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Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Anderson Marsh State Historic Park remains open in 2013 and the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) will continue to hold its monthly guided nature walks, followed by a tour of the Historic Ranch House Museum, on the second Saturday of the month.
The next walk is scheduled for the morning of Saturday, Jan. 12.
This month’s walk will take place on the ADA accessible Cache Creek trail, which includes a raised boardwalk over riparian habitat.
Park docents and AMIA volunteers Gae Henry and Henry Bornstein will share their passion for and interest in the three histories that are protected by the park – natural, American Indian and European settler.
Bring your binoculars and meet in front of the Ranch House at 8:15 a.m. for time to experience the early morning wildlife to be found in the Ranch House and Barn complex yard – walk begins at 8:30 a.m.
Many of the trees are “naked” in the winter, making it easier to see birds. Recently seen in the p
Park have been Phainopepla, cedar waxwing, red-shafted flickers and acorn woodpecker, spotted and California towhee, wood ducks, cormorants, white-tailed kites, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, red-winged blackbirds and robins.
This is also the time of year a snipe, white throated sparrows, a bob cat and deer have been seen near the boardwalk.
A tour of the historic Ranch House Museum will begin immediately after the walk. If rain cancels the walk, the ranch tour will begin at 8:30 a.m. There is no charge for those attending.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
For more information about the walks, email
For more information about the park, you may also visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=483 .
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- Written by: Editor
New regulations for sturgeon fishing go into effect Jan. 1, 2013.
The regulations are meant to increase the survival and spawning success of sturgeon caught and released by anglers in California and will support development of data for management of the fishery.
The regulations promote sustainable management of the white sturgeon population and are consistent with federal regulation regarding the take of green sturgeon, which are protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Several regulatory changes that affect sturgeon fishing were approved the Fish and Game Commission in 2012, including measurement methods, size limits and methods of take.
They include:
- Measurement method: Sturgeon now must be measured by fork length, the straight-line distance from the tip of the head to the center of the tail. Tip of the head shall be the most anterior point on the fish with the mouth closed and the fish lying flat on its side. (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections 1.62, 5.80, and 27.90)
- Size limits: No fish less than 40 inches fork length or greater than 60 inches fork length may be taken or possessed. (CCR, Title 14, Sections 5.80 and 27.90)
- Methods of take: Only one single barbless hook may be used on a line when taking sturgeon. Use of a snare to assist in landing or killing any sturgeon is prohibited. A snare is a flexible loop made from any material that can be tightened like a noose around any part of the fish. (CCR, Title 14, Sections 5.80 and 27.90)
- Removal from the water: White sturgeon greater than 68 inches fork length may not be removed from the water and shall be released immediately. Green sturgeon may not be removed from the water and shall be released immediately. (CCR Title 14 Sections 5.81 and 27.90)
- Clarification of Special Sierra and Valley District Sturgeon Closure: It is unlawful to take any sturgeon from the Sacramento River between Keswick Dam to the Highway 162 Bridge in Shasta, Tehama and Glenn counties. (CCR, Title 14, Sections 5.80 and 5.81)
Any person fishing for white sturgeon must have a non-transferable Sturgeon Fishing Report Card in their possession and complete it in accordance with regulations.
The daily bag and possession limit remains one white sturgeon. The annual bag limit remains three white sturgeon.
See the California Ocean and Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations for complete sturgeon information.
An informational flyer depicting the regulation changes is available at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=58288 .
Tackle shops, charter boats, fishing clubs and others are encouraged to print and post the flyer where it is likely to be seen by sturgeon anglers.
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- Written by: Editor
COBB, Calif. – Take a hike Sunday, Jan. 13, at 9 a.m. at Boggs Mountain State Forest.
The Friends of Boggs Mountain will host a three- to five-mile, moderately paced hike on various Boggs trails.
Wear sturdy shoes, dress appropriately for weather conditions, and bring water and enthusiasm. Spayed/neutered dogs on a leash are welcome. Heavy rain or snow cancels the hike.
