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Recreation
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LOWER LAKE, Calif. — The next in the series of monthly “Second Saturday” guided nature walks at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park will be held on Saturday, June 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Each in the series of guided nature walks is led by a volunteer State Parks docent.
The hike will cover parts of the Cache Creek Nature Trail, the Marsh Trail and the Ridge Trail.
The hike is over mostly level terrain and will cover about 3 miles at a leisurely pace. The hike should last between 1.5 and two hours.
Bring binoculars and meet in the parking lot at 8:15 a.m. for time to experience the early morning wildlife that can be found in the ranch house and barn complex yard — the walk will begin at 8:30 a.m.
There is no charge for the guided nature walk and parking is free for those attending.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
For more information about the guided walk, email
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
What happened to premium big game tags?
Q: Last year, hunters could apply for a draw for several premium big game tags that aren’t usually available to the public. This year, I haven’t heard anything about that opportunity. Did the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) stop doing this? What happened to the premium fundraising tags?
A: CDFW has authority to make special big game tags for deer, elk, desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope available for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects that benefit big game species. These fundraising tags have historically been available through two processes: auctions conducted by nonprofit organizations to raise funds on behalf of CDFW, and through random draw raffle in the CDFW licensing system.
Nonprofits compete for the tags made available through a solicitation by submitting an application to CDFW. The nonprofits that are awarded tags can then auction or raffle the tags to raise funds on behalf of CDFW for projects and programs that benefit big game species. These tags are very popular at their fundraising dinners and other events, often drawing many bidders and bringing in many thousands of dollars. The nonprofit is allowed to retain five percent of the amount. The remainder is returned to CDFW and deposited into the Big Game Management Account to support big game conservation.
Several of these premium fundraising tags have also been made available to members of the public through the CDFW licensing system, through purchase of a random draw opportunity. Last year, the application fee for an opportunity to win one of the fundraising tags was $7.01. In 2021, the number of fundraising tags available through CDFW was unprecedented because of nonprofits having to cancel events due to the pandemic.
This year, all the fundraising tags were made available to nonprofits who are returning to normal operations and scheduling their in-person fundraising events to support their conservation work. Although the direct-to-the-public option is not available this year, we recognize that there is much interest in bringing this option back. CDFW is looking into this possibility and feasibility to make it a regular, annual option.
Native plants
Q: What kind of work does CDFW’s Native Plant Program do?
A: The Native Plant Program is a component of CDFW’s Habitat Conservation Planning Branch. The program coordinates CDFW’s statewide plant conservation efforts, issues scientific, educational and management permits for state-listed plants, manages grants for plant research and conservation through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (section 6) of the federal Endangered Species Act, evaluates petitions to protect plant species under the California Endangered Species Act and provides education and outreach regarding California’s native plants.
Mussel stickers
Q: I went to renew my boat registration for an upcoming fishing trip on the Delta and found out I had to pay an extra $16 for a new invasive mussel sticker. What gives?
A: Neither the sticker nor the fee is new. What is new is the process for acquiring the Mussel Fee Sticker to place on your boat.
Prior to September 2021, boat owners simply purchased their Mussel Fee Sticker either from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a third party and within the same transaction as their boat registration renewal. Beginning in September 2021, the Mussel Fee Sticker must be purchased directly from DMV and through a separate transaction. This process was changed to align with federal requirements. Boat owners can purchase the Mussel Fee Sticker directly from DMV’s website at dmv.ca.gov/musselfee or through their local DMV office.
The Mussel Fee Sticker – also known as the Quagga Sticker – funds statewide quagga and zebra mussel prevention efforts. Recreational boat owners are required to purchase and display a current sticker if their boat will be used in fresh water. This includes inland waterways, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. DMV will provide two stickers at the time of purchase, one for each side of the boat’s hull. Unless used exclusively in marine (salt) waters or specifically exempted by law, owners of motorized recreational vessels used in freshwater are mandated to display a current
sticker.
Quagga and zebra mussels pose serious risks and costs to you as a recreational boat owner. The mussels can block your boat’s engine and cause overheating, increase the drag on the bottom of your boat and jam your boat’s steering equipment. The spread of these invasive freshwater mussels also threatens aquatic ecosystems and the fisheries so many anglers enjoy.
