BASS FISHINGBass Fishing Sports Blog

Jimmy Reese of Witter Springs has the early lead in the pro division of the FLW Outdoors Clear Lake Pro/Am bass tournament following round one on Thursday. Reese brought 26 pounds, 11 ounces to the scales. he said he battled the wind and high waves to catch his fish. Prefishing paid off for Reese as he located several locations that held spawning bass earlier in the week. he said he caught his fish on jigs, swimbaits and by drop-shotting a plastic worm.

Second place on the leaderboard belongs to Greg Gutierrez of Red Bluff with 26 pounds, 7 ounces, and Troy Lindner of Los Angeles is third at 26-6.

Other local fishermen in the top 10 are Wayne Breazeale of Kelseyville, fifth place at 23-10; Paul Bailey of Kelseyville, seventh place at 23-7; and Tommy Cardoza of Lakeport, ninth place at 23-3.

The leader in the co-angler division is Oregon fisherman Kevin Gray of Hermiston with 24 pounds, 4 ounces. he also caught the big fish on day one, an 8-pound, 15-ounce largemouth bass.

The first day of the tournament produced 730 bass for an overall average weight of 3.62 pounds.

A full field will fish today during round two. Following today’s action, the field will be cut to the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers for the final day of competition on Saturday. The tournament started on Thursday with 97 pros and 97 co-anglers. The weigh-ins continue at 3 p.m. today and Saturday at Konocti Vista Casino in Lakeport. The winner in the pro division could win as much as $70,000 in cash and prizes. The co-angler could take home as much as $30,000 in cash and prizes. The pros paid an entry fee of $1,000 and the co-anglers $400.

Trout fishing

Trout grab the fishing spotlight this weekend as the annual Upper Blue Lakes Trout Derby gets under way Saturday morning and the general trout season opens at the East Branch of the Russian River. both events are expected to draw hundreds of fishermen.

Upper Blue Lake is scheduled to be stocked with trout this week and that means there should be plenty of fish for the contestants. The derby is sponsored by the Blue Lakes Association, local merchants and businesses, all of which donate prizes. The fishing contest has been around for 22 years and the proceeds from the event support volunteer firefighters, emergency medical personnel and other Blue Lakes community projects. The hours of the derby are from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday with weigh-ins each day at the Narrows Resort. Entry fees are $8 per person and $4 for those younger than 16. The top prize is $150, second place is $75 and third place is $50. Every child wins a prize. The derby is open to the public and hosted by the Narrows Lodge Resort, located on 5690 Blue Lakes Road. Fishermen can enter the derby at the resort as late as 9 p.m. tonight. For more information call 275-2718.

For those trout fishermen who aren’t fishing in the derby, the East Branch of the Russian River opens for trout action Saturday morning. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is scheduled to stock the stream this week. The stream is extremely well loved among fishermen and there is expected to be a large crowd on hand for the opener.

The good news is that the DFG stocks the stream several times a month throughout the summer. To reach the fishing area take the Lake Pillsbury Road off Highway 20. there are a number of places you can park and walk down to the stream. Most of the trout fishermen will be using either salmon eggs or nightcrawlers and working the deeper pools. Mepps spinners are also very effective.

Lake Mendocino will also draw large number of trout fishermen. The lake was stocked last week and will be stocked again next week.

Turkey season

The spring wild turkey season goes into its final week (it closes on may 6) and the hunting has certainly improved. Many of the hens are now sitting on their eggs and the toms are on the prowl looking for new hens. To date, the success rate among hunters has been better than average. I hunted the Mendocino National Forest on Monday and heard at least eight different gobblers. I also called in and bagged a nice tom.

There are excellent reports from the Howard Creek area for channel cats and keeper bass. Bream and shellcracker are holding in excellent numbers on Depot Creek, and sheepshead are in the Brothers and into the main channels of the Apalachicola River. Don’t forget the granddaddy of bream lakes and that would be the Dead Lakes in Wewahitchka.

This is the place you want to be on this full moon. The glide fishing here can be the best in the world if the mayflies are hatching. Mayflies hatch in the dark, so if you want to catch some fish you need to be there at or before daylight. Finding a tree with flies that hatched during the night should be no problem.

Simply look for fish striking on the surface and you have found what you are looking for. Sometimes the flies will be hanging from the cypress limbs and occasionally falling into the water. Bream will be around these trees along with blackbirds from many miles around.

St. Joe Bay is producing fantastic trout. we have had several reports from Black’s Island and around Pig Island with fantastic-sized flounder and huge trophy trout. some redfish are hanging around the Eagle Harbor and Pompano Point area and into Indian Pass. some huge kingfish still are being caught at the St. Joe Marina sea wall, but the bite has slowed down.

As the spring weather comes to a close, summer conditions soon will be upon us. Offshore water temps are getting close to the 80-degree mark, and soon we will see the return of kingfish, mahi-mahi, and wahoo. Excellent-sized amberjacks are holding on the M.B.A.R.A. numbers over the 18-mile bridge. Huge schools of smaller chicken dolphin are in the car body sites this week alongside the Spanish mackerel.

By MARC FOLCO April 29, 2012 12:00 AM

For the past 11 years, The Standard-Times has run the weekly “Catchin’ Anything?” fishing report every Friday from the first week in may through the last week in October, in addition to the weekly “Open Season” outdoors column, which runs every Sunday year-round, but this year will be different.

The Open Season column has run for 24 years, which I delight in writing, but it’s like having homework every week. I take the deadline seriously and have never missed a week in two dozen years. Perfect attendance, if you will. The fishing report was the same, never missing a week during those years. but with the addition of the fishing report, it’s another deadline and like having homework twice a week for six months of the year, compared to just once a week.

