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Gift ideas for your favorite Sonoma angler

They're going to love it

Sonomans don't have to leave town to find excellent gifts for their favorite angler.

At the most basic level, a 2012 California Fishing License is an excellent stocking-stuffer. The cost is $44.85 and you can get them at Brocco’s Old Barn at 19660 Arnold Drive. 

If you have a fly-fisher friend or spouse, there is an almost unlimited selection of great gifts at Leland Fly Fishing Ranch on Arnold Drive, right next to the Schellville Airport.

One of the best Christmas gift packages there is a “Rod and Reel Day Fly-Fishing Lesson.” This includes a half-day's lesson with a fly-fishing instructor and a brand new fly-rod, reel and line set as part of the deal for a package rate of $395. They even have these exclusively for women, which is great if you are hoping to entice your spouse or girlfriend to join you for a fishing trip.

There are also classes for more advanced anglers, guided trips and all kinds of equipment. For more information go to: www.flyfishingoutfitters.com/lelands-complete-holiday-gift-ideas.

How about a full day of fishing in two states on two rivers with premier guides Jim and Rachel Andras of andrasoutfitters.com? Jim and Rachel are both part of the local Leland Fly Fishing Ranch faculty during the summer, but during the fall, winter and early spring they guide out of their home in southern Oregon, focusing on the Rogue and Klamath and other nearby rivers. They offer a two-state, two-river trip (Klamath and Rogue) for $425.  Jim's phone number is 530-722-7992. Rachel's is 530-227-4837. A gift certificate for a trip like that would be something very special that your fly-fisher would appreciate.

As of presstime, commercial crabbers are still tied up because of a price dispute with crab buyers/wholesalers. That means that the only way to have fresh dungeness crab right now is to catch them yourself. There is a way.  Capt. Rick Powers, of Bodega Bay Sportfishing, offers  a combo rockcod and crab trip for $100 an angler that is resulting in full limits of crab and rockcod on virtually every trip. The crabs are big and easy to get. Call Rick at 875-3344. 

And, by the way, Rick offers gift certificates for those of you looking for a unique stocking stuffer idea. The certificates are good for a day’s fishing with him.

Striper fishing from shore is a good way to enjoy the holidays. While your spouse fights the crowds the day after Thanksgiving, you might make yourself a turkey sandwich and head over to the Napa River or Petaluma River and catch some striped bass, which are biting with regularity at those locations, according to Joel Sinkay, at Leonard's Bait Shop at Port Sonoma. Joel has plenty of bullheads and live grass shrimp.

And, Joel too has gift certificates. Gift your loved one a bag of live bullheads for the holidays. Call him at 762-7818.

The sturgeon bite will begin to improve as rain continues, and that too presents an opportunity for fishing close to home. Keith Fraser books party boats from his Loch Lomond Bait Shop (415-456-0321), and yes, he offers gift certificates.

Steve Kyle passed on this trout and steelhead report from Sonoman Les Clark:

“Returned Thursday from Sac River at Redding fishing with guide JimAndras. Just like last year, we caught many large red-side rainbows, only two of which were under 16 inches. For me, 27 fish in two days and partner, Ron, had close to that. He actually hooked a large salmon on the pheasant-tail dropper, a size 16. Jim said we can’t touch it (Department of Fish and Game regulations) in the top fishing zone, so we broke it off. 

“On the second day one group put in farther down river somewhere between Cottonwood and Jelly’s Ferry and got into steelhead; six hooked and 15 landed, plus 16 large trout.”

Eddie Curotto has hunted twice at Meridian since the pheasant season opened and reports he has limited both times.