Denis Peirce: 'Passport' highlights state's fish species

I have often said that for an angler, the Sierra foothills are the ultimate place to live on this continent if not the planet. There is better trout fishing in Montana, better salmon in Alaska, better tuna fishing off Mexico.

But nowhere else can you find good fishing for all of these species and many more within a couple of hours drive.

The Department of Fish & Game has taken a broader view of this and has developed a list of more than 200 fish species in the waters of this state. The list is included with the new "California Fishing Passport." Beginning in January 2007, the DF&G will begin distributing their "Passport."

The idea is to promote the variety of fishing experiences to be found in the Golden State. Our state has 4,172 lakes and reservoirs, 29,664-miles of streams that support fish and 1,100 miles of shore line.

The passport has a listing of the fin fish and shellfish/invertebrates with a space provided to place a stamp next to each species caught. This will not be a one-year endeavor to complete a passport. Catching many of these fish is time and place specific. You have to be there when the run is on.

I remember grunion hunting on the beaches in Southern California and it was difficult to predict the beach where they would show up.

All of us have our favorite fish species that we have figured out. Every year, we know where and when to fish for salmon on the Feather, kokanee at Stampede, bass in our foothill ponds or whatever. The passport is a challenge to expand your horizons. Get beyond the familiar and a fairly good prospect for success. Your California fishing license opens many more opportunities than any one of us have pursued.

During this past summer, the DF&G organized three kids fishing events that were a prelude to the passport program. They had a pier fishing day in Santa Monica, trout fishing in the Mammoth Lakes area and party boat fishing off San Diego. Check in with the department's Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov for more info.

Monday is opening day for a number of waters. The closest is the Feather River in Oroville. The area below the hatchery down to the Highway 70 Bridge re-opens after having been closed since the summer. It is always a well-attended opener. The years I have gone, I am always surprised at how there is no traffic on the roads before dawn January 1 but there are crowds on the water at first light. The best bets year after year are egg imitations, green rock worm type flies and alevin (salmon smolt) patterns.

January through March is prime time for Smith River steelheading. The fish have been in the system in modest numbers since early December. But on Christmas Day, the rain raised the river level 5 vertical feet in a day. The forecast is for a wet week. The Smith River is an entire days drive away, you want a river level of 13 feet and falling with no rain predicted before you make the drive. Twelve-feet-and-rising-with-showers forecast is the break point for calling off a trip. You can keep track of the river level on line at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/rivcond.htm.

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Denis Peirce writes a weekly fishing column for The Union and is host of "The KNCO Fishing & Outdoor Report," which airs 6-7 p.m. Fridays and 5-6 a.m. Saturdays on 830-AM radio. He may be reached via e-mail at denisp@theunion.com.