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California
Sportsman Your LOCAL Hunting & Fishing Resource
Volume 13 • Issue 10 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles CONTRIBUTORS Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Todd Kline, Sean Richardson, Tim Richardson, Bill Schaefer SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker DIGITAL STRATEGIST Jon Hines DIGITAL ASSISTANT Jon Ekse ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@calsportsmanmag.com CORRESPONDENCE Email ccocoles@media-inc.com Twitter @CalSportsMan Facebook.com/californiasportsmanmagazine ON THE COVER Summer in California means there are plenty of lakes throughout the state that offer some outstanding catfish opportunities. All it takes is either fishing at night or early in the morning and a lot of stink baits, nightcrawlers, chicken livers, and anchovies, among other options. (JERRY HAN)
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CONTENTS
VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 10
47
GIVE BAIT A BUOYANCY BOOST
With warm lake and stream temperatures, trout might be a little more difficult to coax bites out of than in the fall or spring, but Scott Haugen has a lil’ helper that he uses when fishing with PowerBait or other floating dough, one that makes his setups more effective in summer’s weedy waters. And once you’ve filled your stringer with fresh rainbows, try Tiffany Haugen’s falafel-infused recipe in their From Field to Fire feature. (ROBERT WALDRON/CDFW)
FEATURES 18
INVASIVE SPECIES CHECK IN THE WEST
A joint project between our friends at Wildlife Forever and the United States Geological Survey broke down what aquatic invasive species are most damaging in each Western state by congressional district, with areas around the Bay Area’s Contra Costa and Alameda Counties seeing some of California’s biggest infestations. Find out how the surveying was done and also what unwelcome nonindigenous fish, crustaceans, bivalves and other water-borne pests made the dubious top 25 list.
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BAD TO THE BONEFISH
Bonefish are prized targets for anglers in the shallow, warm waters around the Florida Keys and the Caribbean and over recent decades their Pacific cousin has adapted to San Diego and Mission Bays, thriving there. Despite modest sizes, they will fight your light tackle with fury. Capt. Bill Schaefer, who fishes these waters regularly, offers up some tips on how and where to target bonefish.
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HELLO, KITTY
Summer in California usually means a great opportunity for anglers to break out the lanterns and stinky baits and try their luck for catfish at lakes all over the Golden State. From Clear Lake in the north to productive fisheries throughout the San Diego area, these feisty whiskered beasts will test your tackle and make your grills and frying pans sizzle. Cats have always been a favorite target of editor Chris Cocoles, who shares some of his memorable fish tales that have occurred around the state.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 9 11 15 17 27 37 55
The Editor’s Note: Returning to spectacular Crater Lake The Adventures of Todd Kline Photo contest winners Outdoor Calendar Protecting Wild California: RMEF secures elk habitat in Eel River area Heat, weeds take over Novato bass fishing trip How quality food makes for better hunting dogs
Read California Sportsman on your desktop or mobile device. Go to www.calsportsmanmag.com/digital California Sportsman is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Avenue South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues). Send check or money order to Media Index Publishing Group, or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2021 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 6 California Sportsman AUGUST 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com
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THEEDITOR’SNOTE
Emma Cocoles takes in the moment at Oregon’s Crater Lake, a spectacular view the editor was lucky enough to experience a second time about 35 years after his first. (CHRIS COCOLES)
I
t was a long time ago, but one of my favorite teenage memories was road-tripping with my dad to Northern California and Oregon. It was a refreshing change of pace for usual family getaways. I’ve written in this space before about Cocoles clan summer vacations. It was essentially Lake Tahoe, and Lake Tahoe, and then Lake Tahoe again. Which I can’t complain about too much now and it fills me with plenty of nostalgia as I’ve gotten older. But somehow one summer I convinced my pop to do something different for a father-son trip. So sometime around my junior or senior year of high school we got in his vintage 1963 Lincoln Continental and headed north along Highway 101, checking out the NorCal coast before heading inland into Oregon, my first visit to another state not named Nevada. We eventually hit Crater Lake National Park. (I’ll never forget my dad offering a ride to a solo German tourist who was hiking up the steep hill along the highway to reach the visitor’s center. The young man was extremely grateful to avoid that ascent.) When we got to the rim of Crater Lake, I was in awe of the view of the filled-in caldera that was once 12,000-foot Mount Mazama before it erupted almost 8,000 years ago. Having seen the epic blue waters of Tahoe so many times I hadn’t witnessed anything like it. Until the pilgrimage to Crater Lake. More than 35 years later I was fortunate enough to return. My sister Charlene, niece Amanda and my dog Emma joined me this time, and I was so thrilled to see other family members have the same reaction I did with my dad. I couldn’t help but reflect about that first trip and how lucky we are to savor the surreal beauty of our treasured national parks. (The next day we got to repeat the moment all over again when we checked out more stunning vistas – plus a lot of deer – at Washington’s Olympic National Park enroute to my home in Seattle.) My niece is now obsessed with visiting as many national parks as she can trek to. And shame on me for waiting so long to get back to Crater Lake. But holy crap, that view was as breathtaking and memorable as the first time. -Chris Cocoles calsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2021 California Sportsman
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s e r u t n e v d A
W
e’re not ashamed to admit it: Todd Kline has the kind of life we wish we could experience. Kline’s a former professional surfer, a successful co-angler on the FLW Tour and a Southern California bass guide, plus he gets to travel the world as a commentator for the World Surf League’s telecasts. Todd has agreed to give us a peek 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
I am originally from Florida and my family still lives there. I went home last month to celebrate my mom’s 75th birthday in the Florida Keys. (TODD KLINE) Mom booked us a snook trip in Palm Beach. My son Dylan managed to score his personal best – I was a proud dad! (TODD KLINE)
Some great family time in Florida with my brother, mom and myself. (TODD KLINE)
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Also getting in on the Florida snook action was my brother Rory (far right) and his sons Cooper (second from left) and Tanner, who caught this great fish. (TODD KLINE)
During our time in the Florida Keys we had waterfront accommodations. (TODD KLINE)
Back home in California, I guided a father-son trip that proved to be a fantastic day. The kid caught this pig on a Yamamoto Thin Senko! (TODD KLINE)
The Keys at night can be magical. This is Sailfish Marina. (TODD KLINE)
This massive fish blew up on a Terminator frog but missed it. I followed up by pitching a green pumpkin Terminator jig with a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog into the same hole and she ate it. (TODD KLINE) 12 California Sportsman AUGUST JULY 20212021 | calsportsmanmag.com | calsportsmanmag.com
NE)
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PHOTO
CONTEST
WINNERS!
