Up-To-Date and Published Locally ... By Sportsmen ... For Sportsmen !
Camanche Lake Map Feature
MADE IN U . S . A
See Page 10
40 Years Serving Sportsmen
Vol . 41 - ISS . 4
Our 40th Year
W
Since 1982
“ The Magazine for West Coast Sportsmen !” INSIDE
Area Reports hen was the last time you visited a bait shop ? Not a sporting goods store with a bait refrigerator , an actual bait shop ? Sometimes the little things about fishing quietly make up part of the therapeutic nature of the sport . Until recently , I had kind of forgotten about how the early-morning bait shop visit is one of the rituals that adds to the full adventure of a fishing trip . On Sunday February 27 , I got an early start on a last-minute trip that I set up with Rj Sanchez of Oakland . Along with my trusty
Bait Shop Therapy
Frabill ‘ Kool Keeper ’ insulated bait bucket , I hit the road just before four o ’ clock am with Rio Vista Bait & Tackle as my first destination . It was still dark as I pulled off Highway 12 into the parking lot . With my bait bucket in hand , I stepped into a familiar scene that hasn ’ t changed much since I was a kid . There is typically a bell on the front door . Next , the soothing sound of humming freezers , bubbling bait tanks , and chirping crickets greet you as you walk in . It ’ s not quite a fish market type of aroma , but it definitely has an
D ay one fishing the Lavaca River with Captain Jason and Amy Wellenkamp provided us a lot of great information to be prepared to fish on day two . One of the most important things we learned is where the fish weren ’ t . In my opinion , this is just as important as learning where the fish are . We learned that the fish were not in the shallows and had moved into a little deeper water . The key was to find the deeper channels just off of the shallow water . We also learned that it was key to go slow with our artificial baits because the redfish wanted a slower presentation . The weather conditions on day two were very favorable and similar to the day before . It was mid to high 30 ’ s in the morning with the high expected to be somewhere in the mid to high 50 ’ s by the end of the day . The one bonus we had on the second day was scattered clouds throughout the region .
WHAT ’ S HOT by Jack Naves odor that sticks in your memory . It ’ s the scent of optimism – what are we going to catch with all this bait today ? Back in Rio Vista , I eagerly watched as the guy scooped a couple-dozen live ghost shrimp into my bucket . “ Prime stuff ” I thought to myself , wondering what types of fish were out there waiting to gobble them up . With shrimp and a few inches of cold salt water in my bucket , I turned
A Bucket List Trip Targeting Redfish – Day Two
GONE FISHING by Ernie Marlan
Captain Jason , Amy and I hoped that the area we fished on the first day would be as productive on day two . Our concern was that we found fish in the afternoon on the outgoing tide . Today , we were going to fish the same area in the morning on the incoming tide . The big question , was the time of day and the incoming tide going to affect the bite ? The fishing started out tough on the second day . The redfish were nowhere to be found but the speckled trout bite and the flounder gave us enough action to keep us happy and confident . Captain Jason moved from spot to spot looking for fish . We tried a 100 yard stretch that was on the opposite side of the river from where we caught fish the day before . Finally , we picked up a redfish and started to found a few more fish here and there . We worked this area pretty hard and
The author hoists a 46 inch , 30 pound sturgeon on the brackish waters of Suisun Bay . This fish sucked up strips of lamprey and pile worms pinned to an 8 / 0 Gamakatsu octopus circle hook . The fresh fillets were portioned out and quickly claimed by friends and family .
Photo Courtesy of Jack Naves
CONTINUED ON PG 16
Ernie Marlan always wanted to catch a redfish . In fact , it was on his bucket list . He proudly holds up one of several that he caught on the Lavaca River .
Photo Courtesy of Amy Wellenkamp
once the two big air boats decided to blast through the area we decided that this spot didn ’ t have any more hope .
CONTINUED ON PG 19
March 18 , 2022
FRESHWATER REPORTS Lake Almanor - Lake Berryessa ............................. 6 Bullards Bar / Englebright Lakes .............................. 7 Camanche - Collins Lake ........................................ 8
Davis Lake .............................................................. 9 Feather River - Folsom Lake ............................... 12 Lake Oroville - Pardee Lake ................................ 13 New Melones Lake .............................................. 14 Rio Vista ............................................................... 15
SALTWATER REPORTS Bodega Bay ............................................................. 20 Fisherman ’ s Wharf - Monterey Bay ......................... 23
FEATURES
Where ... When ... How ...
GO FOR IT : Staff ........................................................ 4 MAP FEATURE : Dan Bacher ................................ 10-11 SPOTLIGHT ON CONSERVATION : Dan Bacher ....... 18
STAFF TACKLE
What We ’ re Using
Ernie Marlan - fished the Central Coast beaches for surf perch and halibut . He caught and released several quality sized surf perch on a 9ft Phenix Trifecta 6-12lb teamed up with a Van Stall reel spooled up with 20lb FINS Windtamer Braid . The lure of choice was a Calissa Jerkbait in sardine color .
Paul Kneeland - fished Rollins Lake with John Brassfield in John ’ s 18 foot Duckworth . They caught German Brown trout to 15 inches using a 7 ’ 9 ” light action Rogue triggerstick with a Daiwa Lexa 100 line counter reel loaded with 8 lb test P Line CXX line . They trolled 2 inch Lyman plugs in black shad color and Speedy Shiners in brass / red off the Canon Downriggers 40 feet deep at 2.2 mph .
Dan Bacher - fished for rainbow trout at Lake Camanche .. He used a Berkley Ugly Stik 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 .