Delta Cast and Blast

Now that rockfish is done, duck season is here!  I have a couple great spots in the delta to kayak hunt and while you are out there, might as well have a rod out too, right?  Anyhow, we have 97 days of duck/goose season left, and all I need is a days notice to take the time off during the week, and will be out every weekend.  I also know a place up past Gridley to yak out to an island between two refuges, but need a truck at the lower bridge, and put in at the upper bridge and drift down to the island.  Not much fishing on that stretch, but limits of birds every time I have gone for the last 5 years. 

I would love to do this. My biggest limitation is the new job, and only having weekends to go. Later in the season I may be able to make a weekday trip, which is what I prefer. For now if you want to get out on the weekend, I'm game. Anywhere is fine with me. Gridley is 35 mins from my house. I like the look of the delta too. I know there are always birds down there. Post up or PM me when you want to go. Do you camo your yak? Or just float till you see birds?

Rob

Hey Montana, sounds good to yak to some waterfowling!
Grew up with shotguns and canoes in the Delta.
Weekends are my only bet but I want to check it out.

novofish

BTW is this your palm tree?

The delta is a pretty long haul for me, but I can be to Gridley in just over an hour and am up for that.  I'm not much of a refuge fan, so an island on the river sounds awesome.  Weekends are best for me, but I've got a good chunk of vacation time up if we want to pin down a few dates (Dec/Jan are best for me).

-beenfishin

So, I don't know anything about hunting regulations, where you can you hunt in the delta?

This may not be exactly right. I'm pretty sure you can hunt from any navigatable waters in the state. Rivers, delta, etc. You can not hunt "on" private property without the owners permission, but if their property is flooded, and you can float on it without touching ground, and it is safe to shoot, it is legal. you can't walk across the property with your boat to get to the water. If you came from a river that flooded and you can get onto the flooded property, it was navigatable. You can not navigate on the river, then get off your boat to hunt from shore on private property. This is the basics, but there is definately more to it. Also, always know where you are shooting and be safe. If you discharge a weapon in a dangerous manor, regardless of where you are, you will get in trouble. This means there is aproximately 1000 miles of huntable water in the delta. Hope this helps some, and hope I am somewhat correct.

racin: Those were the the implied rules we followed back in the day. We would just pull the canoe into the tules, even use it to retrieve birds when doggy-less.

Here is some reading for you. This is a section of a complete article.

The State of California holds title to the navigable waterways and the land beneath them within its borders as a trustee for the public. (Gaf v. San Diego Unified Port Dist. (1992) 7 Cal.App.4th 1224, 1228 [9 Cal.Rptr2d 530]; Colberg Inc. v. State of California ex rel. Dept. of Public Wks. (1967) 67 Cal.2d 408, 416 [62 Cal.Rptr. 401, 432 P.2d 3].) Public trust easements are traditionally defined in terms of navigation, commerce and fisheries. They have been held to include the right to fish, hunt, bathe, swim, to use for boating and general recreation purposes the navigable waters of the state, and to use the bottom of the navigable waters for anchoring, standing, or other purposes. (Marks v. Whitney (1971) 6 Cal.3d 251, 259 [491 P.2d 374, 380, 98 Cal.Rptr. 790, 796].); Bohn v. Albertson (1951) 107 Cal.App.2d 738, [238 P.2d 128]; Forestier v. Johnson (1912) 164 Cal. 24, [127 P. 156].) “In this state the public has a right to use for boating, swimming, fishing, hunting and all other recreation purposes, any part of a river that can be navigated by small recreational or pleasure boats, even though the river bed is privately owned.” (People v. Sweetser (5PthP Dist. 1977) 72 Cal.App.3d 278, 283 [140 Cal.Rptr. 82].)

Itook that info from here. http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=71515

I'm in!

just let me know when. (cause I have lots of time)

Jim

That sounds right, if it's navigable, it's hunt-able unless otherwise posted (like some of the areas in the Sac River Refuge Complex) or within City limits.

Wow, thanks for that info!  I really had no idea that we had rights   

Saturday? It may be raining, birds will be moving. Who's in, and where? I've got 6 GW Teal, 6 Widgeon, 20 or so Mallard, 4 Pintail, and 4 Honker decoys. Who else has deeks? All mine I can get in/on my yak. Just don't want to travel miles with them on/in my SIK.

Wifey says I can hunt as long as I bring the birs cleaned, cut up and cooked. I think ill stick with ranch 99 to save myself the hassle good luck, and try not to shoot me in the bright yellow hobie

rob!  AR salmon on saturday, gonna have to skip this time