Wintertime means showtime for local anglers

With the close of the general trout season last month, most anglers have put away their equipment for the season. While many anglers continue to fish through the winter months, most tend to wait for the season opener at the end of April.

While winter fishing is available for the hearty angler, most prefer the warmth of a warm fire to the freezing temperatures on the water during this time of year. For those, January means showtime. Sports shows such as the highly popular International Sportsmens Expositions (ISE) begin with their first show in Los Angeles on January 14-16. In our region their Sacramento show runs January 20-23.

The International Sportsmens Exposition was established in 1975 and has been providing shows for sportsmen for 30 years now. The reason that these shows are very popular is that there is something for just about any type of sportsman.

The show has educational seminars, a huge sportfishing boat selection, world's finest speakers and celebrities, tons of new tackle for sale, ATV and offroad test tracks, hunting and shooting accessories for sale, a huge sporting-dog arena and seminars by top bass pros.

The Sacramento show will be its 18th annual event. It is an event that is billed to cure your cabin fever. It will once again be held at Cal Expo. Show hours are: Thurs-Fri: noon until 9 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.; Sun: 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Cost for the show will be $10 for adults with anyone 12 and under admitted free. In the past discount coupons have been available at various locations, including Long's Drugs. There is a small discount available on the ISE website at www.sportsexpos.com.

This huge event offers retail displays of hot-priced outdoor products, Northern California's largest display of new sportfishing boats, hundreds of lodges, resorts, guides and outfitters from Alaska, Canada, South Africa and the western U.S., plus hands-on features and special events for the entire family, including:



Family Fun

ISE's Splash Dog Contestwill be hosted by dog-training expert Gary Davis. Here's where pets of all sizes, shapes, colors and ability launch themselves through the air into a 50-foot-long, water-filled pool. For more info, or to sign up, visit www.splashdogs.com.

The West's largest Youth Fair is presented by Western Outdoor News. This giant building is packed with hands-on activities and learning stations for kids. Plus, Wilderness Unlimited offers a giant catch-and-release pond, with all gear and guides.

Project Childsafe offers free gunlocks and safety literature.

ATV Test Track will try the newest, hottest models.

A new rock-climbing wall for all ages and skill levels.



Sportfishing

There will be presentations at the California Sportsmen Theater by Northern California's best guides, captains and authors, including theater host Sep Hendrickson, Kevin Brock, Steve Carson, Angelo and Abe Cuanang, Rick Kennedy, Greg Squires and more.

Northern California's largest presentation and sale of bass and sportfishing boats will be present.

Join bass pro Kent Brown at the giant aquarium demo tank, filled with live bass and the site for hourly seminars by local experts, plus ISE's exclusive Saturday Roundtable, with four top bass pros.

There will be a new fly-fishing theater, with Jack Dennis, Cork Graham (newÐsteelhead Spey), Mike Lawson (newÐspring creeks) and Kevin Peterson (newÐBishop to Bridgeport).

A new fly-casting pond, a site for seminars, product try-outs and special Discover Fly Fishing program will be there. Sign up for free lessons; gear and guide provided.

Also featured will be the 2005 Best-of-the-West distance-fly-casting qualifications.

There will also be a new fly-tying video theater.



Hunting

For hunting, there will be new daily seminars by worldwide hunting authority Jim Shockey, new in the lagoon, decoy-placement, duck-boat-use and in-water retrieving seminars, new Eastmans' Hunting Journal all-new Record Deer Display and new ISE California Elk-Calling Contest, presented by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

There will be cash and prizes awarded, plus chance to enter Western Championship.

Also featured will be the hunting theater, with seminars by local expert Bill Mays (duck), world champion caller Sean Mann (newÐgoose), world champion elk caller Chad Schearer, Cork Graham (newÐwild boar), Jim Matthews (newÐupland birds), and western hunt authority Mike Eastman, host of Eastmans' Hunting Journal TV.

Finally, a giant sporting-dog arena, with multi-breed demos by the best local trainers, will be hosted by Western Outdoor News' columnist Bill Mays.



These shows are a great way for the angler to get through the winter months. I know that these shows allow me to see any new products that are on the market for the coming year and they give me a good chance to talk to people that know a new area that I may want to fish the coming year. It is a great way to spend a day with your fishing partners and start the New Year out right.



Fishing Report

Local waters were mostly frozen due to the early cold snap that we experienced about a month ago. If you want to ice fish be sure to check in at the local shops such as Mountain Hardware and Sports to check on the conditions.

Donner Lake remains a good option for those needing a local fishing experience. The water low so launching a large boat may be tricky. Lauching a boat this time of year is always dependent on whether the launch area is free of snow.

The fishing has been fair for shore fishermen. Most fish caught are small rainbows and the occasional mackinaw. Boat fishermen are doing fair trolling or jigging for mackinaw.

Lake Tahoe is also a good option for the local angler. Shore fishing has been fair and fishing from a boat has been fair, to good. A local guide is highly recommended for your first experiences in this lake.

In other waters, Pyramid Lake on the Paiute Indian Reservation in northeast Reno ramains one of the best bets this time of year.

Fishing typically slows down when we get into January and February, but for the time being it still remains fair to good for most shore anglers. Shore anglers have picked up anywhere from one to 12 fishing during the day.

Fly fishermen have been doing best on dark colored woolly worms or buggers. Boaters are doing better, but it is starting to slow for them as well.

You will need a day-use permit for fishing that can be purchased on the Reservation.