Western Sport Shop

Final Friday at the San Rafael Store

2012-01-26T20:35:00.000-08:00

San Rafael Store Closing Saturday, January 28 @ 4 pm
FINAL DAYS – LOWER PRICES – ALL FIXTURES FOR SALE

We are down to the final days of our Store Closing Sale –
we will stop selling product in our 902 3rd Street location at
4 pm on Saturday, January 28.

We have spent the last day going through our attic, bringing
down fixtures and racks, putting them out on the sales floor
and pricing them. They are now priced and available for purchase.
(Please note – some items may require a pickup after Saturday).
All fixture sales are cash only, with all items sold “as-is”
and all sales are final.

We have rod racks, clothing displays, free standing slatwall
fixtures, glass display cases, folding chairs, boxes of peg
hooks for pegboard and slatwall, book cases, a-frames, lighting
fixtures and much more. Obviously, we have fly displays as well,
so if you bought a ton of flies from us and need a way to display them,
we can set you up.

In terms of merchandise left in stock:

All remaining inventory is AT LEAST 50% OFF the original price.
Many items are marked down even further. We are also selling off
the opened spools of bulk fishing line at significant discount. There's no delicate way to put this - we need to sell everything to the walls, so it's time to stock up!

All freshwater flies are now 50 cents each. Quality flies simply aren't sold that cheaply. Good patterns and prime sizes are available.

All books are now 70% OFF – even the new titles!

We will continue to sell CA Fishing Licenses (sorry - regular price on those!)
until through Saturday - bring in your last year's fishing license (or photo ID)
and we'll get you squared away.

So - please come on down now and take advantage the last few days.

Once again, thank you all for your patronage and support over the years.

Words cannot express how much we have enjoyed meeting you.

All the best,

Jim

http://www.westernsportshop.com

Friday Sale Update

2012-01-20T13:52:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me thank you again for the outpouring of stories, recollections and genuine emotions which everyone has shared about Western Sport Shop. We were all customers before ever getting involved with the business, and it's been interesting and heartwarming to hear from everyone.

At this point, we are still actively trying to reduce our inventory, and all of the staff members have been going through boxes and drawers to find forgotten parts, inventory and other gear. We've fattened up the sale tables and dusted off some "demo" items. And, as you might expect, sharpened up our pencils a bit in anticipation of the last full weekend of the sale.

Starting right now -

All remaining fly rods in stock are 50% OFF the original price. We also have some extremely limited demo and "found" inventory which is even a better deal.

All remaining fly lines in stock are now 50% OFF the original price.

All Tying Material and Fly Tying Hooks are now 50% OFF the original price. We've dug out a lot of other stuff in old packaging which even more attractively priced. Now is the time to stock up if you are planning on doing some fly tying this winter!

All USED BOOKS are now 70% OFF our selling price. Yes, that is correct - "Seventy"! Bring a Big BAG!

All other merchandise is at least 40% off the original price (except firearms).

We will continue to sell CA Fishing Licenses (sorry - regular price on those!) until January 25th - bring in your last year's fishing license (or photo ID) and we'll get you squared away.

IF you want to take advantage of our SUPER LOW prices on all remaining shotguns (rifles are gone!), you may purchase the firearm from us, but will have to fill out state and federally mandated paperwork at another shop. We are currently working to finalize an agreement for this.

Oh... speaking of rifles: anyone have a 7mm-08, 7mm Winchester Short Mag or .300 Remington ULTRA Mag caliber rifle? We ended up with excess ammunition in those two calibers, and will sell all remaining ammo at 60% off the regular price.

So - please come on down this weekend and take advantage of what could be the last few days.

Store Closing Sale Update - 40% OFF General Merchandise!

2012-01-12T11:53:00.000-08:00

Our Store Closing Sale is still going on - though there are less items to choose from, the discounts are even bigger! Now is the time to stock up on tackle, fly fishing gear, hunting accessories and more!

San Rafael Store Closing
General Stock Items* 40% OFF!
Email List Advance Announcement

*40% Off excludes Firearms and some Ammunition

==============================

As we posted earlier, we have been attempting to find a new owner for the
Western Sport Shop, a search which has remained unsuccessful. Rather
than continue operating, we will be closing Western Sport Shop by the
end of January, 2012.

While we are still hopeful that a buyer may still be found, we are taking
immediate steps to drastically reduce our inventory. All items
in all departments (except for firearms and some ammunition)
will be discounted 40% off the original price. Over the past few days,
we’ve also gone through our back room inventory and have marked selected items
down significantly below our cost – there are savings of up to 50 – 80% off of the original
prices - look for the sale tables and highlighted displays.

All sales are final and all items are sold “as-is”.

A few of the specific bargains include:
ALL FRESHWATER FLIES – BUCK-A-BUG!
ALL SALTWATER FLIES – HALF OFF!
ALL REMAINING CLOTHING - AT LEAST HALF OFF!
ALL CASTAIC Swim Baits –HALF OFF!
ALL APEX LURES, OCEAN SALMON LURES & RIGS – HALF OFF!
ALL BRAID BELTS & GLOVES – HALF OFF!
ALL NEW BOOKS – 40% OFF the Regular Price!
ALL USED BOOKS – HALF OFF the Used Price!

ALL FIREARMS ARE ON SALE - Benelli VINCI Shotguns are BELOW OUR COST!
Look for the “HOT LIST” of Sale Rifles and shotguns in the gun department.

Please feel free to forward this to your fishing, fly fishing and hunting
partners who might be interested.

If you have outstanding credit balances or gift certificates, this is
a great time to take advantage of your increased buying power!

We will continue to sell California Hunting and Fishing Licenses until
at least January 25th.

We will be starting to sell fixtures and displays after January 18,
2012. If you are interested in displays, please call 415-226-9770 and
leave your name and phone number to be contacted.

===================================

Return Your Report Cards

2012-01-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

As you put your new 2012 California Fishing License in with your gear, take a quick moment to dig out your report cards (Sturgeon, North Coast Salmon and Steelhead being the most common) and send them back to fish and game - they are due by January 31, 2012.

Note - for Steelhead Report Cards, you may file the report online:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/steelheadcard

All other cards must be mailed:

Sturgeon Report Cards:
California DFG Fisheries Branch
Sturgeon Fishing Report Card
PO Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090

North Coast Salmon Report Cards:
Department of Fish and Game, Klamath River Project
5341 Ericson Way
Arcata, CA 95521

Abalone Report Cards:
Department of Fish and Game
32330 N. Harbor Dr.
Fort Bragg, CA 95437

Spiny Lobster Report Cards:
Department of Fish and Game, Lobster Report Card
4949 Viewridge Ave.
San Diego, CA 92123

North Coast Salmon Report Cards:
Department of Fish and Game, Klamath River Project
5341 Ericson Way
Arcata, CA 95521

Please note - we are currently selling 2012 DFG Fishing Licenses, tags and report cards. You must bring in either a valid photo ID or 2011 Sport Fishing License to obtain the current year's license.

Store Closing Sale

2011-12-26T13:17:00.000-08:00

San Rafael Store Closing
All Items* at Least 30% OFF
Email List Advance Announcement

*30% Off excludes Firearms and Steel Shot Ammunition

==============================

=====
===================================

This holiday season is turning out to be a bit bittersweet for us. As
most of you know, we have been attempting to find a new owner for the
Western Sport Shop, a search which has remained unsuccessful. Rather
than continue operating, we will be closing Western Sport Shop by the
end of January, 2012.

While we are still hopeful that a buyer may be found, we are taking
immediate steps to reduce our inventory. Effective today, all items
in all departments (except for firearms and steel shot ammunition)
will be discounted 30% off the original price. Over the past weekend,
we’ve also gone through our inventory and have marked selected items
down significantly – there are savings of 50 – 70% off of the original
price. All sales are final and all items are sold “as-is”.

A few of the specific bargains include:
ALL FRESHWATER FLIES – BUCK-A-BUG!
ALL SALTWATER FLIES – HALF OFF!
DISCONTINUED FLY PACK AND FISHING PACK STYLES – 40% OFF!
FLY LINES – Selected lines are half off!
SIMMS BLACKFOOT WADING BOOTS & PURSUIT SANDALS 40% OFF!
We also have a closeout clothing rack loaded with base layers, shirts,
jackets, insulation and discontinued or changed models that are 30 –
50% - Great Deals Abound!
ALL HUNTING VESTS IN STOCK – HALF OFF!
ALL CASTAIC Swim Baits –HALF OFF!
ALL OCEAN SALMON LURES & RIGS – HALF OFF!
ALL BRAID BELTS & GLOVES – HALF OFF!
ALL NEW BOOKS – 40% OFF the Regular Price!
ALL USED BOOKS – HALF OFF the Used Price!

ALL FIREARMS ARE ON SALE - look for the “HOT LIST” of Sale Rifles and
shotguns in the gun department.

Keep your eyes out for further discounts on remaining items in the
weeks ahead. Ads will start running in the papers beginning tomorrow
evening, so you have some advance notice to beat the crowds. Please
feel free to forward this to your fishing, fly fishing and hunting
partners who might be interested.

If you have outstanding credit balances or gift certificates, this is
a great time to take advantage of your increased buying power!

We will continue to sell California Hunting and Fishing Licenses until
at least mid-January.

We will be starting to sell fixtures and displays after January 8,
2012. If you are interested in displays, please call 415-226-9770 and
leave your name and phone number to be contacted.

===================================
===================================
Finally, let me say that this has been an extremely difficult post to write.
We’ve gotten to know an incredible group of customers in the 25 years
we have owned Western Sport Shop, we’ve watched young kids grow into
adults and start to bring their children in as well.

Both my family and I truly appreciate the support and encouragement
over the years, the great stories of trips and travel, as well as
sharing this part of your lives with us. Thank you again for your patronage and especially the days when you just dropped into the store to tell us how things went.

-- Jim

Holiday Deal of the Day - 12/18/11 - Pick Your Favorite So Far!

2011-12-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 18:
Today - Pick your Favorite So Far!
Choose any one of the "Holiday Deals Of The Day" that we have offered this week:

- Free Dozen Trout Flies with any fly box purchase
Buy any fly box in stock and we'll include a dozen standard trout dry flies or nymphs at no charge!
Purchase any fly box and then choose your dozen - mix and match OK!

- Commercial Crab Trap Accessory Deal
Buy one of our Commercial Crabs and we'll rig the rest!
Purchase one of our Commercial Quality Crab traps and we'll throw in a free bait cage and free Scotty bait jar - get that bait stuffed in right proper and bring home a whole bunch of crabs! No limit on quantity.

- All Fly Fishing Leader and Tippet
Buy One - Get One FREE!
Purchases any fly fishing leader package or tippet spool and receive one of equal or lesser value for free! No limit on quantity.

- 20% OFF all Pro-Shot Cleaning Equipment!
US-Made Care and Cleaning gear!
Care for your rifle or shotgun with gunsmith quality brushes, swabs, stainless and composite rods, bronze brushes and patches. Everything made by Pro Shot is 20% off today!
No limit on quantity.

- Buy any lure in stock and get another for half price!
Save BIG with a "Buy One - Get One!" deal!
Purchase any fishing lure for bass, trout, salmon, steelhead (or anything exotic!) and you can get another lure just HALF the listed price! No limit on quantity.

Here's the Deal on "The Deal"
The Western Sport Shop Holiday Deal is good for the listed day only. Each day's Holiday Deal will be listed on the Western Sport Shop blog before the store opens. Must be redeemed in store. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Merchandise offers limited to stock on hand. Please bring in this posting either by printout or on your mobile device to redeem.

Holiday Deal of the Day - 12/17/11

2011-12-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

From now until Christmas, look to the blog each day to find a special offer for our web customers. Head down to the store today for this bargain!

Saturday, December 17:
Free Dozen Trout Flies with any fly box purchase
Buy any fly box in stock and we'll include a dozen standard trout dry flies or nymphs at no charge!
Purchase any fly box and then choose your dozen - mix and match OK!

Here's the Deal on "The Deal"
The Western Sport Shop Holiday Deal is good for the listed day only. Each day's Holiday Deal will be listed on the Western Sport Shop blog before the store opens. Must be redeemed in store. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Merchandise offers limited to stock on hand. Please bring in this posting either by printout or on your mobile device to redeem.

Holiday Deal of the Day - 12/16/11

2011-12-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

From now until Christmas, look to the blog each day to find a special offer for our web customers. Head down to the store today for this bargain!

Friday, December 16:
Commercial Crab Trap Accessory Deal
Buy one of our Commercial Crabs and we'll rig the rest!
Purchase one of our Commercial Quality Crab traps and we'll throw in a free bait cage and free Scotty bait jar - get that bait stuffed in right proper and bring home a whole bunch of crabs!
No limit on quantity.

Here's the Deal on "The Deal"
The Western Sport Shop Holiday Deal is good for the listed day only. Each day's Holiday Deal will be listed on the Western Sport Shop blog before the store opens. Must be redeemed in store. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Merchandise offers limited to stock on hand. Please bring in this posting either by printout or on your mobile device to redeem.

Holiday Deal of the Day - 12/15/11

2011-12-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

From now until Christmas, look to the blog each day to find a special offer for our web customers. Head down to the store today for this bargain!

Thursday, December 15:
All Fly Fishing Leader and Tippet
Buy One - Get One FREE!
Purchases any fly fishing leader package or tippet spool and receive one of equal or lesser value for free!
No limit on quantity.

Here's the Deal on "The Deal"
The Western Sport Shop Holiday Deal is good for the listed day only. Each day's Holiday Deal will be listed on the Western Sport Shop blog before the store opens. Must be redeemed in store. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Merchandise offers limited to stock on hand. Please bring in this posting either by printout or on your mobile device to redeem.

Holiday Deal of the Day - 12/14/11

2011-12-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

From now until Christmas, look to the blog each day to find a special offer for our web customers. Head down to the store today for this bargain!

Wednesday, December 14:
20% OFF all Pro-Shot Cleaning Equipment!
US-Made Care and Cleaning gear!
Care for your rifle or shotgun with gunsmith quality brushes, swabs, stainless and composite rods, bronze brushes and patches. Everything made by Pro Shot is 20% off today!
No limit on quantity.

Here's the Deal on "The Deal"
The Western Sport Shop Holiday Deal is good for the listed day only. Each day's Holiday Deal will be listed on the Western Sport Shop blog before the store opens. Must be redeemed in store. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Merchandise offers limited to stock on hand. Please bring in this posting either by printout or on your mobile device to redeem.

Holiday Deal of the Day - 12/13/11

2011-12-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

From now until Christmas, look to the blog each day to find a special offer for our web customers.

Tuesday, December 13:
Buy any lure in stock and get another for half price!
Save BIG with a "Buy One - Get One!" deal!
Purchase any fishing lure for bass, trout, salmon, steelhead (or anything exotic!) and you can get another lure just HALF the listed price! No limit on quantity.

Here's the Deal on "The Deal"
The Western Sport Shop Holiday Deal is good for the listed day only. Each day's Holiday Deal will be listed on the Western Sport Shop blog before the store opens. Must be redeemed in store. May not be combined with other offers or discounts. Merchandise offers limited to stock on hand. Please bring in this posting either by printout or on your mobile device to redeem.

Freshwater Focus

2011-11-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

The early part of winter is a great time to be up in the Marin County Watershed lakes. As the water cools down from the late fall heat waves, trout will begin to move up into the shallower waters, making it much easier to cast to them.

Also, the scheduled trout plants from the Department of Fish & Game look to be significant this winter - so sometime around November 15, we expect a good-sized truckload of larger fish to be dropped into the lake.

We've stocked up on the larger sized (1/2 - 3/8 ounce) Kastmasters which tend to be productive, as well as the key colors of Power Bait. If you are looking for an upgraded rod and reel setup, we have a sale going on for the Daiwa freshwater rod/reel combos - $25 "out the door" including mono line.

Winter bass can be great in these lakes as well, slowly working larger baits such as 6 and 7" senkos, or even the big Castaic lures produces strong strikes at this time of year.

For those folks already thinking about next year, DFG has told us that the 2012 fishing licenses should be available on November 15 through our sales terminals. We'll announce that here when they are ready to sell, but just in case you want to fish on New Year's Day, you can get ready soon!

Haulin' Crabs!

2011-11-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

Yep - for most folks, the opening day of the Sport Dungeness Crab season was a good day out. We headed out the gate and dropped 8 traps in 65 to 75 feet of water, drifted back to the beginning of our string and started pulling - normally, we like to soak for a minimum of 2 - 3 hours - as we were trying to get a sense of how many crab were in the area. Plus, we hoped to limit before the rains hit in the afternoon.

The short story is "WOW!" Looks like it should be a good start to the season - we pulled the string twice with very short soaks and ended up with limits for all four on board. Only a few in the 6" range (minimum size for sport dungeness is 5 3/4"). This one was pretty much the average size -

After only managing a few late-season trips last year, it was nice to come back with plenty of crabs for the pot -

The crabs baited with herring and mackerel seemed to do the best - although it was pretty even throughout the day.

