California Sportsman Mag - January 2024 by Media Index Publishing Group

FISHING • HUNTING • TRAVEL

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California

Sportsman

Volume 16 • Issue 3

Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource

PUBLISHER James R. Baker

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn

GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott

CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com Twitter @CalSportsMan Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine

EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTORS Mark Fong, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Tim E. Hovey, Cal Kellogg, Todd Kline SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold

ON THE COVER Tim E. Hovey took this nice goose on a hunt. January should provide some good waterfowl opportunities in California, with most geese seasons open in the state until Jan. 31. The Northeastern Zone season ends on Jan. 17. (TIM E. HOVEY)

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Grant Cunningham, Zachary Wheeler DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann

8 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

MEDIA INC PUBLISHING GROUP 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120 Renton, WA 98057 (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com www.mediaindexpublishing.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 16 • ISSUE 3

ATTACK MACKS, ’BOWS AT JENKINSON LAKE

Mackinaw anglers don’t need to go too far from the Sacramento area to find outstanding fishing for tasty lakers. About an hour east of the capital is El Dorado County’s Jenkinson Lake, and our Cal Kellogg details how trollers, jiggers and even shore anglers can pull in Macks there. He also has tips for targeting rainbows, bass and browns.

54 FEATURES 19

PUT A STOP TO DUCK FLYBYS Our From Field to Fire columnists Scott and Tiffany Haugen put the double team on ducks. First up is Scott’s tutorial on why and how to switch up your decoy spread if you’re a victim of a waterfowl flyby. “A different look, an eye-catching wall of decoys, even subtle shifts can make a difference,” he says. And when those adjustments result in downing some birds, try Tiffany’s stir-fry duck recipe to enjoy a well-earned dinner.

(CAL KELLOGG)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 13 The Editor’s Note 15 Adventures of Todd Kline 17 Outdoor calendar 37 41

Try snipe hunting with your gun dog How even seasoned hunters can get lost, and how to prevent it

BLIND TRUST: WHY WHO YOU HUNT WATERFOWL WITH MATTERS SO MUCH More duck hunting talk, this time from longtime California Sportsman correspondent Tim Hovey. He has hunted for waterfowl with a lot of partners, with mostly positive experiences, and he relates that being in a blind with others can be a lot like going on a long road trip in a cramped car: “If the people involved don’t mesh or get along with each other, it can become uncomfortable and unenjoyable quickly,” writes Hovey, who shares some of the best and worst of waterfowl hunt compatibility.

DANCE THE JERK FOR WINTER BASS Winter bass fishing can be tricky as wet, chilly weather cools water temperatures and fish become less active. In these conditions, our Northern California bass fanatic Mark Fong says to turn to minnow-imitating suspending jerkbaits to improve the odds of getting a largemouth or smallie to bite. Fong shares the right moves for working these lures.

Get the digital version of California Sportsman for free. Go to www.calsportsmanmag.com/digital California Sportsman is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057. Annual subscriptions are $39.95 (12 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2024 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 JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

THEEDITOR’SNOTE

The trails in Lahemaa National Park in Estonia were beautiful, though when the editor’s travel buddy hiked far ahead, the annoyance – or was it fear? – of potentially getting lost was always on his mind during the walk. (CHRIS COCOLES)

or years now, I’ve always abhorred – or maybe feared – getting lost. Long before cell phone navigation apps became a thing, printed-out directions and old-fashioned Thomas Guide maps became archenemies as I drove around looking for parties, restaurants or grocery stores in unfamiliar places. And even today when I’m hiking solo or with a four-legged canine companion in a park or wilderness setting I’ve never been before, I’m constantly bothered by the perhaps remote chance that I’ll get lost. Call me wrong-way Chris. Granted, I’ve rarely been alone in a true backcountry setting such as the scenario our correspondent Cal Kellogg describes from a Northern California hunt that went awry (page 41). Yet what struck me about Cal’s story is that we’re talking about a seasoned outdoorsman who has endured plenty of inclement weather and other variables that can turn a routine deer stalk into a dangerous situation. In an instant, you can sometimes get caught up by the moment, become distracted by your route and ultimately, find yourself in a scary dilemma. I remember a European vacation to the Baltic country of Estonia a few years back. My longtime friend Norv and I drove from the capital city of Tallinn east to Lahemaa National Park, a forest-filled wonderland along the Gulf of Finland. We decided to hike one of the park’s myriad trails, and we’ve had a long-standing agreement that as long as we’re fairly safe, we each walk at our own pace. Norv, having a much faster gait than I, was soon out of my sight as we planned to do roughly a 3-mile loop. I never quite felt like I was lost, but a few times along the way I reached a couple forks in the road that had me thinking about the risk of getting lost deeper in the forest and further away from that cold beer we’d be rewarded with at a post-hike lunch. I know our smartphones weren’t getting any service, and it’s not like we were at Yellowstone or some other popular national park. Estonia, and a location about two hours from the Russian border, wasn’t exactly a tourist destination. In the end I made it back to the trailhead just fine and that beer hit the spot. But as Kellogg writes, “You can get lost anywhere at any time if you don’t take precautions.” Read Cal’s story and take his advice, not mine, on how to have an epic day in the wilderness while ensuring that you get back to your starting point safely and without drama. -Chris Cocoles

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Kern River producing Trout more than a FOOT long The Kern River that feeds Lake Isabella in the Kern River Valley is proving to be the destination for trout fishing this early winter. Both the upper river where the river feeds the lake and the lower below the Isabella Dam are productive. Trout were recently delivered for fattening in the holding pens at the lake. Over 10,000 pounds of fish that will only get bigger before Derby Days over the Easter Holiday.

