California Sportsman - April 2023

Sportsma n Californ ia

PUBLISHER

James R. Baker

GENERAL MANAGER

John Rusnak

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Andy Walgamott

EDITOR

Chris Cocoles

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Fong, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Tim E. Hovey, Cal Kellogg, Todd Kline, Bill Schaefer

SALES MANAGER

Paul Yarnold

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Mike Smith

DESIGNER

Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Kelly Baker

DIGITAL STRATEGIST

Jon Hines

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Katie Aumann

Volume 15 • Issue 6

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Lois Sanborn

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CORRESPONDENCE

Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

Twitter @CalSportsMan

Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine

ON THE COVER

Despite a heavy snowfall total this winter, many Eastern Sierra fisheries like Crowley Lake, where this angler scored a nice rainbow, should be fine for the April 29 statewide trout opener. (SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE)

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FROM DROUGHT TO TROUT

We’re setting the stage for the April 29 statewide trout opener with a trio of stories, including one from our Cal Kellogg, who reminds us that the wild and wet winter California has experienced means many fisheries in the higher elevations of the Sierra could be unfishable this month due to heavy snow/ice. But fret not, NorCal rainbow (or, as Kellogg shows off, lightning trout) chasers, as Cal shares details on five outstanding lakes in the Sierra foothills where you can limit out now.

FEATURES

37 GET ON TOP – NOW!

One of Mark Fong’s favorite tactics for catching largemouth and smallmouth this time of year is to work topwater baits. “For many, the arrival of spring signals the first topwater action of the year,” writes Fong, who shares his love of fishing poppers, explains how “walking the dog” has nothing to do with breaking out your pup’s leash, and offers up essential gear choices for an exciting day of bassin’ on the surface.

47 A LOT OF FISH IN THE SEA

A true joy for Capt. Bill Schaefer when fishing off the Southern California coast for calicos and other saltwater bass is when something bigger bites. You might get broken off the first time, but follow Schaefer’s lead and bring along a few different rod-andreel combos and setups just in case there’s another yellowtail or halibut lurking down below and looking for a quick trip to your barbecue.

53 MAKE THAT WILD TURKEY TASTE GREAT

They ain’t Butterballs. As California’s spring turkey season continues this month, Scott and Tiffany Haugen’s From Field to Fire column covers how to get the best flavors out of that wild tom you harvest. Scott is up first with a field-dressing tutorial that will ensure optimum quality for that delicious game bird meat. Then chef Tiffany takes the baton with a curry-infused butter chicken recipe that will have your dinner party gobbling up that gobbler.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Fishmas will really feel like Christmas for many Eastern Sierra residents who have endured quite a snowy winter.

“Many people at many times, including myself here at Bridgeport, were cut off from the world,” Mono County Tourism economic development director Jeff Simpson told me in March to preview the April 29 trout opener (page 15).

“All the roads were closed for many days throughout this winter. We were out of power for eight days due to an avalanche. (Highway) 395 has been closed for over a month now … We haven’t gotten normal winter traffic and all the businesses are really struggling –not only with the lack of business on 395, but having to get the snow swept out or paying people to shove it off the roofs. So I think people here are looking forward to returning to normal.”

And the Fishmas tradition of families fishing together will be even more cathartic for Simpson himself and his sons, James, 7 and 3-year-old Parker.

“I think this is the first year that both of my boys are ready to do it. I’m officially retired from just catching fish for them and letting them do it themselves. That’s the plan, to take them out, and we’ll probably be on Bridgeport Reservoir on a boat,” Simpson says. “Just trying to get those kids to catch a fish. I’ll tell you what: They ask me every single week – multiple times a week – to go fishing, and they just can’t understand the concept of the fishing ‘season.’”

It was also a stressful winter for the Simpson family. James, who has asthma, contracted pneumonia early last month, as did younger brother Parker. But there was more concern for James, who also fell seriously ill two years ago during the Covid pandemic. Fortunately, he’s recovered both times after some anxious moments for the family.

“I put my wife (Jessica) and kids up at a hotel in Carson City for two weeks so they can have access to healthcare,” Simpson said. “If we got stuck down here with his pneumonia and he had to go to the ER, you can’t. It’s scary.”

I hope the Simpsons have a wonderful day in their boat when they take their traditional opening-day trip. And after the snow shut down so many locals, the thought of a beautiful sunny Fishmas day, more family fishing outings and thousands of tourists flocking to the Eastern Sierra sounds delightful.

“Looking forward to just relaxing and getting out of the city,” Simpson said when I asked him about what everyone could take out of the opening of the trout and tourist season in his neck of the woods.

“Most people get up here to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy the mountains. And catch some fish.” -Chris Cocoles

THE LEELOCK MAGNUM SKEG

Drastically improve performance and steering of bow-mounted electric trolling motors with the LeeLock Magnum Skeg. The use of bow-mounted electric trolling motors for salmon trolling is a game changer. Not only does this skeg improve performance, it makes bow-mounted electric trolling motors much more efficient. Your batteries will run longer on a charge. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg can be a vital part of your trolling motor system!

The skeg is made of anodized 5052 aluminum. The size is 8 3/4 inches high by 10 inches wide and it’s 3/16 inch thick. The anodization keeps the aluminum from corroding in fresh- and saltwater. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg is available to fit most Minn Kota and MotorGuide (pictured) motors. It comes with clear PVC-coated stainless steel hose clamps. Call 360-380-1864 or write info@ leelock.com if you have any questions about fit.

LEELOCK CRAB CRACKER

This new tool from Leelock will allow you to measure your Dungeness crabs to determine which ones are legal to keep. Then use the Crab Cracker to crack them in half, separating the two clusters from the shell and guts.

The Crab Cracker has been designed so that it sits nicely on top of a 5-gallon bucket, perfect for when you clean crabs. The bucket gives you a stable base, which makes it easier to clean – the guts and shell go into the bucket, making cleanup a snap. Crabs cleaned this way take up half as much space as whole crabs, so you can cook twice as many in your kettle.

The Crab Cracker is a unique tool made from solid aluminum, and comes in handy for cleaning Dungeness crabs.

After he had a scare with pneumonia, 7-year-old James Simpson and his family are looking forward to trying to net a few trout at the April 29 Eastern Sierra trout opener. (JEFF SIMPSON)

TIME

Docking and maneuvering your boat in high winds has never been so easy. Let the Joy Stick do it for you.

GPS position hold and heading hold is included.

8 and 99 Kicker Motors in stock. Call

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

It was tough fishing, but I was able to finish in 15th and cut a check. With my February win at Lake Havasu,

Here’s my Okuma lineup for the MLF Delta stop. (TODD KLINE)

I’m currently ranked No. 2 in the Western Division. (TODD KLINE)

It was a sunrise launch on the Delta last month for my second stop on the Major League Fishing tour’s Toyota Series. (TODD KLINE)

If only I’d hooked the piscine equivalent of this porcine beast during the tournament! (TODD KLINE)

March means the heart of basketball season, so last month we had a family day together for an L.A. Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena. (TODD KLINE)

Looking for big bass as the sun comes up over the Delta. (TODD KLINE)

Getting ready to weigh in a couple of Delta beauties. (TODD KLINE)

Speaking of basketball, I caught up with fishing friend and former NBA player and current Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw at the Pacific Coast Sportfishing Show in Orange County. (TODD KLINE)

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

APRIL

1 Bullards Bar Reservoir Team Kokanee Derby; kokaneepower.org/derbies.php

1-2 Redding Sportsman’s Expo, Redding Civic Auditorium; reddingsportsmansexpo.com

1-2 SMUD Trout Derby, Rancho Seco Recreation Area; anglerspress.com/events/smud-trout-derby

7-8 Blue Lakes Trout Derby; thenarrowsresort.com

22-23 Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association Striped Bass Derby, Sacramento River; ncgasa.org

29 Statewide general trout fishing season opener

29 Fish of the Month Derby, Gull Lake; 760-648-7539; gulllakemarina.com

29 Fishmas Day Derby, Tom’s Place Resort, Crowley Lake; 760-935-4239; tomsplaceresort.com

29 Mono Village’s Fishing Opener Derby, Upper Twin Lake, Bridgeport; 760-932-7071; monovillage.com

29 Monster Trout Contest, June Lake; (760) 648-7756; junelakeloop.org

30 Spring wild turkey season ends

MAY

1-14 Additional junior wild turkey season

1-14 Archery-only spring wild turkey season

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

6-7 Shasta Lake Team Kokanee Derby; kokaneepower.org

6-JUNE 12 Round-Up at the Lake Spring Fishing Derby, Convict Lake; (800) 992-2260

20 Pardee Lake Kids Kokanee Derby; kokaneepower.org

20-JUNE 4 Isabella Lake Fishing Derby; kernrivervalley.com/ isabellalakefishingderby

26-29 Hangman’s Cash Bonus Weekend, Convict Lake; (760) 935-4301

26-JUNE 26 Crowley Lake Perch Derby; crowleylakefishcamp .com/new-events/perch-derby

For a list of upcoming bass tournaments, go to nrm.dfg.ca.gov/ FishingContests/default.aspx.

