Sacramento River:
Stewart at Kittles Outdoors in Colusa reported the river has
dropped significantly, but the clarity is still a bit murky here on
Thursday 2-2. Stripers are scarce, but there have been a few sturgeon
landed in the Colusa area on either eel, pile worms, or ghost shrimp.
Great news!!! The Fish and Game Commission voted to rejected the
Department of Fish and Game’s proposed regulation changes for the striped
bass. See the Delta or fish news page for the entire story.
Feather River:
Bob Boucke of Johnson’s Bait and Tackle , and Scott Feist of
Feisty Guide Service went out on the Feather River on Wednesday to drift
some minnows. Boucke hooked a huge striper, and while Feist was trying to
turn the boat so they could fight the fish, his minnow got slammed although
it was only an inch below the surface of the water. Boucke eventually lost
the fish, but he thought it was a very big one. Remember, Boucke caught and
released a 45 to 50-pounder last spring while out with Feist, so he knows
what a big fish feels like.
Waterfowl:
The duck season is over but there are two more hunts still to come. My
favorite and one that I can no longer enjoy with my sons is the annual
"youth waterfowl hunt" over February 4 & 5th. It doesn't take long for the
ducks to realize that the season is over until the kids get to come out the
weekend following the season. Most state and federal refuges are open to
hunting and all you need to for your junior hunter is his or her license.
The first ever Central Valley goose depravation hunt is a short 5 day season
running from February 18th to the 22nd.
See DFG Special goose hunt info here
Scott Feist is taking reservations for the goose hunt and has spots
available. Hunts will be dependant on weather and the number of birds in the
area. He will cancel or add trips depending on conditions.
Sacramento/Feather Rivers:
Johnson’s Bait in Yuba City reported slow fishing on the
Feather on Thursday 1-26, although a 22-pound striper was weighed in
over the weekend by an angler soaking bait. On the Sacramento side of
things, striper fishing has been ‘hit or miss’, but the water came up, and
anglers are looking forward to the sturgeon moving upriver.
Garrett Charter at Kittles Outdoors in Colusa said, “We just
got in our supply of sturgeon bait for the season, and I predict the fish
will be moving into the area by either the middle or end of next week,”
adding, ‘The bite should take off.” The river came up quickly, and it
dropped back down just as quickly. Striper fishing has been nil on this
section but will improve come March.