F F

14 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

Happy New Year! The sun has set on 2023 – here’s a spectacular San Diego scene – but the dawn of 2024 promises lots of fishing for me and hopefully all readers of California Sportsman. (TODD KLINE)

ures Advent

e’re not ashamed to admit it: Todd Kline has the kind of life we wish we could experience. Kline’s a former professional surfer, a successful co-angler on the FLW Tour and a Southern California bass guide, plus he gets to travel the world as a commentator for the World Surf League’s telecasts. Todd has agreed to give us a peek at what he’s up to each month. For more on Todd or to book a guided fishing trip with him, check out toddklinefishing.com, and you can follow him on Instagram at @toddokrine. –The Editor

a trip back to fe, son and I took . (TODD KLINE) wi y m , on as se es For the holiday grew up and still have relativ Florida, where I

The colder months bass fishing, but thcan be tough on SoCal epic days like this ey can also deliver one. (TO DD KLINE)

Sometimes, a big bait yields a medium fish. Here’s to lots of bites for everyone in 2024! (TODD KLINE) calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

16 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

The Mad River Steelhead Derby is set to begin on Jan. 15 and runs through Feb. 29. Go to madriversteelheadderby.com for more information. (MIKE STRATMAN/REDWOOD COAST FISHING)

FEBRUARY JANUARY 1-2, 5-9, 12-20 Imperial County white geese season dates 1 Online harvest reporting begins for steelhead, sturgeon 1-4 Ducks-only falconry season dates in Colorado River and North Coast salmon Zone 4 Start of second Northeastern Zone white and 3 NorCal Trout Challenge, San Pablo Reservoir; white-fronted geese season anglerspress.com/events/norcal-trout-anglers-challenge 15 Mad River Steelhead Derby begins 3-4 Youth waterfowl hunting dates in most zones (madriversteelheadderby.com) 3-4, 17-18, 24 Falconry take of waterfowl dates in Balance of 17 Last day of duck and scaup hunting seasons in State, Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone (ducks only) Northeastern Zone and Southern California Zones 18-21 Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Expo, CalExpo; 7 White and white-fronted late geese season opens in sportsexpos.com/attend/sacramento Northeastern Zone 20-21 Northeastern Zone Veterans and Active Military 10-11 Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl HuntPersonnel Waterfowl Hunting Days (ducks only) ing Days in Balance of State (ducks only), Southern San 25-28 Bart Hall Show, Long Beach Convention Center; Joaquin Valley and Southern California Zones hallshows.com 15-18 Bart Hall Show, San Diego, Del Mar Fairgrounds; 28 Last day of most general quail hunts hallshows.com 28 Last day of most general tree squirrel, rabbit and 17-21 White and white-fronted late geese season dates in varying hare hunts Balance of State Zone 29 Start of falconry rabbit and varying hare season 23-25 The Fly Fishing Show, Alameda County Fairgrounds, 31 Last day of duck season in most zones Pleasanton; flyfishingshow.com/pleasanton-ca 31 Last day of falconry take of ducks (including 29 Last day of falconry seasons for chukar, pheasant, quail, mergansers), geese, American coots and common sooty and ruffed grouse, and white-tailed ptarmigan moorhens in most zones 31 Deer Tag Reporting Deadline for 2023 hunts For a list of upcoming bass tournaments, go to nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishingContests/default.aspx. calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

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HUNTING

FROM FIELD...

When hunting with a large spread dominated by silhouettes, author Scott Haugen has had good success blocking the upwind end with rows or groups of decoys. Here, honker cutouts were situated to make approaching ducks start dropping in on the approach. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

PUT A STOP TO DUCK FLYBYS

DECOY SETUP TWEAKS THAT BRING IN BIRDS

By Scott Haugen

ast season, my hunting partner Austin Crowson and I hunted a flooded field for ducks. Austin had scouted it for three days. There were over 5,000 ducks and several hundred geese using it. We set out 24 dozen silhouette duck decoys between the water and our layout

blinds. They were tucked tight against a brushy fencerow. Then we put 15 dozen goose silhouettes on the opposite side of the water, 35 yards from our blinds, and plopped a trio of duck floaters on a jerk cord in the middle of the skinny water. We simulated what Austin saw during his scouting missions. The setup looked good and ducks

were coming by, but they weren’t dropping into the decoys. They’d run the strip of water between the duck and goose decoys and just keep going, not even circling back. They weren’t flaring; they just weren’t stopping. The wind was good and they approached from our left, so Austin moved the jerk cord decoys to the right end of the water. Still, the ducks wouldn’t drop in.

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING

... TO FIRE

Chef Tiffany Haugen thinks fresh is the best way to eat that haul of ducks or other waterfowl you bag. Her recipe this issue includes plenty of flavor, as well as noodles as a side accompaniment. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

Before cooking waterfowl be sure to remove any bloodshot and clean out the wound channels. Blood in duck meat makes for a very gamey and strong flavor, and even a little bit can taint an entire recipe. Make sure the meat is bloodfree and rinsed clean prior to cooking. The following is a delicious recipe that, if you have any duck-eating pessimists in the family, will win them over. Two to four duck breasts (about a pound) 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons dry sherry or red wine 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon puréed garlic 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil 1 yellow onion, sliced One red or yellow bell pepper, sliced ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup chopped green onion or chives 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Cooked noodles of choice

FRESH ’FOWL IS THE BEST ’FOWL By Tiffany Haugen

e eat a lot of waterfowl and we like it fresh. In fact, from late November through January, we’re eating ducks and geese about five days a week. This is because we don’t like freezing it, thawing it, then cooking with it, as a definite “ducky” flavor begins to take over. For us, fresh is best, and I cook it a lot of different ways. Hot and fast in stir-frys is a favorite approach, and for that I dice or cut the breasts into thin strips. I’ll cook whole birds – or the legs and thighs – on low heat in a Crock-Pot. Either way, the leftovers are good.

20 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, garlic, and black and red pepper flakes until thoroughly combined. Slice waterfowl breasts across the grain into thin strips and add to the brine. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to eight hours). In a large skillet, sauté onions and bell pepper over medium-high heat in olive or coconut oil for two to three minutes. Add salt. Push onions and peppers aside and add sliced waterfowl to the pan. Spread meat out in a single layer. Once waterfowl begins to brown, turn over and brown the other side. Do not overcook waterfowl, as the flavor will become stronger the more it is cooked. Once browned, mix meat into onion and peppers, add green onions and chives. Serve over noodles and garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Game Birds, and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.

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HUNTING Finally, we moved the jerk cord duck decoys back to the center, pulled two dozen Big Al honker silhouettes from the far edge and scattered them perpendicular to the duck and other goose decoys, across the right end of the water. From that point on, nearly every flock of ducks that approached dropped into the decoys right between the jerk cord floaters and the wall of honker silhouettes. We also shot a limit of geese.

