Fishing California

   It was 2 p.m. I had just walked off the Southwest jet in Sacramento, on a Sunday afternoon. The 45-minute flight from Burbank had finally replaced the five-hour drive from my home in Southern California. There was no time for rest. I booked a rental car on this dry, warm, sunny and breezy fall day and began the routine drive up Interstate 80 to Lake Tahoe. It was 5 p.m. when I met Tahoe Topliners guide Mike Nielsen at the dock in the Tahoe Keys. Nielsen a Pautzke, Rebel, Bomber and Silver Thread Pro Staffer had fished the lake exclusively for more than 25 years. He knew it as well as anyone.
   "It's up to you," Nielsen said, wrapped in a heavy winter coat. The boat struggled to remain still. The wind stirred up waves even in well protected marinas. "I don't think it's going to let down. I hope you haven't eaten anything in the last few hours."
   This was my 44th time with Nielsen since 1999. We had scheduled the trip to test new products and learn how to target Tahoe's trophy rainbows and browns. Despite the red flag warning, we fished the harsh, unforgiving ocean-like conditions in the name of research. As expected, we were the only boat on the lake. Most sane folks drove by and asked, "I thought Tahoe was a lake. Lakes have waves?" Read More

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO FISHING IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

The Definitive Guide to Fishing Northern California is truly definitive. At nearly 800 pages, covering more than 535 lakes, rivers, streams, sloughs, canals and ponds, this action packed guide is the best yet. The full color, glossy guide has received raving reviews from dozens of journalists across the state and comes with more than 900 photographs and detailed write ups on how, where and when to catch several species of trout, steelhead, salmon, catfish, panfish, bass, sturgeon, stripers and more! It's a must for any angler that fishes the northern portion of the state. The guide comes jammed with tips from pros, biologists, locals, guides, Fish and Game, honest tackle shop owners and more! Covering everything from the San Jose to the Oregon Border, Stockton to where I-5 meets Oregon on east to Nevada and the entire eastern portion of the state down to Topaz Lake, this guide is the most thorough book ever compiled on fishing the Golden State.