California Outdoors Q&A

Question: In the regulations it says it’s legal to use bow and arrow to take bullfrogs. Does this mean we are also allowed to take them using compound bows? (J. Riggs) Answer: Yes, compound bows are legal for taking bullfrogs as long as the arrow shaft or the point, or both, are attached by a line to the bow or to a...
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Question: Can you tell me the regulations regarding using a fishing kite from shore or a pier to catch fish? We use these specially modified kites to help us get our lines out farther than the distance we could normally cast them. (Jenny C.) Answer: There are no specific regulations prohibiting the use of a kite or other windborne device (a helium-filled...
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Question: I am fairly new to turkey hunting and hear everyone always referring to their birds by their beards and spurs. Can wild turkeys be aged based on these trophy characteristics? (Jim C., Modesto) Answer: Yes and no. There is no absolute standard for identifying a wild turkey’s age, but there are some general guidelines that can be used to provide fairly reliable...
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In Southern California we have taken large boats offshore on the open ocean to shoot clay pigeons with shotguns. We call them the “Skeet Fleet.” We use steel shot and do not shoot auto loaders such that we can maintain control of the shells and not have the casings land in the water. I guess the first question is what...
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Question: We fish Lake Silverwood most of the time, and usually it’s for bass. Is there a way to determine the sex of a largemouth bass? We are interested primarily in the fish we catch in the spring. Also, are crayfish part of the diet for bass in Lake Silverwood? (Doug T., Hesperia). Answer: Unfortunately, there is no easy way to sex...
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Question: It’s been an ongoing debate among our small spearfishing group and it’s time to ask the authorities. When spearfishing from a boat, if a diver reaches his maximum limit of three white seabass (WSB) for the day and then gifts one of his fish to somebody who does not have a fish, can the person who caught the fish...
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