Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3804 Feb 1-15 2019 | Page 25

FRESHWATER REPORTS: CONTINUED FROM PG 21 TAHOE Snow Blankets Tahoe Basin, but Macks Stay on Chomp! TRINITY RIVER/LAKE Target Steelhead in Relative Solitude WEAVERVILLE - Hard-fighting steelhead are still available for anglers SOUTH LAKE TAHOE- It’s been a white New Year in the Sierras. A blanket of snow now surrounds Lake Tahoe, but the temperature isn’t overly chilly. The weather pattern has had zero effect on the mackinaw bite and limits of 3 to 4 pound keepers are the rule during most outings. The folks at Tahoe Sportfishing have been making almost daily outings on the big lake. Minnows and flashers have been the tool of choice for Tahoe Sportfishing skippers, but a selection of lures are producing action too. If you want check a mackinaw off your bucket list while taking in the majesty of the Tahoe Basin, the Tahoe Sportfishing Team is running both morning and afternoon trips. Mickey Daniels of Mickey’s Big Mack Charters has been enjoying solid action at the north end of the lake. Mickey’s clients have been hooking multiple macks per trip. Some fish are being kept for the table while the others are tagged and released. Tim Erickson, a Fish Sniffer reader from Carson City, paid Tahoe a visit during the first week of the New Year. The trip produced limits of macks to 5 pounds for Tim and his cousin Ray. This young lady kicked off the New Year with a They got their fish while jigging with January trip to Lake Shasta and was rewarded with Duh! Spoons and working drop shot this incredible hook jawed rainbow. Photo courtesy of JEFF GOODWIN’S GUIDE SERVICE, rigs armed with Gulp! Minnows. 23 Feb 1-15, 2019 FRESHWATER VOL.38 • ISS. 4 fishing from shore and boaters on the Trinity River, although the majority of guides are focusing on the Chetco, Smith and other rivers. The river was high and muddy at press time, due to lots of water flowing into the system from the creeks, but is expected to clear soon. A total of 954 adult steelhead have been trapped at the Trinity River Fish Hatchery in Lewiston to date. A total of 2,049 adult steelhead returned to the facility in all of 2017. Most of the fishing pressure remains focused on the upper section of river from Lewiston to Douglas City, according to Tim Brady of Trinity Outdoors. There aren’t many people fishing in the stretch from Douglas City down to Big Bar. Anglers are hooking wild and hatchery steelhead while fishing roe, jigs and nightcrawlers under a float and flies, including Rubber Legs and golden stone fly patterns. Fish to 8 pounds are showing. Fishing pressure at Trinity Lake is nearly nonexistent for smallmouth and largemouth bass, rainbow trout and king salmon. Trinity Lake is holding 1,499,758 acre feet of water, 61 percent of capacity and 89 percent of average. - Dan Bacher WEST DELTA /SUISUN BAY Pittsburg Area Anglers Target Sturgeon, Stripers PITTSBURG – Anglers are picking up a mixture of striped bass and sturgeon while fishing Suisun Bay out of Pittsburg. “On our last trip, the anglers fishing with me landed a total of six sturgeon, including one slot limit fish and rest shakers,” said Hayden Mullins of Dragon Sportfishing. “We anchor fished with salmon roe and lamprey eel at 20 feet deep. We also landed a 26 lb. striper while fishing a live splittail on that trip.” On the following trip, Mullins’ clients ended up catching one 22 lb. striper on a live sunfish, as well as a couple of fish in the teens on live baits. “The sturgeon are biting, although not aggressively like they do in the spring,” said Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sportfishing. “We are getting 4 to 6 bites per trip, but the anglers need to capitalize on each bite to hook sturgeon in the legal slot length.” Mitchell has been fishing lamprey eel and salmon roe for bait in Suisun Cut, off Roe and Ryer islands and at Horseshoe Bend. Montezuma and Suisun sloughs are also producing sturgeon. - Dan Bacher DARE TO COMPARE! Redding. Unlock the Fishing Secrets of Lake Tahoe with the Tahoe Sportfishing Team! GO AHEAD! Put our Price, Service, Brand Name Selection, Local Knowledge and Complete Outdoor Needs up against ANY Competitor! Hunting • Fishing • Camping • Reloading • Clothing • Footwear ake Tahoe is breathtakingly beautiful and it’s full of cold water gamefish including kokanee, mackinaw, rainbows and browns, but they aren’t easy to catch. The lake is huge and it can be hard to find the fish. That’s why you should hit the lake with a pro guide. The team at Tahoe Sportfishing has some of the best skippers on Lake Tahoe. The Tahoe Sportfishing boasts a fleet of 8 boats that range from 30 to 45 feet in length. The boats are safe and the crews are well trained, so you’ll be able to relax and fight fish! Both morning and afternoon trips are available and both open load fishing and private charters are available. Mackinaw, rainbows and browns are currently the target on Lake Tahoe. Fall and winter is a great time to visit the fishery. The pleasure boaters are off the water and anglers are left to enjoy the solitude. With some of the most exciting fishing of the year about to bust loose on Tahoe, give the folks at Tahoe Sportfishing a call now to secure your spot (530) 541-5448 or check them out online at tahoesport- fishing.com GIFT CERTIFICATE TAHOE SPORTFISHING est.1953 Lake Tahoe’s Largest Fishing Fleet 0890 www.sportsmanwarehouse.com Not redeemable for cash, license or gift card. One Certificate per customer per day. Must present gift certificate at time of sale. Cannot be combined with any other discount year-round fishing Now ELEVEN stores to serve you! Half & Full Day Charters single fisherman to large families & private parties 10 $ Redeemable On Any Purchase Over $50 L 10 $ We supply everything you need to fish! Mackinaw Kokanee Salmon Rainbow Trout Brown Trout Rocklin 6640 Lonetree Blvd. (916)782-9900 Redding 1659 Hilltop Drive (530)222-5500 Chico Call or Book Online (530) 541-5448 tahoesportfishing.com|@tahoesportfishing 765 East Ave. Suite 170 (530)897-0500 Fairfield Rohnert Park 1590 Gateway Blvd. (707)389-7400 5195 Redwood Dr. (707)585-1500 2344 Sunrise Blvd. (916)635-7800 3456 Broadway (707)298-6100 8468 N. Friant Rd. (559)261-2900 10536 Trinity Parkway (209)851-7400 Rancho Cordova Fresno Eureka Stockton Visalia 1650 West Visalia Parkway (559)308-7100 3722 Milpitas 111 Ranch Dr. (510)824-7200