The Fish Sniffer

Dick Nite Spoons: Deadly For Kokanee And Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, May 15, 2013

Dick Nite Spoons have been around more than 70 years, helping fishermen, fisherwomen, and fisherkids enjoy trout and salmon fishing success!

Four salmon world records have been set using Dick Nite fishing lures, and at least one State record for Oregon shad has be set as well. Dick Nite fishing...

Brad’s Super Bait Cut Plug Makes “Rolling Bait” Easy

Written By: Cal Kellogg, May 15, 2013

When it’s time to catch king salmon whether they are swimming in the ocean or the land locked variety living in lakes like Shasta and Don Pedro, it’s tough to beat a rhythmically rolling rigged baitfish or plug cut bait. Yet these baits create a lot of problems for anglers

First it can be tough...

Vance’s Tackle Offers Unveils Dodgers And Hoochies For 2013!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, May 15, 2013

As a guide and tackle manufacturer Vance Staplin of Vance’s Tackle has always had the luxury of doing extensive field testing with his products. Basically he developed a line of lures that he uses himself, but he also makes them available to the general public.

“Our line of products is pretty...

Jackson Coosa River Anchor

Written By: Headwaters Fishing Team, February 24, 2013

Home Made Jackson Cuda Scupper Transducer

Written By: Headwaters Fishing Team, February 24, 2013

After seeing the new Lowrance scupper transducer mount work so well on Jackson Kayak, a customer of mine decided to figure out a cheap way to do this for other fish finders. In this case we installed a Garmin transducer.

Step 1: Use an 8" piece of electrical grade PVC pipe with threads on...

Chatterbaits vs. Spinnerbaits in Winter

Written By: Wes Ward, February 9, 2013

As the days start getting longer and the temperatures begin to rise the bass will emerege from their winter slumber in search of a hearty meal.  Many experienced fishermen will be throwing spinnerbaits as their go to search bait.  For decades, spinnerbaits have caught big fish in big...

Trout Love Dough Bait

Written By: Cal Kellogg, December 2, 2012

Can you feel that little twinge? If you are a trout troller or fly guy you can. It’s absolutely true, trout love dough bait. That fact in itself disturbs you and you aren’t all that certain that soaking dough is an “above board” method of hooking trout. Trout seem too noble and tricking them...

Ahi Assault Diamond Jigs: The Perfect Medicine For Rockfish And Lingcod

Written By: Cal Kellogg, October 29, 2012

Let’s face it, bottom fishing bar jigs aren’t that sophisticated, but what sets a quality jig apart from a so so jig is the quality of finish, available color schemes and the quality of the hardware.

Last year I discovered a line of Jigs from the folks at American Maple/Ahi USA, dubbed the...

Making Crabs Crawl YOUR Way…

Written By: Cal Kellogg, October 9, 2012

For Norcal outdoor enthusiasts, the fall has so much to offer that even if the season stretched out for six months, a sportsman would have a tough time sampling all the great action the fall months have to offer.

A very preliminary list looks something like this. Stripers in the Delta, trout...

Trolling Notes 2.0

Written By: Cal Kellogg, September 20, 2012

I just turned 45 and I’ve been trout fishing for nearly my entire life. I’ve been trolling for trout and landlocked salmon for the better part of 25 years.

Despite all this time on the water I still think of myself as a novice, because trout fishing is a lot like the universe. How? Just about...

Landlocked Kings: The Basics

Written By: Cal Kellogg, September 17, 2012

At the top of the pacific coast’s ocean food chain sets the chinook salmon. These sleek open water predators spend their lives cruising the shadowy depths of the sea, ambushing baitfish. Anglers have long loved pursuing kings due to their willingness to strike, their powerful fighting ability...

Shrimp Flies: The Advanced Course…

Written By: Cal Kellogg, September 14, 2012

Using shrimp flies for rockfish…There’s nothing to it! Right?

I used to think so. Shrimp flies where something that beginners used to catch rockfish while I was targeting lingcod with my super sexy jigs. But then I actually started watching what was happening around me on charter trip after...

Recharging Old Roe

Written By: Cal Kellogg, August 24, 2012

One rainy evening I was hanging out in my garage and getting my fishing gear ready for the next morning's trip. I had four containers of eggs left over from fishing earlier in the day and I decided to use them for tomorrow. The eggs were pre-cut and cured in Pautzke's natural colored Borx O'...

Cliff Notes For Would Be River Salmon Anglers

Written By: Cal Kellogg, August 24, 2012

I readily admit that I’m a greenhorn when it comes to river salmon fishing and I simply don’t do enough river fishing for that to change, yet when I do go out chasing river salmon with a guide I generally do pretty well because I understand the basics. This can be true of you too if you keep a...

Going Soft For Bottom Fish

Written By: Cal Kellogg, August 20, 2012

Something big was about to happen, but of course I had no idea. The tide and the wind where cooperating and the black water pushing around Point Reyes was glassy flat and calm…..

I’d been eyeing the bait in Will Fish Tackle in Auburn for a while. It was an 8 inch long squid. The squid was made...

Breaking News From The Bait Lab: Making Dual Colored Herring And Anchovies For More Ocean Kings!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, August 7, 2012

Every year there’s a lot of effort involved in creating innovative color/attractants. Honestly, sometimes I think these are more for the fishermen than the fish. Meanwhile, creativity and innovation brings exciting opportunities.

Consider flashers. How many options are currently on the market?...