When I started writing for The Standard-Times I was 28, the year my son was born, and I’m now 52 and at an age where I’m trying to take it a small simpler, relax and delight in life a small more and need to eliminate the stress and pressure of that additional deadline and the nagging, “gotta’ get it done” that’s always in the back of my mind.

With mixed emotions, I spoke with my boss, Jonathan Comey, sports editor, and the decision was made to eliminate the Friday fishing report, but I will include local fishing information in my regular Open Season column on Sundays. As it is, space in Friday’s paper is tight, and the fishing report sometimes was held to Saturday’s paper because of space limitations.

While my readers would be looking for “Catching Anything?” to start for the season this Friday, it won’t be there. I plot to continue writing the Open Season column, and at 52, having homework once a week is enough for me. Watch for fishing info on Sundays.

Tautog fishing is good in the Bay with fish at Cleveland’s Ledge and most all the ledges and wrecks from Westport to Wareham. The fishing has been so good, that MarineFisheries is projecting the 17,130-pound spring commercial tautog allocation will be taken by Monday. Consequently, the spring commercial tautog fishery will be closed Tuesday until it re-opens Sept. 1 and will remain open until the 2012 Massachusetts tautog quota is caught.

In an ongoing effort to conserve and rebuild local tautog populations, MarineFisheries, with the approval of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission established the commercial quota in 2007, with 28 percent allocated to the spring fishery and the remaining 72 percent allocated to the fall fishery. The overall 2012 commercial tautog quota is 61,180 lbs.

Shore fishing is also heating up along most rocky areas, jetties and bridges, as the fish are moving inshore to spawn. The Narrows in Wareham is a favorite spring spot and tautog are just starting to show up there. Fishing the incoming tide a couple of hours before high tide will be the best bet for most shore spots. Green crabs are the top bait but they’ll also take seaworms, clams and quahogs.

Striper fishing is also starting with a bang as fish in the 30-inch range are being caught in most of the local rivers and bays with a good number of fish in the Weweantic River this past week. M&D’s Bait and Tackle reported a 46-incher caught from the Weweantic and another of the same size from the Agawam River. The recent cold nights may slow the morning bite just a bit, but it’ll pick up again as the temperatures get warmer. Bluefish just moved in and have been off Marion and will be scattering throughout the bay.

In freshwater, a rumor of a 13 ½-pound largemouth bass reportedly caught two weeks ago at Mary’s Pond on Rochester continues to be just that — a rumor. no local shops have weighed-in such a fish, and the heaviest largemouths weighed-in so far in MassWildlife’s Sportfishing Awards program are an 8-pound, 12-ounce fish in the adult division and a 9-pound, 7-ounce fish in the junior division. there is no documentation or proof of any 13 ½-pounder being caught.

Registration for “On the Water” Magazine’s 2012 Striper Cup, a five-month long tournament celebrating striped bass fishing, opens Tuesday. With more than 100 participating weigh stations, anglers from new Jersey to Maine will have the chance to win over $150,000 in prizes by competing in Shore, Boat and Youth categories for Weekly and Monthly prizes. Trophies are also awarded for Angler of the Year titles and the Striper of the Year title. Individuals can also compete as part of a Team or Club for the Striper Cup itself — an impressive silver cup that the winning team gets to drink from at the StriperFest awards ceremony and then host for the year.

The Grand Prize, a 23′ Hydra-Sports Striper Cup Edition boat, will be awarded on Sept. 29 at StriperFest in Falmouth where every participant in attendance has a shot at winning the boat. All entrants receive a registration package that includes T-shirt, pin, two tickets to the 2012 StriperFest, a spool of Spiderwire Fishing Line and a Sebile fishing lure.

To minimize the total number of striped bass weighed in for prizes, Striper Cup rules are far more conservative than the regulations of every state in the Northeast. A striped bass must measure at least 36 inches to be eligible for a prize, each angler may weigh in only one fish per week, and only the 10 largest fish (two per angler) will be included in a team’s final fish total. Also, the Catch & Release portion of the tournament has been expanded this year, with pins and prizes awarded to documented released fish. there is also a C&R Photo Contest, with the angler whose photo is judged winner receiving an original carved striper by Strong Woodworking. Entry is $40 Adult ($30 for On the Water subscribers) and $20 for youths (under 15). for complete rules and to register for the 2012 Striper Cup, visit OnTheWater.com

Cabela’s Incorporated announced last week its Wanna Go Fishing for Millions?, a contest giving anglers a shot at up to $2 million in cash and more than $225,000 in additional prizes by catching tagged fish in select lakes across the United States. The competition starts Saturday. Cabela’s, Outdoor Channel, Wanna Go Fishing TV and Geico are tagging fish in lakes across 19 states — Maine, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin — and every tagged fish caught will be a winner. It’s simple: catch specially tagged fish and win prizes ranging from Cabela’s gift cards to boats to $2 million. Last year, 143 winning fish were caught in the program.

This year, one of the tagged fish could be worth $1 million. The grand prize will be doubled to $2 million for participants who are current users of the Cabela’s Fish Recon app or who download the Cabela’s Fish Recon app to their smartphone, sponsored by Geico. other prizes include two Ranger 520Z Bass Series Comanche boats and trailers with Evinrude outboard motors, valued at $65,000 each, as well as more than $20,000 in gear.

All rules and requirements, as well as contest details and registration information, can be found at the contest website, cabelas.com/fishformillions; Participants must pre-register before fishing. Cabela’s will release the list of lakes to those who pre-register. Winners of specific prizes will be announced after the promotion ends July 8.

Species to be tagged this year will vary from state to state and include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, striped bass, perch, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, walleye, crappie, wiper, bluegill and channel catfish.

