16 March 8 , 2024 VOL . 43 • ISS . 8

Samuel Boyd Yoro caught and released this beautiful steelhead while fishing on the Mokelumne River below Camanche Dam in February .

Photo by Samuel Boyd Yoro .

A gorgeous Mokelumne River steelhead prior to release . Photo by Samuel Boyd Yoro .

Reservoir . Meanwhile the hatchery has released its first batch of steelhead yearlings weighing 4 to the pound , about 6 to 8 inches each . A total of 210,000 yearling steelhead are being released into the system this year , according to Smith . The hatchery has taken close to 770,000 steelhead eggs this season . Smith attributes the record steelhead run to a big water years in 2023 and 2024 to date , along with the CDFW and EBMUD ’ s analysis of genetic studies and release strategies to improve the fish population . The record steelhead run follows a record salmon run . A total of 28,614 fall-run Chinook salmon returned to the Mokelumne River in 2023 . 5700 of those fish were grilse ( two-year-olds ) and the rest were adults , said EBMUD Manager of Fisheries and Wildlife Michelle Workman . The Mokelumne has been providing anglers with some solid steelhead fishing lately . Samuel Boyd Yoro of Watsonville and his nephew Bodhi , had a great trip steelhead fishing on the Mokelumne below Camanche Dam on February 9 .

“ Bodhi caught his very first chrome-bright steelhead ,” said Yoro . “ His Mokelumne River hatchery fish fought a solid bout , jumping and flipping out , but obviously not able to spit the hook out of its mouth .” “ I am so proud of my nephew , Bodhi ,” explained Yoro . “ He has become such a good fisherman at such a young age . He casts straight . He is very patient in waiting for the fish to bite his bait and he doesn ’ t wake up late .” “ Bodhi can already read the water , hear the fish roll and then immediately spot them as well ,” added Yoro . “ He has the knack .. he has the eye . Bodhi has the gift of loving fishing .” https :// www . californiaflyfishingreports . com / mokelumne-river reported “ fair ” fishing for steelhead and rainbow trout on the Mokelumne on Feb . 18 : “ The Moke has some great water for about two hundred yards below the dam and there are plenty of fish . With the winter steelhead almost over . there are still plenty of half pounders and the spring run fish are beginning to trickle in .”

Moke guide Bill Ferrero at https :// www . mokeoutfitters . com reported that “ Yes , fishing has improved as the fish move from a salmon egg diet to a steelhead egg diet . Unfortunately , flows went from 330 cfs last Tuesday up to 800 cfs and up to 1,000 cfs today . If you fish the wading section , please be careful about not stepping on redds .” The Mokelumne River from Camanche Dam to Elliot Road is open to fishing from January1 through March 31 with a daily bag and possession limit of one hatchery trout or steelhead . This section reopens from the Fourth Saturday in May through July 15 and from July 16 through October 15 , again with a daily bag and possession limit of 1 hatchery trout or steelhead . The 2024-2025 Mokelumne salmon regulations as part of the “ Central Valley ” rulemaking will be decided in May 2024 by the Fish and Game Commission to align with the 2024 federal salmon regulations , and will be available at https :// wildlife . ca . gov / regulations and in the Supplemental regulations booklet .

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Contact Paul Kneeland at 530-346-8696 or paulkneeland @ fishsniffer . com