California Sportsman - February 2023

Sportsma n

PUBLISHER

James R. Baker

GENERAL MANAGER

John Rusnak

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Andy Walgamott

EDITOR

Chris Cocoles

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Fong, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Cal Kellogg, Todd Kline, Bill Schaefer

SALES MANAGER

Paul Yarnold

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Colleen Chittick, Mike Smith

DESIGNER

Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Kelly Baker

DIGITAL STRATEGIST

Jon Hines

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Katie Aumann

Volume 15 • Issue 4

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Lois Sanborn

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com

CORRESPONDENCE

Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

Twitter @CalSportsMan

Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine

ON THE COVER

Lake Tahoe offers anglers as much fishing fun as it does world-class slopes for skiers and blackjack tables and slot machines for gamblers. Tahoe has some outstanding brown trout and Mackinaw fishing that should be taken advantage of. (MIKE NIELSEN/TAHOE TOPLINERS)

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

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HITTHETAHOEMACKS, BROWNSJACKPOT

It may be ski season at Lake Tahoe, but besides hitting the slopes and the gaming at North and South Shore casinos, don’t forget to find some time to get on the water and chase some Mackinaw and browns. Cal Kellogg gets us off to a head start with a primer on toplining and going deep with downriggers.

23 EVOLVING TACTICSFORTROUT

Mark Fong grew up bait fishing for rainbows at the many Bay Area trout fisheries, but these days he’s traded in his OG PowerBait and nightcrawlers for the spoons available via the Japanese domestic market and trout-specific soft plastic baits. Fong discusses the tackle evolutions and catches up with a new-school teenage angler for some perspective.

47 THROWING STEELHEADCHANGEUPS

Our From Field to Fire team of Scott and Tiffany Haugen have plenty of experience chasing winter steelhead from the North Coast up to the Pacific Northwest, and they’ve figured out that sticking to one technique is a bit problematic if the steelies are being finicky. “I’d rather be good at multiple methods than specialized in one or two,” writes Scott, who provides a few alternate ways to get a bite. Tiffany adds a fruitflavored smoked fish recipe to enjoy your bounty.

53 MAKE A RUNFORTHEBORDER

One of Capt. Bill Schaefer’s favorite spots on the Pacific off the Southland coast is right at the U.S.-Mexico border. Locals call the man-made structure here that stretches about a mile out and is up to 100 feet deep the “Pipe.” And the action for calico and barred sand bass, plus some periodic rockfish and lingcod, can be, well, smoking hot. Gear up and hop aboard with Bill for a run to the Pipe.

MIENA, Tasmania, Australia–

When family members and I planned a rather quick nine-day trip to Australia – four nights in Melbourne, Victoria, five more in the island state of Tasmania – I knew a fishing opportunity might not be easy to plan out.

Guides in Tasmania – a known trout fishing destination – are extremely expensive to book, and my budget was already going to be stretched in a country known for high costs for just about everything. I also considered trying to rent some gear to try my luck DIY style, but that was iffy from the start in a region dotted with mostly small, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it

THE EDITOR’SNOTE

communities save for the capital of Hobart and some other medium-size cities.

So, long story short, with plenty of other items on our to-do list and despite a feeling of FOMO to wet a line, I decided to try and soak in the fishing culture the best I could. Our hectic time in Melbourne featured tennis (Australian Open tickets), wine, whiskey, beer and chocolate tasting, and a road trip on the breathtaking Great Ocean Road west of the city, but I guessed right that Tasmania would be far more pastoral and laid back. (I can report that after getting close to them in two different wildlife sanctuaries, Tasmanian devils are nothing like the over-caffeinated, high-

energy Looney Tunes character.) Indeed, I loved the relative peaceful vibe there after the chaos of the crowds at the tennis venue and the urban sprawl of Melbourne.

By the time we checked out of our first hotel and headed north toward “Tassie’s” Central Highlands area, I was excited to at least get a taste of this renowned fishing culture. The night before, at a family-style dinner our hotel sponsored (my smoked duck main course was delectable), we struck up a conversation with a local college professor named Seamus, who had been leading a tour group of history buffs exploring Tasmania’s history of housing prisoners from the British Empire

This bundled-up fly angler was an early arrival and all by himself at Tasmania’s Pine Lake. There wasn’t much fishing pressure in the Australian island state’s Highland Lakes area on this chilly Southern Hemisphere summer morning. (CHRIS COCOLES)

and the Australian continent. As it turns out, Seamus was also a regular fly angler at the Central Highlands lakes that dot the region. He said many of the waters have fish shacks that locals flock to in search of rainbows, brownies and brookies, plus introduced Atlantic salmon.

We headed up the two-lane highway – my brother-in-law Alan took a little time to get used to driving our rental car on the left side of the roads but was a quick learner – passing by plenty of sheep farms and, sadly, more than a few kangaroo and wallaby roadkill victims (the kangaroos we did get to meet and feed at the wildlife sanctuaries were adorable and friendly).

Climbing up to around 3,400 feet, we reached Miena (population 87), where we could see Great Lake, Australia’s second largest lake. My expectation was to see an armada of boats on the water and the

shoreline dotted with bank anglers hoping to entice a trout bite. But Great Lake was anything but from a fishing perspective. No boats, no bank casters and none of the fish shacks Seamus had mentioned.

We pulled up to Miena’s Great Lake General Store – it was about the only one of a handful of businesses open that morning – and briefly chatted with the lady who worked there. She said some of the more remote lakes had some fish shacks and that there would be people out fishing that day. I made a last-ditch effort to see if there was a rental rod and reel available, but she said that wasn’t really possible anywhere in the region. But she did give us a tip to head a few miles north on the winding road to an overlook of some of the lakes and a boardwalk we could take down to Pine Lake for a closer look.