The Sacramento River will host the Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association Striped Bass Derby on April 22-23. Go to ncgasa.org for more information. (CHRIS COCOLES)

DREAMING (AND DIGGING OUT) OF A WHITE FISHMAS

HEAVY WINTER SNOWS WILL IMPACT APRIL 29 EASTERN SIERRA TROUT OPENER, BUT NOT SEVERELY

By Chris Cocoles

As the Eastern Sierra has shoveled itself out of one of the snowiest winters any local can remember, Jeff Simpson, economic development director for Mono County Tourism – and a diehard trout angler – advised fishermen not to panic about this month’s opener.

“We’re getting a lot of calls left and right and that’s back to the perception of, ‘Hey, are they going to move ‘Fishmas’ because it’s not going to be thawed out yet?’” Simpson says. “Opening day happens whether we like it or not. It’s just a matter of if you can fish. But we’ve never had a lot of these places not thaw out; I think we’re all anticipating that (they do). But I think it’s still kind of a wait and see. But as we move into April and things warm

up and it starts to thaw, I’ll be on social media and at those places immediately and trying to get people to realize that these places are opening.”

Still, don’t underestimate how much snow has fallen in this region, along with so many other parts of California during this drought-reducing winter. Most calculations put this among the top three to five winters ever recorded in terms of how much snow has fallen. Simpson, part of a third-generation family in the Eastern Sierra, can’t remember this much snow falling in a single season. Neither can his dad, also a longtime resident.

“And my grandma, who’s lived here her whole life, she says maybe 1969 or (1982-83) are the other years that come to mind for her. But it’s definitely in that top three conversa-

tion,” Simpson says.

So definitely don’t expect the higher-elevation fisheries to be ready for business if you’re among those who celebrate and participate in Fishmas. But in the big picture, the white winter of ’23 is an important step in getting out of the state’s drought disaster.

“We needed every drop. The whole state does, right? We’re getting a top off on every single water system in the Sierra and throughout the rest of the state, so it’s hugely beneficial and definitely welcomed,” Simpson adds. “It’s just getting all that at once that has been tough on everyone across the state.”

STAY IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS

The funny thing about the Eastern Sierra’s trout opener is anglers never know what that first Saturday and

You never know what the weather will be on “Fishmas” in the Eastern Sierra. Despite a heavy winter snowfall, there should be plenty of good opening-day trout fishing at Bridgeport Reservoir and other lakes off the Highway 395 corridor. The 2023 opener is set for April 29. (CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/MONO COUNTY TOURISM)

FISHING

Sunday will bring in terms of weather.

“Potentially, you can get sunburned or you could be wearing seven layers of clothes chopping around with snow coming down. It’s a crapshoot in terms of what it’s going to be like,” Simpson says.

But whatever the weather looks like on April 29, it’s clear that some fisheries that in years past would have been accessible won’t be for a while. The good news is that expectations are for business as usual at many Fishmas staples.

Mono County stretches of Highway 395 that had been closed due to the heavy snow should be fine by opening day and with that, popular early-season trout destinations like Crowley and Convict Lakes will be ready to go. Other spots should also

be fishable as well – albeit with the potential to have snow concerns.

“I think it’s the 395 corridor elevation level, which is Bridgeport Reservoir, Twin Lakes and the West Walker River, Lee Vining Creek, Robinson Creek – those are definitely going to be flowing fine,” Simpson says. “And you may have an advantage because I think some places might have snow around the creeks, and if you’re willing to walk through some snow, you can get into some honey holes that no one else would even think about that opening weekend.”

Simpson added that one benefit of the cold winter is that it should pay off in a longer trout fishing season.

“Sometimes in August, especially at Bridgeport Reservoir and other places,

the water temperatures go up and the fishing kind of dies off. I don’t anticipate that happening. We’ll have fresh, cold water entering the system continuously all summer long. So I think that’s something we can benefit from,” he says. “But the negative is we’re not going to be able to get to some places during ‘normal’ times – places like Virginia Lakes, Saddleback Lake, Rock Creek Lake. I don’t see those places being able to comfortably fish until the end of June or the beginning of July.”

PLENTY OF STOCKINGS SCHEDULED

As usual, Mono County has a $100,000 budget to plant fish in various waters throughout the year. But again, the unforeseen weather that hit the area this year will have Simp-

Rainbows like this Crowley Lake beauty should be commonplace catches at fisheries that will be open early in the season. The usual opener hot spots like Crowley and Convict Lake, plus Bridgeport Reservoir, should provide good options. (SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE)

son and his colleagues having to adjust on the fly.

“It’s just going to deviate slightly. I think we’re bringing the same amount of fish to every body of water, so one place isn’t going to get more than another. It’s just the timing and having to push things back until things thaw out or the roads are plowed and cleared where we can get in,” he says. “Normally, we’d be getting into some places in June and we would do that. It’s just going to be July now.”

But make no mistake: There will be plenty of fish planted throughout the season.

“This year I’m buying mixedload fish, which is anywhere from a pound and a half up to 5-pound trout. Again, we’re buying from Desert Springs (Trout Farm), our fish provider. Every location that I’ll be stocking will be 1,000 pounds of trout. They’ll come in multiple loads,

The East Walker River should be fishable around the opener, and anglers who don’t mind braving the elements could score some nice fish. “If you’re willing to walk through some snow, you can get into some honey holes that no one else would even think about that opening weekend,” says Jeff Simpson of Mono County Tourism. (CHRISIAN

PONDELLA/MONO COUNTY TOURISM)

“We’re getting a lot of calls left and right and that’s back to the perception of, ‘Hey, are they going to move ‘Fishmas’ because it’s not going to be thawed out yet?’” Simpson says. “Opening day happens whether we like it or not. It’s just a matter of if you can fish.” Expect plenty of such opportunities. Just do some research ahead of time. (CHRISTIAN

PONDELLA/MONO COUNTY TOURISM)

FISHING

so it’s not all at once. And it will be focused primarily in the spring and summer. We don’t have anything coming in the fall. But typically, we’re worried about water flows and temperature doing those times.”

What should get Eastern Sierra anglers excited is the size of the trout that will be planted in various Mono County fisheries. While the California Department of Fish and Wild-

life’s “catchable” trout can be as small as half a pound, the private Mono County plants from Oregon-based Desert Springs Trout Farm offer plenty of bigger fish to target.

“Our catchable is at least 1 pound. We’ll have a whole bunch of pounda-half fish; we’ll also have some trophy fish mixed in there. But nothing under a 1½ pounds,” Simpson says. “Desert Springs also stocked Bridge-

port Reservoir with a bunch of brown trout this past year as well.”

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Everyone in the Eastern Sierra would probably agree that despite the positive impact of the heavy snowfall, it’s been a challenging winter. So the anticipation of another Fishmas weekend will likely reenergize the communities – not to mention help out

the local businesses with the arrival of trout anglers eager to continue the last-Saturday-in-April tradition.

“I generally think lots of snow equals lots of water and great fish. And I think that it was clear that based on the consumer trade shows at Sacramento and (Bart) Hall Show down in Del Mar, people are generally really excited about the fishing and that it should be a fantastic year

as soon as we get that ice thawed,” Simpson says.

“Looking forward to just relaxing and getting out of the city. Most people get up here to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy the mountains. And catch some fish.” CS

Editor’s note: For more Mono County fishing information, go to monocounty.org/ things-to-do/fishing.

AN EASTERN SIERRA GUIDE’S TROUT SEASON PREVIEW D

oug Rodricks, owner of Sierra Drifters Guide Service (760-9354250; sierradrifters.com), previewed Eastern Sierra prospects for the trout opener and the season in general:

“The record amount of snowfall this year will have a major impact on all areas of the Sierra for opening day. As this winter has been unusually cold and continues to be as of the first week of spring, with more snow on the way, there has not been much in the way of snowmelt between storms.”

“ While all of the lakes in the Eastern Sierra will fill up this season, with some to full capacity, the rivers and creeks are where we will really see limited decent fishing conditions through mid- to late June. The lakes will fish well, but you can plan on the trout holding very deep this spring by the time the general trout season opens.”

“As water levels begin to rise through the month of April, most moving water – especially freestone creeks, which are composed of straight snowmelt or runoff – will be very swollen and flowing at fast speeds. They will not only be difficult to fish, but can pose some hazards and be dangerous to the careless angler. These waters will also be very cold and can cause hypothermia in a hurry.”

“Tailwaters like the East Walker River may see a good window of opportunity for good fishing around the opener, since the floodgates will not be dumping water out until probably later in the spring. Bridgeport Reservoir has suffered from extreme drought for two to three seasons now, with water levels so low boats could not be launched from the marina. You can count on a full reservoir by this summer, and by opening day fishing should be very good, with great access around the entire lake.”

“Upper-elevation lakes that are usually accessed by vehicles around opening weekend will not be accessible by opening day, and places like the San Joaquin River will also need road repairs and snow clearing before the opener.”

