biggest honor in the bass fishing world.

If you have not heard already, arguably the most gracious of all bass pros, Springville, Ala., angler Randy Howell, took home the top prize of $300,000, and his name will be forever enshrined in the bass fishing world by hauling in 67.8 pounds over three days of competition.

Many believed this was going to be a slugfest of a Classic, with a bite that was expected to be wide open and the potential for records to be broken. But the actual winning weight was much lower than some of our Western pros predicted in the February issue; some were off by as much as 15 pounds or more. The tournament’s weight record of 69.7 pounds, set in 2011 by the man himself, Kevin VanDam, stands for another year. This Classic was defined by wacky conditions, crazy crowds, and an epic comeback.

WEATHER WOES To start the event, the pros were greeted with muddy and rising water

Randy Howell was in 11th place entering the final round of the Bassmaster Classic at Alabama’s Lake Guntersville. But he rallied with a 29-pound final limit to take the championship.

(JAMES OVERSTREET/B.A.S.S.)

JOES APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 107

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:31 PM

Page 108

FISHING

Fred Roumbanis, who’s originally from California but now fishes out of Bixby, Okla., had a chance to make a move on the second day of the Bassmaster Classic. But he lost what he estimated to be a 9-pound bass. He finished 21st.

(NICK BARR)

due to a massive storm system, complete with tornado warnings, which passed through the night before. It was quite intense as our group of 13 collegiate anglers flew and drove through the mess to attend the pinnacle of pro-bass angler events. Let’s just say the South greeted us with more than most of us Western natives have ever experienced.

I had the amazing opportunity through B.A.S.S. to be backstage and talk to every angler who passed through the gates. On that first day, al-

most every single one mentioned that they had lost an epic proportion of their fish. All of this was due to the increasingly stained water and extreme front that had moved through the night before. A majority of pros were throwing lipless crankbaits on the first day of competition. The average landing percentage on these baits is well below 100 percent, and, along with the light-bite conditions created poststorm, made for a day full of excruciating fish stories backstage.

Ish Monroe lost a fish that could have reportedly helped him sell “500,000 spinnerbaits,” according to observer Joe Balog. On day one, only two Western pros cracked the top 10, Dean Rojas and Fred Roumbanis, the latter weighing in a 9-pound largemouth for big fish honors on the first day. Unfortunately, neither Rojas nor Roumbanis kept inside the top 10 for the duration of the tournament. Former local and FLW Tour stud Randall Tharp seized the lead with a 27.8pound limit at the conclusion of the first day.

For Western anglers, this was a disappointing tournament. The average finish for the region in this Classic was 33rd place. The highest finisher was Aaron Martens, who came in 13th; Brandon Palaniuk was the next best at 14th.

The changing water conditions due to the storm threw many anglers off-guard, and once they stumbled the first day, there was no clawing back in this one. Anglers fishing offshore techniques encountered other issues, as well.

“I was sitting on a mega-school that I could see all over the sonar, but could not get them to bite,” angler Bobby Lane mentioned. Aaron Martens started on a similar pattern, but then moved shallow as the tournament wore on. Fishing deep ledges is usually how those monster limits caught on Alabama rigs are produced, but in the B.A.S.S. Elite Series competition, the specific rig is banned.

ROUMBANIS’ MISSED OPPORTUNITY On the second day, fishing began to pick up, but it was frustrating for many anglers. Roumbanis, a California native currently residing in Oklahoma, took 21st at the event. He was fishing mudlines created by the weather on the main lake that other anglers overlooked. After weighing in on day two, he was somber.

“I was reeling my swimbait across some laydowns and a 9-pound-plus fish came up and swallowed my bait.

Next thing I look and it’s gone with The pro anglers take the signal for blasting off to head out in their bass boats at the commencement of fishing during the tournament.

(NICK BARR)

108 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:31 PM

Page 109

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 109

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:32 PM

Page 110

FISHING the bait sunk into a tree limb,” Roumbanis said. “They have not been aggressive eaters since the storm rolled through.”

That fish was a defining moment for Roumbanis, who could have made a major move. Instead, his chances to contend slipped away.

With the weather stabling out, Paul Mueller, a Connecticut product, hauled in a massive 32-pound bag to rocket up the leaderboard. At the end of the day, though, it was steady-hand Edwin Evers with a 1-ounce lead over Tharp. Evers totaled 47.6 pounds going into the championship round.

RANDY’S REVENGE The third and final day of the Bassmaster Classic brought back warmer weather, which helped the fish move towards their spawning areas with reckless abandon. Everyone’s eyes were on the “Super 6” in the standings: Days 1 and 2 leaders Tharp and

Local angler Skeet Reese of Auburn takes out his bass caught for the weigh-in. Reese came in 49th place. The highest angler with California ties, Hughson’s Ish Monroe, was 20th overall. (NICK BARR)

Evers, and Jason Christie, Ott Defoe, Paul Mueller and Casey Ashley.

Meanwhile, local boy Randy Howell was one of the first anglers to weigh his fish on Sunday. Lifting his bass out of the well, he set the arena of 15,000 adoring fans ablaze with a

weighty 29-pound limit. In the crowd, over 100 children from King’s Home screamed with delight. King’s Home is an at-risk women and children group in Chelsea, Ala. It’s also Howell’s primary sponsor, so you understood the excitement.

Sitting on the hot seat, staring at the Classic trophy, you could see Howell sweating profusely as the Super 6 rolled through the entrance to get their final catches on the scale. One by one, the top anglers in the standings brought up only mediocre limits despite it being a light’s-out day of fishing on Guntersville. The closest competitor, Paul Mueller, came up 1 pound short of Howell’s three-day haul. And as the last fish was weighed, it became official.

“Randy Howell is your 2014 Bassmaster Classic Champion!” host Dave Mercer exclaimed.

The roar of the arena compared to that of a playoff basketball game, as

RANCHITO MOTEL Clustered around a relaxed spacious, forest-like setting, Ranchito Motel’s early California style historic units afford the visitor clean, airy rooms with beamed ceilings and individual design.

The forest setting opens up to the more contemporary and modern hospitality of the Ranchito Motel of today. Not your typical motel, we offer seven different buildings hosting two to six rooms. All rooms have been upgraded recently and include refrigerators, microwave ovens, TV and DVD players and in-room coffee.

