976-FRESH Freshwater Fish Report

The DFG Budget: Is anyone out there paying attention?

By JIM MATTHEWS
www.OutdoorNewsService.
Do you know someone who has quit hunting or fishing in California in the past decade? We all do. I like to say that fish and wildlife exists today in California in spite of the department of Fish and Game, not because of its efforts. It all relates to the DFG budget manipulation and mismanagement of funds. The agency’s decline starts and ends with wildlife that support hunting and fishing programs getting an increasingly short end of the budget stick.

How sportsmen fare in the DFG budget: Sportsmen are responsible for about 45 percent of the DFG’s annual budget through the payment of license and tag fees and federal excise taxes, yet only 21 percent of the DFG’s budget is spent on game and fish programs today. Once upon a time, these programs received 100 percent of that money. Even if we include all DFG law enforcement activities in this percentage pie that benefits the wildlife and sportsmen who pay the freight (and wardens should not be completely paid for by license fees), we still only get 35 percent of the total budget. Many in the agency correctly argue that many “other” DFG programs indirectly benefit fish and game programs. But it could just as reasonably be argued that many of these “other” programs are counter-productive and often directly at odds with good game and fish management programs.

How much federal funding does the DFG lose: Of the $71 million received in federal funds by the DFG, the two biggest allocations come from a pair of landmark laws that charge excise taxes on sporting equipment and allocate it back to the states. The state’s allocation of Pittman-Robertson funds (excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition) is a little over $11 million each year. Based on the allocation system for P-R funds, which is derived from a state’s land mass and population compared to other states, California should be receiving about $36 million annually from this fund.

We lose most of these funds because our state can’t or won’t come up with the mandatory 25 percent matching funds for projects in game programs or game lands because the money is allocated to “other” programs — programs apparently far more important than game programs even through hunters are getting a pittance of their investment back in wildlife research, management, and enhancement.

We are receiving the maximum allocation from in Dingell-Johnson fund (excise taxes on fishing tackle and boats) at just over $20 million each year, but much of that money has been earmarked for salmon and steelhead hatcheries in solid on-going programs for decades. The DFG would have to make a concerted effort to screw this up.

The bottom line is the DFG loses over $35 million a year in lost federal funding because it won’t support game and fish programs to a higher level.

How much has the DFG lost because of declining hunting and fishing license sales: Annual resident fishing license sales dropped below 1 million for the first time in 2011. Annual license sales were around 2.2 million annually in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. If the DFG grossed about $40 million on all fishing license sales in 2011, my simple-minded math tells me we’d have at least $80 million selling the same numbers of licenses today that we sold in the late 1970s.

In the late 1960s and in 1970, we were selling about 700,000 hunting licenses. In 2011, we sold about 240,000 annual licenses. That’s $9.5 million in annual license fees and a total of $21.2 million for all tag, stamp, and application fees paid by those 240,000 hunters. If we still had 700,000 hunters in California, the total revenue would have to be in $60 million range.

These license sale losses have accumulated while the state’s population has skyrocketed. If license sales had grown proportionally with the state’s population since 1970, just imagine what the revenue for the DFG would be like. The bottom line is that DFG has effectively sliced its sporting funding in half through lost license sales. This is what happens when you ignore game and fish programs and sportsmen.

Total lost revenue: What is a conservative estimate on how much money the DFG could – should – be bringing in on hunting and fishing license revenue with a good, aggressive game and fish management program? Licenses, tags, and stamps brought in $61 million in 2011. We should have over $140 million coming in. Federal excise taxes are currently $71 million today. We should receive at least $105 million. So instead of $185 million, the income should be more like $245 million. If there had actually been growth in the number of license holders, growth in concert with the state’s population which has doubled since 1970, the revenue would be in the $500 million range.

A final reminder: The DFG’s total annual budget today is right around $400 million, including all the non-game, vegetation, and invasive species programs, law enforcement staff, oil spill prevention and response teams, and on and on. But remember, game and fish programs are just 21 percent of that current budget.

Is it any wonder more and more hunters and fishermen are giving up on California?

The solution: The reality of the world is different today than four decades ago when the DFG was flush with money and did everything it wanted for sportsmen and more. There was even money left over to do non-game and endangered species work with sporting money back then. Today, the agency has more lawyers and administrators than it does scientist because it spends as much time in court than it does in the field.

