Outdoor News: May 27, 2009

fishing buddies:
Charlie and Chuck Hoffman, along with pal identified only as Greg, fished only up the Pit River arm and caught 40-50 fish but none of bragging size. Their largest was 15 inches plus lots of fish at the 12.5 “ mark. We used Senko’s and tubes mostly,” Chuck reported.

DFG forced to rearrange planting schedule

Fewer waters will get stocked with planter trout this year said the CA DFG on May 14. Some waters previously on the do not plant list will be planted but over twice as many have been put off limits.

All anglers should consider this another shot across the bow. Environmental groups continue to bully the DFG which has to prove a negative; namely, that trout plants have NOT harmed other species.

The DFG has been planting trout in our waters for over 100 years - long before Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) and Environment Impact Statements were required.

In this case the bullies are the Pacific Rivers Council and Center for Biological Diversity. If you haven't written to these enviro groups, the DFG, the Fish & Game Commission and the Governor's Office about this travesty, now is the time to do so.

Here is a partial list of the waters affected in the 15 north state counties:

Additions to the list of stocked waters:

Ash Creek, Lower (Lassen County); The Blair Pond (Nevada County); Butte Creek, Big (Butte County); old Creek (Siskiyou County); Feather River (North Fork Almanor) (Plumas County); Goodrich Creek, Middle (Lassen County); Lake Tahoe (Placer County); Okizu Camp Pond (Butte County).

Additions to the list of waters that will not be stocked:

Antelope Creek (Siskiyou County); Battle Creek, North Fork (Tehama County); Battle Creek, South Fork (Tehama County);Butte Creek (Siskiyou County); Clear Creek above Whiskeytown Lake (Shasta County); Coffee Creek (Trinity County); Dry Lake (Del Norte County); Emily Lake (Mendocino County); Granite Lake, Trinity Alps (Trinity County; Holland Lake, Salmon Scott (Trinity County); Kangaroo Lake (Siskiyou County) Lily Pad Lake; (Siskiyou County); Mavis Lake, Salmon Scott (Siskiyou County); Meeks Meadow Lake (Siskiyou County); Mill Creek Lake (Mendocino County); Paynes Lake (Siskiyou County); Philbrook Reservoir (Butte County); Plum Creek (Tehama County); Ruffey Lake Upper (Siskiyou County); Shasta River, Little (Siskiyou County); Slide Lake, Trinity Divide (Trinity County); Tamarack Lake, Trinity Divide (Trinity County); Trinity River above Trinity Reservoir (Trinity County), Ukonom Lake (Siskiyou County).

In October 2006, Pacific Rivers Council and Center for Biological Diversity sued DFG over fish stocking programs it has engaged in for more than 100 years, because no Environmental Impact Report (EIR) had been completed for the programs. The result of the case was a court order requiring DFG to complete an EIR. DFG is engaged in the multi-year and multimillion dollar EIR process, now scheduled to be completed in January 2010.

Due to delays in the EIR process, which involves combining the EIR with a federal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), DFG and the petitioners agreed on terms for how and where DFG may continue stocking fish during the time it is preparing the EIR/EIS.

Prophetic Article about Seabirds; lack of healthy ocean in 2005/06 recommended reading: This article was written in May 2006, long before the primary cause of the Sacramento River Fall Chinook collapse was more widely understood and publicized by NOAA Scientists in March of 2008. Take a look: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/What's+killing+the+seabirds%3F+The+mysterious+West+Coast+dieoff-a0141706576

No Opposition to Klamath Dam removal? Wrong!

Want to understand another side of the Klamath Dam Removal argument? If all you've seen is your morning paper, favorite TV news, National Geographic (Dec. 09) or any of the many, much-publicized film documentaries being shown recently you have been brainwashed. Go to my website or KlamathBasinCrisis.org to get the view of many other stakeholders.

Nail Bender Tourney won with 8 pounds of Shasta Bass

Most anglers bent their picks, nails and everything else except their rods on this one.

Fishing was tough on May 16 (pre-fish) and May 17 for the 10th annual Nail Bender Tourney sponsored by Shasta College. Biggest fish caught was reportedly a 3.2 pounder.

Five other fish that totaled 8+ pounds took first place in the team catch on Lake Shasta as anglers got broiled.

Temperatures soared to 100+ degrees both days which changed the bite from red hot to stone cold for many. Organizer Vernon Stainbrook said 42 boats entered the tourney. Everyone got a great T-shirt before blast off at 7 a.m. when it was downright cool. It was too hot for comfortable fishing by noon.

Trinity Lake was place to be, as predicted

Neil Amundson of Great Outdoors in Redding was at Trinity Lake for the weekend as part of a Cottonwood Bass Club tourney. Amundson said the fishing was truly great with many large and smallmouth bass taken that were four to six pounds or more.

It was hot at Trinity too but the anglers hit the lake when the fish were just moving up on the beds, so the bass were taking all kinds of offerings.

Link to Fly Shop's Stream Report

No one knows fly-fishing trout streams in northern California better than the guys and gals at The Fly Shop in Redding, so why try to reinvent the wheel.

Their stream report is now liked to MyOutdoorBuddy, which is where you can read other fishing news pertinent to northern California FIRST.