20 Sept. 29- Oct. 13, 2017 VOL. 36 • ISS. 21

feathers. The shotgun automatically finds your shoulder. Your eye sorts through a half dozen potential targets before focusing on a lone greenhead. The shotgun roars and the bird crumbles … Welcome to the 2017 California duck season!

The waterfowl season is right around the corner and now is the time to check out your gear and make sure you have everything you need for a successful 2014 duck campaign. Luckily for you if you do find yourself lacking critical gear or even critical knowledge, Sportsman’ s Warehouse is hosting special Waterfowl Weekend events at their stores around California on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The weekend festivities will include free seminars and product demos from top

3620 waterfowlers and manufacturers. There will be hot buys on selected waterfowling gear.

Whatever you need for waterfowling whether it be steel shot shells, shotguns, decoys, waders, calls, blinds, bags or clothing, Sportsman’ s has all this and lots more.

The Rocklin Sportsman’ s Warehouse is located at 6640 Lonetree Blvd. For more information call( 916) 782-9900. In Chico, 765 East Avenue,( 530) 897-0500. In Rancho Cordova 2344 Sunrise Blvd,( 916) 635-7800. In Redding, 1659 Hilltop Drive,( 530) 222-5500. In Fairfield, 1590 Gateway Blvd( 707) 389-7400. In Fresno, 8468 N. Friant Rd.( 559) 261-2900. In Rohnert, Park 5195 Redwood Dr.( 707) 585-1500. In Eureka, 3456 Broadway( 707) 298-6100. In Stockton, 10536 Trinity Parkway( 209) 851- 7400. In Vasalia, 1650 W. Visalia Parkway( 559) 308-7100.

These anglers enjoyed outstanding big rainbow action while trolling New Melones Reservoir on August 29.

Photo courtesy of MONTE SMITH, Gold Country Sportfishing.

FRESHWATER REPORTS:

CONTINUED FROM PG 16

EASTERN SIERRA cont.

Rapalas, Speedy Shiners, crawlers and Thomas Buoyants. Fly anglers seem to be doing the best stripping streamers like seal buggers, and woolly buggers with soft hackle and pheasant tail droppers. Don’ t forget, if you need to rent a boat to get over to the inlets the marina is now open,” disclosed Reid.

FEATHER / YUBA RIVERS

Anglers Battle Big, Bold Chinooks

OROVILLE- Salmon fishing is great right below the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet and good on the rest of the Feather River.

‘ The fishing is absolutely red hot,” said Robert Weese of Northern California Guide Service.“ Today we caught full limits of salmon by 9 am and we landed limits yesterday by 11 am. The fish ranged from 15 to 35 pounds. I pulled plugs for the first hour and then switched over to roe.”

Bob Boucke of Johnson’ s Bait and Tackle in Yuba City reported about one salmon per boat in the Boyd’ s Area.

“ I landed a 12 lb. salmon this morning while trolling with a Blue Fox spinner for three hours,” said Boucke.“ Almost every boat I saw fishing had at least one fish. On the trip before, my fishing partner, Farrell Shorey, landed a salmon also.”

FOLSOM LAKE

Folsom Remains In Good Shape For Boating, Fishing

SACRAMENTO – Folsom Lake is still about 72 % of capacity and dropping just over a 1 / 3 of a foot per day. Few anglers have been out bass or trout and salmon fishing, in spite of the good water conditions.

“ We are still 50 feet higher than last year at this time,” the Folsom Lake Marina staff reported.“ September and October should provide great boating.”

“ State Parks has done a great job in getting the debris removed from the lake and boaters can now use that lake without much worry of hitting some driftwood. Please remember that with the lake dropping daily, rocks and islands that weren’ t there yesterday, might be there today,” the staff said.

“ On October 1st., slip renters may begin to put their boats up in our winter storage area. If nothing changes, all boats will need to be removed from the marina slips by December 1st. This is due to Folsom Lake’ s flood control requirements during the winter months,” the staff noted.

When lake turns over in October or November, bank anglers can expect to see an upswing in shore fishing for rainbow trout and king salmon. Fishermen should toss out nightcrawlers, Power Bait and minnows in the Brown’ s Ravine, Granite Bay and Five Percent areas.

KLAMATH RIVER

Salmon Fishing Closed, But Steelhead Remains Open

SACRAMENTO – Fall Chinook salmon fishing remains prohibited from August 15 through December 31 on the Klamath River from the mouth up to below the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery, but angling for steelhead remains open on the river for the rest of the year.

The California Fish and Game Commission earlier this year adopted a full fishing closure, due to historically low stock projections of fall Chinook in the Klamath Basin for 2017.

Before the salmon season closed, fishing for spring-run Chinooks was very good on the lower river for Jerry Lampkin of TNG Motor Sports Guide Service

“ We’ re back from 3 weeks in paradise on the Klamath River,” said Lampkin.“ Once the fish came in, it was limits every day for our guys, with a couple thrown in for the guide. The big fish was 23 pounds. They were hitting rolled anchovies, spinners and Kastmasters, trolled in the estuary.”

LAFAYETTE RESERVOIR

Bass, Catfish Pace Early Fall Catches

LAFAYETTE – The warm weather has kept things fairly quiet at Lafayette Reservoir, but fishermen still having luck with bass fishing.

Tyler Gransom of Concord caught and released 7 quality largemouths by boat, reported Elyse Pacheco of the Lafayette Reservoir. Jessica Parvetti fought a big bass that got away from the metal fishing pier while she was using Roboworms near the visitor center.