Reports seemed good out of Bodega as well, with Richard B. reporting full limits of healthy crab from their trip today.

Looks like a great start to the crab season! If you want to get in on the action, come on down to the shop and we'll get you set up. The season-start promotion on our Commercial Grade traps is still on, so it's the perfect time to get outfitted for the season!

Heading Out Saturday Morning

2011-11-07T12:46:00.001-08:00

Heading Out Saturday Morning, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

2011 Dungeness Crab Sport Season Opener

Crab Traps are HERE! Sport Season Opens Saturday!

2011-11-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Our newest batch of Commercial Quality crab traps have arrived - just about ready to soak. But, the key question is "Are you ready?"

For some reason, it seems as though a significant number of customers are not aware that the sport fishing season for delectable Dungeness crabs opens this Saturday, November 5 for most counties. Early season crabbing is often the best - before the commercial boats begin dropping their larger traps.

So, if you have wanted to give this a try, come by the shop and get one of our custom-made, heavy gauge crab traps. These have been made even better this year with thicker ring material and heavier rubber wraps. Plus, we have this batch rigged with 150 feet of quality rope, so if you need to soak your pots deeper, you won't run short.

These pots come ready to drop, with a large main float and 150' of 3/8" rope. As before, these have rounded edges for a more consistent drop, and are weighted to the bottom, so they should not invert. With the increased thickness of ring, they are approximately 30 pounds. You'll need to have some method of baiting the trap - we recommend zip-tying a bait jar to the roof and pinning in a fish head or mackerel to the floor.

After that, you just need to head out and let them soak - some anglers prefer an overnight, while others go bottom fishing or look for striper outside the surf zone. Early season, a 3-4 hour soak is a good minimum rule. More is generally better.

If you had pre-ordered from this shipment of heavy duty crab traps, you should have received a phone call notifying you they had arrived - just bring your receipt to the shop to pick up your traps. We do have a few still available - so, if you want to get set up, we're offering our Dungeness Season Opener Special - These rigged and ready traps are normally $179.99, but if you buy three, we'll take $10 off for each trap, making them $169.99. If you need six or more, we'll knock off $20 each trap, for $159.99 each. Quantities are limited, so if you are interested and want to reserve traps with your credit card, please call the shop at 415-456-5454.

See you out there and enjoy the crab!

One Heckuva Trip!

2011-10-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

We'll have a more detailed account next week when our long-range expert Richard Birnbaum returns, but in the meantime, here's where a picture is worth more than a thousand words!

Each day's fishing reports from our 2011 Shogun Trip can be found here.

Carlo's UK Adventure - Spey, Izaak Walton & The River Test

2011-10-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Fly Department manager Carlo Bongio and his wife Lynn just returned from a three week trip to the UK, focusing on the Highland Rivers of Scotland using mostly spey techniques. Some highlight photos from his trip appear here, but there were a couple of days which were particularly special.

Starting out on the River Test, Carlo landed and released a number of gorgeous Brown trout - here he shows one of "average" size.

And, of course, it's always proper to land a fish with a reel that came from the same area. (One of Carlo's Hardy reels).

During one of the non-fishing days, they traveled to Winchester Cathedral, which is the final resting place of Izaak Walton (which is spelled Isaac Walton on his marker). The stained glass above is from the Fisherman's Chapel within the Cathedral.

After a stop to help a local innkeeper pick some gorgeous chantrelle mushrooms, Carlo and Lynn enjoyed their best days under the guidance of Ian Neale (speycaster.net) who accompanied them on the River Findhorn. (Ian graciously took the time to write up the day on his "Fishing News" page - search for September 21st to find the beginning of the report.) Below, Ian and Carlo proudly show off the first Atlantic Salmon of the day, caught and released from the "Ladies' Pool".

Moving next to the "Maharajah Pool", Carlo continued to work his spey magic, and landed a beautiful fish.

If you would like to hear more about Carlo's trip or the techniques used to catch these fish, drop by the shop - Carlo is available Monday through Friday and would be happy to talk with you.

Photo Album for Carlo's UK Trip

Both Carlo and Lynn were highly complimentary of the guiding services from Ian Neale. If you are interested in finding more information about him, please visit Speycaster.net -

About Ian Neale:
Ian Neale is an expert salmon fisher, casting tutor, writer, photographer, and fishing guide. Ian is a passionate angler, who cares for his quarry and its fragile environment.

Ian has been working professionally as a guide and casting instructor since 1980 when he owned his own fishing lodge on the West coast of Scotland on the Isle Of Mull. Ian has extensive knowledge of all aspects of salmon, sea trout and trout fishing, from the smaller spate rivers and lochs of the West Coast to the larger flowing rivers of the East of Scotland where he has organised annual fishing parties on the River Dee, River Findhorn, and River Spey.

Vote For Abalone Fishery Closure in Sonoma County

2011-09-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

Fish and Game Commission Votes to Close Abalone
Fishery in Sonoma County

Contact:
Jordan Traverso, DFG Communications, (916) 654-9937

The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) today took emergency action to close the abalone fishery along part of the northern California coast. Specifically, the Commission voted 3-0 to close the fishery in the entirety of Sonoma County. Commissioners Daniel Richards and Richard Rogers were not in attendance.

This action was taken in the wake of confirmed reports of dead red abalone and other invertebrates on beaches and inside coves along the Sonoma County coastline.

Data continue to be collected that shows an abalone die-off along the Sonoma coast beginning Aug. 27. According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists, these abalone deaths coincided with a local red tide bloom and calm ocean conditions. Although the exact reasons for the abalone deaths are not known, invertebrate die-offs have occurred in the past along the northern California coast due to lack of oxygen and/or poisoning when similar weather and bloom conditions existed, but not at the magnitude of this event.

DFG is assessing the impact of the situation and provided the Commission with information at today's meeting.

Reports of dead abalone and a variety of invertebrates have come from Bodega Bay, Russian Gulch, Fort Ross, Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County and as far north as Anchor Bay in Mendocino County. DFG biologists and game wardens have collected abalone, mussels and water samples since the beginning and are continuing to document reports from the public. The public is encouraged to report the location, number and date of dead or dying abalone to Ian Taniguchi at (562) 342-7182 or by e-mail at itaniguchi@dfg.ca.gov.

Divers are encouraged to avoid diving in the affected areas. The exact implementation date of the emergency closure will be determined by the regulatory process and is expected soon. Please continue to check the Commission¹s website at www.fgc.ca.gov.

Abalone fishermen are advised to contact a physician immediately if they feel sick, and to report symptoms to the local county health department (www.sonoma-county.org/health/about/publichealth.asp). The latest red tide updates from the California Department of Public Health are also posted online at www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/DDWEM.aspx.

For more information, please refer to DFG's Sept. 2 press release, available at
http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/abalone-die-off-observed-in-sonoma-
county/.

Closure of Abalone Fishery Under Consideration

2011-09-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

The California Fish and Game Commission will consider emergency action on
Thursday, Sept. 15 to possibly close the abalone fishery along the northern
California coast. This action is being considered in the wake of confirmed
reports of dead red abalone and other invertebrates on beaches and inside
coves along the coast in Sonoma County.

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is currently attempting to assess the
impact of the situation and will provide the Commission with information at
this Thursday's meeting. Based on the DFG's report, the Commission may take
emergency action to close the abalone season along all or parts of the
Sonoma coast.

There was an abalone die-off along the Sonoma coast beginning Aug. 27 as a
result of a red tide-induced poisoning and/or lack of oxygen. According to
DFG biologists, these abalone deaths coincided with a local red tide bloom
and calm ocean conditions. Although the exact reasons for the abalone deaths
are not known, invertebrate die-offs have occurred in the past along the
northern California coast when similar weather and bloom conditions existed.

The number of dead and dying abalone is not known but DFG divers are
assessing the damage this week via underwater transect surveys. Reports of
dead abalone and a variety of invertebrates have come from Bodega Bay,
Russian Gulch, Fort Ross, Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park. Other DFG
biologists and game wardens have collected abalone, mussels and water
samples since the beginning of the bloom and are continuing to document
reports from the public.

For more information, please refer to DFG's Sept. 2 press release,
http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/abalone-die-off-observed-in-sonoma-
county/.

Abalone fishermen are advised to contact a physician immediately if they
feel sick, and to report symptoms to the local county health department
(www.sonoma-county.org/health/about/publichealth.asp). The latest red tide
updates from the California Department of Public Health are also posted
online at www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/DDWEM.aspx.

Contacts:
Ian Taniguchi, DFG Marine Region, (562) 342-7182
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988

Sale Starts TODAY - Save Big on Fall Goods - Plus Deals in all Departments

2011-09-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

FALL SALE STARTS NOW!!

Today through Wednesday, September 15!

It’s been a crazy late summer season -- ocean salmon have come back big
time and folks have been buying bait, sinkers and lures like mad! The
copious amounts of late snowmelt and spring rains have made the stream and
Sierra fishing continue with vigor, while the bass fishing has been wide
open. Basically, no matter where you go, good things are happening!

All of which has made it a little difficult to focus on the fact that
Waterfowl Season is fast approaching! So, to give you a reminder and a
little head start - The 2011 Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale starts RIGHT
NOW!

You probably already know that our everyday low price is better than most
stores’ "sale" pricing. But, for this event, we roll prices back to the
lowest levels we possibly can - which makes it the perfect time to stock up
on what you'll need for a great duck season, dove or clay shooting or
whatever season is the big circled date on your calendar.

(And you probably already know that we are a DFG License Agent*, and can get you set up for the new California Hunting Licenses, plus Federal Duck Stamps)

Plus, if you come down to the shop today - Saturday, September 10 - you can meet with
representatives from California Waterfowl Association – find out about their
efforts to maintain habitat and duck populations in our state! If you
aren’t a member, it’s a great opportunity to join!

For starters - we know you need steel ammo!

Best Pricing of the Season on Kent Fasteel Waterfowl loads!
K1235ST40-BBB - 4 12ga 3.50" 1550fps reg. $19.99
WFD Sale! - $18.49
K1235ST36-BB - 3 12ga 3.50" 1625fps reg. $19.99
WFD Sale! - $18.49
K123ST36-BBB - 4 12ga 3" 1425fps reg. $14.99
WFD Sale! - $13.99
K123ST32-BB - 6 12ga 3" 1560fps reg. $14.49
WFD Sale! - $13.49
K122ST36-3, 6 12ga 2.75" 1300fps reg. $13.99
WFD Sale! - $12.99
K122ST32-BB - 3 12ga 2.75" 1425fps reg. $12.99
WFD Sale! - $11.99
K122ST30-BB - 4 12ga 2.75" 1550fps reg. $12.99
WFD Sale! - $11.99
K203ST24-2 - 4 20ga 3" 1550fps reg. $13.49
WFD Sale! - $12.49

Tired of that budget lead loads that don’t cycle or pattern consistently?
Try the Kent Ultimate Fast Lead
K122UFL36-4, 6, 7.5 12ga 2.75" 1350fps reg. $11.99
WFD Sale! - $10.99
K202UFL28-6, 7.5 20ga 2.75" 1255fps reg. $11.99
WFD Sale! - $10.99
K162UFL28-6, 7.5 16ga 2.75" 1220fps reg. $12.99
WFD Sale! - $11.99 (Limited Availability!)

Many sporting clays or other target areas are now requiring steel shot –
We strongly recommend the Kent Target Steel
K122TST28-7 12ga 2.75" 1290fps reg. $9.99
WFD Sale! - $8.99
K202TST24-7 20ga 2.75" 1215fps reg. $9.99
WFD Sale! - $8.99

Even though we've found the KENT Fasteel to be the some of the best and most
reliable loads, we know that ammo choice is important - so we've got a wide
variety of Hevi-Steel, Hevi-Shot, Tungsten loads, Federal Black Cloud and
more - still not quite right? Then make your order this weekend - lock in
the Fall Super Sale pricing, and we'll get it for you in time for the
opener. Just talk with any Western Sport Shop team member at the store.

How about decoys? We’ll be honest – it looks like availability on decoys
will be spotty this year – There have been some problems getting the very
popular green wing and widgeon decoys from Greenhead, and we’re actively
working with other manufacturers to find these. Check with us for updates
in the coming weeks.
But, here’s what we do have! DEALS ON DECOYS!
70002 - Hot Buy Magnum Mallards - half dozen reg. $49.99
WFD Sale! - $42.99
70003 - Hot Buy Mallards - dozen reg. $45.99
WFD Sale! - $39.99
73032 - Over-Size Pintails - half-dozen reg. $62.99
WFD Sale! - $52.99
73039 - Over-Size Blue Bills - half-dozen reg. $59.99
WFD Sale! - $44.990
73049 - Over-Size Canvasback - half-dozen reg. $59.99
WFD Sale! - $49.99
7108# - Speck, Snow, Canada Goose Floaters reg. $99.99
WFD Sale! - $84.99
28030 - Guides Choice Win-Duk air-driven attractor! reg. $52.99
WFD Sale! - $39.99

And all decoy bags in stock are 20% OFF this weekend!

Now, if you just like to fish or fly fish for 12 months out of the year,
that's OK too, because there are deals in those departments, too!

We've got specials in both the tackle and fly fishing department!

First for the Fly Fishing Focused:
Sage “Bass” series and Sage Z-Axis fly rods are now at 30% OFF!
All discontinued Fishpond tackle bags and luggage is now 40% OFF!
Plus, all remaining Ross fly reels and extra spools are 30% OFF!
Simms Blackfoot Wading boots are 40% OFF!
We also have a closeout clothing rack loaded with base layers, shirts,
jackets, insulation and discontinued or changed models that are 30 – 50% -
Great Deals Abound!

Now, for the salt and freshwater anglers:
All Apex Salmon trolling lures in stock – HALF OFF! This is a great chance
to grab some different colors and stock up!
All Pixie Salmon river lures – buy 2 and get a third FREE (Equal or lesser
value)
All Castaic Swim Baits (great for winter bass fishing!) – HALF OFF!
Penn Spinfisher SS Series Spinning reels – 20% OFF!
Selected closeout rods – 30- - 50% OFF!

In other words, it's time to get down to the sale - going on right now!

*DFG Licenses: To obtain a current hunting license in the state of California, you must provide photo ID and a evidence of Hunter's Safety Compliance - this can be either a validated Hunter Safety Course card or a previous year's hunting license. Please Note - DFG regulations state that we can no longer accept "Declaration Forms" in lieu of Hunter's Safety evidence. Cash or credit cards only on license sales.

Salmon. Ocean. Now. GO!

2011-08-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

Just because I got a couple emails asking for proof of fish from Saturday's trip... Here are 2 of the three we caught.

Saturday Salmon and a Note on Gear Care

2011-08-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Along with a number of other folks who have heard that ocean salmon fishing is hot right now, a few of us ran out Saturday morning to see if we could put some fish in the box. It was one of those glorious mornings in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a couple gaps in the fog to remind us what a great place this is.

Weather conditions were a bit odd - there was a building swell from the south/southwest. It's much more common to find swells from the northwest which usually does two things if you are running out through the Golden Gate - 1st, because of the curves and points of the coastline north of the San Francisco Bay, there natural lees from the wind if you tuck in behind Point Reyes or Duxbury buoy. While you don't necessarily avoid the wind, you can usually find calmer water while catching salmon. 2nd, the winds "push you home" so you don't really fight water conditions on the return trip.

But with the swells from the unprotected south, there was nothing to do and nowhere to hide. So, we rocked and rolled a bit, but landed three fine fish on the day (unfortunately "long-line released " a couple as well - a pitching boat and moving fish can make things tricky.)

I would have liked to get footage of our intrepid staff members landing the fish, but I had one hand on the rail and the other on the net during the fights. Large fish on the day was ~18 pounds.

Things were a bit unsettled around Pt. Bonita, but a careful hand on the throttle and eye on the waves tucked us back under the bridge.

We took a couple of passes through California City, though the conditions were much more pleasant, we definitely were on the wrong part of the tide, so we decided to pick up and head home.

Gear Care:
Now that the ocean salmon is going good, it's been scary to see some of the reels and rods that have been sitting in garages, trunks or the hold of a boat for the last two or three years.

Before you go -
First off, replace your line! Don't waste your time and money to get your boat in the water or schedule a party boat trip without replacing old mono or spectra line. Monofilament will degrade when exposed to heat or UV. There's nothing quite like the sinking feeling of seeing line snap "for no reason" when you hook a nice fish. Also, if the leader on your lures or bait rigs have been abraded or seemed kinked or dry, get some leader material (or new lures with sharp hooks!) and spend an hour re-rigging things. Sharpen or replace hooks that don't easily dig into your fingernail.

On your rods, check first for broken or missing guides, then take a q-tip or cotton ball and drag it around the inside of the guide ring. Does it pull off fibers? If it's a nickeled or stainless guide (i.e. - no insert), then you should find some ultra-fine steel wool or emery paper to see if you can buff things smooth. Otherwise, every time you let line out or reel in the guides will be abrading your line.