After a restful night, take a stroll among the trees and along miniature, rustic bridges that cross a gently murmuring brook.

On almost three park-like acres, we offer picnic and barbeque areas for guest use.

We are pet friendly - dogs and cats only, please!!

We are located in the heart of Plumas County, California; close to world class golf courses, hundreds of lakes, thousands of miles of rivers, fishing, hunting, hiking, gold panning, horseback riding, or an excursion to try your luck in Reno, Nevada. Our back roads are a favorite to motorcyclists and bicyclists and we are easy access to the Pacific Crest Trail.

Our grounds are perfect for groups, weddings, family reunions, class reunions, birthday parties, anniversary parties, barbeque bashes, retreats and more. Let us help you plan your event!

Please visit our website, www.ranchitomotel.com and www. plumascounty.org.

110 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:33 PM

Page 111

LIGHTWEIGHT. The lightest 200-hp four stroke on the market

POWERFUL. 2.8L displacement and Variable Camshaft Timing give it the best power-to-weight ratio of any 200-hp four stroke

COMPACT. Nearly 120 pounds lighter than our four-stroke V6 F200

THE ALL-NEW F200 IN-LINE FOUR.

FORWARD THINKING. Show the water who’s boss with the new F200 In-Line Four. Incredibly light, responsive and fuel efficient, it serves up plenty of muscle to handily propel a variety of boats. On top of that, its 50-amp alternator offers the power to add a range of electronics, and its 26-inch mounting centers and compatibility with either mechanical or digital controls give you the flexibility to easily upgrade your outboard or rigging. Experience legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the all-new F200 In-Line Four.

CALIFORNIA CHULA VISTA JP Motorsports & Marine (619) 564 -4935 www.JPMotorSports.com

SANTA CRUZ Monterey Bay Marine 831-479-6910 www.montereybaymarine.com

COOS BAY Y Marina 541-888-5501 www.ymarinaboats.com

MARTINEZ Eagle Marine 925-229-4881 www.eaglemarineonline.com YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine

OREGON EUGENE Maxxum Marine 541-686-3572 www.maxxummarine.com

Follow Yamaha on Facebook® and Twitter™

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal intended to be an endorsement. © 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 111

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:53 AM

Page 112

FISHING one of the sport’s most humble and underrated men had his life changed forever. Howell had jumped all the way from 11th place as the final day of fishing began, to win the Super Bowl of competitive fishing. He’ll now be mentioned in the same sentence as past Classic champions.

Howell capitalized on the fish moving shallow and funneling through the bridge back into a big, spawning bay in Spring Creek. He was headed for a similar area at blast off, but a gut feeling told him to turn around and head for Spring Creek. Four keepers from his epic 29-pound limit came off of a single bridge funnel that was stacked with winning fish.

He ended up catching over 30 fish that day, all in front of a large crowd overlooking his magical moment from the highway bridge.

He dominated the last day of the Classic by using a Rapala DT-6m,

112 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

called “Demon,” in a red crawdad.

He also threw a Livingston Lures prototype crankbait, which will now be known as “The Howeller,” in a similar color.

His big fish of the winning limit came on a spot only a few hundred yards away, on the new Yamamoto Fizzle Vibrating Jig. Before the tournament, Howell’s son, Oakley, wrote in a prayer request that his father win the Classic. After finding it, Randy’s wife placed it in the mirror of their travel trailer for him to see every single day. After listening to his speech at the “Champions Toast Dinner” hosted by B.A.S.S., I rooted for him.

Granted, I was, of course, pulling for our Western anglers, but our sport is extremely lucky to have a man as genuine and humble as Randy Howell representing bass fishing at the highest.

WESTERN ANGLER CLASSIC FINISHES 13. Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala. 14. Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho 17. Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

20. Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif.

21. Fred Roumbanis of Bixby, Okla.

37. John Murray of Phoenix, Ariz.

40. Josh Bertrand of Gilbert, Ariz.

46. Tim Johnston of Kalispell, Mont.

49. Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.

51. Cliff Pirch of Payson, Ariz.

52. Chris Zaldain of San Jose, Calif.

55. Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas CS Editor’s note: For more information on the Bassmaster Classic, visit Bassmaster.com/classic. For more on the author, Nick Barr, go to NickBarrFishing.com.

Pros Joes:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:34 PM

Page 113

SAN LEANDRO Adaro Engine & Equipment, Inc. 1001 San Leandro Blvd (510) 351-5475 adaroengine.com

FRESNO Lenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lawnmower Services 5170 W. Shaw Ave (559) 222-6849 lenslawnmowerservice.com

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 113

Fishing - Clear Lake Bass:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:33 AM

Page 114

Fishing - Clear Lake Bass:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:34 AM

Page 115

FISHING

WILL OUR TOURNEY SET NEW RECORD? CLEAR LAKE HOSTING NEW CALIFORNIA SPORTSMAN BASS TOURNAMENT APRIL 5-6; MARCH DERBY WINNERS LANDED HUGE 90-POUND BAG

C

lear Lake’s place as one of California’s premier bass fisheries is reflective in the number of tournaments being held there in the next couple months.

The marina at Konocti Vista Casino (707-262-1900; kvcasino.com) is hosting several events, including the California Sportsman-sponsored Team Bass Classic, scheduled for April 5 and 6. The tournament is now in its fourth year. Each of the 100 teams that register for the event will get a complimentary one-year subscription to California Sportsman.

Much-needed rain – 8 inches fell in Clear Lake’s Northern California location – really helped the cause of the lake’s water level. Carol Dellinger of the casino said the lake’s level has increased by about a foot since that series of storms swept through, giving the largest natural freshwater lake that’s completely within the state’s border a boost from Mother Nature.

“Konocti Vista Casino’s marina has remained open all winter, even with the low water levels,” Dellinger wrote in a press release. “The casino continues to be the prime location on Clear Lake for bass tournaments.”