Another rumor circulating in the outdoor circles is that of a road-killed black bear being picked up by Environmental Police on Route 195 in Mattapoisett a couple of weeks ago, in the vicinity of the Haskell Swamp area. That rumor is fake. According to officials from the Mass. Environmental Police and the Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, no black bear was picked up by either agency in that area. however, an area black bear has developed a taste for chicken and has twice raided the same chicken coop in Middleboro, killing and eating chickens in the process, according to Jason Zimmer, MassWildlife’s Southeast District manager. “It’s a repeat offender,” said Zimmer.

Fire safety on the water is the topic of West Marine’s free boating seminar on Saturday from 10 a.m.—2 p.m. at its Berdon Plaza location in Fairhaven. The Fairhaven Fire Dept. will instruct on the use of fire extinguishers, flares and such things as what to do in the event of an electrical fire on board. You also may bring in your expired flares to be disposed of.

Marc Folco is the outdoor writer for The Standard-Times. Contact him at

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THURMOND LAKE

Raysville Marina (Leon Buffington and Doug Pentecost), (706) 595-5582 – Royce Bufford, of Clay Hill, caught 22 catfish. William Hawkins and mark Watson limited out on crappies. Hawkins and mark and Bonnie Watson caught 67 crappies. The fish are going crazy. We’re having a fish fry (crappies) on Saturday, starting about 11:30 a.m., and it’s open to the public.

Capt. David Willard, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed, fulltime professional guide specializing in hybrids and striped bass and trophy largemouth bass. (Boat phone: (706) 214-0236. (803) 637-6379 (crockettrocketstriperfishing.com) – Water temperature is in the upper 60s and the lake is clear. my clients have had a fantastic time this week, chasing the elusive striper. There are a lot of 8- to 10-pound stripers right now but they are very scattered. The smaller stripers and hybrids are in close one day and gone the next. that makes fishing very unpredictable, but then again, it’s still March. Ken Knapp, Don Mara, bill Craft and Tom Rashavy caught some nice fish last Monday. It was an early bite (5:30 a.m.), but we were there. Don Goth brought oldtime fishing buddy Ed Gerbitz from Stevens Point, Wis., to try out our striper fishery. They also had some nice fish early. Ed loves to fish for walleye and muskie, but said it’s still a bit icy on the Wisconsin River. Tom Allgood brought his fishing partner, daughter Courtney, and Andy Tisdale brought his fishing buddy, son, William, on a recent trip. It was not, repeat, not, fast and furious, but a lot of fun. Eleven-year-ancient William was the day’s top fisherman. he just acts like he’s not paying attention, but just let a rod bend and he’s on it. They caught some nice stripers.

Ralph Barbee Jr., professional guide specializing in largemouth bass. (706) 860-7373 – Kirk Daniel and I fished on Wednesday and caught 12 fish in two hours. We caught four bass and eight stripers, catching them on the Bandit crank bait with red eyes. The fish are schooling in the Holiday Park section above Raysville Bridge. The crappie bite is also strong. We saw one man make 30 casts from the bank with a doll glide and catch 30 fish! By the way, I’m taking my specially wrapped truck and boat to the Wild Game and Fish Cookoff for Kids Saturday at Daniel Field.

My new show features The Bassmasters. Fishing with Ralph Barbee airs Saturdays at 11 a.m., and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. on Comcast Channel 21, WRDW-My12, Knology Ch. 7, Atlantic Broadband (Aiken) Ch. 7 and Charter Ch. 9 (Fort Gordon).

William Sasser’s Guide Service, (Capt. William Sasser and Capt. mark Crawford, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed, full time professional guides specializing in crappies, hybrids and striped bass). (706) 589-5468 (William), (706) 373-8347 (Mark) or (864) 333-2000.(Clark Hill Herring Hut) – mark: Ellen Reed, Rusty Garner, Gray Court, S.C., Rob DeGregorio, Port Washington, Pa., and Debbie McAlary, Levittown, Pa., caught nine stripers and hybrids 3 to 10 pounds., Clark Sharpe and Steve Carlyle, Savannah Lakes Village, caught 17 hybrid stripers 2 to 10 pounds. All were caught on live herring pulled behind planer boards.

Bradd Sasser, Clark Hill Herring Hut, Clarks Hill, S.C. (864) 333-2000 – Anglers are catching hybrids and stripers, fishing live herring 25 to 30 feet down, while tied up to the off-limits cable behind the dam.

Capt. Tommy Dudley, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in stripers and hybrids. (706) 833-4807 – It’s been an up and down week. We’ve had some really good days, but it’s frustrating because we’re missing a lot of fish we should be catching. People aren’t used to fishing planer boards. We’re catching good 5- to 10-pound hybrids in the shallows early. I’ve been pulling boards in creek channels at the junction with the main channel and catching some decent fish in the deeper water. Avid fisherman Kevin Tumblin, visiting from Atlanta, had a blast catching a limit of huge slab hybrids. Brothers Terry and Randy Cato of North Augusta enjoyed fast action, catching a cooler full of 6- to 10-pound hybnds for a fish fry tonight. The Stanley party from Spartanburg, S.C., fished with Capt. Buddy Edge and I. We had to work for a good cooler of fish, including stripers, hybrids, largemouths and white perch. Buddy’s boat took the huge fish prize with a 10-pound striper. Check out my Web site: fishlakethurmond.com.

NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAIN STREAMS

Carter and Hunter Morris, licensed professional guides specializing in glide fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout. (706) 833-1083 (flyfishingnorthgeorgia.com) (facebook.com/flyfishingnorthgeorgia) – many insect hatches understandably are ahead of schedule, due to warmer than normal temperatures. The heavy caddis hatches on the Toccoa River have subsided and we’re already seeing a lot of mayflies. The Soque River has been having heavier (and earlier) mayfly hatches as well. Try a PMD or an Adams if you start to see trout rising to eat mayflies. We’ve also caught a lot of nice trout on pheasant tail nymphs dropped off 18 to 24 inches below a dry glide. Fern Valley on the Soque River and Frog Hollow on the Chestatee River continue to fish incredibly well and the Toccoa River is fishing much better now that water conditions have stabilized following the heavy release schedule the river experienced while emergency repairs were being done on Blue Ridge Dam.

