By Bruce Ajari ·
A beautiful day at Van Damme State Beach ·
We spent about three nights in the last couple of weeks on the Mendocino Coast with family and friends who do Abalone diving and fishing. Abalone is a mollusk that is favored for their terrific table fare.
Once abundant up and down the California coast, overfishing and illegal harvest has eliminated them from some areas and now there are only seasons along our northern California coast.
From our campsite at Van Damme State Park just south of Mendocino, we go up and down the coast in search of sites in which to seek them out. My son, Wes, and I have been doing this trip for three years now.
This year, the weather was perhaps some of the best that we had experienced. The first year it rained every day and it was miserable. Last year, the first day was clear and beautiful, but a thick marine layer settled in for the rest of the time. It was mostly clear this year and what marine layer we had quickly burned off.
With the clear weather, the diving visibility was terrific, which made for great conditions in which to search for Abalone. The dives resulted in quick limits of three per person the two days that they dove.
Wes Ajari tags his limit of Abalone after his dive as required by law ·
The good news about the quick limits meant that we would have some Abalone for our meals. My nephew and his wife had attended a cooking demonstration with famous Hawaiian Chef Daniel Wong earlier in the month. Having brought some Abalone, Wong prepared hors d’oeuvres with a recipe that my nephew copied for one of our dinners. It was amazing.
We really did not fish this year. There appears to be quite a die off of kelp that provides cover for the fish. My nephew was telling me that the increase in sea urchin population is reportedly the culprit. They were seen all over the bottom where they dove in greater numbers than the previous years. There was visibly less kelp on the water than last year, as well.
Hopefully, this trend can be reversed or the fishing will continue to decline. The Abalone, Greenling, Ling Cod and rockfish are dependent on these areas. My nephew had a new Hobie Mirage Outback in which to fish. We did not use it during our stay, but my nephew planned to in the days after we left. With the hands-free Mirage drive using pedals to propel the kayak, it is great for fishing.
FISHING REPORT
(See Sightseeing for water levels.)
Boca | Inflow is at 31 cfs and the outflow is 51 cfs. Powerbait, nightcrawlers and lures are all working. Fly-fishers have been catching some fish near the inlet with nymphs, streamers and dries.
Donner | Fishing has been fair to good. Kokanee fishing has been good. Nightcrawlers and Powerbait seem to be the main bait for shore anglers. Mackinaw fishing has been good. Fly-fishermen are catching some fish with streamers.
Lake Tahoe | All tributaries open only from July 1 to Sept. 30. Fishing has been fair to good for mackinaw. A guide is highly recommended if you are fishing for mackinaw for the first time. Toplining and shore fishing is fair. Most shore fishermen use inflated nightcrawlers.
Little Truckee River | The flow is at low at 31 cfs. Consider fishing in alternative waters.
Martis Lake | Zero kill. Catch and Release only with barbless artificial lures or flies. Fishing is the best early in the season and again the fall. With the warming water, the fishing here is slow. Try fishing it again in the fall.
Prosser | Fishing has been fair to good. Anglers using bait, lures and flies have all caught fish. Fly-fishermen have done well near the inlet areas. Bass fishing has been fair.
Stampede | Fishing has been fair to good from shore. The ramp is not usable for larger boats. Nightcrawlers, Powerbait and lures have all produced from shore. Fly-fishermen have been doing well near the inlets with nymphs and streamers. The Kokanee fishing has been fair to good for those getting out. Smallmouth bass fishing has been fair.
Truckee River | Not flowing out of the lake at Tahoe City. The flows through Truckee are at 10 cfs, and from Boca downstream to the state line are running from 76 to 99 cfs. Flows are too low now. Please target alternative water and other species such as bass or carp.
Other Waters | Davis and Frenchman Boat, shore and fly anglers are catching fish. The damsel migration is slowing. Hexagenia Mayflies are still showing. However, water temperatures are getting high for trout.
Bruce is a long-time area fly-fisherman and past president of Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to read more.
Abalone | Created by Chef Daniel Wong
One Abalone sliced & pounded
1 stick butter (may use less if desired)
½ red onion, diced
12 cloves of garlic, peeled & crushed
¼ cup white wine
Large pinch Marjoram
Large pinch Thyme
Melt the butter and add the red onions and garlic in a deep skillet over medium. After the onions have softened, add the white wine and spices to taste. Finally, add the Abalone and flip as one side is done. This won’t take long, so be careful to not overcook. Serve with rice for a great meal or serve the Abalone by itself as an appetizer.