In actuality, Clear Lake is one of the state’s favorite derby destinations. The

The marina at Konocti Vista Casino is hosting several spring tournaments at Clear Lake, including the California Sportsman-sponsored Team Classic the weekend of April 5-6. (KONOCTI VISTA CASINO)

Anglers from last year’s tournament show off some of Clear Lake’s giant bass. (KONOCTI VISTA CASINO)

spring fishing here is simply outstanding, said Jared Lintner, a tournament pro from Arroyo Grande.

“I’ve been pretty lucky to fish some of the best lakes in the country, and right now, there’s nothing like Clear APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 115

Fishing - Clear Lake Bass:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:34 AM

Page 116

FISHING Lake,” Lintner said last year. He’s a big fan of a dropshot technique known as “Bubba-Shotting,” which features heavier test line (10 to 14 pounds) and a more heavy-duty rod and reel rather than a basic spinning setup.

“My favorite Bubba rig is a Magnum 6.8 FlickShake Worm, which I’ll rig wacky style – they can’t stand that big ol’ thing wiggling out in front of their faces,” Lintner says. “You can catch them on just about any 6-inch straight or ribbon-tail worm you want, but I try to throw the biggest thing I can for whatever technique I’m using to increase my percentage to get the big ones to bite. That Magnum 6.8 is just a bigger bait, so I feel like I’m finding bigger fish with it.”

Swimbaits, frogs, crankbaits and spinners are all acceptable methods used to catch Clear Lake’s April bass.

“That lake is so, so, so good in April, if you wanted to catch them on a jig, you could,” Lintner says. “If you

wanted to throw a crankbait, you could catch them on that, too. I’ve had some exceptional days working a Zara Spook really slow, where you’re calling fish up off those beds, setting the bait right on top of their heads. You can really throw just about anything and get bit – a spinnerbait, a chatterbait, you name it – but for me it’s really about getting the most big bites.”

So what can bass anglers entering this tournament expect? In early March, the casino hosted the Future Pro Tournament, which produced some record weights. According to the Lakeport Record Bee, Ryan Habernich and Robert Thornton of Auburn weighed in 15 bass for a total of 90 pounds, 34 ounces, which broke a Clear Lake tournament-record of 83 pounds, 5 ounces from 2000. With warmer weather expected in April, expect some big bass to hit the scales.

Konocti Vista will stay busy with

Veteran bass pro Jared Lintner says April fishing at Clear Lake is traditionally outstanding regardless, but anglers throwing swimbaits, frog baits, crankbaits and spinners. (KONOCTI VISTA CASINO)

three more tourneys, coming up April 13, May 10-11, and May 14-16.

The weigh-in for the Team Bass Classic is free and will take place at approximately 3 p.m. on both Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6. CS

DUCK ISLAND RV PARK Duck Island RV Park is a family-owned business nestled on the banks of the Sacramento River, across from Rio Vista, Calif. We are an adult-only park with fishing and relaxation right on the river.

We have six lighted fishing docks and over 600 feet of river bank for your fishing enjoyment. Also, we have 51 full hookup spaces to accommodate our patrons overnight, by the week or month. For large groups, there is a recreation hall available during their stay. A laundry room is also available for everyone to use.

We sell bait and propane on site. We are centrally located to the San Francisco Bay area, the Napa Wine Region and the Sacramento area. Duck Island has been in business since the mid-1980’s and continues to strive to make everyone’s stay as enjoyable as possible. We have many clubs and individuals who book spaces one to two years in advance because of the park’s peacefulness and pleasing surroundings. We believe that once you’re here and see what it is like, you’ll want to come back again.

So please call us at 1-800-825-3898 (or see us on the web at www.duckislandrv.com) and talk to our courteous onsite manager, Charles, to make your reservations for a stay that you will truly enjoy.

116 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Fishing - Clear Lake Bass:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:35 AM

Page 117

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 117

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/25/14

9:39 AM

Page 118

Fishing - Clear Lake Kayaks:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:40 PM

Page 119

FISHING

IT’S CLEAR, THIS LAKE’S GOOD FOR KAYAK FISHIN’

Clear Lake has one of California’s best largemouth fisheries. Fish can be caught year-round here, with swimbaits being the lures of choice by most anglers in the productive spring. (DAVID BRABEC)

ALL SEASONS MAKE FOR FINE ANGLING, PADDLING AROUND GIANT BASS, CATFISH WATER

By David Brabec LAKEPORT—The Clear Lake area hosts some great kayaking possibilities.

The lake itself is roughly 19 miles long, and is California’s largest natural body of freshwater entirely within the state’s borders, offering lots of access points around the lake.

Don’t think you have to go out and buy the most expensive fishing kayak out there.

Find one that has a comfortable seat, and that is not too heavy for you. I am using a Liquid Logics 10 Manta Ray sit-on-top that I found on Craigslist for $300. It weighs 46

pounds with nothing in it, and I do have a set of wheels I use if I have to walk too far to the launch site.

There are lots of options for rod holders, but I do suggest you have a couple for your vessel. I have six holders on mine, and I usually have three rods with me. Two-inch ABS pipe works great for your holder.

I have a lot of people ask, “Aren’t those kayaks tippy?”

I tell them I’ve never went over one time in 30-plus years of paddling.

That said, wear your life jackets. I took a friend out recently, and he was apprehensive about going. But I talked him into going and let him have the longer, more stable kayak. I could tell right away he was unsteady.

We went fishing and I didn’t plan on going too far. He hooked a bass

about 6 pounds, and I paddled to him to take a photo. Well, he reached out to land the fish and over he went.

There was nothing I could do but grab his fishing rods and tell him to swim to shore. It does happen, and he was fine. I got him to the shore and back in the kayak, albeit a little wet and cold. And we fished a while longer. I am glad I made him wear a life vest, as should you.

WHEN TO FISH out of kayaks?

You can pretty much do it yearround.

Spring on Clear Lake is swimbait time. Osprey Top Hook Talon and Trashfish lures are both really popular simply because they are known to catch a lot of fish here, but there are lots of choices, and everyone has their favorites.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 119

Fishing - Clear Lake Kayaks:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:40 PM

Page 120

FISHING

Kayakers paddle through the Anderson Marsh area in the south end of Clear Lake, which is the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California. Some outstanding bass and catfish action makes it a prime location for kayak anglers. (DAVID BRABEC)

If new to swimbait fishing, the biggest mistake people make is fishing them way too fast. Fish them on 15- to 20-pound line. Let the bait sink to bottom and start reeling, leav-

120 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

ing slack in the line; most of the time you will get some bites.