Keevin Collier is the winner of our monthly Fishing Photo Contest, thanks to this shot of son Kayson, aka Little Crappie Killa, and his Oregon crappie. It wins him gear from various tackle manufacturers!
Jerry Han is our monthly Coast Hunting Photo Contest winner, thanks to this pic of sons Austin and Corbin and their double on Washington gobblers. It wins him a knife and light from Coast!
Pistol Bullets and Ammunition Zero Bullet Company, Inc.
For your shot at winning hunting and fishing products, send your photos and pertinent details (who, what, when, where) to ccocoles@media-inc .com or California Sportsman, 14240 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. By sending us photos, you affirm you have the right to distribute them for our print or Internet publications.
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AUGUST 7-15 Most archery pronghorn hunting season dates 14 Pardee Lake Team Kokanee Derby (moved from Bullards Bar Reservoir); kokaneepower.org 14-20 Owens Valley Multiple Zone Archery-only bull tule elk hunt dates 17-20 Grizzly Island Period 1 apprentice antlerless archery tule elk hunt dates 19-22 Grizzly Island Period 2 apprentice archery spike bull tule elk hunt dates 21 Zones B-1, -2, -3, -5 and -6 archery deer seasons open 21 Archery-only and falconry quail, grouse, pheasant and chukar hunting seasons open 21 Most D Zone archery deer seasons open 21-29 Most general and apprentice pronghorn hunting season dates 27 Start of Ambush at the Lake fall fishing derby, Convict Lake; convictlake.com, (800) 992-2260
OUTDOOR CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 1-15 4
First dove hunting season dates Statewide Free Fishing Day (no general fishing license required); wildlife.ca.gov/ licensing/fishing/free-fishing-days 11 Shaver Lake Team Kokanee Derby; kokaneepower.org 11 Zone Q1 mountain quail hunting season opens 11 Sooty (blue) and ruffed grouse season opens 11-19 White-tailed ptarmigan hunting season dates 18 Most Zones B and C, plus D-6 and -7 deer hunting seasons open 18 Zone X-9A deer season opens 19-26 Northern Zone band-tailed pigeon season dates 25 Zones D-3, -4, -5, -8, -9 and -10 deer seasons open 25 Zone X-8 deer season opens 25 Zone Q2 all-quail season opens 26 Rush Creek Cleanup and BBQ, Silver Lake Resort; (760) 648-7525 Note: COVID-19 restrictions were easing at press time, but always confirm events before attending. For a complete list of bass tournaments statewide, go to dfg.ca.gov/FishingContests/default.aspx.
Several archery deer hunting seasons will commence in August, including many B Zones that cover several Northern and Northeast California counties. (CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE)
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THE ‘BATTL OF THE B
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FISHING
TLE E BADS’
WILDLIFE FOREVER, USGS RANK WEST’S MOST HARMFUL AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES By Tim Richardson & Sean Richardson, Wildlife Forever
W
ildlife Forever has partnered with the United States Geological Survey to map invasive species and their connection to congressional districts of the Western United States. The new report commissioned by the Bureau of Land Management highlights 25 nonindigenous aquatic species, or NAS, and ranks congressional districts’ level of infestations. The “Battle of the Bads” report was developed with information from leading biologists, the BLM and USGS to determine the most harmful NAS and their current spread throughout the Western states. Congressional districts were given an infestation score that corresponds to the current level of NAS. The report found that Oregon Congressional District 2 and
Four species of carp ranked among the most harmful nonindigenous aquatic species, or NAS, threatening Western states in a survey conducted by Wildlife Forever and the United States Geological Survey. Fortunately, silver carp like these haven’t spread in the region as they have through the Mississippi River watershed, but cousins common carp have been introduced across the West and in California. (WILDLIFE FOREVER)
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FISHING One of Wildlife Forever’s key outreach programs is the Clean Drain Dry Initiative for boaters to help prevent the spread of quagga and zebra mussels between fisheries. Along with creating massive colonies that can impact infrastructure, the mussels filter out phytoplankton critical for native species. (WILDLIFE FOREVER)
HOW CONGRESS DISTRICTS WERE RANKED
H
ere is an example of one state’s congressional district’s findings in the “Battle of the Bads” survey from Wildlife Forever and the U.S. Geological Survey. Nevada’s District 3, which covers an area south of Las Vegas, had an infestation score of 74. The nonindigenous aquatic species present in the district are the following: • Quagga/zebra mussels; harm score = 25 • Eurasian milfoil*; harm score = 24/2 = 12 • Asian clam*; harm score = 16/2 = 8 • Bullfrog ; harm score = 11 • Common carp; harm score = 10 • Armored sailfin catfish*; harm score = 5/2 = 3 • Western mosquitofish; harm score = 4 • Red swamp crayfish; harm score = 1 * indicates a minor infestation Nevada District 3’s infestation score adds up thusly: 25 + 12 + 8 + 11 + 10 + 3 + 4 + 1 for a score of 74. CS
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Arizona Congressional Districts 1 and 4 ranked as the top three worst infested areas. California Congressional District 15 – covering parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the Bay Area – and Colorado’s District 3 also ranked as highly infested locations in the West. Wildlife Forever hopes this report will educate the public and prompt policy makers and federal natural resource agencies to take a bolder, more aggressive stance toward funding prevention in the fight against invasive species. “I hope this report inspires action from Congress. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and our natural resources,” said Pat Conzemius, president and CEO of Wildlife Forever. “However, through wellfunded prevention and eradication programs, we know from experience that we can have a huge impact at reversing the damaging effects of
FISHING The massive infestation of silver carp knocking at the door of the Great Lakes is a wakeup call about the danger of invasive species in our waters and Wildlife Forever CEO Pat Conzemius hopes his organization’s report on the Western states spurs Congress to act. “Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and our natural resources. We know from experience that we can have a huge impact at reversing the damaging effects of invasives,” he says. (WILDLIFE FOREVER)
invasives.” “This story gives a snapshot of our current NAS database infestation maps,” added Wesley Daniel, NAS database coordinator with the USGS. “The introduction and dispersal of nonnative and invasive aquatic species evolves every day, and it is important that the public be aware of the current and potential threats species pose. The first step toward change is awareness, which determines whether it is a success story over time.”
