14 March 28, 2025 VOL. 44 • ISS. 3

FRESHWATER REPORTS:

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EAST BAY LAKES

Trout action has been good, and the bass bite has started. There was a catfish plant about two weeks ago and the cats should start biting as well. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an abundance of superb trout action so close to our homes here in the Bay Area. The EBRPD and lake concessionaires do a fantastic job keeping us in fish and the hatcheries set a high bar with the quality and consistency of their deliveries. We still have a few remaining months of the season and have plenty of great action ahead. Enjoy the days to come, be courteous to your fellow anglers, pick up after yourself and go catch a fish! Please send me your pics! Or reach out to me for additional information at email: ctw1930 @ gmail. com, or by text at 571-481-8040.

- Chuck Wolf, EBRPD Angler’ s Edge

FEATHER / SACRAMENTO RIVERS

Stripers Begin Spring Run

OROVILLE – Stripers are making way into the Feather and Sacramento rivers on their annual spawning run. As the water clears and warms up, expect the striper fishing to shift into high gear.“ Anglers are catching some stripers on the Feather,, but it’ s not wide open yet,” said Terry Basham at Johnson’ s Bait and Tackle.“ Most of fish being caught now are from the Star Bend to Verona. The bait bite is picking up, but trolling with P-Line Predators and YoZuri lures or throwing jerk and glide baits is most effective. Most of the fish are from 25 to 35 inches long.”“ The Sacramento River is still too high and muddy to fish,’ said Basham.“ The river was almost ready to fish at Tisdale when the river level went up after the latest storm.” The Department of Water Resources( DWR) continues federally required flood control releases from Lake Oroville to maintain flood protection for

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4305 downstream communities. Water is being released through the Hyatt Powerplant for energy production and from Oroville Dam’ s main spillway. With drier watershed conditions returning, DWR has reduced releases from Lake Oroville to conserve as much water supply as possible in coordination with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers( USACE). Feather River flows are at 900 cfs through the City of Oroville with 6,700 cfs being released from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet( Outlet) for a total Feather River release of 7,600 cfs downstream. Releases are subject to change based on ongoing weather conditions. Between October and June, DWR is required to operate Lake Oroville for flood control under federal Water Control Manual guidelines set by USACE.

- Dan Bacher

FOLSOM LAKE

King Salmon and Rainbows Cooperate With Anglers

FOLSOM – King salmon and rainbow trout are on an improved bite at Folsom Lake as the water level rises. Frank Earl Smith Jr. reported solid king fishing on his latest fishing adventure to the lake.“ I had the pleasure of fishing with Mikey Mullen( Jigit Fishing) today on Folsom lake,” said Smith on the Folsom Lake Fishing Report Facebook page.“ You can check out his YouTube channel- he’ s very knowledgeable fisherman and great guy.”“ We caught 4 fish total, including 3 kings and 1 trout. We threw back a little one, lost 2 and had 4 drive bye. All of the fish were caught on wonder bread flashers with Mikeys glow bugs,” he divulged. Lonnie Weber reported solid trout fishing at Folsom during his most recent trip there.“ I made it out to Folsom today with Roger Haaf,” he stated.“ We got 5 for 8 rainbows to the boat, including 3 nice ones and two smaller rainbows. In the early a. m. we hooked our first fish by the spillway on a red / gold Speedy Shiner lure at 37 ft deep.”“ After heading to the South Fork, we lost 2. Then we lost 1 one and caught 2, one on a chrome / blue Speedy Shiner and the other on a red / gold Speedy Shiner at 25 ft deep.”“ We then came up to 20 ft and caught two more on a frog Speedy Shiner. After a mug shot for a few, all were only taken out of the water just enough to remove the hooks and safely released,” he stated. Kevin Schultz also got in on the trout action at Folsom Lake.“ I started my day at 7 a. m. at the point.” Schultz said.‘ I put my downrigger at 17’ and 25’ feet. I worked out front, making my way to the horseshoe down to 25-50’. I marked some fish, but there were no takers.”“ I got my first bite at 9:00 out by the spillway on a red-gold Speedy Shiner on the sliding line at 35’,” he continued.“ I made a few circles and got 4 more bites on blue-chrome Speedy Shiners on my 25’ slider. All of the fish were trout.”“ I made my way to the dam looking for the kings. I fished down to 50’, but there were no takers. I fished both sides of the dam, picking up 1 more trout at 35’ on the slider,”“ About 12:00 I was headed back to the ramp. When I got around the corner by the spillway, I got a double at2 5’+ 35’ on the slider lines, landing 1. I circled around and got 3 more. I went 8 / 11 all trout all on the sliders. The difference today was I was using anchovy scent on my slider for the first time. I had no bites on my set back lines,” Schultz continued. The open launch ramps are Granite Bay, Folsom Point, Rattlesnake Bar and Hobie Cove at Brown’ s Ravine. Folsom Lake is holding 667,727 acre feet of water, 68 percent of capacity and 119 percent of average.

- Dan Bacher

LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR

Target Trout and Stripers from Boat and Shore

LIVERMORE – Fishing reports continue to be scarce at Los Vaqueros Reservoir, but those anglers getting out report success on rainbow trout and striped bass. On their most trolling adventure at Los Vaqueros, Paul Clouse had a great time trout fishing.“ We trolled Los Vaqueros Reservoir targeting Mt. Lassen trout,” Clouse disclosed.“ The weather was perfect for fishing with sunny skies, cool temperatures, and a light breeze. The water surface temperature ranged from 53’ to 53.5’.“ After an hour of trolling in Howden Cove the fish started biting. The bite spanned for about three hours then dropped off. A total of four Lassen trout were landed with the largest weighing 11.8 pounds,’ he stated.“ Fighting and landing the large Lassen was a real treat, as I used a light kokanee trolling rod. Rapala J-9 Rainbow Trout color and Jointed Shad Rap 04 lures were used with various scents applied. The fish were in shallow water ranging from 8’-15’. The trout bite is starting to pick up as numerous bait fisherman in boats were limiting out fishing in the shallower water,” he added. Shore anglers targeting trout should experience the best success using garlic scented PowerBait, nightcrawlers and white jigs. Trout plants continue. The latest plant of 1400 pounds of Mt. Lassen rainbow trout went into the lake on March 11. That plant was preceded by a plant of 2,000 pounds on March 5. Shore anglers continue to hook striped bass while tossing out anchovies in the South Cove and off

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