In the summer on Clear Lake, when the weeds grow, there is nothing better than to take a frog rod and

paddle out into the weedbeds. Most kayaks can go over the weeds and get to places the more traditional boats canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

Throw that frog in the little pockets and across the weed mats, and be prepared for some of the most exciting bass fishing there is. Keep in mind that with this cover, 50- to 65pound braided line is a must.

In fall, the lake is full of baitfish.

Bass and catfish gorge on threadfin shad, silversides and game fish fry, like bass, crappie, bluegill and others.

Catfishing on Clear Lake is way underrated and can be a lot of fun in a kayak when you hook a 15- to 20pounder, which is quite common here. These catfish will take you for a ride.

Winter represents some of the best times to be on the lake. There are fewer boats, not as much wind, the algae is gone and the lake can be really clear, living up to its name. You

Fishing - Clear Lake Kayaks:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:41 PM

Page 121

Fishing - Clear Lake Kayaks:Layout 1

3/24/14

3:35 PM

Page 122

FISHING can have the place to yourself. It is also a great time to bird watch.

Hardcore bass anglers thumb their noses at fishing with live bait, but if you just want to have fun catching fish, minnows or nightcrawlers work great, and are a good way to get kids interested in fishing. Live bait is available all around the lake. Minnows seem to work better in the cooler months. Most local guides use minnows up until April or May, during the height of the spring season.

Try and launch as close to where you want to fish, and be aware what the wind reports are, because you can have big waves in a matter of minutes sweeping into your kayak.

Library Park in Lakeport has several launches for your kayak. The state and county parks outside Kelseyville both have access. Braitos Marina is a popular spot with some of the local kayakers. Redbud Park, the Oaks, Lucerne and Nice, on High-

122 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

way 20 all have launch access from the east side of the lake.

OTHER NEARBY LAKES to fish include Highland Springs and Adobe Creek Reservoirs, close to Lakeport.

Both have bass.

Blue Lakes on Highway 20 headed toward Ukiah is stocked regularly with trout, which are pretty easy to catch most of the year.

There are some huge largemouth bass in upper Blue Lake, but they can be hard to catch as the water there stays clear most of the year.

Lake Mendocino and Lake Pillsbury, or even Berryessa, are not too far away, and while sometimes in drought years you can`t launch a boat, kayaking remains a great option. CS In summer, the lake is full of tules and weed growth, and fishing out of kayaks allows more area to navigate that bigger boats just arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to. (DAVID BRABEC)

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: David Brabec, 58, takes his kayak out about once a week. He co-owns Clearlake Outdoors (707-262-5852; clearlakeoutdoors.com) in Lakeport.

Fishing - Clear Lake Kayaks:Layout 1

3/24/14

3:36 PM

Page 123

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 123

Fishing - Calico Bass:Layout 1

3/24/14

124 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

8:33 AM

Page 124

Fishing - Calico Bass:Layout 1

3/24/14

8:33 AM

Page 125

FISHING

SOUTHERN CALI’S CALICO ON THE PROWL CHECK THE CURRENT TO SEEK OUT FEEDING SALTWATER BASS

Tom Buckalew caught this nice calico off the Southern California coast. These bass will seek out kelp beds looking for smaller baitfish to snack on.

(TOM BUCKALEW)

By Capt. Bill Schaefer SAN DIEGO–The waters off Southern

California are heating up and the kelp beds are coming alive with bait and game fish. From Santa Barbara to the Mexican border, fishermen have been hitting the water looking for calico action.

If you have never chased the plaid bass, as they are affectionately called by those who chase them, then you need to try and get out this summer for some exciting action. You will become addicted immediately to these strong and hard-fighting bass. I’ll give you some pointers and you can take it from there.

CURRENT PLAYS AN important part in fish-

ing for calicos. Water movement usually gets the entire food chain stirred up, which gets the bass feeding. The best current is “down and in.” What you do is look for the kelp stringers that are floating on top to have their tips floating south and in towards shore. Almost any current on shore will do.

This can drag baitfish into the kelp and start the feeding frenzy. Another variable to look for is movement by birds crashing on bait. This will show you where the bait has been pushed to the surface by the feeding bass below, with leftovers being picked off by the birds.

For tackle, you will need a fairly stout rod and a reel that can handle heavy mono or braided line. I like to

use a Daiwa freshwater bass-flipping stick and Lexa reel loaded with 55pound Maxima braided line. This setup will let me pull the largest fish out of the thick kelp. For mono, 20to 30-pound test will do, as well.

There are a number of baits I like to throw, from a swimbait to a soft jerkbait or slug. For swimbaits, you may want to go with one of the newer weedless ones as opposed to using an open-hook bait. The farther you can get back into the kelp with your bait, the better your chances. Big Hammer, MC Swimbaits, YUM, Western Plastics, and LK Lures are just a few companies that make quality weedless

baits. With these baits you can go weightless for topwater action, or use various weighted hooks to have them sink at different rates.

You want to chuck that lure back into the kelp and swim it out. Pause at openings in the stringer or where you think a good ambush point is. Even a steady retrieve will do. Nothing is wrong in how you work it.

I hope you are excited about trying out this fishery, if you haven’t yet. It will definitely get you hooked on saltwater bass fishing. Just remember, there are swells and waves out there, so watch an inside area for a while before you venture into the surf zone. CS APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 125

cs-travel planner:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:20 AM

Page 126

California Sportsman Travel Planner

cs-travel planner:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:21 AM

Page 127

cs-travel planner:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:21 AM

Page 128

California Sportsman Travel Planner

cs-travel planner:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:22 AM

Page 129

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:51 PM

Page 130

KITTLES OUTDOOR & SPORT CO. PRESENT:

A Free Seminar for Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s! â&#x20AC;&#x153;BB Gun & Pellet Gun Safety for Momâ&#x20AC;? - Keeping our Kids Safe L:9C:H96N 6EG>A .I=! '%&) 6I +/(%EB AT KITTLES OUTDOOR & SPORT CO.

