Fish Report for 3-31-2017

Photo courtesy of CDFW

CDFW April Calendar of Events

3-31-2017
CDFW

Various Days – Guided Wetland Tours at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). A wildlife naturalist will lead a group, school or organization on a half-mile route through diverse wetlands. General information includes wildlife identification, behavior patterns and conservation efforts. Tours can be catered to include requested information. The minimum group size is 18 people and reservations are required. For more information, please call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.

Various Days – Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application Deadline for Multiple Hunting Opportunities. Wild pig, deer, bear, turkey, dove and quail hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $10.50 non-refundable application fee (plus handling fees) will be charged for each hunt choice. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.

Weekends – Ecological Reserve Tours at Elkhorn Slough. Volunteers lead walks every Saturday and Sunday, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Binoculars and bird books are available for the public to borrow at no cost. The visitor center and main overlook are fully accessible. The day use permit fee is $4.12 per person, ages 16 and older (permits may be purchased on-site). Groups of five should please notify staff that they are coming and groups of 10 or more can request a separate tour. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/elkhorn-slough-er

1  Recreational Ocean Salmon Season Opens from Horse Mountain to U.S./Mexico Border. For more information, please visit the Ocean Salmon webpage at wildlife.ca.gov/oceansalmon or call the Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (707) 576-3429. 

1 – Recreational Groundfish Season Opens for All Boat-based Anglers in the Central Groundfish Management Area (Pigeon Point, San Mateo County to Point Conception, Santa Barbara County). For more information, please visit the Groundfish Central webpage at wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/groundfish

2 – Elkhorn Slough Reserve Hosts Author, 1 p.m., Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). The Elkhorn Slough Reserve is hosting a free talk by author Patricia Newman, whose book “Sea Otter Heroes:The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem” tells the story of researcher Brent Hughes and his work at the reserve. Hughes will also discuss his sea otter and eel grass study. For more information, please contact Virginia Guhin at virginia.guhin@wildlife.ca.gov.

6 – 2017 Proposition 1 Restoration Grant Programs Delta Workshop, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Delta Conservancy Offices, 1450 Halyard Drive, West Sacramento (95828). CDFW and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy will host a workshop to discuss their respective Proposition 1 funded grant programs. The informal workshop will provide program information and include a forum for stakeholders to discuss their projects with an emphasis on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. For more information, please visit nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=141162&inline.

8 – Trout Fest at the Moccasin Creek Hatchery, 15300 Highway 49, Moccasin (95347), at the junction of Highway 49 and Highway 120. Trout Fest is a free event that introduces youths to the basics of trout fishing. Participants can learn how to tie basic fishing knots, rig a pole, cast, handle trout, and clean and cook trout. All equipment is provided and no outside gear is allowed. Fishing is for youths 15 and under. This event will happen rain or shine. For more information, please email troutfest@wildlife.ca.gov or visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/hatcheries.

8 – Elkhorn Slough Reserve Annual Snowy Plover Habitat Restoration Mud Stomp, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Moss Landing Wildlife Viewing Area, 2460 Highway 1, Moss Landing (95039). Join Carleton Eyster, a biologist with Point Blue Conservation Science, to learn about the snowy plover and help improve their habitat. Please wear rubber boots as participants will walk along drying ponds and the footprints they leave will provide camouflage for flightless chicks and eggs. For more information, please contact Virginia Guhin at virginia.guhin@wildlife.ca.gov.

9 – Port of San Diego’s Day at the Docks, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., San Diego Sportfishing Landings, Scott Street and Garrison Street, San Diego (92109). Day at the Docks is the West Coast’s largest public celebration of sport fishing and signals the official start of Southern California’s spring saltwater fishing season. CDFW scientists and wildlife officers will have a booth and be available to answer all questions regarding recreational and commercial fishing as well as distributing California Fishing Passport books and 2017/18 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklets. Admission is free. For more information, please check the Day at the Docks website

13 – California Fish and Game Commission Teleconference Meeting, 10 a.m., California Natural Resources Building, Jim Kellogg Conference Room, 1416 Ninth St., Room 1320, Sacramento (95814) or listen only on the live webcast at cal-span.org during the meeting. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2017/index.aspx.

15 – 2017/2018 Hunting Items On Sale. Hunters can purchase 2017/2018 hunting licenses, tags, validations and apply for the annual Big Game Drawing. Items may be purchased at CDFW license sales offices, license agents, online at ca.wildlifelicense.com or by phone at (800) 565-1458. Sales transactions for the Big Game Drawing applications must be completed before midnight on June 2. Please contact a local CDFW license sales office for more information. 

15 – Recreational Groundfish season Opens for All Boat-based Anglers in the San Francisco Groundfish Management Area (Point Arena, Mendocino County to Pigeon Point, San Mateo County). For more information, please visit the Groundfish Central webpage at wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/groundfish

22 – Earth Day Festival at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3842 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach (92647). The free event will include educational activity booths and guided tours of the reserve. For more information, please email abbey@bolsachica.org or call (714) 846-1114. 

26-27 – California Fish and Game Commission Meeting, Airtel Plaza Hotel, 7277 Valjean Avenue, Van Nuys (914060. Time to be determined. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2017/index.aspx.

29  General Eastern Sierra Trout Opener. The general trout season will open one hour before sunrise April 29 in waters in Mono and Inyo counties. This is one of the most popular season openers in the state with anglers coming from around California to try their luck in the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada. Because of the popularity of this annual event with the angling public, CDFW is striving to stock trout in all accessible waters approved for planting prior to the season opener. Most lakes, rivers and streams have a limit of five trout per day and 10 in possession. However, regulations differ on season opening and closing dates, bag limits, minimum and maximum size limits, and gear restrictions. Anglers are advised to check specific area regulations and opening dates in the 2017/18 California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet at wildlife.ca.gov/regulations for regulations specific to each body of water. A helpful document, the Eastern Sierra Back Country Fishing Guide, is available at wildlife.ca.gov/regions/6.



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