California bans fishing on Russian River amid drought

The California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to shut down the Russian River to fishing in hopes of creating more favorable conditions for at-risk salmon and wild steelhead struggling months behind schedule to get upstream to spawn.

Kevin Young of Windsor, left, hands off a 15- to 20-pound steelhead caught by Fred Dagnino of Forestville, right, on Wednesday Feb. 5, 2014 as the two finish their day on the Russian River below Johnson's Beach in Guerneville. State fishing regulators Wednesday shut down fishing on the Russian River due to the ongoing drought. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat)

Read full article in The Press Democrat

The list: three places to take a kid fishing

SO where can you take a kid fishing in the West County? Here are three places. Anyone else willing to share their fishing spots?

Oddfellows Bridge near Forestville – once the summer bridge goes in on Oddfellows Rd. outside of Forestville it creates a comfortable fishing spot. If you are very very lucky you might catch a salmon or a shad. You can watch the canoers and kayakers paddle by. A possible bonus – at sunset if you extremely lucky you might catch a sight of river otters.

Read full article in The Press Democrat

Chinook salmon begin return to Russian River

The first chinook salmon of the fall run have begun making their way up the Russian River to spawn, with biologists hoping to see a continued year-to-year increase that started three years ago.

"The Sacramento and Klamath rivers are seeing fantastic returns of fish. We are hearing it up and down the California coast," said Dave Manning, a Sonoma County Water Agency principal environmental specialist. "We should see at least an average number of fish, around 3,000 fish, and hopefully more."

The first chinook was photographed Sept. 5 swimming through the Water Agency's fish ladder at Forestville, where the agency has a rubber dam to form a pool for its water-pumping operations....

Read full article in the Press Democrat

Another drowning in the Russian River

A 20-year-old Santa Rosa man drowned Tuesday in the Russian River, the waterway's second fatality in recent days, authorities said.

Antonio Garcia Jimenez was swimming with two friends around 4:20 p.m. on Sunset Beach near Forestville when he started thrashing and went under, said Lt. Steve Brown, a spokesman for the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.

Read full article in the San Francisco Chronicle

SF boy critical after pulled from river

A 13-year-old San Francisco boy who was pulled unconscious from the Russian River after disappearing underwater Sunday afternoon was listed in critical condition Monday, authorities said.

The boy, whose name was not released, was swimming with friends at Steelhead Beach near Forestville in Sonoma County when he disappeared, said Lt. Steve Brown, a spokesman for the Sonoma County sheriff. 

Read the full article in the San Francisco Chronicle

Youths find body along Russian River in Forestville

No foul play was suspected in the death of a 48-year-old Santa Rosa man whose body was found on the banks of the Russian River last week, Sonoma County sheriff’s officials said Monday.

Raymond Strubeck was found dead July 4 in the weeds along the water’s edge near the north side of Wohler Bridge in Forestville, authorities said.

Read full article at the Press Democrat