Go Micro When Rockfish Develop Lockjaw!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, July 25, 2012

Rockfish always bite right? Well they almost always bite, but just like any other species of fish there are times when rockfish shut down and hooking up becomes challenging.

If I’m looking specifically for a limit of rockfish, I generally rely on a 3 to 6 ounce metal jig. If that isn’t working...

A New Approach For Delta Salmon Trollers?

Written By: Cal Kellogg, July 13, 2012

Salmon trolling is a Delta favorite during the late summer and fall when anglers flock out of resorts like Vieira’s to pull spinners on the Sacramento River.

Delta salmon trollers have been relying on spinners for untold decades and there is no denying their effectiveness, but might there be...

Five Must Have Items For The Trout Angler

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

I’m like every other trout angler I know, in that I literally have thousands of different offerings and products that MIGHT catch trout or help me catch trout.

Just the other day I was in my garage looking for a worm threader and reflecting on all the various trout fishing gear I’ve accumulated...

Smashing The Speed Barrier For Fall Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Anglers are pretty strange folks as a rule. Think about it. We get up at O-Dark-Thirty on our days off. We stand out in the cold and rain shivering and call it fun. And we spend untold thousands of dollars on boats and gear and guided trips for a few fillets you can buy at the store for $20...

Worms: The One Bait No Trout Angler Should Leave Home Without!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Worms are low down and dirty. After all, they spend their lives crawling around in dirt or worse…manure! However worms do have a positive side, namely their value as top notch fishing bait. Bass, trout, panfish, catfish and even bright fresh from the sea steelhead have a soft spot for fat juicy...

Must Have Trolling Tackle For Trout, Sockeyes And Kings

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

We all have our favorite trout, kokanee and landlocked king salmon lures. Generally these lures are our favorites, because we’ve had success on them in the past, yet most anglers I know don’t spend a whole lot of time reflecting on why trout and salmon hit a given lure.

Trout and salmon use two...

Rigging Tricks For Trollers

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

I’m not the greatest fisherman in the world. Heck I know a bunch of anglers that are better than me. The one thing I do have going for me from a fishing standpoint is that I’m a student of the sport. I’m always looking for more information about fishing and every time I hit the water I try to...

A Trout And Salmon Angler’s Tackle Box

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

It’s that time of the year…Well to be truthful I’m a few weeks late, but who’s counting. I’m here at my kitchen table with my big canvas trout and landlocked salmon tackle box setting beside me. It’s the tackle I reach for when trolling foothill and mountain lakes from my Willie Predator is on...

Trout Fishing: What’s The Plan?

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

As I sit here at my keyboard with a super successful Sacramento ISE Show in my rearview mirror my thoughts have turned to fishing. I’ve got a 2011 fishing license burning a whole in my pocket and I’m itching to hit the water for the first time this year.

With so many options available across...

Roeing For Fall Trout?

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Late fall and early winter and synonymous with trout fishing, that’s a given. But how do you go about hooking those trophy browns and rainbows?

For a long time I was only aware of a couple of different tried and true methods. If you had access to a boat fast trolling with minnow plugs or slow...

Trout Eat Minnows, But Keep That Under Your Hat…

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

That’s right loose lips sink ships! Big fish eat little fish and trout be they browns, brookies or ‘bows living in streams, lakes or reservoirs all gobble minnows with gusto. But let’s keep this information between you and I or everyone and their brother will be casting and pulling plugs and...

Let’s Go Bank Fishing For Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

The winter fishing season is off to a great start. We’ve had rain, but it has been spaced out enough to prevent most lakes from becoming muddy. The temperatures have been cool, but not frigid. This equation adds up to great trout fishing.

The water in our impoundments isn’t cloudy enough to put...

Tactical Tips For The Trouter

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

When I look back at my fishing career to date, a lot of my memories revolve around trout fishing. I’ve been chasing trout for more than three decades. My dad got me started with trout at a young age. I wish I would have kept a running tally of all the trout I’ve caught. Certainly I’ve caught...

How To Hook Mr. Mackinaw

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Browns, rainbows, and brookies… we all love to catch trout, but what about mackinaw? Mackinaw go largely overlooked by the California trout fishing fraternity. Yet they provide the best trophy potential of any trout swimming our waters. Mackinaw or lake trout as they are sometimes know...

Trolling Tips Courtesy Of Ken’s Custom Tackle

Written By: Ken Mathis, March 13, 2012

After fishing many years on the Crystal Basin Lakes, Ice House, Union Valley, Loon lake, and many of the surrounding lakes in El Dorado Co., Ken at Ken's Custom Tackle is offering these trolling tips that have been proven to produce fish.

Trolling is an easy and successful way to catch trout....

Summer Trout Trolling Guide

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

According to the morning news temperatures today are going to range from 15 to 20 degrees below normal and there is a really good chance that it’s going to rain….AGAIN!

While it might not seem like it right now, one of these days the rain is going to stop and summer will arrive like the woosh...

A Beginner’s Guide To Spring Trout Trolling

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

As I sit here peering out at my snow covered deck, contemplating the unseasonably cold March weather we’ve experienced my thoughts are centered on trout fishing. I enjoy trout fishing all year long, however my absolute favorite time for targeting the trout inhabiting our reservoirs is during...

You Can’t Catch Trout On Plastic Worms…

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Well, actually you can catch quite a few trout on soft plastics, but a large percentage of trout anglers have yet to embrace them. That’s a mistake, since soft plastics are one of the most effective, versatile and inexpensive offerings available to today’s trout troller.

Now lest you get the...

