With spring in full season and summer just around the bend, many students are heading out to the water to enjoy the Northern California fishing.
From creeks and streams to major rivers and lakes, many local fishing spots lie within an hour drive of Chico.
Bryan Smith, an applied arts in multimedia production major, uses fishing as a time for relaxation and the occasional dinner, he said.
"I usually bait fish," Smith said. "It's the standard throw out the bait, pop open a beer and have fun kind of fishing."
One of Smith's relaxation destinations is Lake Oroville, along with the close-by Feather River, he said.
Lake Oroville holds multiple species of bass, trout, catfish and salmon, sharing many of them with the Feather River, according to the Department of Water Resources Web site.
Senior Dustin Holcomb enjoys weekly fishing trips to areas around Chico, as he grew up fishing during the summer, he said.
"I've lived near water my entire life, so it was a given I would start fishing," Holcomb said. "I am used to the wilderness, so it's nice to get out there and do something fun that is also familiar to me."
For people who want more than recreational fishing opportunities, the Chico State Bass Club in a competitive option.
The club recently won $10,000 in the National Guard FLW College Fishing Western Division tournament in Roosevelt, Ariz., club president Parker Moran said.
Club members Spencer Moran and Matt Dixon caught six bass weighing a total of 15 pounds for first place.
Many fishing spots open up early and Holcomb likes to go snowboarding and fishing in the same day, he said.
Holcomb's favorite fishing spots are Deer Creek and the northern Feather River, he said.
Deer Creek is about 40 miles from Chico, east up Highway 32, holding Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, according to the Department of Fish and Game. The northern Feather River holds mainly rainbow and steelhead trout.
Just 20 minutes south of Chico, down Highway 32, the Sacramento River holds plenty of great fishing with white sturgeon and striped bass at the peak of their season along with plenty of rainbow trout, according to the Sacramento River fishing guide.
Apart from the classic bait fishing, Holcomb recently started trying his luck with fly fishing, he said.
"It's been a lot more difficult than I had anticipated," Holcomb said. "There are some intricacies to fly fishing I need to get down before I get good."
Fly fishing uses fake flies and nymphs - insect larva - as bait. The angler casts his or her fly line out in attempt to make the flies look realistic resting on the water.
Lawrence Bluck, co-owner of the Chico Fly Shop, said fly fishing is not necessarily more difficult than traditional bait fishing, but it does require more patience.
Chico Fly Shop, located on West Eighth Avenue offers lessons and tours of the local fishing spots to anyone interested, Bluck said.
Other fishing stores in town include Fish First! on East Third Avenue and Tackle Box on East Park Avenue.
Ben Burg can be reached at
bburg@theorion.com
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