Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3717 Aug 3-17, 2018 | Page 11

Aug 3 - 17, 2018 FRESHWATER VOL.37 • ISS. 17 FRESHWATER REPORTS: 1/2 inches and the fish we kept averaged 13 to 14 inches,” said Newton. “We caught the larger kokanee while trolling at 50 to 60 feet deep.” Bullards Bar is holding 768,913 feet of water, 80 percent of capacity and 97 percent of average. At Englebright Reservoir, anglers continue to target rainbows while bait fishing with PowerBait and nightcrawlers or trolling with spoons, spinners and nightcrawlers behind dodgers. Englebright is holding 64,112 acre feet of water, 92 percent of capacity and 96 percent of average. - Dan Bacher CONTINUED FROM PG 4 AMERICAN BASIN Kokanee Offer Fast Action at Hell Hole AUBURN – Kokanee salmon offer the most exciting action at Hell Hole Reservoir this summer. “Boaters are experiencing wide-open action on kokanee ranging from 12 to 14 inches long,” said Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle. “Your best bet is to troll with hoochies, tipped with white corn, behind dodgers at 45 feet deep.” Big fish enthusiasts are also picking up some mackinaw and brown trout while fishing kokanee pattern Lyman lures. Newton hasn’t heard many good reports on French Meadows Reservoir lately, but the lake is worth a shot for rainbows and browns to 18 inches. Trolling with jointed shad raps or nightcrawlers behind dodgers. For rainbows in the 12 to 14 inch class, Sugar Pine Reservoir is also a decent prospect. Boaters should troll nightcrawlers behind dodgers in deep water near the dam and in the creek inlet. CAMANCHE LAKE Sam Lage took his family up to Eagle Lake for the July 4 holiday and they scored some handsome rainbows while trolling and orange Cripplure. Photo courtesy of SAM LAGE, Mack’s Lure. catch a few fish while using darts and flies in the Sailor Bar and Sunrise areas. Striper fishing on the American is spotty, with few anglers trying at this time. Anglers targeting stripers should throw big swimbaits, Zara Spooks, Pencil Poppers and other lures early and late in the day from Sailor Bar to Howe Avenue. - Dan Bacher AMERICAN RIVER Anglers Are Few and Far Between SACRAMENTO – High releases of 5,000 cfs below Nimbus Dam on the lower American River are drawing a few king salmon into the system, but most salmon anglers are concentrating on the Sacramento River below the mouth of the American at Discovery Park. Nimbus Basin is no longer open to fishing – so the anglers that fished the basin this time of year for salmon for many years have gone elsewhere to fish. “All of the salmon action I’ve heard has been out of Discovery Park,” said Dennis Pfanner of Sacramento Pro Fishing. “I haven’t heard of anybody targeting the lower American.” The shad season is winding down on the American, although anglers can probably BERRYESSA LAKE JAMES NETZEL Full Time Guide “I’ll make you a better Hooker!” WWW.FISHTIGHTLINES.COM 10 Fish Koke Limits Boated SMARTVILLE - If you want to catch a 10 fish limit of tasty kokanee salmon, Bullards Bar Reservoir is the place to fish this summer. Boaters report limits of kokanee at the lake. “Two of us landed limits on our latest trip to Bullard Bar,” reported Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s Guide Service. “The fish ranged in size from 10 inches to 14 inches long.” The trolled with Brad’s Kokanee Series Cut Plugs at 35 to 50 feet deep behind Extreme kokanee dodgers in the Dark Day area of the reservoir. Craig Newton of Willfish Bait and Tackle in Auburn reported limits of kokanee salmon during his latest trip to Bullards Bar Reservoir, although the fish didn’t go on a good bite until 10 a.m. “The biggest fish we landed was 14- EAGLE LAKE CABINS * Furnished Cabins from $50 night or $300 week * Awesome Trophy Trout Fishing * Hiking and Biking * Great for Relaxation Sacramento River 888-975-0990 BULLARDS BAR/ ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS Home of the Eagle Lake Trophy Trout Now booking SALMON! and one 7 lb. largemouth. The fish hit anywhere from 5 to 40 feet deep. For rainbow trout, the key is to fish deep in the thermocline with downriggers. “Anglers are picking up holdover rainbows in the 2 to 4 lb. range while trolling with Speedy Shiners, broken-back Rapalas, Apex lures and other offerings at around 40 feet deep off in the Big Island and in the Narrows,” said Litanovich. Litanovich hasn’t heard any recent reports on catfish or crappie activity, though fishing for both is recommended early and late in the day or at night. - Dan Bacher Target Black Bass in The Evenings NAPA - Black bass are showing in good numbers at Lake Berryessa, but you need to adapt your fishing to the current forage conditions at the reservoir. “The water is really warm, with a surface temperature of 82 degrees recorded on my latest trip” said Luke Litanovich at Sweeney’s Sports. “There isn’t a lot of bait showing, although you can expect to find a couple pockets of bait. The bait abundance is nothing compared to last year, although you can find a lot of bass fry in open water.” “Rather than throwing shad pattern crankbaits and other Salmon • Trout • Kokanee lures, successfully anglers are tossing out jigs and Senkos in crawdad patterns,” he advised. “