Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable..

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 55F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 55F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

For many years the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has held ‘Free’ fishing days statewide. The second free day was the 3rd, last Saturday. The goal, and hope, was that experienced fishers will take friends and family fishing. Billed as an introduction to fishing, it might also be called ‘Welcome Back to Fishing Day.’ Many people have let their fishing equipment go to spider land in the garage. Many look at the $50+ for an annual license as a barrier to renewal and an excuse to skip fishing for other interests. Some of the activities the CDFW came up with are not tied to ‘free’ day. Those interested in fishing in California’s lakes, streams and rivers can find information about inland fishing locations and species on the CDFW website. Information about ocean fishing, including spots along California beaches, is also available on the website. 

A list of free fishing piers and a zoomable map of pier locations is also available on the CDFW web site to help you plan a pier fishing adventure. It is free to fish piers, jetties, or breakwaters along the coast year-round in California. For ocean fish it is a great time to fish for ocean perch, greenling, rockfish, and bass. Year around staples for saltwater fishers. Other helpful resources for anglers include the fish planting schedule and fishing guide. Go to the CDFW main home page and drill down to the links relevant to your desires.

Let’s not forget ‘This little piggy said wee wee’ wild boar season is now! Get out in the wild backcountry and nail one of the most destructive forces in the wilds of the north bay. Teams of wild pigs can number in the hundreds, they live to root in the earth in their quest for edible roots, worms, and grubs. They upset the natural flora, exposing the thin topsoil to sunburn and water damage. Some scars in the back country are decades old, more bald spots appear every year. Do your part and shoot a pig. If you don’t want to eat a wild boar, leave it for carrion eaters. When the coyotes, buzzards, skunks, and others get done, it can be hard to find a bone a few weeks later. Be sure to tag your kill as required by the CDFW guidelines. Places open to the public for boar hunting are on the web site.

The dog days of summer expose our underbelly of fire risk, it can be a very high price to pay for living at the edge of the wild country in the north bay. The wonderful views we love that surround the Santa Rosa Plains, it is a real place name, the dark green hills that hold the golden beauty of late summer also recall the fire risk, the edgy knowledge that the unimaginable can happen, has happened. Late summer and fall are some of the most fragrant of the year. Endless stands of oak release water in the small streams, then in a few days the little waterways are bone dry again when the oaks hold their water. This is the normal cycle of our native trees, hold and release, hold and release. It is our duty to take it all in and be a participant in and witness of the annual cycle that rotates with the calendar.

Bill Hanson is a Sonoma County native and a lifelong sportsman. He is the former president of the Sonoma County Mycological Association. Look for his column in The Community Voice each week.

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