THE SITUATION GOT ME thinking about how many times and how many ways making changes in a decoy spread had ducks landing rather than glancing my direction and continuing by. After all, that’s what decoys are meant to do: stop ducks. There are days when passing shooting is all we get, and

that’s hunting. But I’m always trying something to make ducks stop. I was alone on a pond on another duck hunt. I had a long walk, so I only carried a dozen Final Approach Live wigeon decoys and five dozen Big Al’s silhouette wigeon decoys. I set two parallel lines with the floaters and scattered the silhouettes off to the sides, most standing in shallow water. Ducks approached but wouldn’t slow down. Then I moved all the silhouettes to the upwind end of the floaters – only 5 yards from my one-man blind. I packed some silhouettes around the ends of each line of floaters, then I made three grazing flocks in the green grass on either side of my blind. The new look created the perfect wall and stopped ducks on the spot. They backpedaled so slowly into the decoys, I picked out

Full-body decoys placed on land can help convince leery ducks to commit to your spread. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 22 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

all the drake wigeon that day. Late last season, four buddies and I hunted a small creek lined with towering oak trees. At daylight, mallards poured in and in no time we were halfway to our limits. Then birds quit moving. One guy hiked 300 yards up the creek and found it crammed full of ducks. He jumped them, took a white grain bag he found laying on the edge of a farmer’s field and put it on a stick. He hurried back to the blind and in less than an hour we had our limits. Flagging the other landing hole in the creek worked in rerouting ducks our direction. We’ve done the same by parking decoy carts and ATVs where ducks and geese want to land in fields. Once, another friend and I hunted a slough on a local river. Public

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING

If ducks aren’t dropping into the decoys, making adjustments to your spread only takes minutes and can make the difference between success or going home empty-handed. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

pressure was heavy that day, and while lots of ducks were flying, they weren’t decoying. So, we hiked back to the river boat hidden in the brush and grabbed three dozen mallard decoys – two dozen fully flocked Final Approach mallards and a dozen full-body mallards on stands. We set the standers on the end of a gravel bar and put all the flocked floaters close to them and off to the side of our fishhook-shaped spread. Leery mallards liked it and we had a good morning hunt from then on.

LAST SEASON I WAS having a heck of a time getting ducks to lock up on a pond I love to hunt. Austin suggested putting two mallard decoys on the outside end

of the horseshoe and my two dabblers between them and the shoreline. “I like blocking the ends with my most visible drake and hen decoys, then making the spread look relaxed, with feeders closer to shore,” Austin told me. It worked; not only that day, but on many other hunts in that spot. Russ White, a friend of the family, recently invited me on a river hunt. I’d never hunted with White, and since it was his deal, I helped where I could. We set out mallard, wigeon and greenwing teal decoys, as I’d expected, but then he took a dozen coot and another dozen ringneck duck decoys and headed to the outside of the J. White clumped the coot decoys tight in one spot and did the same

24 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

with the ringnecks, though the latter were more loosely set. “I like blocking the ends with contrasting decoys, and a lot of coots and ringnecks use this section of river,” he said. The spread worked perfectly.

IF DUCKS AREN’T LOCKING up in the decoys, ask yourself what you can do to stop them. A different look, an eyecatching wall of decoys, even subtle shifts can make a difference. Think and act, because we don’t invest in decoys to pass shoot. CS Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a waterfowl hunter of 48 years and a full-time writer for the past 22 years. Learn more at scotthaugen. com and follow him on Instagram.

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HUNTING

Author Tim Hovey (left) has had lots of waterfowl hunting partners over the years. Some, like John Mattila, make days spent pass shooting ducks enjoyable. Others haven’t been so compatible in the blind. (TIM E. HOVEY)

BLIND TRUST

CLOSE QUARTERS, COOPERATIVE NATURE OF WATERFOWLING MAKES PICKING PARTNERS IMPORTANT By Tim E. Hovey

he four of us filed into the small blind, following the red light cast by our headlamps. I took the seat on the far right; Mike was next to me; his friend Brian was next to him; the final hunter, who I first met that day, had already been seated in the best spot on the far left before we got in. Time has erased his face and name, or exactly why he was invited. I

was, however, going to remember his presence for a very long time – for all the wrong reasons. This particular hunt took place almost 20 years ago when I started getting back into waterfowl hunting. Mike had extended the invite to me, and I was looking forward to the hunt. When I’d pulled in, I noticed two other hunters with Mike standing next to a few piles of decoys. Brian, I knew. The other hunter I did not.

We exchanged handshakes and pleasantries and started gathering gear for the hunt. The blind was a short walk from where we met, and the first thing I noticed was that the new guy – we’ll call him Doug – was only carrying his gear. Me, Mike and Brian were carrying three big bags of decoys, chairs, coolers and all that is needed to be comfortable in a blind for a morning hunt. Doug didn’t even offer. At the blind, Doug quickly staked

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING he couldn’t use what he brought. “Who’s going to know out here?” Doug said without even looking at Mike. As the short exchange started to become heated, Brian offered up a box of his steel duck shells to diffuse the situation. It became clear that no one was comfortable sharing a blind with Doug. The last straw, and the last thing I remember before I opted to leave the blind and hunt 100 yards down the bank, was Doug taking two shots at a pair of ducks that landed in our decoy set, 15 minutes before shooting time. After that morning, I never saw Doug again. Hovey admits that as long as the company is good, he’s not concerned with the number of birds harvested. But of course, a limit of ducks is a good bonus. (TIM E. HOVEY)

out the spot with the most shooting opportunities and sat there while the three of us placed the decoy set. While we tossed plastic ducks in the water, I pointed to the blind, gesturing for an explanation of why Doug wasn’t helping. Mike simply stated, “Don’t ask!” It turns out that Doug was Brian’s neighbor and had kind of invited himself along. Brian had given him a ride that morning, surprising Mike. Mike had made it clear that he wasn’t happy with the unexpected visitor, especially for a hunting blind that only accommodated three people comfortably. They were still in uncomfortable silence when I’d arrived. With 20 minutes until shooting time, we got our gear set and got ready. A strong odor of alcohol wafted through the blind. I looked down to my left and watched Doug take two long swigs from a silver flask and tuck it back into his jacket. He then bent down and pulled a half-filled box of shells from a blue gym bag. In the dim light, I noticed that he had brought No. 7 lead shot shells, which were illegal and way too small for waterfowl. Mike noticed it too and told him

Mike Bridges gets on the duck call to lure birds close. “I don’t remember who shot what, and I don’t really care,” Hovey writes of his experience hunting with Bridges and his son. “I will remember sharing a blind with a couple of good friends and watching a beautiful sunrise.” (TIM E. HOVEY)

28 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

I LOOK AT WATERFOWL blinds the same way I look at small compact cars full of people on a lengthy road trip. If the people involved don’t mesh or get

HUNTING along with each other, it can become uncomfortable and unenjoyable quickly. Fortunately, I could easily remove myself from the hunting situation. I made sure that I never hunted with Doug again. I have shared waterfowl blinds with dozens of friends and acquaintances over decades of hunting. We’ve been brought together by a love of the activity and camaraderie. Those who remain in my small hunting circle are enjoyable to be around, get my warped sense of humor and, above all, follow the rules. They are as serious as I am about hunting and can easily transition to a laugh-filled evening over pizza and beers afterwards.

