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.