Also, take a look at the side plates or reinforcing rings on your guides. Quite a few times, we've had to break the bad news to anglers that their old Penn Senator had cracked or split (often after wiping the sludge off of the reels!)

After you go -
As soon as you can after hitting the dock, rinse your gear down with a fresh water wash. Then back the drag off and let it air dry. Using Salt-X or a similar salt removal rinse is a great idea as well. Keep it out of the sun and store in a cool place. Then, when you are ready to go the next time, your rig will be too!

Carlo's Kids Casting Weekend Photos

2011-08-18T10:36:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delay - but here are a good portion of images from the Youth Flyfishing Weekend event last month - it was great to see so many young anglers so excited about fly fishing. 15 new anglers learned fly fishing from the ground up, with expert assistance from the Redwood Chapter of Trout Unlimited and our own fly fishing department manager Carlo Bongio.

Day one was spent up at Galvan Pond going over knots and gear, the mechanics of casting, and handling the equipment. Day two put the young anglers onto a hungry group of fish at a private pond, where everyone seemed to catch more than their share. Things wrapped up with a certificate of completion and it seemed like everyone was ready to hit the stream!

Hook Up!

2011-08-18T10:28:00.001-07:00

Always great to see a rod bent double on a hard-running tuna!
Here's an image taken on the current Shogun multi-day trip! As you may not know, our 5 day trip in September was rescheduled to a 7 day trip leaving October 13th, and there are still a few open spots - if you want to enjoy this wide-open fishing, visit the Shogun site or speak with Richard B. on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays at the shop.

Cable Baiters are BACK!

2011-07-28T12:45:00.001-07:00

Cable Baiters are BACK!, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

--
sent from some phone

Western Sport Shop Seeks New Owners

2011-07-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, that headline didn't startle you.

The thing is, we've been looking to find a new owner for the shop for a bit now. But, when the economy dipped down a couple years back, we kind of pulled our horns in, hunkered down, and did the things we needed to do to keep Western Sport Shop running well. We've concentrated on reducing excess inventory, getting rid of slower moving items, trying to gain efficiencies where we could and in general tidy up the operation. As you know, we closed our Santa Rosa location - a victim of logistics and economy, and moved everything down to the original store in downtown San Rafael.

Somewhere along the line, we kind of forgot to keep letting people know that we were looking for a special person, or group of people, who understand what makes this store special. Someone who might be interested in taking the store forward for the next 20 or 30 years (or more...!) We think that person has probably been a customer of ours, or is a good friend or relative of one of our customers.

Obviously, that person probably loves to hunt, fish, fly fish.

Well, yeah, that is kind of stating the obvious... Retail knowledge is certainly helpful, but good business sense and a bit of energy go an awful long way, in our opinion. And we don't plan to go anywhere in a big hurry, so we can hang around and help if need be (or get out of the way and watch you go to town!)

I'm mentioning this here because over the past couple weeks, I've had regular customers ask me if I like working for the new owners, or how things are now that we bought it back. Both those were absolutely wrong, but made me (and ultimately our family and staff) realize that we needed to remind people of what the facts actually were.

So, if that piques your interest, perks up your ears, gets you a bit excited or interested, please feel free to email us - the best one to use for this is westsprt @ aol .com - or you could also email customerservice @ westernsportshop .com

'

Blue Water Fishing Seminar / Reel Repair Clinic - Saturday!

2011-07-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder - we know a bunch of people have been awaiting Saturday, July 16 - it's time for our annual "Blue Water" Long-Range Fishing Clinic and we are also hosting the Alan Tani "Hands-On" Reel Repair Clinic.

It will be a great day for learning about the electrifying fishing down in San Diego (and more about our 5 day trip this September), as well as an opportunity for you to get down and dirty - digging into your conventional fishing reels and learning how to clean and maintain them under the tutelage of reel repair icon Alan Tani.

The "Hands-On" Reel Repair Clinic begins at 10 am. You will need to bring in a conventional or spinning reel to work on. Alan will supply basic maintenance items and tools for working on the reel. The goal is to get you familiar with your equipment, teaching you to take it apart, clean out the innards, and get it ready to catch some fish.

*Please note - to make sure everyone who shows up gets a chance to work with Alan, we may limit the time at the work table or the number of reels which can be worked on at any one time.

At 1 pm, Shogun Trip Chartermaster Richard Birnbaum will lead a seminar on the ins and outs of long-range fishing - what types of fish you can expect, basic and advanced techniques on how to hook up and land them and how a multi-day trip operates.

There is no charge for either of these seminars - so get your chores done early and come down to the Shop - 902 Third Street in San Rafael.

Hot for This Weekend!

2011-06-30T19:36:00.001-07:00

In case it wasn't clear from the last two posts - we've made a special purchase on that Penn 320GT2 reel and the Ugly Stik BWC/AO2201 and have set them up as a rod and reel combo - including mono line! All for only $149.99!

Normally, the reel alone would go for about $100, while the rod would set you back another $80. But, we secured a special deal on these - just in time for prime time for the ocean and bay fishing!

We've also put together some lighter weight outfits, and have a wide assortment of freshwater and saltwater spinning setups - ready to spool up and get you out for the big holiday weekend!

Reel Half of the Combo

2011-06-30T12:15:00.001-07:00

Reel Half of the Combo, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Penn 320gt2 levelwind reel. Excellent for salmon, halibut and striper. Matched with the rod and including mono line - only $149.99!

Rod Half of the Combo

2011-06-30T12:01:00.001-07:00

Rod Half of the Combo, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Ugly Stik BWC/AO2201
great general saltwater and trolling rod.

More Father's Day Deals!

2011-06-16T13:51:00.001-07:00

I just got off the phone with Sage, who let me know that they will be upgrading the Z-Axis "Single Hand" Series of rods for the upcoming season (2012 - yes, the tackle year rolls over waaay too early!). What that means is that for any Z-Axis that is not a Spey rod or Switch
rod, you can save 30% off the regular price if you say you saw it in the Email Newsletter! Do not wait - with a discount like that, you can be sure that people will be rushing down right now. (Sorry - no lay aways on these items - no "holds" either. Stock limited to rods on hand
and do not include Z-Axis Switch or Spey series rods.)

If you are more interested in conventional tackle, all Penn Spinfisher Series spinning reels are 20% off. These are geared towards saltwater applications, and have long been the standard by
which saltwater spinning reels are judged - strong drag, anodized spool and quality hardware.
Choose from the 550, 650, 750, 850 or 950 models - again - limited to stock on hand!

It's always great when the gift you give gets used every day. We all love the various styles
and engraving on the M-Clip money clips - trout patterns, fish engraving and a bunch of other features. You have to see this item to believe it - they took a look at your grandfather's money clip and said, "hey, let's do this RIGHT!" and came up with a tenacious spring, slide-out handles for better leverage and the artistic anodization. This is a very popular item, but it's one of those things that we realized we were overstocked on when we incorporated the Santa Rosa store inventory - our overstock is your savings - for an extremely limited time, you can get any model in stock for 50% OFF!

Need some more suggestions? Ask any staff member or start with these suggestions:
Fly Department:
Tackle organizing gear packs from Fishpond, "Taco" wader bag from Simms, a wide array of waterproof fly boxes, wading staffs, Sage's amazing gear bag, Simms "No Fly Zone" mosquito repelling shirts and hats, Abel pliers, Redington Delta disc drag reels, fly fishing sungloves, Action Optics polarized sunglasses (with some discontinued styles up to 50% off!), fly selections for any species, Oasis fly tying organizers and much more!

Fishing Department:
Brand new Cedros spinning reels, Shimano Curado baitcasting reel (take $20 off if you mention this newsletter!), Grundens commercial grade foul weather gear, new Kokanee trolling rods, Shimano Trevala trolling rods, P-Line saltwater pliers, Spectra Hollow-core splicing kit (with instructional DVD), SKB long range tackle boxes (all on sale!), Kershaw filet knives and more!

Hunting Department:
High quality cleaning equipment by ProShot, Camo gloves, vests and jackets (all at great prices!), ground-mount trap thrower, dog training equpment, Browning Safes, Swiss Army, Kershaw,
Buck and Browning knives, Leupold scopes and optics, Filson shooting glasses (half OFF!), Amazing quality M-Clip money clips (also half off!) and much more.

PLUS, our HUGE book sale is still going on!
Take 20% off any new book in stock and ALL used books are 50% off!

Throughout the store, you'll find special buys and bargains which will help you maximize your dollar this Father's Day - so don't delay and we'll see you at the shop!

Halibut Right Under Your Feet!

2011-06-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

One of the great things for us is when customers come back and share stories and pictures of their successes - but it's even better when someone can't even wait to get back to the shop! Last weekend, we set up a father and son who were heading to the McGinness Pier. After watching everyone cast as far as they could, they decided to drop their bait down right into the pilings and - sure enough - almost immediately hooked up. It turned out to be a fiesty, 25# plus halibut!

Before they even left the pier, they called us up and then emailed the photo to share the good news!

So, before you go seeing how far you can cast, don't forget to look right under your feet!

Father's Day is Sunday, June 19th

2011-06-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

===================================
FATHER'S DAY IS SUNDAY, JUNE 19th
===================================
Whether you have a trip planned or just want to find something special, Western Sport Shop is the place to get quality gear for a gift or trip.
Fly Department: Tackle organizing gear packs from Fishpond, "Taco" wader bag from Simms, a wide array of waterproof fly boxes, wading staffs, Sage's amazing gear bag, Simms "No Fly Zone" mosquito repelling shirts and hats, Abel pliers, Redington Delta disc drag reels, fly fishing sungloves, Action Optics polarized sunglasses (with some discontinued styles up to 50% off!), fly selections for any species, Oasis fly tying organizers and much more!
Fishing Department: Brand new Cedros spinning reels, Shimano Curado baitcasting reel (take $20 off if you mention this newsletter!), Grundens commercial grade foul weather gear, new Kokanee trolling rods, Shimano Trevala trolling rods, P-Line saltwater pliers, Spectra Hollow-core splicing kit (with instructional DVD), SKB long range tackle boxes (all on sale!), Kershaw filet knives and more!
Hunting Department: High quality cleaning equipment by ProShot, Camo gloves, vests and jackets (all at great prices!), ground-mount trap thrower, dog training equpment, Browning Safes, Swiss Army, Kershaw, Buck and Browning knives, Leupold scopes and optics, Filson shooting glasses (half OFF!), Amazing quality M-Clip money clips (also half off!) and much more.

there are great bargains in every department - PLUS, our HUGE book sale is still going on! Take 20% off any new book in stock and ALL used books are 50% off!

DFG Update - Recreational Groundfish Regulations

2011-06-10T13:22:00.001-07:00

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

New 2011-2012 Recreational Groundfish Regulations Effective June 9, 2011

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) announces changes to recreational
groundfish regulations that apply to state waters 0-3 nautical miles from
shore. The new regulations were adopted by the Fish and Game Commission last
month and take effect June 9, 2011. The changes conform to new federal
regulations implemented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Fisheries last month, making all groundfish regulations consistent for state
and federal waters from 3 to 200 nautical miles from shore.

The new California regulations were developed over the past two years in
collaboration with fishery constituents after updated status information for
certain groundfish species became available. For some areas of the state,
the new stock assessment results combined with recent catch information
allowed for longer fishing seasons while still keeping projected catches
within allowable federal harvest limits.

The changes will apply to California recreational groundfish fishing
regulations for 2011-2012 statewide unless otherwise noted, and include the
following:

- A decrease of the lingcod minimum size limit from 24 to 22 inches
- An increase of the recreational bag limit of cabezon to three fish,
within the 10-fish combined bag limit for rockfish, cabezon and greenlings
- Removal of the lingcod fishery closure in December and January through
March when groundfish fishing is otherwise authorized
- An increase of the fishing depth constraint to 60 fathoms year-round for
California scorpionfish
- Modification to gear restrictions when fishing for cabezon and greenlings
so that no more than one line and two hooks may be used, consistent with
existing regulations for rockfish and lingcod
- Other modifications to improve clarity and organization

Some Groundfish Management Areas have been renamed. The seasons and depth
restrictions that apply for specific Groundfish Management Areas will take
effect as follows:

Northern (California/Oregon border to near Cape Mendocino):
--For 2011, open May 14 through October 31 in depths less than 120 feet
--For 2012, open May 12 through October 31 in depths less than 120 feet

Mendocino (Near Cape Mendocino to Point Arena):
--For 2011, open May 14 through August 15 in depths less than 120 feet
--For 2012, open May 12 through August 15 in depths less than 120 feet

San Francisco (Point Arena to Pigeon Point):
--For 2011, open June 9 through December 31 in depths less than 180 feet
--For 2012, open June 1 through December 31 in depths less than 180 feet

Central (Pigeon Point to Point Conception):
--For 2011 and 2012, open May 1 through December 31 in depths less than 240
feet

Southern (Point Conception to U.S./Mexico border):
--For 2011 and 2012, open March 1 through December 31 in depths less than
360 feet

Cowcod Conservation Areas (offshore Southern California):
--For 2011 and 2012, open March 1 through December 31 in depths less than
120 feet (please note that nearshore rockfish continue to be the only
species of rockfish that may be taken in these areas).

Anglers are advised to check regulations before fishing for federally
managed groundfish. The upcoming recreational fishing regulations supplement
will contain all new 2011-2012 groundfish regulations. The regulations are
also available on the DFG website at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfishcentral
or anglers can call the Recreational Groundfish Hotline at (831) 649-2801.

Sean D in the IJ! Sturgeon Crowd the Bay!

2011-06-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

After these rains, the sturgeon rigs and sinkers have been jumping off the shelf at record pace - the odd weather patterns of the last couple weeks have kicked off a serious bite!

Ex-tackle department team member and full-time sturgeon fishing devotee Sean Daugherty was just featured in a recent article in the Marin Independent Journal -

Sean Daugherty, a San Rafael fisherman, holds an 76-inch sturgeon. He hooked the fish during a recent expedition just outside of San Pablo Bay. 'People are catching a lot this year,' Daugherty said. The fish was over the legal limit, so Daugherty released it. (Provided by Sean Daugherty)

Here's the article:

Enormous sturgeon crowding into San Pablo Bay

By Alastair Bland
IJ correspondent

A large, unusual concentration of big sturgeon in San Pablo Bay has scientists baffled and local fishermen thrilled.

Thousands of the lumbering bottom-feeding fish seem to be gathered in the waters between the Carquinez Straits and the Tiburon Peninsula. Sport anglers, who are generally accustomed to long and tedious hours of fishing to catch just one sturgeon, are deeming 2011 one of the best fishing years in history.

But just why the white sturgeon — whose smaller and rarer cousin, the green sturgeon, is a threatened species — are swarming in San Pablo Bay more than elsewhere is uncertain. The season's intense precipitation almost certainly has something to do with the phenomenon. Fishermen generally associate heavy rainfall with increased sturgeon activity. Some anglers say the influx of fresh water into the bay stimulates the fish's appetite.

Whatever the reason for the bite, don't miss out! Get out and enjoy the action!

Here Comes June!

2011-05-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

Flyfishing 101 course.
New dates in June and July - click here for a flyer. This popular introduction to fly fishing course fills up quickly - taught by fly department manager Carlo Bongio, this will get you casting effectively and teach the basics of fly tackle, knots and etymology. Perfect for the new or intermediate fly angler.

Bass/Panfish Warmwater flyfishing clinic
Sessions in July and August - click here for a flyer. Join Carlo Bongio at a private pond in Sonoma for an intermediate to advanced session focusing on the specific techniques for fishing for these dynamic species.

Other Clinics
As of the weekend, only a couple places left for the Kid's Flyfishing Weekend.

Bluewater/San Diego Fishing Seminar/Alan Tani Reel Repair Seminar
Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 16 - it will be a great day for learning about the electrifying fishing down in San Diego (and more about our 5 day trip this September), as well as an opportunity for you to get down and dirty - digging into your conventional fishing reels and learning how to clean and maintain them under the tutelage of reel repair icon Alan Tani - look for updates soon, but make sure you don't miss this day!

California Hunting Licenses, draw tags and bird validations have been available since last month - the new computerized system can be a little confusing, but we've been helping folks untangle their questions. The important date is coming up - the tag applications are due Thursday June 2nd.

These are now transmitted electronically through the DFG Automated License System. If you have not done so, you must bring in proof of Hunter's Safety (either a validated Hunter Safety card or previous Hunting License) in order to apply. If you are joining an existing hunting party, you will also need the ID number for that party. You will need to know exactly which zone you are applying for (or if you plan on applying for preference points). We have DFG Big Game information booklets and a larger scale map of zones at the shop.

Again - the deadline for drawing applications is Thursday, June 2nd.

(Please note - this is for lottery draw deer or other big game tags. If you are hunting in a non-lottery area, you may purchase tags up to the point the zone closes - pending availability of the tags).

