4 Sept 11, 2020 VOL.39 • ISS. 19
ALMANOR
Trout Gobble Pond Smelt
CHESTER - There are still a few
bug hatches that continue out on Lake
Almanor, but not nearly the bug load that
is seen in spring and early summer.
The bulk of the trout have transitioned
back to their other favorite food source,
the pond smelt. Pond smelt prefer the
deeper cooler waters of the lake and
therefore tend to pack up in areas along
the east shore and peninsula.
These have been the productive areas
the last couple of weeks as cruising
browns and bows hunt down the schools
of smelt and gorge themselves.
Considering the time of year and the
warmer water and air temps, we have
been having some spectacular results on
mostly rainbows up to 6 plus pounds as
well as browns running anywhere from 3
to 8 pounds.
There have been a few small salmon in
the mix, these are the two-year-old fish
which will mature for next year, although
our first fish of the morning several days
ago was a 23-inch class salmon which
put up a fantastic fight. It looks like this
late summer bite will continue with the fish
hanging deeper until things start to cool
down next month.
- Capt. Bryan Roccucci, Big Daddy’s
Guide Service.
AMADOR LAKE
Channel Cats on Nocturnal
Prowl
IONE – Fishing pressure has been very
Great Fishing for Rainbows,
Browns and Lake Trout!
•Cabins •Campground •Restaurant & Bar
•Fishing Boat Rentals
Call for Information and Reservations
3614
(209)295-4868
40800 Highway 88, Pioneer, CA 95666
www.bearrivercampground.com
Fish Rollins Lake!
The Jewel
of the Foothills
Rainbow and Brown Trout
Largemouth, Smallmouth & Spotted Bass
3 Campgrounds
to Serve you:
Long Ravine Campground
Marina, Boat Ramp, Camping,
Store, Restaurant, Boat Rentals
(530)346-6166
Orchard Springs Campground
Boat Ramp, Camping, Store
(530)346-0073
Peninsula Campground
Boat Ramp, Camping, Store,
(530)477-9413
Fishing — Camping — Boating — Swimming
Nevada Irrigation District
recreation.nidwater.com
3811
FRESHWATER
FRESHWATER REPORTS
light at Lake Amador, as it is normally this
time of year. Channel catfish and bluegill
are providing the top fishing.
The lake level is 21 feet from maximum
pool, reported Sandy Lockhart at the Lake
Amador Resort.
The biggest cat caught over the past
few weeks weighed 11 pounds, Anglers
fishing around the lake at night
are catching channel
cats while throwing
out chicken liver,
anchovies, mackerel,
nightcrawlers and other
baits.
The resort stocked
1200 pounds of catfish
in June and there are
lots of wild and holdover
catfish in Amador.
Children are having
fun catching bluegill
while using redworms,
nightcrawlers and other
bait around the docks and
shoreline.
Trout plants will not start until late
October. The holdover trout are hugging
the bottom in the coldest water at the
reservoir and virtually nobody targets
them this time of year.
For largemouth bass, anglers should
throw black and purple plastic worms and
jigs on moonlit nights off the points.
The Tackle Box Café is open, but the
swim pond is closed. The resort is open
for fully self-contained trailers, RV’s, and
tent camping by reservation only.
- Dan Bacher
AMERICAN BASIN LAKES
Hell Hole Kokanee and
Mackinaw Lead Late Summer
Angling Parade
AUBURN – If you want to catch
kokanee salmon in the 13 to 15 inch
range, give Hell Hole Reservoir a try.
“Boaters are trolling with hoochies and
Brad’s Kokanee Series Cut Plugs behind
dodgers at 45 to 50 feet deep,” said Craig
Newton of Willfish Bait and Tackle.
The mackinaw fishing is also decent.
“The mackinaw are hanging out under
the schools of kokanee,” stated Newton.
“Your top prospect is to troll with black
and silver Rapalas under the kokanee.
Most of the macks range from 2 to 6
pounds.”
Trollers continue to troll nightcrawlers
behind dodgers and Rapalas for rainbows
and browns at
French Meadows
Reservoir. The
rainbows are
mostly in the 12 to 14 inch range, while
the browns go 2 to 3 pounds and up to 5
pounds, according to Newton.
From June into August, SMUD
stocked a total 25,000 pounds of fish at
Union Valley, Loon Lake and Ice House
reservoirs in El Dorado County.
SMUD made six separate trout plantings
in Crystal Basin reservoirs. The largest
of the three reservoirs, Union Valley,
received 9,400 pounds; Loon Lake, 8,100
pounds; and Ice House, 7,500 pounds.
Mount Lassen Trout Farms of Payne’s
Creek delivered the fish.
- Dan Bacher
AMERICAN RIVER
Salmon
and Striper
Fishing
Remains
Tough
SACRAMENTO –
The American River
opened to Chinook
salmon fishing on
July 16, 2020 from
the U.S. Geological
Survey gauging
station cable
crossing about 300
EAGLE LAKE
CABIN RENTALS
3811
Furnished
Cabins from
$60 per night or
$360 per week
Awesome
• Trout Fishing
• Hiking
• Biking
• Relaxing
Rentals — Real Estate — Lots & Land
For Reservations and info:
(530)825-2131
www.eaglelakeheritage.com
3917
Mark Morrison fishing Guide Service
Salmon, Stripers, Trout, American Shad
NOW BOOKING SALMON, TROUT & AMERICAN SHAD TRIPS!
1-6 people - Full day trips
Fishing gear supplied
Sacramento, American and Feather rivers
916-308-3228
markmor14@gmail.com
markmorrisonfishingguideservice.com
BOOK EARLY
FOR BEST DATES!
• Trout
• Bass
• Crappie
• Bluegill
• Catfish
Largest Trout Stocking Program
North of Sacramento
Lakefront
RV
Camping
Some large cutthroat trout have
been showing up at Lake Tahoe.
This fish was landed on July 30.
Photo courtesy of TAHOE
SPORTFISHING, South Lake
Tahoe.
Call for Reservations & Park Guidelines
800-286-0576
yards
downstream from
the Nimbus Hatchery fish
rack site to the mouth of the
river at Discovery Park. The
daily bag limit is two salmon
and the possession limit is
four salmon
Few anglers have been
fishing on the river since the
opener due to the recent heat wave
and lack of salmon on the American. Bank
anglers and boaters that have fished
since the opener have reported very few
salmon from the mouth up the river to
Sailor Bar.
The action should improve in September
as the weather cools down and the fall
run begins to make its way up river
from the ocean. River fishing for salmon
should be good this year, based on the
limit-style fishing that trollers have been
seeing outside of the Golden Gate and off
Bodega Bay.
Striper fishing on the American River
has been tough also. If you want to catch
stripers, try fishing the major holes of the
river with Pencil Poppers, Zara Spooks
and other top water lures early and late in
the day.
Throughout the day, you should find the
top striper action while drifting live jumbo
minnows, live crawfish and cut anchovies
and sardines at Sailor Bar, Upper and
Lower Sunrise, El Manto, Rossmoor Bar,
Continued on Pg 12
www.collinslake.com
P.O. Box 300 . Oregon House . California 95962 3919