BY MIKE STEVENS MAMMOTH LAKES— A year ago, Western Outdoor News published a month-by-month predictor of how the 2023 Eastern Sierra trout season would play out following the unprecedented madness brought on by the previous record-breaking winter. The absurd snowpack impacted every month of last season which made it a year like no other, and it’s highly unlikely we see another one like that again. Barring a last-minute mega-blizzard, this season will be a welcome return to normal. Since it now seems like “normal” is something we haven’t experienced for a while, here are the monthly predictions ..read more

Eastern Sierra prime for epic opener BY ERNIE COWAN MAMMOTH LAKES—Opening weekend for the 2024 general Eastern Sierra Trout season will be all about quantities. There should be less snow and ice, more open water, more fish, and at press time, predictions for lots of nice weather. That’s the amount of what’s needed for a very, Merry Fishmas. As always, when dealing with the High Country, things can change quickly, but there seems to be a level of optimism this year as the clock clicks down to Fishmas. From Lone Pine to Bridgeport, a check by WON found the veterans of opening days were feeling g ..read more

BY MIKE STEVENS Hiker bit while protecting dogs, same coyote threatened another dog walker that morning MAMMOTH LAKES— Mammoth resident Dakota Snider put in six miles in the Owens Valley with a couple dogs before making one last stop in the hills behind Mammoth Airport before heading home. Fifteen minutes after arriving, he and the worn-out dogs encountered an aggressive coyote, and by early evening he was receiving his first round of rabies shots and reliving what happened that afternoon. No stranger to spending time outside, especially in the Eastern Sierra, Snider puts off-the-beaten path m ..read more

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Austin Bonjour Wins 2024 WON Bass Clear Lake Open Joe Mariani finishes second, Anthony Madrigal wins AAA Division Crown. By Dan O’Sullivan LAKEPORT, Calif. – April 19, 2024 –– Opportunity knocked – Austin Bonjour answered. After taking a little more than a two-pound lead on the second day of the tournament, Bonjour, the 30-year-old pro from Templeton,Calif. knew that he had to perform on the final day.  With warm and mild conditions remaining on the lake, and waves of massive Clear Lake largemouth bass moving, he knew his lead was tenuous. He knew that all he had to do was locate quality ..read more

Austin Bonjour Takes over Command at WON Bass Clear Lake Open, Nick Klein holds in Second Place Damon Motley leads AAA division as Clear Lake fish are on the Move. By Dan O’Sullivan LAKEPORT, Calif. – April 18, 2024 –– While the mild breezes and warm temperatures at Clear Lake remained for day two of the 2024 WON Bass Ranger Boats Clear Lake Open presented by Mercury, those mild conditions may have played havoc with the leaderboard.  Ideally, stable conditions are the friend of a tournament angler, but when prespawn bass are looking towards spawning beds, a little change in weather can k ..read more

 Nick Klein Leads Day One of 2024 WON Bass Clear Lake Open, Joe Mariani in Second Top Six places Eclipse 30 pounds, 55 limits over 20 pounds on California’s Famed Bass Factory. LAKEPORT, Calif. – April 17, 2024 –– The conditions leading up to the 2024 Ranger Boats WON Bass Clear Lake Open presented by Mercury had become the conversation. Long range forecasts predicted warm and mild conditions, however the colder weather seemed to be hanging around, and one began to wonder if the forecasts were going to ring true. As practice progressed it appeared that the forecasts for the 177 pros and t ..read more

BY CHUCK WOLF COLUSA— Striper season is finally here, and it couldn’t come at a better time for guides and anglers alike. After what could be argued as a mediocre season last year, the closed salmon season, restrictions on sturgeon, halibut, and weather that soaked the coastal ranges, I don’t think that there is anyone who can’t wait to get out on the water and by all indications, this is going to be a very good year. Captain Justin Thompson has his finger on the pulse of the river and has reported that the “striped bass season on the Sacramento River has started!”The Sacramento River is loade ..read more

BY ERNIE COWAN MAMMOTH LAKES—Snow continues to accumulate at higher elevations in the Eastern Sierra, but lower levels are clear and winter trout are biting like it’s the general season. There may be a few more late season storms sweeping the high country, but at this point it looks like not much will stick. And, there is lots of good news for those eager anglers waiting to enjoy another opening day Fishmas in the Sierra. Crowley Lake is wide open, free of ice and docks are already in place for the opening day surge. One caution at Crowley, however. The staff there has advised the lake is comp ..read more

BY DAN O’SULLIVAN SAN CLEMENTE– Clear Lake, nestled in the Coast Ranges of California mountains, at the foot of Mount Konocti is known as being the largest natural lake entirely in the state of California.  It is known for its picturesque scenery from any direction and for being a rich, fertile body of water. It is also known as one of the best bass fisheries in the world.  For many years, Clear Lake has been ranked as one of the top 10 bass fisheries in the country by BASSMASTER Magazine, and the northern California waterway has been the site of fireworks for WON Bass and the Clear ..read more