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November 9, 2008 - December 24, 2008

Sunday 16 November 2008 - 14:12:33 by Terrence
Posted in FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS | |        

Trout, steelhead, salmon stocking plans in limbo thanks to environmental lawsuit

By JIM MATTHEWS
Outdoor News Service

The way the Department of Fish and Game manages hatchery trout, salmon, and steelhead is about to change dramatically under an interim court order based on a lawsuit filed by the Pacific Rivers Council and the Center for Biological Diversity. The end result will be that hatchery fish will be planted in far fewer waters in an effort to protect threatened and endangered native species that might be impacted by the plants.

The DFG was sued last year because it did not have a programmatic environmental impact report for its trout and salmon hatchery program. Pacific Rivers and CBD argued that an EIR was necessary to measure and mitigate for the damage the plants of hatchery fish had on native species. The court ruled in 2007 that the state agency was to complete an EIR by the end of this year to address those concerns and comply with state law, but last month the DFG asked for a one-year extension to complete the EIR.

To reduce the impact of the DFG's delay, Pacific Rivers and CBD asked for interim restrictions on stocking last week. Those restrictions included not stocking areas where sensitive species such at California golden trout, redband trout, Kern River rainbows, Santa Ana sucker, mountain yellow-legged frog are known or suspected of occurring. It could also affect the planting of steelhead and salmon in waters where wild runs still exist, especially if the DFG did not plant stocks native to those specific waters. Sacramento Judge Patrick Marlette issued a tentative order last Friday mandating that interim changes should take place and gave the DFG until Nov. 24 to negotiate an agreement with Pacific Rivers and CBD.

Jordan Traverso, the DFG's deputy director of communications, said the agency thought last Friday it would have to cease all hatchery planting operations, but through rounds of negotiations with Pacific Rivers and CBD this week some agreements were made where trout, steelhead, and salmon stocking can continue until the EIR is completed. She said the agency staff was hopeful more tentative agreements could be made that would expand what the DFG could do through the coming months. So far, it appears the following types of waters and programs will continue:

-- Man-made reservoirs with over 1,000 surface acres will continue to be planted.

-- Smaller waters with no outlet, or waters not within the range of any sensitive species will continue to receive plants (this would include most urban fishing waters like those being planted throughout Southern California at this time).

-- The trout and salmon in the classroom aquarium programs will proceed.

But it's likely that many, if not most, streams and rivers throughout the state will at least be temporarily banned from receiving hatchery fish until the DFG completes the EIR on the hatchery program and each planted water has the environmental impacts of hatchery fish evaluated. Pacific Rivers and CBD told the DFG there are 25 species they are particularly concerned about and did not want to see planting in the range of those species during this interim period until scientific analysis was complete.

This could impact everything from small Southern California streams like the Santa Ana River headwaters, to major planted fisheries like the Kern River, to virtually all high-elevation waters that have or had yellow-legged frogs. It could even affect salmon and steelhead stocking programs on major rivers like the Sacramento.

The court order comes at a time when the DFG is also mandated by the legislature to plant 5.2 million pounds of trout for sport fishermen under a 2005 bill (AB 7) that went into affect this year. In September, the DFG started taking bids from private hatcheries to meet this stocking quota when it became evident the state's hatchery would not be able to rear that many fish.

"This puts the Department in an interesting limbo. It has mandates on one side from the legislature to which it may not be able to adhere. And now we have a court injunction that tells us to do something else. There are mandates on both sides that kind of conflict," said Traverso.

The negotiations will continue this week and next week as the Pacific Rivers, CBD, and the Department work out details that will go back to the judge for final approval on Nov. 24.

The court order and AB 7, if the terms of both are met, could be a boon for urban anglers when hatchery fish allotments from waters banned from plants are transferred to waters that can be planted. Southern California reservoirs and urban lakes could see the number of fish planted skyrocket. But the plants will come at the expense of other areas of the state with cutbacks.
Traverso said an interim plan would likely emerge by Nov. 24 that will give anglers a better sense of how it will affect their fishing.


