FRESHWATER REPORTS:

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AMERICAN BASIN cont. Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle.“ However, I haven’ t heard any word on bank fishing for rainbows and browns at French Meadows lately.”

Trollers are also picking up some browns in the 3 to 4 lb. class at Hell Hole Reservoir, though the fishing has slowed down from what it was earlier this spring.

The hottest fishing at the lake is for kokanee.“ They’ re not big, but they are easily caught,” said Newton.“ Boaters are picking up kokanee averaging 12 inches long while trolling 20 to 25 feet deep with hoochies, tipped with white corn, behind Sling Blades.”

On the Middle Fork of the American above the confluence, anglers are reporting hooking rainbows and browns in the 16 to 18 inch range while tossing out Panther Martins.

- Dan Bacher

AMERICAN RIVER

Target Shad Early and Late

SACRAMENTO – Shad fishing continues to be productive on American River from Discovery Park to Sailor Bar, with both bank anglers and boaters hooking the scrappy members of the herring family. Fishermen are experiencing the top action in the evening right before dark and early in the morning, reported Alan Fong of Fisherman’ s Warehouse.

“ My brother, Don, has been experiencing good action at Harington’ s Access while fishing both flies and grubs,” said Alan Fong of Fisherman’ s Warehouse.“ He reports hooking 15 to 30 fish per trip.”

Other good spots to fish for shad include Howe Avenue, Watt Avenue, Gristmill, Goethe Park, Ancil Hoffman Park, Rossmoor Bar, El Manto, Sunrise and Sailor Bar.

Some big stripers should move into the American to feed on the shad. Throw big swimbaits, Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers and other lures early and late in the day for the stripers.

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Salmon • Trout • Kokanee

9 am I was near the end of the cast, getting the popper close to the boat. The water just exploded in front of us- a violent blowup!! It took a while but I got the 3 lb. + spotted bass in the boat,” he noted.

“ We had action most of the trip with one of the clients- a good angler- having a great day in addition to his big smallie. They dropshotted most of the time, using 2 or 3 colors of Robo worms. Our best 5 were only about 13 + pounds- post spawn weight,” Hemphill explained.“ Bass are moving around in deeper water now, but some still are shallow until the sun gets higher. Shade pockets are holding some bass too. Our main hot spots were points and weed-bed edges. Senkos worked well on the edges,” he stated.

The surface temperature is now up to 75 degrees.“ I think the summer pattern is beginning to take hold – a good morning bite until around 10 am, a slow period, and then another bite from noon until 1:30- 2 pm. After 2 pm, the bite just shut down, and will most days in the summer,” he concluded.

Anglers continue to experience top-notch fishing for rainbow trout while trolling at Berryessa..

“ We had a productive day on Berryessa,” said Kristy Carpentier, who was trolling with her husband, Mike.“ We caught our limits of trout to 20 inches by noon- and lost a few as well. We also landed a bonus crappie and bass that were released. We fished the main lake at 30-40’ using Speedy Shiners, Gvf Lures spoons and even got one on a spoon gifted to me from my relative Marit

With the annual hex hatch underway there are some big rainbows up for grabs at Lake Almanor. This awesome‘ bow was caught in late May.

Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY’ S GUIDE SERVICE, Quincy.

to the American River below Nimbus Dam remain at 3,500 cfs.

BERRYESSA LAKE

Bass and Trout Action Is Excellent

NAPA- Larry Hemphill, fishing guide, reported solid black bass action on his latest trip to Lake Berryessa.

“ A guide trip at Berryessa on a Saturday in June? Well, the trip was great and pleasure boaters weren’ t a big deal. We started in the narrows and finished at the very south end of the lake. The bite was pretty good all day until 2 pm. We hooked several quality bass, landing some and losing some,” said Hemphill.

“ One of the fellows landed a beautiful post-spawn smallmouth a bit over 3-1 / 4 lbs- Again- I tried to get the topwater bite going for them, missing two small blowups. About

• Stampede Kokanee

• Oroville Kings

• Now Booking Sacramento River Fall Salmon!

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“ We left as the lake lice encroached upon us. Besides that. it was so hot we were boiling,” she quipped.- Dan Bacher

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BULLARDS BAR / ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS

Boaters Battle Kokanee Salmon

SMARTVILLE- The kokanee salmon fishing at Bullards Bar Reservoir hasn’ t missed a beat since the beginning of June.

“ On my latest trip to the lake, Bob Bradbury and I caught two limits of kokanee,” said Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’ s Guide Service.“ Most fish were 10 to 11 inches long, with an occasional larger fish in the 13 to 14 inch class.”

They trolled with Brad’ s Cut Plugs at 35 feet deep in the Dark Day area.“ We lost several bigger fish,” said Reimers.“ We took home 20 kokanee, but must have lost 30.”

Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle in Auburn also reported top-notch kokanee fishing on his latest two trolling adventures at Bullards Bar.

“ We landed limits of fish while trolling hoochies and Needlefish, tipped with white corn,” said Newton.“ We were off the lake by noon.”

Bullards Bar is holding 913,219 acre feet of water, 95 percent of capacity and 113 percent of average.

At Englebright Reservoir, anglers are targeting rainbows while bait fishing with PowerBait and nightcrawlers or trolling with spoons, spinners and nightcrawlers behind dodgers.

Englebright is holding 65,844 acre feet of water, 94 percent of capacity and 98 percent of average.

- Dan Bacher

CAMANCHE LAKE

Experienced Trollers Bag Trout Limits

BURSON- Triple-digit temperatures have hit the Central Valley, and the recreational boating at Lake Camanche as well as other Mother Lode lakes is taking over the water after 11:00 a. m.

The Camanche Recreation Company ceased trout plants a few weeks ago, but there are still plenty of holdover rainbows remaining in the lake. Robbie Dunham of‘ Koke Machine’ Guide Service was out on the lake four times this week with clients, and they limited on every trip before 11:00 a. m. Dunham said,

“ I have been fortunate to limit out on CONTINUED ON PG 8

on Highway 88 at Carson Pass

Ken Salvi caught this 4 lb, 24 inch German brown in July 2017 near Emigrant Creek. For information, call( 209)-258-8888

www. capleslakeresort. com

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