MERRY LAND BRICKYARD PONDS

Check-in station, 1408 Doug Barnard Parkway, Gene Kirkland and Brantley Toomer, (706) 722-8263 – Mike Chapman and Chase Harmon caught 14.52 pounds to win last Friday’s bass tournament. Preston Crews and Raymond Klaus were second with 12.04 pounds and Mike Johnson (by himself) was third with 10.92 pounds. Huge fish winner was Clay Andrite with a 6.14-pounder. Brickyards: Paul Wolfe caught eight bass on plastic worms in the Membership Pond, John Mayfield caught 41 crappies on minnows in the Membership Pond. Sonny Graves caught 38 crappies in the Membership Pond on minnows. Larry Jones caught 46 crappies in the Ditch on minnows. Harry Dicks caught 43 crappies, several 2 to 2½ pounds, on minnows. Lou and Jeane Bates caught 38 catfish in the Pollard Pond on liver and worms. Thelma Williams caught nine carp, including an 18-pounder, in the Ditch on dough balls. Bobby Mann and son caught eight bream over ¾ pounds and four bass in the Stick Pond on worms. Lock and dam: Maurice Williams, 10, caught 12 one-pound bream down river. Terry Lambert caught 30 bream on crickets up river. Leonard Haynes caught eight shad on Sabiki Rigs several days in a row. William Boatwright caught five stripers, one 14 pounds, down river on wild herring.

BEAUFORT, S.C. & VICINITY

Ralph Goodison, Fripp Island, (843) 838-2530 – The weather has been fantastic and the fishing is EXCELLENT! Redfish are hungry and so are sheepshead. many boat owners are working on their boats, getting them ready for this season. No offshore reports yet.

Local fisherman and sportsmen are invited to participate in the 16th Annual Log-A-Load for Kids Bass Fishing Tournament on Saturday, April 21, on the Tensaw River at Live Oak Landing in Stockton, Ala.

All proceeds from this tournament will benefit children in need at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.

More than $11,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, with $5,000 for first place and other amounts for the next nine places.

This is a partner tournament, and first- and second-place lunker award will be awarded, with your choice of partner and one award being given per team.

The tournament will start at safe daylight (approximately 5 to 6 a.m.) and conclude with weigh-in time for all participants starting at 3 p.m.

Interested parties may pre-register at A-1 Accessories/Small Engines on Highway 29 in Cantonment, or register on the day of the tournament at Live Oak Landing.

Early registration fees are $130 per two-person team, if received by April 20, and $140 per two-person team the day of the tournament.

The non-refundable entry fee includes launch fees and “big Fish Pot” entry.

A properly completed and signed entry form along with entry fee, check or cash, must be received no later than the registration deadline, 30 minutes before safe daylight. Children under 17 must have a parent or guardian with them in the boat at all times.

A live auction will be held during the day and is open to the public. the auction will feature fishing gear and other fantastic items.

Log-A-Load for Kids is a national program sponsored by an independent group of loggers, leaders from the wood products industry, and other local businesses who join together to raise money for children in children’s hospitals across the country.

Local representatives of the forest products industry and local businesses in the Northwest Florida area have raised more than $600,000 in the past 15 years for Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Nemours Children’s Clinic, Pediatrix, and other specialty physician groups, uses this funding for the special treatment of sick and injured children.

For more information on this tournament, please call (850) 968-4400.

Fishermen from across the country hope to make a splash in Washington, D.C.

Stakeholders – be it recreational or commercial fishermen or those working in the fishing service industry – from Alaska, California and nearly every coastal state in the country are descending on Washington today for a “Keep Fishermen Fishing” rally at the nation’s capital.

The rally is the second in three years by fishermen across the nation trying to tweak a law that they contend is steadily putting them out of business.

“the goal, besides raising awareness and clogging up inside the Washington beltway, is to let all those senators and congressmen up there that there are some very (ticked) off people out there,” said Capt. Tom Adams of Mexico Beach Charters.

Those people, said Jim Donofrio of the Recreational Fishing Alliance, span the fishing industry.

Whether commercial and recreational fishermen or charter boat captains, fishing outfitters and those in the service industry and restaurants, they are all impacted by the fishing law of the land.

“That law is the Magnuson-Stevens Act and it needs to be changed,” Donofrio said. “It is not a big change, but it needs to be changed.

“this is a jobs issue, not a conservation issue. these guys (fishermen) are suffering. this administration is so hostile to the fishing industry. they are trying to alter people’s behavior. this is behavior modification.”

In brief strokes, what Magnuson-Stevens has led to, fishermen say, is shorter seasons, lighter bag limits and regulated waters that render stringently hard making a living on the water, Donofrio noted.

In Florida, the most significant impacts have been seen in snapper and grouper fishing seasons and limits. where Donofrio hails in New England, the poster fish for next week’s rally is the black sea bass.

Donofrio explained the situation this way.

Reckon of a scale for fisheries health. There is, he said, a line from Point A, a fishery is overfished, and Point B, where the fishery has reached a “healthy biological line.”

“That is what fishermen care about, the biological health of the fishery,” Donofrio said. “they aren’t interested in catching the last fish. this is their lives. they want a healthy fishery.”

But, Donofrio said, Magnuson-Stevens placed a higher threshold to determine that a fishery had been “rebuilt.”  That threshold, or line on the scale, sits beyond a fishery being “biologically healthy,” Donofrio said.

