How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Recreation
- Details
- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Hoisting sturgeon to pose for photos?
Question: I’ve seen several pictures over the years of anglers hoisting oversized sturgeon out of the water and dragging them back to the dock for pictures.
Isn’t it against the law to treat fish that are to be released this way?
How should oversized sturgeon be handled, given that the justifiably proud angler would like to get a picture or two before releasing? (Jim J.)
Answer: Regulations for sturgeon have become more protective since 2006, so hopefully you were looking at old-time pictures.
There are two important issues here – the regulations and doing what is best for the sturgeon.
What follows is only about white sturgeon since green sturgeon are a threatened species and thus may not be taken, possessed or removed from the water.
If a green sturgeon is caught, it must be released immediately.
Without regard to fish species, the regulations state that all fish “… less than the legal minimum size or greater than the maximum legal size must be returned immediately to the water from which they were taken” (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 1.62).
Because white sturgeon have a legal minimum size of 40 inches fork length, and a legal maximum size of 60 inches fork length, it is indeed against the law to bring an oversized white sturgeon to a dock (or even into a boat) for pictures.
Photographs of oversized white sturgeon may only be taken of fish while still in the water.
Anglers are not prohibited from taking oversized fish out of the water, but the regulations (as part of several special protections for white sturgeon) also state that, “Any white sturgeon greater than 68 inches fork length may not be removed from the water and shall be released immediately” (CCR Title 14, sections 5.80 and 27.90).
These sections give anglers essentially an 8-inch margin of error when measuring white sturgeon in the water.
As far as what’s best for any sturgeon that will be released, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) sturgeon expert Marty Gingras, the answer is clear.
He recommends: “End the fight quickly and keep the sturgeon’s head in the water. Blood-chemistry studies show sturgeon become stressed from the fight and from being removed from the water, and tissue studies show stressed females that survive are less likely to spawn normally.”
Handling these behemoths with care is critical as they are essentially protected broodstock. The future of California's sturgeon populations depends upon these fish to carry them through droughts and other challenges, as well as to build future generations of these incredible fish for tomorrow’s anglers.
How to become a hunting guide?
Question: How can I become a hunting guide? Do I have to have a license or is there a course I need to go through to become a hunting guide? (Billy S.)
Answer: There are no courses or tests to take to become a hunting guide. "Guide" means any person who is engaged in the business of packing or guiding, or who, for compensation, assists another person in taking or attempting to take any bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, or reptile.
"Guide" also includes any person who, for profit, transports other persons, their equipment, or both to or from hunting or fishing areas.
The basic requirements are to first fill out an application with the CDFW and pay the license fees. Current cost of an annual resident guide's license runs $212.70.
Employees of the guide who assist in the service are also required to have a Guide Employee Registration license that costs $46.87.
Guides may not have any CDFW violations in their past so applicants may be required to go through a CDFW background check to check for previous violations.
The last requirement is for the guide to purchase and maintain a "performance bond." The bond assures that any deposit money received from a client to reserve a future trip will be returned in the event that the guide cancels and tries to keep the deposit.
Redeeming gift vouchers?
Question: I received a 2015 annual fishing license as a gift but I’d already bought mine for the year. Can I turn it back in for a refund?
I’ve heard that fishing license gift vouchers require the recipient to return to the exact store where the voucher was purchased and present all of their personal information in order to trade the voucher for a legal license? Is this true? (Brent G.)
Answer: No, it’s much easier than that. Gift vouchers can be redeemed for an annual resident sport fishing license anywhere licenses are sold, or online at www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales/ .
While gift vouchers are nonrefundable, they are transferable since they have no customer attached to them until redeemed.
Since you received an extra gift voucher, you can give it to a friend or relative and they can redeem it for a resident sport fishing license.
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at
- Details
- Written by: Editor
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is closely monitoring the population of band-tailed pigeons for mortality this winter.
Band-tailed pigeons are California's only native pigeon. They spend their winter from central to Southern California primarily inhabiting oak woodland and conifer forests.
In late winter into early spring, band-tailed pigeons will migrate north into northern California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
Band-tailed pigeons are a different species than rock pigeons (also called city, urban or barn pigeons), which were introduced into North America from Europe.
Large flocks of band-tailed pigeons, sometimes up to 200 birds, have been observed in numerous coastal locations from the San Francisco Bay Area south into Santa Barbara County and in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Increased mortality has been reported in several of these areas since mid-December. CDFW's Wildlife Investigations Laboratory has evaluated carcasses from these locations and determined the cause of mortality to be Avian Trichomonosis.
