FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
SO season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes).
C—clear water; D-water dirty or roily; M—water muddy. N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling. WT50—water temperature 50°. FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor; OVG—outlook very good; OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor
STEELHEAD: CALIFORNIA: Russian River from Brown's Pool to mouth providing finest fishing on north coast, with water L and C. More rain, however, required to start sizable runs in such short streams as Gualala, Garcia and Navarro. OG on southern California streams.
IDAHO: Small trailer city mushroomed at mouth of middle fork of Salmon as anglers from all over state moved in. Hot spots evidently near Stoddard Pack Bridge and deep holes up from mouth. FG on main Salmon near French Creek and gravel bars downstream. OF/G.
WASHINGTON: Tacoman reports heavy snow, bitter cold, all steelhead waters L and C. WT low but R on coast, and FF/OG on Hoh, Clearwater and Queets. Humptulips F/OG, with Hoquiam man getting limit weighing in at 17, 20 and 21 pounds from Cougar Hole drift. Cherry bobbers and gumballs best fish-getters, but expert bait fishermen doing nicely too. Streams tributary to big rivers all too L and C, but second surge of fish expected to hit after snow on ground melts or snowfall turns to rain. Any freshet will trigger big runs, especially in Skagit, Puyallup Green, Chehalis and Cowlitz.
BONEFISH: FLORIDA: Upper Keys guide Calvin Albury reports former President Herbert Hoover caught 17 in five days. Hoover's finest 1½ hours were one morning when he boated seven on shrimp. Largest was 10½-pounder. OF/G.
NASSAU: Sunny skies and calm seas prevail, with FG on all flats.
BLACK BASS: LOUISIANA: Limit strings being caught in Simoneaux, Pleasure and Churchill Farms ponds along Highway 90 just west of New Orleans now that duck hunters have put up their guns. Severe cold wave put crimp into fishing in northern and central areas, but hinterlands operative says Black Lake near Campti ought to provide action once weather moderates.
PACIFIC SALMON: WASHINGTON: Winter blackmouth fishing, rugged and rewarding, improving in snowy Puget Sound. W. L. McIntyre of Chuckanut took 17-pounder on herring strip off Governor's Point. FVG in Tacoma waters, especially around Points Evans and Defiance when winds abate. Blackmouths to 18 pounds taken with some limits. Baby salmon falling to light-tackle guys in Commencement Bay with limits rule. Trolled flashers and mooched whole herring fished deep most successful.
CALIFORNIA: FVG on Sacramento from Battle Creek to Keswick Dam. Plugs and spinners from boats and banks bringing in hefty chinooks.
STRIPED BASS: CALIFORNIA: Cold failed to numb hunger of big stripers, which are hitting in all parts of delta. For fourth week in row, fish of better than 40 pounds being taken out of Frank's Tract, including season's mightiest, a 47-pounder by Dick Surabian of Fresno. OG.
ILLUSTRATION