It’s time for everyone who enjoys wildlife and wild places to pony up instead of sportsmen paying the lion’s share of the bill. There are two parts to the solution. First, all hunting and fishing license dollars need to be rededicated to only game and fish programs. This would blow a huge hole in other parts of the DFG budget, and those other programs are important and need funding. Second, the DFG needs a new, permanent funding mechanism for its other programs.

There are two valid models that could accomplish that goal. The first alternative is an annual outdoor user fee. Everyone who does anything from bird watching to hiking to mountain biking on any public land would have to have an annual license and the money would go to the DFG which manages those natural resources for those users. Just like hunters and fishermen pay a fee, other outdoor users would also have to pay the fee to enjoy those same resources. The second alternative is an added state sales tax on outdoor gear to fund the DFG’s broad range of conservation programs statewide, paid for by everyone in the state who buys a wide range of wildlife or outdoor-based products, from wild bird seed to binoculars to backpacking and mountain climbing gear. One is a simple user fee, and the other is an excise tax. Your call.

All I know is that hunters and fishermen shouldn’t have to keep funding far more than they receive. We deserve Crowley Lake-style trout management in waters all over the state. We need more tule elk on public lands. We need more desert water sources for wildlife. We need a lot of things for the state’s hunted and fished game species. Instead of being discriminated against each time we dig into our wallets, we need to see a return on our investment instead of excuses for dismal management.

1. Trout, trout, trout everywhere. Hesperia Lake continues to get the top billing because of scads of trophy trout over 10 pounds again this week, and a good number of sturgeon topping 25 pounds after a 2,000-pound plant last week. It will be worth the drive to the High Desert to get in on these big fish — trout or sturgeon or both. For an update on the bite, call the tackle shop at 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

2. Diamond Valley Lakeís striped bass and largemouth bass bites get equal billing in the No. 2 pick this week. A DFG trout plant this week means both will be on a swimbait bite. Hurling the big swimbaits could net a big striper or a big largemouth. Check with the staff at Last Chance Bait and Tackle in Hemet for an update on this bite at 951-658-7410.

3. Castaic Lake cranked out trout at 11.5 and 10.9 this week. These were both big swimbait fish and last weekís rainbow trout plant and warmer weather has these big fish up on the prowl. The bite isnít hot, but the chance of getting a double digit largemouth is a real possibility. Check with the marina for an update at 661-775-6232.

1. Trout action is universally good throughout Southern Californiaís planted lakes, but Hesperia Lake gets the spotlight this week because it produced the biggest rainbows this past week at 17-8, and it was stocked with 2,000 pounds of sturgeon over 15 pounds each this week. It will be worth the drive to the High Desert to get in on these big fish — trout or sturgeon or both. For an update on the bite, call the tackle shop at 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

2. Diamond Valley Lakeís striped bass and largemouth bass bites get equal billing in the pick this week. The largemouth continued to move up as though the spawn is about to begin. The bigger fish are showing in the backs of the coves on swimbaits, and then out if 18 to 25 feet on four-inch drop-shot plastics that sort-of imitate the sculpin in the lake. The stripers have really put on a show this past week with fish to 30 pounds on bigger trout-like swimbaits. Hurling the big swimbaits could net a big striper or a big largemouth. Check with the staff at Last Chance Bait and Tackle in Hemet for an update on this bite at 951-658-7410.

3. While this bite slowed some with the cooler, windy weather, the tilapia action at the Salton Sea is staying in our top picks because of the warmer weather in the forecast. This bite could break wide open this week. This same weather pattern happened three years ago, and the action never slowed down from January through June. Before the recent chill, anglers were reporting 15 to 40 fish days and the fish have been running up to 1 1/2 pounds at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area headquarters jetty or the jetty at the refurbished Salton Sea Yacht Club (just north of the state park headquarters). For an update on the action, call the newly open Visitor Center (open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at 760-393-3810.

1. OK, itís time to start heading out to the Salton Sea for tilapia. The rain forecast for this weekend might slow this bite down, but the warm days have warmed up the sea enough to kick this bite into gear early. This same thing happened three years ago, and the action never slowed down. Anglers have been reporting 15 to 40 fish days and the fish have been running up to 1 1/2 pounds. Most anglers are fishing the Salton Sea State Recreation Area headquarters jetty or the jetty at the refurbished Salton Sea Yacht Club (just north of the state park headquarters). The bite has been exclusively on small nightcrawler pieces fished right on or near the bottom. For an update on the action, call the newly open Visitor Center (open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at 760-393-3810.

