You have four more days to use your current California fishing license before you’ll need the 2020 version, available for $51.02 at Brocco’s Old Barn on Arnold Drive, or on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website at wildlife.ca.gov.
There are still opportunities to go out on one of Capt. Rick Powers’ “combo” trips for rock fish, lingcod and Dungeness crab out of Bodega Bay. Call Rick at 875-3344. The rock and lingcod season closes after Dec. 31, but Rick plans on taking out crab-only trips (with whale watching included) for $100 per person for the month of January.
Hogan Brown is one of the most active fishing guides currently and is guiding on a number of waters within a few hours drive of Sonoma.
Hogan has some good access to the Lower Yuba River east of Marysville which is is one of the best winter trout fishing places in Northern California. He also guides for winter striped bass fishing on the Sacramento River near Chico, and is finding lots of action on spotted bass fishing on Lake Oroville. Hogan is a great guide and lots of fun to fish with. He is also a popular guide, which means his available dates fill up fast. For more information go to hgbflyfishing.com.
Assuming no large storms come in during the next 10 days or so, this is a good time to fish for steelhead on the Trinity River or the Klamath. Reports from both indicate there are lots of fish in the rivers and the catching has been good.
The lower Sacramento River between Redding and Anderson is offering excellent trout fishing right now, and the upper Sac near Dunsmuir is also fishing well right now.
The Fly Shop in Redding has full guide service for the Trinity, Klamath and Sacramento River, call 800-669-3474.
Another good guide for the Trinity and the Sac is Kirk Portocarrero. Call him at (530) 221-6151.
Sturgeon fishing is good now in San Francisco Bay near the “Sturgeon Triangle,” bounded by the Pump House, China Camp and Buoy 5. Sturgeon anglers are also catching striped bass in those waters. You can book a bay fishing party boat by calling Capt. Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters, (415) 307-8582.
Or you can fish from shore at China Camp, or the pier at Paradise Park on the Marin Shoreline. Call Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait Shop, 415 456-0321, in San Rafael for the latest information on best places to fish, and for fresh bait.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is planting several nearby lakes with rainbow trout. These are easy places to take your kids or grandkids fishing. The nearest waters include Lake Ralphine in Santa Rosa, Bon Tempe Lake in Marin County and Lake Berryessa east of Napa.
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