Small Lakes, Fall Colors And Fantastic Trout Fishing

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Fall is such a wonderful time, perhaps the best time of the year for anglers and hunters. For starters the weather here in northern California is generally fantastic with cold nights, chilly mornings and comfortable afternoons. Sure we usually get a storm or two during October and November, but...

Cold Water Slip Bobber Tactics For Big Rainbows

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

When it comes to catching trout a stealthy natural presentation often means the difference between success and failure. Over the years I’ve tried a number of presentations from sliding sinker rigs fished with an open bail, to slow trolling or drifting weightless threaded crawlers. A few years...

Advanced Approaches For The Shore Bound Trouter

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

When the water temperature is cool and the trout move into the shallows, soaking PowerBait or an inflated worm from the bank using a sliding sinker rig can be a deadly effective approach. While this bottom fishing strategy produces tens of thousands of trout for West Coast anglers every year,...

Salmon Eggs: The Forgotten Fodder Of Trout Fishermen

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Trout and salmon eggs, salmon eggs and trout, they go together like cookies and milk or baseball and hotdogs. Trout have been gobbling eggs for eons and trout anglers have been using salmon eggs to catch trout for a century, perhaps longer.

While salmon eggs remain as effective as they ever...

Minnow Plugs: Your Number One Tool For Bagging Big Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Consider the bass fishing scene. The vast majority of bass available in most waters average from 1 to 2 pounds. These fish spend most of their time feeding on baitfish and crawfish in the 1 to 3 inch range. As a result lures in this size range are very effective for catching average size bass.

Matrix Paddletails: The Effectiveness Of Bait, Combined With The Convenience Of An Artificial

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

As most avid trollers know, rolling shad, basically trolling rigged shad minnows, is one of the best ways to catch big trout and land locked kings, yet shad can be tough to obtain, store and rig. They are not legal to use at many of our lakes and even where they are legal, when using them you...

Mackinaw Tactics For Lake Tahoe And Beyond

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Browns, rainbows, and brookies… we all love to catch trout, but what about mackinaw? Mackinaw go largely overlooked by the California trout fishing fraternity. Yet they provide the best trophy potential of any trout swimming our waters. Mackinaw or lake trout as they are sometimes know...

Jigging Your Way To More Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Here in the west, trout are one of our very favorite gamefish and why not? They have a wide distribution and can be found in literally hundreds of lakes and rivers, ponds and streams. In addition to their widespread distribution, one of the other factors that make trout such a popular gamefish...

The Hoochie Revolution

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Have you ever noticed that the simplest lures and presentations are often the best? Lures that are painstakingly created to exactly match the forage gamefish feed on are often, indeed almost always upstaged by simple impressionistic offerings.

In terms of simplistic lures there are few that are...

Bank Tactics For High Sierra Trout Lakes

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

The lake had only been accessible for a week or so and there was still plenty of snow to be found in the shady areas beneath the trees.

It wasn’t going rain or snow, at least not much, but the overcast made for a low light level and the breeze created a moderate chop. I knew the combination of...

A Metal And Leather Trout Attack

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Have you heard about the latest trout spinner? It looks a lot like the venerable Wedding Ring, but the beads are made of metal and the spinner blade is constructed from a stiff piece of leather? No. Well that’s not too surprising since I just made it up 30 seconds ago. I'm just trying to have a...

Fishing With Dodgers And We’re Not Talking About Tommy Lasorda Or Fernando

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

That’s right I’m talking about those thin metal things you place on your fishing line not the Los Angeles Dodgers that everyone here in Norcal loves to hate and everyone in Socal loves to love!

In looking through my personal archive of articles from over the past 10 years or so, I find that...

Trophy Brown Trout Trolling

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Trophy class brown trout are often heralded as the Holy Grail of trout fishing. Why do big browns hold such an esteemed place in the hearts of trout anglers? I think the answer is two fold.

First, brown trout are apex predators that have impressive growth potential. Browns of 10 pounds are...

Banking For Foothill Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

It’s no secret that many of the reservoirs in northern California’s foothill region offer excellent trout fishing. Most years, the trout action at these reservoirs heats up during the latter part of March and extends through late June, when rising surface temperatures drive the trout into their...

Targeting Trout With Bait From Your Nice Clean Boat

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

The day before a foot of fresh snow had fallen. Overnight the cloud cover had broken up and the air temperature plummeted. When Gene Rush and I woke up about and hour before sunrise the temperature was hovering in the teens. At the cabin the air was crystal clear, revealing an impressive array...

Targeting The Right Tides For Sturgeon

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

More sturgeon stuff. Last time we considered the circle hook phenomenon, the key word being "considered." As the result of this technique is very well documented by the angler I mentioned, it’s very difficult to try it, as sturgie are so difficult to hook in the first place.

So, I haven’t –...

Chasing One Of California’s Living Fossils

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

Last time we were still trying to hook up with a sturgeon, one of the few remaining living fossils in California, even though that comparison has been made to me on more than one occasion. This fish dates back to the Jurassic period, so where was the reference in the movie? We have two species...

Sturgeon Strategy

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Stripers are only part of the story in the Rio Vista Bass Derby. There is a sturgeon division in the derby. While there are typically several striper caught in every derby that fall exactly on the target length and the striper prize comes down to who caught the heaviest target length fish, only...

Circle Hooks For Sturgeon?

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

Last time we finished up our foray into the Lake Almanor area. Now that we’re back home, it has turned out to be an extremely FRIGID weather condition. Can’t recall when the 7 AM temperature was 29 degrees at my abode. Geeeeez.