BVS 0WbS Wa =\

The stripers and sturgeon are hot in the Sac River. Want to know where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re catching them, and what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re catching them with?

Sign up on our website to receive the latest news, local events, tips & tricks in the hunting and fishing industry!

4QSJOH

BVS " 9WbbZSĂ&#x201A;a :]\U 0SO`R 1]\bSab Wa ]\ 1VSQY ]c` eSPaWbS T]` []`S RSbOWZa Bc`YSg ASOa]\ 0SUW\a ;O`QV 'bV

Use this code to get $10 off CASPORTSMAN14 your next purchase of $50 or more Now through 4/30/2014

www.KittlesOutdoor.com

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:53 PM

Page 131

HUNTING

FROM FIELD:

CHASING TURKEYS ON HIGH HEAT KEEPING COOL ON AFTERNOON HUNTS

By Scott Haugen

M

any guides and fanatical turkey hunters I’ve talked with over the years claim upwards of 65 percent of their birds are taken between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Most of these folks are guides who are taking multiple clients into the field each day.

Though they may get a bird early in the morning, they often have an-

other tag or two to fill. To do that, they keep at it until legal shooting hours are over.

While it may be mentally taxing to hunt during the heat of the day, it can pay off. The key is to know where birds are when it’s hot. Figure out where they find relief, where food and water sources may be located, and then start hunting.

Some of my most productive calling has come in the heat of the day.

This is when hens tend their nests and toms go to feeding, preening, taking dust baths and searching for any straggling hens. It’s also a time for them to hit the shade in order to stay cool.

Once dialed in to where toms are spending the day, move in as close as possible before setting up to call. Keep in mind, birds are often conserving energy when it’s hot, and this means the closer you can close the gap

On hot days, search for turkeys holding in shady spots, taking dust baths and feeding in cool creek bottoms.

Often you can set up and call these birds in. (SCOTT HAUGEN) APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 131

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/24/14

9:24 AM

Page 132

HUNTING before calling, the better the chances of a tom moving in your direction.

Be careful not to infringe too tightly on a tom’s place of rest during the heat of the day. I’ve done this way too many times, and rarely are there any second chances. Instead, work the fringes of holding habitat call and see how the birds respond.

If they’re reluctant to move, either step up the intensity or pitch of your calling or move closer. This is one of those situations where, if I can’t move any closer, I’ll go through every call in my vest until I find one a tom likes. At the end of such a calling session, it’s common to have two box calls, four slates, a dozen strikers, 10 or more diaphragm calls and maybe a push-pull call scattered around me. Variety can be the key to closing the deal on these finicky birds. Then again, the best callers in the turkey woods might not be able to budge those toms.

To fool late season toms, try using a decoy and moving in close to the bird’s proximity, then start the calling sequence. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

If birds aren’t approachable, try setting up a decoy or two across from where they entered the woods. Frequently throughout the day, toms

will search the edges of fields to see if any hens are present. If they see your decoys, that’s often all it takes.

While hen decoys work great dur-

WILDERNESS UNLIMITED SHOULD BE IN YOUR FUTURE Wilderness Unlimited is the west's one stop shop for outdoor opportunities. Starting back in the 1980s Wilderness Unlimited (or WU) made its reputation by accessing and managing private ranches for outdoor recreation. Today they offer fishing and hunting opportunities on thousands of acres for the discerning responsible outdoors person.

They balance the managing of each ranch’s renewable resources with the participant’s use. Property owners are assured their interest will be protected and in many cases improved via WU’s assortment of habitat improvement programs.

WU primarily operates in California and Oregon, offering yearround sporting opportunities for its members for fishing, big game, upland and waterfowl hunting opportunities behind locked gates.

If that is not enough for members, WU also has its own in house outfitting business. Members can book a trip to Colorado, Africa or elsewhere with the assurance that the operation is WU endorsed.

Wilderness Unlimited, being family based has also led the way for youth and woman participation in fishing and hunting pursuits.

WU’s sister organization, the non-profit Wilderness Unlimited Foundation (WUF) has taken over the lead in preserving the future of our outdoor heritage by providing educational and outdoor heritage programs that emphasize participation and in fighting to maintain sportsman’s rights. Together, WUand WUF are a formidable pair deserving of all sportsman’s support. For WU informationcall(877)611-4868orcheckoutwww.wildernessunlimited.com.For WUF information call (916) 952-6460 or check out www.WUFound.org 132 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/24/14

9:26 AM

Page 133

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:54 PM

Page 134

HUNTING

Signs to look for include breast feathers: toms are lined in black, hens lined in buff. These and other clues reveal what birds are in the area, which allows you to develop a game plan. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

ing the middle of the day, don’t overlook full-body, strutting-tom decoys.

When toms have their territory established late in the season, if they see an intruder they’ll often come looking for a fight. This is especially true in areas with high tom-to-hen ratios, as well as where hens have gone to nesting.

The middle of the day is also a time when turkeys take dust baths. While

134 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

this is done to delouse their bodies, it’s also done to keep cool. Often they’ll retreat to heavily shaded areas, where soft dirt and rotten logs or stumps exist.

This allows them to dig in the soft soil, accessing the cooler dirt below.

Setting up a blind on a dusting area can pay off, though the waits can be long. I’ve tried calling over dusting areas, but with very little success. If you want to take a midday tom in a wooded, secluded dusting area, do your homework. Make sure there are multiple dusting holes, and look for body feathers and droppings.

Remember, the breast feather of a tom is lined in black, while the outer edges of a hen’s body feathers are colored lightly. Also, tom droppings are J-shaped, while hen droppings are coiled. Of course, the best way to tell what birds are using the dusting area, or any area, is to set up a trail camera.

Just because it’s hot doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. Stop and think about

where the birds in your area should be, then figure out how to best hunt them.

Because toms are pumped with testosterone, calling can work like magic any time in the middle of the day, as can decoys.

I’m often accused of being too aggressive of a turkey hunter, but that’s the way I like to hunt. Sure, I blow some opportunities, but I also feel I create more chances due to this hunting style. After all, turkey hunting isn’t about perfection; it’s about learning from mistakes and continually pushing forward, even in the heat of the day. CS Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, Western Turkey Hunting: Strategies For All Levels, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or visit scotthaugen.com. The 208 page book contains over 270 color photos and is packed with unique information on turkey behavior and hunting strategies.