Recently, I was invited to hunt waterfowl with my buddy Mike Bridges and his son Matt. I first met Mike a few years ago when he approached me about helping him improve waterfowl and upland habitat on his property. He had heard that I had worked for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and wanted to know if I was interested in helping him out. Once we discovered our shared interest in hunting and fishing, we became friends and shared outdoor adventures together.

THE MORNING OF THE hunt, I arrived about an hour before first light and we piled into Mike’s brand-new Polaris

Mattila with a pass-shot duck taken on a trip with the author. (TIM E. HOVEY) 30 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

Friends Duy Phan (left) and Hovey had a great day in the blind , bagging a pair of mallards. (TIM E. HOVEY)

and headed to a spot where Mike had erected a temporary two-man blind. Matt graciously volunteered to wade out and set out several decoys, while Mike and I cut vegetation to add to the outside of the blind. A few minutes before shooting time, Mike and I got into the small portable structure and Matt set up about 10 yards to our left. While we waited for ducks to come in, Mike and I talked about the property and future hunting and fishing trips. We joked about silly stuff and essentially enjoyed each other’s company. A shot from Matt pulled us back into the hunt. During a time of the day when ducks should be filling the sky and looking for places to feed and land, the area was quiet. We could all tell it was going to be a slow morning flight. Matt had dropped a female gadwall a few minutes into shooting time, but not much else was flying. Mike and I started talking about where he wanted to place additional blinds on his parcel. As I sat there listening, it occurred to me that ducks or no ducks, I was glad I had accepted the hunting invitation. Mike tried apologizing for the lack of birds, but I told him I didn’t care. I was comfortable, had great company and was hunting an amazing piece of property.

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING Hovey loves telling friends and family the story of “Doug,” the less than desirable hunting partner in the duck blind. “I often wonder if some very slight adjustments on his part back then would have improved his standing during that early hunt,” he writes. Guess we’ll never know. (TIM E. HOVEY)

The morning sun came up and still nothing was moving. The day was forecasted to be windless and blue skies – not the best conditions for waterfowl hunting – but I don’t think any of us cared. At this stage of my hunting career, the company and location are what do it for me. I remember we shot a few ducks during that hunt, but I don’t remember who shot what, and I don’t really care. I will remember sharing a blind with a couple of good friends and watching a beautiful sunrise. Back at Mike’s place, his grandkids came out to check out the birds and hold our ducks. As we all snapped some photos of the kids, I felt myself smiling. “The next generation,” I thought.

OVER THE YEARS, I’VE hunted with some great people, including family, and I always tell them the story of Doug. I often wonder if some very slight adjustments on his part back then would have improved his standing during that early hunt. I guess we’ll never know. Those who I regularly hunt waterfowl with are there because I enjoy their company. We’re serious about hunting, but not beyond laughing and having a good time. As I get older, I notice that keeping my hunting circle small works for me. I like spending time outdoors with good people; it’s that simple. Life’s too short to hang out with a Doug! CS

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HUNTING

LET’S GO ON A SNIPE HUNT – NO, REALLY! By Scott Haugen

recall shooting my first snipe back in the 6th grade. I told some friends about it but no one believed me. They thought snipe hunting was a myth, as did many people back in 1976. Shortly after that, my dad – who was the head basketball coach at the local high school – had his team over for dinner one night. Afterwards we went on a snipe hunt. Every person was given a burlap sack and a flashlight, then we went into the filbert orchard across from our house and were told to catch snipe. “You’ll see their eyes shining in the light,” Dad told them. “Then they’ll freeze and just sneak up and toss the gunny sack over them. The first person back with a bird wins.” I had a flashlight and bag too, but when everyone took off running, I turned off my light, stood there until their lights faded in the distance and then went back inside the house to watch a basketball game by the fire. Over the course of the next three hours the players returned one by one. Of course no one had a snipe. Some figured out the gag sooner than others. Truth is, these long-billed, brown bombing, shotgun-shell-evading, fast-flying acrobats of the marsh could be the most challenging bird to hit out there. Get under them when they’re working fields where you can pass shoot, and they’re fairly simple to drop. But jump them with a dog and you might have to bring a couple extra boxes of shells to secure a single-digit limit.

EARLIER THIS SEASON I set a goal of taking my two pudelpointers, Echo and Kona, on a snipe hunt and getting a limit of eight birds. I scouted

No gunnysack required! Scott Haugen and his 10-year-old dog Echo show off a limit of Wilson’s snipe. Haugen ranks jump shooting snipe on aglands and slightly flooded fields as one of wingshooting’s hardest challenges. The birds can be found in fields with sparse cover and no more than an inch or two of water, where they forage for food around the edges. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

and finally found a series of wet fields the birds were using. I got permission to hunt there the next day. When I arrived shortly after daylight, the wind was blowing 20 miles an hour, with gusts over 30 at times. I saw less than a dozen snipe in two hours and

shot at two, getting one. Five days later I was back. The day was calm, skies gray and my dogs were ready to run. Snipe carry very little scent, so it was a struggle at first. I kept my dogs tight, not letting them range more than 20 yards. Even

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING me getting a shot off than I was able to somehow get my bead near while simultaneously pulling the trigger.

IT TOOK NEARLY THREE hours and over 5 miles of walking, but we managed a limit of snipe, our first together. The dogs loved marking and retrieving them. Because snipe are so tiny and the brush they fall in is often over a dog’s head, it was hard for both Echo and Kona to get an exact mark on where birds hit. They got the lines and that’s what was important. I’d let the dogs run, follow their hunch, then beep them one time with the electronic collar to get their attention. When they paused and looked at me I’d direct them to the bird via hand signals. I did this one dog at a time, usually with whichever one was closest to the downed snipe. The other dog held and watched, awaiting its turn. Both dogs grew to love this. Very quickly they both got to where they’d sprint to the downed birds, and if they didn’t immediately find it, they’d look to me for direction. No beeping was necessary. It was one of the most rewarding hunting/training days we’ve shared.

