Fish Sniffer Magazine Issue 4021 | Page 2

Up-To-Date and Published Locally ... By Sportsmen ... For Sportsmen !
American River Map Feature
MADE IN U . S . A
See Page 10

39 Years Serving Sportsmen

Vol . 40 - ISS . 21

Our 39th Year
Since 1982

“ The Magazine for West Coast Sportsmen !” INSIDE

Area Reports

Making Time for Winter Delta Postcards

I can ’ t think of many things more majestic than sitting on anchor and bait fishing during a calm winter ’ s afternoon on the California Delta . Winds that peak during the early afternoon will usually lay down to give us a few tranquil hours just before sunset . If we are lucky enough to have a few high clouds , the delta will provide a sunset that rivals any postcard scene . On Tuesday the sixteenth of November , I made some time and headed to the west delta with Kirby Desha of Lincoln . It was one of those days where the fish just weren ’ t cooperating . After setting pick in five different spots , we only had one keeper striper on ice . We were mostly targeting stripers , but I ran a sturgeon rod in a few spots that yielded only nibble bites . The bites on the sturgeon rod were most likely courtesy of Sacramento Pikeminnows , scavenger fish that love salmon roe . After spending over an hour fishing at an area referred to as ‘ The Power Lines ’, we pulled

GONE FISHING by Jack Naves anchor around 1:00 pm and headed west looking for stripers . As I navigated downstream , we were approaching a fish symbol on my GPS screen . The text read , ‘ STU I ’, indicating that I had caught a sturgeon at the location on the incoming tide . Further ahead , there were two more marks reading ‘ STR O ’, indicating stripers caught on the outgoing tide . I use my GPS screen to mark spots whenever I catch fish . I note the species and tide it was caught during using abbreviations

10-Pound Rainbow Tops Collins Lake Trout Catches

O

REGON HOUSE – Collins
Lake lived up to its reputation as a big trout destination when the reservoir produced a 10-pound rainbow on Friday , November 12 during a guided trip by Cal Kellogg and Wes Ward of www . fishhuntshoot . com . Sinclair Graham caught the
Call Kellogg of fishhuntshoot . com shows off two rainbows that he landed while trolling on Collins Lake this November .
Photo Courtesy of Cal Kellogg
10-pounder on a Red Flake grub trolled behind a Mini Willow Leaf dodger at 10 feet deep over the creek channel in the main body . “ It was a long fight using a light drag , but Graham stayed with it ,” said Kellogg . “ The fish jumped a minute into the fight . After he got the big fish by the boat , we netted it .” That day Graham and the other angler , Ed , landed a total of 7 rainbows . The other fish ranged from 2 to 3-1 / 2 pounds . The anglers also trolled Mini Willow Leaf dodgers and worms and olive and hot pink trolling flies on lead core line . “ They were nice fish with bright red meat ,” said Kellogg . The water temperature was 57 to 58 degrees , perfect for trout fishing . On Saturday , the 3 anglers aboard the patio boat landed 6 fish to 3-1 / 2 pounds , all caught on pink flies and worms at10 feet . Then on Monday Kellogg and his wife , Gena , went out fishing for a few hours and landed 2 trout to 3 pounds . After trolling without getting any bites , they switched over to bait fishing with Power Bait near the
The author hoists a lively white sturgeon that was released immediately after the photo . The fish inhaled a quarter-sized ball of salmon roe inside of a cheesecloth netting sack on November 16 . You ’ ll have a shot at this fish if you are willing to make the time to visit the west delta this winter .
Photo Courtesy of Jack Naves

WHAT ’ S HOT by Dan Bacher

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bank . “ We only bait fished for 15 minutes , but caught two trout in that time ,” Kellogg stated . Collins features California ’ s largest private trout stocking program north of Sacramento . The lake is planted regularly from October through May from private hatcheries and the CDFW . 8,000 pounds of trout are scheduled for fall 2021 , while over 31,000 pounds of trout were already planted in spring 2021 . Trout plants already made this fall include a private plant of 4,000 pounds of Mt . Lassen rainbows on November 5 and another plant of 1,000 pounds during the week of November 8 to November 12 . Both plants included trophy trout . In addition to rainbow trout , Collins also hosts healthy populations of spotted and largemouth bass , redear sunfish , bluegill , crappie and channel catfish . Kellogg and Ward will be booking rainbow trout trips on Collins Lake
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November 26 , 2021

FRESHWATER REPORTS Lake Almanor- Lake Berryessa .............................. 6 Camanche / Pardee Lakes - Clear Lake .................. 7 Folsom Lake - Los Vaqueros Reservoir ................. 9
Lake Oroville - Rio Vista ...................................... 13 Pyramid Lake- Trinity River .................................. 15
SALTWATER REPORTS Berkeley / Fisherman ’ s Wharf - Bodega Bay .......... 19 Half Moon Bay - Monterey Bay ............................... 21

FEATURES

Where ... When ... How ...
GO FOR IT : Staff ........................................................ 4 MAP FEATURE : Dan Bacher ................................ 10-11 SPOTLIGHT ON CONSERVATION : Dan Bacher ....... 17

STAFF TACKLE

What We ’ re Using

Ernie Marlan - fished the California Delta for striped bass . He used a Quantum Smoke HD teamed up with a Quantum Inshore casting rod . He threw a variety of lures that included topwater baits , glide baits , swimbaits , and spoons . He caught a few schoolie sized stripers and the most productive lure was a Livingston FlatSide 50 in Spring Craw color .
Paul Kneeland - fished Pyramid Lake with Al Fiske and Bruce Wicks of Foresthill in the Fish Sniffer 21 ’ Rogue Jet Coastal . They caught Lahontan cutthroat trout to 16 1 / 2 pounds , using a Lamiglas Ti 2000 8 1 / 2 foot titanium steelhead rod with a Okuma Coldwater line counter reel loaded with 12 lb test P Line . They trolled 4 1 / 2 inch Apex spoons in black / white and Silver Horde 4 inch spoons in watermelon , trolling off the Cannon Downriggers 20 to 40 feet deep at 2.5 mph .
Dan Bacher - fished for rainbow trout at Lake Camanche . He used a Berkley Ugly Stick GX2 6 ’ 6 ” medium action spinning rod , teamed up with a Shakespeare GX235 spinning reel filled with 6 lb . test P-Line CX Premium Fluorocarbon Coated Line . He fished with rainbow glitter Berkley PowerBait and nightcrawlers on sliding sinker rigs with Size # 4 and # 6 Gamakatsu baitholder hooks .