10 September 8 , 2023 VOL . 42 • ISS . 13

on Highway 88 at Carson Pass

4209

Charlotte Allison , of Newark , with a beautiful 4 pound Eagle Lake rainbow .

Photo Courtesy of Fish Traveler Guide Service

LAKE ALMANOR

Trollers Are Landing Rainbows and Browns

Chester - Fall is in the air , days are getting shorter , mornings cooler and our daytime highs are in the mid-eighties . We will see more of the same before temperatures plumet next weekend into the high sixties with a chance of rain on Friday and Saturday . Lake conditions remain unchanged from last week , water temperatures are in the low seventies , clarity is fifteen feet and lake level is down a half foot sitting at 4489.17 . Last year on the same date water level was 4478.56 , ten and a half feet lower . Hamilton Branch remains the top option for shore anglers . Trollers are targeting fish along the East Shore from the dam all the way to Big Springs , slow is the preferred method . Fishing has been good with lots of Browns ( of varying sizes ) being caught . Pond smelt remains the diet of choice as all species of fish are gorging on smelt .

- Quail Lodge Lake Almanor

Lodging & Guide Service

AMERICAN RIVER / SACRAMENTO AREA

Target Stripers With Flies , Topwater Lures

SACRAMENTO – Reports of the fall run steelhead seem to have fallen off this week , though Kiene ’ s Fly Shop is still getting positive reports about the striper fishing , particularly in the lower half of the river . “ The lower American , depending on the time of the year , has an amazing fishery for these striped bucketmouths ,” the shop reported . “ The quality of striper fishing depends on your expectations . If catching five or six fish during a morning float sounds appealing to you , then I would have to rate the fishing as very good . Most positive reports are coming from Howe Ave to just below Paradise .”

Fly fishermen in pursuit of stripers should use Clouser Minnows # 1 in white & turquoise , olive & turquoise , gray & turquoise , yellow & turquoise and white & gray . Conventional gear anglers should toss out top water lures and swimbaits in the early morning and late afternoon hours for the best success . You can expect to hook a mixture of shakers and keepers in the 18 to 24 inch range , but larger fish in the 20 to 30 lb . class are always possible . Bureau of Reclamation water releases to the lower American River were 3.950 cfs at press time . The CDFW ’ s Fishing in the City Program is now planting Sacramento Area park ponds with channel catfish . For more information , contact : r2fishinginthecity @ wildlife . ca . gov . Few anglers have been fishing for catfish in the Sacramento River and adjacent sloughs lately , but there are both white catfish and channel catfish available for those fishing in the Sacramento River in the Sacramento area at spots including Discovery Park , Miller Park , Garcia Bend and Freeport . Use clams , chicken livers and sardines for maximum catfish success .

- Dan Bacher

BULLARDS BAR LAKE

Kokanee Are Still Biting As They Move Upriver

DOBBINS – If you want to catch a 10 fish limit of kokanee salmon at Bullards Bar Reservoir , you don ’ t have much time left to do it , since the fish are now moving upriver as they prepare for spawning . “ I went kokanee fishing at Bullards with John of Glitterbugs and his friend ,” said Craig Newton of Willfish Tackle . “ We caught 30 kokanee averaging 12 to 13 inches long , with a few over 13 inches . The fish were 50 to 80 feet deep in the main body west of

Continued on Pg 11

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• General Store

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4005

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4205

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4005

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