Fishing and Boating Tips
[Editor’s Note: This list of tips is just beginning. The editors, reporters and readers of MyOutdoorBuddy.com will be adding tips regularly.
Please share with our readers what you know that will enhance the experience of wetting a line in northern California waters. What have you learned? Your expertise, no matter where you fish (fresh or saltwater) or what species you target, could be invaluable to other anglers. What not to do is just as important as what to do. Please send your strategies, ideas, tips, techniques and personal experiences to MyOutdoorBuddy (see email address at bottom of homepage). Please include you name and hometown.]
1. Boat Accessories -- Always check to make sure your boat’s vital equipment is operational. Discovering that your boat’s live well aerator, bilge pump, lights (internal, running and navigation), radios, or direction finders (compass or GPS or radar) are not in proper order AFTER you have launched can ruin a day or more. – Frank Galusha, Editor
2. Boat Safety Equipment – Always check to see you have proper life jackets for each person who will be in your boat. Wear them and ask your passengers to wear them. Make sure children under age 13 are wearing life jackets at all times. Have at least one life-saving device you can throw to someone who has fallen overboard. Have a rope handy you can throw to a person in the water. Have a spare motor and check it frequently to see that it is working properly. Make sure you have an anchor in case your motor(s) fail, or oars if your boat is equipped with oarlocks. Carry flares, air horns, extra water, a first-aid kit and, if you are on medications, put your vital pills in a small box and store them inside the boat or your tackle box. If your boat is equipped with an automatic shutoff lanyard switch, always clip it to your belt or wrist while underway. If you are thrown overboard your engine will stop and you may be able to swim back to it. If your plans include going offshore in north coast waters, see Tip #5 – Frank Galusha, Editor
3. Coast Guard Advisories/Marine Safety – The following are not “Tips” but essential rules or recommendations, some of which will be strictly enforced by the Coast Guard to ensure safe boat at sea.
There should be a personal flotation device on the vessel for each person, sized accordingly. Children under the age of 13 are required by law to wear a lifejacket.
The Coast Guard strongly recommends that boaters equip their vessels with immersion suits or other full-body protection, as water temperatures will be cold, and hypothermia can quickly overtake the average person.
Boaters should have flares and an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon with 406 MHz capabilities to enable a faster response by the Coast Guard in the event of an emergency.
Boaters should have an operational marine VHF radio on their boat in order to contact the Coast Guard on channel 16, in the event an emergency. Due to the high mountainous areas throughout the region, boaters should not rely on thier cell phones as a means of communication. In order to expedite the Coast Guard's response in an emergency, mariners should have a GPS unit onboard or, at a minimum, maintain a knowledge of local waters and know your location at all times. The Coast Guard reminds radio operators that VHF channel 16 is an emergency channel, and that improper transmission on channel 16 not only hampers Coast Guard response, but may be punishable under federal law.
The Coast Guard strongly recommends that all boaters file a float plan with a friend or family member on land, with an approximate time of return and location to which you will be heading. It is also recommended that you regularly check in with those who are aware of your plan, especially if your plan should change.
Mariners should check current and forecasted weather conditions prior to getting underway, and remain aware of changing conditions once on the water. The National Weather Service broadcasts weather conditions throughout the day on VHF channel WX2. The Coast Guard broadcasts weather conditions on VHF channel 22A at 9:30 a.m., noon, and 4:30 p.m.
It is against the law for anyone to operate a vessel under the influence of alcohol. Consumption of alcohol by anyone else aboard is also strongly discouraged.
Prior to taking to the water, boaters are encouraged to go to http://uscgboating.org/ for more complete information on safe boating. The Coast Guard also highly recommends boaters get a free vessel-safety inspection from the Coast Guard Auxiliary. More information on these inspections can be found at http://www.vesselsafetycheck.org/. A few minutes now could save a life later.
Current weather information and advisories can be found on the National Weather Service website. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/west/mtrmz.htm
Obtain a copy of the “rules of the road” about how to handle your boat in harbors or at sea be sure you understand all navigation signs, signals and lights, especially fowl weather warnings or warnings about dangerous bar crossings.
