Stocking up for the trout season opener

DFG's hatcheries are scheduled to plant approximately 90,563 large catchable trout this week in preparation for Saturday's trout season opener in the counties of Fresno, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Tulare and Tuolumne.
The trout average .75 pounds apiece.
Anglers can expect most streams and rivers to be high and turbulent for the opener. Waters in higher elevations will be unavailable to some anglers. Check with the U.S. Forest Service for up-to-date road conditions and availability of campgrounds.
Kaiser Pass is not scheduled to be open prior to Memorial weekend.
See the DFG's planting schedule site or updated stocking information.
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A look at the latest stocking dates for the Central California:

• FRESNO COUNTY: Avocado Lake, Big Creek (Huntington and Kings), Dinkey Creek, Hume Lake, Kings River below Pine Flat Dam, Rancheria Creek, San Joaquin River below Friant Dam, Shaver Lake, Tamarack Creek, Tenmile Creek (Upper)
• KERN COUNTY: Alder Creek (Greenhorn Mtns. Area), Brite Valley Reservoir, Cedar Creek (Greenhorn Mtns. Area), Kern River (KR#3 to Riverside Park, Kernville)
• MADERA COUNTY: Big Creek, Chiquito Creek (Lower and West Fork), Corrine Lake, Eastman Lake, Fish Creek, Hensley Lake, Lewis Creek, Manzanita Lake, Nelder Creek, Rock Creek, Willow Creek-North Fork
• MARIPOSA COUNTY: Bull Creek, Jordon Pond, McSwain Reservoir
• MERCED COUNTY: Merced River from McSwain Dam to Merced Falls
• MONTEREY COUNTY: Nacimiento River, Lower
• SAN LUIS OBISPO: Atascadero Lake, Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake

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Also available for the upcoming trout season, the 144-page, full-color "Fishing Central California" guidebook published by No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guidebooks. The book is available for preorder at the following bookstores (Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com) for less than $20. The suggested retail is $24.95. Support the free content at CaliforniaAngler.com by picking up the book, written by the editor of this site, Brian Milne.

DFG unveils Central Coast MPAs

A new set of marine protected areas (MPAs) have been announced on the Central Coast.
The move launches the state’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Program, designed in hopes of conserving marine resources for long-term sustainability while attempting to balance recreation and ocean research opportunities along the coast.
“With our action today, California has embarked upon something historic and extraordinary,” president of the commission Richard Rogers said in a statement. “With this vote, we have taken the first step to return our ocean waters to the place they used to be; an ocean full of sustainable abundance.”
The Commission voted unanimously for the 29 MPAs, which represent about 204 square miles, along with 85 square miles of no-take state marine reserves along the Central Coast from Pigeon Point in San Mateo County south to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County.
The adopted network includes:
• Año Nuevo SMCA: Allowing commercial kelp harvest by hand only for the existing leaseholder in the area until the lease expires.
• Soquel Canyon and Portuguese Ledge SMCAs: Allowing harvest of pelagic finfish only.
• Edward Ricketts SMCA: Allowing recreational fishing (at all times in the entire MPA) and commercial kelp harvest with the limits recommended by DFG.
• White Rock (Cambria) SMCA: Allowing commercial kelp harvest by hand for the existing leaseholder in the area until the lease expires.
An overflow crowd of more than 200 people attended Friday’s Commission adoption hearing with many providing final testimony on three MPA packaged proposals, including the Commission’s preferred alternative, which was initially voted on at the Commission’s August 2006 meeting in Monterey. Each proposal underwent the required state environmental reviews and regulatory analysis.
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How does Friday's announcement affect you? Comment below.

Kern River Fly Fishing DVD released

Gearing up for the upcoming trout season opener, I stumbled across a fun little DVD on what is quickly becoming one of my favorite trout fisheries in California, the Kern River.
The DVD, which I bought at www.sierraflyfishing.com ($19.95, Halflight Productions), is entitled Sierra Fly Fishing Vol. 1, Lower Kern River.
It’s basically a 30-minute (minus the extra features) instructional fly-fishing show hosted by local guide Guy Jeans, who knows the Kern River better than anyone in the area.
I’ve bumped into Jeans a couple times over the years at his shop in Kernville (http://www.kernriverflyfishing.com/) and a couple times on the water, following him and a couple clients around to get some shots for the Central California Fishing guide. He’s a great resource and a knowledgeable guide, which you’ll see on this DVD he’s made with fishing buddy Tysun McMullan.
This episode focuses on the Lower Kern, which I’ve had my fair share of struggles with and am now eager to fish again after seeing the football-sized trout Jeans was hauling in.
In this single trip, Jeans lands four or five hogs that looked like they’d been inhaling shad for weeks.
I was actually pretty surprised by Jeans’ candidness, openly talking about the different runs on the lower river and even giving away some of his favorite techniques.
Many guides are tight-lipped about their home water and frown upon giving away worthwhile tips and techniques unless you’re a regular at the shop or an out-of-towner sitting on a fat wallet. Watching the DVD, I felt like Jeans was giving me a crash course on the best ways to fish the lower Kern below Isabella. Well worth the $20.
Great insight. Good cinematography for such a small production crew. Fun outakes and extras. Just a well-done video, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting second and third volumes on the upper portions of the Kern.
-Brian Milne

Got a fishing movie, tackle or other gear you’d like to see reviewed by CaliforniaAngler.com and maybe mentioned in upcoming stories and/or publications such as the Central California Fishing guidebook? E-mail the editor at editor@californiaangler.com for more info.

Anglers eagerly await trout season opener

Spring is here and the trout season is near.
The general trout season is set to open on April 28 in California with hundreds of lakes, rivers and streams opening up to anglers for the first time in six months.
Weather permitting, the fishing is usually best this time of year because of the number of fish plants that take place before the opener along with little fishing pressure over the previous six months.
The Eastern Sierra typically gets the brunt of the opening-day anglers. All waters (except a selected few) are closed to fishing in Inyo and Mono County for six months out of the year.
Just north of Bishop, Crowley Lake is the most popular destination on opening day.
The lack of harsh winter conditions in the Eastern Sierra could open up a handful of fisheries that aren't typically accessible to anglers this time of year.
On the other hand, many traditional season-opening ice fishing waters will be unsafe to ice fish this year.
In the North Coast Region popular waters include Fall River, Hat Creek, Pit River, Burney Creek, Upper Sacramento River and the McCloud River below McCloud Reservoir.
In the greater Tahoe region, the South Fork of the Yuba River and the East and West Forks of the Carson River are top picks.
Be sure to check the DFG's 2007 California Sport Fishing Regulation Booklet or Web site, http://www.dfg.ca.gov/, for the latest regulations on the specific fishery you plan to fish as rules can change throughout the year.
- From a DFG press release
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Where will you be? Post a comment letting CaliforniaAngler.com know what waters you are interested in fishing later this month during the general trout season opener and post how your trips go below ...