Snipe are tiny birds and leave little scent, making them a challenge for both hunters and dogs. Here, Kona, the author’s 7-year-old pudelpointer, brings in a gem he was proud of finding. California’s statewide snipe season runs through February 4. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

though snipe might land in flocks of 20 or more birds, they often spread out when feeding. Snipe have a nervous nature and always seem to be on the move. This makes it hard for the dogs to pinpoint a bird’s position. At first my dogs’ points were mere pauses. I knew they could smell the snipe; they just couldn’t nail them down like they can upland birds. Kona, my 65-pound male, stands tall and catches their scent in the wind. Echo hunts with her nose to the ground, detecting scent very well, and she can smell where the snipe had been.

It took about an hour before Echo, Kona and I had a system. It wasn’t perfect but we were killing birds and they were loving the fact they got to do something new, something different. It was great for their minds and body, and they thrived on the directions I offered, eager to please every step of the way. For me, the highlight was seeing how well the dogs marked birds. When snipe flush, they zigzag and can be very hard to see when flying low to the ground against dark brown cover. More snipe got away without

38 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

WE WENT ON MORE snipe hunts in November, then high water and colder temperatures pushed the birds south. A few hung around but there weren’t near the numbers, so hunting them was fruitless except for an occasional flyby. But as often happens in January, snipe – along with waterfowl – start their migration north, toward the nesting grounds. This means a resurgence in bird numbers, and with wet fields prominent this time of year, you can bet Echo, Kona and I will be covering ground, hoping to make more snipe memories. CS Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a full-time writer. See his puppy training videos and learn more about his many books at scotthaugen.com and follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

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40 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

HUNTING

The rewards of hunting California’s backcountry can be great, but if you’re not prepared, you could end up lost or worse. Even experienced hunters who have some familiarity with their surroundings can run into trouble. (CAL KELLOGG)

LOST IN THE WILD EVEN EXPERIENCED HUNTERS CAN BECOME DISORIENTED, SO HERE’S HOW TO STAY SAFE By Cal Kellogg

buddy of mine was out hunting this fall in the Tahoe National Forest, got lost and ended up spending an uncomfortable night in the woods before finding his way back to his vehicle the next day. Luckily, the weather was mild. Had it been cold and wet, the story might have had a tragic outcome. Now, some folks reading this might think that only rookies get lost and such a thing could never happen

to them. Think again. Anyone can get lost while hunting, and this is especially true when familiarity with the area you’re hunting breeds complacency. That’s what led to me getting lost a few years back. I’m not going to lie: When I realized I didn’t know where I was, it sent a wave of fear through me. But looking back, it was a great learning experience that will hopefully prevent me – and possibly you – from getting lost in the future. I was 3 when my father took me hunting for the first time.

Between then and now I’ve racked up decades of experience navigating in the woods and mountains. And up until I reached middle age, I’d never been lost or even so much as turned around. I think the first lesson to be learned from my experience is that you can get lost anywhere at any time if you don’t take precautions. Over the years, I’ve hiked some very remote wilderness areas and I’ve explored a lot of unfamiliar ground, yet I wasn’t in an unfamiliar area when I got lost.

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING

Author Cal Kellogg has been solo hunting for more than 30 years. Here he sits high atop a ridge in the Tahoe National Forest selffilming a backpack deer hunt as a storm approaches. (CAL KELLOGG)

I was in an area that I’ve hunted and hiked extensively for about 30 years.

Stormy weather and fog can make familiar ground look like the surface of an alien planet. Getting lost during cold, wet weather increases the risk of hypothermia, which can lead to a deadly outcome for a stranded hunter. (CAL KELLOGG) 42 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

ON THE OPENING MORNING of deer season, a storm was rampaging through Northern California. Those are the sort of conditions I live for, because the hunting can be fast and furious as deer migrate out of the high country, so I was keen to get out of camp and into the woods. The area I was hunting was on public land, and since it was opening day there were sure to be plenty of hunters in the woods. I used to be an avid treestand hunter, but not being the most acrobatic person in the world, I gave up on climbing trees in my 30s. Today, I hunt almost exclusively from ground blinds, because it is a lot more challenging to fall off the ground than

HUNTING

As good as a GPS unit is, it’s still wise to carry a capable backup navigating compass, just in case your electronics fail for some reason. (CAL KELLOGG)

out of a tree; ‘nuff said! Anyway, on the day I got lost, I was determined to get out of camp 90 minutes before sunrise. I wanted to be on my stand when the sun came up to take advantage of both deer movement caused by the storm and movement created by hunters pushing the brush. In my rush to get going, I overlooked my GPS and left it in the truck. I didn’t even think of grabbing it, and why would I? I knew the ground I’d be hiking like the back of my hand, or so I thought. Plus, I had a compass in my survival kit that I could use in an emergency, should it become needed.

I’D ONLY BEEN HIKING for 15 minutes or so when I initially got into trouble. The lay of the ground didn’t feel right, which was a big red flag that I ignored out of hand. Conditions were horrible; the wind was gusting to 30 mph and it was raining sideways. I decided that the red lens of my headlamp just wasn’t cutting it, so I switched over to whitelight mode, thinking it would give me a better idea of where I was and where I needed to go. The only problem was that the bright light did nothing but illuminate the rain and fog. This only served to confuse me even more. At that point, I should have stopped

and waited for daylight. That’s the first rule of “staying found” – when you first realize that you don’t know where you are, stop moving. My dad had taught me that lesson at an early age and had reiterated it countless times. But I didn’t stop. The adrenaline was flowing, and I wanted to get to my stand. I’d only been hiking for a short time and, as they say, “knew the ground like the back of my hand.” I figured if I moved another 100 or 200 yards, things would start feeling more familiar and I’d have no problem getting into position. When things didn’t look any more familiar 10 minutes later, I stopped again, but it only took me a couple minutes to convince myself that I’d find my way if I just pushed forward a short distance more. After all, I still had to be pretty close to camp, and you can’t get lost just outside of camp! I continued to hike and stop and hike some more. By the time darkness gave way to the milky light of dawn I’d probably stopped a half dozen times, but every time I did ego and adrenaline pushed me forward. In the area I was hunting there is a massive lava-capped butte that serves as a major landmark. The whole time it was dark I had the idea in the back of my mind that no matter how turned around I got, once it got light,

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I’d be able to see the butte and that would tell me exactly where I was. Sounds like a good idea, right? I thought so, but the problem was that once it got light, I couldn’t see the butte. I saw ridge after ridge in all directions, but no butte and nothing else that looked familiar. This is when the fear and panic really set in.