CDFG News Release - North Coast Salmon Season Opener Shows Promise

2011-05-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

North Coast Salmon Season Opener Shows Promise

Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists are expecting a promising north
coast salmon fishing season through Labor Day, Sept. 5. The sport season
opened two weeks ago in the Klamath Management Zone, which stretches from the
Oregon border to Horse Mountain, located just north of Shelter Cove.

The return of a healthy sport fishing season is excellent news for anglers
and businesses in the region. For the last three years, salmon fishing has
been relatively nonexistent on the north coast due to fishery restrictions
designed to protect California salmon stocks and a lack of local salmon in
nearshore areas.

Early in the season, fishing success and opportunity is very
weather-dependent. When boats have been getting out, they have been getting good results.

Field samplers with DFG's California Recreational Fisheries Survey program
contacted approximately 200 anglers fishing from private skiffs and
commercial passenger fishing vessels and checked almost 100 chinook salmon
landed during the opening weekend. Heads were collected from all adipose
fin-clipped salmon because the missing fin indicates that the salmon snout
was implanted with a microscopic, coded-wire tag that reveals the hatchery
of origin and other information important to California salmon management.

"This is a promising start to the salmon season," said Ed Roberts, DFG
associate marine biologist. "Weather hampered anglers on Sunday, but on
Saturday most boats landed a few legal fish and also released some
undersized fish."

Anglers reported that cold water conditions and scattered bait made locating
schools of salmon difficult. As the season proceeds, waters are expected to warm and
anglers will be better able to locate schools of bait and salmon. Spring
weather is notoriously difficult to predict while summer days normally bring
calmer seas.

Wardens checking anglers found good overall compliance with salmon
regulations. The most common violation continues to be the use of barbed
hooks while fishing for salmon. Anglers north of Point Conception are
reminded that they are required to use only barbless hooks while fishing for
salmon and that once a salmon is onboard their boat or other floating
device, all anglers must use barbless hooks, even if they switch to bottom
fishing.

Serious Spinning Reels!

2011-05-13T15:29:00.001-07:00

Serious Spinning Reels!, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

First look! The much anticipated arrival of the new Okuma Cedros spinning reels. CJ65 on the left, CJ80S (high speed) on the right. Saltwater ready. Seriously light. 30+ pounds of drag. Now in stock with more on the way.

State Groundfish Regulations Remain in Effect for Ocean Anglers

2011-05-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

CDFG News Release - State Groundfish Regulations Remain in Effect
for Ocean Anglers

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 11, 2011

Contacts:
NOAA Fisheries Groundfish Branch, (206) 526-6140
Tony Warrington, DFG Law Enforcement Divison, (916) 826-9416
Marci Yaremko, DFG Marine Region, (858) 442-3004
Kirsten Macintyre, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8988

State Groundfish Regulations Remain in Effect for Ocean Anglers

Due to a delay in the federal rulemaking process, the California Fish and
Game Commission was unable to conform state recreational groundfish
regulations in a timely manner. New federal regulations now result in a
conflict between state and federal regulations for recreational groundfish
fishing, so that some rules differ for state (0 to 3 nautical miles from
shore) and federal waters (3-200 nautical miles from shore) off the
California coast beginning Wednesday, May 11, 2011.

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the Fish and Game Commission are
working to amend the state regulations to align them with the 2011 federal
regulations by early June 2011. Until then, DFG reminds California anglers
to follow existing state regulations.

Immediate actual conflict with State Title 14 regulations beginning May 11,
2011:
1. Lingcod size limit and the allowable alternate fillet length (statewide)
- State regulations continue to specify that the limit is two fish at 24
inches with a 16-inch fillet size limit.
2. Cabezon (statewide) - State regulations will continue to allow only a
two-fish sub-bag limit on cabezon.
3. Cabezon and greenling gears (statewide) - State regulations will
continue to follow the general gear provisions only.

New actual conflict arises on Saturday, May 14, 2011:
4. Season opening date in the Northern and Mendocino Groundfish Management
Areas (from the California/Oregon border south to Pt. Arena) - State
regulations will continue to be in effect, opening the fishery in these
areas on Sunday, May 15.

New actual conflict arises on Wednesday, June 1, 2011:
5. Season opening date in the San Francisco Area (from Pt. Arena to Pigeon
Pt.) - State regulations will continue to be in effect, opening the fishery
in these areas on June 13.

DFG will provide information to the public on its website as soon as the
Commission takes action and new state groundfish fishing regulations become
effective.

###

2011/2012 Hunting Licenses Available

2011-04-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update - if you are going to be putting in for draws in this year's hunting season, we are now able to issue Deer Tag draw applications and tags for the upcoming season.

The new automated license system is a little different than in years past, so please take a moment to make sure you have what you need, so we can help you more efficiently.

If you have already purchased a fishing license this year, bring that with you - the bar code on that document can be quickly scanned to bring up your information in the California Department of Fish & Game database. We can also scan your driver's license.

You will need evidence of Hunter's Safety - that means a prior year's hunting license or a copy of your Hunter's Safety card (from California or another state). Please note - Declarations are no longer accepted for evidence of Hunter's Safety. If you cannot produce either of these documents, then you must retake the Hunter's Safety course. Information on scheduled Hunter's Safety courses can be found here.

If you are purchasing an application for a deer zone hunt* or a deer tag, you will need to provide the zone choices. That means we cannot issue tags or applications without zone information. Maps are viewable here or at the store.

The good news is that we are now able to issue tags for the "guaranteed" zones - like A-zone - over the counter. It is no longer necessary to purchase the application, then send it to the DFG for processing.

The other change this year is that state duck stamps and upload bird stamps are now available at the same time - we have not yet received the Federal Duck Stamps, which are a different program - and of course, if you are hunting waterfowl, you will need to answer the survey questions at the time we sell you the license.

So, to recap:
1 - ID card/Driver's License
2 - Evidence of Hunter's Safety
3 - Determine your zone choice

See you down at the shop!

*You can put in for draw zones in groups as large as six hunters. You no longer have to put in all applications together - the first person in a "Party" is assigned a group number, and each additional hunter just needs to know the group number to be included. There is no need to come into the store at the same time, and you can actually join the same group from different license sales locations.

Abalone Season Cranks Up

2011-04-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

Abalone Season Opened April 1

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

Contacts:
Jerry Kashiwada, DFG Marine Region, (707) 964-5791
Dana Michaels, DFG Communications, (916) 322-2420

New Report Cards Available through Automated License Data System

California's popular red abalone season opened April 1 in waters north of
San Francisco Bay. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds divers and
rock pickers that anyone taking abalone must record their catch on an
abalone report card, and tag the animal with corresponding tags from the
cards.

This year, all licenses and cards will be available through the new
Automated License Data System (ALDS), which automatically records purchases
in an active database.

"Abalone report cards are a vital source of information needed to manage
this resource, and the ALDS will allow us to track whether individuals have
returned their report cards as required by law," said DFG Associate Marine
Biologist Jerry Kashiwada. "In the past, we could not easily determine who
had not returned their cards."

Abalone report cards should be returned to the DFG Fort Bragg office at
32330 North Harbor Drive, Fort Bragg, CA 95437-5554. Cards must be returned
by January 31 of the following year, although cards may be submitted early.
Abalone report cards must be returned even if no abalone is taken.

Because of the nature of the paper used for the ALDS abalone report card and
tags, scissors are needed to separate the tags from the card just prior to
attaching them to an abalone. In the past, scissors were not needed to
separate the pre-perforated tags.

Tags that are separated from the cards ahead of time are invalid. Holes may
be punched in the tags immediately after purchase, however. Other slight
modifications to the tagging procedure may be needed with the ALDS report
cards.

The Fish and Game Commission is currently considering proposals for marine
protected areas (MPAs) along the north coast, from Point Arena in Mendocino
County to the Oregon border. The north coast MPA process will not affect the
2011 abalone season. To find out more about the MPAs currently under
consideration, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/northcoast.asp.

Currently, the only open abalone fishery in California is in the northern
region of the state. This fishery is biologically sustainable and has
remained productive for nearly 60 years. In 2009, the most recent year for
which figures are available, the recreational catch in northern California
was an estimated 295,000 abalone.

Everyone engaging in the take of abalone is responsible for knowing and
abiding by all California abalone sport fishing regulations. A complete list
of abalone fishing regulations is also available in the 2011 Ocean Sport
Fishing regulations booklet, available wherever fishing licenses are sold,
at DFG offices and online at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations.

---

Western Sport Shop note:
Just to put a finer point on it - ALL of the new licenses and tags are generated using the new Automated License Data System (ALDS). That means that the Tyvek-type paper used on your fishing license is the same as that used on the Abalone (or Sturgeon, Salmon and Steelhead) report card will not tear. So - since you need to tag your abalone directly, you will need to have some method for cutting the tag and punching a hole into it. (And this license material is tough!)

We've been setting up anglers and ab divers with a small, sharp set of scissors, and have been working hard to keep in stock on the small, waterproof containers which can hold it all. If you take a few minutes to set up the proper type of kit, you won't waste fishing or diving time trying to find a buddy who has sharp scissors or a hole punch!

As a reminder - we have been selected as one of the ALDS centers in the Bay Area, are actively selling the new California Fishing Licenses, and should be able to answer most of your questions regarding licensing. 2011/2012 Hunting Licenses are NOT currently available, but we recommend that you bring your current Hunting License down now if you will be purchasing a hunting license - this will let us input your Hunter Safety Evidence (your current or previous year license, or your actual Hunter Safety Course Card) when we sell you a fishing license. That will speed things up when the deer tags and new hunting licenses are available in a few months.

Carlo Bongio Shad Clinic - May 14th

2011-04-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Do you want to learn the tricks and techniques to catch scads of shad? Then make sure you sign up for Carlo's Shad Clinic on Saturday, May 14th!

"On the Water" Shad Clinic
SATURDAY, May 14th, 2011

The anadromous American Shad is a fly fisher¹s dream. When hooked, shad's aerial displays are reminiscent of a tarpon or steelhead's flight. The shad runs as powerfully as a salmon, and shows a tremendous amount of endurance. Shad hit flies with reckless abandon and attack with such shuddering strikes that you may find them arm-numbing. This day-long clinic will give you the tools you need to effectively pursue and catch this most challenging and
exciting of gamefish on a fly rod.

Clinic Meets in Santa Rosa, Directions supplied upon payment.
Reservations required.
Clinic Fees: $125/person

This clinic requires wading to be most effective. Waders and appropriate
wading equipment is the responsibility of the student. Attendees should
have mastered basic casting techniques & be familiar with basic fly fishing
equipment. For more information, please contact Carlo Bongio the shop (415)
456-5454.

What is Covered in this Clinic:
Wading Techniques - Fly Selection - Reading the Water for Best Results - Casting & Fishing Shooting Heads - Presentation Techniques for Shad (which work well for steelhead too!) Plus - Russian River "Hot Spots"

Recommended Equipment for the Clinic
Required: Valid California Fishing License (available at stores)

8 weight fly rod with fighting butt.
(6 or 7 weight rod acceptable).
Disk-drag reel set up with a shooting head system.
(enough capacity for approximately
150-200 yards of backing,
plus 200' running line & 30' head)
20-30# Backing
Running line
Shooting heads with a sink rate of 2, 3 and 4.

Shad Flies in sizes 6 & 8 (chartruese, red, orange are most popular)

7' tapered leaders in 2x - 3x tippet size

Waders (unless you want to "wet wade")
Wading staff
Polarized sunglasses
Hat
Sunscreen
Food, drinks & necessary snacks

If you have any questions, contact Carlo Bongio at the shop (415) 456-5454.

Salmon Season UPDATE - 3 mile "no fish" zone

2011-04-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

Before you roll out with fleet tomorrow, I wanted to clarify one thing: before you drop your lines in the water, you need to be 3 miles offshore.

This is because the season has been opened at the Federal level, but the State Committee has not met to agree to implement the season. (That meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 4th.)

This won't be a particularly big deal, as the salmon schools and bait are typically further offshore this time of year, but just in case you were thinking about swinging through close to Muir Beach or any other potential spot closer than 3 miles to shore, you cannot legally fish there.

Please feel free to ask any questions when you come by the shop - the tray bait is in and we are also receiving some newer 2.5 and 3 balls, which have a quality coating to prevent rust and provide a less expensive option than standard lead.

See ya on the ocean!

Ocean Salmon Season OPENS SATURDAY!

2011-03-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

Get your line replaced and sharpen those hooks! You can head out onto the ocean this Saturday! Recreational salmon fishing on the California coast will return to normal April 2 following a vote by the California Fish and Game Commission.The commission's unanimous vote permits recreational salmon fishing, starting April 2, in state waters roughly between Cape Mendocino and Point Sur. State waters extend out three miles from shore.

The vote took place as an emergency action in order to coincide with a similar move by the Pacific Fishery Management Council last week that affects federal waters. Had the commission waited until its next regular meeting on April 6, anglers would not have been able to catch salmon in state waters on opening weekend.

We've got new shipments of lures, line and sinkers - all the gear you need to be ready for the earliest opener for the past 4 seasons!

And if you hurry down to the shop, you may still be able to find some great trolling lures at half off - the last of the overstock gear from our Santa Rosa store! Get Ready for SALMON!

For more information -

Link to article in the Sacramento Bee -
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/15/3475574/salmon-fishing-on-coast-restored.html

The Pacific Fishery Management Council website currently seems to be the most up to date (CDFG site information was not updated as of this post).

http://www.pcouncil.org/salmon/current-season-management/

OCEAN SALMON REGULATIONS HOTLINE (707) 576-3429
CDFG - Ocean Salmon Project
475 Aviation Blvd, Suite 130, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Early Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels

2011-03-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

CDFG Informational Notice - Early Quarantine of Sport-Harvested
Mussels Begins

Early Quarantine of Sport-Harvested Mussels Begins Today

Contact: Al Lundeen, Ronald Owens (916) 440-7259, California Department
of Public Health, Sacramento

Coming a month earlier than in normal years, the annual quarantine of
all mussel species publicly harvested along the California coast takes
effect today. The quarantine is beginning early this year because
testing by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) detected
elevated levels of domoic acid and paralytic shellfish poisoning.

³Poisoning from eating mussels can lead to severe illness, including
coma and death,² said CDPH Interim Director Dr. Howard Backer. ³It
is critical that individuals do not consume sport-harvested mussels
because there are no known antidotes to the toxins found in these
mussels and cooking does not reliably eliminate the toxins.²

Both domoic acid poisoning (DAP) and paralytic shellfish poisoning
(PSP) are linked to natural food sources for filter-feeding animals,
including bivalve shellfish. The overwhelming majority of illnesses
among humans occur between spring and fall. DAP symptoms can occur
within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases,
vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness may occur.
These symptoms disappear completely within several days. In severe
cases, the victim may experience excessive bronchial secretions,
difficulty breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular
instability, seizures, and permanent loss of short-term memory, coma and
death. PSP affects the central nervous system by producing a tingling
around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours
after eating toxic shellfish. Typical symptoms are loss of balance, lack
of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In
severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from
asphyxiation can occur.

The mussel quarantine runs through October 31. It applies to
sport-harvested mussels along the coast, including all bays, harbors and
estuaries.

Commercially harvested shellfish are not included in the annual
quarantine. These products are certified by the state and subject to
strict requirements to ensure that all mussels, oysters and clams
entering the marketplace are free of toxins.

For updated information on quarantines and shellfish toxins, call the
CDPH shellfish information line at (800) 553-4133.

New Simms Vest

2011-03-21T15:22:00.001-07:00

New Simms Vest, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

--
sent from some phone

Turkey Seminar Tomorrow - 3/12/11

2011-03-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

Another reminder to get down to the store by 10 am on Saturday for our FREE Turkey calling and techniques seminar this Saturday - Tony Giorgi will be on hand starting at 10 am, and will be available through 1 pm. Don't miss this informative (and FREE) event.

Representatives from the National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF) will also be on hand with membership information. This is a great opportunity to support the organization which supports turkey habitat and access.

For those of you who have not met Tony, he runs Bass 'n Boars, a guide service located in Sonoma county. He's been successfully hunting the wiley gobblers longer than he cares to remember.

So, head on down to the store and get ready for Spring Turkey Season!

Closed Monday, March 14 - Inventory

2011-03-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

Just a quick announcement to let you know that we will be closed for inventory on Monday, March 14th.

Western Sport Shop will be open Sunday, 10-4 as usual and will open again from 10-6 on Tuesday, March 15th.

Sorry for any inconvenience and thanks for your patience!

Turkey Talk: Revised Times/Attendees

2011-03-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

Quick update for those of you planning to attend our FREE Turkey calling and techniques seminar this Saturday - Tony Giorgi will be on hand starting at 10 am, and will be available through 1 pm.

Also, we've confirmed that representatives from the National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF) will be on hand with membership information. This is a great opportunity to support the organization which supports turkey habitat and access.

So - get up an hour earlier than we said - Turkey Seminar this Saturday, 10 am to 1 pm.

