Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3804 Feb 1-15 2019 | Page 10

8 FRESHWATER Feb 1-15, 2019 FRESHWATER REPORTS: the lake,” said Erceg. The largest crappie that Erceg has heard of caught lately weighed 1.8 pounds. “The black bass fishing has been consistent,” she noted. “Anglers are doing best while using drop shot rigs with Robo Worms, Texas rigs and swimbaits. The Pine Dell, Lucerne, Horseshoe Docks and other areas are producing bass, along with crappie and bluegill.” All three species are feeding on big schools of threadfin shad. The key is to locate the schools of shad. For the lake’s legendary catfish, Erceg recommended fishing with green nightcrawlers. - Dan Bacher CONTINUED FROM PG 4 BULLARDS BAR/ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS cont. Kokanee Cut Plugs and Extreme Kokanee Dodgers.” They fished the area between Dark Day and the dam. He noted that a lot of anglers were targeting kokanee on the lake. On his previous trip, he and his fishing buddy bagged limits of kokanee in just 1-1/2 hours. The fish included six larger kokanee in the 13 to 14 inch range “With the cut plugs and dodgers, we experienced lights-out fishing. The fish traveled as much as 15 ft. up as well as down to hit the cut plug,” he stated. Fishing pressure at Engelbright Reservoir has been light, but there are fish to 17 inches there available for anglers to hook. Reimers recommend trolling nightcrawlers and hoochies behind dodgers for the rainbows. Englebright is holding 64,570 acre feet of water, 92 percent of capacity and 101 percent of average. Bullards Bar is holding 561,278 feet of water, 58 percent of capacity and 100 percent of average. - Dan Bacher LAKE CAMANCHE Trout and Bass Highlight Catches BURSON – Both boaters and shore anglers are battling lots of rainbow trout at Lake Camanche, while black bass fishing is on the upswing. “The trolling is really good,” said Robbie Dunham of Koke Machine Guide Service. “I’ve been getting about 10 to 20 grabs and putting 7 to 10 trout in the boat on trips to Camanche. The fish range in size to 4 pounds, with most going 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 pounds.” Dunham has been trolling 3 inch Berkley Power Grubs behind a four foot leader with 1/16, 1/32 and 3/16 ounce bullet weights to get the grubs down. The trout are hitting best in the top 7 feet of water in the Narrows. Heavy trout plants continue. The most recent Mt. Lassen plant featured 2700 pounds split between the three locations of the north and south shore launch ramps and the South Shore Pond. Bass fishing is also improving at Camanche. Clara Ricabal of Boulder Creek reported on the two-day Santa Clara Bass Busters event that she participated in at the lake. “We were in 6th place on Saturday while landing most of our fish with jigs with a Hula Grub trailer in 30- to 60-feet in the area around Big and Little Hat Island,” Ricabal stated. “Brown plastic worms on a drop-shot rig also were effective.” “We dropped to 10th place on Sunday after looking for a larger grade of bass in the Narrows with plastics on Smoke Shad/ purple flake on a Neko-rig along with LV500’s around the shallows,” she said. Big fish honors go to Igor Reiant, who landed a largemouth weighing 9 pounds, VOL.38 • ISS. 4 COLLINS LAKE Trout Lead Winter Angling Parade OREGON HOUSE – Collins Lake this winter has seen a continual stream of trout, most of them caught right off the shore on PowerBait or worms, according to Ed Palma at the Collins Lake Resort. Lawrence landed several big trout when he fished Lake Almanor “I see people go out for on December 29 including this beautiful rainbow. winter fishing out in all Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY’S GUIDE SERVICE, Quincy. conditions, in the cold, wind and rain. Some guys say that’s the best 13 ounces while fishing with a Yamamoto time to be out on the water,” said Palma. Hula Grub. “But for myself I think the best winter Dave Magonigal reported catching fishing is a clear day with light or no wind. some huge winter crappie while fishing I have no evidence that I will catch any chartreuse and white Power Grubs with more fish than they guys taunting the Power Eggs 30-80 ft. deep over by big hat tempest, but I am reasonably sure that island and the main channel. that I am not catching as much misery,” he Lake Camanche was 74% full with an noted. elevation of 220.17′ at press time. The “We have had a few storms which have lake was releasing about 401 cfs while added over 7 feet to the surface