HOW THE SURVEY WAS CREATED To determine the most harmful NAS within states west of the 100th meridian with significant BLM acreage, Wildlife Forever asked 12 professional biologists to rank their top 20 most harmful NAS from a list
of 104 such species as provided by the USGS. The western “BLM States” analyzed are 11 contiguous states that have large-scale BLM land holdings: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Each identified species was assigned points based upon the biologists’ ranking responses. If a biologist ranked a species as the most harmful, that species was awarded 20 points; if ranked second most harmful, it was awarded 19 points; and so on. After tallying the points from all the ranking surveys, a list of the 25 most harmful NAS was created for what Wildlife Forever calls the “Battle of the Bads.”
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To determine the final ranking order, we asked the biologists to rerank the NAS list, but this time choosing from the 25 species selected by the first round of surveys. The final NAS list of the top 25 most harmful species was then assigned a “harm score” per species based on their rank within the top 25. The most harmful has a score of 25 and down to a single point for least harmful of the list.
DETERMINING THE PREVALENCE OF EACH SPECIES From maps obtained through the USGS, Wildlife Forever was able to determine the locations of each NAS. The maps were generated from the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database and authored by Justin Procopio under the supervision of
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FISHING dialogue on NAS prevalence on BLM lands in the West.
GRAPHING EACH STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS BY INFESTATION SCORE
Wesley Daniel of the USGS. The maps contain the geographical area of each species overlayed onto a map of the U.S. Congressional Districts within states west of the 100th meridian. Urban congressional districts,
like Nevada’s District 1, home to Las Vegas, were not included in this analysis. In total, 56 predominantly rural congressional districts were analyzed. For each district and each species, it was loosely estimated whether the species was prevalent to a “major” or “minor” extent within a given district. A species’ full harm score was assigned in cases of major prevalence and half a species’ score in cases of minor prevalence. A district’s infestation score is the sum of all the species prevalent in the district, weighted by each species’ score. Again, during each district’s calculation, if a species was judged to be a major infestation, its full harm score was assigned. If it was estimated to be a minor infestation, only half of the score was assigned and rounded up to the nearest whole number. A high infestation score means NAS are a major problem in that district. A low score shows a relatively minor infestation status in the district. The report authors recognize that the above scoring formula is inexact. However, it is hoped that the report provides a jumping-off point for
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To illustrate which districts in each state have the worst NAS problems, a bar graph was made for each state. The graphs visualize the infestation score of each state’s Congressional districts. To determine which NAS are most prevalent and problematic, we calculated each species’ “total infestation score,” which is the sum of each species’ harm score multiplied by its prevalence. For example, the rusty crayfish, which has a harm score of 23, is prevalent in five districts and somewhat prevalent in one. Its total infestation score of calculated to 127. Alternatively, the New Zealand mudsnail, which has a harm score of 22, is prevalent in 35 districts and somewhat prevalent in one district. Its total infestation score reached 781. Even though the biologists consider the rusty crayfish more harmful than the New Zealand mudsnail, it is much less prevalent, which gave it a lower total infestation score. While the score is not rigorously scientific, it does indicate which species natural resource agencies may want to focus on. One drawback of the total infestation score is that the districts vary greatly with size. For example, both Montana and Wyoming only have one congressional district due to their population, whereas California has many more districts, some of which are quite small. Thus, our Battle of the Bads rankings skew a bit towards species that are problems to a greater or lesser extent in states with more districts. CS Editor’s note: Justin Procopio and Wesley Daniel of the United State Geological Survey contributed to this report. For more on Wildlife Forever’s projects, go to wildlifeforever.org and like at facebook. com/Wildlifeforever.
