Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3709 April 13-27, 2018 | Page 14

14 April 13 - 27 , 2018 VOL . 37 • ISS . 09

FRESHWATER REPORTS :

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AMERICAN RIVER cont . Five Bridge to Cal Expo ,” reported Uncle Larry Barnes at Sacramento Pro Tackle .

The Nimbus Fish Hatchery staff has finished spawning steelhead this season , according to Gary Novak , hatchery manager .

The hatchery trapped a total of 544 steelhead this season , including 20 wild fish and 26 juveniles . That comes out to 498 adults

The hatchery has at least 1.2 million eggs , more than enough to meet their production goal of 440,000 yearlings .

- Dan Bacher

BERRYESSA LAKE

Bait Anglers Target Rainbows

SACRAMENTO – While most anglers fishing Lake Berryessa have been trolling for trout , some anglers are also finding success while bait fishing in the inlet to Putah Creek on the north end of the reservoir .

“ One guy reported nailing rainbows while fishing nightcrawlers and bloodworms from his boat in the Putah Creek arm ,” said Tim Boggs of Elkhorn Outdoors . “ Another customer reported hooking trout while anchoring up in Putah Creek and fishing Pauzke Fireballs and PowerBait .”

“ The bass fishing is fair on Lake Berryessa now and will only get better ,” said Don Paganelli of Paganelli ’ s Bass Fishing Experience . “ The smallmouths are moving onto their beds and the spotted bass should be too . All of the bass are staging and cruising in the shallows .”

“ During a guided trip on March 29 , a father , son and I caught and released 10 largemouth bass , 3 spotted bass and one smallmouth ,” said Paganelli . “ The two biggest fish were a 3 lb . spot and a 3 lb . largemouth .”

“ We fished the main body on the northeast side and in the Narrows . We caught most of our fish on drop shot rigs with Margarita Mutliator Robo Worm . We also hooked fish on Keitech swimbaits and Senkos . The fish were holding in the top 20 feet of water .”

Brad nailed this big rainbow while fishing off the docks at Lake Amador this March .

Photo courtesy of THE LAKE AMADOR CAFÉ , Ione .

BULLARDS BAR / ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS

Kokanee Salmon Are Still Biting

AUBURN - Kokanee are showing in big numbers at Bullards Bar Reservoir , while the black bass fishing is spotty .

“ The kokanee are still hitting in the Willow Creek area of the lake ,” said Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle . “ The biggest fish my customers have reported are 13-1 / 2 inches long , while most of the fish are 12 inches .”

“ Anglers are trolling Micro Hoochies tipped with white corn behind dodgers anywhere from 15 to 60 feet deep ,” said Newton . “ If you have any experience kokanee fishing , you should be able to catch limits .”

“ Mike Sperbeck and I made a short trip to Bullards to check on the bass bite ,” said Larry Hemphill , fishing guide . “ What bite ? I wasn ’ t feeling real great , so I let Mike catch ‘ em all - all 3 of them . At least there was a minor bite .”

“ The weather and water were very cold ,” he noted . “ I guess the word is out – I only saw one other bass boat . We really need some sun , badly ! Bullards is

not an open water lake like Berryessa and Clear Lake and it really needs some sunny days to start warming the water . It has not happened yet . Mike ’ s biggest was about 2 -1 / 2 lbs .”

Mike ’ s fish were at least 40 feet deep and caught on walls . The water temperature was 50 to 51.2 degrees and the clarity was 4 + foot visibility .

- Dan Bacher

CAMANCHE LAKE

Heavy Plants Boost Trout Fishing

BURSON - Trout plants continue at Lake Camanche with an especially heavy plant of 3600 pounds released this past week with the fish split evenly between the North Shore Marina , the South Shore Marina , and the South Shore Pond . Bank fishing has been very good within a few days from the shoreline after the plants while experienced trollers are finding good action . The bass have moved out into deeper water , and finesse techniques are working best .