Thursday 13 November 2008 - 17:12:13 by Terrence
Posted in DFG | |        

MATTHEWS’ PICKS OF THE WEEK

1. The largemouth and striper action is pretty much wide open at Diamond Valley Lake this week thanks to trout plants, both stocker rainbows and DFG plants of subcatchable brown trout. Everything is chowing down on the small browns. The lake record, 47-pound catfish caught last week had 17 browns in its stomach. You can bet the stripers and bass are eating more. Best baits are big, trout-like topwater and swim baits to catch quality largemouth to eight pounds and stripers to 12 pounds. For breaking updates, check with the marina staff at 951-926-7201 or Last Chance Bait & Tackle in Hemet at 951-658-7410. You can also get more information on the lake at www.dvmarina.com.

2. A flurry of big stripers came out of Castaic Lake this past week thanks to the Oct. 27 trout plant, and with more rainbows scheduled for this week, that bite could take off again. Top stripers in the past week were 18 and 22 pounds. The bigger largemouth are also up looking for rainbows for those targeting them. For an update, check with the marina at 661-775-6232.

3. Casitas Lake remains in our top picks for its good largemouth bass action. This is mostly thanks to the availability of live shad, but even when the shad a tough to get (like much of this past week), anglers are still getting quality fish to nine pounds or more on nightcrawlers, plastics, and small trolled lures. If you can get a dip net or two full of shad, the fishing is excellent. A bass over 10 pounds is always a possibility here. For an update on the action, check with the marina at 805-649-2043.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:37:33 by Terrence
Posted in MATTHEWS’ PICKS OF THE WEEK | |        

FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS

TROUT: Santa Ana River Lakes, Corona Lake, and Hesperia Lake are all excellent with their trout seasons now in full swing. All three are also getting Nebraska Tailwalkers this season. Irvine Lake is also very good with browns, rainbows, brookies, and steelhead all showing in a good bite. Diamond Valley has a good bite, after another plant this week, for shore anglers and trollers working out of rental boats, but light fishing pressure now that the lake is closed to private launching. Few other bites of note, but most waters in SoCal will be getting trout plants within the next two to three weeks. In the Eastern Sierra, trout season ends after fishing on Saturday in most places. In the Western Sierra, the upper and lower stretches of the Kern River are very good, seeing some of the best fishing of the year.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: There is generally fair to good fall bass action across the region. Casitas, Perris, and Diamond Valley Lake are all good in about that order of preference, with big fish starting to show after DFG trout plants at all three. Castaic, Pyramid, Silverwood, Cachuma, Isabella, Skinner, Piru, Otay, and Wohlford all have fair to good action. Poway, and El Capitan are a little slower.

STRIPED BASS: Castaic cranked out a few big fish this week after trout plants with fish to 22-plus reported. Silverwood and Skinner have been good on smaller fish, while Pyramid is just fair. Diamond Valley also has some striper boils going on and fish to 12 pounds were reported this week. A few wipers are showing at Elsinore, too, but that action is slow. On the Colorado River, the best striper action has been the fair to good bite in Mead where a lot of smaller fish to three pounds showing. Havasu and Mojave are also fair on smaller fish.

PANFISH: Top bets for bluegill and redear include Lopez, Diamond Valley, and Perris, but those bite could all tank with more cold weather. Most Southern California crappie bites are off, but there is still a few fish showing at Elsinore and Cuyamaca. The Central Coast lakes of Lopez and San Antonio both have been pretty fair for the crappie, too, with Lopez producing some bigger fish.