“The best (bets) will be any lakes that are open and accessible. With such a cold, long and harsh winter this year, the trout will be very receptive to taking whatever flies, lures or bait are put in front of them.” CS

Anglers young and old enjoy the Fishmas celebration around the Eastern Sierra. These two fished with Doug Rodricks, owner of Sierra Drifters Guide Service. “The lakes will fish well, but you can plan on the trout holding very deep this spring by the time the general trout season opens,” he advises. (SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE)

5 FOOTHILLS LAKES PRIMED FOR ANGLING

WET WINTER MEANS PLENTY OF WATER AT NORTH, CENTRAL SIERRA FISH-FACTORY RESERVOIRS

By Cal Kellogg

As I sit here hammering on the keyboard, the sky is gunmetal gray, wind is gusting hard and rain is spattering against my office window. As far as I’m concerned, this is a change for the better, since two weeks ago my driveway was buried under 4 feet of snow!

After a stubborn three-year drought, California has finally been the recipient of a rip-roaring winter. Our rivers are running chocolatemilk brown, reservoirs are being managed to prevent valley flooding, parts of the Delta are closed to boating to protect against levee erosion and the high country is blanketed with a snowpack exceeding 20 feet deep in many locations.

So, what does all this snow and rain mean for trout anglers this spring and summer? Clearly, our lakes and reservoirs are going to be full, but early on a lot of higherelevation marquee trout waters are going to be inaccessible due to snow and ice. This is a good problem to have. It means most of us will spend the spring months chasing trout and landlocked salmon at Sierra foothill lakes, and then as spring gives way to summer at lower elevations, we’ll follow spring conditions upslope into the high Sierra!

The northern and central Sierra foothills are dotted with a long list of trout lakes, so let’s take a closer look at

A drought-busting wild and wet winter may make some high-elevation Sierra lakes inaccessible longer than usual, so in the meanwhile head to the foothills for some outstanding trout action. Lake Amador is noted for producing huge rainbows and cutbows. This trophy was landed during a March trolling adventure.

(LAKE AMADOR RECREATION AREA)

a handful of foothill destinations that are sure to offer top-notch fishing this April, May and June.

COLLINS LAKE

Collins Lake is at full capacity and spilling for the first time since 2017, and the lake is absolutely packed with trout. Aggressive trout planting kicked off last November and is slated to continue right on into May.

Due to the stellar efforts of the Collins Lake Recreation Area, around 40,000 pounds of rainbow and lightning trout are going to find their way into this Yuba County impoundment.

Most of these trout are chunky battlers weighing 2 to 3 pounds, but there are also big numbers of trophy fish in the 6- to 12-pound class lurking in Collins Lake’s rich waters. Harsh weather kept a lot of anglers off the lake this winter. Those who did venture out were confronted with exceptionally cold, muddy water. As a result, most of the trout planted this winter have not been caught. Instead, they sat out the winter in deep water where they remained largely inactive.

It wasn’t until mid-March that some of the trout started stirring to life. Once the water temperature climbs into the upper 50s and lower

60s, look out, as Collins Lake’s trout population is going to go on the feed en masse and the fishing is going to be nothing short of epic.

I’ve been fishing Collins for nearly 30 years (California Sportsman, February 2023). Based on what I’ve been seeing, I think we may be on the verge of the best spring trout season on record at Collins!

If you pay Collins Lake a visit this April or May, what is the best way to get your trout on? If you are a bank angler, PowerBait is the not-so-secret ingredient for success. All the colors of the rainbow will work, but nothing produces results as consistently as green garlic-flavored dough.

Boaters can score trolling a variety of offerings. Traditionally, small Rapalas and chrome/blue Kastmasters perform well.

I’ve had exceptional luck on Trout Trix Worms, threaded nightcrawlers and plastic grubs. For trophy rainbows, say, fish in the 8- to 12-pound class, trolling flies are my hands-down choice.

Collins Lake, with its 1,200 surface acres, has become a favorite destination for kayak trout anglers over the past few years. Many of these trouters split their time between trolling and beaching their ’yaks to fish PowerBait along out-of-the-way stretches of shoreline that seldom play host to bank anglers.

In addition to fishing, the Collins Lake Recreation Area features

This huge Collins Lake rainbow weighed just over 8 pounds. The big fish blitzed an orange trolling fly pulled 2 feet deep. The Yuba County reservoir offers some of Northern California’s best trout fishing. (CAL KELLOGG/CHRIS COCOLES)

camping, boat rentals, two boat ramps, laundry facilities, showers, gas, store and more! See collinslake.com.

LAKE AMADOR

Situated in Amador County, Lake Amador is a small but deep lake boasting 385 acres at maximum capacity.

If you’re looking for the absolute biggest planted trout in the foothills, Lake Amador is the place. A slew of massive trout have come out of Amador in recent years. In 2020, Juan Garcia popped a lakerecord 20.1-pound cutbow. In the same year, Jeremy Silvas landed a 19.3-pound lake-record rainbow. In 2022, Stephen Blecha set a new lake record for lightning trout when he successfully landed a 13.04-pounder.

The management at Lake Amador operate their own trout hatchery, and the number of trout they put into the lake is incredible. In 2023, around 50,000 pounds of trout will be planted. Some of these fish are pan-sized fryers, but there are many 10-plus-pound monsters in the mix.

Between the big number of trout going into Amador and the lake’s small size, you’d think hooking up would be a pushover, but often the trout fishing is challenging. For whatever reason, Amador’s trout often play hard to get. Small offerings tend to outpace larger baits.

For bank anglers, PowerBait certainly works, but the all-time hands-down favorite bait at Amador is one or two white Berkley Power Eggs pinned on a hook. You can fish them off the bottom or suspend them under a slip bobber.

Another great option for bank anglers is tossing a No. 8 black Woolly Bugger streamer fly combined with a clear water-filled bobber. The weight of the bobber allows for long casts.

Once the rig splashes down, you can play with different retrieves until you figure out what the trout want on any given day.

When it comes to trolling, small Rapalas in blue/silver, black/silver or fire tiger are probably the No. 1 bait for producing trophy-size fish. A trolling fly, either by itself or combined with a half-inch section of nightcrawler, is a sleeper trophy bait.

For rank-and-file-sized trout,

Lake Camanche in the Mother Lode area is a great destination for spring and early-summer trout action. A lot of the trout caught at the lake are pan size, but huge 10-plus-pound trophies like the big rainbow below are in the mix too. (CHRIS COCOLES/BIG NATE’S GUIDE SERVICE)

trollers pull 2- and 3-inch soft plastic grubs in a range of different colors, Speedy Shiners in the smallest size and Gulp! Crawlers rigged behind Turbo Flashers.

Amador is kayak-friendly due to its small size. Kayakers often score well in the Jackson Creek Arm by trolling lures or drifting with bait.

If you go to Amador, be sure to bring your patience. The trout can be fickle, but you’re one bite away from battling a rainbow or cutbow in the 20-pound class!

Lake Amador has a store, restaurant, boat launching facilities, camping sites and fishing dock. For more info, see lakeamador.com.

CAMANCHE LAKE

The largest of the four Mother Lode lakes and straddling Amador, San Joaquin and Calaveras Counties, Camanche Reservoir impounds the waters of the Mokelumne River and its tributaries. Camanche is a large body of water with 7,700 surface acres when at full capacity. This makes it approximately six times the size of Collins Lake, and it has coves larger than Lake Amador.

Camanche has an extensive main body and a river arm featuring several large bays. At times the wind rips at Camanche and the waters in the river arm provide shelter for small boaters and anyone who doesn’t enjoy being bounced around.

Sixty thousand pounds of trout are annually stocked in the lake between November and May. Camanche has the reputation for booting out lots of pan-sized rainbows, but there are enough trout weighing 6 to 10 pounds to keep things interesting.

While Camanche holds big numbers of trout, tracking them down is the trick, due to the reservoir’s large size. Bank anglers have a lot of available territory to explore on both the north and south sides of the lake. Trout are planted at the North Shore and South Shore launch ramps, and the fish spread out from there.

Bank anglers at Camanche should

Capt. Monte Smith shows off a pair of limits of hard-fighting Don Pedro Reservoir ’bows his clients landed during a trolling trip this March. (GOLD COUNTRY SPORTFISHING)

These anglers wanted a mess of kokanee salmon for dinner and that is exactly what they got when they fished New Melones Reservoir with guide Capt. Smith during the summer of 2022. (GOLD COUNTRY SPORTFISHING)

have a two-rod sticker. You’ll want to soak PowerBait on one rod and fan cast with the other. In terms of lures, small Countdown Rapalas and ¼-ounce Kastmasters are great choices. Shad are the primary forage at the lake, so choose lure colors accordingly.

My rule of thumb when bank fishing Camanche is to stay on the move until I find productive water. I typically give each spot 20 to 30 minutes to produce. If no bites occur in that time frame, I make a move.

Trollers do well at Camanche pulling shad-imitating lures. Local favorites include Speedy Shiners, Trigger Spoons and Rapalas pulled from 2.5 to 3.5 mph. If the fast stuff isn’t working, 3-inch soft plastic grubs tend to work well when trolled from 1.5 to 2 mph.

A lot of kayakers are intimidated by Camanche’s large size, but I’ve had great luck fishing the reservoir from my Hobie. I typically launch off the South Shore ramp and turn right, heading up into the river arm.

