Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3805 Feb 15- Mar 1 | Page 6

4 Feb 15 - Mar 1, 2019 FRESHWATER VOL.38 • ISS. 5 FRESHWATER REPORTS LAKE AMADOR 8.75 Lb. Lightning Trout Leads Catches IONE – Big Lightning Trout are highlighting the catches at Lake Amador as the lake level continues to rise from recent storms. The lake level was 14 feet from full at press time. Big fish honors go to Bill Ventrally , who caught an 8.75 lb. Lightning Trout while fishing a Mice Tail tipped with a little PowerBait. Austin, age 2, also landed a 2.74 lb. Lightning Trout at Amador., reported Elizabeth Lockhart at the Lake Amador Resort. Big plants of Donaldson strain-rainbows, Lightning Trout and cuttbows continue to go into Amador every week. After the latest three plants of 500 pounds of trout totaling 1500 pounds, the season total rose to 14,500 pounds. “Most of the fish were released in the Carson Arm, but some were released at the tip of the RV Park on the way,” reported Lockhart. Bank fishermen are finding the top success on Berkley PowerBait and Mice Tails between the dam and the spillway. Some are using bobbers, but most are finding the bottom best luck off the bottom. Boaters are hooking trout throughout the lake, with some of the best action reported in the coves of the Jackson Creek area. Fishermen are enticing the trout with worms, PowerBait and Kastmasters. - Dan Bacher AMERICAN BASIN/ JENKINSON RESERVOIR Trollers Nab Sugar Pine Rainbows AUBURN – During the recent extended break between winter storms, anglers got out and fished on Sierra Nevada foothill lakes, catching some rainbow trout. “The locals reported catching a few rainbow trout at Sugar Pine Reservoir,” reported Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle. “They trolled with worms behind watermelon dodgers.” A better bite can be found at Scotts Flat Reservoir near Nevada City. “Anglers are top-line trolling with worms behind dodgers for rainbows in the 12 to 20 inch range,” said Newton. “The fish have moved from the marina area towards the creek inlet.” The CDFW stocked Jenkinson Lake on January 29, boosting trout fishing success at the reservoir. Anglers are throwing out Kastmasters and Little Cleos for the trout, as well as nightcrawlers, Power Eggs and PowerBait. No mackinaws or brown catches have been reported to the Sly Park Resort in Pollock Pines lately, but both species are possible this time of year for bank anglers fishing off the second dam. Most of the macks hit nightcrawlers, although throwing out a trout swimbait or a rainbow Rapala with your second rod is also worth a try. BERRYESSA LAKE Channel Cat Bite Turns On NAPA – If you want to catch a husky channel catfish now, try shore fishing at the mouths of Putah Creek, Pope Creek and other tributaries of Lake Berryessa, where catfish are feeding on worms, insects and other forage in the inflows from recent storms. “The catfish are stacked up in the creek mouths,” said Jose Rubio of Sweeney’s Sports. “Fish averaging around 10 pounds are hitting shad, shrimp, mackerel and Invites You to Our 21st Annual KOKANEE POWER Annual Fundraising Banquet Saturday, March 9, 2019 California Automobile Museum 2200 Front St. Old Sacramento, Ca. 95818 3805 No Host Cocktails - 5 pm • Dinner - 7 pm $65.00 Per Person Lots of Free Gifts and Prizes! $520.00 Per Table Of Eight (tables receive $160 in added values!) A chance for: ~ California Lifetime Fishing License ~ ~ Lifetime Kokanee Power Membership ~ ~ Up to $500 in our 50/50 Draw! ~ Raffles, Games and Give-Aways! Free access to Auto Museum for all attendees! Plus Silent and Live Auctions! Come join the Fun! Register online at www.kokaneepower.org Kokanee Power, P.O. Box 3857 or complete and return this portion with payment to: Merced, Ca. 95344-1857 Please Enclose Check Or Visa / Mastercard (Please Circle One & Enter Info Below) Name (As It Appears On Card): ___________________________________________ Card # ___________________________________________ Exp. Date __________ Signature ____________________________________________________________ For more information, call (888)744-8150 Or see us on the web at www.kokaneepower.org BULLARDS BAR/ ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS Kokanee Salmon Lead Winter