CATFISH: The action at all of the planted-catfish lakes is still slowing way down, but the fall bite on bigger, hold-over or wild fish is worth noting. While no huge fish were reported this week, places to watch include Santa Ana River Lakes, Hesperia Lake, Skinner, Diamond Valley, Henshaw, Corona Lake, El Capitan, Otay, and Silverwood. The lower Colorado River and river backwater, ditches, and canals have been consistently fair to good with both flatheads and channels showing in the catch.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:37:01 by Terrence
Posted in FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS | |        

TROUT PLANTS

Barring adverse weather, water, road conditions, and the availability of trucks and personnel, the following lakes and streams, listed by county, will be restocked this week with catchable-size rainbow trout from the Department of Fish and Game hatcheries:

LOS ANGELES: Castaic Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Hansen Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Lake, Pyramid Lake, Santa Fe Dam.

RIVERSIDE: Diamond Valley Lake, Hemet Lake, Lake Perris, Lake Skinner, Big Bear Lake, Silverwood Lake.

INYO: Lower Owens River from Stewart Lane to Laws.

SAN DIEGO: Doane Pond.

SANTA BARBARA: Lake Cachuma.

VENTURA: Lake Piru, Rancho Simi Park Lake.

FRESNO: Avocado Lake, Kings River below the Pine Flat Reservoir, San Joaquin River below the Friant Dam.

KERN: Isabella Lake, Kern River from Powerhouse #3 to Riverside Park, Kernville, Lake Wollomes.

MADERA: Bass Lake, H.V. Eastman Lake, Hensley Lake.

MARIPOSA: Lake McClure.

MERCED: Yosemite Lake.

SAN LUIS OBISPO: Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake.

TULARE: Kern River from Bruch Creek to Fairview Dam, Kern River from Fairview Dam to Falling Waters Lodge.

TUOLUMNE: Don Pedro Reservoir, New Melones Lake.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:36:07 by Terrence
Posted in TROUT PLANTS | |        

LOPEZ:

Bluegill and redear bites are still very good to excellent, and have some competition from the trout recently. Anglers have reported several limits and a fair to good trout bite near the dam on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Trollers have reported good trout action with Needlefish or Kastmasters. Amparo Diaz, La Puente, caught a two-pound trout. Bluegill and redear action continues best on red worms, wax worms and crickets by the Ranger’s Boat House. Bass bite fair with some action by the dam. DFG trout plant two weeks ago. Information: 805-489-1006.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:35:12 by Terrence
Posted in CENTRAL COAST LAKES | |        

NACIMIENTO:

Fair to good action for spotties on plastics (worms and jigs) and spoons in the narrows and off the rocky shorelines. Anglers are reporting an abundance of fish caught in the mornings and evenings. Largemouth and smallmouth action fair on plastics and nightcrawlers. Slow to fair white bass bite with more showing recently. Information: 805-238-1056 or www.nacimientoresort.com.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:34:57 by Terrence
Posted in CENTRAL COAST LAKES | |        

SANTA MARGARITA:

Good largemouth bass bite on Brush Hogs, plastics or crankbaits. Anglers have pulled out limits with largemouth to five pounds or better on some. Some smallmouth also starting to show. The early morning bite from sunrise to 9 a.m. is the best time. Improved, fair to good trout bite on Power Bait or worms. DFG trout plant two weeks ago. Decent crappie action on jigs near the river inlet. The marina store is open Wednesday through Sunday. Information: 805-438-1522.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:34:42 by Terrence
Posted in CENTRAL COAST LAKES | |        

SAN ANTONIO:

Crappie action still fair to good on crappie jigs or worms. Striper action fair to good with the best bite in Bee Rock Cove and Harris Creek on anchovies or swimbaits. Little to no smallmouth action, however the largemouth action is fair around the rocky points on swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits and plastic worms. Fair to good, and improving catfish action on anchovies, mackerel or shrimp. Information: 805-472-2818.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:34:23 by Terrence
Posted in CENTRAL COAST LAKES | |        

WOLLOMES LAKE:

Good bluegill bite on wax worms and crickets. DFG trout plant this week.

Thursday 13 November 2008 - 14:34:10 by Terrence
Posted in WESTERN SIERRA | |        

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