Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days will be held the weekend of Feb. 3-4, providing young licensed hunters an extra weekend to hunt after the regular season ends. Each year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) opens many of its wildlife areas for these youth hunt days, as allowed under federal regulations. The majority of state areas will be open throughout...
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Thursday, January 25, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham lifted the commercial spiny lobster fishery closure in state waters around the northeast side of Santa Cruz Island and the south side of Anacapa Island as recommended by state health agencies. According to the notice from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, sampling of spiny...
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Clams Everywhere
California Outdoors Q&A
Carrie Wilson, JANUARY 25, 2018

Newport Beach

Question: What causes thousands and thousands of tiny clams to be left on shore at Newport Beach as far as the eye can see? This was Sunday, Jan. 14. Does this happen regularly, and if so, why? (Edwin Marcus) Answer: Those appear to be bean clams (Donax gouldii). This is a Southern California clam species found on sandy shores from Point Conception to...
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Green water on the distant horizon
Kenny Priest
by Kenny Priest, JANUARY 25, 2018

Mad River

Our coastal rivers are finally getting the flushing and scouring they desperately need. The latest round of storms has brought the rivers to their highest levels of the season, providing ample water for steelhead to make it back to the streams and creeks where they were conceived. The extra flows will also trigger the fish that are still swimming in...
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Big Waves Nets a Man’s First Fish
Jerry Back
by Jerry Back, JANUARY 24, 2018

San Francisco Bay

Six months since my last article here.  I had planned on writing several stories with the advent of crab season back in November.  I had gone out early on opening day to my favorite spot and promptly snared eight Dungeness Crab.   The only problem?  All nine were about a quarter inch too short!  I went back out again to my...
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ODFW Recreation Report Highlights
by ODFW, JANUARY 24, 2018


2018 Free Fishing Days On these dates you won’t need a license, tag or endorsement to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon that’s open to fishing (crabbing or clamming): Feb. 17-18 June 2-3 Sept. 1-2 Nov. 23-24 Report your hunt -- Win a tag The mandatory reporting deadline for hunts that end Dec. 31, 2017 is Jan. 31, 2018. Hunters who report on time are entered to win...
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