2. Trout action is universally good throughout Southern Californiaís planted lakes, but the two top picks are Laguna Niguel Park Lake and Corona Lake. Laguna produced a new lake record at 17-10 and Corona cranked out a 21 1/2-pounder. The usual array of small trout jigs, trout plastics, and floating dough baits are working at both lakes (all the SoCal lakes for that matter), but there are still people who donít use light enough leaders to entice strikes. Think two to four-pound test, with lighter being better. For an update on these bites, call Laguna Niguel at 949-362-3885 or Corona Lake at 951-277-3321.

3. Diamond Valley Lakeís largemouth bass bite is staying in the top picks this week because the fish have continued to move up as though the spawn is about to being. The fish are showing in the backs of the coves on swimbaits, and then out if 18 to 25 feet on four-inch drop-shot plastics that sort-of imitate the sculpin in the lake. The biggest bass are coming on the bigger, trout-like swimbaits. Check with the staff at Last Chance Bait and Tackle in Hemet for an update on this bite at 951-658-7410.

MATTHEWSí PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. Trout, trout, trout. The urban trout season is in full swing and there is excellent fishing just about every place getting planted and a lot of trophy fish have been planted the past two weeks. Top pick? Poway, Santa Ana River Lakes, and Corona, were all stocked with trophy rainbows the past two weeks. All the San Bernardino County Park Lakes (Glen Helen, Cucamonga-Guasti, Prado, and Yucaipa) received Mt. Lassen trout last week and most had a rash of trophy fish that continue to be caught, along with a lot of limits of smaller trout. They all get weekly county fish. Irvine Lake and Hesperia Lake both had trout over 10 pounds again this week. Go trout fishing. Anywhere.

2. With a full moon this weekend (well, on Monday) and the warm weather the past week, the first pre-spawn bite on largemouth bass looks to be starting at Diamond Valley. The fish are up as shallow as 12 feet and afternoon surface water temps have been 60 to 62 degrees this week. The bigger bass are keying on DFG trout or sculpin so you can throw swimbaits on the points or small three- to four-inch plastics along rocky structure and get fish. Check with the staff at Last Chance Bait and Tackle in Hemet for an update on this bite at 951-658-7410.

3. For crappie fanatics, the action at Cachuma Lake has not been wide open this past week, but there has been a consistent troll-drift bite on slabs better than a pound in the narrows. The lake gets little pressure, but the crappie reports have been consistent for the past three weeks including some fish better than two pounds. It looks like the winter bite is happening. Youíll have to get a quagga mussel inspection if you take your own boat (info at http://www.sbparks.org/DOCS/Cachuma.html) and you can call the marina for an update on the bite at 805-688-4040.

1. The urban trout season is in full swing and there is excellent fishing many places this week, and many lakes were planted with trophy trout for the holidays. So whatís the top pick for trout? Santa Ana River Lakes produced the biggest trout in the region for the first time this season when a 17-8 was caught this past week. Poway, SARL, and Corona, were all stocked with trophy rainbows this week and last week. All the San Bernardino County Park Lakes (Glen Helen, Cucamonga-Guasti, Prado, and Yucaipa) have all been producing fish over eight pound each week along with good catches of pan-sized fish. Irvine Lake had trout over 10 pounds again this week. Buena Vista Lakes near Taft had a plant of quality trout last week. And…. Well, you get the point: Go trout fishing.

2. This is the last few days of rockfish season, which closes Jan. 1, and the bite has been so good out of all of the Southern California landings that it rates a trip before the kids go back to school. Most trips — even the half-day jaunts — are reporting six to 10 fish per angler, and there have been a lot of quality reds in catch this season. With good weather forecast, it would be a good day on the water and a chance to bring home some great fillets. Check with 976-Tuna.com for the latest reports and landings that are running trips.

3. Even though it might warrant being here, the upper Owens River near Mammoth Lakes wonít stay in the picks of the week through February. So remember this action. The upper Owens is open all year for catch-and-release fishing, and there has been an excellent fall run of giant rainbows out of Crowley up into the river. These are big, steelhead-like trout from 16 to 26 inches and they are taking egg fly patterns or streamers fished under banks and in pool tailouts. The weather is also supposted to be perfect this Christmas holiday. This bite will stay hot this winter. For more information or to go on a guided trip, check with one of the regionís fly shops — The Troutfitter in Mammoth at 760-934-2517, Sierra Drifters Guide Service at 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop at 760-873-0010, or Brockís at 760-872-3581 (the last three in Bishop).

