FishwithJD

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Columbia River sea lions: Time to pay the Piper!

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State and federal biologists estimate that California sea lions have eaten between 1.5 and 4 percent of all returning adult Columbia River salmon at Bonneville Dam each year during the past eight years. But as of March 16, NOAA Fisheries has authorized the use of Lethal Force to curb predation.

I’m sure PETA and others will raise hell, but in my mind, those folks don’t have a leg to stand on until the start actually doing something that helps the animals…like restore habitat, etc. When was the last time you saw a member of PETA buying raffle tickets or auction items at a Ducks Unlimited, Rocky MOuntain Elk Foundation, Costal Conservation Association or Trout Unlimited dinner? Those cats are all the real animal advocates, not kooks who spray paint fur coats. But, alas, I digress…

Read more about the removal of Columbia sea lions at Underwater Times.com

Getting to know California’s Landlocked Salmon

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Do you know your landlocks??

While California’s ocean salmon stocks were down in the dumps the past few years, it was an entirely different story inland. Thanks to the efforts of the DFG and organizations like Project Kokanee and Kokanee Power, landlocked salmon are thriving in more Golden State waters than ever before. Of course, they’ll never be able to outgrow or taste better than their ocean-going cousins, but these pint-sized inland salmon provide anglers with plenty of good action throughout the year.

While there are similarities between the three, each species has its own attractive qualities – and unique fishing techniques attributed to it. Let’s take a closer look at California’s Inland Salmon Slam and get to know landlocked kings, kokanee and coho a little better. Click here to read more…

Kokanee Time!

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Full limits baby!


The weather’s turning nice (finally) and kokanee all up and down the West Coast are starting to chew! With high water levels in most Nor Cal reservoirs, it looks like 2011 is going to be one heck of a good koke year!

Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing had a ball with a couple clients on New Melones Reservoir, where he had the fish cleaned and the boat back on the trailer by 9:30 a.m.

Stay tuned, mini sockeye junkies…we’ll have lots more on “The Year of the Koke” coming up!