4. Licenses and Regulations Booklets -- Always make sure you have your license and current regulations with you when you are going fishing. Seems simple but many forget one or both and have the dilemma of fishing without the license ( illegal) or not fishing at all and taking a chance of not knowing and guessing what, if any, size, method of take or limit restrictions a body of water may have. Keep a copy of regulations in your vehicle, boat, vest, tackle bags and boxes so you always have a copy handy. It will save you money in the long run plus the regulations are free at most dealers that sell bait and /or tackle. Hang your license where you can’t miss it and keep a checklist to insure you don’t forget it. – Gary Heffley, Anderson, reporter 4. Boat Drain Plugs -- Remember to check your boat’s drain plug before launching. Make sure it is in place and screwed in tightly. The proverbial “fire drill” at the ramp of someone who forgot to put it in is often funny but can ruin an outing or result in costly repairs if not caught soon enough.
Develop a pattern that forces you to check your drain plug; e.g. make it part of a checklist for launching such as removing transom savers, trailer tie downs, winch and safety hooks and checking depth finder sensors.
When you remove a drain plug always store in the same place or in the same manner so you won’t forget to put it back in or can find it quickly.
Some boats give the angler access to the drain plug from inside. In that case perhaps you can develop a way to hook your drain plug to your boat through the drain plug hole with a small but sturdy key chain, wire or cord. That way, if you forget to check the drain plug perhaps you will be able to pull it back into the hole from inside your boat or reach over the back of the transom and put it back in before your boat has taken on much water. Always carry a spare drain plug or two in your boat tool box or tackle box. Then, if you lose your plug, the day won’t be ruined. – Frank Galusha, Editor
5. Avoiding Monofilament Snarls
Now for a fairly valuable tip for those of us who use spinning tackle and often suffer from loops becoming tangles in the reel. I overheard Tim Brady at Dragonfly Outfitters in Weaverville offer this advice to a customer who was asking about spinning reels. Although I had heard this years ago I had forgotten this tip and was not able to help my nephews when they were encountering the loop / tangle issue on our recent trip.
When casting a spinning reel use your fingers to manually close the bail bar instead of using the reel to do it by engaging the reel by turning the handle. This will all but eliminate the loops. This can save snagged lures, missed fish and time spent dealing with line knots and tangles. – Gary Heffley, reporter
6. Carry portable radios and GPS units if at sea
You may think you have a communications link when you don’t! A dead boat battery may leave you without a way to reach the Coast Guard on VHF Marine Channel 16, so try carrying a small battery-powered, hand-held Marine Radio and a GPS such as you might use while hiking. A hand-held radio may not reach out far enough to make contact with the Coast Guard but since many vessels are required to monitor Channel 16, a nearby ship may hear your distress call. Also, a portable GPS allows you to give your position – an absolutely vital piece of information if the Coast Guard, including helicopters, or any other rescue vessel is to know exactly where you are in the ocean. Needless to say, make sure you have spare batteries on hand for such portable devices. Note: Marine Radios and VHF receivers have channels for weather reports. -- 7. How to find find leaks and fix leaking waders
By Kenny Prient, Outdoor Columnist Leaky waders are one of the inevitabilities of fishing and nothing is more miserable than standing in a cold river and feeling the sensation of freezing water seeping into your waders. When winter steelhead season is right around the corner it's a perfect time to test your waders for those annoying leaks that can put an end to the perfect day of fishing. Finding the leak: Below are the three most common methods to finding holes in your waders.
1) Turn your waders inside out and let them dry completely. Pour some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and spray the area you suspect to be leaking. If lingering dark spots appear as the alcohol evaporates, you’ve found your leak. This method works great on breathable waders, but will not work for neoprene waders.
2) Put a low-pressure air hose (e.g. a blower side of a vacuum cleaner) into the waders and tie it off at the chest opening. Turn on the vacuum and gently inflate the waders like a balloon.
Rub the waders with soapy water and look for air bubbles. Anywhere you get bubbles you have a leak. Mark the leaking spots. (Remember to use a low air pressure for not damaging the wader).