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PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA
RMEF ACQUIRES NORCAL LAND TO HELP PRESERVE TULE ELK HABITAT By Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
T
hanks to the strong conservation ethic and vision of a Northern California landowner, Rich Padula, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is pleased to announce nearly 12,000 acres of tule elk habitat is now permanently protected and in the public’s hands. The conservation transaction con-
serves critical forestlands from threats of conversion and builds upon the Eel River Peninsula Conservation Strategy to protect up to 70,000 acres of Northern California’s coastal wildlife habitat. “Seldom can one man make such a positive impact on one wildlife species, but that is exactly what Rich Padula has done,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “His actions over a number of years cement a conservation legacy
that benefits the future of tule elk as well as other wildlife.” RMEF purchased 8,092 acres of the 11,902-acre tract about 125 miles north of San Francisco and conveyed it to the adjacent Mendocino National Forest, thus opening it to public access and protecting critical tule elk and other wildlife habitat. Previously, with a generous donation from the Wyss Foundation, the Trust for Public Land purchased
As part of an ambitious project, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation purchased more than 8,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat around the Eel River in Northern California with the intent to preserve tule elk and other wildlife that live there. (ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION)
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PROTECTING
WILD CALIFORNIA 3,000 acres adjacent to RMEF’s project and conveyed it to the national forest as an addition to the Yuki Wilderness. “We thank Mr. Padula for his generosity and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for its assistance in facilitating the transfer,” said Ann Carlson, Mendocino National Forest supervisor. “Located between the Sanhedrin and Yuki Wilderness Areas, the parcel provides excellent backcountry access and connectivity through large tracts of superior habitat.”
A MAJORITY OF FUNDING for the project came from the landowner’s generous bargain sale, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and a Wyss Foundation grant, with additional financial support from RMEF and the Trust for Public Land. “Thanks to the foresight of the landowner and leadership of Rocky Moun-
tain Elk Foundation and the Trust for Public Land, this incredible piece of land is now open and accessible for all to enjoy,” said Molly McUsic, Wyss Foundation president. “Establishing permanent access and a guarantee the land will be in public hands is a gift to California and to the American public.”
IN 2006, PADULA AND RMEF formed a landscape-scale partnership called the Eel River Peninsula Conservation Project, an effort seeking protection of more than 70,000 acres of tule elk habitat. Since then, multiple partners utilized a combination of conservation easements and this latest land protection/access project protects more than 36,000 acres of that total, with the potential of more projects in the works. Project funders included Coastal Forestlands, U.S. Forest Service, California State Wildlife Conservation Board, California Department of Forestry and Fire
“California is the only place in the world to find wild, free-ranging tule elk. And the Eel River Peninsula landscape is at the northern end of the species’ geographical range,” notes Jennifer Doherty, RMEF director of lands and access. (GARY R. ZAHM/CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE) 28 California Sportsman AUGUST 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com
Protection, Trust for Public Land and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Project support is vast with the State of California and nationally. “California is the only place in the world to find wild, free-ranging tule elk. And the Eel River Peninsula landscape is at the northern end of the species’ geographical range,” said Jennifer Doherty, RMEF director of lands and access. “Partnerships are at the heart of this tremendous conservation legacy that will solidify critical conservation of tule elk habitat.” CS Note: Founded more than 37 years ago, fueled by hunters and with a membership more than 231,000 strong, RMEF has conserved more than 8.1 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why “Hunting Is Conservation” at rmef.org.
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FISHING
BONE UP ON BAYS’ GREY GHOST FISHERY
Bonefish are prized targets for anglers in the shallow, warm waters around the Florida Keys and the Caribbean and their Pacific cousin has adapted to San Diego and Mission Bays and is thriving there. (BILL SCHAEFER)
WHILE NOT AS LARGE AS THE CARIBBEAN’S, SOCAL’S BONEFISH OFFER GREAT FIGHTS ON THE FLATS By Capt. Bill Schaefer
R
umors of ghosts roaming the back of San Diego Bay have been told for years amongst the regular fishermen who frequent its shallow southern areas. The bonefish, grey ghost of the flats, have been harvested there since the 1950s and 1960s. They were only caught in local commercial fishermen’s nets back then – ignored as a worthless fish for market due to its awful taste. Over the last 15 or so years, my interaction with the scientists at Scripps Institute of Oceanography let me know that bonefish were
adapting to our local waters. Scientists who studied the bay and collected specimens with micro-nets were coming up with a lot of the bonefish’s fry. They were indeed breeding successfully! Fishermen through the 1970s would catch one or two a year and maybe a few more in the ’80s. But in the 1990s, guides like me and other regular bay anglers saw the numbers increase. Here in the 21st century, the bonefish catch rate is off the charts, as many locals are targeting them. BONEFISH VARY IN SIZE – from about 1 pound up to 3 pounds. I haven’t heard of any giants, yet. The relatively
colder water temperature may be the reason for slow growth. These fish still fly through the water, though, pulling and screaming drag off light-tackle reels. There is usually no doubt when one is hooked. They hold up to the reputation of their Caribbean cousins. Bonefish have been found in both Mission Bay and San Diego Bay, and, unbelievably, as far north as San Francisco, as noted in California Department of Fish and Wildlife commercial fishing surveys. They have been caught in bays and estuaries all up and down the West Coast, but not in the numbers San Diego Bay is seeing as of late.
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FISHING
The setup is simple for targeting bonefish, often incidentally caught while anglers fish nearshore waters for spotted bay bass. “Run your main line through a ¼- to 3/8-ounce egg sinker and tie it to a swivel,” author Bill Schaefer tips. “Tie a 2- to 3-foot leader to the other side with a small Mustad Power Point bait hook.” (BILL SCHAEFER)
The waters off San Diego appear to have just the right ecosystem for supporting bonefish. The water is warm enough and similar to their usual haunts. This seems to be a strain of fish that has adapted to the slightly cooler waters of Southern California. NOW, HOW DO YOU catch bonefish? You can’t just go out and pole around the south bay and look for them like in the Florida Keys or the Caribbean. They are incidental catches; that is, most anglers catching them while fishing for spotted bay bass on the flats. Bonefish will eat the same artificial lures as bass, and at least you can have fun catching spotted bay bass while hoping for a bonus bone. Bonefish feed on small crustaceans, usually in shallow water. Their dining pleasures include crabs, small shrimp and baitfish. They have great eyesight and an even better sense of smell, and they are one of the fastest fish in the sea.