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:54 PM

Page 135

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/24/14

9:25 AM

Page 136

COOKING FISHING

TO FIRE:

Some Turkey TLC Goes A Long Way

C

utlets are a favorite in our family for venison, wild boar, waterfowl and especially wild turkey. By pounding, tenderizing and seasoning meat prior to cooking, even the toughest of cuts come out delicious with this treatment and cooking method. For older toms, pound, tenderize and refrigerate overnight. For jakes, that breast meat is ready to be fried fresh from the field.

WILD TURKEY CUTLETS 2 pounds turkey cutlets 2 teaspoons meat tenderizer (optional) 2 teaspoons granulated garlic 1 ⁄3 cup lemon juice 2 eggs, well beaten 1 tablespoon cold water 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs 1 ⁄3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced Marinara or prepared spaghetti sauce Slice turkey breast into ½-inchthick steaks. Between two layers of waxed paper, pound cutlets to ¼ inch. Sprinkle cutlets with meat tenderizer and granulated garlic.

Prepare three shallow dishes for the three-step process. In the first dish, squeeze lemon juice. In the second dish, beat the eggs with water. In the third dish, place breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and black pepper. Place pounded cutlets in lemon juice.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. One at a time, take cutlets from lemon juice, coat 136 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

with egg mixture, press into breadcrumbs to completely coat and add to hot oil. Fry cutlets, three to four minutes per side. Immediately top cutlet with mozzarella cheese. Top or serve with warm marinara sauce on the side.

The author with a wild turkey. CutEditor’s note: For lets that are pounded, tenderized signed copies of and, in some instances, refrigerated Tiffany & Scott overnight, helps make the meat far more tender. (HAUGEN ENTERPRISES) Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or order online at scotthaugen.com.

Haugen - Field to Fire:Layout 1

3/23/14

9:55 PM

Page 137

Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse

& ASVVYa 1VOX 7OK^]

WILD GAME PROCESSING, FISH SMOKING, DUCK SMOKING AND SAUSAGE Los Gatos Meats & Smokehouse is one of the last of the holdouts in the area still offering processing of your wild game. We accept all kinds, from pheasant, duck, wild boar, elk, caribou and deer. Serving the community for over 35 years.

Visit our websites for more details

Los Gatos Meats

Willow Glen Meats

408.354.7055 575 University Avenue Los Gatos, CA 95032 losgatosmeats.com brian_chiala@losgatosmeats.com

408.279.4009 885 Delmas Ave San Jose, CA 95125 willowglenmeats.com j_coletti@willowglenmeats.com

HARMONY FARMS We process wild game

FISH PROCESSING Smoked, Filleted, Vacuum Packaged

We custom slaughter domestic animals

POULTRY SMOKED Turkeys, Pheasants, Water Fowl

SAUSAGE Breakfast, House Breakfast, Maple, Hot Italian, Sweet Italian, German, Cajun, Smoked Cajun, Southern Style Smoked, Kielbasa, Jalapeno Cheddar, Chorizo, Bratwurst, Green Onion & Chives, Linguisa, Hunters, Garlic, Jalapeno Cheddar Pineapple, Cheddar Wurst, Apple Cinnamon, Hawaiian

SMOKED PRODUCTS Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Hams, Cottage Ham, Jerky

SPECIALTY SAUSAGE Summer Sausage, Salami, Pepperoni, Snack Sticks

WILD GAME PROCESSING Wild Boar, Bear, Elk, Deer, Buffalo, Moose

>03+ .(4, 796*,::05.

We Skin and Cape your Trophy for Taxidermy

805-933-3968

We accept all major credit cards

335 S. 5th St. â&#x20AC;˘ Santa Paula, CA On Hwy 126 at the west end of the airport on south side of freeway

Check out the largest selection of all natural, minimally processed game meats We Carry New Zealand Farm Raised Elk & Vension

`LZ ^L KV ZTVRLK ZH\ZHNLZ HUK OHT NOW AVAILABLE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kobe-Styleâ&#x20AC;?

Australian Wagyu Beef

GAME BIRDS PHEASANT SQUAB QUAIL

>L *HU 7YVJLZZ @V\Y (UPTHS â&#x20AC;˘ ELK â&#x20AC;˘ DEER â&#x20AC;˘ BUFFALO â&#x20AC;˘ WILD BOAR â&#x20AC;˘ ANTELOPE â&#x20AC;˘ KANGAROO â&#x20AC;˘ ALLIGATOR â&#x20AC;˘ OSTRICH

100% Certified Berkshire Pork Whole Suckling Pigs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Special Order Duck â&#x20AC;˘ Goose

-VV[OPSS )S]K 3H *YLZJLU[H *( Â&#x2039; MH_ 4VU -YP HT WT :H[ HT WT Â&#x2039; :\U HT WT

KYVW VMM OV\YZ T M HM[LY ! WT APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 137

mixed bag - Wyoming:Layout 1

3/24/14

8:45 AM

Page 138

Lehigh Defense LLC

300 The Game Changer

The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Complete Line of 300 AAC Blackout / Whisper Bullets and Ammuntion 2400 fps Controlled Chaos Technology

1040 fps Maxium Expansion Technology

1040 fps Controlled Fracturing Technology

Patent Pending

www.lehighdefense.com The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Innovative

Ammunition and Projectiles

Manufacturer

130 Penn Am Drive, Suite D-1 | Quakertown, PA 18951 | Phone: 215.536.4100

mixed bag - Wyoming:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:55 AM

Page 139

HUNTING

The wild bison is one of 10 species offered as part of the state of Wyoming’s inaugural Super Tag and Super Tag Trifecta raffle drawings for nonresident hunters.

Californians hunt Wyoming annually more than any other state’s nonresidents. (WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT)

COME ON UP TO CODY COWBOY STATE LURES ITS BEST HUNT CUSTOMERS WITH NEW ‘SUPER TAG’ RAFFLES

By Chris Cocoles

W

yoming and California are the antithesis of each other in many ways, not the least of which is population.

The Golden State’s 38.3 million residents lead the union as the most populous state; Wyoming ranks 50th in that category with about 582,000, roughly 100,000 more residents than are in the city of Fresno.

