How many times have you heard that title question in your everyday life. Seems these days there is an App for just about everything we do from grocery shopping to social media, to navigating from point A to B or summoning a car to take us there. Just look at the home screen of your phone or tablet, and if you don’t have an App for it, a quick trip to the App store will provide you with one for just about anything. Well as of February 20th, 2024, if you are a fisherman or hunter, you can add the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) new licensing App. 

     ​Just search it out in your App Store and download it to your phone or device that you carry with you. Once you open the App you will have to register with basic information as well as confirm your email address. The process is much the same as when you purchase your license online, once registered your App with be populated with all your current licenses. The licenses appear much the same as if they were printed out with all the important information, including the Document and GO ID numbers.  Need to purchase or renew a license? That can be done in the App as well as dealing with things like harvest reporting, current regulations and links to articles of interest. I must admit that my reason for excitement about this new App is a selfish one. As a fishing guide, I can’t tell you how many times people have come onboard for a trip and realize they have forgotten their fishing license. That said, I bet in 20 + years I can count on one hand how many times someone has come onboard and forgotten their phone.   
     During the legislative session prior to the 2022 licensing year AB 817 was passed and signed into law. The new law provided among other things that electronic copies of CDFW licenses would be accepted along with the traditional “paper licenses”. The state, citing the need for “technological infrastructure upgrades” could not implement the new provisions until the launching of this new App. AB 817 is also the bill that provided for fishing licenses to be valid for the term of one year, (365 days) from the purchase date instead of only being valid until December 31st. It took them awhile, but electronic CDFW licenses are now up and running in California and yes there is an App for that!  

           Winter is a magical time in the Northern Sierras, and Lake Almanor, being one of the few higher elevation lakes open to fishing year-round, offers anglers a phenomenal opportunity to get a crack at its population of Trophy Trout. Unlike last winter when the area, hell the whole state, was inundated with rain and snow, this year has proven to be a bit milder with plenty of nice days between the storms to get out and chase the fish.

Getting ready to net release another beautiful Brown.

           


​          The fishing has been good as of late, recent trips have produced mostly Browns with most fish in the 3 to 4 pound range all the way up to 9.5 pounds. The fish are feeding aggressively on the pond smelt in the lake and the easily available forage is bringing out the quality fish.


​These smelt were belched up by a 4 pound brown while the hook was removed before being released. 

           



          ​Look for this winter bite to continue right on into spring. The lake is up, and the water and fish are in great shape, 2024 is looking to be another fantastic year of fishing. If you want to get in on this action, contact us today through the website or call (530) 370-1001and secure your dates. 


Time to let go of this hand full of "Sierra Gold".

Simply put, this is the premier veteran fishing event in Northern California. The date is set, and plans are underway for this year's Veteran's Fishing Day on Lake Almanor. Last year more than 50 boats took 130 veterans out and this year is sure to be even bigger.  Please see the flyer below for details. If you served our country, we want to take you fishing.  Some of the highlights include Friday Meet and Greet, Fishing, Custom T-shirt, Flag Island Boat Parade, BBQ and Raffle, with all of this being 100% free to all participating veterans. ​Please call the number below and get signed up. 

New this year will be a hosted group camp on the west shore of Lake Almanor. In years past the Almanor Fishing Association has made this group camp facility available for anyone participating in the event, but this year there is a twist. The group camp facility this year is hosted and coordinated by Michael Jones and is available to anyone participating in the event from June 19th -23rd. There are both tent and RV camp spots available as well as a BBQ for all campers planed for the evening of June 20th. Please see the flyer below and contact Michael Jones to secure your campsite.

Check out the video from our 2023 event put together by one of our fantastic volunteers Jason Lai.