Month: July 2023

Contest

CalTrout wants your best shot

We love the entries we have received over the past nine years since we launched the CalTrout Photo Contest – wild Californian landscapes, beautiful flowing rivers, and the fish within them. This year, we look forward once again to seeing what inspires you, and particularly what inspires the people you might be with – on a camping/fishing trip, a weekend family outing to a local river or stream, or as part of a group learning about the river.

Enter today for a chance to be featured on CalTrout’s website and in CalTrout promotions and to win some great prizes. Photos must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Aug. 31. Give us your best shot, and good luck!

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS

News

Tribal persistence brings down the first of four dams on the Klamath River
AND THEY ALL COME TUMBLING DOWN, to quote Humpty Dumpty. The first of four dams on the Klamath, Copco II teardown began in late June. (courtesy KRRC. Photo copyright Swiftwater Productions)

By the end of next year, all four dams of the Lower Klamath Project will be completely removed. Salmon and steelhead will once again be able to reach nearly 400 miles of historic spawning and rearing habitat in this remarkable watershed. In the late summer of 2025, we could see the first waves of returning salmon. Read the rest of this remarkable environmental success story from Trout Unlimited’s Sam Davidson >>HERE.

News

Another dastardly deed …

I am writing to inform you of a recent cybersecurity incident that involved recreational fishing license data. This notice provides information about the incident, what information may have been exposed, and what you can do to protect yourself.

WHAT HAPPENED

On March 30, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) was made aware of a cybersecurity breach within the network of a third-party vendor who uses fishing license information to conduct the Automated License Directory Online Survey (ALDOS) necessary to produce recreational ocean fishing catch and effort estimates.

WHAT INFORMATION WAS INVOLVED

The following fishing license information may have been included within the documents saved on the compromised network:

  • Last Name
  • First Name
  • Middle Name
  • Suffix
  • Age In Years
  • Gender
  • Email Address
  • Primary Phone Number
  • Secondary (Evening) Phone Number
  • Mobile Phone Number
  • GO ID (Fishing/Angler License #)
  • Information about the license, such as license type and sales date.

WHAT WE ARE DOING

Upon notification of the incident, CDFW ceased sharing any additional license data with the vendor. CDFW is considering a suite of options to better protect the license data from future incidents. We are also taking the additional step, out of an abundance of caution, to alert you to the fact that your personal information may have been viewed by an unauthorized person so that you can determine what further actions you would like to take to prevent any potential personal harm.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you have concerns about any potential harm, please consult the resources below; these websites have helpful information to protect you from potential identify theft, including how to receive a free copy of your credit report either through the Fair Credit Reporting Act or as a result of placing a fraud alert on your credit files:

If you suspect you may be a victim of identity theft, you should place a fraud alert on your credit file. You can also place a security freeze on your account to help prevent unauthorized access to your credit reports. Fraud alerts and security freezes must be initiated at each of the three credit bureaus:

When you receive your credit reports, carefully look them over for the following:

  • Accounts you did not open;
  • Inquiries from creditors that you did not initiate;
  • Personal information, such as your home address and Social Security number, that is not accurate.

If you see anything you do not understand, call the credit reporting agency at the telephone number on the report. If you do find suspicious activity on your credit reports, call your local police or sheriff’s office and file a report of identity theft. Get a copy of the police report as you may need to give copies to creditors to clear up any issues.

We offer our sincerest apology that this unfortunate incident occurred. Please be assured that protecting and safeguarding your personal information is one of our highest priorities. Please send any questions or concerns regarding this matter to ALDOS.Help@wildlife.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Craig Shuman
Marine Regional Manager
California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Fishing

Stay safe on the water this July 4

Eastern Sierra Fishing Update

With water conditions changing weekly, it’s essential to keep up to date with current reports before heading out on your next fishing adventure. 

With three out of the four estimated runoffs complete, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is doing a good job at monitoring and controlling these flows thus far. 

Hot Creek has been the “hot ticket” lately, with the most consistent and productive fishing. With water conditions looking Fair and showing 318 cfs as of last week, just below the 395 on Mammoth Creek. As long as Mammoth Creek stays clear, Hot Creek is worth fishing.

Crowley Lake has picked up and is much more consistent than in the last few weeks. With the water level lower, due to DWP making room for the runoff, it’s filling up slowly but surely. The best fishing has been late morning before the winds pick up. 

The Upper Owens water conditions are starting to clear up and slowly improve. Even though the water is starting to clear, it is still very high, limiting fishing conditions. Better reports are coming from above and below Benton Crossing, where some big Rainbows are heading back to the lake.

The Lower Owens and East Walker have poor water conditions and dangerous fishing. Check back in a couple more months and hopefully by fall, we will see some clear water and fishing areas. 

Pleasant Valley Reservoir is open but only from Gorge Road at the upper end. DWP is expecting the campground below the reservoir to flood in the near future

Here are a few tips and words of wisdom from veteran guide Pat Jaeger…

1.   When the river flows are massive, go upriver; when it’s little, go downriver.

2.   When you fish runoff-affected rivers, start early. The water temperature is the warmest of the day, and water flows, the smallest. (Runoff normally peeks mid- to late- afternoon into the night).

3.    Look for reliefs of current (it’s all math). Fish will feed in fast currents, but hold up in calmer.

4.     The angler who puts the fly in front of the fish wins. (When fish are up, use dry flies; when fish are down, use nymphs). Big river years, do your best to find the bottom, that’s where the fish are.

Adapted from Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store newsletter