Angling Parade 11 lbs. 4 oz.” “We chatted for a while and soon were planning a trip to BB. We went out fishing, in spite of the sudden cold front,” said Hemphill. “The bite was awful - he caught a few small ones and I missed a few bites. But that’s January at BB.” “We did cover a lot of the lake, checking out different spots,” said Hemphill. “We talked about lots of bass subjects, old and new, tournaments, etc. We did a lot of running around, covering much of the lake, showing each other many good structure patterns. “It sure is a different lake than when I started fishing it - floating logs everywhere, very few big fish, no spotted bass, and so on. My first-ever guide trip was at Bullards Bar - a special lake for me!” Hemphill added, “The bass bite should pick up in about 2 weeks, depending on weather. Not only is the lake at 2000 feet (colder nights), but it has a lot of extensive shadows with the surrounding mountains. Some areas only get a few hours of winter sun.” The water temperature was 49-51degrees and the water clarity was 2 to 4 feet of visibility. Bullards Bar Reservoir is holding 640,092 acre feet of water, 66 percent of average and 111 percent of average. Englebright Reservoir is a good prospect for anglers interested in hooking rainbows and an occasional brown while bait fishing or trolling. The CDFW planted the lake with rainbows the week of January 27-February 2. Englebright holding 65,093 acre feet of water, 93 percent of average and 101 percent of average. - Dan Bacher SMARTVILLE – Kokanee fishing at Bullards Bar has slowed down with the arrival of the latest storms, although anglers are still hooking fair numbers of fish. “On my latest trip, two of us caught 12 kokanee,” said Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s Guide Service. “Three-quarters of the fish were 11-1/2 to 12-1/2 inches long.” “We started trolling at. 30 to 40 feet and then went down to 50 to 60 feet. We used Brad’s Cut Plugs behind Brad’s Extreme Kokanee Dodgers. The water was stained, but not muddy,” he advised. Spotted bass fishing was tough at the reservoir on guide Larry Hemphill’s most recent trip to Bullards Bar. “I really enjoyed my 2 days at the Sacramento ISE show, working with long time fishing buddy and owner of Blade Runner Tackle, Rick Tietz - and others in the booth,” said Larry Hemphill, fishing guide. “I was able to • Cafe • RV Park • Waterslide meet my first record • Campground • Disc Golf holder - that is – the • General Store spotted bass world Cafe Open Seasonally On record holder Nick Dulleck. He caught Friday, Saturday & Sundays the giant spotted bass at Bullards Bar a year or so ago, at 7500 Lake Amador Dr., Ione, CA 95640 LAKE AMADOR Trout Planted Seasonally! Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: _________ Zip: ________________ Phone: _______________________ E-Mail: _________________________________ ______ (Number Attending) X $65.00 = $_______ Special Early Bird ______ (Table(s) Of Eight) X $520.00 = $_______ Drawing for tickets TOTAL: _______ received by 2/22/19 other smelly baits.” The trout fishing has tapered off with the stained, cold water, but before the latest storm, boaters were targeting rainbow trout at the creek mouths. “Anglers are still hooking trout while trolling at 15 to 20 feet deep, but the fish are more tight lipped in the cold, tinted water,” tipped Rubio. “The rainbows are keying in on bait balls. Your best bet is to troll big, high profile lures or nightcrawlers behind flashers. Most of the trout are in the 16 to 20 inch range, but larger fish up to 8 pounds have been reported.” Bass anglers are experiencing the best action on the east shore of the main body. “Dragging jigs on the bottom in shallow water or working Alabama rigs, glidebaits or swimbaits is producing bass averaging 2 to 4 pounds and going up to 8 pounds,” said Rubio. Anglers can expect hook a mixture of largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. - Dan Bacher Fat mackinaw for the grill and big smiles all around! The mid-winter mack action is red hot at Lake Tahoe right now. To get after them get in contact with the folks from Tahoe Sportfishing! Photo courtesy of TAHOE SPORTFISHING, South Lake 209-274 -4739 WWW.LAKEAMADOR.COM Continued on Pg 7