Robbie Dunham of Koke Machine Guide Service found great action trolling with Speedy Shiners at depths from 10 to 25 feet from the Big Hat Island to the Dam with Rich Stidham . He said , “ We worked a pattern in this area and boxed our limits by 11:00 a . m . after having 17 grabs with five coming off and two hits that didn ’ t stick .”

Crappie have also been landed by trollers working spoons or plugs while toplining at a setback of 150 feet .

Beau Courtroul of the Lake Camanche Recreation Company said , “ The bass have backed off at depths from 30 to 35 feet , but the bite is decent with finesse techniques such as plastics on the drop-shot . The visibility remains at 7 to 8 feet despite the lake rising to 77 percent this week .”

- David Hurley

CLEAR LAKE

Big Crappie Reward Anglers

CLEARLAKE – The north end of Clear Lake is still producing the top crappie and bass fishing , though fishing in the rest of the lake should improve as water temperatures warm up .

A possible state record class crappie weighing 4 pounds , 7 caught off Indian Beach was weighed on a certified scale . However , the angler didn ’ t want to give his name or have a photo taken of the fish . “ He just wanted to get out and go home ,” said Dave Burruss at Clear Lake Outdoors .

“ Crappie fishing is doing well ,” said Burruss . “ It ’ s slow in the morning because it ’ s cold , but the fishing heats up in the

Largest Trout Stocking Program North of Sacramento

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The fish included a lot of slabsides in the 1-1 / 2 to 2 lb . range . Other areas include the Clear Lake State Park , the County Park in Kelseyville and Library Park in Lakeport .

“ The bass fishing is picking up for anglers using Ned rigs , shakey heads and small swimbaits ,” said Burruss . “ Anglers are fishing at 6 to 12 feet deep at the north end of the lake . Most of the fish are in the 2 to 3 lb . range , but a few 11 pound fish were landed lately .”

- Dan Bacher

COLLINS LAKE

Trout Fishing Warms Up With Weather

OREGON HOUSE - Private trout plants continue every week at Collins Lake as the fishing and weather warm up . The lake is full and the water temperature is 52 degrees .

“ A lot of people are limiting out on trout ,” said Justine Portillo at the Collins Lake Resort . “ Some are catching them from shore with Power Bait and crawlers and others are hooking them while trolling nightcrawlers or lures .”

For example , Alex Zidek of Roseville caught 5 trout on the beach while using rainbow garlic PowerBait . Aaron Lujan and Aaron Lujan Jr . of Yuba City landed 2 limits trolling in the middle of lake with Panther Martins .

Tony of Nevada City topped recent catches with 8 1 / 2 lb . trout caught while using a Rapala by the bridge . Craig Barrick of Oroville landed an 8 lb . trout and a 6 1 / 2 lb . trout in the middle of lake while using Power Worms 3 feet down .

Rick Schmaus of Challenge caught a 7 lb . trout using green PowerBait by the dam . Charlie Moore reeled in a 7 1 / 4 lb . trout and a 5 lb . trout using PowerBait of all colors by the beach . Gilbert Corchado of Yuba City fooled a 5-1 / 4 lb . trout and a 3-1 / 4 lb . trout with orange PowerBait . Steven Jackson and Bryan Jarvis caught a 5-1 / 2 lb trout using a Rat-L-Trap on the far side of the lake

Bass fishing is also shifting into high gear . Roger Newton of Loma Rica and Cody Allen of Live Oak caught a 7-1 / 4 lb . bass and 5-1 / 4 lb . bass .

Other anglers have reported hooking bass while trolling with Rapalas and tossing out plastic worms by the power lines .

However , it was a big catfish that topped the months catches . Clint Schroeder of Yuba City bagged a 10-1 / 2 lb . catfish while bait fishing on the east side of the lake .

- Dan Bacher

COLUSA / KNIGHTS LANDING

Striped Bass , Sturgeon Are Showing In Good Numbers

COLUSA – Both striped bass and sturgeon were showing on the Sacramento River in the Colusa before the river rose

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