See you there!

Time to Talk Turkey!

2011-03-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

Spring is working its way here, and for a rapidly increasing chunk of our customers, that means it's time to talk turkey!

First off - if you haven't done so, stop by Western Sport Shop for the last chance to get great deals on the camouflage clothing you'll need - all camo clothing is still (at least) 40% OFF!

Second - get your chores done today and mark your calendar! This coming Saturday, March 12, we will have turkey calling expert Tony Giorgi at our shop in San Rafael. He'll be on hand from 11 until 2 pm demonstrating calling, talking about strategies and techniques for hunting turkeys, and will be happy to answer your questions. Don't miss this informative (and FREE) event.

For those of you who have not met Tony, he runs Bass 'n Boars, a guide service located in Sonoma county. He's been successfully hunting the wiley gobblers longer than he cares to remember.
Your Upland Bird Stamp Money at work:
The California Department of Fish & Game has published this helpful guideline for turkey hunting. It was produced using funds generated through the sale of the California Up-
land Game Bird Stamp. The Upland Game Bird Stamp must be purchased by every adult
hunter who hunts wild turkey or any upland game bird in California. The funds generated
through the sale of the stamp are dedicated to improving the quality of hunting and to
preserving the heritage of hunting in California.

DFG Turkey Hunting Guide - click to download

Oh - last but not least - here are instructions on what to do if you take a banded turkey.

Tuna Time for Tankersly

2011-03-06T09:13:00.001-08:00

We just love it when we hear stories from customers about great fishing trips!

But, we love it even more when good customers have their trips written up in the newspaper! After getting expertly outfitted by Western Sport Shop staff long-range specialist Richard Birnbaum, avid angler Robert Tankersley had one heck of a fishing trip!

Leaving through Fisherman's Landing in San Diego, Robert ended up with great fishing and landed a 178 pound tuna! Here's the full story (and the reel was taken care of under warranty - truly the first one of those we've seen fail!)

Battle with 178-pound tuna highlghts memorable trip to Clarion Island

For more information about long range trips and blue water fishing, please don't hesitate to drop by and speak with Richard or Ben in the tackle department.

Thoughts on Clothing Designs & Some Serious Bargains

2011-03-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

There are a number of times over the years when I've looked down at what I'm wearing and realized how much nicer things are with well designed and produced clothing.

Earlier this year, when dropping and pulling crab pots on a glorious flat, calm Pacific Ocean, the spray and splash from the pots soaked most of the working area of the boat, and my Grundens bibs shook off the water like a seal. They are a simple piece of gear that do what they need too very well.

I've also ended up with a pretty good selection of Simms base layers, mid layers and outerwear over the years. One of the things that's always impressed me about them is that they combine good tech with design based on feedback from guides, dealers and anglers.

Just this week, our Simms rep passed through town with one of the product designers, who had been out a recent consumer show. We hadn't met before, but quickly got talking about what works and when the new spring stuff would be showing up. There's a lot to be excited about from them, as I was reminded this past week.

I've been fighting a sinus infection, and feeling kind of miserable. But, the dog still has to be walked, and when the rains started coming down a few 100 yards after the start, I threw the hood on my Simms jacket over my head, zipped up, and prepared to be reasonably uncomfortable for the next half hour. Turns out that I was needlessly pessimistic.

The newest jacket I have doesn't really look like rain gear in the strictest sense - it's a soft shell fabric that isn't bulky and moves easily with your body - stretching in the direction you need to move. As the rain intensified, all that happened is that the drops beaded up and fell off of the coating, while I felt warm and dry the whole time. The shape of the new hood was perfect - I didn't have to "turtle" my head out just to make sure no cars were coming at intersections. It just did it's job very well, without a lot of fanfare. And, it works out on the river, as well.

This Would Be Where the Bargains Begin
If you've been down to the shop this past week or so, you'll see we're still busily auditing and making sense of the extra stuff which came down from our Santa Rosa closing. (And you may have seen the 3 pallets and half dozen Browning Safes which showed up 3 weeks early - boy, when it rains it pours!) We've still got a bit of organization to go, but we've found some things which are hard to notice in the confusion, so I'm starting to list them here -

Simms Fleece Vests -
These are good mid layer insulating layers. I'd actually bought a bunch extra for the hunters as well, as these are a good, neutral brown color which won't spook game. Unfortunately, we didn't get them displayed in the hunting department, and no one seemed to notice them. They are a good quality, non-pilling fleece, but are not windproof (no fleece is unless you put a layer such as Gore Windstopper in it to do so). So, this is idea for calmer days, or for more warmth with a windshell or rain jacket. These were $49, but are now only $25.

Gamehide Sherpa Fleece Camo Vests -
These are ruggedly made, camouflage vests. They use a water repellent outer layer, have reinforcing on the shoulders and provide extra warmth with their buffed sherpa fleece insulation. Great for spring turkey season, where a little extra warmth is always appreciated. A couple of staff members feel they came in slightly undersized, so some hunters who are right on the edge of have ended up getting the next size up - trust what fits you, don't worry what the label says. These were $59, now only $30

Camouflage Waders -
It looks like there will be some minor changes to the boot styles of our neoprene and breathable camouflage waders for next fall - this means that everything we have left over needs to go away. Great waders, which work even if you don't need the camouflage. The breathable model has a waterproof front zipper which makes getting in and out super easy. Breathable $189, Neoprene $159 - both styles are now 40% OFF the original price.

Kent FASTEEL Steel Waterfowl Ammunition -
There's nothing wrong with this - I just need to reduce as much as possible before we store it for next season! Come down now for the best selection. Buy a case - take $20 OFF - you won't find a better price than this!

Flyfishing 101 Classes Scheduled

2011-02-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

There is more to successful fly fishing than learning how to cast. This class covers the skills and techniques necessary to get you on the stream and catching fish! Ace teacher and experienced fly fisher Carlo Bongio - who also manages the fly department for us - gives this essential overview of fly fishing, including learning three types of casts, knot tying, presentation techniques, and understanding equipment, trout habitat and entymology (the study of insects -- the natural food of the trout).

During the session, students will have opportunities to both learn and practice techniques. Beginning with a description of the fly fishing equipment and how it is put together into a complete outfit, this class then focuses upon essential fishing knots, the different types of flies and when to use them. Once all students understand the “why” aspect of fishing, coursework moves to casting and controlling line for different conditions and presentations. By the end of the course, budding anglers are ready to concentrate on catching fish. We recommend these sessions rather than casting-only classes for novices.

This class is limited to 6 students and goes from 9 am to approximately 12:30 pm.
Reservations required - contact Carlo at 415-456-5454. (Note - classes generally fill early, so don't delay!) All gear provided. Cost: $95/student.

Saturday, March 5
Saturday, March 26
Saturday, April 2

Waterfowl Season-End Sale!

2011-02-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

The last truckload of gear has finally been unloaded at the mothership in San Rafael*, and we're even through a goodly portion of the totes and boxes which came down. Things are still a bit crazy and disorganized, but we've wrangled stuff around enough to make some sense of things.

One thing we know for sure is that the general waterfowl season ended last weekend, and that means one thing - time for us to clear out the last of the waterfowl shells, gear and equipment. The Annual Waterfowl Season-End Sale starts NOW!

It also means that some of you who didn't have the opportunity to drive north to take advantage of our store closing sale in Santa Rosa have the chance to save big on waterfowl gear. Heck - even if you found a lot of great bargains up there, you are welcome to head on down to San Rafael and save big!

All Steel Shot Waterfowl loads - Buy a Case, take $20 off our already low prices! Save $2/box!
All Camouflage Clothing - 40% OFF! (And make sure to check out the SALE RACKS - save even more on one-of-a-kind and closeout items)
All Camouflage Waders - 40% OFF!
All Duck Calls - 30% OFF!
All Decoys - 20% OFF!
There's also a few SALE tables set up for even more serious savings, a few firearms which have lowered pricing, and new consignment guns in the rack.

*Just in case you missed the news, we closed our Santa Rosa store at the end of January. All credits, gift certificate records and firearms for pickup have been moved to our San Rafael store.

Carlo's Steelhead Wrap Up

2011-01-26T06:35:00.001-08:00

Fly Department manager Carlo Bongio sent over just a few shots from this year's excellent steelhead season

"The first wild steelhead was caught and released from a local tidewater stream in sonoma county. The second photo taken in the boat is a Smith river hatchery Steelhead that was kept for the barbaque. The last photo with the flyrod is a Russian River hatchery Steelhead that was also kept. The point of this post is to make sure that all anglers understand that all wild steelhead in California must be released. You will notice tha large intact adipose fin of the wild steelhead compared to the clipped adipose fin of the hatchery fish. This winter's runs have been fair to good on most rivers on the coast. - Carlo"

Last Day - Santa Rosa Store Closes Today!

2011-01-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

Today will be the final day of the Store Closing Sale in Santa Rosa - 2790 Santa Rosa Avenue. The store will close at 4pm today, Sunday, January 23rd.

I've received a number of calls and emails from people looking for specific items. Honestly, it's been too crazy and busy to be able to confirm in stock items. Several times, we've turned our back on something, only to have a customer swoop in and buy it!

There are still a huge number of items in stock, and even if what you are looking at doesn't have a specific sale price, you still save because we are paying the sales tax!

Yes - after you put together an armload (or truck load) of the best deals on fishing, fly fishing and hunting you can manage - We Pay the Sales Tax!

This absolutely ends today at 4pm - it is the LAST DAY to save this big!

So, don't delay - head down to the Santa Rosa location at 2790 Santa Rosa Avenue right now - bring a friend to help carry out the best possible deals!

*If you have have a rifle or shotgun which is to be picked up and will not be able to make it to the shop before Sunday, we will be on site during the following week for clean up and fixture sales. You will need to coordinate with us for pickup during this time. As of Februray 1, 2010, all firearm pickups and transfers will be available in our San Rafael store at 902 Third Street.

Final Two Days - Santa Rosa Closes Sunday!

2011-01-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

What are you waiting for?

The deals are hot, discounts are deep and there's still a ton of great gear at incredible prices.

Not only that, but after you put together an armload (or truck load) of the best deals on fishing, fly fishing and hunting you can manage - We Pay the Sales Tax!

In other words, today and tomorrow are the last days to save this big!

So, don't delay - head down to the Santa Rosa location at 2790 Santa Rosa Avenue right now - bring a friend to help carry out the best possible deals!

The Santa Rosa store will be closing down at the end of business day Sunday, January 23*.

*If you have have a rifle or shotgun which is to be picked up and will not be able to make it to the shop before Sunday, we will be on site during the following week for clean up and fixture sales. You will need to coordinate with us for pickup during this time. As of Februray 1, 2010, all firearm pickups and transfers will be available in our San Rafael store at 902 Third Street.

Right Now - Final Two Days:

We have gone through our inventory and marked selected items as low as 50-70% OFF the regular price. Any previously discounted fly fishing clothing has been slashed again - as much as 50% off! We will be continuing to slash prices until the doors close on Sunday.

40% OFF all General Tackle - lures, line, weights, swivels, nets and gear
40% OFF all Conventional fishing rods (not fly rods)
40% OFF All Tying Material, hooks, tying vises and accessories
40% OFF All Fly Fishing Accessories
40% OFF All Knives

All Flies ONLY ONE DOLLAR!

20% OFF all Camouflage Clothing (also at San Rafael!)
20% OFF all Federal Centerfire Ammunition - Premium, American Eagle and "Blue Box"
20% OFF all optics (binoculars, scopes, spotting scopes & shooting glasses)
20% OFF all Decoys (also at San Rafael!)
20% OFF all Hunting Waders (also at San Rafael)
15% OFF all Gun Safes and Cabinets
40% OFF all Other Hunting Accessories & Cleaning Supplies

20% OFF all New Books in stock

Great deals can be found in all departments - fly fishing, hunting and regular fishing.

And don't forget the Huge Book Sale going on in our San Rafael store:
All NEW BOOKS - 20% OFF!
All USED BOOKS - 50% OFF!

FIXTURES & DISPLAYS - we will be selling off fixtures, cases, grid wall, slat wall, storage racks, rod racks, clothing hangers and peg hooks from our Santa Rosa location. We also have grid wall and items which we have used at consumer shows over the years which we will be selling off.
If you are interested in fixtures or similar items, please feel free to email editor@westernsportshop.com

Please note - Sale items are strictly limited to stock on hand. Sales items limited to Santa Rosa store only unless specifically stated otherwise. No layaways, "holds" or partial payments on sale items. Credit cards or cash only. All items sold "as-is". No exchanges or returns on sale items.

No Tax Sale Starts Today

2011-01-19T10:16:00.000-08:00

(click for full size)

Find an armload (or truckload!) of the best deals in the store, the great gear we stock, any item in our Santa Rosa store and, starting today, we pay the sales tax!

Starts today, Wednesday January 19 and runs through end of business Sunday, January 23.

Starting today through the end of business on Sunday, January 23rd, we will pay the sales tax on every purchase made at the store. So, find an armful of bargains - tons of items 20-50% off and many items reduced to ridiculously low prices - and great gear throughout the store, and pay not one penny of sales tax!

All the discounts below are in effect right now:

We have gone through our inventory and marked selected items as low as 50-70% OFF the regular price. Any previously discounted fly fishing clothing still in stock has been slashed again - as much as 50% off!

50% OFF all Women's sized waders and wading boots in stock
40% OFF all General Tackle - lures, line, weights, swivels, nets and gear
40% OFF all Conventional fishing rods (not fly rods)
40% OFF All Tying Material, hooks, tying vises and accessories
40% OFF All Fly Fishing Accessories
40% OFF All Knives

All Flies ONLY ONE DOLLAR!

20% OFF all Camouflage Clothing (also at the San Rafael store!)
20% OFF all Federal Centerfire Ammunition - Premium, American Eagle and "Blue Box"
20% OFF all optics (binoculars, scopes, spotting scopes & shooting glasses)
20% OFF all Decoys (also at down at San Rafael!)
20% OFF all Hunting Waders (also at San Rafael)
15% OFF all Gun Safes and Cabinets
40% OFF all Other Hunting Accessories & Cleaning Supplies

20% OFF all New Books in stock

Great deals can be found in all departments - fly fishing, hunting and regular fishing.

And don't forget the Huge Book Sale going on in our San Rafael store:
All NEW BOOKS - 20% OFF!
All USED BOOKS - 50% OFF!

Also - we will be selling off fixtures, cases, grid wall, slat wall, storage racks, rod racks, clothing hangers and peg hooks from our Santa Rosa location. If you are interested in fixtures or similar items, please feel free to email editor@westernsportshop.com

Please note - Sale items are strictly limited to stock on hand. Sales items limited to Santa Rosa store only unless specifically stated otherwise. No layaways or partial payments on sale items. All items sold "as-is". All sales final.

North Coast Heating Up!

2011-01-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of weeks, we've had our heads tucked down, focused on clearing out the inventory in our Santa Rosa store. Luckily, we have staff members and a few customers who have gotten a chance to be out doing what matters - checking conditions on the coastal rivers.

With the lighter rains and warm days of the past week, conditions in some of the quicker-clearing rivers have gotten to be excellent. So, after you drop by the Santa Rosa store this last week of the sale, then you might just spend a little time closer to the coast.

You never know what you might come up with...

Serious Savings in Santa Rosa - Starts NOW!

2011-01-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

click ad for full size

New stuff in stock. The deep discounts start right now.
Selected items are 50-70% off of retail.

We need to seriously reduce inventory, as well as clean out the back room and overstock. Now is the time to come to our Santa Rosa location at 2790 Santa Rosa Ave.

Stock up that tackle box and gear bag:

40% OFF all General Tackle - lures, line, weights, swivels, nets and gear
40% OFF all Conventional fishing rods (not fly rods)
40% OFF All Tying Material, hooks, tying vises and accessories
40% OFF All Fly Fishing Accessories
40% OFF All Knives

All Flies ONLY ONE DOLLAR!

10% OFF our already low prices on all new firearms in stock at our Santa Rosa store

$20 OFF ANY full case (10 boxes) of Steel Waterfowl Ammunition

20% OFF all Camouflage Clothing
20% OFF all Federal Centerfire Ammunition - Premium, American Eagle and "Blue Box"
20% OFF all optics (binoculars, scopes, spotting scopes & shooting glasses), rings and bases
15% OFF all Decoys (also at San Rafael!)
15% OFF all Hunting Waders (also at San Rafael)
15% OFF all Gun Safes and Cabinets

20% OFF all New Books in stock

Great deals can be found in all departments - fly fishing, hunting and regular fishing. As we get more room on the sales floor, we will be adding more items - come on by now for the best selection of hot deals and make sure you come back to see what has been added! New items will be showing up througout the next weeks.

And don't forget the Huge Book Sale going on in our San Rafael store:
All NEW BOOKS - 20% OFF!
All USED BOOKS - 50% OFF!