The stealth of the kayak allows me

to work tight to shoreline structure and into small coves. This gives me access to plenty of water that large aluminum trout sleds have a tough time trolling.

See golakecamanche.com for more.

DON PEDRO RESERVOIR

Don Pedro, formed on the Tuolumne River watershed, is the sixth largest reservoir in California, with 13,000 surface acres when full. In my opinion, it is also one of the most overlooked lakes by California’s trout and landlocked salmon anglers. You’ll often hear trollers talk about Shasta or Berryessa, but seldom do you hear anyone singing the praises of Don Pedro. I’ve never been sure why this is the case.

First and foremost, Don Pedro is an absolute rainbow factory. The lake is planted with rainbows annually, but the reservoir also has a massive selfsustaining population of holdover and wild rainbows spawned in the Tuolumne River.

How good is the rainbow action?

I’ve fished kokanee tournaments at Don Pedro and have had to leave certain areas of the lake simply because I couldn’t keep the rainbows off my gear long enough to hook a kokanee!

In addition to the rainbows, there is a sleeper brown trout population at Don Pedro. The lake also boasts king salmon ranging up to and beyond 10 pounds and kokanee ranging from 12 to 16 inches, depending on the year.

It’s not uncommon when trolling the reservoir to pull off a “Don Pedro hat trick” of catching rainbows, kings and kokanee all in one day.

Threadfin shad fuel the rainbow and king salmon fishing at Don Pedro. During the midsummer, rolling shad in deep water on a downrigger is often the most productive option, but during the spring and early summer power trolling shad imitations from the surface to 25 feet deep at 2.5 to 3.5 mph generally works well for both rainbows and kings.

Top lures for this work include Speedy Shiners, Rapalas, Yo-Zuri L Minnows and Speed Spoons in

Your favorite high Sierra lake could be inaccessible early this spring after a barrage of winter snow. But don’t fret. “It means most of us will spend the spring months chasing trout and landlocked salmon at Sierra foothill lakes,” writes author Cal Kellogg, who caught this dandy Don Pedro rainbow while toplining an orange Metal Head Trolling Fly during a spring outing. (CAL KELLOGG)

finishes resembling shad. If you happen to hit the lake on a day when the trout are fickle, a threaded ’crawler behind a small dodger or Turbo flasher trolled at 1.8 mph is often money in the bank.

Shore anglers can score at Don Pedro slinging PowerBait, but to really get into the holdovers nothing works as well as a 2- to 3-inch live minnow drifted 6 to 10 feet deep beneath a slip bobber.

Don Pedro features a good-sized main body and an extensive river arm. Kayakers can absolutely score at the lake, but a powerboat is the way to go to really explore.

For more, see donpedrolake.com.

NEW MELONES RESERVOIR

Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties share New Melones Reservoir. Formed on the Stanislaus River, New Melones is about 25 percent smaller than Don Pedro.

While the reservoir offers very good rainbow trout fishing and boots out the occasional monster brown trout, I’m not giving New Melones honorable mention here due to the trout fishing it offers. Instead, I want to highlight the excellent kokanee fishing at the reservoir, which kicks off in May and extends well into the summer.

Of course, several California reservoirs feature kokanee, but for the past couple seasons New Melones has had the distinction of producing some of the biggest kokanee in the state. These landlocked sockeye salmon running 14 to 16 inches should be the rule this season, with fish in the 18to 19-inch class, or perhaps bigger, likely available this summer.

To catch a limit of tasty kokes, work the lake’s main body and play with standard corn-tipped kokanee offerings such as snelled spinners and hoochies teamed with dodgers until you figure out what tickles the fancy of these diminutive fish on any given day.

I’ve scored a lot of handsome New Melones kokanee on pink offerings, but orange- and green-colored lures have worked well for me too. CS

WILD FOR TROUT

WITH STOCKERS, INTRODUCED AND

By Tim E. Hovey

This time of year, I’ll start rummaging through my fishing tackle and dusting off the rods. The days are getting longer, and I’m about done staying inside.

As we move into spring, I’ve started looking at extended weather reports and checking road conditions to some of my favorite fishing spots. For me, it’s a very welcome time of year, and much needed – it’s finally time to chase trout.

When I was a kid, freshwater fishing was all about catching whatever was biting. I’d fish bait for catfish, drag spinnerbaits for bass and bounce small jigs in the shallows for panfish. During those early years, I’d occasionally catch a stocked trout or two while fishing for other species, but I never really specifically targeted them. That changed after I finished my first year of college.

A good buddy, Rich Rosen, suggested we head out during summer break to fish for trout in the high Sierra. On that trip, we caught some beefy rainbows, a few nice brown trout and I hooked and landed a beautiful chrome-colored rainbow out of Crowley Lake. After that trip, if I was fishing in freshwater, be it a lake or stream, I was targeting trout.

PLENTY OF OPTIONS

With stocked rainbows and native and wild trout present throughout California, there are many trout fishing options here in the Golden

NATIVE FISH, CALIFORNIA BRIMS WITH TROUT ANGLING OPS, AND HERE’S HOW ONE DEVOTEE TARGETS THEM ALL

Some of author Tim Hovey’s most memorable California fishing adventures are chasing the Golden State’s native or wild fish. He caught this brookie on a camping trip in the Sierra. (TIM E. HOVEY)

State. Stocked trout are hatcheryraised rainbows that are seasonally stocked in various lakes and reservoirs throughout the state. Native trout are species that exist in their historic range and have evolved there. Wild trout are species that have been stocked in waters outside their native range to provide additional recreational angling opportunities.

Many new anglers probably started their trout-catching career with stocked rainbow trout. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains a data portal on its website (nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants) to provide updated stocking information for every place that the agency stocks trout. If you’d like to head out with the family and catch a few stocked trout, or are looking to get your kids

into fishing, go to the site and check out the schedule.

STAPLE STOCKER RIGS

A great all-around rig for catching stockers is the tried-and-true Carolina rig. Using any of the various floating trout baits out there, mold some dough around a small treble hook, cast it out and let it sit. Depending on your leader length, the floating bait will stay up off the bottom, ready to be encountered by a swimming trout.

All trout are predators and usually obtain their food by chasing it down. For this reason, trout can also be caught fishing small spinners or spoons. I’ve done well catching stocked trout on small lures like Kastmasters, Panther Martins and Mepps lures.

I really enjoy lure fishing for trout,

and if I’m looking to quickly evaluate a body of water for trout presence, I’ll grab a small spinning outfit rigged with a trout spinner.

TEMPTING WILY WILDS

Fishing for native or wild trout will take a little more effort than fishing for stockers. Making another visit to the CDFW website, you can search for locations where both native and wild trout exist. These areas are almost always well off the beaten path and will definitely require more fishing effort than soaking dough bait.

To advertise the native fishing opportunities here in California, CDFW maintains a Heritage Trout Program (wildlife.ca.gov/ Conservation/Inland-Fisheries/WildTrout). This program awards anglers

Hovey also enjoys catching stocker rainbows. He used one of his favorite setups, a Carolina rig and floating bait, to land this one. (TIM E. HOVEY)

who challenge themselves and catch six different subspecies of native trout from six different drainages within their historic range. For the purpose of this challenge, the historic range includes the trout’s native distribution in California, prior to human influence, and all waters that feed into this watershed.

THE APPROACH

Wild trout fishing in California is challenging and rewarding. It’s the type of fishing that requires dedication and a good set of hiking boots. Working backcountry creeks and streams for wild fish will give you a new appreciation for trout angling.

I’ve fished remote canyons for

wild trout for over two decades, and honestly, it is one of my favorite types of freshwater fishing. I’ll pack light and hike up a trout drainage for a mile or so, and then fish my way back down to the trailhead. With limited room for casting, I’ll usually pack an ultralight rod and use ultralight spinners, small hooks and varied natural baits.

Rock hopping down the creek, I’ll sneak up on pools while looking for swimming trout. Even if I don’t spot any fish, I’ll toss a small hook baited with a small artificial worm and no weight into the water. Letting it sink naturally, I’ll watch for trout darting out from the shadows to grab it.

These trout are opportunistic and will often swim close to investigate

any sinking offering. If after a few casts I don’t see any fish, I’ll move on down the creek. If I encounter a larger pond, I switch up tactics and use a small spinner to test the waters.

A few years back, after an upstream fisheries survey I decided to fish my way back down to the truck. I spent the next 90 minutes slowly fishing downstream, catching and releasing wild trout. I caught several beautifully marked fish during that short trip, and that area remains one of my favorite wild trout locations.

A FLY GUY

Some of these locations can be easily fished with a fly rod, but my experience with fly fishing

High-elevation trout fishing can get you into some beautiful spots. Many of these backcountry waters offer low fishing pressure and wild fish. (TIM E. HOVEY)

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Coho Fishing The Egegik River

The Egegik River is touted by many experienced anglers as the best silver salmon stream in all of Alaska. Becharof Lodge On The Egegik River was the first fishing lodge to become established on the breathtaking Egegik River, and is less than a 5 minute boat ride from some of the best fishing holes on the entire river.

