VOL.39 • ISS. 14
FRESHWATER
June 26, 2020
15
KNIGHTS LANDING/VERONA cont.
LOS VAQUEROS
RESERVOIR
Lake and Watershed Reopens!
BRENTWOOD - Los Vaqueros
Reservoir reopened to shore fishing and
hiking only on Monday, June 8. Boats
are not available for rental as of now,
according to the Los Vaqueros Marina.
Lots of limits of trout from shore were
reported on the day the lake reopened
to fishing, according to the Ronnie at the
marina.
The reservoir and watershed will be
open for normal hours: 6 am-8 pm.
“Social distancing is required and please
wear a mask when interacting with others
and employees,” the marina staff stated.
“We are not allowing customers into the
marina; there will be a table at the back
door, so be prepared. WELCOME BACK!
WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE ALL OF
YOU!.”
To slow the spread of COVID-19
(coronavirus) the Los Vaqueros Reservoir
and Watershed was closed to the public
starting on March 16.
Call the Marina with questions at 925-
371-2628.
NEW MELONES LAKE
Trollers Lay Into Abundant
Kokanee Salmon
IONE – It’s a matter of finding
kokanee, but the big kokanee are
available from 14 to 17.5 inches if you
can find them. Kyle Wise of Head Hunter
Guide Service found limits of kokanee
along with four quality rainbows at depths
from 32 to 80 feet with Apex lures or
hoochies behind either a MAG Tackle,
Paulina Peak or Trinidad Tackle’s Sling
Blades at 1.7 mph.
For largemouth and spotted bass,
John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide
Service said, “The bass bite is really good,
but the action occurs early in the morning.
We have been on great topwater bite with
Poppers, Spooks, or Whopper Ploppers,
and we have been scoring up to 40 bass
by 7:30 a.m. If they are not biting on the
bank you are working on, move. “
“We hit a huge school one morning and
took around 40 fish in succession, but
they were gone the next day. We found
the big school in another location, and it
was lights out once again. However, the
bite dies by 9:30/10:00 a.m., but you can
finesse a few more bass with crankbaits,
spinnerbaits, or small Kei Techs in the
clear water,” he tipped.
“ If you are on the water in the heat past
Scotts
Flat
Handicapped barrier free fishing access,
Fish cleaning station, Restrooms at marina,
Boat Launch Ramp, Marina, Store.
Fishing ❂ Camping ❂ Boating
23333 Scotts Flat Rd., Nevada City, CA 95959
Just 5 Miles East of Nevada City on Hwy 20
Fishing•Camping•Boating
Our LAKE IS FULL!
Trollers are scoring some quality rainbows at Lake Shasta. This dandy fish was landed in
early June.
Photo courtesy of JEFF GOODWIN’S FISHING TEAM, Redding.
noon, you have to drop to the bottom with
plastics on a shakey head, drop-shot, or
with jigs.”. Recreational boating remains
high on the weekends, and the boats are
leaving a wide mudline from the wakes.
The lake has dropped to 75 percent,”
Wise concluded.
- Dave Hurley
OROVILLE LAKE
King Salmon Lead Summer
Angling Parade
OROVILLE – While the salmon bite at
Lake Oroville has slowed down from what
it was a few weeks ago, anglers are still
picking up plenty of kings in the 4 to 6
pound range, reported Craig Newton at
Willfish Bait and Tackle.
“Your best bet is to use white/pearl and
green/pearl hoochies and other lures at 50
to 80 feet deep,” said Newton. Anglers are
picking up the salmon at the dam, Bidwell
Canyon Bridge and in the Limesaddle
Arm.
Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s Guide
Service reported productive fishing for
landlocked Chinooks on his latest trip to
Lake Oroville while using Brad’s Kokanee
Cut Plugs.
“We could had have had limits by 7:30
this morning, but we saved a couple and
held out for holdovers but it wasn’t to be.
So we picked up a couple more first year
fish and called it a day before it got too
hot,” said Reimers.
Bidwell Canyon
and Lake Oroville
Marinas reopened
on May 18. Due to
Scotts Flat Lake Campground is an excellent
place for families and friends to spend quality
time together while creating memories to
last a lifetime. Whatever your preference, our
campground and lake has something for you!
EXCELLENT FISHING FOR:
Rainbow Trout
German Browns
Kokanee
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Reservations (530) 265– 5302 • Office (530) 265–8861
recreation.nidwater.com
Nevada Irrigation District
3909
ongoing concerns
for the spread
of COVID-19,
some services
will continue to
be restricted or
suspended for an
undetermined time.
Please contact the
appropriate Marina
for the most current
information and
please plan your
visit accordingly.
Campgrounds and high public-use
indoor facilities, including museums and
visitor centers, continue to be closed.