Also - we will be selling off fixtures, cases, grid wall, slat wall, storage racks, rod racks, clothing hangers and peg hooks from our Santa Rosa location. If you are interested in fixtures or similar items, please feel free to email editor@westernsportshop.com

Please note - Sale items are strictly limited to stock on hand. Sales items limited to Santa Rosa store only unless specifically stated otherwise. No layaways or partial payments on sale items. All items sold "as-is". No exchanges or returns on sale items.

Santa Rosa Sale Continues

2011-01-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

We are still getting quite a few questions about the status of the Santa Rosa store. If you don't subscribe to our email newsletter, you may have missed the official announcement:

We have come to the difficult decision to close our Santa Rosa location. With the general economy idling, it makes sense to focus our resources on the San Rafael store only. We will be closing our Santa Rosa store at the end of January when our lease ends at that location.

Luckily, our most important asset - the knowledgeable anglers and hunters who make up the Western Sport Shop staff - will be joining us in the San Rafael store as we recombine operations in 2011.

My hope is that you will have the opportunity to continue to rely upon us as your hunting, fishing and fly fishing destination.

If you only shop in the San Rafael store, not much will change, except you may notice some new (and old) faces behind the counter in the new year.

For Santa Rosa customers, there are a few things to be aware of:
- All Western Sport Shop Gift Certificates and store credits will be honored at the San Rafael store.
- Any firearm pickups must be made in Santa Rosa before January 24th. Any pickups after that time will take place in the San Rafael store.
- Any warranty issues on items purchased in Santa Rosa can be taken care of through the San Rafael store.

Obviously, we are sad to have to close the Santa Rosa store, but feel that it is best for us overall.

The good news for you is that we need to reduce a good chunk of inventory from the Santa Rosa location. After the rush of Christmas, we have been going through all of our inventory, back room stock and items which - quite literally - we had forgotten we had. It all needs to be reduced, so it is time to act! We are discounting inventory in the Santa Rosa store up to 50% OFF of our regular low price. Great deals can be found in all departments - fly fishing, hunting and regular fishing. As we get more room on the sales floor, we will be adding more items - come on by now for the best selection of hot deals and make sure you come back to see what has been added!

Here are the highlights:

30% OFF all General Tackle
30% OFF All Tying Material
30% OFF All Fly Fishing Accessories
All Flies ONLY ONE DOLLAR!
20% OFF all Federal Centerfire Ammunition - Premium, American Eagle and "Blue Box"
15% OFF all Camouflage Clothing (also at San Rafael!)
15% OFF all Decoys (also at San Rafael!)

Plus, here are a few special deals for the readers of this blog:
20% OFF all optics (binoculars, scopes, spotting scopes & shooting glasses), rings and bases
15% OFF all Hunting Waders
20% OFF all New Books in stock
50% OFF all Used Books in stock

And don't forget the Huge Book Sale going on in our San Rafael store:
All NEW BOOKS - 20% OFF!
All USED BOOKS - 50% OFF!

Please note - Sale items are strictly limited to stock on hand. Sales items limited to Santa Rosa store only unless specifically stated otherwise. No layaways or partial payments on sale items. All items sold "as-is". No exchanges or returns on sale items.

Some Older Photos for the New Year

2011-01-06T11:35:00.001-08:00

San Rafael fly department denizen Doug B. manages to get more than his share of fish. A lifetime of paying attention, listening, learning and fishing will do that for you.

So will trying things that not everyone has thought about... Certainly, everyone has heard about the bonefishing on Christmas Island. But, what do you do when you are laid over in Hawaii waiting for that connecting flight?

The answer, quite clearly, is unlimber that tackle and make some casts into the lagoon across from the airport:

And, yes, Doug did make it to Christmas Island as well.

Santa Rosa Sale UPDATE

2010-12-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

Just in case you didn't see the ad in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat this week - here's a copy:

You can click on it to see the current deals to be found at our Santa Rosa Store Closing Sale. Here are the highlights:

30% OFF all General Tackle, All Tying Material, All Fly Fishing Accessories
All Flies ONLY ONE DOLLAR!
20% OFF all Federal Centerfire Ammunition - Premium, American Eagle, "Blue Box"
15% OFF all Camouflage Clothing (also at San Rafael)
15% OFF all Decoys (also at San Rafael)

Plus, here are a few special deals for the readers of this blog:
20% OFF all optics (binoculars, scopes, spotting scopes & shooting glasses), rings and bases
15% OFF all Hunting Waders
20% OFF all New Books in stock
50% OFF all Used Books in stock

Please note - Sale items are strictly limited to stock on hand. Sales items limited to Santa Rosa store only unless specifically stated otherwise. No layaways or partial payments on sale items. All items sold "as-is". No exchanges or returns on sale items.

Carlo Hauls Up a Hawg

2010-12-28T12:09:00.001-08:00

Here's an update to Carlo Bongio and Jerry Warren's trip to Eagle Canyon Lakes - a couple of photos of Carlo landing an impressive trout -

At this point, we are looking to do a stillwater clinic at Eagle Canyon Lakes in either late February or March. If you are interested, please call Carlo at the Santa Rosa store 707-542-4432, or email customerservice@westernsportshop.com

Jerry and Carlo's Trip North

2010-12-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

Not to be outdone by the salmon and steelhead contingent, Western Sport Shop staff members Jerry Warren and Carlo Bongio headed north to evaluate conditions at one of the more amazing fisheries we've heard of - the Trophy Trout Lake at Eagle Canyon. We've rarely seen Carlo and Jerry actually worn out by a day of catching trout, but when we saw the photos, we understood why -

Just to be clear, Jerry is holding a TROUT!

This lake can be fished either from the bank or via a float tube. It is open through the winter and closes for the summer at the beginning of April. This unique, spring-fed fishery has some of the most monster fish we've ever seen.

Right now, Carlo is working to set a date for a "Monster Trout" clinic - check back here for updates as soon as we firm up the specifics. In the meantime, here is another of the many fish they caught:

Front & Back View of Redington Delta Fly Reel

2010-12-20T09:40:00.001-08:00

Front & Back View of Redington Delta Fly Reel, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Just one more quick image to show the nicely oversized drag knob and excellent inletting on the frame to reduce weight.
--

New Redington Delta Series Fly Reels

2010-12-20T09:38:00.001-08:00

New Redington Delta Series Fly Reels, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Now in stock! We've been waiting for these lightweight, large arbor, disc drag reels since they were announced a few months back. These worthy replacements for the CD-L series are an exceptional value in saltwater reels. Perfect for the bay and delta!

2011 Fishing License Update - New System!

2010-12-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

The new 2011 California Fishing Licenses are now available for sale in both of our stores. With the new license year comes a big change - fishing and hunting licenses are now issued using a computerized system. This is a project which has been developed over the past few years, and it is now in effect for California.

The beauty of the system is that once your information has been entered, we won't have to re-enter your info when you come back to get a steelhead report card, or come in to purchase your hunting license (though hunter safety evidence is still required).

We've had the terminals in place since last week, and have been shaking the bugs out of the system while getting our staff trained on the new method. While it actually simplifies a lot of the paperwork and makes things more efficient, there are a few things you should know about before you head down to purchase a license.

If you are buying a license for yourself, it's simple: just bring in your California Driver's License or Identification Card. We can swipe the magnetic strip and transfer your information into the DFG database, then issue the license. If you don't have a California Driver's License or ID card, you can bring down a passport, green card, birth certificate or other form of photo identification.

If you are buying a license for someone else: You will need to know the name, birthday and driver's license/ID number for that person, in addition to address and personal information (height, weight, eye and hair color). We can not issue a license without full identifying information.

If you don't have that information, there is another option - you can purchase a "Voucher" for a 2011 Resident Sport Fishing License. This is a "prepaid" Voucher which lets them go into any California License Agent and redeem it for a 2011 Resident Sport Fishing License. (Vouchers are transferable, so if you receive two Vouchers, a friend or relative could redeem it for their license.)

Please Note - the Voucher is not a valid fishing license. If you are caught fishing with a Voucher rather than a license, you will be cited. Vouchers may not be redeemed for anything other than a 2011 California Resident Sport Fishing License.

License sales actually take a little less time than previously, but because we now must complete the information through the DFG-issued terminals, there will be times when people are waiting their turn. We appreciate your patience on this, and encourage you to head down to the stores at less busy times to obtain your California Licenses.

Please note:
California Hunting and Fishing licenses and Vouchers are non-refundable. Any claim for refund due to duplication or incorrect purchase of licenses must be made through the Department of Fish and Game License Branch in Sacramento.

Tom's Trip North

2010-12-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

Western Sport Shop Operations Manager Tom N. headed up to the Smith river a week ago, and between the recent storms managed to get three nice salmon - The only day they could fish was Sunday due to rain and high water.

Here, Tom shows off the the 28 pounder he landed:

His friend and fishing partner Kenny landed the big fish of the day - a fresh 35 pounder!

Beautiful bright fish in cold and challenging conditions!

Your Squid Update - Commercial Season to Close 12/17

2010-12-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

Commercial Market Squid Fishery to Close December 17

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will close the commercial fishery
for market squid, Loligo (Doryteuthis) opalescens, Friday, Dec. 17 at
noon.

Based on landings information and projections, DFG biologists expect
that by Dec.17, the seasons harvest limit of 118,000 short tons of
market squid will be reached. The squid fishing season runs from April
through the following March of each year, which means the fishery will
now remain closed through March 31, 2011. This is the first time that
the harvest limit has been reached since it was implemented by the Fish
and Game Commission in 2002.

"We have had a banner year for market squid this year," said Dale
Sweetnam, a DFG senior marine biologist who oversees the commercial
market squid fishery. "In California, we have had squid landings from La
Jolla to Half Moon Bay and reports that market squid are abundant off
many of the offshore banks, the Channel Islands, as well as off Baja
California. The colder than normal water conditions we have observed
since February have provided optimal conditions for squid spawning."

The presence of market squid is strongly correlated with environmental
factors, such as water temperature and nutrient availability. In warm
water years and during El Niño conditions, squid become scarce and
landings decline. However, when water temperatures cool, even after
severe warm water events, market squid numbers can rebound quickly and
dramatically.

DFG, with assistance from squid fishermen and seafood processors, has
been tracking catches daily this fall in anticipation of reaching the
harvest limit, which was established to ensure the squid fishery does
not expand beyond levels experienced in the 1990s. "The wetfish industry
and California Wetfish Producers Association are very pleased to partner
with DFG to ensure a sustainable market squid resource and fishery,"
said California Wetfish Producers Association Executive Director Diane
Pleschner-Steele.

Market squid is by far California's largest and most valuable
commercial fishery. In 2009, just over 100,000 tons was landed with an
ex-vessel value of $56.5 million. California market squid is used
domestically for food - often identified as calamari in restaurants -
and is an important international commodity. Last year, California fish
businesses exported market squid to 36 countries with China being the
leading importer of California market squid.

The harvest limit is one of many provisions governing the squid
fishery, which has been managed under the states Market Squid Fishery
Management Plan (MSFMP) since 2005. The goals of the MSFMP are to ensure
long term conservation and sustainability of the market squid resource,
reduce the potential for overfishing and provide a framework for
management. In addition to the harvest limit, weekend closures were
implemented to allow for periods of uninterrupted spawning each week.

The MSFMP was developed under the provisions set forth by California's
Marine Life Management Act (MLMA), which became law in 1999. The MLMA
created state policies, goals and objectives to govern the conservation,
sustainable use and restoration of California's living marine resources,
including squid.

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

Contacts:
Dale Sweetnam, DFG Marine Region,(858) 546-7170
Marci Yaremko, DFG Marine Region,(858) 442-3004
Jordan Traverso, DFG Communications,(916) 654-9937

New 2011-2012 Groundfish Regulations Delayed

2010-12-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

New 2011-2012 Groundfish Regulations Delayed

The California groundfish regulations for 2011-12 recently adopted by the
Fish and Game Commission will not be ready for implementation on Jan. 1,
2011 as planned. These regulations conform to federal regulations adopted by
the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC). However, due to procedural
difficulties encountered within the federal rule making process, the 2010
regulations will remain in place until further notice.

"We are working closely with our federal fishery management partners to
establish an implementation date," said Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
Marine Region Manager Marija Vojkovich. "We will announce the effective date
for the new regulations as soon as it has been established. Until then, we
ask that fishermen continue to follow the 2010 rules."

The new California regulations were developed in collaboration with fishery
constituents, other Pacific states, PFMC and the National Marine Fisheries
Service over the past 18 months.

Anglers are advised to check regulations before targeting federally managed
groundfish, as the proposed 2011-12 changes included modifications to
fishing seasons, harvest limits, bag limits, species compositions, trip
limits, fishing depths and gear constraints for rockfish, lingcod, cabezon,
greenlings, California scorpionfish (sculpin) and other species.

The 2010 recreational and commercial groundfish regulations are available at
the DFG website at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfishcentral or recreational
anglers can call the Recreational Groundfish Hotline at (831) 649-2801. The
delay mainly affects the recreational groundfish fishery.

The public can still comment on the proposed federal groundfish regulation
changes on or before Jan. 4, 2011. Instructions for submitting public
comments can be found at
http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Publications/FR-Notices/2010/loader.cfm?csModule=sec
urity/getfile&pageid=48404 (this page may be slow to load). The proposed
recreational changes can be found on pages 67894 through 67896.

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

Contacts:
Deb Wilson-Vandenberg, DFG Marine Region, (831) 649-2892
Jayna Schaaf-Da Silva, Marine Region, (831) 649-7196
Jordan Traverso, DFG Communications, (916) 654-9937

Doug's Trip North

2010-11-07T23:59:00.001-08:00

Doug's Trip North, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

--
sent from some phone

Carlo Bongio Fly Tying Video

2010-08-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

Even with the Big Fall Sale happening this week, our fishing and fly departments continue to be busy with folks enjoying the lengthy summer fishing season this year. As we look towards fall, Santa Rosa Fly Department Manager Carlo Bongio is beginning to set his schedule for fly tying classes (and other "On The Water" clinics as well!)

Recently, a video crew from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat caught up with Carlo and put together this excellent video -

If you are interested in signing up for Carlo's next class, give him a call at our Santa Rosa store - 707-542-4432. Thanks for watching!

UPDATE! 2010/2011 Waterfowl Regulations

2010-08-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

Hot off the, uh.... pixels on my screen... courtesy of the fine folks over at California Waterfowl Association

2010/11 WATERFOWL REGULATIONS BY ZONE

This information is provided to you as a general guide only. Please refer to
the California Department of Fish and Game website or other materials for
official information. We cannot be responsible for any typos or changes in the listed information.

REGULATION HIGHLIGHTS FOR ALL ZONES:
**The duck season is > 100 days, and the bag limit 7 birds/day in all zones.
**Pintail bag is 2 birds/day (either sex) for the entire season.
**Mallard bag will 7 birds/day, and two may be hens.
**Canvasback bag is 1 bird/day for the entire season.
**Scaup bag is 3 birds/day, and the season will be 86 days.
**"Electronic" Spinning wing decoys will be allowed from December 1 until
the season ends (statewide).

BALANCE OF STATE ZONE
Seasons:
Ducks and Geese: 100 Day Straight Season (scaup during last 86 days only)
October 23, 2010 through January 30, 2011.
Brant Special Management Areas:
Northcoast Brant (Humboldt Bay) November 7, 2010 through December 6, 2010.
Southcoast Brant (Tomales and Morro Bay), November 13, 2010 through December 12, 2010; 2 per day, 4 possession.
Special Youth Hunt Days: February 5 and February 6, 2011
Early Resident Canada Goose Season: October 2, 2010 through October 6, 2010
(Except in the North Coast Special Management Area)

Limits:
Ducks: Daily bag limit: 7.
Daily bag limit may contain 7 mallards of which only 2 can be female; 2 pintail; 1 canvasback; 2 redheads; 3 scaup.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.
Geese: Daily bag limit: 8.
Daily bag limit may contain 8 geese of which only 6 can be dark geese. Bag may include up to 6 large Canada geese; 6 small Canada geese, 6 white geese; 4 white fronts.
Early Resident Canada Goose Season: 6 Canada geese
Sacramento Valley Special Management Area: No more than 2 white fronts may
be taken only from October 23, 2010 until December 14, 2010.
For more information on the Sacramento Valley (West) Special Management Area limits and
boundaries, please refer to the Fish and Game Waterfowl Regulation Booklet.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.

NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA ZONE
Seasons:
Ducks: 105 Day Straight Season (scaup during first 86 days only)
October 9, 2010 through January 21, 2011
Geese: 100 Day Straight Season
October 9, 2010 through January 16, 2011
Special Youth Hunt Days: September 25 and 26, 2010

Limits:
Ducks: Daily bag limit: 7.
Daily bag limit may contain 7 mallards, of which only 2 can be female; 2 pintail; 1 canvasback; 2 redheads; 3 scaup.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.
Geese: Daily bag limit: 8.
Daily bag limit may contain 8 geese of which only 6 may be dark geese. Only 1 may be a small Canada goose (Aleutian or cackling) and only 2 may be large Canada geese; 6 white geese; 4 white fronts.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.

SOUTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ZONE
Seasons:
Ducks: 102 days split Season (scaup during last 79 days only)
October 9, 2010 through October 31, 2010 and November 13, 2010 through
January 30, 2011
Geese: 100 Day Straight Season
October 23, 2010 through January 30, 2011
Special Youth Hunt Days: February 5 and February 6, 2011

Limits:
Ducks: Daily bag limit: 7.
Daily bag limit may contain 7 mallards, of which only 2 can be female; 2 pintail; 1 canvasback; 2 redheads; 3 scaup.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.
Geese: Daily bag limit: 8.
Daily bag limit may contain 8 geese, of which only 6 may be dark geese, and include up to 6 large Canada geese; 6 small Canada geese; 6 white geese; 4 white fronts.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ZONE
Seasons:
Ducks and Geese: 100 Day Straight Season (scaup during last 86 days only)
October 23, 2010 through January 30, 2011
Special Youth Hunt Days: February 5 and February 6, 2011

Limits:
Ducks: Daily bag limit: 7.
Daily bag limit may contain 7 mallards, of which only 2 can be female; 2 pintail; 1 canvasback; 2 redheads; 3 scaup.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.
Geese: Daily bag limit: 8.
Daily bag limit may contain 8 geese, of which only 6 may be white geese and 3 may be dark geese.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.

COLORADO RIVER ZONE
Seasons:
Ducks and Geese: 101 Day Straight Season (scaup during last 86 days only)
October 22, 2010 through January 30, 2011
Special Youth Hunt Days: February 5 and February 6, 2011

Limits:
Ducks: Daily bag limit: 7.
Daily bag limit may contain 7 mallards, but not more than 2 female mallards or Mexican-like ducks; 2 pintail (either sex); 1 canvasback; 2 redheads; 3 scaup.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.
Geese: Daily bag limit: 6.
Daily bag limits may contain 6 white geese and up to 3 may be dark geese.
Possession limit: Double the daily bag limit.

To check out the Waterfowl Zone Map, click here>>

For more information, visit California Department of Fish & Game website by clicking here>>

Countdown to the Fall Super Sale! - Starts 8/27!

2010-08-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you've come by the stores recently, I'd like to apologize if you were

blocked by large trucks dropping off huge quantities of decoys, steel shot, waders,
fall camouflage clothing or any of the other orders which arrived in the past few
weeks. We've been organizing like mad, trying to get ready for the Western
Sport Shop Annual Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale!

The logistics of such a big sale are usually enough to keep us kind of crazy
through August, but when you combine a sudden ocean salmon bite, a continued
surge of freshwater action in the local lakes, and eager anglers getting set
up for our annual San Diego long range trip, it's been an utter madhouse
recently.

Of course, we enjoy seeing everyone so excited about getting out into the
outdoors, and like to take the time to set you up right - it's been
especially fun to see all the families coming in for kids' "first rod & reel" setup.

Now, the one thing I want to make sure is that you take a moment and mark
your calendar, update your smartphone or make a quick entry to your online
calendar -
Because the biggest sale with the lowest prices of the season is scheduled
to start on Friday, August 27th in both stores!

(And, if this is news to you, the first word always goes out in our email newsletter, which you can sign up for right on our main website)

This is the event where our waterfowl enthusiasts - the folks who have been
asking about this season pretty much since the end of last season - and
upland specialists descend upon the store to get the best deals on steel shot, camo
clothing, decoys and more - pretty much everything that will be important
for you this season!

However, as most anglers know, this is also the time when we move out
anything that's overstocked in the fishing or fly departments as well - there will be
great deals in every department! That's why we say this sale is not to be
missed.

Of course, you don't have to wait until then to find some cool new stuff and
some great deals - In fact, if you are a fly fishing enthusiast, we recently got the word that the Sage VT2 and TXL series fly rods will be discontinued for the upcoming year.

So, effective - wait for it.......right..... NOW!

Any of those rods still in stock are 30% off the regular price.

We've also been piling up some tackle items on our sale tables, so make sure you visit the stores right now for the best selection on great lures and gear that may be a little shopworn, slightly changed for the new year, or just something we can't get any longer.

See you at the sale - Starting Friday, August 27th!

Another New Curado - The 50E!

2010-08-17T16:06:00.001-07:00

It's always fun this time of year - the big dealer tackle show - iCast - actually takes place in July, so we get a chance to see what's in the pipe for next season (typically just as we're in the middle of our busiest part of the current season - go figure!) Sometimes we get to see prototypes that never ship, or when they do bear no relation to what gets shown.

But, Shimano always gets points for having stuff ready to roll!

In this case, when we heard about the Curado 50E, we got a bit excited. It's a low-profile levelwind reel in the venerable Curado series (we took the 300 DSV on our long-range San Diego trip and landed some impressive fish on that reel!)

The Curado series has been missing a smaller sized reel in the lineup, and when we saw this one, we were happy that they waited and did it right. In addition to the obvious use for largemouth bass, it looks like it will be a perfect size for kokanee - the oversized handle and super-smooth drag system are ideal. Matching it up with an ultralight action kokanee rod would be a perfect combo!

The Shimano Curado 50E is now in stock in both stores - check it out!

New Shimano Curado 50E, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Mark Your Calendars! - The Western Sport Shop Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale starts next Friday, August 27th - Best Prices of the Season on ammo, camo, decoys and more - plus hot end-of-season deals in all departments!

A Choppy Little Monday

2010-08-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

It started a bit choppy as we headed out the gate today, but we throttled back and eased our way up to Duxbury buoy to see if we could continue our string of success with the salmon. Only a few party boats and a handful of private boats toughed their way through the waves, and we all rocked and rolled, tangled lines, and tried to convince ourselves this was a good idea.

As it turned out (and isn't this the case with all fish stories?) it was well worth the effort. Luckily, we were holding an ace - this time in the form of Tom - the Western Sport Shop Operations Manager! Just as we were turning for another run, Tom hooked into a nice king salmon, which made four strong runs (in addition to sometimes seeming like he was above deck level, thanks to the waves). He played it expertly, and we boated our lone fish for the day. (Released a silver salmon boatside a bit later.)

The skies cleared and it was a beautiful day on the water - though as any salmon angler knows, when the skies turn blue, that usually means a bit more wind. This was actually in the more sheltered bits, as we took a long troll down past Slide Ranch.

Once we were safely inside the bay again, we slowed down so Tom could show off his fish. He caught this one on some of the gorgeous frozen tray anchovey we have been enjoying of late - rigged on a Krippled Anchovie rig, behind a small chartreuse flasher.

We also graphed a number of fish hanging off of California City at the top of the high tide, but didn't spend more than a few minutes dragging a line through them.

Flies In The Surf

2010-08-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

Wow! Between getting ready for our Huge Fall Sale on August 27th and playing hooky and going fishing myself, I managed to get a bit behind in posting photos!

One of the great things about running Western Sport Shop is that we get to meet really talented anglers. Occasionally, we get lucky enough to have one work for us! Those of you who have been in the fly department in San Rafael have probably met Loren, who has worked for us the last couple summers. When Loren isn't answering questions or helping get folks rigged up right, he manages to do better than most folks when flyfishing the surf. Here are just a few photos we've seen of his adventures -

White Sea Bass off Marin!

2010-08-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Within a few minutes of that last post, I got an email asking "What White Seabass?"

Realized that I never posted the photos from two weeks ago - General Manager Tom and his son Wes had joined us on the boat. After boating a nice, football-shaped king salmon, Big Jim lost an entire rig to an unseen fish that stayed deep and very "un-salmon-like".

A while later, Wes pulled up on a "big salmon" which went crazy-deep, wrapped up two other lines and turned out to be 45 inch white sea bass!

We've been hearing reports of other anglers coming up with these fish, which are a bit more common down off Monterey. This one took a larger hoochie rig - which seems to be the lure of choice for these monsters. Way to go, Wes!

Thursday's Salmon

2010-08-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

Got out Thursday and worked Duxbury most of the morning, ending up with three very nice salmon. This one was the largest of the bunch.

We've finally gotten some high-quality frozen tray anchovies, which accounted for 2 of the 3 fish - our trick for the day was to use Krippled Anchovie rigs, which are perfectly sized for these somewhat smaller baits. The other fish bit on a large Apex with anchovy gel.

After waiting for two-plus years, it's been great to finally run for salmon again! Didn't hear of any more white seabass being caught while we were out, but many boats where pulling Ling cod nearby.

2011 Shimano Reel Model Update - Curado 300EJ

2010-08-10T16:59:00.001-07:00

08-10-10_1656.jpg, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Hot levelwind. Now in san rafael! Curado 300ej!

Fishing is Hot and Heating Up!

2010-07-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

Starting with salmon, after a month of "fits and starts" both the ocean and the salmon are becoming more reliable with reports from party boats and private boaters of a fish and a half per rod on kings and (sadly) more then guys care to count on silvers/coho.

I spoke with one private boater who claimed to have caught and released 40-50 silvers between him self and two other skiffs. That said, I can't emphasize enough the importance of shaking those silvers off the hook without boating the fish as they have a notoriously poor ability to coagulate their blood which causes them to bleed out like hemophiliacs, even if they appear to swim off unscathed. That said, the top baits are 5.5" apex lures in "police car", and "watermelon", green R.S.K.s and clear F.B.R.s both baited with green or red size herring. Most action seems to be centered around dux and the N buoy.

Halibut has been a little tricky this year however in the last two weeks several reports spoke of 1-2 fish a rod in the 10-20lb range drifting live bait and a handfull of giant pacific halibut in the 30-50lb range that have wandered into the bay. Best spots are Red Rock, Berkeley Flats, Chevron Tanker Turn Around near the off loading pipes, the Marin Islands, and Crissy field.

Salmon and Halibut are great and very tasty, but the thing that gets me SUPER PUMPED is the striped bass action. Most creeks and sloughs in Marin and Petaluma are holding great numbers of 4-10 lb bass. Places like Corte Madera Creek, the San Rafael Canal, Richardson Bay, and around the Richmond-San Rafael bridge are kicking out great numbers on 4" swimbaits, hair raisers, Rat-L-Traps, and Yozuri Crystal Minnows. I use freshwater bass tackle on these guys, and I love it.

The big boys (those stripers which have moved out into saltwater, feeding voraciously and reaching 25-45 lbs) are on the beaches, Fort Point, Elephant Rock, and Crissy Field, and demand real striper tackle - surf rods, 50-65lb braid, big Pencil Poppers, serious iron like 2-4oz Kastmasters or Hopkins. Here in Marin, look to Stinson Beach where they have already stuck a dozen fish in the 25-35lb class, or Muir Beach, where perch anglers find themselve alone and unable to keep the big stripers off their rigs.

The weather is looking pretty good for this weekend, so get out and enjoy!

It's Summer in the Hunting Department

2010-07-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

If you didn't put in for deer or other tag draw, it's certainly time for a new 2010/2011 Hunting License. (As always, you need to bring a previous year's license or other Hunter Safety evidence.) A-Zone will be here before you know it.

There's a few new things to consider if you will be hunting within California - be sure to stop by and pick up the new 2010-2011 regs read up on the non-lead ammo bill (# AB 821 Ridley-Tree Preservation Act, page 3 of regs.)

This is a key time to go through your gear and remember all those things you weren't gonna forget - I know that I need to bring in my rifle that got bumped around and get it bore-sighted, plus I thought I had more than half a box of 3+ year-old ammo -- that's not enough since I'm going out of state.

Right now, we are in good stock on most key loads of hunting ammunition. Some of the less common calibers (like 300 Savage) have been impossible to get, but we've been grabbing the most popular loads whenever they come available. Again - don't wait for the last minute!

When I went through things, I found my pack saw, checked my gambrel and pulley assembly, but it's time to replace my gear bag - too many holes - for waterfowl season (don't forget the CWA Pig Feed on July 11th, and the new DU Dinner later this month in Petaluma!) I'm gonig to check my JJ Lares calls to make sure I've got extra reeds - the waterfowl season is only 16 weeks away!

Of course, we'll be having our big Fall Shooting Sports Super Sale in August - but in the meantime, it's time to clean everything up and figure out what needs fixing and upgrading.

This is a great time to get your dog out and start working them in preparation for the fall season - we've got the higher quality dummies which you can't find at the big pet stores.

A few other things:

The California Department of Fish and Game has updated their website to allow hunters to check the status of their draw results -
https://biggame.dfg.ca.gov/biggame/

Condor Habitat Zone information -
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor/

Carlo's Fly Fishing Update

2010-06-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

Well, we needed rain and we got it! That made our steelhead season a short-lived one, and all this late season snow runoff has made both shad fishing and early trout season a tough one for fly fishing.

But, now things are shaping up to be a great mid- to late-season for trout fishing throughout the state. Small creeks in the Sierra are producing well now. Backpackers should now be able to start fishing most of the High Sierra lakes in the next few weeks. Smart anglers have been picking up some of the new 3 weight 4 pc rods from Sage (the Flight Series has a 7' which is perfect for this) or the Redington CT series (Redington also makes a new 6-piece 3 weight 8' rod which is proving popular, too).

Speaking of backpacking, the other multi-piece rod which is a staff favorite is the Echo Trip - another 6 piece rod with the light action for all-around backpacking travel.

Want to catch a Golden Trout this summer? How about catching one and not have to hike? Drop by or call me at the Santa Rosa shop (707-542-4432) and I'll tell you just where this is possible!

This Saturday! Long Range / Reel Repair Seminars

2010-06-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

Get your chores done early, because you don't want to miss the free Long Range Fishing and Reel Repair Seminars taking place this Saturday, June 26th at our San Rafael store. Whether you are already signed up for our September Shogun 5 Day Fishing Trip out of San Diego, or just have a curiosity about this wide-open saltwater fishing, drop on by and learn from the experts!

The Long Range Fishing Seminar will be led by Charter Master (and Western Sport Shop staff member) Richard Birnbaum. Starting at 1 pm, Richard will go over the schedule of the 5 Day Trip, talk about the types of techniques which will be used and the tackle needed, as well as the sheer fun of fishing for hard running fish. Then Jeff Burroughs, author of Long Range Sportfishing San Diego Style will go over some more of the necessary techniques, and the excitement of this high velocity fishery! Jeff will also be able to sign copies of his book.

In addition to that, there will be a fundraising raffle for the Friends of Rollo Fund. The Shogun has graciously donated several gift certificates, good towards payment of trip fees or for on-the-dock fish processing. It's a nice way to help a great cause and maybe even save a few bucks on the trip!

To start the day off, renowned reel repair and tuning expert Alan Tani will be leading one of his Hands-On Reel Repair Seminars. Starting at 9:30 am, Alan will be set up with several workstations and tool sets, willing to help you dig into your conventional style reel (sorry - no spinning reels at this seminar!) to get it cleaned out, tuned up and ready for the hot summer fishing season.

This popular clinic demystifies the inner workings of your reels, lets you get a better sense of how to care for them, and gives you the confidence to dig in and fix something yourself.

(Please note, you may bring more than one reel to work on during the seminar, but may be asked to rotate with others to allow everyone a chance to learn the inner workings of their reels.)

Again -
This Saturday - San Rafael

Alan Tani Hands-On Reel Repair Seminar - 9:30 am - 3 pm

Long Range Fishing Seminar with Richard Birnbaum and author Jeff Burroughs - 1 pm

San Diego / Long-Range Fishing Seminar Set - 6/26!

2010-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

If you have ever wondered about the crazed, big-fish action that takes place on our September Shogun 5-Day trip out of San Diego, don't miss our San Diego/Long-Range seminar which takes place at the San Rafael store on Saturday, June 26th!

This free seminar features sessions on the various tackle and techniques used on the boat, as well as an overview of this wide-open fishing style. Learn from the experts and bring all of your questions along.

Look for an update with more information before the event, or call Richard at our San Rafael stores (on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) - 415-456-5454. Just make sure you mark your calendar for the 26th.

G. Loomis Trout Series Rods in San Rafael

2010-06-04T09:00:00.001-07:00

G. Loomis Trout Rods, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

It takes a lot for a new trout rod to stand out of the crowd, and for every ten new rods we see, there might be one which catches our attention. The G. Loomis Trout series is that one. If you are looking for a superlight, light action spinning rod for trout, this is a pretty amazing piece of gear.

According to G. Loomis, they've designed these rods are made with one objective in mind... to help serious trout anglers become more successful and enjoy their time on the water with the lightest, most sensitive rods available. The "fiber blend" models feature a combination of regular cork and composite cork for a new, unique looking rear grip with up-locking reel seats and Fuji, single-foot Alconite guides. Reviewers have stated, "These rods are like fishing with a feather!" Varying in power from ultra-light to light, rated from 1-pound test line up to 8-pound, they are surprisingly strong. You'll want to take one these rods along for all your fishing adventures.

