FRESHWATER REPORTS:

CONTINUED FROM PG 10

CAMANCHE LAKE

11 Lb. Rainbow Tops Catches, Boat Launching Closed for 2025

BURSON – While the boat ramps are closed through the end of 2025 for launching outside water craft, shore fishing, mussel-free rental boats, and camping are still available at Lake Camanche. Big fish honors go to Jenna, who caught an 11 lb. rainbow trout at the South Shore Pond while using a ¼ oz. silver Kastmaster spoon, Anglers are getting ready for the Lake Camanche Pond South Shore Spring Derby, a shorelineonly fishing event happening April 26 – 27 at South Shore’ s trout pond, The lake management will stock 25 tagged trout. If you catch one, you win, with a total perceived prize value of $ 5,000, according to the Lake Camanche Recreation Company. The event is hosted by Lake Camanche and sponsored in part by Harrah’ s Northern California. Due to the spread of the golden mussel recently discovered in Northern California, the East Bay Municipal Utility District( EBMUD) will keep boat launches closed to private vessels for the 2025 season. This decision eliminates one of the primary ways that mussels spread, helping EBMUD keep its commitment to protect the environment and the public water system on behalf of its 1.4 million customers in the East Bay. In 2009, an EBMUD risk analysis determined that all EBMUD reservoirs were vulnerable to a golden mussel infestation. At the time of the study, golden mussels did not exist in North America. However, in October 2024, the golden mussel was found in North America – in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta – for the first time. Should mussels enter EBMUD reservoirs or make their way into the water system infrastructure, they could multiply exponentially and hurt the aquatic ecosystems and clog pipes and pumps. Removing mussels after an infestation could

4005

GREAT Fishing for: Trout • Kokanee • Catfish Large & Smallmouth Bass Crappie • Bluegill • Sunfish

Store • Campsites / RV sites Marina • Boat Launch New Boat & Motor Rental Fleet

Call for Information & Reservations

4900 Stony Creek Rd. Ione www. rockymountainrec. com

This happy angler landed this gorgeously marked Lahontan Cutthroat from the shore at Pyramid Lake.

Photo courtesy of Mike Lew be extremely costly and could lead to greater restrictions on recreation at the reservoirs. This closure allows EBMUD time to study how to prevent and respond to golden mussel infestation. Although boat quarantines and decontamination stations can help reduce the likelihood of introduction, risk remains. EBMUD is working closely with state and federal agencies, research institutions, and other water managers to track the spread, monitor boat traffic, test inspection practices and decontamination protocols, and prepare long-term plans in the event the mussel is introduced into the reservoirs. The ban is in place at all EBMUD

4101

( 510) 223-1661

( 925) 449-5201

Offer valid on all boat rentals Monday- Friday

For more information about Boating, Camping & Recreation Visit WWW. ROCKYMOUNTAINREC. COM

All other boat rental terms and conditions still apply. Offer subject to boat rental availability. Offer expires on 12 / 31 / 22 and is not valid with any other coupon / discount.

reservoir recreation areas with boat launches: Pardee Reservoir and Camanche Reservoir North and South in the Sierra Foothills, and San Pablo Reservoir in the East Bay. The closure applies to private boats and other watercraft, including kayaks and paddleboards, excluding boats with a permanent slip for Camanche that were in the water or in onsite dry storage when boat launches closed in November 2024. Life vests are allowed. EBMUD acknowledges the impact this closure has on the boating community, and thanks the community for helping to protect the environment and critical infrastructure. The public is invited to enjoy the reservoirs in other ways,

( 925) 426-0197

• Cafe • RV Park • Waterslide

• Campground • Disc Golf

• General Store

Cafe Open Seasonally On Friday, Saturday & Sundays

4005

209-274-4739

7500 Lake Amador Dr., Ione, CA 95640

including shoreline fishing, boat rentals, hiking, picnicking, birding and more. Events, such as the Kids Free Fishing Day and Spring Derby, both in April at Camanche, will continue. Bass boats, fishing boats, patio boats and party boats are currently available for rental at the marina. Learn more and book: golakecamanche. com / attractions /# boat-rentals Lake Camanche is holding 333,340 acre feet of water, 80 percent of capacity and 125 percent of average.

- Dan Bacher

COLLINS LAKE

Spring Is Prime Time to Target Rainbow Trout and Black Bass

OREGON HOUSE – The forecast shows all week is going to be mostly sunny with highs in the 70s and lows in the 50’ s with low winds. With weather so nice we’ re starting to fill in on the weekends but it is prime season for Weekday Spring Camping— if you can escape the grind it’ s the best time to enjoy the 100 % full lake before the summer crowds take hold. The surface temperature is about 59 ° F and water clarity continues to improve, 5 to 8 ft., depending on the part of the lake, and while the majority are still being caught on PowerBait near shore we’ re starting to see a few trout caught trolling and on lures. We’ re also entering pre-spawn for bass, so if you’ re out doing catch and release, snap a photo send it to fishing @ collinslake. com. Jason and Evan spent Jason’ s 10th birthday trout catching down at the shoreline below the store at Collins Lake. Happy Birthday Jason! Jacob Caplan caught a Lightning Trout using green PowerBait below campsite # 488 tucked in Elmer’ s Cove. Paul Newman caught his the Rainbow Trout using PowerBait at the other end of the lake near the dam. Zach Graham landed his 5-3 / 4 lb. lightning trout, again using PowerBait( this will become thematic), right in the middle— near the beach. The Estey group brought home a triple-limit showing a good mix of rainbows and lightning trout on the far side of the lake near the east shore using PowerBait and hotdogs.

CONTINUED ON PG 12