Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3816 Jul 19- Aug 2 2019 | Page 15

FRESHWATER VOL.38 • ISS. 14 PARDEE LAKE Kid’s Fishing Derby Draws Crowd IONE– Trout plants continue at Lake Pardee, making this reservoir the only Mother Lode lake featuring weekly trout plants during the summer. The Kid’s Fishing Derby was a big success at Pardee on Saturday, June 29, with over 200 kids participating in the event, reported Dave Keyser at the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. Kokanee Power, the Central Valley Anglers out of Lodi, and the Jackson Rancheria and numerous other sponsors sponsored the derby. In addition to the 1000 pounds of trout planted by the Calaveras Fish Farm, there was a trout pond for children along with plenty of raffle prizes, food, and games. “Pardee Lake put on a great Kids Fishing Derby and Kokanee Power was there to help with volunteers,” according to the Kokanee Power Facebook page. “There was a big turnout of kids and families to enjoy the day, catch some trout and learn about fishing. Great job, Pardee Lake staff, for putting this event on!” Shore anglers are experiencing the top success while tossing out garlic green or rainbow PowerBait off Rainbow Point, Porcupine Point and the Mud Hole. The kokanee bite should bust loose within the next few weeks as the thermocline develops. Robbie Dunham of Koke Machine Guide Service fished the lake recently for kokanee, and they released four small kokanee before dialing in on the rainbows with Speedy Shiners at 8 to 15 feet near the river mouth. “Black bass fishing is really good at Pardee,” said Keyser. “Boaters are using plastics, worms and creature baits for a mixture of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Some anglers are also using top water baits early and late in the day.” Big fish honors go to Gavin , who caught a 2 lb. trout; Leon, with a 6.6 lb. largemouth bass; Less Wood with a 6.8 lb. brown trout; and “Herk” with three hefty channel catfish. Pardee is 100 percent of capacity. PYRAMID LAKE Final Days of Cutthroat Season End with Bang RENO - This isn’t going to be your typical “Hot Bites” feature, it’s more of a full-fledged article; a hybrid of sorts. Let’s see how I can do. The fishing at the end of the 2018/2019 trout season was maybe the best any of us locals have ever seen. June is typically a good time to catch numbers of 2-4 trout, but this year it was a great time to catch numbers of 6-9 pound trout with bonus fish up to 17 pounds in the mix. “What?” You say. “How can this be?” Yep, you read that correct. The last two or so weeks of this season offered up fishing on par with the bite experienced last October at the beginning of the season. Even though the water was fairly cool for late June at 67-69 degrees, a good vertical jigging bite developed to compliment and “on fire” trolling bite. Typically, vertical jigging is only an option when the water is at its warmest, and the bait is balled up. Trolling was off the hook, literally, for AUBURN those topline trolling Lyman’s on the (530) lake’s north end. the 11844 ATWOOD RD Unbelievably, fish were right under the surface and Best Selection — Best Service — Best Prices 3720 ROCKLIN (916) 773-7333 6455 PACIFIC ST. 888-7825 www.trucksmart.com TOPKNOT LEADER ™ 13 July 19 - Aug 2, 2019 the endemic race of fish. There is a very notable difference between the game qualities of the sluggish Summit Lake fish and the true natives of the lake. Hook a big “Pilot,” and you have a real battle on your hands. Hook a big Summit, and you have dead weight with some headshakes. Every big Pilot we hooked yanked line off at will. Several of the “smaller” 6-8 pound fish had us convinced that we had hooked into something much larger. If you have yet to catch a double digit Pilot, you should expect a fish that fights very similarly to a Chinook salmon for its size. Pyramid Lake diehards could not be more excited about what’s to come next fall. There is no way that next October will not be loaded with double digit trout when the season Ava caught her first ever fish while fishing at Lake Almanor with reopens. There has not been a better end to a Capt. Bryan Roccucci on June 28. Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY’S GUIDE SERVICE, Quincy. trout season since the reintroduction of the true native race of fish to the lake. Pretty much everybody has been could be seen with the naked eye chasing spoiled with multiple double digit sized schools of chubs. The hottest area trout to end the season. was the section of beach from Warrior’s The Truckee River is still flowing high Point up to Monument Rock, but the fish and cold, and the lake is as full as it has occasionally moved up to the area around been since the flood of 1997. The Tui the Needles as well. Basically, if you Chubs are enjoying fantastic conditions could find the fish, you were in for a really for their spawn. There should be an good day of fishing. On my final three trips of the season, my excellent crop of young chubs for the trout to gorge on over the summer. scores were as follows: Trip 1: 80-ish fish Next October the bite should be on fire landed for two rods- with 7 fish over ten pounds and the biggest at 15 pounds. Trip for those vertical jigging around balls of chubs. If you plan to get in on this bite, it 2: We had trouble finding the fish- 20 fish is probably the best fishing of the season. landed for two rods with one 11 pounder. It’s also your best shot at a 20+ pounder. Trip 3: 50-ish fish landed for two rods with You will need the best sonar you can three fish in the 10-11 pound range. afford. All in all, the fishing was red hot. I I am currently employing an HD wasn’t alone. Jeff Morris related a trip Lowrance unit, and I couldn’t be more where he and his father landed 7 fish over ten pounds with the best going 17 pounds. pleased. I can watch my jig fall right into a fish’s face, and work the fish until Jeff picked up a bunch of his fish at first he spooks or bites. Usually, they bite. light vertical jigging with Crippled Herring Load up your arsenal now with 1-2 ounce and P-Line Laser Minnows. P-Line Laser Minnows and Crippled The fish then scattered, and that’s Herring. Chrome finishes and glow/ when his Dad caught the 17 pounder chartreuse are hard to beat. Remove the slow trolling a U-20 Flatfish along the stock hooks and replace them with high bottom. All of these fish were bright silver quality needle sharp premium barbless “Pilot Peak” fish. The Summit Lake fish treble hooks. have almost been entirely absent from The other lure that has produced day in the catches. At this point, there really is and day out throughout the season has no reason for the Paiute tribe to continue been the size 4 Lyman. 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