By JIM MATTHEWS

http://www.OutdoorNewsService.com

The Fish and Game Commission shot down proposed Department of Fish and Game regulations on private hatcheries and privately stocked lakes that would have forced most of them to close their doors, reducing the quality and availability of sportfishing throughout the state.

The Commission unanimously rejected a DFG proposal that would have required a wide range of biological assessments before they could plant fish from their hatcheries or before lake managers could have fish planted during the last week’s meeting in San Diego. A broad-based coalition of sporting, business, and conservation groups were on hand to urge the Commission to turn down the DFG’s plan.

It became clear the DFG was coming up with an expensive solution for a problem that didn’t exist.

Every since the DFG was hammered in court for its own hatchery program failures three years ago, its staff has been writing a court-mandated environmental document on how its hatcheries should be managed to protect native species while still providing public recreation. No where in the lawsuit was the DFG directed to include private hatcheries or fishing lakes in its effort, those facilities already governed by rules enacted by the legislature.

When private hatchery owners and lake operators (including many city and county park facilities) starting looking at the costs involved in complying with the DFG’s complex set of new rules, they found the environmental work would average around $130,000 per year, with one large Southern California catfish rearing facility estimating his costs would be close to $1 million after contacting a number of private biologists and environmental firms for estimate on getting the required work done. Most said they would have to shut down, costing hundreds of jobs across the state and reducing the amount of public recreation available. Yet, the DFG staff had repeatedly said the new expenses would be minimal.

“What you presented here today is a non-starter,” said Commissioner Dan Richards of Rancho Cucamonga to the DFG staff during the meeting. He said the DFG staff didn’t also provide any compelling reasons why the new regulations were necessary and that they were over-reaching.

Currently, private hatcheries and fishing lakes in 37 counties, including most in the southern half of the state are exempt from the same regulations that govern DFG facilities — and now those rules will remain unchanged for the time being. Even those suing the DFG for its state-run hatcheries didn’t ask for this and the judge in the lawsuit didn’t ask for this. The DFG staff, for some reason, decided to “throw private industry under the bus,” according to one hatchery operator.

The DFG staff lumped private facilities with the state facilities in the new EIR. According to the document, all of these facilities — from private hatcheries, to stock ponds, to homeowners associations with their own lakes, to county park lakes, and even golf course ponds — would have been required to conduct biological surveys to determine what endangered or “decision” species may exist in their water. They would also have be required to test to determine if the fish being planted in the lake or grown in the hatchery have any diseases or if invasive species like New Zealand mud snails or quagga mussels are present. The invasive species testing would have to be done quarterly, and all surveys and testing would have to be done annually and at the expense of the lake or hatchery owner.

How the DFG determined the testing for all their new requirements would be minor was a mystery. Why they included private hatcheries and private, city, and county waters at all is a bigger mystery. When the new rules were first put before the Commission nearly two years ago, it was listed on the agenda as a mere “consent” item, with no public comment or discussion — almost like they wanted to get the new rules quietly approved before anyone knew what was happening.

This is alarmingly similar to how the Marina Life Protection Act regulations have been implemented, but unlike with that debacle, the Fish and Game Commission got the vote right on this one. At least for now.

1. Laguna Niguel Lake takes over the No. 1 slot this week because of its consistent trout action after plants of 3,000 pounds of fish last week and another 2,000 pounds this week. The bite is good to excellent with a few fish over eight pounds each week. The fish are showing on bait, lures and flies. Shore anglers are doing as well as boat and tube anglers. Even the fly-fishing anglers are getting in on the act, fishing midges under strike indicators from float tubes (the Crowley Lake tactic). For an update on this bite, you can call the lake at 949-362-3885 or go to the website at http://www.lagunaniguellake.com.

2. Rockfish season closes Jan. 1, and the bite has been so good out of all of the Southern California landings, that it rates a trip before the kids go back to school. Most trips — even the half-day jaunts — are reporting six to 10 fish per angler, and there have been a lot of quality reds in catch this season. With good weather forecast, it would be a good day on the water and a chance to bring home some great fillets. Check with 976-Tuna.com for the latest reports and landings that are running trips.