My sister Charlene and I took the

The Great Lake General Store is the heart and soul of Miena (population 87) and has a nice selection of tackle. But there didn’t seem to be much fishing action at adjacent Great Lake on this January morning. (CHRIS COCOLES)

This Miena, Tasmania, hotel was closed, but you knew you were in the state’s trout fishing headquarters. (CHRIS COCOLES)

15-minute walk down the twisting boardwalk while the wind chilled us to the bone. Finally, we saw our first evidence of an angler, this one on the shores of tiny Pine Lake. He was far more bundled up for the conditions than I was in my light REI rain jacket and shorts, but when we asked if he’d had any luck, he said he hadn’t started casting his fly rod. “The fish

start getting active between 11 a.m and 1 p.m.,” he said. I didn’t dare ask him why he was there a couple hours early, but even in the morning cold, there were worse places to be than this particular spot with no one else around. Tasmania can make you feel like you’re alone and sharing the land with the trout, the kangaroos, wombats and, of course, the Tassie devils. –Chris Cocoles

Great Lake, Australia’s second largest freshwater lake, was worth the trip up the mountains despite the lack of a fishing presence. Tasmania is a special place. (CHRIS COCOLES)

We saw plenty of Tasmanian devils at two wildlife sanctuaries, including this character at what’s called the UnZoo. It allows the animals there to live mostly without cages, so they can venture out into the wild if they choose to. (CHARLENE KING)

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Adventures

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

My wife Tiffani and I were ready for the flight across the Atlantic from Florida to our island paradise. (TODD KLINE)

We did a winter getaway to the Bahamas to get away from the California rain and enjoy some “island time.” (TODD KLINE)

As you can see, the water was several amazing shades of blue. (TODD KLINE)

Fishing? Of course, we went fishing. My brother Rory and his son Tanner caught this nice mutton snapper. (TODD KLINE)

The kids were island anglers on this trip as well. Tanner (left) and our son Dylan had a great time. (TODD KLINE)

After catching these two beautiful mutton snappers, we made some epic fish tacos back at our room. (TODD KLINE)

Tanner and I enjoyed a cockpit selfie on our trip home. (TODD KLINE)

Here’s some of the marine life you’ll encounter in these parts. (TODD KLINE)

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR

FEBRUARY

1 Late-season Imperial Valley white geese opens

4 NorCal Trout Challenge, San Pablo Reservoir; anglerspress.com/events/norcal-trout-anglers-challenge

4 Second falconry waterfowl season opens in most zones

4 Bishop Trout Rodeo catch-and-release fishing events, various waters; swcffi.org/rodeo

4-5 Youth waterfowl hunts in most zones

6 Fronted geese season opens in Northeastern Zone

11 City of Porterville Youth Trout Derby, Murry Park Pond; (559) 791-7695; ci.porterville.ca.us/departments/ parks___leisure/special_events/fishing_derby.php

11-12 Veterans and active military personnel waterfowl hunting days in Balance of State, Southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Zones

11-12 Foundation Sportsman’s Club Original Sturgeon Derby, Bay Point; (925) 458-0647; originalsturgeonderby.com

16-19 Bart Hall Show, San Diego, Del Mar Fairgrounds; hallshows.com

18-22 Late-season whitefront and white geese season in Balance of State Zone

18 North Coast Canada geese late season opens

21-23 Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Steelhead Derby; rowdycreek.org

24-26 The Fly Fishing Show, Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton; flyfishingshow.com/pleasanton-ca

28 Last day of falconry grouse season

MARCH

1 Select Eastern Sierra trout fisheries open; wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland

3-5 NorCal Boat, Sport and RV Show, Shasta District Fairgrounds, Anderson; norcalsportshow.com

11 NorCal Trout Angler’s Challenge, Lake Amador; anglerspress.com/events/norcal-trout-anglers-challenge

19 Last day of falconry rabbit and varying hare season

19-20 Junior wild turkey hunting dates

25 Spring wild turkey season opens

29-April 2 Bart Hall Show, Long Beach Convention Center; hallshows.com

APRIL

1-June 4 32nd Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby; kernriver valley.com, facebook.com/LakeIsabellaFishingDerby

The Bay Area’s San Pablo Reservoir hosts round one of the NorCal Trout Challenge tournament on Feb. 4. (CHRIS COCOLES)

THE SUBURBAN TROUT REVOLUTION

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF GEAR AND TACTICS FOR EAST BAY AREA LAKE ANGLERS

By Mark Fong

For most of my adult fishing life I have had a singular focus. I was a bass fisherman and only a bass fisherman. If I was fishing, I was bass fishing.

But then a funny thing happened a few years ago. I was writing about – you guessed it – bass fishing for a regional periodical and one day the editor asked me if I could do an article about suburban trout fishing for an upcoming edition.

As I began researching the story, it soon became apparent that a lot had changed since the last time I broke out my trout rod. Truth be told: Before becoming bass-centric, growing up I cut my teeth fishing for trout at the local reservoirs near my Bay Area childhood home.

Back then trout fishermen like me fell into two categories: you were either a fly fisherman or a bait dunker. I was the latter, having spent many memorable days at San Pablo and Lafayette Reservoirs soaking PowerBait for planter trout.

Today, the East Bay suburban trout scene continues to grow and evolve thanks in no small part to a growing segment of hardcore anglers who pursue suburban trout with specialized artificial lures and nextlevel tackle with the same fervor and dedication that would rival any bassing savant.

It is this trend that spoke to the bass angler in me and has effectively reignited my love for trout fishing. Let’s take a look at some of the key factors that have helped to shape the new breed of suburban trout angler.

THE FISHERIES

Traditionally, the suburban trout season runs from the fall to the spring. During this period conditions are ideal for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to plant hatchery trout in many local East Bay waters. At the same time, the East Bay Regional Park District typically plants Del Valle, Lake Chabot, Shadow Cliffs, Quarry Lakes, Contra Loma, Temescal and Don Castro.

In addition, San Pablo Reservoir (closed until its Feb. 3 reopening) and Los Vaqueros Reservoir are very popular local trout fisheries as well, and managers there supplement the CDFW trout plants with private hatchery stockings, including trophy fish. The majority of the planted trout are rainbows; however, on occasion some of the non-CDFW plants include the popular pale-colored but red-meated lightning trout.

Author Mark Fong’s No. 1 passion is bass fishing, but trout hold a special place in his heart. And these days, Fong has discovered that catching a rainbow isn’t just as simple as dunking bait. (DARREN SOO HOO)

JAPAN’S INFLUENCE ON TROUT FISHING

Trout fishing is very popular in Japan, where there are many anglers but not a lot of places to fish. Managed fishing areas are very popular options. They’re akin to the trout farms found in the U.S. that require payment to fish.

Some areas in Japan raise their own fish onsite and typically have multiple ponds that offer anglers different options, such as catch and keep to catch and release.

Japanese trout receive a lot of fishing pressure and successful anglers have learned to refine their tactics to catch them. As such, Japanese tackle manufacturers have developed very specialized and sophisticated tackle for trout fishing. The list includes extraultralight rods, tiny finesse baits and gossamer lines. Most of this tackle is made for the Japanese domestic market (JDM), something that is not widely available in the U.S., but resourceful American trout anglers have learned to source JDM tackle directly from Japanese tackle shops.