How do we solve this problem? Easy. Bundle up until you look like a...

Tackling Sturgeon In Our Bay, Delta And River Systems

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Sturgeon are an incredible gamefish. While they won’t win any beauty contests with their beedy eyes and vacuum cleaner mouths, they are the largest, hardest fighting gamefish commonly targeted by northern California anglers.

Add to their size and fighting ability the fact that they arguably...

Diamond Back Basics

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

White Sturgeon, in addition to being at the top of the west coast’s list of game fish in terms of size, fighting ability, and table fare are just down right interesting fish.

For starters they are by far the biggest freshwater fish living in the western United States, reaching 13 feet in length...

Let’s Talk Sturgeon

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Okay, I’m going to come right out and say it. Despite what you’ve heard the dead of winter is NOT the best time to catch sturgeon. Sure you can catch them during the winter, but the spring months of March and April and the early fall, late summer months of August and September are hands down...

Stream Trout Strategy

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Years ago when I was youngster stream fishing for trout was a big deal. The opening day of the trout season was something you got excited about and prepared for. Looking back I remember going through my canvas creel and later my fly vest weeks before the April opener to make sure I had gear to...

It’s Stick-N-String Time

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

Depending on the season, the stick-n-string reference can be interpreted two ways. It’s either a long bow and a wooden arrow, or a flyrod and floating line.

For our purposes here, it’s the latter. Even though many of our trout streams offer either year around or limited off season winter...

A Dismal 8 Days For Shad And Stripers

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

Last time we checked out the early shad season at Verona, and the report is dismal. As unsuccessful anglers, it is often easy to point out all the negatives that cause a poor outing, or 8 days of poor outing. Such was the case during our annual shad trip this year.

My initial foray for shad...

The Shad Are Here And They’re Biting

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

Last time we managed to catch a few bass, (we did, didn’t we?), but now it’s time to move on to some really important fishin’ news…SHAD.

They’re here and they’re bitin’. But first, a couple pieces of old business. A few years back I was complaining that Mustad had discontinued the only hook...

Steelhead Fishing Requires Getting Wet

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 13, 2012

Last time we skirted the striper fishing successes, which were few and far between. Having kept track of the run into November, the outlook wasn’t much brighter.

When fish were located , most weren’t even keepers. Every now and then a few anglers who launched their overpowered bass boats and...

The Elusive Steelhead

Written By: Mike McNeilly, March 13, 2012

Never has there been a fish that beats me up as bad as the steelhead. I have sworn off fishing for them more times than I can remember. I have even had long hiatuses where I stuck to the plan. Be that as it may, like a victim of spousal abuse, I always return for another beating. The analogy in...

Steelheading For The Beginner

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Steelhead!… Just hearing the word starts my adrenaline flowing. If you’ve caught one you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t its tough to convey in words the speed, power, and tenacity these sea run battlers poses.

A steelhead is basically an ocean run rainbow trout. Steelhead are born...

Spinners And Spoons For River Salmon and Steelhead

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Here in the north state we once again have a river salmon season, albeit more limited than we might like on the Feather, American and Sacramento Rivers. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the existence of these fishing opportunities has ignited an old contentious debate.

I’m speaking...

Target Sacramento Salmon From The Bank With Spinners

Written By: Roland Aspiras, March 13, 2012

The salmon season is in full swing and there are two popular ways to fish spinners from the bank on the “Old Sacramento River” in the California Delta.

The first rig is what's called in the bass fishing world as the "Carolina Rig." The rig begins with a 20-24 inch section of 12 pound test...

Roeing Your Way To River Run Kings

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Ocean going chinook salmon may not be simple to locate, but once found they are fairly simple to catch, given that they feed voraciously on various baitfish that are similar in appearance, such as anchovies, herring and sardines. Troll past them with a rigged baitfish or baitfish imitating lure...

Top Tactics For Corralling River Kings

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

For eons people have converged on the Sacramento River and its tributaries in the late summer and fall to take advantage of the bountiful runs of chinook salmon returning to their spawning beds from the ocean. If there is a more inspiring and exciting spectacle than a river full of spashing and...

Egg Curing Made Easy

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Picture the scene, it is early September and good numbers of salmon are surging up the Sacramento River. You give the folks at Vierra’s Resort a call and sure enough they report that trollers are hooking good numbers of kings. The next morning finds you at Veirra’s launch ramp. After clearing...

Salmon Fishing Delta Style

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

We all know that during the late summer and fall, the upper reaches of the lower Sacramento River and the American River play host to pretty good salmon fishing, but one thing a lot of us tend to forget is that before the fish reach these much heralded up river haunts they must pass through...

Do You Boon Doggle?

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Ocean going chinook salmon may not be simple to locate, but once found they are fairly simple to catch, given that they feed voraciously on various baitfish that are similar in appearance, such as anchovies, herring and sardines. Troll past them with a rigged baitfish or baitfish imitating lure...

Trolling For Ocean Kings

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

Mike Tsai and I had been fishing for less than 30 minutes and already we had two kings over 20 pounds in the boat. Excitedly, I dropped the downrigger to 60 feet as we slowly turned for another pass over the fish.

The kings were setting along a three quarter mile long reef, and were busting...

Ocean Salmon Fishing For The Small Boater

Written By: David Hammond, March 13, 2012

Spring, 2011...Wow, what an exciting time of year to be a guide and fisherman in Northern California! Already this year, my clients have seen incredible sturgeon and striper fishing. Halibut is a month away, and now, after a 3 year wait, we have a full ocean salmon season. What's an angler to...

