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32 March 30- April 13, 2018 VOL. 37 • ISS. 08
FRESHWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PG 26
SHADOW CLIFF LAKES cont.
and release largemouth action should be busting loose as the water temperature warms up. Anglers find the best action while tossing out Senkos, Power Worms and spinnerbaits this time of year.
SHASTA / WHISKEYTOWN LAKES
Anglers Choose From Trout, Bass & Kokanee
REDDING- The fishing at both Lake Shasta and Whiskeytown Reservoir has been fantastic and fishing pressure has been light. Rainbows, browns, kokanee and bass are all on the menu for Redding area anglers.
“ I’ d been seeing reports of good trout fishing at Lake Shasta, so my friend Everett and I took a 3 day trip up to the lake last week,” reported Fish Sniffer reader Ed Chang.“ I’ ve been fishing Shasta for over 30 years and in terms of the average size of the trout we caught this was my best trip ever. We had rainbows to 3.8 pounds and browns to 6 pounds. We didn’ t catch huge numbers of fish, but almost everything we landed was over 2 pounds.”
“ We caught fish on several different lures, but the best lures were large copper Speedy Shiners. Most of the fish we caught were holding 20 to 35 feet deep off main lake points and steeply dropping banks. We caught some fish in open water, but the best fishing took place within 150 feet of the bank,” said Chang. Bass enthusiasts are hooking up to 30
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Awaiting That Magic Day of Spring Bass Fishing
Last time we discussed a few particular presentations for lake bass fishing. As my sturgeon misfortunes have held true while I read about diamondbacks being caught all over the bay and river systems, it’ s difficult to give up on them and focus on the lakes for bass.
But we move forward, anxiously awaiting that first magic day when almost everything works. Earlier this year we hit Berryessa with Pro Senkos and knocked em dead. The
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Nathan Wakefield caught and released this incredible brown trout while fishing the eastern shoreline of Lake Tahoe this March.
Photo courtesy of NATHAN WAKEFIELD, NorCal Fish Whisperers, Facebook.
spotted bass per day at Shasta. There has been some reaction action on spinnerbaits and crankbaits, but soft plastics like Mother’ s Finest Worms and Senkos worm best.
Both the main lake and the lower ends of the river arms have been productive. The bass are holding from 15 to 45 feet deep in most cases. There have been a few largemouths and smallmouths showing along with the spots. The average bass goes about 13 inches, but fish to 4 pounds show regularly.
Shasta is currently 40 feet from maximum pool and rising slowly.
At Whiskeytown Reservoir, outstanding kokanee fishing for fish to 16 inches continues to delight anglers.
The salmon are holding from the surface to 25 feet deep. Early in the morning work
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bite was wide open and the areas of success held true after each move. The wind was up, however as long as we stuck to our technique, success followed. Later in the month of January, almost perfect fishing conditions, slight overcast, no wind and the bite was zilcho.
Three trips ago we hit a steep wall with the ever popular Ned rig in Morning Dawn and pounded the spots in 15-20 feet. Last two trips, same wall, many different baits and but one fish. Go figure. Not going again for three more days.
Surface temps have been in the
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the surface. Once the sun is on the water the fish drop down a bit.
Successful anglers are using a variety of offerings. Pink Apex Lures are working well as are Wedding Ring Spinners teamed with pink or orange Sling Blade dodgers. Paulina Peak hammered dodgers and hoochies are producing great results too.
If you are itching to get some kokanee, Whiskeytown is booting out limits.
SOUTHERN OREGON ROUNDUP
Rain Invigorates Steelhead Fishing
ROSEBERG- With recent rainfall, the water level is up some on the Lower Rogue.
52-54 range, water clarity about 12 feet and spots should be gathering up in a prespawn mode. Keeping in mind that spots are first to spawn and generally set up in at least a ten foot depth, they should be easy to locate.
We’ ll keep trying. Won’ t be long either before the smallmouth get active in forming their beds, but look much shallower and off of the pea gravel areas. If targeting smallmouth, and who doesn’ t enjoy that particular pursuit, shallow running crankbaits worked over the beds will always work.
I recall when the Shad Rap came out, in 3 colors, and obviously well known to any bass angler, we needed three of each color. At Berryessa the copper one was the hot ticket for
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smallies.
The shad finish should have been terrific as it resembles the main forage fish, but it wasn’ t. Until that is, we used a Pentel pen in bright orange to paint the belly from aft to stern. Success with this bait increased ten fold. And so it goes.
Fish lake shasta
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Winter steelhead are being picked up by anglers plunking Spin-n-Glos. Boat anglers are also catching some steelhead. Most fish are being caught while boats are anchored up and running plugs waiting for steelhead to move up river. Boat anglers side drifting eggs in the Agness area are also picking up a some fish.
There is some early interest in spring Chinook. With favorable water conditions, anglers might see some early fish move through.
The Middle Rogue is up a little and fishing for winter steelhead has been fair. Rain this week could muddy things up but that will bring more fish into the area and fishing should be better by this weekend. Holdover half-pounders are present and are biting aggressively. Yarn balls, plugs and flyfishing all work well throughout the middle river.
Recent rains have brought the Umpqua River levels back to around normal, anglers were catching a lot of fish in the Main, and it should still be good whenever conditions allow.
Chinook fishing has reopened on the Main, however fishing usually doesn’ t pick up until March. Though some anglers may start trying for springers any day.
The Applegate River is low so anglers must use stealth as fish are likely holding in the many deep pools. However, rain this week should bring river levels up and fish should be moving by this weekend. Fishing has been best from Murphy downstream but fish have been caught upstream of Murphy. Cleos, pink rubber worms and fly-fishing all work well on the Applegate.
On the Chetco River steelhead fishing has been fair. With recent rain, the water level is up and steelhead conditions are great. This should be a prime weekend to get out there. Conditions are favorable for
As the largemouth is last to spawn, as well as in the shallowest areas, it is more susceptible to dropping water levels destroying it’ s beds. Many anglers turn to this situation to explain the rapid decline of the largemouth populations in many lakes, but they were fairly stable prior to the spotted bass being introduced to the west coast, and no, I’ m not in favor of eliminating spots from the face of every dam in California.
There are certain segments of our state that I would love to see disappear, but so much for politics, we’ re fishing here. When the greenies have set up on beds, they require the slowest of presentation of the three species. Even when threatened by a 6” black worm they’ ll often just stare at it for many casts.
Then we change our worm to a curly tail and not much better. Keep on keepin’ on as sooner or later you’ ll find what works. Top secret stuff here. Lizards feast on fish eggs, thus tossing one past a sedentary bass, then slowly approaching the fish will more times than not, cause a solid suck-em-up.
Stripers so far. Yuck and Nah, not much going on, but by next time they should be on a tear. Can’ t wait to troll from Rio Vista to Walnut grove. So, next time, striper stuff. Seeya then and Tight Lines!!!
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