3. The upper Owens River near Mammoth Lakes is staying in the No. 3 spot another week. The river is open all year for catch-and-release fishing, and there has been an excellent fall run of giant rainbows out of Crowley up into the river this year. These are big, steelhead-like trout from 16 to 26 inches and they are taking egg fly patterns or streamers fished under banks and in pool tailouts. The weather is also supposted to be perfect this Christmas holiday. For more information or to go on a guided trip, check with one of the regionís fly shops — The Troutfitter in Mammoth at 760-934-2517, Sierra Drifters Guide Service at 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop at 760-873-0010, or Brockís at 760-872-3581 (the last three in Bishop).

1. Hesperia Lake cranked out the biggest trout in Southern California this past week with fish at 21-8, 18-12, and 17 pounds. The bite has been good here with a lot of nice stringers of rainbows from one to three pounds, in addition to the big fish. Plants go in each week and trophy fish are a component of each plant. The best bite has been on floating baits with added scent. Check with the tackle shop for an update and more tips at 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

2. Laguna Niguel Lake stays in No. 2 slot this week because of its weekly 2,000 pound plant and a bonus 1,000 pounds of fish. The action is just wide open with a lot of fish to 10-plus pounds. The fish are showing on bait, lures and flies. Shore anglers are doing as well as boat and tube anglers. For an update on this bite, you can call the lake at 949-362-3885 or go to the website at http://www.lagunaniguellake.com.

3. The upper Owens River near Mammoth Lakes is staying in the No. 3 spot another week. The river is open all year for catch-and-release fishing, and there has been an excellent fall run of giant rainbows out of Crowley up into the river this year. These are big, steelhead-like trout from 16 to 26 inches and they are taking egg fly patterns or streamers fished under banks and in pool tailouts. For more information or to go on a guided trip, check with one of the regionís fly shops — The Troutfitter in Mammoth at 760-934-2517, Sierra Drifters Guide Service at 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop at 760-873-0010, or Brockís at 760-872-3581 (the last three in Bishop).

MATTHEWSí PICKS OF THE WEEK

1. The Lake Silverwood crappie bite is staying in the No. 1 slot another week. This bite has been slipping under the radar for over a month, but many anglers have posted 25 fish limits of crappie averaging about 3/4-pound, and fish to two pounds are being landed off the marina docks. Silverwood is closed on Wednesday and Thursday during the winter because of budget issues. After park entrance, dock fishing adds $3 per person for adults and $2 for kids and seniors. For an update on the bite, call the marina at 760-389-2299.

2. Laguna Niguel Lake takes over the No. 2 slot this week because weekly plants of 2,000 pounds of rainbows have really turned on this urban bite. The fish are showing on bait, lures and flies, and are running up to 12 pounds each week. Shore anglers are doing as well as boat and tube anglers. For an update on this bite, you can call the lake at 949-362-3885 or go to the website at http://www.lagunaniguellake.com.

3. The upper Owens River near Mammoth Lakes is staying in the No. 3 spot this week. The river is open all year for catch-and-release fishing, and there has been an excellent fall run of giant rainbows out of Crowley up into the river this year. These are big, steelhead-like trout from 16 to 26 inches and they are taking egg fly patterns or streamers fished under banks and in pool tailouts. For more information or to go on a guided trip, check with one of the regionís fly shops — The Troutfitter in Mammoth at 760-934-2517, Sierra Drifters Guide Service at 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop at 760-873-0010, or Brockís at 760-872-3581 (the last three in Bishop).

1. The Lake Silverwood crappie bite is staying in the No. 1 slot. This bite has been slipping under the radar for over a month, but many anglers have posted 25 fish limits of crappie averaging about 3/4-pound — and fish to two pounds or a little better have been landed recently ñ off the marina docks. Silverwood is closed on Wednesday and Thursday during the winter because of budget issues. After park entrance, dock fishing adds $3 per person for adults and $2 for kids and seniors. For an update on the bite, call the marina at 760-389-2299.

