FRESHWATER
16 January 12 , 2024 VOL . 43 • ISS . 1
FRESHWATER REPORTS :
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COLLINS LAKE
Anglers Battle Trout , Catfish
OREGON HOUSE - The New Year began with a lake 32 feet from full at press time , a surface water temperature of 52.4 degrees and light fishing pressure . With a quickly dropping surface temperature , we ’ ve seen trout traffic pick up at bit . It is still tricky fishing out there and we aren ’ t seeing many limits , but the fish that are being caught are of decent size- especially the Golden Rainbow “ Lightning ” trout , some of which have weighed in at more than seven pounds . Freddie Rodriguez caught a 7.5lb Lightning Trout while using PowerBait at the north end of the beach . It ’ s incredible the speed that these trout are moving- the day after the first plant we were seeing lightning trout from the north channel , out to east of the islands on the far side , and down to the south east corner of the dam . Josh Burch caught a Golden Rainbow out on the east side . Luke James caught a beautiful 7.3lb trout and two others using RHA Spoons , which are available right here at the Collins Lake general store . Trent and James are familiar faces here- they ’ ve been out again for a loaded bragboard including a loooong lightning , mostly caught on spoons . Bennet Williamson caught his first fish , a 6lb trout on a classic Kastmaster while the Grimm Family brought in a 7 pound rainbow trout on Pro Cure scented swimbaits . There were also a couple of good sized catfish caught , although it has been slowing considerably . Niko and Brandon teamed up to bring in a 6.35 lb . catfish . Patrick , Jillian , Hank and Callen Goyet reeled in a 7 ¼ lb . cat on chicken liver as well as a good sized redear sunfish . Again , it ’ s a tough game out on the waterbut the weather has been idyllic , perfect for a
TJ Alves was fly fishing on the American River when he caught and released this gorgeous steelhead .
Photo Courtesy of TJ Alves
kayak or a slow troll . At some point the recent plants will decide they ’ re hungry , but until they do , the in-lake stock numbers just keep climbing as we continue our fall / winter Trout planting program . A total of 20,000 pounds of Mt . Lassen Fish Farm rainbow trout were stocked in Collins Lake during the fall of 2023 .
- Ed Palma
DAVIS LAKE
Ice Fishing Should Begin Soon
PORTOLA – Anglers were still hooking rainbows in open water at Lake Davis as the New Year began , but that should change soon as the lake ices over . The lake had just received 3 inches of new snow on January 2 .
“ I drove the east side of the lake around 11 am .,” said Jeanne Graham at J & J ’ s Grizzly Store and Camping Resort after her latest drive around the lake . “ The lake level is 81 % full . The dam area is iced over , but it looks very thin . The . Lightning Tree Boat Ramp is open water and smaller boats are launching there . It looked like there were some small thin ice patches in the water .” “ Mallard Cove is open . Fishermen that were there were catching rainbow trout . Watch out for the truck eating potholes going into Mallard . Coot Bay is open , again some large potholes . Honker Cove is open , but a lot of silt is on the ramp ( about 6 inches ). Looking across to the West side you can see ice ,” Graham added .
- Dan Bacher
DON PEDRO LAKE
Trollers Land Quality Rainbows
LA GRANGE - Both recently planted trout and holdover rainbows are hitting at Don Pedro Lake .
On his latest trip to the lake , two anglers fishing with Monty Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing caught a total of nine trout , including four holdover rainbows ranging from 2-1 / 2 to 3-1 / 2 pounds . “ We trolled with my custom spoons on leadcore line at10 to 15 feet deep ,” he reported . “ The lake is in perfect shape , with a surface water temperature of 53 to 54 degrees and water clarity of 15 feet of visibility .”
A previous trip yielded lots of action . “ Today ’ s trip was with four great people introducing their kids to fishing and catching their very first fish ,” stated Smith . “ We started catching fish
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