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FISHING

was limited. Despite some serious recommendations from my hardcore angling friends to try fly fishing, I resisted for a number of reasons. I had tried it early on in my angling career, but it just wasn’t for me. My dad even gave me a nice two-piece fly rod for my 10th birthday. Lacking any true technique, I messed with it for a few days and stored it away.

Then in 2015, my good buddy Ed Davis invited me out to a highelevation meadow to fly fish for golden trout. Ed almost exclusively uses a fly rod when fishing for trout, and I was excited to get out and see some new territory.

At the campground, Ed pulled out two fly rods and ran me through the specifics of using one of them. The next morning, we fished a small creek near our camp and I caught my first rainbow trout on a fly set-up. Later

Hovey has discovered fly fishing in recent years as well. Catching iconic golden trout at remote lakes is something every California trout angler should experience at least once. (TIM E. HOVEY)

that afternoon, we drove to a trailhead and hiked about half a mile into a beautiful meadow. Weaving through that meadow was a narrow creek full of golden trout.

Using small flies such as Parachute Adams and black ant imitations, we caught dozens of beautiful golden trout. The markings on these fish are amazing. They have a bright orange chin and belly. The gill plate has a brilliant red smudge on it, and the length of the body is yellow, merging to green, with dark markings along the side. In my opinion, it is the prettiest of California’s trout.

And now, thanks to Ed, I have three fly rods of my own.

TIME FOR TROUT

From stocked rainbows to the beautiful goldens of the mountains, California has a lot to offer trout anglers. If you’re new to trout fishing,

investigating the fish stocking portal on the CDFW website will point you in the right direction.

If you’re more adventurous and want to experience backcountry fishing opportunities, look into chasing wild and/or native trout. The same website is a wealth of information on where to locate these populations. Just know that with this 2023’s snowpack, some backcountry waters may take much longer to melt out than recent years.

Whether it’s casting floating bait into a reservoir or gently laying a fly on a meandering creek in a highelevation meadow, California trout fishing has something for every angler, no matter your experience. Spend a little time this spring experiencing what the Golden State has to offer the trout fisherman. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised where your journey takes you. CS

Cheryl Hovey, the author’s wife, caught this nice river rainbow. With the statewide trout season set to open this month, Hovey says, “California trout fishing has something for every angler, no matter your experience.” (TIM E. HOVEY)

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BREAKING THE SURFACE

SPRING MEANS TOPWATER BASS FISHING

By Mark Fong

If you are obsessed with bass fishing like me, you know there are few things sweeter than having a big ol’ fish blow up on a topwater bait.

Even though it was some 20-plus years ago, I can still vividly remember the sight of a 3-pound Lake Del Valle largemouth breaching the surface to intercept my silver and black No. 7 Rapala Minnow just before it touched down on the water.

Under the right conditions, bass will eat a topwater throughout the year, but for many, the arrival of spring signals the first topwater action of the year. Now is a great time to fish a surface lure. Bass will be in some stage of the spawn and they will be shallow and hungry.

There are plenty of great topwater lures on the market today. From floating minnows to buzzbaits to prop baits, chances are I probably have them somewhere in my tackle box. But day in and day out, I have found that a popper and a walking bait will handle the majority of spring topwater opportunities that I encounter.

POPPER TIME

The first bass I ever caught in my life was on a popper, an Arbogast Hula Popper to be exact. Poppers have come a long way since that time and they are still excellent springtime baits. When the afternoons are warm and stable early in the season, bass will begin to move up, even when the

Poppers are one of author Mark Fong’s favorite lures to entice fat largemouth bass to bite. Spring offers a great opportunity to fish topwater baits. (MARK FONG)

FISHING

water is still cool. This is my cue to slowly work a popper – like an IMA Finesse Popper – on the outside edges and around spawning areas. This is a great way to catch a big bass. While I may not get many bites doing this, the ones I do get tend to be quality.

Once the fish are spawning and on beds, working a popper and letting it come to rest above a fish on a bed is a great way to aggravate that fish into striking. Make no mistake: These are not feeding bites; the fish are striking out of pure aggression, as their mission is to get the bait out of their spawning area.

WALKING THE DOG

After the fish are done with their spawning duties, they are hungry and aggressive. On lakes that have

shad-based forage, this can overlap the shad spawn. When this happens, watch out! Wolf packs of marauding

postspawn bass will ambush and feast on the schooling shad. A walkthe-dog-style topwater bait is perfect for moving fast and covering a lot of water quickly. There is something about the side-to-side motion of a walk-the–dog-style bait that just excels in the postspawn. When the water is calm, the IMA Skimmer Grande is my choice. If there is some wind and a little chop on the water, I’ll opt instead for an IMA Little Stik walking bait. The Little Stik has a slightly bigger profile and a cupped mouth that spits and pushes a lot of water as it walks across the surface.

ESSENTIAL GEAR

I like to throw my topwater plugs on a 7-foot medium-action casting rod. I’ll spool my casting reel up with 50-pound FINS braid mainline and add a short 20-pound monofilament top-shot leader. Braid line is super important because it has zero stretch, which allows for better bait control and positive hooksets. The drawback with braid and topwaters is that the line tends to wrap around the front hooks of the bait, hence the monofilament leader.

So this spring when you hit the water, make sure you have a topwater bait at the ready, or you might just miss out on some of the best fishing of the season. CS

A solid arsenal of topwater baits would include (from top to bottom) a Little Stik, Skimmer Grande and Finesse Popper. (MARK FONG)

Ian Rigler with a pair of nice topwater smallmouth. Now that spring has arrived, “Make sure you have a topwater bait at the ready,” Fong writes, “or you might just miss out on some of the best fishing of the season.” (MARK FONG)

LOAD UP ON SAN FRAN BAY FILETS

NORCAL’S ‘CAPITAL OF HALIBUT FISHING’ OFFERS GREAT OPS FOR DELISH FLATFISH, AND HERE’S HOW

By Cal Kellogg

My buddy S.J. and I had been bouncing around central San Francisco Bay in his ancient 17-foot Boston Whaler hunting for halibut and stripers, and we had a couple keeper halibut, a 24-inch bass and a husky leopard shark in the cooler.

It was almost noon, the incoming tide was starting to move, and we had another hour or two at most to fish before the afternoon wind covered the central bay with whitecaps.

“Let’s try the east side of Alcatraz,” I suggested. “I love fishing back there on the (incoming tide).”

“I was thinking the same thing!” my partner exclaimed.

A few minutes later we were bobbing behind the iconic old prison and the tide was pushing us eastward toward the Berkeley Flats.

Instead of my regular halibut stick, I grabbed a 7-foot black bass rod mated with a low-profile Abu Revo baitcaster spooled with 20-pound braid. I snapped a 1-ounce bullet weight onto the rig’s three-way leader and pinned on a lively anchovy.

“I’m going light,” I said and then thumbed out about 75 feet of line. When I felt the sinker tick the bottom, I didn’t put the reel in gear. Instead, I thumbed the spool and focused on the feel of the tiny weight walking across the bottom.

Several minutes later I felt a light but unmistakable tug. I allowed line to

Some of California’s best flatfish action can be found on San Francisco Bay. This trophycaliber halibut was caught on live bait drifted along the west side of Angel Island. (CAL KELLOGG)

begin paying out of the reel, giving the fish a chance to inhale the bait. The fish wasn’t running. Instead, the boat was simply walking away from the fish and bait.

After a 20 count I engaged the reel and the rod slowly bent into a satisfying arch.

“Fish on, bro. It feels like a good halibut!” I shouted.

Instantly, S.J. was beside me, his gaff in hand. I kept the tip elevated and worked the reel just fast enough to keep the line tight.

The first rule of halibut fishing is fight the fish gently and they’ll return the favor by fighting you gently. The best place to fight a halibut is once it’s in the boat and my goal was to swim

the heavy fish right up to the boat and into the frying pan!

Halibut are powerful and capable of great bursts of speed. With only a tiny octopus hook securing Mr. Halibut to my rig, I was determined to avoid spurring the fish into performing any acrobatics.

A couple minutes later the fish materialized as a big brown mass off the port side and slowly came into focus. S.J. waited for me to lay the halibut out beside the boat and then made his move by sticking the big flat fish right behind the head.

I didn’t weigh the halibut, but it was a quality fish that surely would have gone 17 or 18 pounds. That’s the way I wrapped up the 2022 halibut season

last fall. With the 2023 season just getting started, I can’t wait to get back out on the rich waters of San Francisco Bay. I can already taste the blackened halibut filets that fry up perfectly in my big black cast iron skillet!

I’M SURE SOME OF you reading this article are halibut hunting veterans, but there are likely plenty of others who have never tried their hand at halibut fishing. If you’re an aspiring halibut angler, keep reading because this information will send you down the path toward success. If you’re already an old salt, it’s always good to review the basics and you might pick up something new!

The bulk of the fish spend the winter offshore in deep water, but come spring they move into bays, estuaries and along coastal beaches to spawn. They tend to hang around in water 100 feet deep or less for the duration of summer and on into fall, when they feed on baitfish and crustaceans.