I HAD RAIN GEAR on, but the hiking had left me sweaty and I was starting to get cold. If I’d been using my head, I would have broken out my oldschool compass and figured out which way I needed to travel to cut a road or familiar creek, but in my panicked state I didn’t even consider using the compass. I couldn’t get past the idea that I was on “familiar ground” and that things would start to fall into place if I just kept moving. It was about an hour later that I spotted the first deer of the trip, and it was a dandy buck. I wasn’t hunting at that point. I was hiking but somehow, saw the buck before he saw me. Lost or not, it was a shooter and I was going to try to nail him. I dropped to the ground, squirmed out of my pack, readied my rifle and waited. The buck moved around my position in a 180-degree arc. I could see his head and neck most of the

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calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

HUNTING

Kellogg carries a comprehensive first-aid kit when in the field. While the kit has everything needed to treat a minor injury, it also has the tools to stop major bleeding. (CAL KELLOGG)

time, but the lay of the ground prevented me from getting the rifle’s crosshairs on his vitals. Just when I thought the buck was going to come into the clear, he slammed to a stop, paused for a beat and proceeded to backtrack in the direction he’d come from. I had the wind in my favor but couldn’t figure out why the buck had bugged out. Yet I was also still lost, so I didn’t waste any time ruminating over the missed opportunity. I put the pack back on and moved forward several yards. The next thing I saw erased the fear and replaced it with jubilation. There was a Polaris Ranger parked under the trees. That explained why the buck had reversed course. I still didn’t know where I was, but whoever owned the Ranger

Here are two of the cornerstones of the author’s hunting and fishing gear: a GPS and a rescue beacon. “When I go into the woods today, I’m going with the assumption that I will get lost or hurt,” Kellogg writes, ”so I always have the tools to get unlost or rescued with me 100 percent of the time.” (CAL KELLOGG)

would almost certainly point me in the right direction. The question was, how long would I have to wait for the hunter or hunters to return? I didn’t care if it took all day. I was going to wait until they showed. When I reached the Ranger there were two daypacks sitting in it and I realized that the hunters must be close. I was correct and they showed up about 10 minutes later. I’ve never been so glad to meet a pair of strangers in the woods, and I told them so! “I’m lost and I’ve been looking for that big butte, but I can’t see it anywhere,” I related. “Well, you can’t see it because you’re standing on it,” exclaimed the dad of the father-and-son duo. That’s when I realized how lost I’d really become. I was at least 2 miles

46 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

from my intended stand location and was traveling almost exactly in the opposite direction! “Don’t you have a GPS?” the son asked. “Heck yes, I do. I have a great GPS. I left it in the truck!” I said and we all had a good laugh. The “Clark Boys” did better than point me in the right direction. They gave me a ride back to a main spur road and within a half hour I was back in my camp. True, my opening morning was a bust, but I didn’t care. The first thing I did was change into some dry clothes and then I broke out the GPS, made sure it was working, dropped a waypoint on my camp and put it into my pack. I was found and determined to stay that way!

HUNTING I’VE HAD PLENTY OF time to reflect on the events of that morning and have come to some conclusions that will serve me well in the future. I think the first and most important thing is realizing that yes, I can get lost even on familiar ground. The moment you realize you don’t know where you are is the time to act, and that doesn’t mean more blind hiking. That is the time to stop and put your tools to work. What tools are those? GPS, compass and topo map. Those are absolute must-have items that have to be in your pack every time you head out. Naturally, the GPS is the primary tool because they are easy to use and fast to employ. The compass and map are insurance for the worst-case scenario. GPS units are electronic devices and they could potentially fail at the worst possible moment. The compass and map always work, no matter what!

Another piece of gear my wife insisted I begin carrying on my solo adventures is a locator beacon. It’s something I’ve come to believe every outdoor enthusiast should carry. As with getting lost, you never know when you might sustain a serious injury, such as a cut or other medical emergency in the field. Personal locator beacons are a boon for anyone who goes off the beaten path. Let’s say you’ve fallen and can’t move, or you’ve sustained a serious cut and though the bleeding is under control, you need to be evacuated. How are you going to get help? There are several devices on the market, but they all basically work the same way. If you get in trouble, you hit the panic button, the device pings a satellite and search and rescue teams are dispatched to your location in short order. Do your research when you pick out a beacon. Some are better than

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others; some have great additional features. Mine cost about $300. It’s highly reviewed, so I know it’s going to work in the backcountry. It’s 100-percent waterproof and it features a strobe light that will flash for 48 hours once I hit the rescue button, making it far easier to locate me at night. When I go into the woods today, I’m going with the assumption that I will get lost or hurt, so I always have the tools to get unlost or rescued with me 100 percent of the time. And if I get the first inkling of being turned around, I’m going to stop and reestablish my bearings. I refuse to let ego and panic rule the day ever again! CS Editor’s note: Cal Kellogg is a longtime Northern California-based outdoors writer. Subscribe to his YouTube channel Fish Hunt Shoot Productions at youtube. com/user/KelloggOutdoors.