Meet at the parking lot kiosk promptly at 9 a.m.
The forest entrance is located off Highway 175 just 1.5 miles north of Cobb Village. Turn at the blue State Fire Station/Boggs Mountain Forest sign.
Visit the Friends of Boggs Mountain Web site at http://boggsmountain.net/calendar/hiking-events/ for updates and changes to the schedule.
For more information phone 707-928-5819 or email
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Question: Our class is working on invasive species and would really appreciate it if you could help us with one question.
How does the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) help with the control of feral pigs?
If you could email us back the answer, we would greatly appreciate it (The Alien Hunters or Pam K.).
Answer: It is great to hear from young citizens who are interested in wildlife issues and are actively seeking to educate themselves about these topics!
According to DFG Statewide Wild Pig Program Coordinator Marc Kenyon, the California Legislature in 1957 classified the wild pig as a game mammal which then allowed the DFG to manage them as wildlife and regulate their harvest.
The DFG is the agency with responsibility over game animals in the state and because this classification is in statute, only legislative action could change it.
However, the California Fish and Game Commission, a separate entity, has recognized that damage from wild pigs does occur and to that end, a policy has been put into effect that states:
“The wild pig population of the state must be controlled to minimize the threat of increasing damage to California’s native plant and animals, to agricultural operations and to park and recreational activities from the foraging habits of the animals. Consistent with State law and regulations, the DFG will prepare and recommend to the Commission regulations which enhance recreational hunting and facilitate the issuing of depredation permits and/or other legally available means to alleviate this problem.”
Please visit the Fish and Game Commission’s website to understand the difference between the Department of Fish and Game and the Fish and Game Commission: www.fgc.ca.gov/public/information/ .
Similar to the commission, the DFG works to minimize the impacts pigs cause.
To achieve this, we work with private citizens, other government organizations and natural resources conservation partners to, among other things: 1) curtail the spread of wild pigs; 2) protect agricultural, archaeological and environmental resources and private property from damage caused by wild pigs; and 3) facilitate the removal of pigs causing damage.
To curtail the spread of wild pigs, our wardens enforce laws that restrict the intentional movement of wild pigs from one area to another.
We also enlist the help of sport hunters. By educating hunters about the locations of pigs in the state, we feel that we can direct hunters to areas of the state that either have new populations of pigs or serve as “source populations.”
To protect our state’s precious resources and private property, we have worked with conservation partners and private landowners alike to facilitate the construction of wildlife-friendly but pig-resistant fences to exclude pigs from certain areas.
For example, we are working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to construct a fence that will exclude pigs from newly restored riparian habitat in Colusa County.
The DFG may issue ‘”depredation” permits to authorize the permit holder to use lethal control methods to reduce the number of wild pigs on their property and in turn reduce the amount of damage caused. The DFG encourages property owners to allow sport hunters to hunt wild pigs.
Based on surveys of sport hunters and returned sport hunting wild pig tags, the DFG believes that roughly 5,000 to 10,000 wild pigs are killed each year by sport hunters.
Over the last 10 years, an average of 55,062 wild pig tags have been sold each year. This has resulted in average revenue each year of nearly $800,000, which helps to fund our management activities.
As you can see, the State Legislature, the Fish and Game Commission and the Department of Fish and Game are dedicated to managing wild pigs to reduce their spread and the damage they cause.
We rely on our lawmakers to craft intelligent laws, our biologists to understand the species, and our wardens to catch the law breakers. We all work as one unit to control wild pigs.
Crab hawk traps
Question: I bought a “crab hawk-like” castable crab trap at a major sporting goods store in Northern California.
Can I use this in San Francisco Bay or in the ocean? I have used this same trap in Washington State. (Cris C.)
Answer: No, crab hawk traps are not legal to use in California.
For crab regulations, please check the crustaceans section of the current Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, available wherever sport fishing licenses are sold, at your local DFG office, and online at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations .
Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week. Please contact her at