elevation, receiving 348 cfs. from Pardee Lake. but most days the winds have been calm and the water still fairly clear,” he said. The lake level was 26 feet from full and the water visibility was 4 feet at press CLEAR LAKE time. Crappie and Bluegill Bite Since the beginning of the New Year, anglers have landed some hefty rainbow Turns On trout. CLEARLAKE – If you want to catch Dave McVicker caught a 6-1/2 lb. crappie and bluegill, it’s hard to beat rainbow at the beach on chartreuse fishing at Clear Lake this winter. PowerBait. “The crappie and bluegill are really Hugo Garcia landed 4-1.2 and 2-1/2 lb. biting,” stated Mae Erceg of Clear Lake trout while using green PowerBait from Outdoors. “A lot of lures are working, but the boat dock at the beach. the Strike King Mr. Crappie 1/16 to 1/32 Rowan Eawid bagged a 3 lb. and oz. jig heads with plastic grub tail trailers 2—1/2 lb. trout by the beach while fishing are among the best. The best colors PowerBait and worms. include blue/lime green and purple.” Owen Bell also caught a beautiful trout Most anglers are fishing from a boat for along the shoreline north of the beach. the panfish, although shore anglers are Expect to see also doing well on both species. Erceg improved spotted advised bank fishermen to target the and largemouth Library Park, Clear Lake County Port and bass action as the Konocti Harbor Café areas for the best water temperature success. warms up in the “Dave Burruss, the shop owner, coming weeks. has been catching crappie while bass Boaters targeting fishing with Robo Worms and Keitchech bass now should swimbaits in 5 to 10 fish with drop shot feet of water around CAPTAIN JAMES NETZEL Full Time Guide Now Booking DELTA STRIPERS 888-975-0990 Home of the Eagle Lake Trophy Trout * Furnished Cabins from $50 night or $300 week * Awesome Trophy Trout Fishing * Hiking and Biking * Great for Relaxation 2315 We also fish Folsom, Donner, Stampede, Boca, Lake Tahoe and the Sacramento River. EAGLE LAKE CABINS 888-975-0990 WWW.FISHTIGHTLINES.COM For Reservations (530) 825-2131 686-920 Spalding Rd., Susanville, CA 96130 www.eaglelakeheritage.com rigs with Robo Worms or spoons off main lake points. In other Collins Lake news, the Day Use picnic area at the swimming beach area has been expanded for the upcoming 2019 season. - Dan Bacher CONTRA LOMA RESERVOIR Anglers Battle Rainbows, Largemouths ANTIOCH - Trout fishing has been slower the last couple of weeks at Contra Loma Reservoir, in spite of heavy trout plants. The park district planted trout during the weeks of January 7th and 21st. “We recommend fishing with PowerBait, lures, or nightcrawlers for the trout,” advised Joe Sullivan of the East Bay Regional Park District. “Try fishing at the boat ramp area, or the Channel Point dock areas.” Big fish honors go to Joaquin G. , who caught a five-pound trout on a green spoon while fishing at Contra Loma. “The black bass population at Contra Loma is thriving with lots of large bass in the lake. They will bite at artificial lures and baits, and they tend to chase the stocked trout, so a good swimming lure that resembles a trout should help you hook into some of the bass in the lake,” Sullivan stated. “Catfishing has slowed down now that they are no longer being stocked.,” said Sullivan. “Try fishing for catfish at Channel Point or Loma Island with anchovies, nightcrawlers or chicken livers. Boaters would do well toward the middle of the reservoir or along the dam. “ “Contra Loma has a great sunfish population including bluegill and redear sunfish. These fish can usually be found in the shallower and more vegetated coves and along the dam face. We would recommend using small lures or worms if you are targeting the sunfish,” he stated. LAKE DAVIS Ice Fishing for Big Rainbows Begins PORTOLA – Anglers are starting to catch some quality rainbow trout through the ice at Lake Davis. There was still open water at Mallard Cove, but people weren’t fishing there at press time. Ice fishermen reported catching a few rainbows in the 16 to 24 inch range while fishing through the ice with worms and PowerBait. The ice is currently 3 to 4 inches thick, but is expected to get thicker as the winter proceeds. “There is one foot of snow on the ground now,” said Jeanne Graham at the he J&J Grizzly Store and Campground Resort. • Trout • Bass • Crappie • Bluegill • Catfish Largest Trout Stocking Program North of Sacramento Lakefront RV Camping Call for Reservations 800-286-0576 www.collinslake.com P.O. Box 300 . Oregon House . California 95962 3804