Avian Trichomonosis is a disease caused by a single-celled microscopic protozoan parasite, typically Trichomonas gallinae, which only infects birds.
The parasite lives in the mouth and throat of infected birds, causing caseous ("cheese-like") lesions in the birds' mouth or esophagus.
The lesions eventually block the passage of food, causing the bird to become weak and emaciated. Infected birds die from starvation or suffocation if the lesions block the airway. Non-native rock pigeons are thought to be the source of infection for native bird species.
The CDFW's Wildlife Investigations Lab is asking residents to be on the lookout for band-tailed pigeons this winter and to report any sick or dead pigeons.
This information helps CDFW determine how many pigeons die during these mortality events and consequently, how these events may impact the overall population.
Mortality can be reported using the following link: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Investigations/Monitoring/Mortality-Report or by phone at 916-358-2790.
If sick birds are observed, please contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center for advice. The list of CDFW licensed centers can be found at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/WIL/rehab/facilities.html .
Additionally, residents can help reduce transmission of the disease by removing artificial sources of food and water (bird baths and fountains).
Bird feeders and artificial water sources may increase disease transmission between individual band-tailed pigeons, and possibly other bird species, because it brings the birds into closer contact than is normal.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Anderson Marsh State Historic Park continues to hold monthly guided nature walks.
The next walk is scheduled for Saturday morning, Feb. 14.
There will be no tour of the Historic Ranch House Museum in February.
Park Docent and AMIA Volunteer Billy Gear, who will lead the walk, says he “plans on hiking the creek trail with an option to do the ridge trail if dry. The theme will be 'Early spring – flowers, buds, birds and insects'.”
Bring binoculars and meet in front of the Ranch House at 8:15 a.m. for time to experience the early morning wildlife to be found in the Ranch House and Barn complex yard – the walk will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Many of the trees are “naked” in the winter, making it easier to see birds.
Recent birds seen in the park: wood ducks; phainopepla; acorn, Nuttal’s and Lewis’s woodpeckers; red-shafted flickers; cedar waxwings; spotted and California towhees; cormorants; white-tailed kites; red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks; great egrets and great blue herons; kingfishers; red-winged blackbirds and robins.
This also is the time of year a snipe, white-throated sparrows, a bobcat and deer have been seen near the boardwalk.
Heavy rain will cancel the walk which begins at 8:30 a.m. from the Ranch House parking lot.
There is no charge for those attending.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
For more information about the walks, email
For more information about the park, you may also visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=483 .
- Details
- Written by: Editor
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Two days after state Sen. Mike McGuire introduced legislation calling on Congress to protect the Smith River, the Panama-based Red Flat Nickel Corp. has withdrawn its water application from the Oregon Water Resources Department.
“I'm grateful to join with Congressman Huffman to fight this devastating proposal and I am pleased to see the mining company reconsidering their plans. That said, now is the time to ensure the entire Smith River watershed is protected forever which means our work is far from over,” McGuire said.
Thousands of Northern Californians – including the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors, Crescent City Council and the Smith River Alliance – worked together to stop the mining company from getting a license to use water from the Smith River for a devastating strip mine.
McGuire’s legislation is officially known as the Smith River Watershed Protection measure, or SJR 03.
The resolution urges the president of the United States and Congress to permanently safeguard the currently unprotected North Fork of the Smith River watershed in Oregon from any mining activities.
Co-authoring the resolution are Senators Mark Leno and Fran Pavley (Chair of Senate Natural Resources), along with Assemblymembers Jim Wood, Marc Levine, Bill Dodd, Mark Stone (Chair of Assembly Natural Resources) and Das Williams.
Recently, the Panama-based Red Flat Nickel Corp. submitted a plan to drill up to 59 test mine shafts on 3,980 acres, which could allow for one of the largest nickel, cobalt and chromium mines in the Western United States.
Any mining would have irreversible negative impacts to water supplies, the North Coast’s economy and the environment in California’s portion of the Smith River Watershed.
“Mining of any kind in the Smith River Watershed is simply unacceptable. I will continue to work tirelessly, along with Congressman Jared Huffman, to protect our river, which is one of the premier salmon fisheries in the lower 48 states and the source of drinking water for tens of thousands of residents in Del Norte County, including Crescent City,” said McGuire.
The Smith River is the primary source of drinking water for the majority of Del Norte County’s 28,000 residents, and is a crucial waterway for the threatened Coho salmon and other important fish runs.
The Smith also offers a multitude of recreational activities that are a primary driver of the Del Norte economy.