10 July 21- August 4, 2017 VOL. 36 • ISS. 16

lure into this zone, you can use steel line, sinker releases teamed with heavy weights and various types of divers, but in today’ s terms most of these methods are makeshift at best or downright obsolete. These days, entry level downriggers are cheap and largely fool proof. Not only will they effectively get your gear into the strike zone, but they also allow you to utilize light tackle so you get to enjoy fighting your fish.

Most hardcore trout trollers utilize electric downriggers, but that is just a matter of convenience. If you want to keep costs down, pick up a set of inexpensive manual crank downriggers. They work just as well as the electrics at a fraction of the cost. Once you’ ve got downriggers and the associated mounts you’ ll need to add a pair of 8-pound downrigger weights and some trout weight downrigger releases. Scotty, Vance’ s Tackle, Shasta Tackle and Sep’ s Pro Fishing all produce excellent downrigger releases for the trout angler.

The basic rigging of a downrigger works like this. The ball is attached to the snap on the end of the downrigger cable. The line release can be attached to the downrigger ball or attached to the cable above the ball via a clip. After spooling your offering out behind the boat, your fishing line is attached to the line release and the downrigger ball is lowered to the desired depth.

Both conventional bait casting reels and spinning reels will work for downrigger fishing, bait casters work the best since you can leave the reel out of gear and thumb the spool as the downrigger weight is lowered. This process in more

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complicated with a spinning reel. Once the downrigger weight reaches the desired level put the reel in gear, place the rod in the rod holder and reel in enough slack to put a bend in the rod. Light flexible rods are best for downrigger fishing. The rod should be matched with a reel spooled with 8 or 10 pound test monofilament.

In terms of lures and end tackle, you’ ll need a collection of baitfish imitating spoons, such as Cripplures, Hum Dingers, Sep’ s Pro Secrets, Excels or Needlefish and a few 4 to 6 inch dodgers. The mainline from you rod is attached to the dodger and 30 inches of 8 pound test fluorocarbon leader material is attached to the rear of the dodger. The lure of your choice is attached to the leader via a loop knot or a tiny snap. Using a loop knot or snap allows the lure to move freely and draws more strikes than a similar lure attached via a standard knot.

Dodgers come in various makes and colors and confidence plays a big role in the dodger anglers choose. My current favorite is a 6 inch green UV Shasta Tackle Sling Blade, but other successful anglers are equally as passionate about dodgers from Sep’ s and Vance’ s.

When targeting trout stacked in the thermocline I generally troll my lures about 100 feet behind the downrigger ball. Some guys like a shorter line, but I think keeping the bait away from the ball results in more strikes.

I believe that trout and salmon look up to feed, so I run my lures just above the level at which I’ m marking the densest concentration of fish. Since trout in the thermocline are usually free strikers I start out trolling from 2 to 2.5 miles per hour and only slow down if I

have to.

As you troll keep an eye on your rod tip. At times a hooked trout won’ t pop your line out of the downrigger clip. If you see any tell tale taps, pop the line out of the clip and more often than not you’ ll find that you have a fish on the line.

The material I’ ve presented here represents the bare bones basics of summer trout trolling. Use this information and you’ ll catch plenty of fish. As you gain more experience your approach will become more sophisticated and your confidence level will soar!

FRESHWATER REPORTS:

CONTINUED FROM PG 4

CLEAR LAKE cont. baits.”

Crappie are still available, but anglers need to search to find concentrations of them around shaded docks.“ They’ re not in the backs of coves now,” said Brabec.

Mike Carpentier caught his personal best landlocked king to date while trolling Lake Berryessa in late June.

Photo courtesy of KRISTY CARPENTIER, Walnut Creek.

COLLINS LAKE

Catfish & Crappie Biting Big Time

OREGON HOUSE- Like channel catfish and crappie? Well, now is a good time to head to Collins Lake.

The lake is in great shape this summer, being only 5 feet from full, and the surface water temperature is 76 degrees.

“ Catfish and crappie are biting,” reported Shelly Groce at the Collins Lake Resort.“ So the 100 degree weather didn’ t stop those diehard fishermen- the hotter temperatures brought out the crappie, bluegill and catfish.”

“ Using live bait and / or chicken liver will get you a catfish almost every time. The live bait works best on the crappie or bluegill,” she tipped.

Big fish honors go to Jaden Feriera, who landed a 10.6 lb catfish using chicken liver, and Cnad Bartlett of Brentwood, who caught a 9-1 / 2 lb. catfish while using a spinner from his kayak near the swim area.

Gregory Wance landed a 6-1 / 2 lb catfish soaking red worms on the shoreline, while James and Christine of Oroville caught a 6 lb catfish, reported Groce.

“ Owen Joseph, a local boy who loves to fish, caught a 3-1 / 2 lb bass using crawdads by the dock,” she said.“ Mark and Dave Zaski landed some crappie and bass using minnows on the lake’ s east side.”

Trout are also biting in deeper water. Randy Wyatt nailed a 6-3 / 4 lb trout while trolling with a red lure. Belle and Joe of Vacaville caught 2 trout and 1 crappie trolling with Kastmaster lures.

Abbi and Bella Orteza of Auburn caught a trout just over 7 lbs trolling in the middle of the lake. Ricky and Hector of San Jose bagged a 5-3 / 4 lb trout using a Triple Teazer lure, also in middle of the lake.

COLUSA / KNIGHTS LANDING

Anglers Get Ready For July 16 Salmon Opener

COLUSA- Few anglers have been fishing on the Sacramento River but that will change when the salmon season opens on July 16, 2017.

“ A few guys are fishing for stripers from Princeton to Meridian with sardines during the day,” said Pat Kittle of Kittle’ s Outdoors.“ Most of the fish are shakers, with a few keepers mixed in.”

“ For the larger fish, it’ s best to fish swimbaits and top water lures off the gravel bars at dusk and dawn,” he noted.

Kittle is getting ready for the salmon opener and hopes it’ s a good one.“ I was relaxing in Stinson Beach over the weekend and saw a couple of guys trolling close to shore catch four salmon up to 20 pounds,” he noted.

He hasn’ t heard any word on the catfish action in the river and local sloughs lately.

- Dan Bacher

CONTRA LOMA RESERVOIR

Channel Cats Munching Baits

ANTIOCH- Catfish action is in full swing for anglers fishing from boats and shore. The park district is stocking the lake

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