Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3704 Feb 2-16, 2018 | Page 23

grubs without any luck, but the rip baits have been producing 1 to 4 strikes per trip,” said Davis. “Most of the fish I’ve caught have been 2 pound smallmouths with the largest smallmouth going 3.21 pounds,” added Davis. At Halsey Forebay anglers are hooking rainbows at both the inlet and outlets on standard baits such as salmon eggs, PowerBait and Zeke’s Sierra Gold. If you are looking for tackle or fishing information for a trip to Rollins, Scotts or Halsey Forebay, Will Fish Tackle in Auburn has what you need. Will Fish Tackle is located at 11944 Masters Court in Auburn, Ca- (530) 887-0839. RUSSIAN RIVER Steelhead Action Was Great Before Storm GUERNEVILLE – Before the latest storm raised and muddied flows on the Russian River, steelhead fishing was hot. “The fishing last week was spectacular for catching,” said Steve Jackson of King’s Sport and Tackle. “With huge high tides and some rain showers there has been a nice of new fish pushing in. Flows have stayed consistent at 350 cfs keeping the fish from moving too fast.” “The best bets have been fishing scented jigs under slip floats, cured roe under a float, or swinging bosses, comets or small intruders with an intermediate sink line. Concentrate your efforts from Steelhead Beach down. Look for more rain in the forecast, so the fish may start moving more,” Jackson tipped. “At press time, flows at 1300 cfs in Guerneville with limited visibility, basically bait and spin-n-glow water. Hopefully the river will clear enough before the next system comes in early next week for some weekend fishing,” he said. SACRAMENTO AREA heading elsewhere to pursue fish. However, a few sturgeon are starting to show in the Freeport, Clarksburg and Hood areas. One local, Jack, reporting catching a 58 inch sturgeon while fishing ghost shrimp from the bank below Freeport,” said Tim Boggs of Elkhorn Bait and Tackle. Other good baits to use include pileworms and lamprey eel. For striped bass, Alan Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento recommended fishing the San Joaquin River near the Eddo’s Harbor, since the water is clearer than the muddier Sacramento. “Anglers are hooking fish in the 18 to 26 inch class while throwing out top water lures,” he advised. “They are also hooking fish while drifting minnows and spooning with Blade Runner spoons. A 3 degree rise in water temperature has helped the fishing.” The Port of Sacramento is also worth a try for schoolie stripers, but the fishing has been spotty. Bank anglers should fish mudsuckers and jumbo minnows, while boaters should jig with spoons or troll with Yo-Zuri lures. “My muddy, Greg Settles, caught a 26 inch striper while fishing a swimbait from shore in the Port,” said Skyler Fulster of Broadway Bait Rod & Gun. - Dan Bacher SANTA CLARA VALLEY LAKES Winter Largemouths Require Patience & Finesse Tactics COYOTE - An emphasis on patience was the word from the pro anglers at Coyote Bait and Tackle this week, as bass fishing continued to stay on the finesse side of tactics. lastics were highly recommended for all the lakes, according to Paul Jolly. “Calero has been pretty slow but they’re catching fish on shakey head and wacky rigged plastics. Stick with darker colors like These anglers were pretty happy after landing this impressive rainbow trout, during a Shasta Lake trolling adventure on December 26. Photo courtesy of JEFF GOODWIN GUIDE SERVICE, Redding. green pumpkin and margarita mutilator. There’s no need to get out there early. The bite is better later in the morning after the sun warms up the water a little bit,” Jolly tipped. “Anderson is still closed to boating, but it’s been pretty good. Stay on the Cochrane side of the lake Eight to 15 feet deep, slow rolling spinnerbaits, wacky rigged senkos, tubes, drop shot and a ned rig will work. You can also try long casting a jerk bait,” he disclosed. “Crappie were biting at Coyote two weeks ago but It’s all minnows out there. Guys fishing for crappie with medium minnows are picking up the larger minnows to pick up the bass. They aren’t big; anywhere between three and four pounds. The water is really low out there – it’s basically a mud pit, but surprisingly they’re catching fish,” he said. Sturgeon Begin Showing Below Freeport Catfishing continued to have no interest, according to Jolly. - Roland Aspiras SHADOW CLIFFS LAKE Anglers Celebrate Trout Abundance FREMONT – It’s been a virtual festival of trout this year on Shadow Cliffs Reservoir. The popular East Bay fishery received 1000 pounds of rainbows from the CDFW the week of January 15 and 1000 pounds from the park district the previous week. “Boaters have been