As it turns out, JDM area tackle is extremely effective and well suited for catching our local trout as well. JDM rods and reels are a joy to fish. Japanese anglers tend to favor quality over price and as a result that tackle can be pricey. (A word of

Fong cut his trout angling teeth fishing suburban Bay Area waters . Two of the most popular are Los Vaqueros Reservoir near Livermore (top) and San Pablo Reservoir in Contra Costa County. (CHRIS COCOLES)

Q&A WITH A TEENAGE TROUTHEAD

At the age of 14, Darren Soo Hoo is already an accomplished angler. At a young age his father Jeff introduced him to fishing. Darren says that fishing is in the Soo Hoo family blood. This does not come as a surprise, as Jeff has been a charter boat captain in the Bay Area for many years. He is now the proprietor of Soo Hoo Sportfishing (925899-4045; soohoosportfishing.com), a six-pack charter boat specializing in Delta striped bass trips during the spring and fall. Darren helps his dad on the boat during striper season. However, during the winter offseason, he is usually trout fishing and having great success. Writer Mark Fong caught up with Darren to discuss his love for suburban trout fishing.

Mark Fong How did you get started in fishing?

Darren Soo Hoo My dad would always take me fishing, even when I was really young. He would take me to the local lakes like Lafayette Reservoir or (Walnut Creek’s) Heather Farms Pond, or we’d go out in the bass boat.

MF What do you like best about trout fishing?

DSH I’ve been seriously fishing for trout for about three years. One day in the winter I went to Heather Farms to go bass fishing and I noticed that they had planted trout. I saw all the guys were using mini jigs and spoons, so I started looking into that. I asked my dad about it and then I looked through the tackle

caution: collecting JDM tackle can be addictive. Just ask me how I know.)

As far as baits are concerned, JDM trout hard baits just flat out catch fish. The attention to detail, technical nature and quality is first rate and is unlike most anything available domestically. Without a doubt, the high-tech nature of this Japanese-produced tackle has been a major factor in driving a huge wave of interest in the pursuit of suburban trout.

we had in our garage. So the next day I went back out with the gear I found and I started fishing and caught a few. I just fell in love with the whole mini jig and spoon thing. The feeling of the bite with the ultralight tackle for the (CDFW) fish is pretty fun.

MF What are your favorite ways to catch trout?

DSH My favorite way for fishing for trout is definitely mini jigs and spoons. A mini jig is just a small plastic baitfish on a jig head. I fish a lot of spoons made by Suburban Trout. Both are really easy and offer simple ways to fish, and you don’t need a lot of tackle. I go out there with limited tackle; I bring a kit of mini jigs, my spoon box, my terminal tackle and maybe a few trout worms. I am really into (Japanese domestic market) tackle. I first started with trout, but now it’s swimbaits and baitcasters too.

MF What type of gear do you use?

DSH I use ultralight spinning gear. The rod I‘m fishing for mini jigs is a Phenix Mirage 771. The spoon rod is a Daiwa Kage 7-foot, 1-inch ultralight. I use 1000 Shimano Vanford spinning reels spooled with 2-pound mono or sometimes 5-pound braided line with a 2-pound mono leader.

MF What is your personal best trout?

DSH My personal best trout is about 7 pounds that I caught at Lake Camanche last year. I caught it on a 3-inch Senko with a 1/32-ounce jig head.

TROUT-SPECIFIC SOFT PLASTICS

Southern California trout anglers have long utilized small soft plastic baits to dupe monster trout from their local pay-to-play lakes. These anglers have adapted well-known bass techniques such as the drop shot, jigging and the split shot and applied them to trout with great success.

As trout are very different from bass, this has created a need for troutspecific baits. Soft plastics designed for

how I learned to trout fish,” Darren says. (DARREN

MF What are your favorite trout fisheries?

DSH I like Heather Farms; it’s really close to the house. I’ll go there for a few hours, go get lunch and come back. I also like Del Valle and Lafayette. Those are probably my favorites.

MF What is your best advice for a new trout angler?

DSH That’s a tough one. I would say go out there and put the work in because that’s how I learned to trout fish. Watch the other people around you; if they are catching fish, ask them what they are doing and be observant. You can watch YouTube videos, do some research, put in the work and eventually it’s gonna happen. MF

bass are for the most part too large. In addition, trout are responsive to different bait shapes and colors as well. As a result, a small regionalized cottage industry of soft plastic bait makers has emerged, producing everything from small trout worms and mice tails to tiny mini jigs and minnow imitators.

INFORMATION PARADOX

Back in the day, anglers relied on

Darren Soo Hoo, 14, is the son of a Bay Area charter fishing captain (Jeff of Soo Hoo Sportfishing) but the younger Soo Hoo is already quite the trout fishing savant. “I would say go out there and put the work in because that's

SOO HOO)

word of mouth and print media to get the latest fishing reports or to learn about new fishing techniques. Today, with search engines, social media, online forums and YouTube videos, anglers have what amounts to a seemingly infinite amount of information at their disposal. Regionalized innovation and techniques are now just a click or swipe away.

Simply put: It’s hard to keep new baits, hot techniques or secret fishing spots under the radar. An angler who knows how to successfully research and vet information can significantly shorten the learning curve. Just remember that for every really good piece of information you may uncover, you may have to sift through a great deal of content.

For me personally, I can say that I have never been more excited about fishing for trout than I have in the last few years. I can’t wait to see where the sport goes next. CS

When it comes to fishing for trout, Fong has traded in PowerBait and nightcrawlers for spoons and plastics. “I have never been more excited about fishing for trout than I have in the last few years,” he writes. “I can't wait to see where the sport goes next.” (MARK FONG)

32ND ANNUAL ISABELLA LAKE FISHING DERBY

April 1 - June 4, 2023

kernrivervalley.com • facebook.com/LakeIsabellaFishingDerby

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32ND ANNUAL ISABELLA LAKE FISHING DERBY PREMIERE SPONSOR

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PRIZE OPPORTUNITIES

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• Early bird registration deadline is Wednesday, March 22, 2023 by 5pm

• Online registration closes Saturday April 1, 2023 at 7am

• No entries will be accepted after 7am on Saturday April 1, 2023. No exceptions.

• Derby Headquarters: Chamber of Commerce is located at 6416 Lake Isabella Blvd., Lake Isabella, CA. 760-379-5236.

BIG LAKE. BIG FISH

AMONG THE SKIING AND CASINOS, LAKE TAHOE’S WINTER MACKINAW, BROWNS AND RAINBOWS MAY BE UNDERAPPRECIATED

Lake Tahoe, one of America’s great alpine jewels, might be known more for world-class skiing and casino gaming, but there’s some great fishing for trout – especially large Macks – to be had here too.

By Cal Kellogg

The Tahoe Basin is full of contradictions and represents very different things to many different people.

It is a place famous for its alpine ski runs; in fact, the world’s elite winter athletes traveled to the basin in 1960 to compete in the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics. It is also a place where high rollers play the gaming tables in high-rise casinos. And it’s where millionaires come to play and buy some of the most exclusive real estate on the West Coast.

