Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3618 August 18- September 4 2017 | Page 10

8 FRESHWATER Aug. 18 - Sept. 1, 2017 FRESHWATER REPORTS: CONTINUED FROM PG 4 AMERICAN BASIN cont. average. Ice House Reservoir is holding 37,601 acre-feet of water, 86 percent of capacity and 98 percent of average. AMERICAN RIVER Toss Jigs Early & Late For Stripers SACRAMENTO - Striped bass have replaced shad as the top quarry on the American River in the “dog days” of August, but few anglers have been out trying in the heat. “Locals are hooking a few stripers, mostly schoolies up to 8 pounds, while throwing out fish traps on 1-1/2 oz. jigheads early and late in the day,” said Alan Fong at Fisherman’s Warehouse. “The most consistent action is available in the upper river from Sunrise to Hazel Avenue.” The salmon fishing has been slow since the opener, though persistent fishermen are picking up a few kings in Nimbus Basin. “One friend and his buddy reported landing two salmon weighing 6 and 12 pounds in the basin,” said Fong. Water releases from Nimbus Dam in the American continue to be 3,500 cfs, reported Peggy Manza of Reclamation. - Dan Bacher LAKE BERRYESSA Trollers Working For Limits Of Rainbows WINTERS - Boaters are catching limits of healthy Eagle Lake-strain rainbows at Lake Berryessa, but they can expect to work harder for them in the late summer heat. “We’re trolling spoons at 35 to 55 feet deep for rainbows in the 15 to 22 inch range,” reported Troy Barr of T-Roy’s Guide Service. “We’re using RMT Serpent Spoons, Apex lures and Brad’s Kokanee Cut Plugs in the Narrows and Skier’s Cove areas.” “We landed limits on our latest trips, but they’re getting harder to catch because of the heat,” noted Barr. “There are a lot of kokanee in the 10 to 12 inch range, but we’re not fishing for them now. The kokanee fishery looks good for next year. The lake is really healthy this summer.” Black bass are in their summer pattern at Lake Berryessa, with top water lures working in the early morning and late evening hours – and drop shot rigs working the rest of the day. “One my last trip to Berryessa, we landed 12 bass total, mostly largemouths,” said Don Paganelli of Paganelli’s Bass Fishing Experience in Sacramento. “The drop shot bite is best with Robo Worms fished at 10 to 30 feet deep. The bass are scattered all over the lake now.” BULLARDS BAR/ ENGLEBRIGHT LAKES Trollers Nail Ten Fish Kokanee Limits SACRAMENTO– If you like to catch a 10 fish limit of scrappy kokanee salmon, Bullards Bar offers some of the top action for summer trollers in California now. “Guys are still going up there and catching limits of kokanee averaging 10 to 12 inches long,” said Alan Fong of Fisherman’s Warehouse. “Trolling in the main body of the lake at 35 to 45 feet deep in 300 feet of water is your best bet.” He recommended trolling with pink hoochies or Apex lures, tipped with white corn. Wedding Rings, Sockeye Slammers, Uncle Larry’s spinners, Hum Dingers, Needlefish and other lures will also work. “Anglers are catching easy limits of kokanee at Bullards Bar,” confirmed Craig Newton at Will Fish Bait and Tackle in Auburn. “Boaters are doing best trolling micro hoochies behind dodgers at 35 to 45 feet deep. The larger fish measure 12 to 13 inches long.” Bullards Bar Reservoir is holding 842,447 acre-feet of water, 83 percent of capacity, and 112 percent of average. Fishing pressure at Englebright Reservoir has been light lately, due to the large numbers of recreational boaters hitting the lake and the hot weather. Englebright is a sleeper for trollers to pursue beautiful holdover rainbows and a few wild German browns. Englebright is holding 67,5