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FISHING
In a saltwater fishery already teeming with diverse options for anglers, bonefish just add one more intriguing opportunity to enjoy a day on the Southland’s bays, led by San Diego and Mission. (BILL SCHAEFER)
They usually travel in large schools or wolf packs and prowl the shallows of San Diego Bay. If you are drifting the south bay and catch one, be sure to repeat the drift and you might be rewarded with even more hookups. Small 3- to 5-inch-long grubs and small swimbaits in the 3- to 4-inch range work well. Yamamoto, Reebs Lures and Big Hammer all make some great baits if you go this way. Spawning ghost shrimp, chartreuse/ gold back and silver/pearl are all colors bones seem to favor. Jig heads will vary with the tide, but usually ¼ ounce is enough in the 12 feet of water or less that you will be fishing. And how appropriate is the fact that the best bait for the grey ghosts of the San Diego back bay flats is ghost shrimp? Pumped along the shore before heading out, these guys should assure you of getting your first of several San Diego bonefish. Mussels, clams and blood worms have also worked well.
For your artificial as well as bait fishing needs use medium spinning tackle for the most fun. I use a Daiwa Tatula spinning setup with 6-pound Maxima Ultragreen. Make sure you adjust that drag right, as these fish will scream on the first run after the hookset. For bait fishing, run your main line through a ¼- to 3/8-ounce egg sinker and tie it to a swivel. Tie a 2- to 3-foot leader to the other side with a small Mustad Power Point bait hook. Size will vary with your bait. Drift your boat and bait with the tide or wind to cover ground. The more bottom you cover, the better the chances of catching a bonefish.
SAN DIEGO BAY IS a big place and I can narrow down your search a bit. First of all, I would stay south of the Coronado Bridge. Bonefish have been caught on the city side of the bridge, but the bulk has come from below it. The entire south bay is a giant flat of about 10
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to 15 feet deep, so drifting your bait across any of the shallows here should score a fish or more for you. Remember also that the tides affect these fish. When there is tidal movement, the entire food chain is stirred up and the fish bite better. So, check your tide calendars for a medium-sized exchange – say, 2- to 4-foot swings. This usually bodes well for bait fishing or artificial baits. March through September is the best time to chase these fish, although they will eat year-round in Southern California. They are getting easier to target now as their population increases. I hope you can catch one of these rare fish and get a picture. Make sure your hands are very wet when handling them. They have a protective slime and you can harm them by removing it. They are fragile as well, so act fast, click that pic and let them go so that this exciting fishery can continue to thrive again. CS
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FISHING
SEAWEED AND SIZZLING TEMPS
MARIN COUNTY BASS FISHING TRIP GOES AWRY IN THE HOT SUN
By Chris Cocoles
N
OVATO–The longtime Bay Area urban trout angler in me knew an early July fishing trip would have to be adjusted as a heatwave was forecasted for just about everywhere in California outside of the coast. Temperatures were forecasted to hit from the mid-90s well into
triple digits, so trout fishing in those conditions seemed like a fool’s errand. Catfish are always a good backup plan, but I wanted to try something different and hit a lake I'd never been to. I zeroed in on Marin County, since I’d never fished there and figured the weather might be slightly cooler than in the East Bay, which usually gets the brunt of the 100-degree blues when
The editor’s July bass fishing trip to Novato’s Stafford Lake Park was peaceful but sabotaged by hot weather and a lot of weeds. (CHARLENE KING)
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FISHING Only in San Francisco could the Golden Gate Bridge be blanketed in fog while other parts of the Bay Area would be cooking throughout the day. (CHRIS COCOLES)
A small bridge and short walk from the parking lot took us to a mostly empty shoreline. (CHARLENE KING)
Stafford Lake Park offers a quaint destination for locals seeking a place to fish, hike, picnic or mountain bike. (CHRIS COCOLES)
We saw almost as many deer as people on our way into the park. (CHARLENE KING) 38 California Sportsman AUGUST 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com
the region’s normally temperate summers heat up. I decided on Stafford Lake Park (marincountyparks.org), which is on the small side – the entire park covers only about 139 acres – but it offers fishing for bass, catfish and bluegill. I haven’t targeted bass very often in my angler existence and decided this was going to be the time to check it out again. (Plus, I figured if I kept busy casting and retrieving, the expected baking sun wouldn’t feel as overwhelming compared to just sitting and roasting in a lawn chair.) But since my tackle box has plenty of tools to set up for a trout or catfish outing, I went over to a local sporting goods store and picked up a couple crankbaits, a spoon and a topwater buzzbait. My sister Charlene, who I was visiting on my trip to Northern California, agreed to take an early Saturday morning ride with me from her San Mateo home. I promised her that the predicted hot weather meant we’d likely be home early. In typical San Francisco fashion, the early-morning fog blanketed the Golden Gate Bridge, while 30 miles away residents were grateful for air conditioning. But as Bay Area natives, we knew it would quickly heat up. By the time we came out of the Robin Williams Tunnel – the beloved late actor eventually settled in Marin County – the sun was out and my sister’s car thermometer rose quickly from a 50-degree low.