But step away from the clamor of the craps tables and the elegance of the basin’s five-star restaurants, and

you’ll find yourself in an environment bald eagles, black bears, mule deer and cougars call home.

And when I think of the Tahoe Basin, I think of its namesake lake and the massive trophy trout and Mackinaw that reside there; yet I am in the minority.

TRUTH BE TOLD, LAKE Tahoe is one the most overlooked trophy trout waters

in the entire state, if not the nation. Nowhere except perhaps in Alaska, the Northwest Territories or the Great Lakes region do you have as good of a chance of hooking a 20-plus-pound Mackinaw as you do at Lake Tahoe.

From a physical standpoint alone, the lake is an amazing spectacle. Lake Tahoe sits at an elevation of 6,225 feet and is roughly 12 miles wide and 22 miles long. The lake holds 122,160,280

(LUKE BURNS/U.S. ARMY; MIKE NIELSEN/TAHOE TOPLINERS)

FISHING

Mackinaw are not native to Lake Tahoe. They were introduced into the lake in the late 1800s and have flourished ever since. “Fifty percent or more of the fish caught at the lake annually are Mackinaw,” author Cal Kellogg writes. (MIKE NIELSEN/TAHOE TOPLINERS)

age. Fish become conditioned to avoid lures and baits over time. At a location like the Susanville area’s Eagle Lake, large trout can be simple to fool because they grow quickly and attain a large size at a young age.

Lake Tahoe’s water has a very high level of purity and an extremely low level of nutrients. The nutrient deficiency results in a poor forage base and slow growth among the lake’s gamefish. By the time Tahoe’s trout reach trophy proportions they’ve accumulated a great deal of experience avoiding the efforts of anglers.

acre-feet of water, covering a surface area of more than 193 square miles, all while boasting a maximum depth of 1,637 feet, making it the 10th deepest lake in the world.

The 39 trillion gallons of water found in Tahoe represents more water than the volume contained in the United States’ 10 largest reservoirs combined. If this water were unleashed and spread evenly across California, every square foot of ground would be under 1 foot of water.

And Tahoe is clear; it is the clearest lake in the world, so clear that you can see a 12-inch white dinner plate suspended 80 feet beneath the surface.

SO,

WHAT DOES THIS big lake offer

anglers? Well, it provides fishing for Mackinaw, rainbow trout, brown trout and kokanee salmon, but the real attraction is the size of the Mackinaw and trout it produces. Tahoe holds Mackinaw in excess of 30 pounds, brown trout in the midteens with the promise of fish beyond 20 pounds and double-digit rainbows.

Mackinaw are the dominant fish at Tahoe, but like browns and rainbows, they are not native to the lake. Tahoe’s first recorded plant took place in 1889 when the Nevada Fish and Game Commission released Mackinaw into

Meeks Bay. By the 1920s, large Macks started falling to anglers – the largest of that period being a 32-pounder boated by John Pomin.

Fifty percent or more of the fish caught at the lake annually are Mackinaw, while browns, rainbows and kokanee make up the rest of the catch.

Studies show that brown trout outnumber rainbows, yet in terms of the number of rainbows and browns landed by anglers, the number is very similar, illustrating how difficult it is to fool browns on a consistent basis.

SUCCESSFULLY FISHING LAKE TAHOE is a challenging proposition. While the lake does hold big numbers of fish, its huge size makes the trout and Macks difficult to locate. We’ve all heard the old assertion that only 10 percent of the water in a given lake holds 90 percent of the fish. The equation holds true at Tahoe.

It is likely the thousands of trout and Macks hidden beneath Tahoe’s surface only reside in 4 or 5 percent of the lake’s total volume. This means that unless an angler has a pretty good idea where the fish are holding, chances are they’ll waste their fishing time probing waters that simply hold no fish.

Another thing that makes catching Tahoe’s trophies difficult is their

TOP LINING AND DEEP-WATER trolling are the two basic approaches to catching trout at Lake Tahoe. In the classical sense, top lining refers to pulling lures without the use of downriggers or added weight.

When discussing Lake Tahoe, let’s expand the definition to include any trolling approach aimed at working the top 50 feet of the water column. Most of the trout caught by top liners are Mackinaw, but it is the top liners who also pick up most of the browns

Capt. Mike Nielsen of Tahoe Toplinersshows off a husky Tahoe trophy hooked while pulling a large minnow plug on a stormy morning. (MIKE NIELSEN/TAHOE TOPLINERS)

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LEELOCK CRAB CRACKER

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and rainbows.

Deepwater trollers spend their time exploring water that ranges from 100 to 400 feet deep or deeper. These specialized anglers utilize downriggers or steel line combined with heavy weights to reach these depths. The catch of deepwater trollers is made up almost exclusively of Macks.

Top lining Tahoe style is as unique as it is exciting. Two major food sources for the lake’s large predators are kokanee salmon and small trout, so it comes as no surprise that large 6- to 8-inch minnow plugs are the standby baits of most top liners.

These big plugs are typically top lined from 400 to 600 feet behind the boat on 8- or 10-pound fluorocarbon line.

The shoreline near the South Shore casinos, the area to the north and south of the Cave Rock Launch ramp and the western shoreline in the area where the Truckee River leaves the lake, are just a few of the areas top liners successfully ply. These areas are characterized by

While Mackinaw are the primary species targeted by anglers at Lake Tahoe, big brown trout like this dandy are also on the menu. (MIKE NIELSEN/TAHOE TOPLINERS)

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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.

having a relatively shallow bottom depth of 35 to 50 feet punctuated with holes abruptly dropping off into 70 to 100 feet of water.

While top lining represents the road to trophies and the glory that goes with them, deep-water trolling is the gateway to the dinner table, since this is the quickest way to put a two-fish limit of eating-sized 3- to 8-pound Mackinaw into the cooler.

When trolling the depths with downriggers, you want to move slowly, keeping the lines as vertical as possible. The most popular offering for deep-water trolling is a native threaded minnow pulled behind a large dodger, but Gulp! Minnows, flies, hoochies and small spoons all work well. No live or dead minnows coming from other waters can be used at Tahoe.

Obviously, a quality sonar unit is an indispensable tool for the deepwater troller. Once you locate an area that holds Macks, don’t be surprised if they don’t respond to your lures

immediately. In this situation, slow the boat to a crawl and maneuver in a tight figure eight or circle, keeping the baits in the strike zone for a prolonged period.

At first, you’ll get no strikes. After a time, a fish or two will hit and the bite will gradually grow in intensity as more fish become active. In time you’ll be hooking fish every time the gear gets to the bottom.

You can also vertically jig in this situation with standard 3- to 6-ounce metal jigs. The principle is the same: keep the bait in the strike zone until you start hooking Macks. The commotion caused by the hooked fish excites the rest and the bite gets more and more intense over time.

