FRESHWATER REPORTS :

CONTINUED FROM PG 14

FOLSOM LAKE

Kings and Rainbows Lead Spring Angling Parade

GRANITE BAY - Fishing for landlocked king salmon is shifting into high gear on Folsom Lake . Trollers are hooking the majority of the fish , but shore anglers can also hook king salmon while tossing out minnows , inflated nightcrawlers and PowerBait at Granite Bay , Brown ’ s Ravine and other areas on the lake . “ Fishing was really good in the afternoon ,” reported Cal Kellogg at fishhuntshoot . com after his recent trip . “ The two anglers fishing with me in the boat landed 8 king salmon and one trout . The biggest salmon measured 18-1 / 2 inches while the rest were 15 to 16 inches long . We caught the biggest fish on a whole anchovy and the rest on Fish Eye Dodgers and Shad Tubes .” “ The bite got really going at 1 p . m .,” said Kellogg . “ Most of the fish hit off the end of the peninsula . They were spitting up pond smelt that they had just fed upon . I trolled from 18 to 47 feet deep , working the contours and keeping the gear on the bottom .” On his previous trip on the lake , two anglers fishing with Kellogg caught and released 7 rainbow trout and 6 kings . “ The trout ranged up to 14 inches and the salmon went from 15 to 17 inches ,” he said . “ All of the trout hit pink Trix worms in the top five feet of the water ,” he noted . “ The salmon hit 6 inch Fisheye Dodgers trailed by white shad tubes . The kings were scattered at 15 to 30 feet deep .”

“ The biggest salmon were holding on structure ,” said Kellogg . “ We trolled off both sides of the peninsula to the main body .” Don Paganelli of Paganelli ’ s Bass Fishing Experience said the black bass are moving into 10 to 15 feet of water at Folsom in preparation for the spring spawn . Anglers are hooking the spotted , largemouth and smallmouth bass while throwing swimbaits , fishing Senkos , drop shotting Robo Worms and casting ripbaits . On his latest trip to Folsom , Paganelli said the lake “ was a little stingy today . We had 6 bites and caught 5 of them . I have always said that Folsom Lake comes on strong the end of March going into April , so there is plenty of time . Meanwhile , we can still work the lake and find fish that will be some of the first prespawners .” Folsom Lake is holding 641,763 acre feet of

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Fishing • Hunting • Destinations Conservation • History Dedicated to the Northern California Outdoorsman

The sturgeon are still chewing on the California Delta . This angler landed this nice one while fishing with Hook ’ d Up Sportfishing .

Photo Courtesy of Hook ’ d Up Sportfishing

water , 66 percent of capacity and 119 percent of average . The three open launch ramps at Folsom Lake are Granite Bay , Folsom Point and Hobie Cove at Browns Ravine , according to the Folsom Lake Marina .

- Dan Bacher

KLAMATH RIVER

Removal of Copco No . 1 Dam Underway

KLAMATH - Following Friday ’ s successful test blast , the Klamath River Renewal Corporation will proceed with the removal of the Copco No . 1 Dam , the second dam to be removed as a part of the Klamath dam removal project . The Copco No . 1 Dam , constructed in 1918 for the sole purpose of hydroelectric power generation , has blocked fish passage for over 100 years and is expected to be fully removed by the end of August 2024 . “ We are excited to get to work ,” said Mark Bransom , CEO of the Renewal Corporation “ with the initial phase of drawdown complete , the dam is fully exposed and can safely be disassembled .” Copco No . 2 , a diversion dam that was located just downstream of

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CALIFORNIA ’ S LONGEST RUNNING OUTDOOR TALK SHOW !

Copco No . 1 , was

removed last year . The remaining three dams , Copco No . 1 , Iron Gate , and JC Boyle created reservoirs that needed to be drawn down before removal could begin . The initial phase of drawdown concluded last month , and shortly thereafter FERC approved an advancement in the schedule , allowing for the removal of Copco No . 1 ahead of the other remaining dams . Iron Gate and JC Boyle , which are clay core earthen dams , will remain at their full height until the spring runoff period has concluded and the Klamath River has returned to baseline flows . Work on their deconstruction will likely begin sometime in May , depending on precipitation . Deconstruction of the Copco No . 1 Dam , which will be performed through a repetitive cycle of drilling , blasting , and chipping , can begin before the spring runoff period has concluded because it is a concrete arch dam . So , should the Klamath River experience a significant flow event this spring , water could safely pass over the partially removed concrete dam and the dam would remain securely in place . The Copco No . 1 Dam removal plan was specifically designed to allow for this safe flow passing , should it occur . The removal of Copco No . 1 , Iron Gate , and JC Boyle Dams is expected to be complete sometime this fall , in time for the Fall run of Chinook salmon . The restoration of the former reservoir footprints is currently underway and will continue for several years until vegetation is successfully established and water clarity has returned to baseline conditions .

- Klamath River Renewal Corporation ( KRRC )

LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR

Big Trout Plants Boost Catches

LIVERMORE – A plant of 2,000 pounds of Mt . Lassen rainbows in Los Vaqueros Reservoir on March 12 has led to improved fishing success . A total of 6.000 pounds of Mt . Lassen trout were planted in Los Vaqueros Reservoir in February and 6,000 pounds in January . In addition , the California Department of Fish and Wildlife planted 1,500 pounds of catchable rainbows in the reservoir on February 7 . Big fish honors go to Micah Ramone , who landed a 7 lb . 12 oz . rainhow while fishing from shore at Los Vaqueros on a recent angling adventure . Shore anglers are using Power Bait , Mice Tails , spinners , spoons and other offerings in South Cove and off the fishing pier near the marina . Trolling from a rental boat with spoons , spinners and minnow imitation lures has been good when the water is calm enough for the boats to get out .

CONTINUED ON PG 18

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