Therefore, while all science and first-hand indications are that a fishery has rebounded, fishermen are still considered in “statutory” violation of Magnuson-Stevens if that higher threshold has not been met, in the opinion of regulators.

Further, a fishery can be considered statutorily “rebuilt” but once fishing begins again the fishery heads down the scale to quickly being considered overfished.

In the case of the black sea bass, he added, indications are that the fishery for black sea bass in the Northeast is 125 percent of “biologically healthy” on the scale but the season for taking black sea bass remains closed.

“That has to change,” Donofrio said, noting, as Adams did, that the science used is sketchy and flawed. “these are arbitrary provisions.”

Even regulators of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, in a story that appeared in the the Star earlier this year, noted that the science is “complicated” and rendered hard because it “is not simple to study fish.”

Donofrio said the fishing industry has derived hope from new members of Congress, such as Rep. Steve Southerland of Panama City, that know and know their plight and are trying to bring logic to the equation.

Thirty members each from the U.S. Senate and Congress have been invited to attend the “Keep Fishermen Fishing” rally next week. Many will speak. House Speaker John Boehner is also scheduled to attend and speak.

“this is the first time that a sitting Speaker has done that,” Donofrio said. “he recognizes how important and far-reaching this issue is.”

Now that the Christmas holidays are done and the new Year has finally rolled around — here’s hoping this year will be a happy and prosperous one for us all — it’s time to grab that fishing pole and venture out to the water for some fishing in the warm sun.If you haven’t yet tried for rainbow trout, Game and Fish has planted a excellent share in various sizes at local water areas such as Fortuna Pond and Yuma West Wetlands as well as the Somerton Pond — trout have also been planted at Redondo Pond (Yuma Lakes) — to entice anglers to try their luck. Trout are fun to catch as long as weather and water temperatures stay cool enough. Pick up some small marshmallows, power baits — bright chartreuse or pink colors work well — and mealworms, even bits of nightcrawlers work at times, with a light rod and small hook. You can also use artificials such as in line spinnerbaits.go try your luck with combinations of whatever you have. If one bait doesn’t work, try another — alone or together. seems trout are very finicky at times so try one thing than another until you hit on the right combination. Once you get the knack of it all and begin catching trout, you’ll be in for a share of that excellent ol’ fishing fun.If you prefer fishing for stripers, think open water and moving currents. look for fish-eating birds diving into the water or a school of shad being busted. Top-water lures seem best. a excellent one to try is Storms Rattlin’ Chug Bug which combines sounds of water spitting, popping and internal rattling.For a surface lure, try Walk-the-Doggies, chuggers or slim minnows. other successful baits are live shad and silver spoons.For largemouth bass on one of our warm sunny days, try deep water jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and even top-water chuggers and poppers. White “thin Fin” lures and power baits are most always winners this time of year.Whatever you fish with, you still have to retrieve your lures slowly and deliberately. Fish over shallow moss and around rocky riprap. and don’t forget, vegetation holds bass year-round because it provides cover, warmer water and food. Fish ever-so-slowly for best results.You don’t have to wait for spring to catch crappie, but work with either ultra-light poles or one of the maxi-light outfits with a two- to four-pound test line and 1/16-ounce or smaller jigs (red and white are excellent colors) fished in 20-25 feet of water. Once you find a swarm of crappie, trolling and jigging very slowly works well. Drop a jig to the bottom, lift it off the bottom two or three feet, then let it fall back. the same goes when fishing for bluegill and sunfish.•Youth “FREE” Fishing Clinic: Plot now to come and enjoy the day outdoors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 4th at Fortuna Pond with the “free” fishing open to all youngsters age 17 and under. For safety, children under 14 should be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult. a new batch of trout will be planted by Game and Fish prior to that Saturday. Kids can learn about fishing in Arizona, how to use a fishing rod and reel, learn about bait, how to bait the hook and how to cast and retrieve their line while having a world of fun catching fish. Bring your own pole or use one of our loaners. Limited tackle and bait will be available.a free picnic lunch will be provided at noon by the Sans End RV Park “snowbirds.” all youngsters are welcome. For more information, directions or a flyer, call Jean Wilson at 247-4450 or Game and Fish at 341-4052. This clinic is sponsored by Southwest Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee and AZ Game and Fish Dept.Fishing clubs• Fishing at Martinez Lake at Fisher’s Landing: the Wednesday Jackpot Fishing Tournament is still going on each week with entry $5 for any species, sign up at 8 a.m. at the Fisher’s Gas Dock with weigh in at approximately 1 p.m. Also sign in before 8 a.m. at Fisher’s Bar, then go ahead and start fishing. Winner with the largest fish of the day takes all. AZ Game and Fish rules apply.• Swede Ferguson Memorial Monthly Huge Bass Fish off: Sign up with $10 at Fisher’s gas dock anytime beginning the first day of each month with 100% payback. the largest fish takes the whole pot the last day of the month. Call Jimmy Phipps at 782-2207.• Desert Bass Anglers: Results of yesterday’s tournament out of Fisher’s Landing will be reported next week or call Mac or Bobbi McDermott at 726-1984.• US Anglers choice: get signed up online at sdteamseries.com or at Sportsmen’s Hideaway for the Jan. 28th tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing. Entry forms and more information on the Yuma Region Tournaments are online or call Jim Sleight at 619-447-0244.• Yuma Pro Am: Jan. 29th Pro Am Tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing. Pay this year’s $15 dues and sign up early for the draw prior to the day before the tournament either online or by mail. For more information, mailing address, rules, etc. Visit the club website at yumaproam.com or call Bob La Londe at 580-1270.