How To Mooch Up A Salmon Dinner

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

The conditions were ideal. It was late summer and a dense fog hung over the dark water. The groundswell was low and the surface was dotted with hundreds of marine birds. The screen of the sonar unit was cluttered with yellow and red masses punctuated by multiple arches indicating tightly...

Charter Boat Salmon Trolling Primer

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 13, 2012

The Chinook salmon is the dean of California saltwater gamefish. Over the decades no other game fish has monopolized the California saltwater angler’s time and imagination more than the venerable king salmon. With ocean salmon seasons underway, this is a great time to take a look at the tactics...

The Ultimate Rod Selection For The Saltwater Angler

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Imagine it in your minds eye…Living here in Northern California you’ve heard a lot about the saltwater fishing opportunities both inside and outside San Francisco Bay. Finally, after a lot of daydreaming you decide that you’ve just got to give it a try. After skimming through the reports in the...

Maximizing Rockfish And Lingcod Success

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

There are a lot of saltwater anglers out there, you know who you are, that look at rockfish and lingcod as the quarry of the unsophisticated and unskilled.

They look at us bottom fishing aficionados in much the same way as some freshwater enthusiasts view bluegill and crappie anglers. Basically...

Rockfish Crazy!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Rockfish just don’t get any respect. They are always playing second fiddle to sexier species like salmon and stripers. Rockfish even take a backseat to their arch nemesis the lingcod.

If you tell your fishing buddies that you caught a limit of stripers or a 12 pound salmon they’ll look at you...

Ringing The Dinner Bell For Lings

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Right here at the beginning I admit that I’m not an expert lingcod fisherman. While I do catch my share of lings ranging from small to large, I’m still learning and still experimenting to determine what works, what doesn’t work and what works best. I’ve been on this case for a quarter century....

A Proven Strategy For Big Lings And Other Deep Water Denizens

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Salmon are sexy, stripers have intimidating power and halibut offer table fare that is second to none. Yet, for northern California saltwater anglers in search of consistent fast action nothing beats targeting bottom fish.

Indeed, the only potential stumbling block that stands between you and a...

A Trout Anglers Approach To Catching Land Locked Salmon

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Gary Miralles of the Shasta Tackle Company is a reknowned lure manufacturer and trout angler that also enjoys targeting kokanee salmon, but his strategy for catching sockeyes is a little different from that of most kokanee fishing enthusiasts.

“I grew up trout fishing and I’ve applied a lot of...

The Freshwater Angler’s Guide To Natural Bait Trolling

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Although there are no official records for such things, trolling for trout and other freshwater species with natural baits dates to at least the late 1800’s in North American and likely much earlier in continental Europe.

These days freshwater anglers have access to a massive array of lures and...

Landlocked Kings: It’s Just Like Ocean Fishing Only Smaller

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

At the top of the pacific coast’s ocean food chain sets the chinook salmon. These sleek open water predators spend their lives cruising the shadowy depths of the sea, ambushing baitfish. Anglers have long loved pursuing kings due to their willingness to strike, their powerful fighting ability...

A Pair Of Must Have Lures For The Serious Kokanee Enthusiast

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Kokanee can be as fickle as a prom queen confronted with a room full of suitors. One day they want this lure tomorrow they’ll want something else. This morning you’ve got to be pulling a purple lure, but this afternoon they’ll only hit pink. And of course if you don’t have your hooks tipped...

Let’s Kick Some Kokanee Butt!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

From a fisheries management perspective, over the past 25 years no stocking program has generated as much excitement within the Golden State fishing scene as the wide spread introduction of kokanee salmon into northern and central state reservoirs. Indeed this excitement has spawned a myriad of...

Breaking The Speed Limit For Kokanee And Trout

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Very often in the fishing world following the cues of “conventional wisdom” will put you on the path toward success.

For example conventional wisdom dictates that sturgeon fishing is best during periods that feature minus tides and lots of water movement. On the water experience indicates that...

A Beginners Guide To Kokanee

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

When you travel up to Alaska, the salmon capital of the United States, and talk to the locals, you learn some interesting things about salmon.

Alaska residents have access to all the major species of salmon including kings, silvers, sockeyes, chums and pinks. When it comes to the species that...

Top Tactics For Hammering Norcal Halibut

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Here in the northern half of the Golden State there are two basic approaches used for tempting California halibut, namely trolling and drifting. For decades the tried and true approach has been drifting with either live or dead baits, but recently trolling has come on strong as a reliable means...

Halibut, Let Us Count The Ways

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate region’s coastal waters are the halibut capital of northern California. That has always been the case, but only recently have halibut been elevated to headliner status.

It wasn’t that many years ago when halibut were considered also rans amidst a blizzard...

Trolling And Casting For Delta Stripers

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

As I sit here writing this column, the 60th Annual Rio Vista Striper Derby is less than a month away. The Rio Vista Derby is the premier event for west coast striper anglers and serves to mark the beginning of the fall striper season in the beautiful California Delta.

Last week I made my first...

Delta Trolling Techniques For Fall Stripers

Written By: David Hammond, March 12, 2012

Fall has arrived, it's time to dust off those rods, oil up those reels, retie leaders, and sharpen hooks. After a brief summer vacation in the salt of the ocean and bay, Northern California top sport fish, the striped bass, is back in the Delta.

As a full time guide in these waters, I always...

Stroking Stripers With Bait

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

From the delta to the ocean, and back again, the seasonal travels of the Golden State’s striped bass are well documented.