While halibut are found up and down the coast, San Francisco Bay is really the capital of NorCal halibut fishing. If you’re new to the sport, this is where you should kick off your halibut fishing career.

Trolling and drifting are the two basic approaches to catching Bay Area halibut. Trolling will generally put more fish in the box, but it is tough to match the adrenaline rush you feel when a halibut grabs your anchovy as you drift with light tackle.

Since drifting live bait is the standard approach employed on most charter and many private boats, let’s

One of author Cal Kellogg’s best halibut experiences came on the east side of Alcatraz Island, the infamous former prison and one of San Francisco’s iconic landmarks. (CHRIS COCOLES)

Here we see a properly pinned live anchovy. Note the bait is bright and has fully intact scales. “The better the condition the bait is in, the more effective it is at drawing strikes,” Kellogg writes. (CAL KELLOGG)

consider this method first. If you are fishing on a charter boat, they will supply live anchovies.

Anglers in private boats who want to drift will need to score some live bait. Live anchovies are available for purchase at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Another option is using shiner perch. You can buy live perch from Bay Area bait shops, or you can use a light spinning rod baited with bits of pile worm to catch your own around piers and other structure. If you happen to catch a small- to medium-sized smelt, they make great baits too.

Perch are actually the best choice for private boaters since they aren’t as delicate as anchovies and tend to draw strikes from larger halibut.

WHETHER I’M DRIFTING FROM a private boat or a charter boat (there are many charter operators who spe-

cialize in halibut fishing), I generally bring along two rods and I advise you to do the same. Your main rod needs to be spooled with 40- to 65-pound braid and capable of handling sinkers up to 12 ounces. Since bites can be light, you’ll want a sensitive tip, but it must have the power in its lower section to lift a husky fish off the bottom.

Your second rod should either be a light baitcasting or spinning outfit to employ when the conditions allow you to use a 1- or 2-ounce sinker. It’s exciting to land a good-sized halibut on light tackle. I prefer to spool my light rod with braid, but monofilament will work too.

The standard terminal tackle for live bait fishing is a three-way rig. To construct a three-way rig, attach a 36-inch, 25-pound-test fluorocarbon leader tipped with a 1, 1/0 or 2/0 live bait or similar size octopus hook tied

on a perfection loop to one eye of a three-way swivel. Next, connect a short, light mono dropper to the second eye of the swivel.

The water in San Francisco Bay is by no means clear, but fluorocarbon is still a must. If you hit the water and the fish seem to be off the bite, dropping down to a 20- or even 15-pound-test leader can make a big difference. If you get down to 15-pound line, you’ll want to retie after every hookup. Halibut have sharp teeth and will fray a light leader.

Your sinker will be attached to this dropper. Since the dropper is made of line that is lighter than that used in the rest of the rig, the sinker will pop off if you get snagged and you’ll only have to put on a new weight rather than a whole new rig. Your main line attaches to the third eye of the swivel.

HERE’S THE BASIC APPROACH to hooking

These charter anglers had a great day aboard the Berkeley Marina-based California Dawn, coming back to port with a mess of great-eating California halibut. (CAL KELLOGG)

a halibut: When you’re ready to fish, pin a live bait on your hook upward through the chin, with the hook point exiting the tip of the nose. Hook the bait lightly and handle it gently. The better the condition your bait is in, the more effective it will be at drawing strikes.

With a bait pinned, put the rig in the water. Lower it to the bottom, engage the reel and put the rod in a rod

holder. As the boat drifts you want the rig just ticking along the bottom, not dredging through the sand and mud.

The rod slowly bending into a deep arch signals a bite. This indicates a halibut has inhaled the bait and has gotten hooked. Slide the rod out of the holder and start working the reel. Don’t pump the rod or reel quickly. Leave those heroics to the guys on the popular TV

show Wicked Tuna; just reel steadily and float your prize right up to the boat.

A lot of private boaters prefer trolling over drifting. Commercial anglers have been trolling for halibut for decades and it’s a highly effective approach.

To me, trolling is not as fun as drifting, but you can often catch more fish trolling because more ground can be covered. This approach also eliminates the need for live bait.

For trolling, you’ll need a beefy rod capable of handling up to a 16-ounce sinker. Match it with a reel loaded with 65-pound braid.

To rig up, tie a three-way swivel to the end of the main line. To one eye attach a short medium-weight dropper. To the third eye, tie on a 48-inch section of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader material. Some anglers employ a dodger or Turbo Flasher in the middle of the leader, but I typically start out with a naked bait. Halibut are super dialed into the environment, and they feel your bait and sinker moving through the water.

The most common trolling bait is a frozen anchovy or herring rigged with a pair of hooks or placed in one of the plastic bait rotators more commonly employed while trolling for salmon.

Few anglers use lures, but artificials often work well. The best artificial is a white 4-inch swimtail grub with a blue hoochie over the top of it. Other offerings that work include 3-inch wobbling spoons or shallow-running 4-inch minnow plugs.

WHETHER YOU’RE USING A lure or rigged bait, the approach is the same: To the dropper attach a 6- to 16-ounce weight – depending on the current and depth of water – and then free spool the rig out behind the boat until it just hits the bottom and then close the reel.

If your rig isn’t tapping across the bottom, you need more weight, but it’s a delicate balance. You don’t want the rig way above the bottom, but you don’t want it plowing through the mud either. The ideal speed for halibut trolling is between 1 and 3 mph.

This husky halibut inhaled a live anchovy drifted along the Berkeley Flats. Most spots in San Francisco and San Pablo Bays will hold halibut. You can also have a lot of success right along the waterfront of downtown San Francisco. (CAL KELLOGG)

These folks both scored quality halibut while drifting live bait from the decks of the California Dawn. Two halibut like these will supply enough meat for several memorable meals. (CALIFORNIA DAWN

Since halibut face into the current, maneuver the boat quartering across and slightly downcurrent. This will help you maintain a low speed while presenting the bait in front of the fish. Trolling strikes are not violent. The rod will simply bend over like it’s snagged. That’s your cue to pull it out of the holder and begin reeling.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY IS a huge body of water, and you might find halibut just about anywhere. Right around San Francisco, Angel Island, Paradise Cay, Krissy Field, the San Francisco Waterfront and the Berkeley Flats provide the most consistent fishing throughout the season.

The South Bay isn’t as consistent as

the central section of the bay, but at times the action in past the Bay Bridge is outstanding, especially during the spring and early summer. Top South Bay spots include the Alameda Rock Wall, the Oakland Airport, Candlestick Point and the area offshore of the Oyster Point Pier. To the north, the lower portion of San Pablo Bay typically yields good fishing during the late summer and early fall months.

Tides are something you should consider when planning a halibut trip. Halibut are sight feeders, meaning they utilize their vision to zero in on their prey. For this reason, the clearer the water, the better the fishing.

The bay’s clearest water is found when tides are light. Typically, halibut fishing is best during tides that feature less than 3 feet of movement, yet if the day your schedule allows you to fish features stronger tides, by all means go fishing. I’ve caught my share of halibut when the tide was absolutely ripping.

Now you’re ready for outstanding fishing in the heart of the Bay Area. 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.

SPORTFISHING)

The payoff at the end of a successful day of S.F. Bay fishing is a cooler full of beautiful halibut filets. Here we see Capt. Chris Smith fileting a chunky California halibut. (HAPPY HOOKER SPORTFISHING)

A LOT OF FISH IN THE SEA

By Capt. Bill Schaefer

So many of us just enjoy fishing, no matter the species that bites our hook.

A lot of anglers have certain target fish they really want to chase, but when a special surprise species bites, especially if it’s a giant fish, they can become ecstatic. There are so many species that coexist on natural reefs and rock piles, various dropoffs, as well as man-made structure. All these places hold such an assortment of fish that you never really know what you’re going to bring up to the boat.

BEYOND THE BASS

Saltwater anglers who target different areas in search of spotted bay bass, sand bass and calicos are probably so fixated on catching bass that they don’t really think or care about what else lives in an area. That is, at least until they hook the fish of a lifetime.

Ask yourself these questions: Do you have the right tackle and do you have a strong enough line to land that surprise giant? Did you change your drag washers recently or are they all stuck together? One quick way to check is to thumb the spool and turn the handle. It shouldn’t be herky jerky; it should be smooth and the handle should turn with some, but not too much, resistance.

These are some of the problems that you might face when hooking a giant. You may be skilled enough to play the fish out on lighter line, but if you lose one, you may need to go to heavier tackle for the next cast.

YELLOWTAIL, YEAH!

I had been fishing a reef for bass when

IT PAYS TO BRING STOUTER GEAR THAN JUST WHAT YOUR TARGET SPECIES REQUIRES

Jeff King caught this nice yellowtail while fishing a man-made reef off San Diego’s Mission Beach. You might be targeting a specific species, but the Pacific Ocean offers so many surprises that you should bring extra gear to handle bigger fish.

(BILL SCHAEFER)

I noticed large marks on the screen. I was sure they were yellowtail, but I ignored them. Then I hooked a fish that spooled my Daiwa Lexa 300 before I could even think about

chasing him with the boat. I grabbed a larger 400-size Lexa with more line capacity and 60-pound Maxima braid. I tied on the same swimbait I was using and hooked and landed an 18-pound yellowtail. I’m sure there were larger ones in the area.