• Bass Class on the Water: To learn how, when and where to catch bass at local waters with artificial baits in all seasons and conditions. Call Dave Willhide at 782-2621 who will take you fishing with a fully rigged bass boat and all gear provided. ask about Instructional Seminars available for RV parks and home groups.Hunt happenings• Arizona Game and Fish Commission Awards Banquet is Jan. 14 at the Carefree Resort & Conference Center, 37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ. 85377 with the social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner and the awards. Our great friends, Sam and Betty Oppenheimer, are being honored for their many, many years as instructors of the Hunter Safety Education Program in Yuma assisting countless youngsters and adults learn all about hunting and what it takes to become a safe and ethical hunter. Sam and Betty will receive the first-ever Buck Appleby Hunter Education Instructor of the Year award in thanks for their 25-30 years of endless efforts to further the tradition of hunting in Arizona. Call 623-236-7332 now to get your reservation.• 2012 Becoming an Outdoor Woman Deluxe: If you have a lady who likes a small extra comfort with her outdoor experience, this is for her! the 7th Annual 3-day Workshop is being held Jan. 27-28 by the Arizona Wildlife Federation at Saguaro Lake Ranch located on the banks of the Salt River surrounded by the Bulldog and Superstition Mountains with workshops beginning at 1 p.m. that Friday, ending Sunday noon. the ranch is a family-owned bed and breakfast with lots of amenities with workshops focusing on the Sonoran Desert.it offers classes on general knowledge as well as outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in our gorgeous desert that include boating sessions, edible and medicinal desert plants, outdoor photography, fly fishing, birding, dutch oven cooking and still water paddling, predator calling javelina hunting, desert survival and archery. there is also an optional trail ride offered with evening activities of campfires and entertainment. the fee is $375 for the entire weekend with all meals, lodging, instruction and use of equipment included. the trail ride is addition. For information or an application, visit azwildlife.org or call 480-644-0077.• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club: MacKenzie Hazlett, junior club member, took the top spot during last year’s Javelina Contest with her javelina weighing 48.5 pounds field dressed. other javelina weighed in are Tyler Parsons 44 pounds, Travor KIamman 41.8, Kent Inglett 41, Jonathan Parrish 39.5, Pat Daily 38.8, David Fischer 35, Paul Hester 31.68, Kaleb Mathews 31.02, Kevin Wilson 30.8, Glenda Hazlett 28.5, Hailey Mathews 28.5. be sure to pay this year’s dues, then sign up anytime prior to the season for the 2012 Huge Javelina Contest — call Dennis Florence at 782-2675.Shooting sports• Renegade Archers of Yuma: all archers are welcome to shoot the trail of 3D animals at 9 a.m. Sundays at the Foothills Archery range located at the base of the Gila Mountains south of I-8 and east of Foothills Blvd. off south Avenue 15E (watch for archery signs to the range about 1 mile from the south Frontage Road). Shoot fees are $5 adult ($3 with the one-time annual $20 range fee) with all youngsters always free of charge with free use of equipment available upon request. Call me, Jean, at 247-4450.• Yuma Territorial Long Rifles: the 2012 Long Rifles Rendezvous”will be held Jan. 12-15 at the Adair Park black powder range with primitive and tin teepee camping as well as Traders Row, free to traders who are most welcome. Shoot fees are $20 adult, $30 family plus a blanket prize per shooter worth $10 or more — something you’d like to have. a Saturday evening barbecue and potluck dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be $5 or a potluck dish for anyone not registered (fees do not apply to family members of registered shooters). Ranges will be open at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. all firing will be completed by 5 p.m. that Saturday evening with awards presented at 1 p.m. Sunday. Call Dennis Hansel at 342-7573 or Glenda Graves at 314-1029.• Cholla Gun Club: all matches are at 8:30 a.m. at the Adair Park metallic silhouette range and are NRA approved — NRA membership not required. Tuesday — Schutezen .22 Rifle Match on black powder range with 20 shots bench rest at 10 yards and 20 shots standing at 100 yards; Wednesday — Information get-together for fun and plinking off the bench or standing. Practice your shooting skills, test ammo for gun you want to shoot; Friday — .22 Rifle and Pistol Silhouette Fun Match — informal get together for .22 Long Rifle only; Saturday — Black Powder Cartridge, High Power Rifle Silhouette ($10 fee); Monday, Jan. 16 — Organized practice for Black Powder Cartridge, High Power and .22 Long Rifle Silhouette (.22 long rifle out to 200 meters). Call Rick or Glenda at 314-1029.• Yuma Rifle and Pistol Club: Match Winner for the latest Long Range Match held at the Adair Park huge bore range was Gerald Brooker. Feb. 19 — High Power Match for civilian, service, women, men and junior shooters who sign up by 7:30 a.m. with six matches in the course of fire. Fees are $20 adult, $10 junior. Call Paul Lerma at 783-6766 or Gerald Brooker at 305-9681.

Some of the best and worst of outdoor-related tales from 2011:

January

Celebrity bass angler and TV/radio host Kent Brown visits the Chico Bass Club and gives an entertaining and informative talk.

February

Local wildlife biologists report that the deer population along the Sacramento River is increasing rapidly, wild pigs are also expanding their range and causing havoc and nuisance bear calls caused by non-hibernating animals continue to come in.

The Enterprise-Record’s outdoors writer wins the local National Wild Turkey Federation’s annual “Chuck Graves Conservation Award,” named for the father of California’s wild turkey hunting program.

March

A frightening photo circulating on the Internet purporting to show a group of eight mountain lions in the foothills near Oroville is proved a hoax; the gathering of big cats was really in Douglas County, Wash.

The same day as the tragic Tsunami struck Japan, luckily only a few anglers were on California’s Smith River, which suffered a strong surge, killing one spectator on the jetty.

April

After more than a decade of absence, a full-scale Outdoor Sportsman’s Expo takes place in Chico at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds. the successful event features exhibits, guides, equipment and seminars covering a wide variety of fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation.