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54 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

FISHING

ACKINAW ENKINSON

By Cal Kellogg

Jenkinson Lake, just about an hour into the Sierra from Sacramento, offers some outstanding trout, bass and Mackinaw fishing. Since Jenkinson lakers binge on pond smelt, author Cal Kellogg’s Trigger Minnow has proved to be a lethal offering. (CAL KELLOGG)

t was late fall and the lake’s surface temperature hovered at 48 degrees. Knowing the water would be chilly and the best action would likely take place later in the morning and continue into the afternoon when the surface temp peaked, my partner A.J. and I took our time getting started. It was a little after 9 a.m by the time we’d finished our coffee and launched our kayaks. I knew this Sierra fishery, El Dorado County’s Jenkinson Lake, had a good population of rainbow trout. They were on the menu, along with some bonus browns, plus this was a sleeper Mackinaw fishery. Surprisingly few people figure out how to catch the lake’s Macks consistently. I’d always found the Mackinaw easy to find and simple to hook. “Let’s work the top 15 feet of the water column with spoons and minnow plugs to see if there are any rainbows up top willing to chase. If we can’t get the rainbows to go, or even if we do, we can switch over to Mackinaw fishing and score some nice filets for dinner,” I told A.J., who had never fished this lake before. Ninety minutes of trolling yielded one hard smack on a spoon working at 10 feet deep, but the fish didn’t stick. With big arches stacked along a submerged bank showing on our sonar screens, along with scattered clouds of bait, we decided to stop for a snack, make a tackle change and try for a Mackinaw. I armed a downrigger rod with a soft plastic Trigger Minnow. I knew it was a good match for a wayward pond smelt, the lake’s predominant forage. I gave A.J. a leader rigged with a minnow, along with a couple spare minnow bodies. “The key to hooking Macks

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

FISHING Fish on! When first hooked, Macks tend to be a little lethargic, but when they get close to the surface a spirited tussle generally ensues! (CAL KELLOGG)

Shore anglers do well at Jenkinson and catch Mackinaw, rainbows and bass. This quartet of rainbows couldn’t resist the author’s floating dough bait. (CAL KELLOGG) 56 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

here is keeping your gear within 4 or 5 feet off the bottom. That’s about as far as they are typically willing to move up to strike,” I disclosed. A few minutes later I was pedaling along at 1.8 miles per hour, with my minnow swimming 50 feet deep about 2 feet off the bottom. The rod bounced a few times to signal a hookup, then the line was snatched from the downrigger clip. I slid the rod out of the holder, worked the reel and came tight against solid weight. At first, the unseen fish was compliant and swam upward toward the kayak, but when it was within 15 feet of the surface it started putting up a good brawl. It played hide-andseek with the net for a minute or so. I was worried the hook might pull loose, but once I netted the fish it was clear my worries were unfounded. The beautiful 3-pound Mackinaw had engulfed the soft plastic minnow, and the No. 4 hook was firmly lodged around the Mack’s lower jaw. No matter how long you’ve been fishing, the first fish of the day comes

FISHING with a side order of relief because it confirms the fish are biting and you’ve got an effective approach for hooking them. With the day’s first Mackinaw in our possession, A.J. and I went on to land 11 lakers to about 5 pounds and kept two fish each for the table. We released the rest to fight another day.

CALIFORNIA BOASTS A GOOD many lakes where you can target Mackinaw, but most of them are at high elevation, where snow and ice make access a challenge during the late fall, winter and early spring, just when the fishing is at its best. The action I just described did take place in the Sierra, but not up in the high country. Jenkinson Lake is also known as Sly Park Reservoir and is located just east of Placerville and a short distance off Highway 50. The lake is only a little over an hour from the state capital in Sacramento. Sitting at an elevation of around

3,500 feet, Jenkinson is the lowestelevation Mackinaw fishery in the Golden State, and also the closest to a major metropolitan area. Even better: It’s a place where even bank anglers can score a Mackinaw dinner. The 640-acre lake was formed in 1955 when Sly Park Creek and Hazel Creek, two tributaries of the North Fork of the Cosumnes River, were impounded behind Sly Park Dam and the Sly Park Auxiliary Dam. The lake only has a maximum depth of about 100 feet, but the water remains cool enough to support trout and Mackinaw populations throughout the summer months – even during periods of drought. Most of the inflow into the reservoir comes in the form of snowmelt from highelevation terrain to the east. Since Jenkinson sits at a fairly low elevation, fishing at the lake from watercraft or from the bank is a year-round affair. The best action takes place from October through

Jenkinson’s surrounding Sly Park Recreation Area features many amenities, including a quality multiple-lane launch ramp complete with floating docks. (CAL KELLOGG) 58 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

Memorial Day. This period also coincides with the time of the year when the fewest people visit the lake. During the summer months you’ll encounter a lot of recreational boaters, and this is also when the fishing is at its slowest.

CATCHABLE RAINBOW TROUT ARE planted in Jenkinson multiple times annually and some fish also reproduce in the tributaries. From time to time, the lake’s wild populations of brown trout and Macks are supplemented with fingerlings. Bass anglers find outstanding action for both smallmouth and spotted bass in the spring during the prespawn and spawning periods. Several areas of Jenkinson offer bank anglers access to deep water. This is why the reservoir has the reputation for being one of the few Golden State destinations that routinely gives up Mackinaw to shore fishermen. In fact, the lake-

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FISHING record Mackinaw, weighing in at 18 pounds, was taken by a lady soaking a nightcrawler from the bank. If you’d like to attempt hooking a Mack from the bank, the first and second dams provide the best chance for success. Inflated ’crawlers work well, as do large Kastmasters and Countdown Rapalas. Boaters and kayakers can do well on Macks while trolling, jigging or working bass-style drop-shot rigs along the bottom. You won’t find Macks all over the lake, so a good sonar unit is a very useful tool. My favorite approach for scoring Jenkinson Macks is slow trolling. The Mackinaw make their living gobbling 2- to 3-inch-long pond smelt, so it makes sense to pull pondsmelt-imitating offerings. Match the hatch, catch the fish, is what I tell my clients when guiding kayak anglers at Jenkinson. I’ve had success with spoons, flies and plugs when chasing the Macks,

but nothing works as well for me as soft plastic minnow imitations like my Trigger Minnows. I prefer a keep-it-simple finesse approach when trolling for Jenkinson Macks. I stay away from flashers and dodgers. Instead, I run my baits naked and focus on keeping them near the bottom. The lake doesn’t have a sticky bottom, so you can get away with bouncing a downrigger weight once in a while. For vertical jigging, standard offerings like a Crippled Herring in the 2-ounce size work, but a dropshot rig armed with a pair of minnowimitating soft plastics will outperform traditional jigs most days. I worry about overharvesting Macks from the small lake, so I limit myself and my clients to two fish apiece. The average Mack I catch at Jenkinson goes 2 to 3 pounds, with fish up to 6 fairly common. I’ve never caught a double-digit Mack at the lake, but plenty of people do.