OK; SO YOU’VE NEVER tried your hand at fishing Lake Tahoe and you’re asking, can a first-time boater or kayaker score at the big lake? Absolutely; however, Tahoe does require specialized approaches and a level of finesse.

A trip with a guide who will show

you the ropes is money well spent. They will share with you both the basics and fine points of fishing the lake, as well as brief you on safely navigating the lake’s waters.

Tahoe can be treacherous, with flat-calm conditions giving way to whitecaps very quickly. My motto is learn from the pros and then apply the knowledge to your own approach. This will cut years off the learning curve and you’ll avoid many mistakes and miscalculations.

If you’d like a guided trip with the most prolific big fish guide on the lake, give Tahoe native Mike Nielsen of Tahoe Topliners Sportfishing a call at (530) 721-0593. He’ll put you on big fish and share critical information about successfully fishing for Mackinaw and trout at Lake Tahoe. CS

Editor’s note: Cal Kellogg is a longtime Northern California outdoors writer. Subscribe to his YouTube channel Fish Hunt Shoot Productions at youtube.com/ user/KelloggOutdoors.

Big browns like this 10-plus-pounder are available at Tahoe in big numbers, but they are extremely difficult to hook in the lake’s hyperclear water. (MIKE NIELSEN/TAHOE TOPLINERS)

TERRIFIC FOR TROUT

COLLINS LAKE REMAINS NORCAL’S PINNACLE OF GREAT RAINBOW FISHING

By Cal Kellogg

I’ve been fishing Collins Lake for 30 years and consider it one of Northern California’s premier foothill trout fishing destinations. Now, that statement says a lot when you consider the long list of trout fisheries that dot the north

half of the state, but factor in the volume of trout and trophy sizes that Collins Lake boasts, the amenities the recreation area offers, the natural beauty of the lake’s surrounds, the opportunities to view a variety of wildlife species and the easy-to-access location outside Yuba City, and you start to understand why so many

trout anglers and outdoor enthusiasts have a special place in their hearts for the Collins Lake Recreation Area.

Virginia Ranch Dam was completed in 1963, impounding a tributary of the Yuba River, and Collins Lake sprang to life. When at full capacity, the reservoir encompasses 1,600 surface acres and features 12 miles of shoreline.

Teamwork in action as a huge 10-plus-pound Collins Lake rainbow comes to the net during a December bait fishing adventure. This Sierra Foothills gem east of Marysville remains one of Northern California’s premier trout fisheries. (CAL KELLOGG)

FISHING

The Collins Lake Recreation Area is 22 miles from Marysville and a similar distance from Grass Valley. Folks living in Sacramento can reach the lake in about an hour. This makes it a great destination for a one and done single-day fishing trip or a multiday camping adventure. The lake sits at an elevation of 1,200 feet, putting it above the winter fog that dominates the valley, but below the snowline during all but the lowest snow events.

Concessions at the lake have been run by the Young family since 1972 (California Sportsman, June 2022) and it seems like they improve and refine the operation every year. Full-hookup RV camping sites are available, as well as many non-hookup sites. Visitors will find two boat ramps, a marina, rental boats, rental cabins, picnic areas, a playground for the kids, hiking trails and a store featuring a coffee and

ice cream bar, along with showers, laundry machines and more.

FISHING OPTIONS ABOUND

In terms of the fishing, variety is the word, with outstanding panfish, catfish, bass and trout action on tap. Trout are the most popular gamefish at Collins, but the lake attracts a good number of bass anglers interested in matching wits with the lake’s jumbo spots and Florida-strain largemouth.

Trout planting is robust. In addition to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s planted rainbows, the Young family stocks more than 30,000 pounds of rainbows from private hatcheries annually. Many of the private hatchery trout are trophy fish that range from 5 to 13 pounds. The high-quality food the private hatchery trout receive makes for brightred, restaurant-quality fillets.

A little bird told me that this fall,

winter and spring the lake will receive plants of lightning trout, which will be an exciting addition to Collins Lake’s trout menu.

As if these generous plants weren’t enough, the facility along with CDFW and nonprofit fish enhancement organizations manages a trout pen project. The 12 pens work like this: In fall, 500 catchable planters go into each pen. They are fed a high-quality diet until the following spring, when they are released into the lake as hard-charging 2- to 3-pounders that are fully acclimated to the lake. A good percentage of these fish evade the efforts of anglers and become muscular holdovers with a striking

This handsome Collins Lake winter holdover couldn’t lay off a plastic grub teamed with a Mini Willow Leaf dodger trolled 8 feet deep. (CAL KELLOGG)

This massive 11-pound Collins rainbow crushed a shad pattern trolling fly pulled 2 feet deep and 200 feet behind the boat. (CAL KELLOGG)

FISHING

resemblance to steelhead.

Trout fishing at Collins typically kicks off around the end of October, when the surface temperature dips into the middle 60s and trout planting begins. Great action generally extends into late May, when surface temperatures climb into the 70s.

Let’s look at how anglers go about hooking up with Collins Lake’s big, bad trout.

TROLLING

Trolling is a solid option during the fall and spring and can be good all winter long, as long as big storms don’t muddy the water. Collins Lake can fill up very quickly, but when it does the water can become stained and stay that way for a sustained period of time.

For example, we got a big three-day storm the last week of October 2021

and the lake came up 30 feet and the water remained stained for several weeks. Before it had a chance to clear we had another big storm around Christmas and trolling was a no go until near the end of February 2022.

Threadfin shad represent the lake’s primary forage, so lures that imitate shad are a no-brainer. In the fall the shad tend to be fairly large and measure up to 3 inches long. In the spring, there will still be some large shad in the mix, but there will also be big numbers of small shad in the 1- to 1.5-inch range.

Over the years, my No. 1 offering for trophy-caliber trout – say, fish beyond 5 pounds – has been trolling flies. Pink/white, blue/white and all-orange offerings have been particularly effective. Last season several trout beyond the 8-pound mark came aboard my boat, including a 13-pounder, and many of those fish grabbed trolling flies. Conventional wisdom dictates pulling trolling flies in the 1- to 1.5-mph range, but I’ve done well trolling them all the way up to 3 mph.

My second most effective combo is either a Turbo Flasher or a small dodger teamed with either a threaded worm or a 3-inch grub. I run both the grubs and worms on Slow Deathstyle walleye hooks, so they rotate through the water. Trout really love that rolling action.

Don’t crowd the blade or the flasher with the worm or grub. Instead, put the bait anywhere from 24 to 40 inches behind the attractor. The blade or the flasher brings the fish in range and when they spot that rolling bait, it’s fish on!