In addition to purchasing the Mussel Fee Sticker, boaters can contribute to prevention efforts by making sure to clean, drain and dry their vessels. For more information, please see CDFW’s news release on boat registration and mussel stickers. California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways has a helpful Frequently Asked Questions document online about the new process.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The free event will take place at the park’s visitor center.
The featured story will be “What the Road Said” by Cleo Wade.
Read a story together on the StoryWalk trail and bring a picnic to enjoy in the park. The trail is less than a quarter of a mile in length.
All ages are welcome.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
For more information call 530-538-2200.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The University of Idaho duo of Matthew Kavanaugh and Nate Kimberling, both of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Clear Lake last Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 13 ounces.
The victory earned the Vandals’ bass club a slot in the 2023 MLF College Fishing National Championship.
“This win was really cool,” Kimberling said. “We just started this club four months ago and had never fished here before, so to put it together and beat these schools … it really meant something to us.”
Kimberling said the day’s competition started out as anything but typical.
“In the morning we went to fish Monitor Island, and water was blowing us all over and back. I jumped off a 4-pounder on a drop-shot and then a flying goose hit my fishing pole as I was casting. It was a very eventful 10 minutes,” Kimberling laughed.
“After that debacle, we decided to run across the lake to the point across from Monitor Island,” Kimberling continued. “We caught two fish and moved over to Fraser Point. There was one 200-yard stretch where there weren’t any boats, so we went in there and fished a dock. Matt caught a 2-pounder on his first cast. I cast right in there and caught another 2-pounder. Then I made a cast to the bank and caught another 4-pounder that got wrapped around a cable and broke off.”
Kimberling said the team had their five weigh-in fish by 10 o’clock. They filled their limit with drop-shot rigs baited with an Aaron’s Morning Dawn-colored Roboworm in 10 to 20 feet of water on banks with large rocks.
“After that, the wind was really bad, so we decided to make a run back to the launch to fish the creek there,” Kimberling said. “We started punching mats in there, flipping a toxic grape Missile Baits D Bomb. We went about 200 yards into the creek and caught a 5-pounder and a 3-pounder out of the same mat within two casts of each other.
“After a bit of a lull, Matt flipped up against a tree and swam the bait out,” Kimberling added. “A fish followed it and ate it on the swim. Matt thought it was a carp, then he finally set the hook, and it was our big fish at 6 pounds, 1 ounce.”
Kimberling said the duo caught nine bass — all keepers — during the course of the day.
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2023 College Fishing National Championship are:
First: University of Idaho — Matthew Kavanaugh and Nate Kimberling, both of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, five bass, 18-13.
Second: Simpson University — Jayden Nezy, Page, Ariz., and Nathan Phillips, Kelseyville, California, five bass, 18-11.
Third: Simpson University — Ty Manterola, Pasco, Washington, and Taj White, Glendale, Arizona, five bass, 16-10.
Fourth: Cal Poly — Dane Morris, Agoura Hills, California, and Sam West, Fort Bragg, California, five bass, 16-6.
Fifth: Fresno State — Brendan Holden and Clark Vue, both of Clovis, California, five bass, 15-12.
Sixth: Fresno State — Liam Cornell, Fresno, California, and Kelby Keeling, Visalia, California, five bass, 15-6.
Seventh: Chico State — Peter Khoury and Grant Loberg, both of Chico, California, five bass, 15-0.
Eighth: Chico State — Jack Geist, Davis, California, and Miles Kaneko, Berkeley, California, five bass, 14-13.
Ninth: Simpson University — Ryan Beaty, Martinez, California, and James Hawkinson, Granite Bay, California, five bass, 14-8.
Tenth: Sonoma State University — Dawson Stroud, Waterford, California, and Owen Ward, Modesto, California, five bass, 13-15.
Complete results for the entire field can be found at www.MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Clear Lake was the second of three regular-season tournaments for Western Conference anglers.
The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event Smith Mountain Lake, June 3 in Huddleston, Virginia.
MLF College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season tournaments in one of five conferences — Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western.
The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open will advance to the following season’s National Championship.
The 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship Presented by Lowrance will be held on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma, March 29-31, and is hosted by the Wagoner Area Chamber of Commerce.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit www.MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.