Special events and tours continue to be
canceled until further notice.
Lake Oroville is currently holding
2,445,249 acre feet of water, 69 percent of
average and 83 percent of capacity.
- Dan Bacher
PARDEE LAKE
Trollers Lay Into Abundant
Kokanee Salmon
IONE – It’s a matter of finding
kokanee, but the big kokanee are
available from 14 to 17.5 inches if you
can find them. Kyle Wise of Head Hunter
Guide Service found limits of kokanee
along with four quality rainbows at depths
from 32 to 80 feet with Apex lures or
hoochies behind either a MAG Tackle,
Paulina Peak or Trinidad Tackle’s Sling
Blades at 1.7 mph.
For largemouth and spotted bass,
John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide
Service said, “The bass bite is really good,
but the action occurs early in the morning.
We have been on great topwater bite with
Poppers, Spooks, or Whopper Ploppers,
and we have been scoring up to 40 bass
by 7:30 a.m. If they are not biting on the
bank you are working on, move. “
“We hit a huge school one morning and
took around 40 fish in succession, but
they were gone the next day. We found
the big school in another location, and it
was lights out once again. However, the
bite dies by 9:30/10:00 a.m., but you can
finesse a few more bass with crankbaits,
spinnerbaits, or small Kei Techs in the
clear water,” he tipped.
“ If you are on the water in the heat past
noon, you have to drop to the bottom with
plastics on a shakey head, drop-shot, or
with jigs.”. Recreational boating remains
high on the weekends, and the boats are
leaving a wide mudline from the wakes.
The lake has dropped to 75 percent,”
Wise concluded.
- Dave Hurley
3816
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REDDING/RED BLUFF
Wild Trout Action Sizzles On
The Sac
REDDING - Do you ever dream of
catching one big wild rainbow trout after
another? If you do, this is the time to book
a trout fishing adventure on the upper
reaches of the lower Sacramento River
between Redding and Red Bluff. The bite
is outstanding for trout in the 12 to 20 inch
class.
Most anglers that target the
Sacramento’s wild rainbows do so with fly
gear, but conventional gear works great
too.
Mike Bogue of Mike Bogue’s Guide
Service has been utilizing plugs, Pautzke
curred roe and Pautzke Orange Deluxe
salmon eggs. Some days the trout
respond well to back trolled plugs. Other
days, Bogue uses roe and salmon eggs to
probe deeper areas of the river.
On the fly fishing front. anglers are
utilizing indicators and long leaders to
present stonefly and mayfly nymphs along
with sucker spawn imitations. Talented
fly guys are able to hook 20 to 30 trout
per day on the best days. For the best
success fly anglers are focusing on trout
concentrated along underwater shelves.
When it comes to hooking trout and
salmon on the Sacramento River, Mike
Bogue of Mike Bogue’s Guide Service
and Robert Weese of Northern California
Guide Service are top hands. To reach
them dial the following numbers: Robert
Weese (530) 755-7196. Mike Bogue,
(530) 246-8457.
RIO VISTA
Bass and Catfish Lead
Summer Angling Menu
RiO VISTA - The Sacramento-Delta is
in full summer mode with the majority
of striped bass moving downstream
rapidly to San Francisco Bay, and
the majority of striped bass hanging
around are undersized. Few anglers are
targeting sturgeon in Suisun Bay, but the
diamondbacks are there for the taking for
those willing to put in the time.
Smallmouth bass are found along the
rocky banks in the north Delta while a
few American shad are still taken near
Freeport. Catfish and bluegill are getting
active with the warm water and weather.
The weather conditions were variable this
week with days over 100 degrees followed
by a weekend greeted with 30 mph winds
blowing throughout the Delta.
Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and
Tackle in Freeport said, “There are a lot of
undersized stripers in the north Delta, but
you can put together a legal limit over 18
inches with sardines or anchovies coated
with garlic spray along with pile worms
or blood worms. A few American shad
are taken with shad darts or grubs on the
drop-shot near Freeport, but the majority
of American shad are found at the mouth
of the American River or upstream on the
American. Catfish are biting nightcrawlers
or chicken livers in Lisbon Slough or at the
Port of Sacramento while bluegill are all
over the back sloughs with wax worms or
red worms. Smallmouth bass are up and
down along the rocky banks, and drifting
live minnows or plastics on a drop-shot rig
are working for the smallies.”
Largemouth bass remain the top
species in the San Joaquin-Delta, and
the rollercoaster weather conditions are
creating opportunities to find the bass
holding in the coolest water near current
or under shade. The past week had three
days over 100 degrees followed by 30
mph winds that cooled down the water
conditions. The striped bass guides
have vacated the Delta in favor of San
Francisco Bay or high Sierra lakes.
- Dave Hurley
CONTINUED ON PG 17