At a lot of lakes where shad dominate the food chain, spoons or minnow plugs are my first choice when it comes to trolling and they absolutely have their place at Collins. The favorite of the locals is a ¼-ounce chrome and blue Kastmaster trolled naked – without dodgers or flashers.

I’ve caught my share of trout at Collins on Kastmasters, but I’ve

Richard landed this husky ’bow while trolling a Fish Eye Dodger trailing a threaded worm. Trollers aren’t the only successful anglers at this lake. Bait tossers from the shore also can score lots of rainbows planted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and trophy fish stocked via private hatcheries. (CAL KELLOGG)

scored well on Trigger Spoons, Cripplures and Needlefish too. Again, baitfish colors are winners, but the bright stuff also works.

More important than running any one brand of spoon is matching your spoon in terms of speed to the temperament of the fish. If the fish are feeling their oats and willing to chase, put on a Speedy Shiner or similar spoon and pound them at around 3 mph.

If the trout are acting shy or lethargic, run something you can pull in the 1.8- to 2.2-mph range.

Rapalas and other minnow plugs have a well-deserved reputation for producing big Collins Lake rainbows, but be advised that these baits work best when trolled above 2.5 mph at times when the trout are aggressive.

BANK FISHING

Shore anglers probably catch as many trout at Collins as boaters. Some folks score while hiking and fan-casting their lures, but the hands-down best

offering for bank anglers is PowerBait. Truth be told, if the water is cold or off color and trolling isn’t working, boaters can score very well soaking dough baits too.

The favorite approach is to employ a light spinning rod spooled with 8-pound mono or light braid rigged as follows: Pass your main line through a ¼-ounce bullet weight and then thread on a bead. Add on a snap swivel; to that swivel attach a 20-inch 6- to 8-pound-test fluorocarbon leader tipped with a No. 8 octopus hook. A lot of anglers prefer a treble, but I’ve never found trebles necessary.

To bait up, dig some dough bait out of the jar, form a ball about a ¼ inch around and place it on the hook. Cast the baited rig out, put the rod in a holder and wait. You’ll want to fish the bait on a semi-slack line so the trout can take the floating bait without feeling any resistance.

One mistake I see a lot of anglers making is casting their bait too far off shore. Last year when the water

got too muddy for trolling, I spent a lot of time fishing dough bait and caught some handsome rainbows up to about 11 pounds. That 11-pounder was within a yard of the bank when it hit, and we caught several other big fish in close proximity to shore while double anchored and bait fishing from my pontoon boat.

For a long time, I assumed rainbows steadily cruised the shoreline during the winter, but the time I spent bait fishing last winter taught me that at times the trout will hold in a fairly small location.

I’d pull into an area off a point, cast out baits, hook a couple fish and the action would die. I’d wait 45 minutes or so and make a 50- to 100-yard move and get more bites. That’s when I realized the fish were spending more time holding than cruising.

Areas for bait anglers to explore include points, the backs of coves and any feature that can concentrate fish. I did well last season fishing inside the mouth of the narrows, which act as a natural bottleneck for concentrating fish.

Generally, I give a spot about 45 minutes to produce when bait fishing. If I don’t see any signs of life in that time span, I’ll pick up and make a short move. I might try three or four spots before I get into the fish.

FINAL COLLINS THOUGHTS

If you haven’t given Collins Lake a try, put it on your to-do list this winter or spring, and if you are a camper grab a site and settle in for a couple days or more.

Collins is a mellow place during the trout season. Rains turn the hills green and you’re apt to see a lot of wildlife ranging from deer to bald eagles. Last year I saw a full menu of birds, including a pair of golden eagles, and one morning I watched a bobcat try to sneak up on a group of geese. He never had a chance!

If you visit, be sure to drop into the store. The girls are friendly, the coffee is great and the ice cream is even better! CS

Author Cal Kellogg knows he’s in for a tasty treat. Collins Lake trout feature bright red meat, making them just as fun to eat as they are to catch. Fishing should continue to be strong as late as May. (CAL KELLOGG)

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WIDEN YOUR OPTIONS FOR WINTER-RUNS

DIVERSIFYING YOUR APPROACHWILL YIELD MORE STEELHEAD

By Scott Haugen

When it comes to late-season winter steelhead, I’d rather be good at multiple methods than specialized in one or two. You can be a great spinner angler, but if the steelhead don’t like that presentation on a given day, you’re at a loss.

I’ve been fishing winter steelhead for more than 50 years and am a firm believer in diversification. Not long ago I drifted eggs through a classic chute. After multiple casts I put the rod down and picked up my bobber

rod, which was set up with eggs. On the first cast a 13-pound hen nailed it; two casts later, a buck was in the boat. Those fish were there the whole time; they just didn’t want eggs rolled along the bottom.

It’s common for steelhead anglers to first drift fish a hole, then cover the same water with beads, twitching jigs, jigs beneath a float, or spinners. If fishing from a boat, they might backtroll a diver and bait or plugs before pushing downstream. This is a great way to cover all parts of the water column from bank to bank, and from top to bottom. When fishing for

steelhead, often it’s more beneficial to thoroughly cover a single hole rather than traveling in search of fish.

CATCH MY DRIFT?

Drift fishing is a very effective way to catch steelhead from shore or a boat. The goal is to cast upstream and let your terminal gear drift downstream while occasionally ticking the bottom. Using the right amount of sinker is key, as too much lead will find you getting hung up, while too light of a lead will find your setup drifting too quickly past fish.

Pencil sinkers, slinky sinkers, split

When it comes to boosting winter steelhead catch rates, diversity might be your best approach. This late-season fish couldn’t resist a Mag Lip, which can be backtrolled from a boat, worked from a side planer or even casted and retrieved. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

ADD FRUITY FLAVOR TO STEELIES, SALMON

By Tiffany Haugen

Whether you’re smoking a fresh-caught winter steelhead or making room in the freezer by cleaning out some of those salmon, this is a tasty recipe you’ll

love. Smoking salmon and steelhead is still one of our favorite ways to prepare and eat these fish.

A fish marked for “best eating” is also best for smoking. Don’t expect that a dark, freezer-burned fish will be saved by the smoker. Salmon with a high fat content are hard to beat when it comes to smoking fish. Likewise, winter steelhead and any ocean-caught salmon are excellent when smoked.

For this recipe I used a Little Chief Smoker. It’s still a favorite smoker of mine because it’s simple to use and the temperature stays constant. The Big Chief Smoker is also one we use a lot.

When looking to transform a stronger-flavored fish like salmon, think sweet and smokey. Many people who don’t care for a salmon dinner, fawn over smoked salmon, while those who think of salmon as having a “fishy” flavor might change their minds with a fruit-forward recipe. Of course, winter steelhead is

more mild, taking on flavors with which it is cooked.