They were on the prowl for food and we hooked and caught a few more because we were prepared to move up in tackle size. If you hook and get smoked by a giant fish at least once – and hopefully not twice – then you had better grab that larger rod you brought to send the next bait down. You never know what might be down there. A school of white seabass may have moved into the area.

CHANGE OF PACE

I was fishing with the late Al Kalin, former owner of Kalin Lures, on the seaward side of San Diego Bay’s Zuniga Jetty. We were catching spotty after spotty in the second section in from the tip. All of a sudden the bass

stopped biting. I then hooked a fish that almost spooled me on my light bay gear before coming unhooked. Al had a little heavier tackle and landed a small white seabass, then another and another, as we caught fish to 18 pounds. I had heavier tackle so we could venture to the kelp later, so I was able to contribute to the count of 23 white seabass.

Bay fishing is no exception; always carry a heavier rod-and-reel combo for those times when you stumble across larger fish than you had planned on fishing for. Spool me once, shame on you; spool me twice, shame on me.

FLATFISH FIESTA

This time of year you can stumble across large halibut in the bay, so always have a heavier rod set up with a wired jighead. I use a piece of singlestrand 30-pound wire, about 6 inches long, and wire one end to a loop and the other to various size jigheads. The wire is about the diameter of 4-pound

Tom Buckalew with a nice lingcod taken off a man-made reef near Imperial Beach. Heavier line and rods might be necessary to land a monster like this. Are you prepared for that? (BILL SCHAEFER)

monofilament.

Usually, if halibut are getting off your line, you should change over to this. The reason you get bit off is that the halibut is large enough to suck in your entire lure and when you set the hook, you break the line off on its teeth. The wire will pass the teeth and usually you’ll be able to successfully land that tasty fish. This time of year the halibut are schooled up and spawning, so you should catch several in an area.

CHECK THAT LINE

Many saltwater bass fishermen are already prepared, as they have rods with monofilament as well as braid, but you also have to think about line capacity. A giant can spool you in a second, even with braided line.

One more quick example was a trip we took into La Jolla’s boiler rocks for calicos. I was throwing braid and a swimbait, but on a smaller-capacity

reel. I hooked and landed – but only with some luck – a 33-pound white seabass. He almost spooled me a few times before tuckering out.

If you keep getting broken off when fishing a reef, it’s time to go up in line size and capacity. You may be hooking one giant lingcod after another. You want to land those giants, so start out with a heavy line and capacity or quickly change over. The bass on the reef you’re fishing for might be line-shy and I can’t blame you for using light tackle to get bit, but the second you get rocked, go up in rod, reel and line size. You need the right tackle to get those surprise fish in.

HAVE EXTRA

Let’s review what tackle you should take. I am going to assume that you all own more than a couple rods, as most fishermen do. You may even find a use for a rod and reel that’s

sitting in the corner because you think it’s too heavy. Break it out, line it up and have it with you on your next trip. I usually carry a half-dozen rods when fishing – sometimes more. I am someone who likes to be able to just pick up the next rod I need and throw it out. Old tournament fishing habit, I guess, but a good habit. You don’t really need a ton of rods; just one that’s heavier than the rest.

I normally carry the entire spectrum when out for salty bass: Daiwa DXSB Swimbait rods in 10- to 30-, 12- to 40and 20- to 50-pound test, with Lexa WN 300 or 400 reels. I start loading them with Maxima Ultragreen mono in 12-, 15- and 20-pound test.

From there, I use Daiwa and Maxima braided line from 30- to 65-pound test on Daiwa Proteus WN rods. I cross the entire spectrum I need with about five or six rods. This includes my jig stick, a Daiwa Proteus WN rod in 8 feet, 10 inches with a Lexa 400 and 65-pound braid with a top shot of 30-pound-test Ultragreen. I can easily switch to heavier tackle.

It still amazes me how so many different fish eat swimbaits. Different colors surely make a difference, as does the size of the tail and the vibration it sends out to the fish’s lateral line. If you hit that special vibe and whatever they are eating gives off the same one, then you will get bit no matter the species. That’s why it’s a good idea to carry different companies’ baits. All the designers make their tail vibrate a certain way and you should take advantage of that. It could reward you with a big surprise.

I just told a few old fishing stories, but I want to prepare those of you who don’t think about it that much. I want the rookie to moderate fishermen to advance and start bringing in those surprise fish of a lifetime, whether it is a giant white or black sea bass, a large halibut or a big lingcod, or even a monster yellowtail.

I know a lot of you think about it but get too set in your ways. Just be prepared and you will score that fish you weren’t expecting. CS

Author Bill Schaefer landed a surprise of his own. This sheepshead was taken from a natural break in the bottom around Point Loma. It weighed in at 28 pounds, just 2 pounds off the California record. You never know what might be swimming out there. (BILL SCHAEFER)

ON TASTIER WILD TURKEY

HERE'S HOW TO PLUCK, CUT UP AND COOK A SPRING TOM FOR OPTIMAL TABLE FARE

By Scott Haugen

If I hear another turkey hunter say they can’t stand eating wild turkey, I’m going to scream!

When properly broken down and cared for, wild turkeys are some of the best-eating game birds out there. The key to consistent table-fare success, however, lies in proper field care, preparation and cooking.

Turkey meat is very lean, so don’t cook it like a store-bought bird. Be aware that the thin skin of a wild turkey does not act the same as an overly fat, factory-farmed bird. When cooking a whole wild turkey, it can be skinned or plucked. Which approach you choose comes down to personal preference.

To skin a turkey, pick up where you left off when gutting it. Simply continue cutting the skin from the keel up to the base of the neck. Peel the skin down the side of each breast to the wings. Remove the wings by severing them at the wrist joint.

Continue peeling the skin off the carcass, working your way around the back and tail. Peel the skin down each leg and sever at the tarsal joint. With the skin now loose from the legs, back and breast, work the skin around the shoulders, to the neck.

Author Scott Haugen has taken scores of turkeys throughout the country over the past 35 years, and ranks them among the best-eating game birds out there. The key is proper field care and not overcooking them. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

TO FIRE

GOBBLER GOES GREAT WITH CURRY

By Tiffany Haugen

When properly taken care of in the field and not overcooked, wild turkey is one of the best-tasting, most tender upland game birds there is, no matter if it’s a jake or an old tom.

After taking a bird, get it field dressed and quickly cooled. Don’t toss the birds around, as the meat easily bruises. Turkeys are big birds and retain heat for a long time, so get it in a cooler with ice or in a

refrigerator asap after the kill.

At Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, relatives devour the wild turkeys I cook, well ahead of the store-bought bird someone else brings. One of the great things about wild turkey meat is its mild taste, thus it easily takes on the flavors with which it’s cooked.

While originating in northern India, butter chicken is a popular curry dish throughout the world. Butter chicken can also be a less complicated because it contains fewer spices than some curries, yet adapts well to wild turkey. The added healthy fat from cashews makes this dish extra creamy. Canned coconut milk can be substituted for cream if desired. Using a blender or food processor will make this a fast and easy meal.

For slow-cooked wild turkey legs and thighs to cook separately, blend all marinade and sauce ingredients together in a blender. Add everything to a Crock-Pot and cook on high three to five hours or until meat falls from the bone.

1 pound wild turkey breast

MARINADE

½ cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ to 1 teaspoon cayenne or Kashmiri chili pepper

SAUCE

3 tablespoons butter plus 1 additional tablespoon

1 cup cashews

1 cup tomato sauce

½ cup cream

2 teaspoons sugar, optional

1 teaspoon salt

Water

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Cut turkey breast into bite-sized pieces. In a blender or food processor, add yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, cumin and pepper. Blend or pulse until marinade is smooth. Coat all turkey pieces with marinade, then cover and refrigerate three to 12 hours. In a small bowl, cover cashews in water and soak while refrigerated for three to 12 hours.

Remove marinated turkey and cashews from the refrigerator and drain water from cashews. In a blender or food processor, add soaked cashews, tomato sauce, sugar and salt. Blend or pulse till sauce is smooth.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter on medium-high heat. Remove turkey pieces from marinade and add to skillet. Brown turkey on all sides and remove from pan.

Add another tablespoon of butter to the skillet and add remaining marinade. Once the marinade is bubbling, add blended cashew and tomato mixture. Bring sauce to a boil. Add the turkey to the sauce and reduce to medium-low heat. Simmer four to six minutes, adding cream right before serving. Add additional hot water to achieve desired sauce consistency. Serve over basmati rice with fresh cilantro.

Editor’s note: To order signed copies of Tiffany Haugen's popular book, Cooking Game Birds, visit scotthaugen.com for this and other titles.

When Scott and Tiffany Haugen harvest a tom or a jake, one of their go-to gobbler recipes is flavored with spicy curry and other infusions. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

Turkeys can also be plucked, wet or dry. The goal of plucking a turkey is to keep the skin intact so it retains moisture when cooked, as the skin will protect the meat.