But according to Glenn Pauley of the Wyoming Game and Fish De-

partment (307-777-4660; wgfd.wyo .gov) California hunters purchase nonresident tags more frequently than most other states’ residents.

“Californians are particularly attracted to the Cowboy State. In 2012, 5,389 Californians came to Wyoming to hunt, making it second to only to Colorado in the number of nonresident hunters,” Pauley said.

One reason why could be the amount of big game Wyoming has to offer. No less than 10 species are

available for hunters, including wild bison, mountain goat and gray wolf.

Besides Colorado and California, Wyoming attracts its most nonresident hunters from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Utah, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.

And there are plenty of opportunities to harvest big game.

“Hunters come to Wyoming for the diversity of game species, abundant public lands, and for the chance at harvesting a trophy animal. Also, the state has among the APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 139

mixed bag - Wyoming:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:56 AM

Page 140

HUNTING highest harvest success rates for hunters,” Pauley said.

According to Pauley, in 2013 nonresident hunter success rates were as follows: 73 percent for deer; 93 percent for antelope; 93 percent for moose; and 95 percent for bighorn sheep.

While 2013 information is not available yet, in 2012 the nonresident success rate for elk was an impressive 53 percent.

The WGFD has instituted two new drawings for nonresidents as well as Wyoming residents: the Super Tag and Super Tag Trifecta raffles. Applicants can purchase as many raffle tickets as they want between now and the deadline on May 1.

“Big game licenses in areas with the potential to harvest trophy animals are extremely sought after,” Pauley said. “The raffles provide hunters not only the chance to win a hunting opportunity for the species of their choosing, but also to pick the area they

140 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

would like to hunt. This is truly an once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

The Super Tag drawing features one hunting license each for 10 species: elk, deer, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, black bear, gray wolf, mountain goat, mountain lion and wild bison.

The Super Tag Trifecta will award one hunter the chance to select a license for three of the 10 aforementioned species.

“To make the raffle even more attractive, any preference points accumulated by the successful applicant will be retained,” Pauley said. “And both the five-year waiting period for moose and sheep and the once-in-a-lifetime restrictions on bison and mountain goat licenses will be waived.”

Tickets are $10 for the Super Tag and $30 for the Super Tag Trifecta, and prospective hunters can order as many as they want. Applications are available at wgfd.wyo.gov/elsapplication/ ELSWelcome.aspx). CS

Super Tag tickets cost $10, with Super Tag Trifecta (where winners can select licenses for three species) are $30. Besides bison, other species available include elk, deer, antelope, moose, bighorn, black bear, gray wolf, mountain lion and mountain goat. (WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT)

mixed bag - Wyoming:Layout 1

3/24/14

8:47 AM

Page 141

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

9:54 AM

Page 142

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

11:00 AM

Page 143

HUNTING

The SoCal Bowhunter

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING TODAY? A HUNTER’S FASHION POLICE RECOVERY

By Albert Quackenbush LONG BEACH–Having hunted for over 30 years, I have pur-

chased and worn my fair share of camouflage apparel. In my younger days, the only camouflage that mattered was on the clearance rack of the local department store.

The key role in camouflage is to break up your outline and make you less visible to your quarry. But what about the clothing fitting and performing at a high standard? Today’s camouflage apparel is not only about the pattern, but also the fit, function and level of comfort.

As I have grown older, and wiser, I have come to understand that there are some great apparel companies out there that have done their homework. I have worn many different brands over the years.

When I first started out, I had a thin coverall in a generic pattern from a local department store. I didn’t care about who

made it or if it was brand name. My only concern was how well it would hide me from the deer.

That season I killed my first-ever whitetail at 10 yards with a bow and arrow. It seems that the camouflage worked as the buck walked toward me in an open field. The drawback was the clothing was only good for summer or early fall, as it was paper thin and had little to no heat-retaining properties.

I then moved on to bulky clothing in many different patterns. It was a mishmash of camouflage patterns and multiple clothing brands. I probably looked like a painting

by Jackson Pollack. Still, I was consistently killing deer, and that was what mattered. I

The author hunts regularly in sometimes oppressive heat in Southern California. And after years of not being overly picky in his choice of clothing, he now chooses apparel that will help keep cool in soaring temperatures. (ALBERT QUACKENBUSH)

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 143

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:03 AM

Page 144

HUNTING just wasn’t always comfortable, or completely hidden, or having unrestricted movement. Again, who cared?

I was killing deer and filling my freezer.

But I wasn’t completely happy with the apparel, so I began to search for clothing that would hide my form, but also keep me mobile and comfortable.

This roller coaster went on for years until Badlands (800-269-1875; badlandspacks.com) came out with their apparel line in 2012. I was one of the fortunate who was given the opportunity to field-test some prototypes and give my feedback. I tried out the gear, gave my feedback and was impressed that a company known for superior backpack construction was now making quality apparel.

Then again, if they are known for making quality packs, the apparel should be top of the line, too.

The apparel only comes in Realtree XTRA, which I have found works well in nearly every situation. I used to use

144 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

MAX-1 all the time, until I reinnovation we’d alized that I glowed against a applied to packs hillside. If my hunting partover the last 20 ner could spot me quickly, years could be imagine what an animal put into making sees. The Realtree XTRA the absolute pattern has worked for me best apparel on on the ground, in a treethe market,” stand, and truly helps you said Blake Vanblend in nearly everyTu s s e n b r o o k , where. I asked Badlands marketing diif they have any plans to rector for the offer other camo pat- The Badlands Supernova jacket is Utah-based one of the company’s newest products for terns, and they said, hunters. It’s designed to handle rainy and cold c o m p a n y.

“We don’t have any im- conditions which can confront hunters in the “We’ve used mediate plans to utilize winter. (BADLANDS HUNTING) high-tech fabany other patterns in the rics that no clothing right now. Of course, as the company has used before, and develline expands we will look at additional oped technologies such as 4X Scent pattern options but that will be down Containment that has taken hunting the road.” apparel to a new level.”

