News
Sports
The Department of Fish & Game recently released the results of the annual Delta smelt abundance survey. The news is very encouraging. The abundance index has not been this high since 2001.
Determining the quantity of any particular fish in the Delta system is a very complex task. The biologists at the DF&G have come up with an indexing system based on sampling repeated each year since 1967.
The “Fall Midwater Trawl Survey” this year resulted in an index number of 343 compared to 29 for the same survey in 2010. The peak of this index occurred in 1970 with 1,673. The index is designed to reflect a doubling of fish numbers as the index doubles. The quantity of smelt has apparently increased 11 fold in the past 12 months. In January the DF&G will begin their winter survey of adult smelt spawning migration and resulting larva.
The Delta smelt is unique to the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. It was listed as threatened in 1993 and endangered in 2010. Many people have used this smelt as an indicator of the health of the Delta. There are two other smelt in the Delta, the longfin smelt is a native and has had a similar decline. The other smelt is the Japanese pond smelt which was introduced up stream in the Feather and Yuba drainages.
In observing angler success in our state for many years I have come to the conclusion that, “If you add water you will get more fish.” I believe the overall food chain is enhanced with added water and nutrients, whether it is a lake or flowing water environment.
A perfect example is the striper run on the Feather River. When Oroville and Bullard's Bar are putting out high volumes of water the stripers move up. When the flows are cut back they move back down to the Sacramento River.
My point in all of this is, the arguments made for the cause of the decline of the Delta fishery being water diversions just received a boost from the Delta smelt abundance survey. The extra water that went down our river systems was in large part responsible for the 11-fold increase of the Delta smelt.
The decision regarding how we allocate water between farmers who provide us with inexpensive food, domestic needs of the urban population and the need to maintain healthy fisheries is political one. I like to fish, take showers and buy reasonably priced food. It is a dilemma.
Fishing conditions
Our fishing licenses expire next Saturday night. There are a few opportunities for good fishing. Rick Kennedy (www.fishtightlines.com) has been going up the hill and fishing at Stampede Reservoir east of Truckee. There is virtually no snow on the east slope but temperatures are very cold. Air temps some mornings are in the single digits and the water temp varies from 36 to 40 degrees.
His first trip on Dec. 17 resulted in a spectacular day of mackinaw fishing. He started his day trolling water in the 10 to 20 foot depths targeting brown trout at speeds well over 2 mph.
When this produced no results he moved out over the 40 foot contour and slowed down to 1.8 mph to target mackinaw. That was when the action began.
Within 20 minutes of the switch in tactics the first fish came to a Sting Fish lure trolled from a down rigger set at 20 feet. In an hour or so there were four mackinaw landed. The weights were: 13, 10, 8 and 3.5 pounds. This is excellent mackinaw fishing.
The second chapter to the story was last Thursday. Conditions had deteriorated due to a strong north wind that drove waves in to the launch ramp and set up a wind chill. Rick stayed out on the water for a number of hours without a single good hookup. This is the first time in his memory that he has been skunked on Stampede.
Stampede is typical of many high country lakes this season. There is no snow at many lakes and if the ice has not covered the surface there still are opportunities for those with the right gear to get back out on the water.
Another upcoming opportunity is the opener on the Feather River in Oroville on Jan. 1. This stretch of river above the Hwy 70 bridge has been closed since summer.
If there are steelhead in the Feather they will be in this stretch. Based on my experiences in previous years you will not be alone if you go.
The DF&G have been sampling the river recently and salmon smolts are already emerging from the spawning gravel. More than a decade ago I cleaned a steelhead caught here on the opener. In its stomach were green rock worms (caddis), salmon eggs and salmon smolt. These are typical of the food sources this time of year.
Look for changes regarding my column after the turn of the year. The day of the week published will be changing and it will move from the Sports section to a new and improved Outdoor section.
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. Contact him via e-mail at dpeirce@theunion.com.
Determining the quantity of any particular fish in the Delta system is a very complex task. The biologists at the DF&G have come up with an indexing system based on sampling repeated each year since 1967.
The “Fall Midwater Trawl Survey” this year resulted in an index number of 343 compared to 29 for the same survey in 2010. The peak of this index occurred in 1970 with 1,673. The index is designed to reflect a doubling of fish numbers as the index doubles. The quantity of smelt has apparently increased 11 fold in the past 12 months. In January the DF&G will begin their winter survey of adult smelt spawning migration and resulting larva.
The Delta smelt is unique to the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. It was listed as threatened in 1993 and endangered in 2010. Many people have used this smelt as an indicator of the health of the Delta. There are two other smelt in the Delta, the longfin smelt is a native and has had a similar decline. The other smelt is the Japanese pond smelt which was introduced up stream in the Feather and Yuba drainages.
In observing angler success in our state for many years I have come to the conclusion that, “If you add water you will get more fish.” I believe the overall food chain is enhanced with added water and nutrients, whether it is a lake or flowing water environment.
A perfect example is the striper run on the Feather River. When Oroville and Bullard's Bar are putting out high volumes of water the stripers move up. When the flows are cut back they move back down to the Sacramento River.
My point in all of this is, the arguments made for the cause of the decline of the Delta fishery being water diversions just received a boost from the Delta smelt abundance survey. The extra water that went down our river systems was in large part responsible for the 11-fold increase of the Delta smelt.
The decision regarding how we allocate water between farmers who provide us with inexpensive food, domestic needs of the urban population and the need to maintain healthy fisheries is political one. I like to fish, take showers and buy reasonably priced food. It is a dilemma.
Fishing conditions
Our fishing licenses expire next Saturday night. There are a few opportunities for good fishing. Rick Kennedy (www.fishtightlines.com) has been going up the hill and fishing at Stampede Reservoir east of Truckee. There is virtually no snow on the east slope but temperatures are very cold. Air temps some mornings are in the single digits and the water temp varies from 36 to 40 degrees.
His first trip on Dec. 17 resulted in a spectacular day of mackinaw fishing. He started his day trolling water in the 10 to 20 foot depths targeting brown trout at speeds well over 2 mph.
When this produced no results he moved out over the 40 foot contour and slowed down to 1.8 mph to target mackinaw. That was when the action began.
Within 20 minutes of the switch in tactics the first fish came to a Sting Fish lure trolled from a down rigger set at 20 feet. In an hour or so there were four mackinaw landed. The weights were: 13, 10, 8 and 3.5 pounds. This is excellent mackinaw fishing.
The second chapter to the story was last Thursday. Conditions had deteriorated due to a strong north wind that drove waves in to the launch ramp and set up a wind chill. Rick stayed out on the water for a number of hours without a single good hookup. This is the first time in his memory that he has been skunked on Stampede.
Stampede is typical of many high country lakes this season. There is no snow at many lakes and if the ice has not covered the surface there still are opportunities for those with the right gear to get back out on the water.
Another upcoming opportunity is the opener on the Feather River in Oroville on Jan. 1. This stretch of river above the Hwy 70 bridge has been closed since summer.
If there are steelhead in the Feather they will be in this stretch. Based on my experiences in previous years you will not be alone if you go.
The DF&G have been sampling the river recently and salmon smolts are already emerging from the spawning gravel. More than a decade ago I cleaned a steelhead caught here on the opener. In its stomach were green rock worms (caddis), salmon eggs and salmon smolt. These are typical of the food sources this time of year.
Look for changes regarding my column after the turn of the year. The day of the week published will be changing and it will move from the Sports section to a new and improved Outdoor section.
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. Contact him via e-mail at dpeirce@theunion.com.
