FishwithJD

The web's best fishing magazine

California’s Exotic Fish Species

By 4 Comments

Chances are, your favorite California sportfish is probably a foreigner. An outsider. An import. Yep, the fact is the majority of the freshwater fish we enjoy chasing here aren’t native to the state.

Some exotics were experiments, others illegal introductions. People who had moved West and missed fishing for their favorite species brought in many varieties of gamefish from the East Coast or Great Lakes. Others still were moved into California to provide new fishing opportunities or to control baitfish populations.

It’s all pretty interesting stuff, so let’s take a look at some of our most beloved fish and trace their origins.

Largemouth Bass

Per capita, probably the most popular fish in California, largemouth bass didn’t swim in the state’s waters until 1891. According to California Department of Fish & Game records, the initial largemouth were Northern strain fish that originated from Quincy, Illinois and were released into Lake Cuyamaca in San Diego County.

The more popular and larger Florida strain largemouth made their first appearance in 1959 and the rest, as they say is history. Nobody could have imagined 50 years ago what an industry would spring up around those Floridas!Click here to read more…

Record Limit of Smallmouth!

By Leave a Comment

Record Limit of Smallies
Okay, so I’m not sure where they keep records of such feats, but Bill Prince’s 5-fish limit of Trinity Lake smallmouth bass that went 27.7 pounds is certainly the California record in my book…

I know, it’s hard to tell from a photo of a replica mount (he let all the bass go) just how big the fish were, but take a look at that 13-inch rainbow trout that’s in there for scale and you’ll get a better idea. Prince was fishing a club tournament on Sept. 30, 2007 when he weighed in a 6.36 pounder, a 6.30 and the three little ones were all 5 plus pounds. Click here to read more…

Lake Pardee primed for action!

By Leave a Comment


When Northern California’s Lake Pardee re-opens to fishing on Friday, Feb. 6th., 2009, anglers should see some white-hot fishing…if it’s anything like the action we encountered on Media Day on Sunday.

The preview day of fishing was open to a select few bass pros and media members (organized by Kent Brown of Ultimate Bass Radio and hosted by Pardee Recreation Co. owners Richard and Kerry Copper). Record-class smallmouth bass were the target de jour. Pardee is rapidly gaining a reputation of being a top-notch smallie fishery, and several bronzebacks in the 8 to 9+ pound class were taken there last season.

But’s let’s back up here…
Click here to read more…

Wade Hayes’ big smallie

By 5 Comments

wade hayes and bass.jpg
Apparently, Wade Hayes can do more than play guitar and sing…turns out the country star is also quite handy with a rod and reel, thank you.

Here’s a sweet smallmouth bass he caught while fishing Nashville’s Percy Priest Lake with our pal and pro basser, Big Fred Contaoi who fishes the FLW Tour for Orange County Choppers.

And as far as Big Fred switching gears and doing a little pickin’ on the 6-string…well…it’s not pretty (trust me).