Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3704 Feb 2-16, 2018 | Page 9

FRESHWATER REPORTS :

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BERRYESSA LAKE

Trollers Battle Fat , Hefty Rainbows

WINTERS – If you want to hook fat holdover rainbow trout , head to Lake Berryessa .

“ On my last trolling trip , 3 of us landed 25 trout ,” said Alan Fong of Fishermen ’ s Warehouse . “ We kept our limits of fish in the 2 to 6 lb . range . My buddy also reported catching two fish weighing 7 and 6-1 / 2 pounds on a trip to Berryessa .”

“ We speed trolled with Shad Raps and Lucky Craft LV500s in shad patterns ,” said Fong . “ The fish were from 3 to 10 feet from the surface . The best areas were outside the mouth of Pope Creek and Schoolhouse Point and from the island to Putah Creek . Since the latest rainstorm , the water has muddied up in the Putah Creek arm about ¼ mile in .”

James Netzel of http :// fishtightlines . com also reported solid trout fishing on his last two trips to Berryessa .

“ On our first trip , we landed 12 trout averaging 18 to 20 inches long , 2 quality smallmouths and one big crappie measuring around 17 inches ,” said Netzel . “ We trolled with Rat-L-Traps at 3-1 / 2 mph in the top 20 feet of water . We fished the

Big Island , Goat Island and Putah Creek areas .”

“ On the next trip on January 14 after a big storm , the action was slower and Putah Creek was muddy . We landed 7 trout , most in the 18 to 20-inch range , mostly in the top 5 feet of water . We found the top action on chatter baits and hot steel J-7 Rapalas .”

For bass , anglers should fish with 1 / 3 / 4 oz . Blade Runner spoons at 35 to 40 feet deep in the main body . Look for areas with concentrations of shad . The fish are a mixture of spotted , largemouth and spotted bass .

- Dan Bacher

CAMANCHE RESERVOIR

Big Plants Boost Rainbow Success

These anglers enjoyed great trolling action at Lake Berryessa on January 7 , catching 12 trout , 2 smallmouth bass and a big crappie .

Photo courtesy of TIGHT LINES GUIDE SERVICE , Loomis .

BURSON - Both trollers and shore fishermen are battling quality rainbow trout at Lake Camanche . Mount Lassen Trout Farm has planted over 34,800 lbs . of rainbows since October . The plants are split between the north shore , south shore and South Pond .

“ We are expecting an additional 1,800 lbs . sometime before next weekend ,” said Terry Willard of the Camanche Recreation Company .

Robbie Dunham , local expert trout angler , continues to report great trolling action . He and Bob Morris on pulled in limits of trout while trolling grubs in the Narrows area on a recent trip .

Alana Garcia , fishing with husband Gabe Garcia , posted to Facebook during a recent fishing adventure : “ Two more fish and we ’ ll get our limit . We are trolling Speedy Shiners by the houseboats ”

Matt Brown Sr . reported catching “ lots of spotted bass while fishing with jigs in 40 ′ of water . The Jig bite has been good for numbers .

The surface water temperature is 53 °. I also landed a nice crappie while using a 2-1 / 2 inch deepdiving crankbait .”

Big fish honors

Big rainbows are on the bite at Lake Amador . This big trout was rounded up on December 27 .

Photo courtesy of THE LAKE AMADOR CAFÉ , Lake Amador .

go to Mario Castillo of Galt , who caught a 9.7 lb . trout , as well as a smaller fish . He enticed the fish with PowerBait while bank fishing on the south shore .

Recent rains helped to push Lake Camanche back to 74 % full , elevation of 219.82 ′. Lake Camanche continues to release approximately 334 cfs into the Mokelumne River while receiving approximately 1,000 cfs from Pardee Lake .

CLEAR LAKE

Crappie Reward Shore , Boat Anglers

CLEARLAKE – Shore fishing for crappie is going strong at Clear Lake , particularly off the docks , although that could change with a cold front expected to move into the region .

“ One local landed his limit while fishing mini gigs and minnows on his latest trip to the lake ,” said Ed Bisbee at Elkhorn Outdoor Sports in Rio Linda . “ He fished off the docks and shore at the inn he was staying .”

“ The crappie fishing will get really good in the next month when the fish move into shallow water ,” added Dave Brabec of Clear Lake Outdoors .

“ The bass fishing this winter has been better than it normally is this time of year ,” said Brabec . “ The water temperature is still in the high forties ; usually it ’ s in the low forties . One local reported catching nothing on ripbaits all morning , but then he caught and released 13 fish on ripbaits in the afternoon in the north end .”

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“ The north end is better for the bass and the south end for the crappie ,” he disclosed .

“ The catfish are still holding deep 30 to 40 feet of water ,” said Brabec . “ Nightcrawlers are the best baits probably because shad is so abundant and the nightcrawlers look like something different . Konotyee is one of the better areas .”

- Dan Bacher

COLLINS LAKE

Bank Anglers Nail Rainbows As Water Level Rises

OREGON HOUSE - The water level at Collins Lake has risen to 17 feet from full from recent storms and the surface temperature is 52 degrees . A couple of storms were expected to move into the region at press time

The weather between storms has been mild and sunny for this time of year , reported Shelly Groce at the Collins Lake Resort . Anglers continue to focus on trout while fishing from shore with PowerBait and nightcrawlers and trolling with Ksatmasters , Needlefish and other lures .

Successful bank anglers include Dale of Forbestown , who reeled in a 5-1 / 2 lb . trout while using green PowerBait down by the dam . Jim Fleenor of Brownsville landed a 4 - / 4 lb . trout using orange PowerBait with white Power Eggs down by the watersedge group area .

David Finme bagged a 6-1 / 4 lb . trout using green PowerBait by the beach . Rob and Don caught 4 trout using PowerBait near the watersedge .

Doug Tenbrook of Orland landed a 3-1 / 4 lb . and 2 lb . trout using firetiger Rapala down by the marina . Leslie Seid of Livermore caught a 4 lb . trout by the dam using white / green eggs . Frank Vasquez brought in 4 rainbows using yellow / orange PowerBait down by the group areas .

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