The editor didn’t have many bass tools in the tackle box, so a trip to Big 5 Sporting Goods was in order. (CHRIS COCOLES)
WE WERE GREETED BY more deer than people by the time we’d exited in Novato and drove a quiet road just outside the park. We saw two sets of does and fawns scampering in front of our path. We even arrived at the near-empty park just before the park ranger pulled in. He did direct us to a pedestrian bridge where many anglers would fish from the shore (no boats are allowed on the lake). We found a nice point to cast from, not far from two other fishermen who were among the few other humans
In more mild conditions, these hammocks would be a sweet place to take a siesta. (CHRIS COCOLES) calsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2021 California Sportsman
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FISHING
Despite the lack of action and abundance of murky, weed- and algae-infested water, hopefully the newly purchased lures will get another opportunity to catch a bass sometime. (CHRIS COCOLES)
around that morning. I tied on my Strike King crankbait, and on cast No. 1 I knew it wasn’t going to go well. I felt tugging on my retrieve and knew it wasn’t a fish. My lure had about 2 pounds of algae as a passenger on the way back. And that’s how the next couple hours would go. I’m guessing eight of 10 casts and retrieves were hijacked by the weeds. I moved to the spot where the two other guys had fished. Nothing. I switched to the topwater buzzbait. Nothing. By 9:30 or so and with the sun getting brighter and brighter, we’d had enough. Still, it was hard to argue with the peaceful morning we’d enjoyed. The park remained mostly empty save for a small family setting up a birthday party in the picnic area and a couple of joggers. I salvaged my lures, so I’ll give bass fishing another crack. Hopefully with cooler weather and less algae sabotaging my chances. CS
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calsportsmanmag.com | AUGUST 2021 California Sportsman
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FISHING
THE CAT’S MEOW PLUNKING BAIT FOR WHISKERFISH IS ONE OF SUMMER’S REAL PLEASURES By Chris Cocoles
A
s someone whose fishing passion has always been of the fairly simple, straightforward variety, some of my best memories as an angler include lazy – albeit hot – summer days and nights dunking stinky baits, dead little fish and worms. From a young age, I was always fascinated by catfish – from the obvious facial characteristics of these whiskered beasts, to the tales of fishermen getting stung by cats’ poisonous barbs, and those who swore that these ugly bottom dwellers offered some of the best table fare fillets around. As I was thinking about heading out for another catfish recon assignment sometime in the next couple months, the nostalgic sap in me recalled some of my favorite cat moments of past years.
CLEARLY THE BEST For all the storied accolades Clear Lake gets for its bass fishery, the state’s largest freshwater body (at least among ones completely located within California’s border) will always be treasured for its catfish population. My best catfishing stories have always taken place in Lake County. My first ever fish was a fat channel cat I caught at a family friend’s lakefront home near Lakeport, where we visited every year. During those days all I did was fish – from the moment I got up until my dad dragged me to bed while the adults enjoyed their cocktails in the house and I kept checking my bait in the dark. I caught a few more cats
Summer means catfishing on California’s waters. Anglers looking for a relatively simple fishery and easy-going days and nights can enjoy some great outings and memories. (JERRY HAN)
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FISHING
Northern California’s Clear Lake will always have a special place in the author’s heart. It’s where he caught his first fish, a channel cat, at a family friend’s lakefront home. (MARK FONG)
and loved using a cane pole to pull up an occasional bluegill. Years later I returned to Clear Lake with my childhood friend John, whose family also visited annually. John and I rented a boat on a hot summer morning, rented a boat and caught a couple nice channel cats from a cove in the south end of the lake.
CAMP CAMANCHE Another favorite childhood destination for me was the Gold Country’s Mother Lode Lakes – Pardee, Amador, New Hogan and Camanche. One summer when I was in college, my sister, brother-in-law and I joined a couple more friends for a weekend camping trip to Lake Camanche. The stifling heat during the day gave way to similarly stifling but more manageable heat at night. So three of
us grabbed an ice chest full of beers and walked down to the shoreline for some late-night fishing. Sadly, the fish weren’t biting that night, but the camaraderie ensured a good time. I also love to playfully remind my sister that she got out of her tent in the middle of the night for a restroom break without her contact lenses or glasses, and she had to be verbally guided back to our campsite by her husband. It was embarrassing for her. I loved it!
QUAIL’S QUAINTNESS When I lived in Southern California, I didn’t get to fish very often, but some friends and I did find an off-thebeaten-path place to try our luck in the summer heat. Quail Lake is located north of Los Angeles, not far from Magic Mountain amusement park and closer to the
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Interstate 5 Grapevine. It’s hardly a sexy fishery. It’s an artificial lake located in a dusty area off Highway 138 on the way to the Antelope Valley and contains no real facilities. But when we went on a warm Friday night, we were surprised how many nighttime anglers were trying their luck. We were able to catch a few decent catfish and a bass, and I remember trying to get back to the truck via a shortcut. I’m a rather large man, and fortunately I somehow squeezed through an opening under a chain link fence – to big laughs by my buddies. There are so many other California lakes known for their catfishing I want to try going forward, including the Delta in the north and some of the renowned fisheries in Southern California. But I do have some memories to last a lifetime. CS
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46 California Sportsman AUGUST 2021 | calsportsmanmag.com
FISHING
FROM FIELD...
Whether fishing close to home or hitting the road this summer, fishing floating bait for trout is very effective – even more so when you use a lil’ helper in the weeds. Here, author Scott Haugen admires a nice morning’s catch of rainbows. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
FIRST THE FLOATING, THEN THE GLOATING
GIVE DOUGH BAIT A BUOYANCY BOOST TO ATTRACT TROUT IN SUMMER'S WEEDIER WATERS By Scott Haugen know. It’s August. It’s hot. The water is warm and fish aren’t biting like they did in the spring. Still, trout have to eat, and giving them something different to look at may be
I
the key to catching a fresh dinner. Perhaps you’re on the road fishing a remote lake high in the Rocky Mountains. Or hiking a coastal trail along the Pacific Ocean and hitting lakes wherever your journey leads. Perhaps you want to fish a lake that’s
full of midday swimmers, water skiers and more, which means hitting the water early in the morning and right before dark. The point is, you can still catch fish in the dog days.