Wherever the stripers are during their annual migration they dominate the angling scene and why not? Stripers are “A-List” predators that voraciously gobble up fish,...

Ready, Set, Troll…

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

April is upon us and that means it’s striper trolling time in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta. The water temperature has climbed into the middle 50’s. As a result the bass are on the move and will soon begin spawning in the upper reaches of the delta.

During the spring migration, say roughly...

Striper Tackle: The Bait Angler’s Arsenal

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

When it comes to bagging stripers while using bait, there are a broad range of rod and reel combinations capable of catching fish, ranging from a light trout outfit on one end of the spectrum and a stiff tuna stick on the other.

Having said that, choosing the proper rod and teaming it with an...

Spring Stripers…Choose Your Weapons!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

I’m looking out my window as I write these words. The wind is blowing, it’s been raining hard all night and I’m expecting to see snow by noon.

This being the case it seems strange to be talking about any sort of spring fishing, but the fact of the matter is that spring striper fishing in the...

Beginner’s Guide to Plugging For Delta Stripers

Written By: Thomas Amberson, March 12, 2012

If memory serves well, it was in 2003 when I became infatuated with plugging for Delta striped bass. Up to that point, I trolled for stripers, and was still mostly involved in largemouth bass fishing on the Delta. That is until one day, I happen to be fishing with living legend and striper...

Delta Stripers One On One

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

What is my favorite gamefish? Like most anglers, my favorite fish is probably the one on the end of my line when the question is asked. But if I step away from the excitement of the moment and really reflect on the attributes that I hold to be important, such as accessibility, willingness to...

Bank and Small Boat Stripers? Its Doable!

Written By: Roland Aspiras, March 12, 2012

With a majority of public shoreline access now closed in and around the California Delta, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult for bank anglers to fish good areas for striped bass.

Some are resorting to areas, which are less than ideal, while others are using small boats, prams and canoes...

Bait Brining For The Budget Conscious Angler

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Of all the subjects I’ve covered in my how to column over the years, there is no subject that has created as much confusion and controversy or generated as many emails and phone calls as bait brining.

Here in Northern California seasoned anglers rely heavily on natural baits, whether they are...

Chasing Spring Channel Catfish

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

The spring channel cat season has arrived at reservoirs, lakes and ponds throughout the northern California foothill region. How do I know? Well for starters we are well into May, the month that marks the traditional beginning of channel cat fishing at most foothill destinations. More...

Winding In Those Whacky Whiskerfish!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

From a national perspective, black bass are our most popular gamefish. In a virtual tie for the title of second most popular sport fish you’ll find catfish and crappie.

Out here in the Golden State our freshwater fishing scene boasts many more options than found in many other areas of the...

How To Pick A Fight With Mr. Whiskers

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Consider the lowly catfish. With his beady eyes, slimy skin, oft potbellied appearance and penchant for eating rotten morsels that both anglers and other gamefish find disgusting, it is little wonder that most West Coast anglers in California and beyond view the Mr. Whiskers as completely...

The Fantastic Plastic Worm

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Back in the 1950’s investment advisors could be heard telling their clients, “Invest in plastics, they are the wave of the future.” Whether or not an investment in the plastics industry during the 50’s helped put money in the bank I can’t say. But, I know from experience that the angler that...

Unraveling The Basics Of Winter Bass Fishing

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

The water temperature was 47 degrees. A light bone-chilling breeze pushed wispy fog over the surface of the water. The fish were scatter over a broad hard bottomed flat 35 feet below the boat.

I lightly pinned a frisky night crawler on the No. 8 hook, lowered the rig to the bottom and cranked...

Cold Winter Bassin

Written By: Randy Pringle, March 12, 2012

Although it might be cold, bass fishing at this time of year can be good. You must approach winter bass with an open mind. The weather can change instantly from fog to sun to wind and then here comes the rain. If you’re smart you’ll prepare yourself for fishing in the face of all these...

The Wind Is Your Friend!

Written By: Randy Pringle, March 12, 2012

Most anglers start off their day by checking out weather reports or just looking outside; do I go or not? Just remember that when you look outside and your neighbor’s tree is blowing over, it might not be a bad thing at this time of the year.

Wind in the winter, now that is a whole different...

Wallet Sized Swimbaits

Written By: Lucas Boden, March 12, 2012

Swimbaits can be one of the deadliest lures for catching giant bass, but a regular priced swimbait in today’s market can cost forty dollars. These swimbaits are very effective for catching fish, but are not necessary to catch the better quality bass.

Many times, the cheaper swimbaits can be...

Deploying The Wacky Jighead

Written By: Mark Fong, March 12, 2012

Wacky rigging for bass has been around for a long time now. Almost any angler who has spent time fishing for bass over the last few years has probably fished a wacky rigged soft plastic stick bait. A new twist to the traditional wacky rig is the “inchi rig” or wacky jighead. While there is some...

Wacky Is The Word!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

In reality black bass anglers have been wacky rigging soft plastic baits i.e. hooking their worms in non traditional places, typically directly amidships for decades, but the technique didn’t start getting widespread recognition until the Gary Yamamoto’s Senko hit the angling scene. It didn’t...

Understanding Bass

Written By: Roger Lee Brown, March 12, 2012

Bass fishing is a sport like many others that when it comes to knowledge and the understanding of the opponent it allows one to become more successful.

You may look at it kind of like deer hunting, the more the hunter understands the scrapes, trails, food areas, water areas, runs, and habitats...

