Experts tell us that 2008 has been the worst June on record for wildfires in California.

A thick layer of smoke covered much of northern California for nearly a week, reducing the sun to a dim red-orange ball even at midday.

Undeterred by the depressing conditions, my brother Greg and I braved the smoke-filled skies in pursuit of trout at an old favorite fishing hole.

Our destination was Little Grass Valley Reservoir in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains east of Oroville.

I didn’t think it could be possible, but the smoke conditions were even worse as we passed through the Sacramento Valley than they were at home in Napa.

Landmarks even within a couple of hundred yards away were shrouded in a gray haze, and anything farther away was completely invisible.

It was late afternoon as we began to climb into the foothills. The rolling oaks gradually gave way to tall pines, creating an eerie setting with the smoke hanging low among the treetops.

Sunset was still hours away, but the low light conditions made it seem that dusk was upon us the entire way up the mountain roads.

Just two miles from the lake lies the small village of La Porte, where we had arranged to rent a cabin for the weekend. We checked in at Reilly’s Saloon and Cafe, where we were greeted by Barbara Norman and her six-month-old daughter, Alexis.

Ms. Norman showed us to a quaint cabin equipped with all of the amenities we could need — a bed, bathroom, full kitchen and a deck of cards.

The town is home to just 26 full-time residents, but is a popular winter vacation spot for enthusiasts of snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

At just under 5,000 feet of elevation, it’s no surprise they received over 30 feet of snow last winter! The lake and surrounding wilderness also make for a fun destination in the summertime.

Little Grass Valley is not a large lake at just over 1,600 surface acres, but on the first evening we could barely make out the silhouette of the far shore through the smokescreen.

Greg’s studies of geography at Chico State taught him (and, by association, me) that smoke descends down mountains during the night as the air temperature changes.

This was proven true the next morning, as we awoke to noticeably clearer skies and improved visibility. By the third day, the air quality was almost back to normal.

We found a variety of fish willing to bite our offerings, including brown trout, rainbow trout, and a few unexpected smallmouth bass. Other boats trolling for kokanee had some good action in the morning as well.

The lunkers eluded us this time, as the water had warmed beyond what we consider prime conditions for trout. Next year we’ll try to time the trip earlier in the spring closer to when the ice first melts.

California Deer Association offers college scholarships

It’s not too late to get financial help for college this coming school year.

The deadline is July 31 to apply for the 2008 California Deer Association (CDA) Scholarships.

Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded in October to full-time college students majoring in the field of Agriculture, Forestry, Animal and Wildlife Husbandry, Rangeland Science, Veterinary Sciences or Resource Management.

CDA’s mission is to improve California’s deer herds through habitat enhancement and research projects. An important part of this goal is to assist in funding the education of individuals who want to work in fields related to wildlife preservation.

CDA has established a separate scholarship fund which allows the awarding of two $2,500 scholarships each year. This will be the third year that scholarships have been awarded.

To be eligible to apply, you must be enrolled as a full-time college student (12 credit hours per semester minimum), majoring in one of the fields listed above, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applications and additional information are available on the CDA Web site at www.CalDeer.org.

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.