12 May 12-26, 2017 VOL. 36 • ISS. 11

GONE FISHING:

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cruising trout can quickly see / find it. This is fundamental to success and often results in quick limits! And while using a Lil Corky to help float your already buoyant bait above the bottom may be new to you, its effectiveness is undeniable. In addition, the buoyancy of your Lil Corky single-egg-imitation will take the guess work out of how much dough bait is the right amount to float your baited hook above your sinker. When rigging a Lil’ Corky / PowerBait combination, use a ball of PowerBait slightly larger than your Lil’ Corky. We can tell you, based on extensive testing and observation of underwater video footage, that you will catch far more fish if your Lil’ Corky and PowerBait combination floats side-by-side in the water column. Leader length is important because, after all, you want your bait floating at the depth the fish are cruising, which might be close to the bottom during times when the water is clear and sun bright, higher in the water column during the spring- when water temperatures begin to warm, early and / or late in the day, or on overcast days. And while the average leader length should be 18-to-24 inches, a leader long enough to extend above bottom-growing vegetation might be the ticket to success when trout are swimming just above the weed tops. To rig, simply thread your main line( extending from your rod tip) through the hole in your oval egg sinker, add a small plastic bead, and tie your line end to a size ten( 10) barrel swivel. Then attach your leader( 18-to-24 inches), complete with Lil’ Corky threaded on leader above hook, to the free end of your swivel end and mold a ball of PowerBait around your hook. Note: A size 12 treble hook should be used in combination with a size 12

Lake Don Pedro is starting to boot out some impressive rainbows. This 3 plus pound trout was caught on April 22

Photo courtesy of GOLD COUNTRY SPORTFISHING, Oakdale.

Lil Corky, and size 14 treble with size 14 Lil Corky bait floater. A few of the most popular and productive dough colors and flavors available in Berkley ® PowerBait include Rainbow, Sherbet, Chartreuse, Peach, and Flame Orange; with garlic being a favorite scent enhancer. Anglers specializing in still-fishing PowerBait employ 6 to 7 foot soft-tipped spinning rods rated for 2-to-8 pound test fishing line. One of the most popular fishing rods for this fishing method is the seven( 7) foot Berkley Cherrywood rod in the ultra-light action. Your spinning reel should be one with a quality drag, like a Abu Garcia or Pflueger brand. Purchasing a rod and reel combination, like a Shakespeare ® Crusader, sized for trout can represent an affordable option. The most popular fishing line is six( 6) pound test monofilament. You should know that Berkley Trilene or Stren brand monofilaments are soft enough to cast far and hold up to fish pounding strikes- even from

FRESHWATER REPORTS:

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COLUSA / KNIGHTS LANDING cont. and below Colusa on the Sacramento

River.

“ Two weeks ago anglers were limiting out on stripers, but the fish were small keepers,” explained Jean Franklin at Kittle’ s Outdoors.“ Now anglers are getting limits, but the size of the stripers is going up. Anglers are both drifting live minnows and fishing cut anchovies and sardines. For example, Morgan Bowerman, who works here at the shop, landed a 25 inch striper yesterday.”

“ My husband, Chaz, and I also caught a 20 inch striper and a 20 inch catfish, along with releasing quite a few shaker stripers, while fishing from the bank on an afternoon trip to the Colusa State Park,” she noted.

Most boaters are launching out of the

Steelhead Lodge ramp, although the water has been high enough lately to launch out of the State Park.

– by Dan Bacher

DON PEDRO LAKE

Trout Scattered At 30 Feet

OAKDALE— Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing has noted a steady uptick in the trout action at Don Pedro Reservoir.

“ The water is slowly warming,” said Smith.“ We are seeing 64 degrees up top, but for whatever reason the fish are holding down fairly deep. They are currently down around 30 to 40 feet deep and they don’ t seem to want to come above that. I’ m seeing a thermocline at 20 feet, which should not be there this time of the year and everything has been below that. I think there is more oxygen at that depth.

This father and daughter fishing team had a unique experience when trolling at Lake Almanor this April when this big brown inhaled BOTH of their

Rapalas about 2 seconds apart. Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY’ S GUIDE SERVICE, Quincy. trophy-size trout. Terminal Tackle You Will Need: 1) Selection of size 12 and 14 Lil’ Corky floating egg imitation / bait-floaters; the most popular colors being pink pearl, red, orange, pink, sherbet, clown, and( for night fishing- where legal) luminous flame. 2) Selection of size 12 and 14 treble hooks. 3) Selection of ¼, 3 / 8 and 1 / 2 ounce“ Oval Egg” free-sliding sinkers. 4) Size 10 barrel swivels. 5) Size 4 and / or 6mm plastic beads 6) Spool of four( 4) or six( 6) pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon leader material. Fluorocarbon leader material is less visible to fish.

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