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

FRESHWATER REPORTS:

CONTINUED FROM PG 10

COLUSA / KNIGHTS LANDING cont.

and muddied up. Expect the top-notch fishing to resume as the water clears.

“ Sturgeon action is really good this year. We hooked 6 sturgeon on our last three trips on the Sacramento above Colusa,” reported Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’ s Guide Service.“ Of the 6 sturgeon we landed, 5 were oversized. The closest to legal-sized was 60-1 / 2 inches and the biggest was 67 inches long.”

“ Ernie Marlan of the Fish Sniffer hooked and released two sturgeon on one of those nights,” said Reimers.

“ The river came up fast, but it is going down fast,” noted Reimers.“ We’ re using a variety of baits, including eel, ghost shrimp, pileworms and salmon roe, to hook the sturgeon.”

“ Before the river got muddy, anglers were finding solid striper action above Colusa while using minnows, cut sardines and ghost shrimp,” confirmed Scooter Eberhart at Kittle’ s Outdoors in Colusa.“ The sturgeon fishing was also fairly good, with at least four 40 lb. keepers reported.”

In addition to the improved sturgeon and striper fishing, anglers have also been landing catfish in the 2 to 2-1 / 2 lb. range while soaking mackerel in the Knights Landing Area, said Tim Boggs at Elkhorn Outdoors in Rio Linda.

“ While the Colusa area is yielding the top fishing, one angler also reported picking up a sturgeon by Second Beach at Knights Landing,” noted Boggs.

- Dan Bacher

DAVIS LAKE

Lake Level Rises with Storms

PORTOLA – Few people have been fishing for rainbow on Lake Davis lately. The big news is the rising lake level.

“ Just to give you an idea of how much rain and snow we have had since 15 March, the lake has risen 5 %. It is now at 89 % full,” reported Jeanne Graham of J & J’ s Grizzly Store and Camping Resort.

Before the store closed for maintenance until the end of March, anglers brought in some quality rainbow trout weighing 4 to 6 pounds that they landed while using worms in Mallard Cove. You can expect the trout fishing for both bank anglers and boaters to pick up with the arrival of spring at Davis Lake.

The Father’ s Day Fishing Derby of 2018 will be held on June 16, 2018. Proceeds will go to the Eastern Plumas Rural Fire Department.

DEL VALLE RESERVOIR

Trout, Bass Dominate Spring Fishery

LIVERMORE – Briana Zepeda( aged 10) took the angling spotlight at Lake Del Valle recently with her fine catch of rainbow trout.

“ This young angler, accompanied by her father, Jose Zepeda( from Tracy) and her best friend Elizabeth, also aged 10, endured the wind gusts and the rain, landing 13 of Del Valle’ s finest trout between them,” said Jeff Cooper, a regular angler at Del Valle.

“ The fish averaged over 2 pounds each, with the largest fish, a big brood stock rainbow, landed by Briana. The trio found their success using Power Bait off a shallow point between Swallow Bay and Heron Bay. Other shore fishermen continued to have success catching trout using mice tails and Power Eggs,” said Cooper.

“ A few smallmouth bass were caught from boats along the rock walls. I caught a 2-1 / 2 pounder, to start my morning while slowly bouncing a wacky rig Senko down a rock pile in the narrows below Tarantula Cove,” he stated.

“ With the weather forecast showing warmer days with lots of sun, the fishing will only get better,” he stated.“ The current surface water temperature is 54 degrees.

ALUMACRAFT V16

Al Hurwitz used a Panther Martin spinner to tempt this huge 6 pound rainbow while fishing Lake Del Valle on March 22.

Photo courtesy of the ROCKY MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA, Lake Del Valle.

The lake changes from murky water conditions by the Marina, to a slight staining by the damn.”

“ The up and coming warm front will trigger a spring change at the lake. The bass will start to migrate back to the shoreline. First to feed up, then to start their pre-spawn activities. This will be a magical time you won’ t want to miss! So grab your gear and I will see you on the water,” he stated.

Department of Fish and Wildlife planted 800 lbs. of trout at the boat launch on March 22, 2018.

Other successful anglers include Mike Sarmiento from Salinas, who caught two rainbow trout and one bass while shore fishing with an orange Mice Tail by the beach. Robert Bryan from Modesto also landed a 4 lb. 11 oz. rainbow trout using a Kastmaster in the inlet in his float tube, according to Charlie and Kelli Rogers at the Del Valle Lake Marina.

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DON PEDRO

Trout Action Slow After Massive Inflow

LA GRANGE- Don Pedro Reservoir received a massive inflow of water and debris from the Tuolumne River during the storms of the past week, and there were several nervous moments when the possibility of the small Moccasin impoundment above the main reservoir failing.

The small reservoir held, but the Moccasin Fish Hatchery was completely flooded with 1.5 million rainbow trout in various stages of development running down the river arm. Although a number of rainbow trout were trapped and lost, hatchery employees worked throughout the night in dangerous conditions to save as many fish as possible.

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing reported slow trout action although

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On April 21, striper expert Ron Retzlaff will be at Will Fish sharing his techniques for fishing the Delta for striped bass.

Ron has a reputation in the striper community for always putting fish in the boat. Complementary refreshments will be served during the seminar that is slated for 6pm.

For more information, see the Will Fish Tackle ad in this edition of the Fish Sniffer.

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