Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3618 August 18- September 4 2017 | Page 23

VOL. 36 • ISS. 18

FRESHWATER
Aug. 18- Sept. 1, 2017
21
the main stem Walker, there are heavy diversions for agriculture, and the combined flow is reduced to about 500 CFS. These values are anywhere from 2x normal to 10x normal depending on the location.
It is uncommon for much water to be in the Lower Walker River in late summer. Regardless, this is the first time this season that the Walker system has been anything less than dangerous to wade. However, in the lower river where flows are 10x of normal, conditions may still be hazardous. NDOW recently stocked the East Fork in Lyon County with 5617 brown trout.
Lastly, the Truckee River is in prime condition with flows around 350 CFS in the Reno area. The tuber and rafter crowds are hitting the downtown section of the river hard during the middle of the day. Fishing is best early or late in the day for fly fishermen drifting stonefly and caddis patterns. Gear fishermen are having success with everything from night crawlers and salmon eggs to spinners, spoons and plugs.
On all three of these river systems there is opportunity for a larger than average trout. These fish typically fall to fly fishermen dead drifting nymphs or crayfish patterns. Gear anglers have success targeting these fish with F-7 to F-11 Rapala’ s in natural colors
like silver / black, gold / black and rainbow or brown trout patterns. Live crawdads are yet another good bet for trophy fish.
- Mike McNeilly
LAKE OROVILLE
Bass Fishing Still Your Best Bet
YUBA CITY – King salmon fishing has been dead on Lake Oroville since the Oroville Dam spillway disaster began this February. It appears that most of the salmon were washed over the spillway during the high releases this winter and spring.
Bass fishing is a much better bet.“ Manny Nevarez, who works in our store, took second place in the recent Yuba-Sutter Fishing Club Tournament,” said Bob Boucke at Johnson’ s Bait and Tackle.“ He used chatterbaits to catch his limit of bass.”
“ Anglers are catching and releasing a ton of small spotted bass, along with an occasional largemouth in the 3 to 4 pound range,” Boucke noted. Expect to hook plenty of“ spots” in the 12 to 14

Summer Subscription

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inch range.
The surface water temperature is 80 to 81 degrees, so fish 30 to 35 feet or deeper during the day. Use drop shot rigs with Robo Worms in morning dawn and MM111 patterns and tubes for the top action.
Lime Saddle Marina, Bidwell Canyon and Loafer Creek launch ramps are all open now.
Lake Oroville is holding 2,111,246 acre feet of water, 60 percent of capacity, 82 percent of average. The lake level is 792.77 feet in elevation, 107.23 feet from full.
LAKE PARDEE
Huge Trout Grace Stringers
SACRAMENTO – Kokanee salmon fishing at Lake Pardee slowed down during the latest heat wave.
“ Two experienced trollers, Big Al and Rick, reported catching only one kokanee on their last trip,” reported Alan Fong at Fisherman’ s Warehouse.
Fishing pressure also slowed down in the heat.“ We’ ve been seeing around 5 boats fishing each day,” noted Brad Hoyt at Pardee Lake Recreation.
There are some big rainbows available on the lake, though. Mel Larson landed a 7.81 lb. rainbow while
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Legendary lure manufacturer and guide Gary Miralles used a Sling Blade teamed with a hoochie to temp this big rainbow while trolling North Carolina’ s Lake Nantahala this July.
Photo courtesy of SHASTA TACKLE / MACKS LURE.
using white and lemon line Power Eggs from his boat in Mel’ s Cove, noted Hoyt.
The first Calaveras Fish Farm plant of rainbow trout of the season went in on Friday, July 21.
Bank anglers should fish early in the morning with PowerBait and nightcrawlers in the deep water near Stony Creek Spillway and Rainbow Point.
Kokanee fishermen have been landing trout, so Kaitlin McCloskey, also of Pardee Lake Recreation, recommended trolling with hoochies, spinners and Needlefish in bright and shiny colors first and then switching to Needlefish and Rapalas.
The best area to find kokanee is in the mouth of the river all of the way to the south end. Troll around 20 feet and shallower in the morning and 30 to 45 feet mid day.
Black bass fishing is going strong for the few anglers going out. Devin MacKay caught and released two largemouth bass weighing 3.8 and 5.1 pounds while using shad patterned swim baits.
Pardee is currently 100 percent of capacity.
- Dan Bacher
REDDING / RED BLUFF
Kings Trickle Up Sacramento
REDDING- Salmon fishing remains slow on the northern reaches of the Sacramento River, but the action has improved over the past two weeks.
“ I’ ve run a few trips in recent days for both salmon and trout,” reported Robert Weese of Northern California Guide Service.“ There aren’ t a lot of salmon in the Sacramento River yet, but we’ ve been catching some fish here and there. My best day so far produced 3

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