Unique and complex, the subtle smokiness and layered fruit flavors work together to create a very special recipe you’re sure to love.

One large steelhead or salmon fillet

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup grated pear and/or apple

Zest and juice of an orange

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

½ inch grated ginger root

½ teaspoon dried coriander

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon salt

Chive or scallions for garnish

Remove pin bones from fillet. Place soy sauce in a large casserole pan and place steelhead or salmon fillet meat-side down on top of soy sauce. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix grated apple and/or pear, orange juice and zest, butter, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, coriander, paprika and salt until thoroughly combined.

Preheat Little or Big Chief Smoker for 10 to 15 minutes. Add alder chips to the chip pan (any flavored chip works, but be careful not to overpower the ingredients with a strong smoke). Place fillet skin-side down on smoker rack. Smoke 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove fillet from smoker and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top fillet with fruit mixture. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes or until fillet reaches desired doneness or an internal temperature of 135 to 140 degrees. Top with chopped chives or scallions if desired.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.

Adding some fruit-infused flavor to your smoked steelhead or salmon fillets can be a game changer. “Many people who don’t care for a salmon dinner, fawn over smoked salmon,” writes Tiffany Haugen, adding, “while those who think of salmon as having a ‘fishy’ flavor might change their minds with a fruit-forward recipe.” (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

shots, bank sinkers and cannonball sinkers are all good choices for drift fishing. Many anglers like rubbercoated sinkers that don’t stick to rocks. Experiment with different weights, keeping in mind the amount you use will vary, even throughout a hole. At the head of a riffle you might use ¼ ounce of lead, but as that hole deepens you may need ¾ or 1 ounce of weight.

Hook and bait size depend largely on water clarity. The more clear and shallow the river, the more spooky fish can be, so a small presentation is ideal. A size 2 octopus-style hook is good in low water, and upsizing to a 2/0 hook is not an overkill in highwater situations.

If using a drift bobber, like a Lil’ Corky or Spin-N-Glo, make sure they

are small enough so they don’t cover the point of the hook, which can prevent a fish from getting hooked when it bites.

FLOATING AROUND

Float fishing is another option. There’s no better way to cover large amounts of water than with a float. If fishing from shore or a boat, try suspending a jig or bait below a float. A long 10-foot, 6-inch float rod is ideal as it allows the floating mainline to be mended, which keeps the bobber and terminal gear in good position and moving at the speed of the river.

I like a 30-pound high-vis braided mainline – Power Pro Spectra in yellow is a good option – as it floats and is easy to see and mend. Start by slipping a bobber stop on the mainline,

followed by a 3mm bead, then your float. Tie the mainline to a size 7 barrel swivel, attach a 12- to 30-inch leader on the other end, and you’re set. The bobber stop is your depth regulator, thus you can attach short leaders.

If using a ¼-ounce float, fish a ¼-ounce jig beneath it. Eggs, sand shrimp, crawdad tails, pink rubber worms and other baits can also be fished beneath a float. Adding a bit of weight to the swivel or above it on the mainline will help regulate flow rate.

BACK IN BUSINESS

Backtrolling plugs or a diver and bait can be very effective in main currents, along seams and through tailouts. In clear conditions, downsizing the presentation can be the ticket. For example, if the river is high and dirty, a 3.5-inch Mag Lip might be the best choice. If the water is low and clear, downsizing to a less intrusive 2.5inch Mag Lip could do the job.

When backtrolled in clear water, winter steelhead will often spook and drop downstream, holding in the tailout. This means backtrollers will want to run their presentation all the way to the end of the tailout, just above the breaking point.

Changing plug colors and baits is a good idea. I like having at least three colors of cured eggs handy. Orange-, red- or pink-colored cured eggs along with a sand shrimp or dyed prawn tail are good to run behind a diver. Cerise, silver, blue, red and black are solid plug color choices.

HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS

If you’re new to winter steelhead fishing or looking to expand your approach, there are many options. Don’t forget beads and twitching jigs, which are easy applications to learn and can be very effective. The best way to learn is to get out and fish, so hit the water and have fun this season. CS

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen's popular Bank Fishing For Salmon & Steelhead book, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

Authors Scott and Tiffany Haugen doubled on these winter steelhead by fishing long leaders under a float. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

BORDER BONANZA

FISH THE ‘PIPE’ ALONG MEXICO-U.S. LINE FOR GREAT SALTY OPTIONS

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

This past summer was, at least in my opinion, kind of slow for inshore fishing in Southern California. The calicos just didn’t go off as usual and the sand bass spawn bite was smaller and shorter than the normal wide-open bite we are all used to.

If the waters warm up, the fishing should improve. But you should always have some spots to fall back on. Natural reefs or rock formations or man-made reefs can fill that void when the other areas you fish go bad.

There are many natural areas and a few man-made ones along the Southland coast. One of my favorites and one that may not disappear with MPLA actions is what we call the “Pipe.” It’s a sewer outlet that stretches out into the Pacific Ocean from the Tijuana River Valley and acts as a home to many different species of fish.

The Pipe comes out of the sand in about 65 feet of water and continues out – about a mile or so – to about 100 feet deep and then forms a T on the end, where it continues out about 40 to 50 yards in each direction, so there is plenty of room for a number of boats to fish. The fish will hang out in different areas along the Pipe, so always try several sections of it.

BUFFET OF FISH

Some sand bass and calicos call this home almost year-round and at certain times of year there are many rockfish and lingcod on this deepwater structure as well. However, for the rockfish and lings, make sure to double check the regulations before keeping any. It is an ever-changing set of rules. Usually, the California

A long man-made structure jutting out near the U.S.-Mexico border in the Pacific – locals call it the “Pipe” – is a great option for Southland saltwater anglers. Here, Bill Butcher shows off a nice Pipe sand bass. (BILL SCHAEFER)

Department of Fish and Wildlife will have updates on its website (wildlife .ca.gov), so check before heading out.

One of the first things you’ll need is the location of the Pipe. It is a fairly short trip from the Shelter Island launch in San Diego and not that far from Mission Bay either. At about 8 miles from the mouth of San Diego Harbor, it takes about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on boat speed.

Glassy winter mornings will allow you to put the pedal to the metal!

In winter, lobster fishermen will have marked the location for you with their traps. Rows of traps line either side of the Pipe. But for the rest of the year, when it is just more ocean out there, I will give you a starting point. The GPS numbers for about the center of the Pipe are N32 32 256, W117 10 767, but you

may want to mark your own favorite section. Every area is a little different and fishes differently at times.

