Outdoors with Don Q: A little bit of everything for everyone

There is a special place in this part of the Far West where there is a little bit of everything for everyone, every day of the year. Are you interested?
Well, if you are, be sure to plan to stop at Wiggins’ Trading Post located in Chilcoot, Calif. You won’t regret stopping.
Wiggins’ Trading Post is located on California S.R. 70, about seven miles west of Hallelujah Junction on U.S. 395, and it is the gateway to Frenchman Reservoir (about eight miles north).
That unique store is owned by Richard (Dick) and Shirley Wiggins, and they have been there since way back in 1968.
Dick and Shirley, plus all of the Wiggins family members, who work in the store, are always friendly and helpful, and if you get a chance to meet and talk to Shirley, you will become instant friends, as we did many years ago.
Why stop at Wiggins’?
Well for starters, here’s a very small sampling of what it has to offer:
The store is open year-round, from about 7 a.m. to about 7 p.m., daily.
It has all kinds of packaged, bottled and canned groceries, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, bread, desserts, frozen food, ice cream, homemade fudge, candy, bottled water, soda pop, wine, beer, etc.
You can buy fishing licenses, poles, reels, line, sinkers, swivels, lures, artificial flies, vests, hats, etc.
You can find postcards, maps, brochures, pamphlets, clothing, souvenirs, dog food, hot coffee, ice, propane, gasoline, tack/feed; and on and on and on.
Here’s our favorite reason for stopping: Their small but awesome deli area (Donna’s Meat Market) has all kinds of great choices.
Those choices include: T-bone steaks, sirloin steaks, cubed steaks, cross rib roasts, chuck roasts, stew meats, hamburger, pork chops, garlic sausage, link sausages, Italian sausages, salami (sliced or by the stick), giant pickles, etc.
All of their meat comes from a supplier in Reno and it is processed by an in-house butcher (Bob Graham), who will cut your meat to order.
In addition, there are all kinds of block cheese (they slice it for you), sliced ham, sliced turkey, different kinds of bacon, etc.
Many times over, we have bought and enjoyed their beef stew meat, pork chops, cubed steaks and great tasting Italian sausage links (my favorite!).
Those Italian sausage links are very, very tasty when served either at breakfast with eggs or at dinner with pasta.
Try some, you won’t go wrong…I guarantee it!
I’ve been told that their garlic sausage is superb, but don’t ask me, as I am one of those poor souls who is allergic to garlic! It’s true! Anything with garlic is a giant “No-No” for me.
If you are a fisherman, the folks at Wiggins’ can provide you with the latest on what to use and where to use it at Frenchman Reservoir for rainbow trout or catfish, with some of them having very respectful sizes.
They can tell you about such places at Frenchman as: Big Cove Campground, Crystal Point, the Dam, Frenchman Campground, Last Chance Creek, Little Last Chance Creek, Lunker Point, Nightcrawler Bay, Snallygaster Point, Spring Creek Campground and Turkey Point.
Then, if you get lucky, and return with a trophy catch, they will even take your picture and post it on their bulletin board by the entrance to the store.
You’ll be famous in Chilcoot!
Finally, if you’re in that area of Plumas County in Northern California, you would be missing something very special if you don’t stop and visit at Wiggin’s Trading Post. 
When you do stop, plan to take some photographs of their unique signs.
To contact Wiggins’, call (530) 993-4683.

Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can’t tell you some of the things to use to catch trout at Frenchman Reservoir.
If he grins and says, “You might want to try using nightcrawlers, Power Bait, Power Eggs, or small lures such as Mepps, Panther-Martins, Dick Nites, or artificial flies such as Woolly Bugger or Woolly Worms,” he has been fishing at Frenchman at some point in the past.

— Don Quilici is the Outdoor editor for Carson Now and www.SouthTahoeNow.com. He can be reached at donquilici@hotmail.com