Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3808 Mar 29- Apr 12 2019 | Page 6

FRESHWATER Mar 29 - Apr 12, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 8 Jason Johnson took a trip to Scotts Flat Reservoir with his family recently and landed this nice rainbow trout. Photo courtesy of FISHSNIFFER.COM. FRESHWATER REPORTS ALMANOR LAKE AMADOR Cold Water Trout Bite Underway Big Trout Plants Continue CHESTER - How cold is the water at Lake Almanor? 36 degrees, according to Captain Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy’s Guide Service. Yet the cold temperature isn’t keeping him from putting his client on a mix of browns and ‘bows. “There is a lot of snow on the bank and some small chunks of ice floating on the lake, but the roads are open and the fishing has been pretty decent,” Roccucci reported from the water. “The bite is a little different than it usually is. When the water is in the 30’s I typically do fairly well while slow trolling with flies and soft plastics. We tried flies yesterday and today and it was a struggle to get hit. Wanting to change things up, I turned up the speed and started pulling spoons. That did the trick. The bite isn’t wide open, but the trout are definitely responding to a faster more aggressive presentation,” Roccucci advised. “Our catch has been about 75% rainbows with a few browns mixed in. We haven’t seen any kings, but I’m sure there are a few around. Rainbows in the 2 to 4 pound class have been pretty common and the biggest rainbows top out at around 6”. “All in all, I’d say we are off to a good start up here. Things will only get better as the days get longer and the water temperature climbs. I’ll be on Almanor exclusively until Bucks Lake thaws out and then I’ll start mixing in some Bucks trips. The last couple years I’ve continued to hit Almanor well into June and I expect this season will shape up that way as well,” Roccucci concluded. LAKE AMADOR Trout Planted Seasonally! • Cafe • RV Park • Waterslide • Campground • Disc Golf • General Store Cafe Open Seasonally On Friday, Saturday & Sundays 209-274 -4739 7500 Lake Amador Dr., Ione, CA 95640 WWW.LAKEAMADOR.COM IONE – Big plants of Cutbows, Donaldson strain-rainbows and Lightning Trout (Goldens) continue to be planted in the reservoir by the Lake Amador Resort. A total of 19,300 pounds of trout have been planted since late October 2018, according to Elizabeth Lockhart of the Lake Amador Resort. The lake is completely full and the boat ramp facilities are in full operation. “The water is stained from the recent storms, but it’s a lot better than it was last week,” said Lockhart. “We haven’t seen any limits of trout over the past couple of weeks, but most anglers are reporting catching 1 to 3 fish per trip.” “You need to use something that creates noise and gets the fish’s attention in the murky water,” said Lockhart. Scented and brightly-colored PowerBait, MIceTails and other baits are also producing trout. Boaters are doing best while trolling Rat-L-Traps, Rapalas, and crankbaits in Jackson Creek and other areas on the lake. Big fish honors go to Luke, who caught his first fish on his Spider Man fishing pole. Reports on black bass and crappie have been scarce at Lake Amador lately, but you can expect the fishing for both species to pick up as the water clears and warms up. AMERICAN RIVER Steelhead Are Still Available SACRAMENTO – While the Nimbus Fish Hatchery has stopped taking steelhead for spawning this season, fresh fish are still showing in the American River. Few anglers have been out fishing in the continuing high flows. Releases into the American below Nimbus Dam were 11,000 cfs at press time. The Bureau of Reclamation reduced the flows from California Inland Fisheries Foundation, Inc. - Project Kokanee presents the: ANNUAL COLLINS LAKE TEAM TROUT FUN FISHING DERBY Team & Youth Divisions 1st Place $300 2 fish weigh-in — Pay down to 15 places 16,000 cfs to 11,000 cfs on March 11 and 12 because of “reduced forecasted inflows,” said Peggie Manza, Reclamation spokesperson. The hatchery trapped a total of 2912 steelhead, including 258 half pounders and 2754 adults this season, according to Gary Novak, hatchery manager. “It was the second best year run over the past decade, only exceeded by the 3409 steelhead that we counted in 2018,” said Novak. “Near the end of February, we were starting to see a lot of two-year-olds, along with the 7 to 12 lb. fish.” The hatchery staff took a total of 1,225,000 eggs this season to produce their goal of 430,000 eggs. Anglers continue to hook steelhead from shore below Nimbus Fish Hatchery and at Sailor Bar while throwing out Little Cleos or beads under bobbers, but landing the fish can be tough in the high flows. - Dan Bacher Saturday, April 27, 2019 based on 85 paid entrants 3808 SHORE ANGLERS WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED!! All youths entered as part of a team must pay the full entry fee and will not be considered in the Junior division. BERRYESSA LAKE the water up, troll with Speedy Shiners, Rainbow Runners and Needlefish in the top 20 feet of water. Trout in the 16 to 20 inch range are on tap, but larger fish to 8 pounds are possible. The lake level has dropped to 442.6 feet - 2.6 feet above the Glory Hole on Monticello Dam. The Bureau of Reclamation, Central California Area Office, has temporarily closed the Capell Cove launch ramp at Lake Berryessa March 4, due to high lake levels. The launch ramp may close and reopen whenever the conditions are unsafe for the boating public. The parking lot and small picnic areas at the Capell Cove launch ramp will remain open. Additionally, hand-launching of kayaks, canoes and other small craft is allowed. - Dan Bacher BULLARDS BAR/ ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS Hard Work Required for Black Bass Kokanee Salmon Lead Angling Parade SMARTVILLE – If you want to catch NAPA – Bass fishing is tough with kokanee salmon in California this time of the muddy water conditions at Lake year, Bullards Bar Reservoir is one of the Berryessa, but this is the time of year few consistent spots to target. when trophy fish are caught. It’s definitely Just ask Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s a case of quality, not quantity, at this time. Guide Service, who has been experiencing “Anglers are not getting big quantities topnotch action on the silvery battlers. of fish now, although they’re getting some However, the percentage of fish landed quality fish,” reported Shane Latreile at versus those hooked has varied greatly from Sweeney’s Sports. “Luke, who works trip to trip. here at the store, reported catching and “My latest trip produced over 35 hook- releasing a largemouth bass over 8 ups for two anglers, Tom and Faye Little of pounds on his latest trip.” Chico,” he stated. “We landed 15 fish “The water is pretty dirty, but there are patches of clear water that are holding Continued on Pg 10 bass from north to south on the lake,” he noted. “Fishermen are experiencing the best success on squarebill crankbaits, chatterbaits and Captain Bryan Roccucci Alabama rigs. The fish are chasing bait around the new flooded cover on the lake.” Call for Best Dates – Catfish action is good for anglers fishing Berkley Salmon • Striper • Trout • Kokanee Catfish Bait, nightcrawlers, mackerel and other offerings. The catfish action is best • Stripers were storm inflows enter the lake from • Oroville Putah Creek, Pope Creek, Cappell Kings Creek and other tributaries to the • Stampede lake. Hardly anybody Kokanee has been trolling for trout lately in the muddy water (530) 272-7137 • (530) 263-4451 conditions. When Lake Almanor Now Booking La ke Almanor Eagle Lake R a in bows and Lake Davis B ro wns! Bucks Lake Lake Tahoe www.BigDaddyFishing.com (530) 370-1001 www.fishbarebones.com 4 3807