2. Corona Lakeís trout action is constantly overshadowed by the more publicized lakes down the road in Orange County, but the action on rainbows has been as good at Corona than any water in Southern California the past few weeks and it produced the biggest trout in the region this past week (16-plus pounds). Limits of two-pound class fish have been common, and there is always a shot at a fish topping 10 pounds. You can float tube and launch small boats. And you donít need a fishing license here. For an update, call the tackle shop at 951-277-3321 or log on at http://www.fishinglakes.com.

3. Yes, the Eastern Sierra general trout season is closed, but the upper Owens River is open all year for catch-and-release fishing, and there has been an excellent fall run of giant rainbows out of Crowley up into the river this year. These are big, steelhead-like trout to 18 to 26 inches and they are taking egg fly patterns or streamers fished under banks and in pool tailouts. For more information or to go on a guided trip, check with one of the regionís fly shops — The Troutfitter in Mammoth at 760-934-2517, Sierra Drifters Guide Service at 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop at 760-873-0010, or Brockís at 760-872-3581 (the last three in Bishop).

By JIM MATTHEWS

http://www.OutdoorNewsService.com

Trout fishing season at urban waters throughout Southern California is swinging into full gear with plants beginning at most waters in the past few days. Corona Lake in western Riverside County and Hesperia Lake in the High Desert are both in their third weeks of plants and the bite has been very good at both waters.

Irvine Lake in Orange County kicked off its season last Friday after plants of 20,000 pounds of rainbows, brown trout, and brook trout earlier in the week, and all of the San Bernardino County Park Lakes — Yucaipa, Glen Helen, Cucamonga-Guasti, Prado, and Mojave Narrows — have received their first county plants of the season this week (and Yucaipa and Mojave Narrows have already received Department of Fish and Game plants).

The DFG has also started planting most of the major Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego county urban park lakes last week, and those not getting fish this week are on the schedule for this week. Most of these waters will get DFG fish on a once-every-two-weeks or once-every-three-weeks schedule this fall and winter.

Santa Ana River Lakes, while not officially opening its trout season yet, started getting plants of trout last week in preparation for its big opening event kicking off Nov. 18, when those lakes will be planted four different strains of rainbow trout, including the most big fish and most total poundage of trout ever stocked in this three-lake complex. The plants will include Tailwalkers from Nebraska, Mt. Lassen Super Trout with some topping 20 pounds, Sierra Bows, and Big Bad Reds topping 10 pounds.

In San Diego, Dixon Lake kicked off its trout season with a 1,500-pound plant of Tailwalker rainbows on Wednesday last week, and its 33rd annual Dixon Trout Derby will be Thursday through Sunday this week with another 4,500-pound plant just before that event. Lake Poway kicks off its trout season Friday after a 3,000-pound plant. Lake Jennings received trout each of the past three weeks. And Wohlford Lakeís trout season will begin on Dec. 10 after a 4,500-pound plant there.

Riverside County started its trout stocking program last week at Rancho Jurupa Park Lake and Lake Skinner with plants both locations. Diamond Valley Lake also received a big load of Mt. Lassen trout last week to augment the population of holdover rainbows and the DFG plant that went in two weeks ago.

Those are just the highlights, but the bottom line is that itís time to respool that trout rod with some fresh four-pound test, get some of the hot new floating baits and garlic scent, and sharpen all the barbs on some No. 16 treble hooks. Trout are on the menu.

WILDLIFE ART FESTIVAL NOV 19-20: The 29th annual Wildlife Art Festival will be held Nov. 19-20 at the San Bernardino County Museum. This event is anchored each year by the top entries in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceís federal duck stamp art competition, including the winning design and runners up in the voting. This art work is used on the federal duck stamp the following year.

The federal duck stamp is required to be purchased by all waterfowl hunters in the country and the proceeds from the stamp are the single largest source of funds available for wetland habitat acquisition and conservation. Since the program was implemented in 1934, the duck stamp has raised $770 million to purchase and expand 186 national wildlife refuges across the country.

In addition to the duck stamp art, the festival features the wildlife art of many of the nationís top wildlife and nature artists, carvers, and sculptors entries from the junior duck stamp art program, winners of the Tom Bennett Childrenís Art and Environmental competition for Inland Empire students, and hands-on wildlife painting and carving programs for kids.

For more information, call the county museum at 909-307-2669 or log on at http://www.sbcountymuseum.org.

