Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3607 March 17 -31, 2017 | Page 23

VOL. 36 • ISS. 07 GONE FISHING GONE FISHING: “ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ownership of the land that was to be largely under the water of Lake Auburn. It’s this land that makes up the Auburn SRA. The Bureau of Reclamation relies on the California State Parks for management of both SRAs, but the rules at play for park users are based on a mixture of both state and federal regulation. Since both SRAs are so near and dear to my heart I’ve been a close observer of both and I’ve written both positively and negatively about the management of these area by the California State Parks in the past. For the past few years I’ve been concerned, as have a lot of other Rec Area users, about the direction of both SRAs, particularly the Auburn SRA. The area comprises much of the north and middle forks of the American River. For years, the area has been used by a number of different user groups including hunters, anglers, prospectors, river rafters, horse riders, bicyclist, OHV riders, joggers and more. Up until recently most of my concerns had been focused on the $10 a day fee collected for visiting the Auburn SRA and seasonal road closures that essentially close large areas to folks that don’t have a horse or bike or the physical ability to hike in. The fact that a 1,000 or more-vertical foot climb MARCH 17 - 31, 2017 21 Wait a second. It’s too destructive for me to dig in the river bed with a garden trowel, yet I’m watching the river tear itself apart and rebuild itself right now. I knew the new regulation was silly, but feeling the rumble of the enraged river that day really drove home just how silly it really was!” Cal Kellogg, Fish Sniffer Editor river tear itself apart and rebuild itself right now. I knew the new regulation was silly, but feeling the rumble of the enraged river that day really drove home just how silly it really was!” In the following days, I reflected on how hunters are excluded from hunting various species within the SRA despite the fact that hunting is required to access most river beyond a gold pan. The “hands is allowed in the SRA and there areas from main public roads and pans” only rule was based on are legal seasons for the animals illustrates the importance of road the idea that prospectors armed access for many, if not most users. with spoons, old screw drivers and in question, such as ducks, geese, bears, mountain quail, rabbits and It has been my view that maybe a shovel were doing too squirrels. the access roads within the much environmental damage. Deer, doves, California quail, Auburn SRA shouldn’t be closed Sure enough in the middle of bandtail pigeons and turkeys are seasonally. The State Parks has January I saw the new regulation the species that can be hunted long asserted that the closures had been adopted and tools were within parts of the SRA. were due to budget issues, despite banned. I was standing near the It was with all this in mind that the fact that they’d had more than North Fork watching full size trees I contacted Mike Howard, the a $50 million budget surplus as floating downstream as the river Auburn Sector Superintendent of recently as 2012. tore through the canyon at over Toward the end of last year, 30,000 cfs when I decided to write the Auburn SRA for an interview. I began hearing rumors that Basically, I just wanted to asked this article. prospecting was going to be him some of the questions “Wait a second,” I thought. essentially banned within the SRA “It’s too destructive for me to dig floating around in my mind and by a regulation that promised to get his reaction. in the river bed with a garden outlaw the use of any type of tools trowel, yet I’m watching the Based on my prior interactions The gold that started the gold rush was discovered in the American River. The gold rush changed both the country and the world, making prospecting an important part of our California heritage and culture, yet the Federal government has basically banned recreational prospecting on the very rivers where the discovery of gold first took place. They cite that the use of small tools like the crevicing hook shown here is too destructive to the environment. Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff. LAKE AMADOR RESORT • IONE, CA NorCal’s Premier Fishing & Camping Destination! with State Parks management I wasn’t too optimistic about the conversation going in, but once I started speaking with Mr. Howard what I heard was pretty refreshing. He didn’t sound like your typical bureaucrat. He actually sounds like someone that is concerned about the SRA and its visitors. Before I started with my question Mr. Howard related that he’s only been the Superintendent for four months, but that he would do his best to answer my questions. QUESTION ONE: It costs $10 for a day pass. To a lot of folks, it seems excessive in light of the fact that it is a fee for access to public land. How do you justify the fee? “I agree that $10 sounds expensive. If you are a casual user and are only going to visit the park a couple times per year $10 isn’t a lot of money compared to other types of recreation. 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