New 2013-2014 Ocean Sport Fishing Regulation booklets are now available at California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) offices and wherever sport fishing licenses are sold.

Anglers and divers need to be aware of a number of new fishing regulations that are in effect this year.

Regulation changes include the following: new size and bag limits for kelp bass, sand bass and spotted bass, and new at-sea fillet size requirements for these basses and ocean whitefish.

Changes also include new regulations for groundfish (including rockfish), Northern California marine protected areas and sturgeon. Regulation changes are highlighted throughout the booklet for quick reference.

Effective March 1, 2013, new size, bag, and fillet size limits are in effect for kelp bass, sand bass, and spotted sand bass.

Bass must now be at least 14 inches total length or 10 inches alternate length (measured from base of foremost spine of dorsal fin to longest tip of tail), and fillets must be at least 7 ½ inches long and retain a 1 inch square patch of skin when filleted at sea. The new bag limit for these basses is five fish in combination.

New marine protected areas (MPAs) are now in effect in northern California, from the California/Oregon border to Alder Creek, near Point Arena.

For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa , or the MPA mobile Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/m/MPA , or a Northern California CDFW office.

New sturgeon fishing regulations established a new method of measuring sturgeon and a new size limit of 40 to 60 inches fork length (not total length, as before).

Barbless hooks are required when fishing for sturgeon and snares are prohibited. Fish longer than 68 inches fork length may not be removed from the water.

For more information: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=58288&;inline=1 .

New seasons, bag and size limits, and species allowed for take have been established for groundfish. For more information: http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/new-recreational-groundfish-regulations-effective-march-1/ .

Also effective March 1, 2013, fillets from ocean whitefish filleted at sea must now measure at least 6 ½ inches long, and the entire skin must remain intact.

For the complete set of new and updated ocean sport fishing regulations, CDFW recommends picking up a copy of the new 2013-2014 regulations booklet.

Booklets also are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/sportfishing_regs2013.asp .

Question: Why do lobster report cards run calendar year (Jan. to Dec) instead of from the beginning of the season to the end (Oct. to March)?

It seems it would be less labor-intensive and more accurate to receive landing data once a year rather than twice a year, and you wouldn’t be charging fishermen double to be able to fish the full season. (Jack)

Answer: Lobster report cards run calendar year because they have been linked to fishing licenses, which have always run calendar year.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is not “charging double” because a report card purchased in early January can be used for the last 2-1/2 months of one lobster season, and the first three months of the next lobster season.

However, your question is timely.

The Fish and Game Commission is considering changing lobster report cards to run through the season beginning in October with the 2013-2014 lobster season.

This is possible with the recent implementation of the Automated License Data System (ALDS). Under the proposal, the new deadline for the return of seasonal lobster report cards would be April 30.

Anyone who fails to return or is late returning their report card by the deadline will be charged a $20 non-return fee when purchasing a lobster report card for the following season.

Details and full language of the regulation change proposal are posted at: www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2013/ .

If you’d like to provide comments to the Fish and Game Commission, the deadline is March 5 and you can do so by e-mail at www.fgc.ca.gov/contact/ .

One of the main reasons for the institution of a report card was to determine the number of sport fishermen who target lobster and the number of lobsters that are being taken.

Nearly 30,000 lobster report cards were sold each year from 2008-2011, and more than 37,000 cards were sold in 2012.

By contrast, there are about 150 active commercial lobster fishermen. CDFW is mandated by state law to manage the lobster resource, which includes both the commercial and recreational lobster fisheries.

The CDFW is currently developing a Lobster Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Details at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/lobsterfmp/ .

For lobster report card data summaries, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/lobsterfmp/lit.asp .

Alabama rig revisited

Question: I work for a Southern California county lake and saw a new rig that is being sold in stores known as the “Alabama Rig.”

It consists of a set-up where you can clip 3-5 lures onto a swivel-type attachment to make it appear like a school of bait fish.

I try to stay current with the state freshwater regulations so I can keep fishermen informed as well. I remember seeing in the current state freshwater regulations that there is a maximum two hook set-up per line. Are these “rigs” legal to use? I would greatly appreciate your answer. (Matt T.)

Answer: Yes, an Alabama rig may be used, but only when modified to use no more than three hooks. When the Alabama rig is configured to comply with California law, many call it a California Rig.

See a previous entry on Alabama rigs from this column at http://californiaoutdoors.wordpress.com/2011/12/page/2/ .

Is it legal to hunt with my .223 caliber AR 15?

Question: Unless laws change by the time the season opens, will I be able to hunt deer in California with a .223 caliber AR 15? (John C.)

Answer: Fish and Game hunting laws authorize using any firearm rifle using centerfire cartridges for taking deer, as long as the firearm is otherwise legal to possess in California. Although the caliber is legal, the .223 round is considered by most big game hunters to be too small for the take of deer.

Selling antique deer heads and a deer antler chandelier?

Question: I’m an antique dealer in Riverside County and have an old deer head and a deer antler chandelier. Is it permissible to sell these items in my shop? (Sharon C.)

