VOL. 44 • ISS. 4 April 25, 2025
23
FRESHWATER REPORTS:
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PARDEE LAKE
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 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 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, 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. Pardee is holding 183,034 acre feet of water, 90 percent of capacity and 99 percent of average.
- Dan Bacher
This angler shows off a great striper limit from the Delta while trolling deep diving Yozuri plugs.
Photo courtesy of Mark Wilson
PROSSER / STAMPEDE LAKES
Lahontan Cutthroat Bite Is Hot for Kayakers
TRUCKEE- Cal Kellogg of https:// fishcalkellogg. com reported wide-open fishing for Lahontan cutthroat trout, along with some holdover rainbows om his most recent trip to Prosser Reservoir.“ The action has been nothing short of spectacular,” said Kellogg.“ I caught and released between 15 and 20 fish to the boat on my last trip and am hooking one trout after another today. I have caught 7 cutthroats over 17 inches, including my biggest cutthroat ever estimated at between 3-1 / 2 and 4 pounds.”“ The ice is off the lake, but the west shoreline is still covered in snow,” stated Kellogg.“ The launch ramp is still closed. I have had to drive to the lake via the Hobart Mills Road and launch on the lake bed. You need to use a 4-wheeldrive vehicle to access the lake now. Prosser is about 40 feet from full and the surface water temperature is 50 degrees.” He said you can’ t launch a boat at Stampede Reservoir yet. Expect the kokanee and cutthroat fishing to get going soon when the facilities become available.
- Dan Bacher
PYRAMID LAKE
Fishing slows as the lake turns over
Cory Kellar of Hendrix Outdoors gave us this report on his way back to the dock on Saturday. Hans from Lacey’ s guide service who was flyfishing had 4 trout yesterday when I talked to him today he had 3 fish. We marked fish all over the lake and just couldn’ t get them to bite. Today we only had 2 take downs and landed 1 fish. We covered a ton of water. Fished from 6:30am-5pm. Fishing is hit and miss. It seems to be either a plug day or a spoon day. Try Lyman and Tomic plugs and Flatfish in green and orange colors. Silver Horde and Papa G spoons in similar colors. We marked fish from 10’-90’ deep with a good amount of fish sitting right in the bottom of the lake. We marked a lot of stuff between 60’-80’ but I think it might be clumps of moss. Surface temperature is 52 degrees in the morning and up to 56 in the afternoon, I think the lake is starting to turn over. Traditionally the bite slows down a bit till the lake finishes turning and stabilizes. As soon as the lake stabilizes and the fish move in to deeper water the bite will be on fire. My best guess that’ s going to be around May 1st. You can definitely catch some fish now but you’ ll have to work for them. This is the tail end of the spawn as well and we still see fish swirling in the surface in the shallows. We ended up seeing most of the fish sitting in the bottom of the lake in 30’ of water. Another boat fishing with us picked up 2 fish today running Yakima spinning triangle flashers with a Papa G trolling spoons. Right now to work this tough bite, slow down your presentation. Work the shore line and throw tube jigs, maribou jigs, and spoons. If you want to troll, use side planners with Flatfish at 1.5 mph in shallow water. If you want to fly fish, use balanced leech’ s and bead head midges under an indicator. And don’ t forget, the bite will improve as the water warms.
RIO VISTA / DELTA
Trollers Bag Stripers On San Joaquin River
RIO VISTA – The striper bite for trollers has been good to great, according to avid trolling expert Mark Wilson. Mark tells me that there are more fish in the system with a very good showing on the San Joaquin River from the River Flats to the Antioch Bridge. The Sacramento River has also been producing an excellent grade of fish from Sandy Beach to Sherman Lake. Limit fishing has been the rule on both rivers, with stripers averaging 6 to 9 pounds( see the attached photo). Mark continued to tell me that the outgoing to the bottom of the tide has been the most productive mainly using deep diving Yo-Zuris. If you’ re interested in fishing a striped bass derby, then the“ 4th Annual Barry Canevaro Memorial Striped Bass Derby” is for you. On Saturday, April 5th, out of the Rio Vista boat launch, the California Striped Bass Association Isleton Chapter( CSBA) is hosting this oneday derby. Not only will we be hosting the derby, but we will also be having a silent auction and raffle held to benefit“ Recreation 4 Veteran’ s.” The silent auction prizes include various fishing trips, and the raffle prizes include a Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 Tripleshot fish finder, a Lamiglas rod, a Daiwa rod and reel combo, Crab Hoop nets, and many more rods, reels, including other fishing related items that are still coming in daily. 100 % of the proceeds of the silent auction and raffle will be given to this very worthwhile organization. For more information on the derby, and to enter online, go to www. striper-csba. org. Now onto a report from Captain
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