The best striped bass run on the Sacramento River in more than 20 years makes anglers very happy.

May

A pair of Chico State Bass Team student-members, Marshal Smith and Parker Moran, are named to the FLW Outdoors 2011 National Guard College Fishing All-America Team.

Chico’s “Hooked on Fishing, not on Drugs” children’s fishing event takes place at Horseshoe Lake, with some 2,500 kids showing up to catch their first fish.

June

Not to be outdone, the city of Oroville’s “Hooked on Fishing” kid’s day draws 1,000 children to its event at Bedrock Park.

The Department of Water Resources and Lake Oroville play host to “Catch a Special Thrill” (CAST) for kids. Approximately 50 special-needs children go out for a day of “TV Bass Pro-style” fishing.

Bass anglers on Lake Oroville experience phenomenal action, routinely releasing 30 to 40 spotted bass per day, along with a few largemouth to keep things fascinating.

July

Salmon season opens on both the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, with relatively slow action experienced by most anglers.

The Feather River Hatchery announces that it produced roughly 11 million salmon this year; including nine million Fall Run Chinook, two million Spring Run Chinook, and 450,000 steelhead.

August

Salmon fishing explodes on the Sacramento River, with simple limits of king salmon the norm. many ancient-timers are reminded of the “excellent ancient days.”

A world-record 81.8-pound striped bass is caught in Connecticut, and is extremely impressive even from across the country.

September

Members of the Chico Bass Club plant some 1,500 juvenile Florida-strain largemouth bass into Lake Oroville.

October

The “Balance of the State” waterfowl season legally opens on Oct. 22, but most of the popular north state refuge hunts are postponed until Oct. 29 due to the delayed rice harvest.

Fortunate deer hunters who draw access to the big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve find excellent success.

November

Some 230,000 juvenile coho salmon are stocked in Lake Oroville, in a continuation of the very popular fishery program for the species.

The “war on stripers” heats up again, as the DFG conducts a public meeting in Rio Vista about the proposal to drastically increase the bag limit on striped bass. More than 500 outraged anglers attend.

December

The State Fish and Game Commission rejects a controversial proposal that would have required an environmental impact study prior to stocking of any fish in any waters, including private lakes and ponds.

California anglers can now buy their fishing licenses over the Internet, or at a kiosk inside sporting goods stores. Anglers who fish for everything the state has to offer will pay a whopping $110.12 for the privilege.

A very happy new year to all!

Send your outdoor news-related items to Steve Carson at

Because the final weeks of the fall season were relatively warm, the usual cold weather fish-catching patterns have been slow to fall in place. In fresh waters, the open water speckled perch bite hasn’t really gotten off the ground.

Santa Fe has produced only occasionally and most other lakes are too low for larger fishing boats to access. This has focused a lot of attention on top-notch speck producer, Rodman Reservoir. The Ocklawaha River backwater is in the final days of its periodic drawdown, and, during these drawdown years, the crappie-catching is usually outstanding.

Late last weekend the pool became inaccessible via the normal launch points at Orange Springs and Kenwood Landings. But by late Tuesday, an on-the-ball Army Corps of Engineers crew had the temporary ramp at Orange Springs ready to go, and the temporary launch point at Kenwood is slated to be ready by late Friday. In all likelihood, Rodman will soon see a large share of the speck-fishing traffic that Orange, Lochloosa, Newnan’s and a number of smaller nearby lakes will not be able to accommodate this season.

And speckled perch won’t be the only target of Rodman anglers. even though largemouth bass are protected and illegal to possess during the dewatering period, catch-and-release bass anglers will likewise come out in droves.

Well known inshore gulf captains, Tommy Thompson and Rick Davidson, took a walk on the fresh side last weekend when Tommy gave Rick an unusual Christmas gift — a guide trip with Rodman big bass specialist, Capt. Sean Rush. with the drawdown nearing completion last Sunday, launching Rush’s boat was a tough challenge accomplished at Eureka Landing on the river, above the pool. The redfish and trout authorities went through 10 dozen shiners while boating 30 bigmouths topped by a nice 6-pounder.

With the official start of winter approaching quick, Gulf Coast speckled trout still have not really congregated. Warmth-seeking trout have ventured briefly into most of the gulf rivers, but warmer days afterward have scattered the fish again. until water temperatures drop farther, the diligent trout fisher will need to check sand and shell bars, near-shore flats, creeks and maybe even a river mouth to get a excellent read on where the fish are that day.

Last weekend was a honestly nasty one to probe the salty shallows, but a few fishers did so with success. Capt. Les Flaherty and his parties covered lots of water in and around the Suwannee’s mouth … alternately fishing shrimp on the bottom and casting white Gulp! shrimp on jig heads. The Rogus and Baugh groups from Tennessee and Minnesota caught a number of sizable sheepshead in the river’s East Pass, and also took trout and redfish from shell bars and in creeks. The veteran guide warns that extremely low tides this time of year call for extra vigilance.

“when the tide is falling,” he advises, “you’d best be thinking about getting back into deeper water by the time it’s halfway down.” Brilliant advice.

Ryan McCabe and Michael Wiechens of Gainesville and Adam and Bryn Blaise of Leesburg fished out of Yankeetown from an airboat in Sunday’s cold drizzle. They cast live shrimp on circle hooks in creeks near the Withlacoochee River mouth to catch 70 redfish. although many were of slightly sub-slot size, the fish ranged up to 31-inches. All the catching was done in a three-hour period an hour and a half or so on each side of low tide.

Farther down the big Bend coast, Homosassa fishers casting TT and 52M series Mirrolures have found only spotty trout in the deeper river, but honestly dependable trout action in the multitude of creeks nearby. Capt. William Toney still has the pre-spawn sheepshead pegged, and continues to take his parties to fine catches out in the “Foul Area,” a small run offshore.