The Pipe can be a little tough to spot on your meter; you may even have to zoom in to see it more easily. It will show as a large bump on the bottom. If you are moving too fast when you travel over it, you can miss it. It will show the best when you drift over it. It rises up about 15 feet off the bottom and is about 25 feet wide. The higher the bottom setting is on your meter, the harder it may be to spot, so set your meter’s bottom setting to 100.

Most of the time there will be clouds of fish on it; some kelp stringers will also help you spot it more easily. Keep in mind that when you first meter over it, don’t give up if you don’t see fish. Remember, there are large boulders down there that can be holding fish in their cracks and holes.

GEAR CHECK

For tackle, anything from a freshwater trigger or flipping stick to medium ocean gear works well here. Live bait on a dropper loop or egg sinker and leader bait rig is fine for rockfish and bass. Sinkers can vary from a ½ ounce to 2 ounces, depending on the current. There are a lot of rocks down there, so you will definitely lose some tackle.

Plastic swimbaits are superior for catching the sand bass and calicos that live here, and just about everything else will eat the plastics as well. With the plastics, since the hook rides up on the back side, there is a lower chance of hooking a rock and breaking off.

Where you can control a swimbait as you work it over the Pipe, a live bait will swim into the holes in the rocks and cause nothing but trouble for you. Golden or olive brown bait, anchovy or sardine swimbaits by Big Hammer, Reyes Swimbaits, MC Swimbaits and Western Plastics are just some of the great options that will work. Experiment with your favorite colors; everyone has a chance of finding the new hot color.

With plastics, a freshwater bass trigger stick will do great. For example,

Kevin Nettleton displays some of the many types of fish that hover in the rocky area down around the Pipe. Just expect to lose some tackle down near the rocky bottom. (BILL SCHAEFER)

FISHING

I use a Daiwa Tatula Swimbait stick with a Lexa WN and 15-pound Maxima. Jigheads will need to be about 1 to 2 ounces because of ocean currents.

Chrome spoons or iron candy bars jigged around the Pipe can score as well. There are squid around the Pipe at times, so I like plain white, but you should also experiment. The lings and rockfish seem to love them, but they’ll catch bass too. Be careful, though, and watch those rocks.

WATCH THE BORDER

You are very close to the U.S./ Mexican border when fishing this spot, probably only a couple hundred yards away from it, so if you drift off it to the south you might enter Mexican waters. Even if you enter Mexican waters by accident, you may get a visit from a U.S. Coast Guard or U.S. Customs boat. Remember, they are there to protect you and they are watching. CS

Author Bill Schaefer caught this nice Pipe calico on a deep swimbait. “The fish will hang out in different areas along the Pipe, so always try several sections of it,” he writes. (BILL SCHAEFER)

MIND READING IS A TWO-WAY STREET

By Scott Haugen

If you pay close attention to your hunting dog, you know it watches every move you make. It looks closely at you when you get out of your favorite chair and it can tell by your demeanor whether you’re getting up to grab a snack during a break in the football game or taking them outside to potty.

When gearing up for the hunt, your dog can tell by the look on your face when it’s time for them to stop so you can put their vest on. Or whether or not it’s OK for them to run ahead of you when walking to the hunting locale. They know when the hunt is over and it’s time to go home, without you saying a word.

By looking at you, your dog knows when you’re getting frustrated – and likely why. Their tail wags when you laugh, even if you’re not looking at them. If you’re a duck hunter, your dog knows by the look in your eyes when birds are approaching. Or, if you’re like me, you watch your dog’s eyes, because

they spot way more ducks than we do, and usually sooner than we can.

SPEND ANY TIME GETTING to know your dog and you’ll realize that it’s trying to read your mind in an effort to please you. But do you look at your dog’s body language, facial expressions and eyes to try and read their mind? Do you know how they walk when they’re ready to go to the bathroom, how their ears hang when happy, sad or in pain? Do you know how your dog is feeling, what it’s thinking or what its next move is going to be? If not, you should – dogs communicate through body language and facial expressions, just like humans do.

“One of the biggest obstacles I deal with is teaching dog owners how to read their dog,” shares Jess Spradley of Cabin Creek Gun Dogs in Lakeview, Oregon. Spradley is one of the best known and most respected dog trainers in the country. He’s patient, loves working with all gun dogs and spends a lot of time getting to know the dogs he’s training.

“A lot of people bring me dogs for simple training,” continues Spradley. “Whether they want me to teach it to whoa, sit at blind or not break on the shot, it’s all simple stuff, really.”

Spradley spends time watching a dog before he begins training it. He notes its demeanor, attention span, how it makes eye contact and its body behavior. Then he proceeds slowly and very patiently.

“I don’t want the dog to be shocked by any of my movements or commands. I keep communication simple and calm. While the dog’s reading my mind, I’m doing the same to it so I can anticipate what my next move should be.”

ONCE THE DOG IS trained, Spradley has the owner come pick it up. But before taking it home, Spradley spends time teaching the owner how he trained their dog so the owner can proceed in training the dog the same way.

“One thing people need to realize is that training never, ever ends,” Spradley offers. “From the time you

From the moment you bring a gun dog pup home, it starts reading your eyes to anticipate your next move. You owe it to your pup to be able to do the same for it. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

bring a pup home to the time it dies, every day is a training day, whether you’re on a hunt, training in the field or hanging out at home. And reading a dog’s actions plays a big part in how you communicate with and respond to your dog.”

Inevitably, Spradley gets calls from many owners of dogs he’s trained, saying the dog is back to displaying the same unwanted behavior.

“I just ask if they’ve worked with their dog like I showed them, and usually the response is ‘No, I’ve been too busy.’ First of all, it’s easy to look at your dog and see by the way it’s acting if it’s going to try getting away with something or slip back into that unwanted behavior; that’s what dogs do, push control to the limit and this is where owners have to pay attention and can’t give in. Second, if you don’t have time to interact with a dog, then maybe now’s not the time to have one.”

Spradley’s known for being one of the top breeders of pudelpointers in the

Noted dog trainer Jess Spradley spends a lot of time getting to know dogs by watching their body language and facial expressions. From there, he knows what his next move should be in helping teach the dog the desired behaviors. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

country. These are highly intelligent dogs that are sensitive and have a strong desire to please their owner.

“It never ceases to amaze me how much training you can do without actually saying a word,” concludes Spradley. “Get a dog that respects you and wants to please you, and it’s easy to teach them to do what you want them to do.”

For those of you who are parents, think back on how you raised your kids and how many times you directed their behavior without saying a word. When it comes to dogs, it’s no different. Once you pay attention to your dog’s expressions and behaviors, you’ll be amazed at how powerful eye contact and body posture can be in getting your dog to do the right thing. 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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well-disciplined dog is what we all strive for, and understanding how to communicate with it without words is essential. (SCOTT HAUGEN)