Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3807 Mar 15-29 2019 | Page 26

24 March 15 - 29, 2019 FRESHWATER VOL.38 • ISS. 7 SMITH/CHETCO /UMPQUA RIVERS TAHOE BROOKINGS - When the Chetco River has been fishable between storms, anglers are hooking good numbers of bright winter steelhead. “Fishing on the Chetco has been decent,” reported Mario Gomez of Ironhead Guide Service. “On my latest trip, we hooked three fish, landing two steelhead weighing 10 and 7 pounds. We have been finding the best action while side drifting orange yarn.” He also reported great fishing during a recent trip to the Umpqua River in Oregon. “We ended up with 7 steelhead in the 7 to 14 lb. range the first day and 4 big steelhead the following day,” he explained. On the other hand, steelhead fishing on the Smith River remains tough. “My last trip produced just one bite,” said Gomez. “This last week was a grind for winter steelhead,” Gomez added. “We went from freezing cold, to monsoon rains. We spent the last week working hard for our fish and sometimes the bites occur when you least expect it. So enjoy the trip and make sure you don’t ever give up until the boat is on the trailer.” The 2019 Rowdy Creek Fish Hatchery Derby produced 91 fish total from the Chetco and 20 from the Smith. The total inches caught was 2,413. Team 8 placed first in the derby with 12 fish measuring a total of 314 inches. The Little Ray’s Tackle team of Tommy Chew and Eric Shwiekle fished with Guide Mike Coopman. Tom German and Chad Morse fished with Guide Shane Blair. Dan Bacher SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - The Tahoe Sportfishing team has been plying Tahoe’s waters for macks before, after and even during the big snow storms SACRAMENTO- At its February that have passed through 2019 meeting, the California the Sierra. The fishing has Fish and Game Commission been good with limits being (Commission) took action on the rule on smaller keeper a number of issues affecting size mackinaw. California’s natural resources. The average fish is going The Commission accepted a from 1 to 3 pounds. While petition to list Upper Klamath- double digit macks are Trinity River Spring Chinook common at Tahoe, larger Salmon as endangered, setting fish have been absent in into motion a status review to the catches during recent be completed by the California trips. Department of Fish and Wildlife A variety of offerings (CDFW). will hook macks at Tahoe The petitioners, the Karuk Tribe during the late winter and Salmon River Restoration including minnow plugs, Council, submitted information Flatfish, Gulp! Minnows suggesting declining population and trolling flies. Tahoe trends and a low abundance, Sportfishing skippers have making this stock of salmon been sticking to the basics vulnerable to extinction. The and are relying on live Commission action results in threaded minnows paired Spring Chinook Salmon being with dodgers and flashers. designated as a Candidate Reports from kayakers, Big rainbows are on the bite at Lake Shasta. This fish smacked a Bay Species under the California private boaters and bank Rat minnow plug during a February 10 trolling trip. Endangered Species Act (CESA), anglers have been few and Photo courtesy of JEFF GOODWIN GUIDE SERVICE, Redding. which provides Candidate Species far between over the past the same protections as species couple weeks. listed as endangered and With all the snow that has fallen in the The Cave Rock launch ramp has been threatened under CESA. Tahoe Basin over the past 10 days, snow off line for several days at this point due CDFW also requested the Commission plow operators have been working long to deep snow and an accumulation of ice, hours just keeping the basin’s key roads but with a shot of fair weather the ramp is CONTINUED ON PG 25 open. expected to be cleared. Chetco Outproduces Smith on Steelhead Keeper Size Macks Bite Despite Big Storms WHAT’S HOT Commission Accepts Listing Petition; Requires Closure of Some Recreational Fishing in Trinity, Klamath Rivers Continued from page 1 The average rainbow at Camanche and Pardee goes 1 to 2 pounds and fish up to and beyond 6 are possible. At these lakes trolling with Berkley Power Grubs pays off, while bankers soak the standard stuff including PowerBait and inflated worms. At Amador, a mix of both rainbows and lightning trout are on the chomp. Fish weighing 3 and 4 pounds are common and fish to 8 have been caught. Trollers are getting some fish at Amador on flies and grubs, but bank anglers using Power Eggs and small balls of PowerBait do the best. Bay Area urban lakes are also booting out plenty of rainbows and some of them are hitting double digits, although the average fish is a 14 inch one pounder. PowerBait tossed off the bank makes the magic happen. Top spots to visit in the east and north bay are Shadow Cliffs, Quarry Lakes, Chabot, San Pablo and Lafayette Reservoir. The Sleepers By California standards steelhead fishing is very good. Anglers that hit the American and Feather Rivers on the right day using flies, bait and spoons are hooking multiple fish per outing. On the Feather a 3 to 5 pounder is a good fish. On the American double digit battlers have been common. North coast rivers like the Eel have been excellent at times, but as anyone that fishes them knows, timing is everything on these rivers. To enjoy the best action, you’ve got to hit them after they’ve blown out and are dropping. Shifting gears, panfish action has been very good. Huge trout are up for grabs at both the Bay Area’s urban Clear Lake, Camanche and fisheries and at valley and foothill reservoirs. This angler Berryessa are all producing was rewarded with a jumbo lightning trout during an outing crappie in the one plus to Lake Amador. Photo courtesy of LAKE AMADOR CAFÉ, Lake Amador. pound range. have to travel far to cross paths with a trophy black bass. They exist at most of our major reservoirs and now is a great time to hook one! Moving on to sturgeon, diamond backs are spread out from the extreme south end of south San Francisco Bay all the way up past the town of Rio Vista, but the best fishing is taking place in Suisun and San Pablo Bays. Of the two, San Pablo is arguably the best choice simple because sturgeon guys are hooking up with good numbers of incidental stripers on the San Pablo mudflats. Salmon roe and eel are the top sturgeon baits. Mix in some ghost shrimp, grass shrimp and pile worms to increase the odds of hooking a bass. Trout There is widespread trout action available, but you’ve got to consider water clarity and access before you go. At Amador, Camanche and Pardee the bite is on for both bank and boat anglers and water clarity ranges from excellent at Pardee to good at Camanche and Amador. TRINITY RIVER/LAKE Brandon used a well-presented fly to tempt this feisty Feather River steelhead while fishing with Capt. Toby Uppinghouse. Photo courtesy of EDGEWATER OUTFITTERS, Sacramento. Once you located some crappie, mini-jigs and live minnows do the damage, but trollers pulling grubs and small crankbaits score too. Final Thoughts If you want to seek it out you can get into some good fishing right now, but this is also a great time to prepare your gear, get your work and chores under control and plan your spring fishing schedule and goals. The spring action looming right around the bend promises to be epic. We are going to have a lot of run off and full lakes. Trout, black bass and striper action fishing should be great. I can’t wait for things to start heating up. I’m looking forward to big things in 2019! Best Selection — Best Service — Best Prices 3720 (916) ROCKLIN 773-7333 6455 PACIFIC ST. AUBURN (530) 888-7825 11844 ATWOOD RD www.trucksmart.com