WHEREVER YOUR TROUT FISHING adven-
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FISHING
... TO FIRE
Tiffany Haugen says using Middle Eastinspired ingredients, including falafel, can really spice up a trout dish. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)
FISH AND FALAFEL MEAN FLAVOR By Tiffany Haugen
W
hen a fresh trout meets a popular Middle Eastern fritter made from chickpeas, crunchy, flavorful goodness is created!
Trout can be a bit bland, so dressing it up with a crunchy coating is always a hit. An easy but unique coating is made by using dried falafel mix, which can be found in the bulk food section or international section of most supermarkets. The mix is already seasoned, so it’s quick to put together at home or when camping. Just a few ingredients and you’re on the way to a delicious fish fry. Serve with complementary favorites like tzatziki sauce, hummus, baba ghanoush, tomato-cucumber salad and fresh pita for flavors you won’t soon forget. Double or triple this recipe as needed for the quantity of fish you’re cooking. Two large fillets of trout 2 tablespoons panko (breadcrumbs) 2 tablespoons dry falafel mix One egg, beaten Olive oil for pan-frying Skin and remove bones from trout fillets. In a shallow dish, mix panko and falafel until combined. In another shallow dish, beat
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egg. Heat a quarter of an inch of olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Dredge fillets in egg, then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Place in a hot skillet and cook two to four minutes per side until trout reaches desired doneness. Serve with tzatziki if desired.
TZATZIKI SAUCE ½ cup Greek yogurt ½ cup grated cucumber 1 teaspoon finely chopped dill or mint ½ teaspoon granulated garlic In a small bowl, mix ingredients until thoroughly combined. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other bestselling titles of hers, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.
FISHING Adding a drift bobber to your floating bait offers multiple advantages. Here, a sliding sinker setup (left) and fixed sinker rig are being baited, to which scent will be applied. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
tures may lead, try using floating bait. Fished from shore or a boat, floating baits are very effective. While many anglers fish floating bait, cheese, even worms injected with air for trout, try adding a drift bobber to your bait. I’ve had the best success pairing a Lil’ Corky drift bobber with PowerBait. Pairing a Lil’ Corky with PowerBait offers three specific benefits. First, it increases visibility of the presentation, making it easier for fish to locate from a distance and in the murky conditions that are common this time of year. Second, it adds buoyancy which lessens the bait’s chances of getting tangled in grass and weeds. Third, because a drift bobber adds lift, larger bait can be applied and scent can be added to both the drift bobber and the bait.
TROUT HAVE A POWERFUL sense of smell, and adding scent that can be dispersed throughout the water will allow fish to more easily locate the offering. When it comes to matching a drift bobber to a treble hook that holds floating bait, my best success has
come by pairing a size 12 Lil’ Corky with a size 12 treble hook. This bigger than normal setup proves trout won’t shy away from a larger presentation. In fact, a larger bait has played a big part in helping me catch fish in waters laden with algae and silt; waters I may not have fished otherwise. If fishing in clear water where weeds and grass are not a concern, maybe you’ll want to drop to a smaller size 14 Lil’ Corky. Combined with a size 14 treble hook covered in PowerBait, this setup has also been a consistent fish-catching combination for me over the years. There are two ways I like rigging my floating bait setups for trout. My preferred setup includes using a sliding egg sinker. A sliding sinker ensures that when a trout picks up the bait, the line slides through the sinker, boosting hookup rates due to low or no resistance. If a trout feels line resistance it will often drop the bait. To rig a sliding sinker setup, simply thread your sliding egg sinker up the mainline, then tie on a size 10 barrel swivel. A 2-foot-long leader can
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be tied to the other eye of the barrel swivel. Should you find yourself fishing in waters with, say, 6-foot-tall grass or weeds, simply let out line once the sinker hits bottom, then the buoyancy of the Corky and floating bait will rise to the desired strike zone. The second rigging option is a fixed sinker setup where split shots can be attached directly to your mainline. Start by sliding a Lil’ Corky drift bobber on to your mainline, then tie the treble hook to the end. Place a split shot or two a few feet from the hook, and you’re set. Reusable split shots are easy to reposition on the line, allowing for quick depth regulation should you find yourself in weeds or wanting to change locations with different depths or bottom structure. Because leader length is easy to adjust with this setup – and the fact the Lil’ Corky and PowerBait optimize the ability of the presentation to float – this setup can be fished in many places. Drop it amongst jumbled logs, downed trees, tall grass, weeds and moss, and you’re fishing a
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FISHING stationary bait in places that are hard to fish any other way. This buoyant floating bait setup can also be fished in sloughs found in rivers and small streams. Even if there’s a slight current, the bait will stay suspended due to the buoyant combination of the floating bait and Lil’ Corky. This not only makes it more visible for fish to see as they swim by, it also helps establish a scent line in the water.
Both of these setups are identical, but the one without the Lil’ Corky didn’t have enough lift to get through the grass. A drift bobber adds buoyancy and increases visibility of the whole presentation. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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IF YOU WANT TO catch more trout when fishing floating bait, try adding a drift bobber and increasing the amount of bait being used. As you’ll discover, these little drift bobbers aren’t just great bait imitations, they’re ideal for floating PowerBait precisely where it needs to be in order to catch more trout. CS Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s line of popular fishing and cookbooks, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
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HUNTING Increased early morning drive and quicker recovery after hunts and intense workouts are just a couple of the obvious changes that author Scott Haugen has noticed in his gun dogs after only a few days of switching them to a high-quality food. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
QUALITY FOOD MATTERS By Scott Haugen
“I
f you don’t see results within 30 days, return for a full refund,” read the ad placed in a magazine by a leading dog food
maker. I read it again. Then once more. I thought it was a misprint. If I don’t notice a change in my dogs within three days of changing food, something’s not right. Last February I started feeding
my two hunting dogs NutriSource’s new Element series. I’d been feeding standard NutriSource food for 2½ years, and it had an immediate impact in their performance and quality of life.