Kellogg shows off an average Jenkinson laker, this one measuring a bit over 20 inches and weighing about 3 pounds. Fish this size are perfect for eating. Whether you’re targeting Macks, rainbow trout or even bass, the lake is a convenient Northern California destination. (CAL KELLOGG)

60 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

RAINBOW FISHING AT JENKINSON

is usually at its best in the spring – say, from March through May – but October and early November can be good too. Standard spoons in chrome, gold and orange colors work well, as do small minnow plugs in patterns such as blue over silver and black over silver. For bank anglers in search of rainbow trout, nothing tempts more fish than PowerBait. If you prefer to fool your rainbows with artificials, 1/4-ounce chrome and blue Kastmasters are proven producers, as are white, black or pink Woolly Bugger flies teamed with a clear bobber filled with water. With this rig, you can cast your fly a country mile and then slow-roll it back just under the surface, giving it plenty of twitches and pauses along the way. There was also a time when Jenkinson gave up some gargantuan browns, including the 21-pound, 36inch fish caught by Arniel Casselagio,

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CHARTERS

FISHING which stands as the lake record. These days, 5-pound browns are common and fish up to 10 possible. But while the lake has a decent population of brownies, they are difficult to catch. Browns are longlived fish and spend most of their time feeding on live forage. Smaller browns target pond smelt, while trophy-size ones have a soft spot for rainbow trout. A lot of 1- to 5-pound browns are caught incidentally by trollers pulling standard spoons for rainbows. For a shot at a really big brown, large rainbow-pattern minnow plugs are the way to go. The best time to hook a trophycaliber brown is on a stormy winter day when the wind is blowing and the sky is spitting snow.

JENKINSON ISN’T A WELL-KNOWN bass lake because it’s not on the list of waters commonly fished by

IF YOU GO: SLY PARK RECREATION AREA

enkinson Lake is surrounded by the Sly Park Recreation Area, which features several campgrounds and 9-plus miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. There are also several day-use areas with barbeques and picnic tables. For more information about the services offered by the recreation area, go to eid.org and click on the recreation tab. If you’d like to try your hand at kayak fishing for Jenkinson Lake Mackinaw, shoot me an email at calkellogg@fishhuntshoot.com. CK

tournament anglers, yet the bass are there and some of them get big. For a long time, Jenkinson was predominantly a smallmouth lake, but now anglers find a 50/50 mix of bronzebacks and spots. Skilled anglers can catch bass all year long, but as I mentioned earlier, casual bassers enjoy the best results in the spring. Most bass at Jenkinson range from 1 to 3 pounds, but the lake has produced smallmouth to 7 pounds, 9 ounces.

I’ve had many memorable mornings in April and May tossing topwater plugs for Jenkinson smallies. Small poppers work well, but my favorite is a 3- or 4-inch floating minnow plug. I fish it in the traditional way. I toss it out, let it sit until the rings disappear, twitch it beneath the surface, let it float back up to the top and repeat. When a big, blocky 3- or 4-pound bronzeback blitzes your minnow, it’s a sight to behold! CS

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64 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

FISHING

Suspending jerkbaits like the Ima Flit 120 and 100 can be effective and tempting to winter bass during a period when coaxing bites isn’t always a sure thing. (MARK FONG)

GO AHEAD, BE A JERK(BAITER)

USE SUSPENDING MINNOW IMITATIONS FOR WINTER BASS

By Mark Fong

inter bass fishing can be challenging. The weather can be nasty – cold fronts, driving rain, strong winds – and the fish can be just plain uncooperative. Under these conditions, a suspending minnow-shaped jerkbait can be one

of the most effective lures to employ.

WHY IT WORKS On the lakes and reservoirs across the Sacramento Valley and Foothills regions, water temperatures this time of year typically range between the low 40s and low 50s. Bass become less active and sometimes downright

lethargic, yet they still need to eat. At the same time, everything else that swims is also affected by the harsh conditions. Shad and other forage fish experience coldwater die-offs, making them easy targets for largemouth and other bass. This is where a suspending jerkbait shines. When fished with a series

calsportsmanmag.com | JANUARY 2024 California Sportsman

FISHING of jerks and pauses, a suspending jerkbait creates an erratic action that mimics a dying baitfish, a powerful trigger for opportunistic predators.

THE PROPER CADENCE I typically start by making a long cast and once the bait touches down, I’ll turn the reel handle several times to take the slack out of the line and to get the bait moving and down in the water column. Then I will start with a twitch-twitch-pause cadence, which is really important. I’ll vary the length of the pause. Most bites come when the bait is paused; this is when the bait is suspended in the water column, just hovering in place like a struggling baitfish. The pause can vary from a few seconds all the way to half a minute or more. It takes a lot of patience to let the lure soak that long. Additionally, I will experiment with the number Author Mark Fong likes to hit vertical structures such as bluff walls and steep points when winter water temperatures are between the low 40s and low 50s. These areas allow bass to move between shallow and deep water without expending much energy. (MARK FONG)

and length of the twitches until I find the right combination and cadence that generates strikes.

DETAILS

Fong says targeting clear water will help bass see your suspending jerkbait presentation easier. (MARK FONG)

When the water is cold, I like to target vertical structure like bluff walls and steep points that have deep water nearby. This is important because not only do fish like to suspend this time of year, but it also allows the fish to move from deep water to shallow feeding areas without having to expend a lot of energy moving in a horizontal plane. Another key to keep in mind is that because wintertime jerkbaiting is very visual, finding clear water is very important to the success of the presentation. While there are plenty of great jerkbaits on the market today, my dayin, day-out, go-to bait is the Ima Flit 120. It measures 4½ inches in length, weighs ½ ounce and runs between 6

66 California Sportsman JANUARY 2024 | calsportsmanmag.com

to 8 feet in depth. My favorite colors include ghost minnow, OG ghost minnow, chartreuse shad and ghost herring. If the forage is small or the bass extremely difficult to catch, I will downsize to the Ima Flit 100 instead. I like to use a 7-foot mediumto moderate-action casting rod for fishing jerkbaits. It has a nice tip for properly working the bait and the moderate taper helps keep the fish hooked up. Most of the time I will spool my casting reel with a 10-pound fluorocarbon line. Fluorocarbon is important because it does not float like standard monofilament, which helps to keep the jerkbait down in the water column. So whether you’re a diehard winter bass angler or just have a case of cabin fever, remember that a suspending jerkbait can be your ticket to winter bass fishing success. CS