3) Take your waders into a darkened room along with a strong flashlight and a marker. Insert the flashlight into the wader legs and run it back and forth as you watch for pin-points of light. If you see a light coming out at one point, this is a leaking point.
Fixing the leak: Most fishing waders come with a repair kit to be used once you find the leak, and are best used in the following manner:
1) Make sure you have marked the entire area that’s leaking; 2) Dry and clean the repair area and keep it free of any loose debris, oil or grease; 3) The patch should overlap the tear by at least 1 cm in all directions; 4) Lay your waders on a smooth, flat surface and apply patch using finger pressure. Rub patch surface in a circular motion from the center out covering the entire patch area. Applying heat can enhance the durability of the patch. Using a clean iron set to medium heat, press with moderate pressure in a circular motion for 30 seconds; 5) When the leak in your waders is caused by a small hole, the easiest way to fix the leak is with Aqua seal. Aqua seal is a liquid patch that you spread over the area in need of a patch and let it dry. It works great on small holes and it’s better than using the patch. Aqua seal can be found at most sporting good stores and tackle shops.
Preventing leaks: When you get home from fishing, make sure you hang your waders upside down to dry out. Leave them hanging this way until you use them again. This is true for both neoprene and breathable waders. This prevents folds, which are potential weak points and also allows the air to get inside the wader to help prevents mold.
8. Steelhead Fishing Tips: Understanding the importance of river levels
By Kenny Priest
[Kenny Priest, Eureka-based writer who loves to fish fresh and saltwater along the northwest coast has agreed to share these winter steelhead fishing tips with MyOutdoorBuddy readers.]
Winter steelhead fishing is dictated by rainfall and how it affects each river. If your favorite river is blown out, know which other rivers are at fishable levels.
Knowing the rivers
Chetco:Generally speaking, the Chetco will fish two to three days after a big storm but that time can be shortened if the river doesn’t completely blow out. Anything over 10,000 cfs is big — but if it’s even a little green, it’s “plunk-able.” The Chetco is smaller aggregate than the Smith and therefore takes a bit longer to clear but since it’s a smaller drainage, it isn’t too far behind — normally a day or two. The Chetco does not fish on a rise as well as the Smith because there is more mud coming in. Below the North Fork will be dirtier than up river due to the gravel bars and small streams.
Smith:Will clear quicker than any other river on the North Coast. The free flowing Smith is made up of 90% rock and has the least amount of siltation of just about any river in the North West. Can reach warning stage one day and be plunkable the next.
Lower Trinity:After a big rainstorm, the river can take up to a week to drop down to fishable levels. A lot depends on the shape of the South Fork, which is its main tributary. If it’s pumping mud, it will take longer to clear. If more snow falls than rain, it will clear much quicker.
Mad: Made up of mostly small aggregate and silt, the Mad can take upwards of a week and a half to become fishable late in the season. After the first storms of the year, it can clear within four to five days, depending on how much rainfall we get.
Eel-main stem:The river is made up of almost pure silt and even with a small amount of rainfall it will become muddy quick. The river can easily take up to a week or longer to clear after a sizeable storm. Like most of our rivers, it will clear quicker earlier in the year as more water is absorbed into the ground.
South Fork Eel: A good section of this river runs through old growth forest, which helps trap some of the run-off, allowing it to clear quicker than the main stem. The section above Richardson Grove will clear first, then each section downstream will clear a day or two later.
Van Duzen: Similar to the make-up of the Eel, the Van Duzen will take up to a week to clear after significant rainfall. Yaeger Creek — one of the major tributaries — will turn muddy quick, causing the lower section of the Van Duzen to clear a little slower. Above the creek will clear quicker, but note that most of the fish are heading into Yaeger Creek.
Pay attention to river levels
The rivers will fish best when the water levels are dropping. You can keep track of all of our regions river levels at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/rivcond.html. If you don’t have access to the Internet, newspapers and local tackle shops are the next best thing. The key to river levels is knowing at which levels each river will fish best. This is the hard part and can take years to figure out. Your best bet is to keep a logbook or some type of documentation of your trips. Before you leave in the morning and when you get home at night, record the cfs and height of the river and how the river fished. This simple step can save you valuable time and money.