Answer: Yes and no. If those birds or mammals are found in the wild in California, the sale or purchase of those animals, and/or their parts, is prohibited (Fish and Game Code, section 3039).

If the items you have are made from species of deer NOT found in California (e.g. white-tailed deer, caribou, reindeer, etc.), then you may sell them.

Only black-tail and mule deer occur naturally in California. However, shed antlers or antlers taken from domestically-reared animals that have been manufactured into products or handcraft items, or that have been cut into blocks or units which are to be handcrafted, may be purchased or sold.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Clear Lake Cardinals played their first intersquad baseball game this past weekend.  

Both varsity and junior varsity teams are off to a great start.

New varsity coaches this year are Head Coach Rick Moreno, moving up from junior varsity with two league championships under his belt; Assistant Coach Derick Brodnansky, junior varsity assistant coach last year; and returning manager Zane Jensen.

The men plan to have this team in shape for a run at the title this year.

Junior varsity Head Coach Dave McKinney and Assistant Coach John Vertrees are ready to take the junior varsity squad to new heights.  

You will find them practicing everyday on the field at Clear Lake High School.

The Cardinals start off the season on Friday, March 1, in Healdsburg at 6 p.m. under the lights.

Their first home game is Saturday, March 2. It is a double header starting at 12 p.m. against Justin Sienna with the second game to follow against St. Bernards.  

The boys are fired up; come out and support your Cardinals this baseball season.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced that Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02) will co-chair the Congressional Wild Salmon Caucus with Congressman Don Young (AK-at large).

“I am proud to pass along the chairmanship of the Congressional Wild Salmon Caucus to my colleague Rep. Jared Huffman. I am confident that Jared, as the new representative of California’s North Coast, will work to protect and maintain our salmon and steelhead populations. His environmental advocacy and passion for California fisheries will help aid the collaborative congressional effort to continue conservation of salmon populations throughout the United States” said Thompson.

Congressman Huffman comes to Congress with a keen understanding of salmon issues in the rivers of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

As a former environmental lawyer and state assemblyman, he fought legal battles and authored legislation based on sound science to speed recovery of critical species.

One such bill, the Coho Salmon Habitat Enhancement Leading to Preservation Act (AB 1961), which streamlines the permit process of voluntary habitat improvements for California’s struggling coho salmon, helps landowners quickly improve conditions for these iconic fish.

AB 1961 was signed into law by Gov. Brown on Sept 25, 2012.

“I am honored to join my colleagues in leading the Wild Salmon Caucus in this new session of Congress, and I am excited to take on this challenge,” said Huffman, who represents a Northern California coastal district that is home to salmon rich rivers and fishing communities. “These issues are critical to my congressional district, to our fishing industry, and to our nation’s coastal communities.”

Reps. Mike Thompson and Don Young (AK- at large), founded the Congressional Wild Salmon Caucus in 2010, at the start of the 112th Congress.

During the 113th Congress, the goal of the caucus is to serve as an informal, bipartisan group of members dedicated to conserving and restoring wild salmon populations, supporting salmon fishermen and the salmon fishing industry, and educating other members on wild salmon issues.

One of the first orders of business for the Wild Salmon Caucus will be to address the issue of genetically engineered (GE) salmon, sometimes referred to as “Frankenfish.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving closer to approving fish that are developed by artificially combining growth hormone genes from an unrelated Pacific salmon, with DNA from the anti-freeze genes of an eelpout.

If approved, this would be the first food from a transgenic animal, one whose genome has been altered, available for public consumption. The caucus will work to address the issue over the coming weeks.

The economic impact of the salmon industry in California is vast, ranging from fishermen, to boat operators, to ice providers, and more.

Studies show that a restored salmon industry could contribute up to $5 billion and 94,000 jobs to the California economy. Reps. Huffman and Thompson are committed to continue pushing for salmon protection in Congress.

The 113th Wild Salmon Caucus will be co-chaired by Reps. Jared Huffman and Don Young, with Rep. Mike Thompson serving as vice chair.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued the 2013-14 Freshwater Sports Fishing Regulation pamphlet.

Changes this year include new regulations on sturgeon, salmon and steelhead retention, new areas where hatchery trout or steelhead may be retained, and a black bass slot limit removal on five waters. Regulation changes are highlighted in the front of the pamphlet for quick reference.

New sturgeon fishing regulations establish a new method of measuring sturgeon and a new size limit of 40-60 inches. Barbless hooks are required when fishing for sturgeon and snares are prohibited. Fish longer than 68 inches fork length may not be removed from the water. For more information: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=58288&;inline=1 .

Salmon and steelhead anglers in inland valley waters can not fillet steelhead or salmon until they reach their permanent residence, a commercial preservation facility or the fish is being prepared for immediate consumption. All steelhead and salmon must remain in such a condition that their species and size can be identified.

Anglers will be allowed to harvest hatchery trout and hatchery steelhead in most catch and release areas under new regulations.

There will be no slot limit regulation for black bass in McClure, Millerton, Oroville, Orr and Siskiyou lakes. The statewide standard daily bag limit and 12-inch minimum total length regulations will apply on these waters.

