Western Outdoor News

OPTIMISM FOR PYRAMID OPENER – Pyramid Lake’s opener on October 1 will draw an international crowd of anglers to chase trophy Lahontan cutthroat trout such as this 20-pound plus specimen held by top guide J.D. Richey. Photo courtesy of Richey’s Sport Fishing. By Dave Hurley SUTCLIFFE – It’s only a few weeks away before one of the most-anticipated openers of the year occurs, the October 1 Lahontan cutthroat trout opener at Pyramid Lake in northwest Nevada.

BY LANDON THOMAS DANA POINT – I’m not sure how many stories can start with the fact this trip was as solid as they come. I’m a fan of brevity, plus there are some things towards the end that I need to cover. The annual Western Outdoor News/Fury 2-day was west-bound and down for Tanner Bank. Word on the street was there were tuna and yellowtail in the area. It’s an 8-hour hour drive, here we go. Upon arrival, we were greeted with biting tuna fish.

BY MIKE STEVENS MAMMOTH LAKES – A strong case could be made for Thomas Buoyants being the best all-around lure for Eastern Sierra trout anglers. If tasked to hit the high-country and every type of water it has to offer with one lure, the Buoyant would be the one, and thanks to WON’s close, long-running relationship with Thomas Lures, every year an exclusive Buoyant designed by WON staffers is released, and forget about trying to find them in stores. First off, the versatility factor.

Trokar #4 3x EWG Treble Treble hooks might be the most common way to rig an urchin bait. The #4 Trokar EWG is big enough to handle the larger versions of these baits that recently were unveiled at ICAST (baits like the Strike King Mag Tumbleweed). It’s quick to rig, and also leaves plenty of hook exposed for easy, dependable hooksets. Trokar 2/0 – 3/0 Frog Hook Another innovative method of hooking urchins is running a Trokar Frog Hook through the hole built in to almost all urchin-style baits.

LAKE ISABELLA has been pumping out big bass since spring. This is a 10.5-pounder that ate a Rusty’s Big Worm for SoCal guide, Rusty Brown. PHOTO COURTESY Rusty Bass Hook.com BY MIKE STEVENS LAKE ISABELLA – Bass anglers continue to take advantage of consistent fishing at Lake Isabella that was recently highlighted by a double-digit largemouth bagged by a familiar face at “Izzie” when it comes to big bucketmouths.

BY Kenny Priest Following some excellent salmon fishing in the Klamath estuary over the past few weeks, adult fall-run king salmon are now beginning to make their way upriver. There are a couple of reasons for the push. First, cool water releases from behind Lewiston Dam began last Friday to help reduce the risk of disease in the salmon. The other factor is the weather. Cooler outside temperatures, along with a fair amount of rain, can do wonders for river temperatures.

BY MIKE STEVENS CONVICT LAKE – Using Convict Lake Resort (CLR) as a fall fishing base camp is a no brainer due to its wide range of lodging options, as well as the onsite general store, restaurant and bar. It’s also ideally located for day trips to Crowley Lake, Mammoth Lakes, Hot Creek, the Owens River and the June Lake Loop, but also for heading “downhill” to Rock Creek Lake or Bishop Creek Canyon.

SALMON BRING OUT THE SMILES – Danielle and Evelyn started the fall salmon season on the right foot with Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady out of Sausalito, Photo courtesy of Captain Jerad Davis. By Dave Hurley SAN FRANCISCO – After a week’s break at the end of the summer ocean salmon season in the San Francisco Management Zone on August 23, any questions about how the fall opener on September 1 were answered in a spectacular fashion.

TROPHY CLASS MULE DEER – This buck was still in velvet when this photo was taken on the eastern slopes of the High Sierra. Deer hunters should plan on hunting the high country come opening day where browse and water are available. WON PHOTO BY JIM NIEMIEC EXTREME HEAT COULD AFFECT DEER HERDS BY JIM NIEMIEC BRIDGEPORT – The outlook for the general deer seasons, that will begin opening up over the next couple of weeks, isn’t looking all that promising.

CAPT. RYAN STAHL, GAME CHANGER, behind a massive bluefin – 441 pounds – tail looks 3-feet wide!. PHOTO COURTESY GAME CHANGER SPOROTFISHING, POINT LOMA SPORTFISHING ASSOCIATION, SAN DIEGO Weight crushes previous state record BY Merit McCrea SAN DIEGO – Captain Ryan Stahl tells the story. “Well, we were skipping a Delta Flyer at 8 knots with a Seeker 4x with a 70vsx spooled with 1,000yrds of 130-pound hollow-core Izorline.