Having boated big largemouth and sunshine bass, redfish and trout, young George Schaff already has quite an impressive fish-catching resume. But George’s latest fishing accomplishment was his first to pay off in a literal way. While he fished from a boat dock on Lake Santa Fe recently, the A. Quinn Jones seventh-grader hauled in a 20-inch bass that carried an FWC $200 reward tag.

Gary Simpson, a veteran tournament angler, operates Gary’s Tackle Box at L & S Trim.

WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT when he first started fishing, Loren Elliott answers a slightly different question: “I caught my first fish on a fly rod when I was 6.”

After all, some of the most formative times for the 21-year-ancient who grew up in Point Reyes Station were spent standing in a river waving a stick, practicing the patient, wand-wielding art of fly fishing. though there were a few pond bass and planter trout caught using worms and a bobber in the years prior, that first glide-caught rainbow trout from the McCloud River in Shasta County would set the tempo of Elliott’s summers, provide an outlet for his creative and intellectual energies, and turn him into an outdoorsman, photographer, writer and conservationist. Today, Elliott is a senior at Seattle University, is developing his own fly fishing guide service and is pursuing a degree in environmental studies. He plans, eventually, to engage himself as an activist in efforts to preserve rivers, beaches, and fish — not to mention opportunities to catch them.

Like many anglers, Elliott developed a relationship with nature by fishing.

“I have an interest in preserving the environment because I’ve been fishing all my life,” said Elliott, who spends his summers in Marin and works part-time as a salesman at Western Sport Shop in San Rafael. “You have the (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) who are against any sort of fishing because it can hurt the animals, but I think that’s misguided. Fishing is really important in creating a connection between people and nature. if I hadn’t started fishing I’m not sure I ever would have gotten outdoors.”

Elliott started fly fishing during the surge of popularity in the sport that came partly in response to the 1992 film, “A River Runs Through it.” for Elliott, though, fly fishing would be no small-lived pastime inspired by actors. Nor would it remain a stubborn knee-deep pursuit of rainbow trout — for fly fishing has taken Elliott around the world. He’s been to the Bahamas for bonefish; to Belize for permit, tarpon and bonefish; to Ireland for wild Atlantic salmon; to Baja California for a wide array of tropical game fish; and to Costa Rica for the spectacular sailfish.

When at home in Marin, Elliott often dons waders and casts in the surf at Bolinas and Stinson Beach for striped bass, or striper, and surfperch, an aggressive but generally underrated predator. He learned to fish this challenging environment of large waves, roiling water and gusty winds about five years ago under the guidance of friend and fly fisherman Mark Won. the two started fishing together at Drake’s Beach, throwing beady-eyed sinking flies for surfperch. Today, Won and Elliott still fish together, but while Won remains more of a surfperch devotee, Elliott spends most days casting in the surf targeting striped bass.

In the summer of 2011, Elliott caught and released between 15 and 20 stripers — a monumental figure for a fly fisherman. in 2010 Elliott did just as well and was even featured on the cover of fly Fishing in Salt Waters magazine’s November-December issue, kneeling in the surf with a 25-pound striped bass in his hands just a moment before setting it free.

“There are very few fly fishermen who fish in the surf, and that gives you an idea of how hard it is,” Won said. “Maybe one out of five times on the water you’ll run into a striped bass, and that’s in ideal conditions.”

Elliott, once a protégé of Won, is now teaching others to fly fish. He has launched his own guiding service to show clients the spellbinding experience of laying down a fly, stripping it by hand through the water, and feeling the smashing strike of a striper or a steelhead.

At Western Sport Shop, Larry Lack has worked alongside Elliott for several years in the fly fishing department and finds reason to hope in the fact that at least a few teenagers and 20-somethings are taking up fishing rods and turning their attention to the water.

“(Elliott) is a testament to the fact that we’ve got to be helping young people learn the art of fly fishing,” said Lack, who is 74 and has been avidly fly fishing for decades. He believes that river ecosystems stand the best chance at remaining healthy if young people today learn to stalk and catch the fish that live in them.

Lack remembers gabbing with some fishing friends several years ago after a meeting with the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, a conservation and fishing group.

“Someone made the comment, ‘We all have gray hair,’” remembers Lack, 74. “‘Where’s our next generation of people interested in aquatic environments going to come from?’”

Elliott also worries about a future without fishermen.

“There still is a huge lack in the 15 to 25-year-ancient age bracket,” Elliott said. “I have met amazingly few people in that group who fly fish.”

Meanwhile, Elliott says he is “surrounded by peers (in Seattle) who preach that they are all about environmental protection and saving the planet,” but who have never had a direct relationship with the natural world.

Fishing, Elliott believes, can solidly bridge that gap.

After college, Elliott says he is likely as not returning home to Marin County to put his education to use — perhaps as an environmental lawyer — to help protect and restore the Bay-Delta ecosystem and its fisheries. Striped bass numbers today are as low as they’ve ever been, experts believe, and steelhead and salmon numbers have seen a long, steady decline. These ocean fishes spawn in rivers and so face unique challenges as the state’s booming agriculture industries seek to divert limited river water into farmland. Elliott anticipates many days spent battling in courtrooms to protect fish and speaking from podiums in Sacramento about water management policy.

But on the better days, he’ll be back in the water, thigh-deep in the surf, wielding a flexing wand as 80 feet of line flail airborne overhead before landing in the frothy waves. And on the best days of all, the water will erupt at the strike of a striped bass.

Alastair Bland is a Bay Area fisherman. Send him tales, photos or video to or call the IJ sports desk at 382-7206. Check out his blog at blogs.marinij.com/fishing_in_marin/