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I took a couple of days off this week and headed north with some local fly-fishers to check out the steelhead action on the Trinity River and the Sacramento River. The weather was too perfect. By now there should be a lot more rain and cold replenishing our state's northern watersheds. Instead the Trinity was low and clear, and the fish were scattered up and down, but hard to find.

The Sac was also low, but less clear because it is now drawing water from the muddy dregs of what is left of Lake Shasta.  I'll go into detail more next week, but the for now, the Trinity is tough fishing, while the lower Sac south of Redding is pretty darn good. My companions included the irrepressible Steve Kyle, former Sonoman Sky Parsons and local vintner Peter Haywood.  Our hardworking guides from The Fly Shop were native Sonoman Tyler Lee and Matt Dover.   I couldn't have asked for better company and the rivers were both beautiful.

I'll tell you next week about the big one that got away, and the bigger one that didn't. Meanwhile, local angling is about the same as last week, with your best bets still being San Francisco Bay for stripers, halibut and some sturgeon, local sloughs, the Napa River, Petaluma River and the mouth of Sonoma Creek.

Bodega Bay Sportfishing is still having good luck on combo trips for rock cod, but the Dungeness crab take was light due to competition from commercial crabbers. Still, it is worth a trip. Call Rick Powers at 875-3344.

The lakes are only fair, with few reports of any action at Clear Lake (except for one night-fishing report from Larry Hemphill), and not much from the Berryessa or Lake Sonoma areas. Hunters are starting to report in now.

Former Sonoma resident Eddie Curotto has been reporting in for the last few weeks that the pheasant hunting at Meridian has been excellent. He's had two limits in two trips recently.

The Department of Fish and Game announced two special apprentice duck hunts at Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.

On Saturday, Dec. 13 and Wednesday, Dec. 24, spaced blinds on Pond 11 and Crescent Unit of the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area will be available only for apprentice hunt participants and will be closed to the general public. The hunts are available to junior hunting license holders.

An adult chaperone (18 years of age or older) is required to accompany and supervise each junior hunter. The adult may hunt with the junior hunter and must possess the required 2008-09 California hunting license and state and federal waterfowl stamps. Sixteen-year-old junior license holders must have a federal waterfowl stamp to hunt waterfowl.

All available blinds can accommodate two people, the junior hunter and his or her adult chaperone. Non-toxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required for waterfowl hunting. A minimum of one dozen duck decoys are required at all blind sites and chest waders are recommended.

To apply for a reservation, use a standard post card and send it as follows: Name of junior hunter, mailing address, city, state, zip, phone number, 2008-09 hunting-license number, name of chaperone, one hunt date. Mail it to: Grizzly Island Jr. Duck Hunt, 2548 Grizzly Island Rd., Suisun City, CA 94585.

Each hunter may apply only once and for only one date. Application cards must be received by close of business this Tuesday, Nov. 25. Junior hunt reservations will be filled by a random drawing conducted on Wednesday, Nov. 26. There will be 16 reservations issued for each date. All successful applicants will be notified by mail.

The Grizzly Island Wildlife Area will also accept junior hunters on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the hunt to use the free roam areas and to fill any no-shows.

DFG encourages use of the West Family Unit, which is available only to junior hunters. Hunt days are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the open season. The gate will open approximately two hours before shoot time. An adult chaperone is required and four double blinds are available. The unit is north of Benicia on Goodyear Road. From Highway 680 take the Marshview Road exit and turn right onto Goodyear Road from the off-ramp. The hunt area will be on the left.

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