Trophy Hunting With Swimbaits: Quotes, Observations And Insights

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

I recently had the privilege of spending several hours on the water with master swimbait angler and self described trophy hunter, Matt Allen. The insights he shared with me were informative and often surprising, but the learning didn’t stop there. While I found the wisdom he shared with his...

A Sure Fire Strategy For Suspended Bass

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Suspended bass are tough for a lot of guys to catch, but I’ve never found them to be particularly difficult. Now I’m not a super talented bass fisherman. The fact is that in a tournament setting a good portion of the field boasts more talent than me.

So how is it that I’m not intimidated by the...

Unraveling Summer Bass Patterns

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

I admit it! I love fishing for black bass during the prespawn. Give me a warm clear day in late February or March with just enough breeze to create a little ripple on the water and I’m as happy as the proverbial clam. Sure I know I likely won’t catch big numbers of bass on such a day, but this...

Develop a Spotted Bass Strategy, Bill Townsend Style

Written By: Daniel O’ Sullivan, March 12, 2012

The spotted bass has fully entrenched itself in the minds of Western Anglers as a “go to” species when targeting patterns for reliability during a day’s outing or preparing for a tournament. Spotted bass have developed a reputation for being more compliant and more resistant to weather changes...

Spinnerbaits! A Bait You Should Try

Written By: Roger Lee Brown, March 12, 2012

Thinking back through all the years of teaching students bass fishing skills and techniques, as well as many former guide clients I have taken on bass fishing trips, one question has been asked time and time again. Are spinnerbaits really worth the money you pay for them? I have to say YES!.......

Slow Down For Smallmouth Bass

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 12, 2012

Last time we chased a few smallies and spots. Spotted bass opportunities are probably lagging by now, but the smallmouth bite should be a solid WOW.

If there’s one “year in – year out” presentation that works for smallies, it’s SLOW DOWN! Yes, there are times when they’ll react quite positively...

Smallmouth And Spotted Bass On The Roam

Written By: Bill Adelman, March 12, 2012

Last time we gave it our all chasing sturgeon. So now we have to give up on the choppy water, heavy tackle and shrimp baits and chase something far more civil, at least as far as spring days are concerned. That would be either spotted or smallmouth bass.

The heat spell during the third week of...

Finessing Them With The Shakey Head

Written By: Mark Fong, March 12, 2012

Each year new baits and techniques make their way into the Bass Fishing World. Recently anglers have seen the flow of innovation travel from the Far East and western United States eastward across the country. The soft plastic stickbait, swimbaits and drop shotting are prime examples of baits...

Senko, I Love You!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Have you ever noticed that very often the best looking baits, you know things like swimbaits and crankbaits with fancy paint jobs and seductive actions rarely catch bass, while simple ugly lures that seem to have little action at all catch fish consistently?

I’ve seen this scenario played out...

Unraveling The Puzzle That Is Pre Spawn Bass Fishing

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

I am sure that many of you are familiar with the expression “I have no idea how I got here?” This saying may be true of human beings but certainly does not apply to bass as they migrate during the pre spawn. Each spring bass respond to their natural instinct to reproduce and begin the...

Pre-Spawn, Spawn or Post Spawn?

Written By: Randy Pringle, March 12, 2012

To answer the question, you can fish all three for the next couple months. That is what makes this time of year so much fun! This is where the tackle box becomes so big due to all the different baits you can throw. Or for you boaters, your boat barely gets on plane.

Allow me to explain. It is...

The Post Spawn Feeding Period

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

For many folks we are now enjoying the high water mark of the bass fishing season. The bass in our lakes and reservoirs are holding in relatively shallow water and are in either a prespawn or spawn mode.

This means that you can beat the banks with plastic, jigs and other baits and have plenty...

The “Lucky” 7: Western Bass Fishing’s Must Have Lures

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Walk the isles of a store like Fisherman’s Warehouse or Sportsman’s Warehouse and you’ll see bass lures 1,000’s and 1,000’s of bass lures. You’ll see chatter baits, jerkbaits, poppers, walkers, swimbaits, crankbaits, jigs, spoons and a veritable sea of soft plastics in an infinite array of...

Leap’ in Lizards

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Before swimbaits, before computer designed crankbaits and before high tinsel alloy spinnerbaits bass anglers were using lizards to tempt big fish. A good number of today’s young bass addicts have never had a lizard attached to one of their rods, despite the fact that lizards are just as...

Rock, Rattle And Roll!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

What if I told you there was one bass lure that you could effectively use in water of virtually any depth, regardless of water clarity or cover that would catch fish day in day out during every month of the year? A lure that effectively mimics both baitfish and crawfish, that can be burned,...

Know Your Quarry: The Florida Largemouth Bass

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Among anglers, black bass are one of the country’s most popular gamefish. Black bass are really not bass at all, but rather represent the largest member of the sunfish family.

There are three major subspecies of black bass. These include the largemouth, smallmouth, and Alabama spotted bass. Of...

Jigging For Deep Water Winter Bass

Written By: Kent Brown, March 12, 2012

One of the questions I always ask in my seminars at the ISE shows or at bass club talks, is how many people in the crowd have ever caught a bass deeper than 40 feet. You would be surprised at the extremely low number of people that raise their hands. I would venture to guess that less than 5...

Jigger Bobbing: The Latest Stealth Tactic For Bass And Trout Anglers

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Fishing tactics are like diets, there is always a new one on the horizon and some of them actually work! Let me rephrase that. Most of them work if you learn the proper approach and invest enough time in them to see some positive results.

