There is more to life at Lake Berryessa than the weekly flotilla of fancy boats underneath the Pope Creek Bridge.

For the outdoor enthusiast with a keen eye, an amazing variety of wildlife can be found.

On a recent outing at the lake, I spotted a river otter swimming near a steep bank of shoreline.

It climbed up the bank to a tall thicket, and emerged again followed by another otter. As these two reached the water’s edge, a third otter clambered out of the thicket, and then a fourth one as well!

The family went for an afternoon swim as the boat passed by the thicket they called home.

After drifting down the shoreline for a few minutes, I looked back at the thicket only to see two more otters make their way down to the water. These two were a little lighter in color and a bit

larger in size.

I’d never before seen that many freshwater otters together in one place.

I also saw a pair of nesting Osprey on that same day along the eastern shoreline. The chick in their nest was a bit camera-shy, but I could hear it chirping from a distance. Both parents kept a careful watch while the boat was nearby.

The surrounding hills hold great populations of quail and wild turkey.

Especially in the springtime, you can hear them crowing and gobbling throughout the day.

A careful observer can often find an eagle soaring overhead or perched in a tall tree. Berryessa is home to both golden and bald eagles.

Blacktail deer are a common sighting at the lake, and you can almost always find one somewhere among the oaks on the hillsides.

Coyote can also be found here, as well as rare sightings of mountain lion and black bear.

Perhaps someday the tule elk from the Cache Creek preserve to the north may find their way to the shores of Berryessa.

There are hundreds more species of birds, mammals, reptiles, a few amphibians, and of course fish that live in and around Lake Berryessa as well.

Whenever I visit the lake (or any outdoor destination), an important part of the experience is seeing the different kinds of wildlife that can be found there.

Governor to borrow from license fees?

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Natural Resources has approved a Schwarzenegger Administration proposal to transfer $4 million to the state’s General Fund from the Hatchery and Inland Fisheries Fund (HIFF).

The HIFF is funded exclusively through license fees paid by anglers who fish in California.

If included in the final version of the 2008 Budget Bill, the loan would not be repaid until 2013.

 Conservation group California Trout has called for a freeze on fishing license fees until the loan is repaid.

 Although California Trout opposed the raid on HIFF, the budget subcommittee approved the loan but made it contingent on a freeze on fishing license fees.

“It is unfair to the two million anglers who annually buy fishing licenses in this state to continue to see their fees raised year after year by the Department of Fish and Game when it is simultaneously cutting back fish hatchery operations, wild trout protection, and programs for recovery of endangered species like salmon,” said Brian Stranko, California Trout’s CEO.

“We believe it is inappropriate to divert these revenues to address chronic problems in the state’s General Fund if DFG is allowed to continue increasing the cost of a sport-fishing license.”

The Hatchery and Inland Fisheries Fund was created in 2005 to ensure that at least some of the $60 million collected annually through fishing licenses in California goes to improve fishing opportunities in the state.

The law specifies that at least 30 percent of the monies collected through fishing licenses be dedicated to upgrading hatcheries and funding the state’s wild trout program.

Even without this loss of revenue, the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will likely be cutting back service to programs for anglers due to increased transportation costs and lack of funds for ongoing maintenance to the state’s fish hatcheries.

Should the final budget adopted by the Legislature and signed by the Governor not include the loan from HIFF, California Trout would drop its proposed freeze on license fees.

Founded in 1971, California Trout was the first statewide conservation group to focus on securing protections for California’s unparalleled wild and native trout diversity.

Working with local communities, business partners and government agencies, California Trout employs conservation science, education and advocacy to craft effective policy for California’s water resources and fisheries.

Guy Carl is a CPA and partner with BDCo Accountants and Advisors in St. Helena

(www.bdcocpa.com).

Contact Guy at GC.

outdoors@sbcglobal.net.