24 June 8 - 22 , 2018

VOL . 37 • ISS . 13

FRESHWATER REPORTS :

CONTINUED FROM PG 17

FOLSOM LAKE cont .

Netzel has been trolling at 20 to 35 feet deep in the South Fork , but rainbow trout are also on tap in the North Fork .

On a previous trip , Netzel reported , “ After a painfully slow morning at Folsom Lake , bite really picked up at 10 . Got a quad , a triple , and multiple doubles for trout to 22 inches and a nice king at 18 inches .”

Bass fishing is also good . Boaters are catching a mixture of spotted , smallmouth and largemouth bass . They ’ re using Senkos with a slow presentation in shallow water near shore .

Folsom Lake is holding 953,277 acre feet of water , 98 percent of capacity and 120 percent of average . The lake level is 463.87 feet in elevation , just 2.13 feet from maximum pool .

- Dan Bacher

JACKSON MEADOWS

Lake Kicks Out Quality Rainbows , Cutthroats

TRUCKEE – Jackson Meadows Reservoir has been producing slower than usual fishing to date , although it has kicked out some quality rainbows and Lahontan cutthroats .

“ My latest trip to the lake produced 6 rainbows to 4 pounds and 3 cutthroats to 4-1 / 2 pounds ,” said Brett Brady of Bare Bones Guide Service . “ We caught most of the fish while tossing out small plastic jigs , along with a few while trolling . The rainbows we caught while fishing the jigs averaged about 3 pounds each .”

Brady said the wind was blowing hard that day , so it hampered their fishing efforts . Brady said he plans to head back to Jackson Meadows to give it a shot again .

LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR

22 Lb . Striper Leads Angling Parade

BYRON – Persistent winds have kept

anglers from renting boats at the marina for two weeks , but shore anglers bagged some huge striped bass , channel catfish and rainbow trout at Los Vaqueros lately .

Jason Rodriguez landed a 22.43 lb . striped bass while using an anchovy at the opening of Cowboy Cove , reported Andrea Connors of the Los Vaqueros Marina .

Most of the stripers being hooked now are shakers or small keepers in the 18 to 22 inch class . Use cut anchovies or shad either from shore or a boat

Daniel Aguilar topped the catfish catches with a 14.54 lb ., channel cat . The Mountain View angler was using anchovies in the South Cove . Another angler , Manuel

by Dan Bacher

countryside of Sacramento County between Galt and Ione , is a great spot to target largemouth bass , redear sunfish and crappie this summer .

There are big bass available on the lake , as evidenced by the recent catch and release of a 10 lb . largemouth . The angler hooked the fish while using a plastic frog , according to Dee Sawyer of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company .

Besides frogs and other top water lures , anglers can hook largemouth bass at Rancho Seco while using Senkos , other plastic worms , jigs , swimbaits and crankbaits .

Rancho Seco is a lake with the potential for producing a state or world record largemouth bass . The lake has the three characteristics needed to produce record class fish : Florida-strain genes ; conditions that allow the fish to reach large size ; and a good food source , particularly planted rainbows .

The lake also features good populations of redear sunfish , black crappie and bluegill , along with channel catfish . Fishing for all four species is best for boaters , float tubers and shore anglers in the spring and summer .

On August 16 , 2015 , Brad McGarity of Galt set a new California state record for “ hybrid sunfish ” when he landed a fish weighing 1 pounds , 4 ounces and measuring 11 inches long and 11.25 inches in girth at Rancho Seco .

Trout fishing will resume in the fall when the water temperature cools down and rainbow trout plants begin .

Fishing at the family oriented facility , operated by the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company in conjunction with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District , ( SMUD ), is available year-round .

For more information about the Rancho Seco Recreational Area , call 209- 748-2318 or visit http :// www . rockymountainrec . com / lakes / lake-rancho-seco . htm or https :// www . smud . org / en / about-smud / community / recreational-areas / rancho-seco-lake . htm

Michael Greschner of Castro Valley caught this big rainbow while fishing with a Shad Rap at Lake Chabot on May 5 .

Photo courtesy of the LAKE CHABOT MARINA , Lake Chabot .

Rancho Seco Recreational Area

Open year round with RV sites , waterfront campsites and BBQ ’ s . You can rent electric and row boats , kayaks , and paddle boards for more water fun !

• Wet a line

• Hike a trail

• Pitch a tent

© SMUD 1223-17

Sandoval , hooked an 11 lb . catfish while soaking chicken liver off the rockwall .

Trout anglers are experiencing the top action while bait fishing in the South Cove or past the Rockwall . Shore anglers are having the most success using garlic scented PowerBaits , followed by night crawlers and lures . A shore fishermen bagged a 6.28 pound trout while tossing out a Kastmaster in the South Cove .

There was a plant on May 17 of 2000 pounds from Lassen – and the lake management is hoping to plant some rainbows in June if the weather cooperates . The water level is currently at 155,000 acre feet . Water is now being pumped into

Visit smud . org / RanchoSeco or call 1-800-416-6992 .

• Launch a boat

• Have a picnic

the reservoir . The water temperature is between 59 and 61 degrees , depending on the time of day .

NEW MELONES LAKE

Boaters Reel In Chunky Rainbows

ANGELS CAMP – The trout trollers are now hooking in New Melones aren ’ t always abundant , but they sure are quality fish . Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing reported on big fish success on his most recent trip to the reservoir .

“ The day started out with ocean like conditions with water coming over the sides , so we ran for cover and fished a protected area for a few hours until it laid down ,” said Smith . “ We put two very nice rainbows in the box weighing four pounds , ten ounces , and five pounds , ten ounces while trolling with Ex-Cel lures behind Sling Blades at 40 to 50 feet deep in the main body . We also caught a couple of small bass that went back .”

“ 13 year old Austin Johnson strolled into Glory Hole Sports with the biggest smile on his face after showing his dad how it ’ s done on New Melones with two beautiful rainbow trout weighing in at 12 pounds and 3 pounds , ounces ,” said Gene Hildebrand at Glory Hole Sports . “ They were trolling the main lake 40 ft . deep with an orange Wedding Ring , same colored dodger and a dab of garlic scent .”

“ Grover and crew were out having an awesome day , hauling in a limit of browns and bows all weighing between 5.3 and 6 lb . 9 oz . These anglers reported fishing by the bridge in the afternoon , rolling shad , with a dodger ,” said Hildebrand .

“ A few kokanee have been brought in - nothing large but they are steadily increasing in numbers ,” noted Hildebrand . “ Chuck Newcomb of Manteca landed a jackpot of trout , kokanee , bass and crappie fishing by the spillway . Chuck landed the kokanee using a pink Uncle Larry ’ s spinner with a rainbow dodger topped with Kokanee Special Procure scent . “

The bass bite continues to be good on New Melones . “ The lake level is starting to drop and the fish are repositioning

Rancho Seco Recreational Area is located 25 miles south of Sacramento at 14960 Twin Cities Road in Herald , CA .

80

N

1-5

From Sacramento , take Highway 99 South to the Highway 104 exit . Go East on Highway 104 , 15 miles , to the Rancho Seco Park exit .

Park Operator

Sacramento

99

Twin Cities Rd .

104

Vicinity Map

Herald

CONTINUED ON PG 22

Clay

Clay Station Rd .

Park Entrance

Rancho Seco Recreational Area