When bass and trout are playing hard to get or even when...

Worming Your Way To Quality Bass

Written By: Larry Hemphill, March 12, 2012

One of the things that makes bass fishing unique among other fishing circles is that an angler may use seven or eight totally different techniques in one day.

Someone trolling for stripers or trout may change lures and depths during the trip, but - he is trolling, period. The fly-fisherman will...

Grubs And Tubes: Hidden In Plain Sight

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Do you remember the 1980’s? Ronald Reagan was in the White House. A leg warmer clad Jane Fonda was a hit at video stores. Crockett and Tubbs were busting bad Floridians on television and we all knew that if a spook showed up we were going to call the Ghost Busters!

In the bass fishing world a...

Are You Ready For Frog Fishing?

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

I knew I was playing with fire, but I didn’t care. I picked up the heavy tackle, tied on a Snag Proof Frog and started making casts. When that first titanic surface explosion came the bass got away without a scratch, but I was firmly hooked.

One bite and I became addicted to frog fishing and...

Fur And Feathers: Your Guide To Fly Roding For Bass

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Ray Bergman was one of the deans of American sportfishing. He held the post as angling editor at Outdoor Life magazine from 1934 to 1960. When Bergman retired from the staff of Outdoor Life he had more than 300 articles to his credit.

Bergman targeted all North America’s freshwater species...

Getting The Most Out Of Fall Bass Fishing

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

The days are getting shorter, the water in our lakes is cooling and fall is looming just around the corner. Every bass angler worth his or her salt knows that fall bass fishing can be fantastic, but for many of us this knowledge comes more in the form of a rumor than through first hand...

I Hate Drop Shotting!

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

It’s true, I hate drop shotting! Why? I’m not really sure. Perhaps its because I got my start bass fishing from the bank and viewed drop shotting as strictly a method for boaters, which isn’t true, but was never the less my perception at that time.

I’m a worm dragger. Hand me a rod sporting a...

Drop Shotting Minnows: Advanced Techniques

Written By: Steve ‘Hippo’ Lau, March 12, 2012

My friend, Steve, quite the world traveler, had a three day vacation reservation to fish Clear Lake. The problem was, the very weekend he had set aside for his fishing vacation, some of America’s best bass fishing professionals were also on the lake to fish the 2009 FLW Western Tour Series.

Cranking And Ripping For Cold Water Bass

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Conventional wisdom dictates that when it comes to pulling black bass out of lakes and reservoirs during the winter months, skirted jigs and jigging spoons are the best and perhaps only lures to use. As effective as these offering had proven to be when the water temperature plummets, there...

To Use Braid Or Not To Use Braid…That Is the Question?

Written By: Randy Pringle, March 12, 2012

When braid first came out on the market it was destined to become the greatest thing since sliced white toast! Yet, a lot of anglers had major problems with it.

The rumors swirled around and some said that it was bad for the guides on your rods, while others asserted that it would tear apart...

Bass Tournament Shortcuts

Written By: Roger Lee Brown, March 12, 2012

Have you ever noticed whether it be club tournaments, divisional tournaments and even the pro tournaments, usually you will see a hand full of the same anglers consistently "In-The-Money" most of the time? Then while you're driving home after fishing some of these tournaments without much...

The Hot And Cold Of Bass Fishing

Written By: Larry Hemphill, March 12, 2012

The factor that is most responsible for controlling bass behavior is temperature. Most anglers pay attention to rising or falling water temperature, nothing wrong with that. Water temperature regulates how active bass are and how often they feed. That is only part of the puzzle, however.

It is...

The Right Application

Written By: Roger Lee Brown, March 12, 2012

One of the most important factors in bass fishing whether you are a beginner, novice, or even a tournament contender is using the right application of equipment to coincide with your bait patterns. This is very important because you can “over work” your baits, thus causing the fish not to...

Bobby Barrack Talks Frog

Written By: Cal Kellogg, March 12, 2012

Sure it’s the dead of winter. Can we go out and catch bass? Yes, but let’s face if most of us had our way it would be spring or summer, the bass would be shallow, fat and full of fight and we’d be able to pop them with topwater baits.

As I set here next to the wood burning stove hammering away...

Baits for Big Bass

Written By: Roger Lee Brown, March 8, 2012

I must receive hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from anglers all over the world living in the USA, Africa, Japan, Europe, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere asking what types of baits I use for catching big bass.

This is a BIG subject! for many anglers and I usually answer these inquiries...

Busting Black Bass From The Bank

Written By: Cal Kellogg, December 20, 2011

The entire shoreline was steep and made up of decomposing granite. Just ahead of me there was a horseshoe shaped cut that was even steeper than the rest of the bank, falling away at a near vertical angle. About 15 yards out in front of the cut was a single leaf studded willow tree.

Since it was...

Targeting Winter Steelhead And Sturgeon

Written By: Cal Kellogg, December 1, 2011

The day before a foot of fresh snow had fallen. Overnight the cloud cover had broken up and the air temperature plummeted. When Gene Rush and I woke up about and hour before sunrise the temperature was hovering in the teens. At the cabin the air was crystal clear, revealing an impressive array...

Banking For ‘Bows, Browns And Brookies

Written By: Cal Kellogg, December 1, 2011

With the north state's lakes cooling, trout are once again moving back within easy reach of bank anglers. Fall and early winter is prime time for encountering fat hard fighting holdovers. As a result I thought that this would be a good time to provide an excerpt from my book, The Trout Fishing...