We're stocking the most effective sizes for our areas, and everyone was seriously blown away by the kokanee rod. If you are serious about your trout fishing, take a moment to drop into the San Rafael store and check out these rods.

Shimano Voltaeus Goodies! Free with Rod Purchase!

2010-06-03T15:47:00.001-07:00

Goodies You Can Get, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

We recently received our batch of Shimano Voltaeus rods - a new series from Shimano that has us all pretty impressed. These combine a rugged rod with lightweight materials, resulting in good sensitivity and control.

The cool thing is that in order to kick off things with this new series, Shimano sent us a box of Voltaeus goodies to throw in on each new rod purchase! So, when you buy a Voltaeus rod (not the rod/reel combo - there's already a coupon for a free computer game that comes with those!), you get a Shimano Voltaeus hat, sticker and sunglass keeper.

Strictly limited to what we have on hand - come on down to either store and check out the Voltaeus!

Used Book Sale Starts NOW!

2010-05-28T17:12:00.003-07:00

20% OFF All Used Books!, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

For our San Rafael store customers, this weekend is the kickoff of the Big Summer Reading Used Book Sale! All used books in stock are now 20% off the marked price. This is a great opportunity to pick up a good chunk of fly tying reference books, fishing "how-to's" or great stories afield.

Come on down now for the best selection!

Used Books on the Shelf, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Hand & Sun Protection

2010-05-20T15:19:00.001-07:00

New Sun-reflecting, fish-fighting gloves from Buff, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Buff has made some excellent protective headgear for a few years now. We brought it in a go0d assortment last year, and it more than took off in popularity with anglers who spend a fair amount of time out in the sun.

The basic Buff Headwear is a simple tube, which can be worn in about a dozen ways without even thinking about it. We stock two models in a couple dozen patterns and styles - the "UV Buff" which is made with Coolmax Exteme fabric - a four-channel fiber forms a transport system that pulls moisture away from the skin to outer layers of the fabric, and it dries faster than any other fabric, thermoregulating the body - which blocks somewhere around 95% of the UV rays.

This is important for someone who spends any time around the water - where sunblock gets washed off pretty easily. With the Buff, it's easy and comfortable to wear it loosely around the neck at the start of the day, then pull it up to cover your ears or even the crown of your head as the sun rises. Easy and comfortable means you are likely to use it.

Of course, the sharp-eyed among you realize the above photo shows a pair of gloves - specifically the Buff Fighting Work Gloves. These were announced last fall, and we've been excited to get our shipment -

(excuse the press release, but they say it better than I could)

Buff Fighting Work Gloves

The Buff® Pro-Series Fighting Work Gloves...the best all purpose fishing glove! It will provide you multipurpose fish handling, light wiring and leadering, grabbing large catches or bills, as well as removing hooks. Pole grip palm makes it ideal for poling and paddling

Features & Benefits:

UPF 50+. Breathable, moisture wicking, 2-way Comfort Stretch for lateral movement.
Anatomical Thumb and wipe patch.
Adjustable hook and loop closure.
Full finger for protection.
Fingertip pulls.
3 fingertip cut for dexterity.
Ergonomically stitched palm and fingers for natural, curved hand position which then reduces fatigue.
Durable Japanese aquatic synthetic suede. Will hold up to wet conditions and dries quickly.
Reinforced palm overlay and unique design which reduces bunching.
Flex Tech^™ adjustable cuff for mobility.

Now, we've also received the Buff Angler Gloves, which are a little lighter weight -

(more press release to follow...)

Buff Angler Glove

Pro-Series Angler Gloves, you'll never fish without them again. Every detail thoughtfully engineered for dexterity, comfort and the ultimate in Ultra Violet protection.

Ultraviolet Protection Factor(UPF):

Features & Benefits:

UPF 50+. Breathable, moisture wicking, 2-way Comfort Stretch for lateral movement.
Anatomical Thumb.
Extended cuff for UV Protection of wrist area.
Finger tip pulls makes it easier to pull off after use.
Fingertip cut for dexterity
Stripping guard-stitched with Dupont^® for added strength.
Accordion Finger Grip-Provides better grip and less hand fatigue which means better performance
Diamond Grip™ Palm by Clarino™-Each individual diamond cut provides suction power and extra grip for wet and dry conditions.
Ergonomically shaped palm/fingers-Designed and engineered for natural hand curve position which reduces bunching.
Durable Japanese aquatic synthetic suede-Will hold up to wet conditions better and dries quickly.

Both of these gloves provide 50+ UPF protection, are comfortable to wear all day and most importantly, give some protection to the easily sun-scorched hands - check them out in both stores this weekend!

Austin's Nice Bass

2010-05-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

San Rafael Customer Austin checks in with a fine looking bass he caught in a Marin lake - as he puts it, "Looking forward to more this weekend..."

So, what are you doing reading this on a Saturday? Get out and get fishing!

Goofy Weather, and What To Do About It

2010-05-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

Well it's May already, but if you put a blind fold on me, spun me around and then took it off, I would have no idea what time of year it was. Is this spring? Is it winter? How about summer?
And if you think we're confused I can assure the fish are too.

It seems like every week we get good weather with any kind of regularity, Boom! we get a cold front. I mean it's just about the middle of May, and the bass spawn isn't even half over in most places, and Clear Lake hasn't even really started at all. In fact if this keeps up I think we will see a lot of females that look like they might explode if they don't drop those growing eggs soon.

The last time this happened was in 2006 and the result was several fish over 20lbs including a foul hooked toad caught at Dixon Lake weighing in at a jaw dropping 25.11lbs.

Right now, the Marin lakes have both pre-spawn, spawning, and spawned out fish so everyone can fish to their strengths and do equally well.

When weather is unsettled, and the fish are following such a wide variety of behaviors, the best strategy is to start your fishing session by searching out shallow water spawning areas and beds that hold fish. Then, try to get them to bite with baits like white jigs with no trailer, white tubes, white lizards, white beavers and white craws. These baits can be either texas rigged with oversized hooks, or fished on a Shakey Head.

If the beds are empty or the fish are not "locked" on their beds I try to tempt the big females with threatening baits that are a size too big for a small male to attack. Baits like Castaic Platinum Bluegill swim baits, giant sized tora tubes, big bulky jig 'n pig combos, and wake baits like the 6" floating BBZ1's from SPRO.

After targeting these shallowest waters. Begin to work your way out to deeper waters starting with the first drop off away from the spawning flats. These areas can hold both pre-spawn females that are staging to spawn and post spawn females trying to recuperate from the spawn before heading out to deep summer time feeding areas.

In these "transition" areas there are very few tactics that will come anywhere near the effectiveness of a 5" or 6" Yamamoto Senko Worm "dead-sticked" through these areas. If brush or grass lines exist in these transition areas then try a Zoom Super Fluke rigged weightless and twitched tight against the brush or grass.

As you continue to work your way out from shore, start looking for structure elements instead of cover -- pay extra attention to rocks, boulders, break lines and main lake points. Target these areas by fan casting with baits like deep diving crank baits, big c-rigged worms and lizards, football head jigs, and the always-effective drop shot.

These tactics should help you to stick fish no matter where they are in the spawn, and no matter what the weather. That said, this type of transitional pattern will also set you up for the beginning of the summer feeding patterns so you can hit the ground running when summer does arrive.

Good Luck!

A Bunch of New Berkley Baits

2010-05-13T13:17:00.001-07:00

05-13-10_1316.jpg, originally uploaded by Western Sport Shop.

Spring fishing means trout. Between local lakes like Bon Tempe in the Marin Watershed, Spring Lake and Howard Lake in Santa Rosa, or San Pablo Reservoir in the East Bay, the spring is a great time to get out and enjoy things. The hills are green, the water is high and the trout are abundant.

One of the not-so-secret methods for success is using one of the Berkley Power Baits or Nuggets - these come in a variety of scents and colors. It would have been easy for Berkley to rest on its laurels and just keep making the basics, but this spring, they have been on a tear for new flavors and styles.

Over the winter, a number of steelheaders caught onto the fact that the small Power Worms worked very well - they were almost impossible to keep in stock. These 2.5" floating worms were made with the Gulp! scent and came in three good colors.

This week, Berkley shipped us their new colors - natural, fluorescent orange and the one pictured above; a watermelon with red flakes. These look like winners!

Also just-off-the-truck are several new flavors of Power Bait in the jar - many with the newest strain of attractant: a salmon egg scent that early testing indicates is going to be a winner!

So, come down and get set up. Then, head for the lakes!

2010 Hunting Licenses Are IN STOCK!

2010-05-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

We have received our initial shipment of 2010/2011 California Hunting Licenses. This includes resident and non-resident Hunting licenses, First and Second Deer applications and basic tags. (Hang in there Waterfowl enthusiasts - that stuff will arrive closer to fall).

Remember - Big Game Drawing Applications are due June 2nd!

More information and instructions can be found in the new California Hunting Digest magazine, which can be downloaded here -

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/publications/digest/

Destination: South

2010-05-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

Last month, we headed down to Florida. It was our first stay in Destin, Florida, which is about forty miles south of Pensecola. Destin is a resort town, known for good fishing.

My wife LYnn and I are on a quest to catch a fish in every stte. We had already caught fish in Florida, but we decided to use Destin as our home base, and then fish in Alambama, Mississippi and Lousiana. While we were in Destin, we met a mutual friend of Russ Chatham, and he invided us out on his boat for Cobia.

We had a great time out with flat, calm seas off the shores of Destin. We hooked and landed 9 out of 10 cobia. The largest was almost fifty five pounds.

The next day, we headed to Alabama, in a locationi called Josephine. We caught sea trout, croakers, pinfish and saltwater catfish. (Sorry - no photos)

The following day, we went back to Florida, to the Apalachacola National Forest to engage in some field herping (ed. note - for those of you who only chase fish, we're talking herpetology - with an emphasis on snakes.) - looking for Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes.

(ed. note - ok - this is where I get to say "Folks, don't try this at home! Carlo has chased snakes for most of his life, and knows what he's doing.")

We did find a beautiful cornsnake and a great looking Florida Cottonmouth. However, the Diamondback eluded us. But, I will be back for my Diamondback!

Later in the week, we headed for New Orleans, Louisiana to fish for Redfish. A strong storm blew us off the water, although we did manage to land a few redfish and a nice black drum. Sadly, this whole area is affected by the huge offshore oil spill. Our plan was to fish Mississippi on the last day, but he storm created very dangerous tornadoes and we ended up driving back to Florida.

Nonetheless - a great trip with 7 different species of fish caught, and two more states knocked off the list!

Mike S. Checks In

2010-05-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Weekend Santa Rosa Fly Department staffer Mike S. checked in via email -

"A good trip to BC fishing for steelhead - hooked 7 and landed 4. A bonus is that I also caught a 35-40 lb Chinook.

Mike "

Yes.... That is a pretty darned good "bonus", Mike. Thanks for making us all jealous!

Head to the Pier!

2010-04-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

The announcement went out a couple weeks ago - the McNear's Beach Park Fishing Pier has reopened! We've already heard some reports of anglers having success from the newly repaired structure.

We're going to be out at the pier this Saturday for the Grand Opening Festivities!

Check out Nels Johnson's article in the MarinIJ -

'I caught two yesterday,' said Nelson Avalos as he fished for striped bass from McNears Beach Park pier in San Rafael, which has reopened after a barge struck it in January 2008. (IJ photo/Frankie Frost)

Two years later, McNears Beach pier reopens

Nels Johnson

Posted: 04/28/2010 09:53:52 PM PDT

The McNears Beach Park pier, smashed by a wayward barge more than two years ago, will reopen Saturday amid festivities featuring a ribbon cutting, a county supervisor and park rangers handing out bagels and fishing gear.

The San Pablo Bay pier was badly damaged on Jan. 4, 2008 by a 270-foot barge that broke free during a big storm.

San Rafael-area Supervisor Susan Adams will be on hand for a ribbon-cutting celebration at 9 a.m., and park rangers will loan fishing gear to residents who want to try their luck for sturgeon, striped bass and halibut. Although a license is required to fish from a boat and from shore, no license is needed from the pier.

Adams is expected to make brief remarks, and coffee and bagels will be served, according to Chris Branham, county parks and open space superintendent.

"The pier has certainly been missed by families and fishermen and we are excited to have it once again open to the public as a cherished community asset," Adams said.

click here for the complete article

Spring Shad Fly Fishing Clinic - May 23rd!

2010-04-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

“On the Water” Shad Clinic
SUNDAY, May 23rd, 2010

The anadromous American Shad is a fly fisher’s dream. When hooked, shad’s aerial displays are reminiscent of a tarpon or steelhead’s flight. The shad runs as powerfully as a salmon, and shows a tremendous amount of endurance. Shad hit flies with reckless abandon and attack with such shuddering strikes that you may find them arm-numbing. This day-long clinic will give you the tools you need to effectively pursue and catch this most challenging and exciting of gamefish on a fly rod.

Clinic Meets at the Santa Rosa Western Sport Shop - 2790 Santa Rosa Ave. Limited to 8 attendees. Reservations required.
Clinic Fees: $125/person

This clinic requires wading to be most effective. Waders and appropriate wading equipment is the responsibility of the student. Attendees should have mastered basic casting techniques & be familiar with basic fly fishing equipment.

For more information or to reserve your place in the class, please contact Carlo Bongio at the Santa Rosa store (707) 542-4432.

More California Regulations News

2010-04-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

California Department of Fish and Game News Release

Contacts:
Harry Morse, DFG Communications, (916) 322-8962
Scott Barrow, DFG Fisheries Branch, (916) 445-7600
Adrianna Shea, Fish and Game Commission, (916) 508-5262

Ocean Salmon Season, Most Mammal Hunting Regulations Set by Fish and
Game Commission

The Fish and Game Commission (FGC) today adopted ocean salmon sport
fishing regulations that allow for a limited season in 2010. The inland
salmon season regulations were adopted for the Klamath and Trinity
rivers. The Central Valley regulations have been tabled until the
FGC’s next meeting on May 5.

The newly adopted ocean salmon sport fishing regulations conform to
those adopted by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council last week.
They are now available on the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Web
site at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/oceansalmon.asp.

The FGC will also take action on a limited salmon sport fishing season
for the Central Valley on May 5. DFG staff are currently reviewing the
draft for potential impacts on listed winter run Chinook salmon, and
examining whether additional angling opportunities are feasible. The
proposed regulations would allow fisheries for Sacramento River fall run
Chinook salmon. Once the review and revision is complete, DFG’s
proposed seasons and zones will be posted on the FGC Web site at
www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/new/2010/proposedregs10.asp#cv.

The FGC today also adopted the proposed 2010-2012 mammal hunting
regulations, taking DFG’s recommendation not to change existing bear
hunting regulations at this time. DFG made this recommendation after it
determined more time was needed to review comments, in compliance with
the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. A memo
sent from DFG Director John McCamman to the FGC can be viewed at
www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/new/2010/265memo42010.pdf.

The FGC directed staff to schedule an agenda item to begin a new
regulatory package for bear hunting regulations at their May 5 meeting.

The regulations approved today also increase elk hunting opportunities
through the addition of new hunts, reduce deer harvest in Zone X1 and
set in place regulations for mammal species for the upcoming seasons.

Ocean Salmon Season SET!

2010-04-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Hot off the wires from the California Department of Fish and Game comes the press release concerning this years's PFMC decision - Looks like we will have an Ocean Salmon Season!

2010 Ocean Salmon Seasons Set

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) has set the 2010 salmon seasons for ocean waters off California. Ocean recreational seasons will be as follows:

-- The Klamath Management Zone from the Oregon border to Horse Mountain will be open from May 29 through September 6. Minimum take size is 24 inches.

-- The waters from Horse Mountain to Point Arena will remain open through September 6. Minimum take size will increase from 20 inches to 24 inches beginning May 1.

-- The waters from Point Arena to the United States/Mexico border will remain open through September 6. From May 1 through September 6, fishing will be allowed only from Thursday through Monday. Minimum take size will increase from 20 inches to 24 inches beginning May 1.

All zones have a limit of two Chinook salmon. No take of coho salmon is allowed.

The PFMC also set limited commercial seasons in some zones. Information on these seasons, quotas, minimum size and gear restrictions can be found on the PFMC Web site at www.pcouncil.org.

The California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) will meet on April 21 to review and conform ocean seasons and size limits in state waters to mirror the new federal rules. The FGC will also set the inland salmon seasons at this time. The FGC sets all seasons in California inland and coastal waters extending three miles out.

The FGC will discuss and vote on a proposal that mirrors the dates adopted by the PFMC for ocean salmon seasons but may include additional gear and size restrictions. The proposed general sport fishing regulations and gear restrictions, along with maps of each area, can be viewed at: www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/pdfs/salmonsport10.pdf.

Anglers can review additional ocean salmon regulations in the Ocean Sport Fishing regulations booklet on DFG's Web site at: www.dfg.ca.gov or call the Ocean Salmon Hotline at (707) 576-3429 for additional information.