PUT IN THE WORK

Dry-plucking a turkey requires time. While it’s quicker to pluck the feathers by pulling them toward the head, this can also result in easily tearing the thin skin. Instead, try plucking feathers by pulling them toward the tail, in the direction the feathers naturally lay.

When wet-plucking a turkey, bring a large pot of water to a boil; be sure there is enough water to fully submerge the bird. While the water is reaching a boil, remove the wings and pluck the tail feathers.

Once the water reaches a boil, or 140 degrees, grab the bird by the feet using thick rubber gloves and submerge it. Hold the bird under water for seven seconds and no longer, as this will result in the meat

and skin starting to cook and the skin easily tearing when plucking.

Remove the bird, grab it by the head and start plucking. To avoid tearing the skin, pull the feathers in a downward motion, toward the tail. It takes only minutes to pluck a bird in this way; the longest step is boiling the water.

Cooked whole, the legs, thighs and neck meat will turn out different from the breast meat. This is why many hunters prefer portioning their turkeys in order to get the highest quality end product from each part.

PORTION CONTROL

When portioning a turkey, start by removing the breast meat. Using a 7-inch filet knife, keep the blade running against the breast bones in order to optimize meat retention. Sever the breast meat at the shoulder and repeat on the other side. The tenderloin can be separated from the breast at this time. Tenderloins are tasty when cooked hot and fast.

Remove the legs and thighs by firmly pressing downward until they pop out of the hip socket. Cut through the ball and socket joint, keeping your blade close to the skeleton to retain all the thigh meat. Once removed, you can separate the legs from the thighs. Leg meat is the toughest part of a turkey and is great when slow cooked.

Remove the wings from the carcass by cutting through the shoulder joint. Next, remove the neck at the base and separate the breastbone from the lower spine. The breastbone, backbone and neck can be used to make turkey stock, one of the most flavorful, healthiest broths you’ll create from a wild bird.

GOTTA HAVE HEART

Don’t overlook the heart and gizzard. Remove the large vessels and all blood from the heart, and the grinding plates and silver skin from the gizzard. These can be diced for stir-fries, quickly sautéed or tossed

A fully broken-down wild turkey looks like this. Breast meat can also be made into turkey jerky or ground into sausage or burger. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

into the Crock-Pot for slow cooking

While turkey breast meat can be cooked many ways, just remember it’s a very lean meat and thickness varies, even across a single breast. If looking for an alternative way to prepare the breast meat, consider cutting it into strips and making jerky. It can also be ground and made into breakfast sausage or turkey burgers.

Wild turkey tastes best when cooked soon after the harvest. If you find yourself with multiple birds over the course of the season, consider vacuum sealing the cuts of meat for long-term freezer storage. With proper field care and taking care not to overcook it, wild turkey will become a favorite of most who try it. CS

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular Turkey Hunting The West: Strategies For All Levels book, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

If freezing wild turkey, vacuum seal the meat for the best cooking results. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

DAISY’S DRIVE

By Scott Haugen

Highland Hills Ranch is located north of Condon, Oregon, in its own pristine valley. I’ve wanted to see this place since it was built 20 years ago. In February I finally got to, on an upland bird hunt.

I could elaborate on the plush lodge, incredible food, outstanding staff and breathtaking scenery, but this is about Daisy and her master. Daisy is a 2½-year-old cocker spaniel owned by Tyler Biggs. Biggs is young and just wrapped up his third season of guiding for the ranch. Hunting on a 3,000-acre preserve from October through March, six days a week, offers a lifetime of experience in a

short time for dogs and trainers.

You can tell a lot about a man by his dogs. Biggs has 14 gun dogs he rotates. He guides two hunts a day – one in the morning, one in the afternoon. He has to have fresh, healthy dogs every time out. His pointers are Brittany and English pointers and they’re all solid, hard-working, extremely welldisciplined, driven dogs.

DAISY IS A FLUSHER. What this shortlegged little dynamo saw blew me away. I figured she’d struggle to spot, let alone smell birds holding in thick cover. She never missed a bird in tall grass, thick sage or dense millet fields. She hunted with us every morning and afternoon. She’s the only dog

that hunts every time out.

“She moves so efficiently she doesn’t tire out on cool days like we’ve been having,” noted Biggs.

Highland Hills is unlike any private preserve I’ve hunted. Yes, there’s farmland in the river bottom, but the scree slopes and rocky pinnacles are as challenging as any wild chukar grounds I’ve hunted. The grassy, rolling knobs are vast, as are the sagebrush thickets. Daisy never missed a beat.

When she moved in for a flush, Daisy got birds up and kept searching. She never chased birds. Honoring the two dogs on point, Daisy would sneak into position and when the hunters were ready, Biggs released her with calm words. She knew chukars could

Daisy, a 2½-year-old cocker spaniel owned by guide Tyler Biggs, impressed gun dog owner and writer Scott Haugen during a late-season upland bird hunt at a northcentral Oregon shooting preserve. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

flush sporadically, or that big coveys of quail could be spread out, or that more than one rooster often held in thick cover. Daisy kept searching until she saw birds fall. It didn’t matter what dogs she hunted with – Brits or English pointers, even other cockers –Daisy worked perfectly.

When she struggled to see above cover, Daisy would hop on her back legs for a better view. When she wasn’t sure what to do, she’d stop and look to Biggs for instruction, in the form of both verbal and hand signals. His directions were always calm and direct, never urgent. All of Biggs’ dogs respected and worked hard for him. That says it all.

When a bird was shot, Daisy marked and was on it remarkably fast. How she saw some of the birds in the thick cover, I have no idea. But she did, and often had them in her jaws the instant they hit the ground. She had multiple double retrieves. My two buddies and I killed over 100 birds and Daisy retrieved

Cocker spaniels are hard-working, driven, focused and can read and anticipate situations with precision. Daisy put up and retrieved over 100 birds in two days, including these five roosters. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

most of them. Twice she swam a river for a retrieve – once for a quail, once for a pheasant. One time she climbed a very steep shale slope and delivered a nice rooster to Biggs.

Bird in mouth, Daisy couldn’t get to Biggs fast enough on every retrieve. It was like she was being timed and couldn’t be late. Once the bird was in hand, it was time for some affection. Biggs would crouch down and Daisy would get on her hind legs and try embedding herself in his vest, give a lick, then it was back to business. Sometimes, when there was a lull in the action, Daisy would sprint all the way back to Biggs, get a reassurance hug, then get back to the hunt. This lovable demeanor was a joy to watch, a bonding and respectful relationship all trainers yearn for.

Daisy read the room like no dog I’ve seen. She knew exactly what each pointer was doing, where they were at all times, where the three hunters were, and where Biggs was. She worked the wind to perfection, and never, ever flushed a bird early. Daisy never competed with the other dogs. She respected and worked with them on the hunt, during down times and when traveling.

BIGGS HAS TWO OTHER cocker spaniels he’s training, both five months old. They came with us, one at a time, on each hunt.

“These dogs pretty much teach one

SUBGAUGE OPTIONS

On this hunt my buddies and I shot 20-gauges. Highland Hills Ranch is part of Federal Ammunition’s Select Outfitters Program and they have 2¾-inch No. 6 lead shells for customers. After a season of shooting steel and other nontoxic loads at waterfowl, it was nice to be back in the lead game. This load just kills, as it always has. One afternoon I broke out my .410. We hunted a river bottom thick with cover. Pheasants were the main target, but speedy quail also lived there. I wanted a load that would knock down roosters, but hold a tight pattern and cover distance, catching up with topknots. I left my lead loads behind, grabbing a box of Hevi-Bismuth. I’d shot this 3-inch No. 6 load in duck season, killing mallards with conviction in a small creek where they decoyed. Again, the load worked well, quickly dropping roosters and catching up with fast-flying quail. –SH

another,” Biggs smiled, watching one of the pups run with Daisy. “They’re a smart breed and pick up on things fast.”

Rowan, a gorgeous black cocker pup, retrieved a chukar that blew me away. The bird didn’t go down on the first shot, sailed over a ridge, out of sight, but Rowan had the mark. He came back a few minutes later, full speed, delivered it to hand and demanded some loving before getting back to work.

Shooting me a smile, Biggs said, “They’re all like this.”

If you’re searching for a hardworking, small flushing and retrieving dog that loves affection, the bloodline of cocker spaniels that

Biggs is working with is tops. When he’s not hunting, Biggs is training dogs for hunters; he has a facility in Maupin, Oregon, where he works May through July. August and September he’s with his own dogs, training in the prairies of the West. Then it’s off to Highland Hills Ranch from October through March. For Biggs and his dogs, the hunting and the learning never stop, and none of them want it any other way. CS

Editor’s note: Learn more about this hunt at highlandhillsranch.com. For dog training, breeding and guiding, contact Tyler Biggs of Biggs Gun Dogs at tylerbiggs7@yahoo.com.

Teamwork to perfection. Moments later, Daisy, the cocker in the middle, was released for the flush, then made a spot-on retrieve. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

Hevi-Bismuth .410-bore loads work well on ducks and upland birds alike for the author. (SCOTT HAUGEN)