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HUNTING Since switching to NutriSource’s line of Element food, Echo, Haugen’s 7-year old pudelpointer, has experienced an impressive change in her quality of life, in many ways. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
LET ME BETTER SET the stage. Oregon’s late goose season was in full swing, the dogs and I were covering miles of hill country a week in search of deer antler sheds, and on warm days, water training took place one to two days a week. On average my dogs were working five days a week. My 4-year-old male pudelpointer, Kona, weighs 62 pounds during hunting season. He’s lean, has drive and will work hard in the field at whatever he’s doing. He’s from an elite bloodline and is the best allaround dog I’ve ever hunted with. After three meals of Element I noticed two changes in Kona. First, his drive and stamina were more intense each morning of the hunt. I don’t feed my dogs the morning of a hunt for fear of potential stomach twist (see my April 2021 column) or indigestion. Second,
Kona didn’t beg for food when he awoke, meaning the Element he ate the night prior held him over and allowed him to perform at top level all morning. I especially noticed a marked difference in Echo, my 7-year-old female pudelpointer, after only two meals. I didn’t tell my family I’d made the food switch to Element. After Echo’s second meal, my wife Tiffany remarked, “Echo’s really getting around good this evening; did you give her something?” I told her about the food switch. AS WITH MANY AGING female hunting dogs, Echo’s recovery time after intense workouts and hard hunts found her moving a bit slower and stiffer in the evenings. After only the third feeding of Element her soreness
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and stiffness appeared gone. Totally gone. We’d tried many things to help relieve Echo’s joint pain and muscle soreness after hard days afield, including CBDs and multiple antiinflammatories. Nothing worked. But once the Element kicked in, it instantly changed her quality of life. The big test came on a morning when Echo covered 7 1/2 miles in rugged, brushy hills in search of shed antlers, followed by an intense water workout in the afternoon. Echo ate dinner at 6 that night; usually she’s down for the count after that. Two hours later I woke her to go potty. She sprang up, ran outside, grabbed her favorite ball to fetch and sprinted into our training field. I don’t train after dinner, but she wanted to. Bad. At 4 the next morning Echo bolted from her kennel, hopping with joy as I put her collars on, then she immediately loaded into the truck for a morning goose hunt. It was raining and cold and Echo performed flawlessly with more energy than I’d seen in years, and she didn’t eat breakfast until 11 a.m. All of this happened on day five of switching Echo’s diet to Element. That afternoon we bumper trained. Echo slept well. The next day was intended for rest. At 7 a.m. I took her outside to potty and go on a casual 30-minute morning walk to alleviate any stiffness. Again she immediately grabbed her ball, and what followed was a 45-minute intense workout session like we’d never had before breakfast. Echo’s life and routine forever changed, all because of her new food. I COULD GO ON about what makes Element so special, but I’d rather focus on observed dog performance over the following five months. Suffice it to say that Element has three times the protein of most foods (up to 90 percent animal protein) and it supports nitrogen and ammonia utilization, meaning there is no extra gas or diarrhea that can occur with high-protein diets. In other words, it’s good for the gut, too. Bottom
HUNTING line, it’s far superior in overall quality when compared to much of what most hunters feed their dogs. But NutriSource doesn’t have the huge advertising dollars that big companies do, so you may have never heard of it. Those who look at a price tag before reading the label and especially neglect studying serving guidelines, will miss the whole point of food like this. Yes, it looks pricey, but meal for meal, it could actually cost less than what you’re currently feeding your dog. I shared with a hunting buddy that Kona eats a cup of Element for breakfast and another cup for dinner, and Echo, who weighs 46 pounds, eats ¾ cup of food, twice daily. “I could never do that; my dog eats 3 cups each meal,” he said, totally missing the point. “First of all, your dog is at least 10 pounds overweight,” I jolted him. “Not only is she fat, she’s slow and moves like she’s 12 years old.”
His overweight Lab was only 2. The next time I saw my buddy I brought him a bag of Element. “Feed her this for five days, as directed – no table scraps, no treats, nothing but this food – then call me with a report,” I insisted. Three days later my buddy called. “She’s like a different dog, already!” he said. “I had no idea dog food could make so much of a difference, and it actually costs less.” He got it! I wish more hunters did. Nonhunters often pamper their dogs with high-end food that many gun dog owners think are pricey, or are skeptical of. The biggest disappointment I’ve seen when it comes to hunting dogs are large companies selling low-quality, unhealthy food for cheap, and hunters regularly buying it. Just like the food we eat, the food our dogs eat greatly impacts how they feel, act, their weight, even their lifespan.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE other quality foods out there, you just have to do the research and find them. Talking with local feed store and pet supplies owners helped me more than anything. Dani Wright of McKenzie Feed & Pet Supplies (mckenziefeed .com) in Oregon was a huge help. Many of a dog’s problems can be fixed by a change in diet, and making the move to a high-quality food can do it, fast. Read labels, educate yourself on dog foods, and keep your dog lean and in top shape. The result will be a happy dog that moves and performs beyond a level you may have never thought possible. A healthy gut, teeth, gums and coat are icings on the cake, as a quality diet means more days afield and more years with your best hunting partner. CS Editor’s note: To watch Scott Haugen’s series of puppy training videos, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
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