Track rainfall amounts
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More Fishing Reports
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Sweat pouring from under your broad brimmed hat, biceps screaming for oxygen and relief, hands cramping in pain, shouts and commotion all around you. Then it’s over, first the sight of color, a few more cranks of the reel, deckhands lifting the gaffed fish onto the deck and before you a gorgeous 200 pound Yellowfin Tuna. You are barely able to smile as you try to regroup; you’re at the fine line between ecstasy and agony. And you can’t wait to do it again. This is the appeal of Long Range Fishing.
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Jay Fair gained his fame and reputation as a fly tier, guide and innovator on the use of trolling flies to catch trophy trout on Eagle Lake and other Northern California and Southern Oregon Lakes. Jay shared some of his secrets, formulas and techniques with me recently when we sat and talked about his Hall of Fame career. Jay and his son Glen also graciously sent me home with a DVD titled “Jay Fair’s SURE FIRE Trolling Flies For Big Fish The No-Nonsense Approach to Fishing” as well as some trolling flies to try out. The DVD outlines Jays flies, techniques, unique terminal set up and thought processes that have proven so effective that numerous publications have proclaimed Jay as the “Sage of Eagle Lake” or call him simply, “Mr. Eagle Lake.” To watch Jay put his techniques to work on the video just reinforced the tips I had received in person...
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Have you ever been interested in learning how to fly fish? Ever wondered how to get started? The Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers will be holding a Fly Fishing Fair at Caldwell Park in Redding on October 2, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. There will also be a swap and sell of fly fishing gear and equipment. The event is open to the public and admittance is free...
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By Gary Heffley
“Are you catching all the fish you should be catching?” That is a question that Gary Miralles, founder and owner of Shasta Tackle Company, often asks fishermen and guides. Proof as they say is “ in the pudding” or on the stringer as the case may be and Gary and his ever expanding lines of Trout, Kokanee, Salmon and now salt water tackle never fails to produce both fish in quantity and quality.
Gary’s lures have held or hold a line class world record and multiple lake records from many waters west of the Rockies. As a guide Gary would offer a guarantee of catching fish or the client would not pay and even with the toughest of fishing days Gary has yet to have to make good on the guarantee. Having personally used many of the lures made by Shasta Tackle I can speak well of their effectiveness.
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By Gary Heffley
When most fishermen think of pot luck fishing, they think of live bait fishing on party boats in bay and ocean waters where the skippers target multiple species, rockfish, salmon, halibut and stripers all on the same outing. These boats make stops at likely locations depending upon tides, winds and seasonal migrating patterns of the fish. It is a lot of fun because you literally never know what you may hook into.
That same type of fishing is available on many lakes in the North State such as Berryessa, Shasta, Trinity and Oroville. I am sure Lake Almanor would also fit this description, but I have yet to fish it. These lakes hold multiple species of both cold water (trout and salmon) and warm water (bass and crappie) varieties of fish...
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By Gary Heffley
Many people young and old did not have the opportunities that I had early in life to enjoy the outdoors, to learn how to fish; how to cast, how to bait a hook, what type of gear to use and where. Some of these people grew up in an urban environment where options were limited or their families just didn’t enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Many native Californians have never seen Yosemite, Mt. Lassen or have even heard of Burney Falls. Vacations are spent at Disneyland or Sea World. The only fishing some children now know is from their couch on a video game.
Many people and families are interested in taking advantages of the recreational opportunities and family building experiences that the outdoors and fishing in particular provides. The biggest question is how to get started?
The best option is to have a family friend who enjoys fishing take you out and show you the basics, most fisherman are willing to help introduce someone new to the sport. Another option is to hire a guide, selecting an area where you are likely to fish. This will give you equipment and gear introductions without jumping in with both feet and have expenses that you may not initially need. Most guides are excellent teachers and are happy to give novice anglers patient instruction but at a cost.
For those who just want to give it a try on the next family vacation with little fanfare here are some basic starters; from rods and reels and equipment to handling your catch.
Full Story