1. Irvine Lakeís trout season opener was all it was billed to be with a lot of nice stringers of quality rainbows, along with a few browns and rainbows. Top fish was a 12-pounder, and the bite has remained pretty good since. Top action has been in Woodyís and Boat Dock coves on small jigs or floating baits doused with scent and fished on light line. For an update or the action and news on the next plants, call the tackle shop at 714-649-9111 or log on to http://www.irvinelake.net.

2. The sleeper pick of the week: The trout bite in the Colorado River from Laughlin to the Big Bend area has been good for the past few weeks, but itís getting very light fishing pressure. There have now been two 5,000-pound plants so far this fall, and a lot of quality holdover rainbows to five pounds or more are also caught each week. The trout plants are monthly through March. For an update on the action, call Riviera Marina at 928-763-8550.

3. The second sleeper pick of the week: The smallmouth bass bite has been excellent in the lower Colorado River from Blythe to Palo Verde. The fish are stacked up on the rip-rap that lines the main river and whacking anything crawdad-like, with small crawdad cranks the best bet. Few anglers fishing the smallies, but the fish are running up to four pounds with the average fish an honest two pounds. For tips and updates on where to fish, call B&B Bait in Blythe at 760-921-2248 or Walterís Camp out of Palo Verde at 760-854-3322 (Thursday through Monday).

Trout fishing season at urban waters throughout Southern California is swinging into full gear this week with plants beginning at most waters in the past few days. Corona Lake in western Riverside County and Hesperia Lake in the High Desert are both in their third weeks of plants and the bite has been very good at both waters.

Irvine Lake in Orange County is kicking off its season Friday after plants of 20,000 pounds of rainbows, brown trout, and brook trout earlier this week, and all of the San Bernardino County Park Lakes — Yucaipa, Glen Helen, Cucamonga-Guasti, Prado, and Mojave Narrows — have received their first county plants of the season this week (and Yucaipa and Mojave Narrows have already received Department of Fish and Game plants).

The DFG has also started planting most of the major Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego county urban park lakes this week, and those not getting fish this week are on the schedule for next week. Most of these waters will get DFG fish on a once-every-two-weeks or once-every-three-weeks schedule this fall and winter.

Santa Ana River Lakes, while not officially opening its trout season yet, started getting plants of trout this week in preparation for its big opening event kicking off Nov. 18, when those lakes will be planted four different strains of rainbow trout, including the most big fish and most total poundage of trout ever stocked in this three-lake complex. The plants will include Tailwalkers from Nebraska, Mt. Lassen Super Trout with some topping 20 pounds, Sierra Bows, and Big Bad Reds topping 10 pounds.

In San Diego, Dixon Lake kicked off its trout season with a 1,500-pound plant of Tailwalker rainbows on Wednesday this week, and its 33rd annual Dixon Trout Derby will be Nov. 10-13 with another 4,500-pound plant just before that event. Lake Poway kicks off its trout season Nov. 11 after a 3,000-pound plant. Lake Jennings received trout last week and again this week. And Wohlford Lake’s trout season will begin on Dec. 10 after a 4,500-pound plant there.

Riverside County started its trout stocking program this week at Rancho Jurupa Park Lake and Lake Skinner with plants both locations. Diamond Valley Lake was also set to receive a big load of Mt. Lassen trout this week to augment the population of holdover rainbows and the DFG plant that went in last week.

Those are just the highlights, but the bottom line is that it’s time to respool that trout rod with some fresh four-pound test, get some of the hot new floating baits and garlic scent, and sharpen all the barbs on some No. 16 treble hooks. Trout are on the menu.

1. Corona Lakeís trout season has been good after three weeks of plants with a lot of limits of rainbows to three pounds reported and some bigger fish to eight pounds this past week. This bite will just keep getting better with each weekly plant now. Best bite has been at the dam on floating baits. For an update on this bite and more information, call the tackle shop at 951-277-3321.

2. The Diamond Valley Lake striper bite is also very good and many anglers are still getting limits of stripers every trip to the lake. Most of the action is for bait fishermen fishing deep water. But with DFG trout plants coming every other week, the big swimbait action is not far away. Call the marina at 951-926-7201 or Last Chance Bait and Tackle at 951-658-7410 for the latest on this bite.

3. The Lake Skinner catfish and striper bite has been very good this past week with a lot of anglers getting nice mixed stringer of both species on cut baits near the dam. Most of the fish are two to four pounds, but thereís always a shot at a bigger cat or striper. For an update on this action, call the marina at 951-926-8515.