12 March 22 , 2024 VOL . 43 • ISS . 4

LAKE AMADOR

Giant Trout Planted In Lake

IONE -- The Lake Amador Resort stocked a total of 1500 pounds last week , including 500 pounds of trophy trout ranging from 8 to 20 pounds and 1000 pounds . The trout are a mixture of cutbows , golds and blues . “ The lake is full , the water is clear and the sun is out ,” said Lee Lockhart at the Lake Amador Resort . “ What better conditions could you ask for to get out and hook into a Lake Amador monster trout ? You better have your drag set right because you are in for a fight .” Chris and Andrew Bustamante and Isidro Castillo put together a nice stringer of 8 trout using

PowerBait . They their efforts to all the small coves along the shoreline like the ones past the spillway , Brian Mackinnon and Ethan Dickson from RB Bass also caught 9 nice trout including one gold by drifting pink / white mouse tails in various coves at 5 ’ deep . The surface temperature is 59 degrees , the water clarity is 6 ’ and the oxygen level is 10.2mg / L . - Dan Bacher

Anglers that have been trolling with Barebones Guide Service on Lake Oroville have been landing some nice king salmon .

Photo Courtesy of Barebones Guide Service

AMERICAN RIVER

Steelhead Anglers Working For Their Fish

SACRAMENTO -- The steelhead fishing on the American River has been “ about a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10 ,” reported Austin Wilson at Fisherman ’ s Warehouse . Anglers are still catching the vast majority of the steelhead while fishing spinners , spoons , plugs and roe in the section from Sailor Bar to Sunrise . “ Below that fishing is really slow for adult steelhead ,” Wilson noted . “ The steelhead yearlings released in February by the CDFW are still there , hitting anglers ’ lures and baits .. There are also four harbor seals in the Harrington and Gristmill areas that are feeding on downrunner steelhead .” On Wilson ’ s last drift boat trip on the river , he reported catching two steelhead weighing 6 and 3 pounds while pulling Map Lips in the Dr . Death and all-chrome color patterns from Sailor Bar to Rossmoor Bar .

On his previous trip ,, the one angler fishing with him

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You can contact the Pyramid Lake Ranger Station at ( 775 ) 476-1155 for more information on our beautiful lake .

4214 landed one steelhead weighing 4 pounds . They also released some of the steelhead smolts recently released into the river . “ We ’ ve averaged 1 to 3 steelhead per trip since the beginning of the year ,” he stated . “ Most of the adult fish have been from 3 to 8 pounds . Fishing with Little Cleos and Mag Lips has produced the top action this year .” A few stripers in the 4 to 10 lb . class are showing in the lower American , according to Wilson . Anglers are tossing out swimbaits and top water lures for the stripers . In early February , one-year-old steelhead were loaded into tanker trucks at Nimbus Fish Hatchery and released into the American River to begin their outward migration to the ocean .

- Dan Bacher

LAKE BERRYESSA

‘ Donkey ’ Trout Test Tackle !

SACRAMENTO -- One of my favorite reservoirs to fish in California , Lake Berryessa , is about to spill over the Glory Hole into Putah Creek below Monticello Dam . “ Who is ready to jump aboard and come catch some of the finest king / kokanee salmon , Eagle Lake strain rainbows and massive crappie that Northern California has to offer ?” asked Nate Kelsch of Big Nate ’ s Guide Service . “ We got into some huge rainbows last week and will be scouting for kings and kokanee very soon I am opening the books for all 3 species starting in April and with a full lake fishing will be excellent .” On his latest trip to Berryessa , Kelsch reported that he had a special request from Abdul to fish the lake . “ I informed him to keep expectations low , but I ’ d give it my all , so we did just that ,” he said . “ I ’ ve fished not only Berryessa my whole life but all the surrounding lakes as well , and Berryessa is by far the toughest , but also the most rewarding .” “ Well , we didn ’ t kill it by any means , but we did hook up some donkeys . We stuck 4 of the 7 bites we got on the day and these fish went absolutely ballistic ,” he stated . “ Abdul had some real battles on his hands , and learned a new method called kneel , reel and pray ; sometimes the fish just win , and that ’ s all part of the game . The lake is muddy to dingy with a lot of debris , trash , and some very large logs scattered throughout ,” Kelsch observed . “ The key is to searching for areas null and void of all the crap and focusing on staying in those very small areas ,” he advised . “ We used the ‘ kitchen sink ’ today , and spoons dominated our action from the surface down to 60 ft .” “ I know that seems deep for this time of year , but chasing marks produced fish . We fished our butts off , but it was worth it !! The one

CONTINUED ON PG 13