Curious, I asked Badlands why they Badlands looked at what apparel decided to start making apparel. was on the market and simply said, “Badlands started making apparel “We can top that.” because we knew the technology and I am using the Badlands 4X apparel

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:58 AM

Page 145

PERGSON’S ARCHERY Welcome to Pergson’s Archery, located just 15 minutes off the 101 on Hwy 33, next to the Red Barn liquor store.

Pergson’s Archery is open 6 days a week and offers sales (authorized dealer for a wide variety of archery equipment brands), lessons (level 4 NFAA certified instructor Bob Pergson), and repairs (bows, crossbows, arrows).

For sales, we carry a wide variety of compound and traditional bows, arrows, accessories, as well as hunting apparel. If we don’t have it, we will be happy to order it for you!

Lessons include all equipment and range fees, with scheduling available Monday through Sunday until 5 pm.

Our indoor target ranges offer 10-yard and 20-yard distances at a rate of $5 per hour, your equipment only.

We offer a full range of professional archery equipment repair and services, which include bow repair, bow tuning and arrows (wood/aluminum/carbon).

For more information, call (805) 640-8366 or go to www.pergsonsarchery.com.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 145

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:03 AM

Page 146

HUNTING line exclusively now for many reasons.

First, it is comfortable and is meant to be layered, so you stay warm when you want to. The apparel is a complete laying system that can be used in hot or cold weather. How do I know this?

Simply, I have used it in both cold temperatures and hot ones. Take last year for example: Hunting season started out being above 100 degrees, seemingly making for awful results. I still ventured out into the Southern California heat, but I stayed rather comfortable. Then, toward the end of the deer season, the temps dropped into the teens. Again, with the proper layers, I stayed warm and cozy. The gear is durable and quiet. I have beaten mine over the past couple years in sand, cacti, streams, jagged rocks, and I can attest that it is tough. While I can tolerate ripped clothing or a busted zipper, I have yet to have that happen with my Badlands gear.

While customizing a Badlands lay-

146 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Getting around in hilly terrain with your bow and other gear makes having comfortable clothing that much more important, a variable the author has learned over the years. (ALBERT QUACKENBUSH)

ering system is a task left to the hunter, they give you some great options. I spent time talking with the folks at Badlands to be certain I was investing in exactly what I needed for the climate I was hunting in. They were spot-on when they recommended what I am

now currently using. Here is what I am using throughout the year in California: The Enduro jacket and Enduro pants both boast the soft-shell construction, 4-X scent containment, Kevlar-reinforced wear areas (which are awesome at protecting your knees and elbows), and, best of all, the air vents. The air vents allow you to unzip them when you get hot to allow hot air to escape and let your body cool.

The honeycomb fleece interior is very comfortable and quiet. The exterior material is quiet and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hang up on thorns or cactus spines. One thing I really liked about these (and maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because I am getting older) is the suspenders. Compared to a belt, these hold your pants up better when hiking the hillsides. I still wear a belt to carry my knife and other gadgets, but the suspenders are a nice touch!

Underneath the jacket, or for the days with extreme heat, I am using the

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:04 AM

Page 147

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:04 AM

Page 148

Spectre top. It fits loosely enough, but conforms to your body. As a guy with a goatee, having the neck vent with beard guard for the zipper is a plus.

Zippers and my chin hair do not get along well together, but this functions very well. The Spectre has thumb holes, but I rarely use those.

That’s one thing I am not a huge fan of, but I will confess that I have used them from time to time. One of my favorite features of the top is the shoulder pocket. It’s just large enough to keep tags and a wallet with a wad of cash in it. I like this because it keeps the items out of my pants pockets (which I find annoying on hot days).

When I just want to keep my core warm and arms cool, I wear the Kinetic Vest. This is also built with the Fusion Fleece, and is snug to your core. This is also great to layer underneath a jacket on very cold days. When hiking in cold

Want to own and shoot what the politicians call an “assault weapon” legally in California?

Raddlock Magazine Limiters Convert 20rd and 30rd high capacity magazines to 5rds, 7rds, 10rds, or 15rds. Also available for pistol magazines!

RaddLock makes easy-to-install-yourself kits that make your off-list semi-automatic centerfire rifles California-compliant, turning them into “fixed magazine” rifles which are not subject to the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989.

RaddLock’s design philosophy is to make these kits as unobtrusive as possible and fully-reversible so that you can enjoy the both the form and function of your rifle as it was meant to be.

• Features 2 Magazine Release Modes & Side Tension Nut • In-State Locked Mode Requires Use of Tool • Free-State Unlocked Mode Restores Full Function

Lifetime Warranty

148 California Sportsman APRIL 2014

Visit us at www.raddlock.com

SoCal Bowhunter:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:05 AM

Page 149

weather it’s nice to wear just the vest and Spectre top to regulate your body temperature. There are plenty of zippers and pockets on the vest in case you want to use it more than the jacket.

Badlands’ latest addition to the 4X apparel line is the Supernova jacket. This excites me, as it promises to provide the best of both worlds in water-resistance and warmth. While designing the Supernova, Badlands aimed to incorporate the latest technological materials while still keeping the jacket light and functional.

The Supernova will be great during the cold, rainy seasons and winter; it contains 800-fill white goose down and Thermodown technology that amplifies your own body heat to provide an additional 5 degrees of warmth. While I don’t hunt in the snow very much, I do from time to time, and you can bet I will be picking one of these up for those trips. Possibly the most interesting feature is the DuPont DWR (durable water repellant), which is the only DWR coating that repels oils, including blood. I never considered owning a garment that repels oil and blood, but I am curious to see how it performs.

The Badlands 4x apparel I own is in addition to my collection of Badlands packs that I put through the ringer each year. I am a hunter who hikes a lot, beats up his gear, and expects it to perform at a higher level. If it doesn’t, I won’t use it.

After years of searching to find quality apparel that will last a long time, I finally found it. Like any quality apparel, you get what you pay for. Badlands 4x apparel is a great investment and worth every penny. There are endless possibilities, and with Badlands continuing to offer new and exciting gear I am very excited for things to come. CS Editor’s note: Badlands Hunting Gear press releases contributed to this report.

APRIL 2014 California Sportsman 149

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:37 AM

Page 150

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/24/14

10:36 AM

Page 151

CS ad placement:Layout 1

3/24/14

12:37 PM

Page 152