Other changes include:

• Yellow Perch have been removed from the sunfish bag limit. Yellow perch have a year-round season with no bag limit.
• Spearfishermen will be allowed to harvest striped bass by spearfishing in the Valley District and all of Black Butte Lake will be open to spearfishing.
• Eulachon may not be taken or possessed.
• Wolf Creek (Mono Co.), Chowchilla River, and Eastman Lake will be open to fishing.
• The Sisquoc River will be closed to all fishing all year to protect listed steelhead.
• Silver King Creek tributaries (Alpine Co.) below Tamarack Lake Creek will be closed to all fishing all year to protect threatened Paiute cutthroat trout.
• Davis and Pine creeks in Modoc County will be closed to the harvest of trout. Catch and release fishing is allowed.
• Smith River Low Flow Regulations – The minimum flow trigger on the Smith River has been increased from 400 cubic feet per second to 600 cubic feet per second.
• Eight amphibians and three reptiles have been removed from the list of species authorized for take with a sport fishing license.

There are other changes to the freshwater sport fishing regulations, so please review all of the 2013-2014 regulations pertaining to the species you intend to pursue.

Question: I have a business where I sell different types of exotic meats for human consumption. If legal to do, I would like to offer the meat of the following species of rattlesnakes: eastern, western and prairie rattlesnakes.

I know I cannot bring western diamondbacks into the state, but are there any restrictions to selling eastern diamondbacks and prairie rattlesnakes from Montana in California?

What about selling rattlesnake sausages and rattlesnake cakes made in Colorado? Can I sell processed food in California or is there a restriction? (Anshu P.)
 
Answer: There are no restrictions in California Fish and Game laws against importing and selling the meat of any species of reptile or amphibian that is not found in the wild in California, as long as they are not otherwise prohibited by federal law.

For a list of species found in the wild in California, please go to www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/list.html .
 
Lobster hooping?
 
Question: I understand from the regulations that if hoop netting from a kayak, you need to keep your license and card with you. However, if you are scuba diving, you can keep it in your car 500 yards away.

I want to hoop from land, but most likely I will have to swim or get wet at certain areas. Can I also keep my license in my car or do I have to bring it with me? (Ping Lee)
 
Answer: When a person is diving from a boat, the license may be kept in the boat, or in the case of a person diving from the shore, the license may be kept within 500 yards on the shore (Fish and Game Code, section 7145(a)).

Therefore, the Fish and Game law that allows the license to remain in the vehicle is specific to a person who is diving from the shore and within 500 yards of the vehicle.

Under all other circumstances, the law requires you to have your license in your immediate possession.
 
Bluegill for bait?
 
Question: I have had some discussions with other fisherman over the use of bluegill for bait in the body of water it was caught in.

I can’t seem to find anything on the Web site this year pertaining to using them for bait. Am I looking in the wrong area? Have the regulations changed?

Please lend us a hand with some info because we don’t want to fish out of our limits. Thanks a million and tight lines to you. (Randall S.)
 
Answer: California sportfishing regulations for freshwater generally prohibit using live or dead finfish for bait.

Although certain species of finfish may be used in the waters where taken, bluegill may only be used in the Colorado River District (see California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 4.15(a)) and portions of the Valley and South Central Districts (see CCR Title 14, section 4.20(d)). See sections 4.00 - 4.30 in the Freshwater Sportfishing Regulations for a complete listing of fish that may be used for bait, and keep in mind that bluegill are sunfish pursuant to CCR Title 14, section 1.77.

The regulations are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/ .
 
New big game random drawing tags?
 
Question: What's the latest on the special big game tags this year? Will any new tags be available via the random drawing system? (George S., Modesto)
 
Answer: Yes! Hunters can apply for four different fund-raising random drawing tags. These tags raise funds needed for vital wildlife conservation programs.  
 
According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Big Game Program Analyst Lai Saechao, the 2013 fund-raising random drawing tag for bighorn sheep will be valid in two hunt zones.

The hunter will have a choice between the Marble/Clipper Mountains or the South Bristol Mountain hunt zones. In addition, Dry Creek Outfitters has offered free guide services to the winner of the Fund-Raising Random Drawing Bighorn Sheep Tag.
 
Also available, one open zone deer tag which allows the hunter to hunt during the authorized season dates of any deer hunt, using the specific method and meeting any special conditions of the tag for that hunt.

There’s also an Owens Valley elk tag which allows the hunter to hunt in any of the Owens Valley zones (Bishop, Independence, Lone Pine, Tinemaha, Tinemaha Mountain and Whitney) with any legal method.

Last but not least, a Northeastern California antelope tag will be valid in the Mount Dome, Clear Lake, Likely Tables, Lassen, Big Valley and Surprise Valley zones with any legal method.
 
Opportunities to apply for these four fund-raising random drawing tags are available to all interested hunters.

Hunters can now apply at any CDFW license sales office, through license agents or online at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/ols/ .

Hunters may also apply for these fund-raising random drawing tags at the CDFW booth at the Fred Hall Shows in Long Beach and Del Mar next month.
 
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .