VOL. 37 • ISS. 18

FRESHWATER REPORTS:

CONTINUED FROM PG 12

KLAMATH RIVER cont. a small jack. Today we went out for a little while in the morning, but the action was slow and we didn’ t hook anything. Fall run salmon are starting to show now.”

The season for fall-run Chinook salmon will begin Aug. 15 and continue through Dec. 31. The possession limit is six salmon, no more than three over 22 inches.

The Klamath Spit Area at the mouth of the river has additional regulations:

• This area will be closed to all fishing after 15 percent of the total Klamath River Basin Quota has been met

• All legally caught adult salmon must be retained.

• Anglers must leave the split area once the adult daily bag limit is met.

• Anglers can fish other areas of the Klamath River to fill their daily bag limit( i. e. jack component.)

LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR

Stripers, Catfish Dominate August Dog Days

BYRON – As trout fishing has slowed down with the warm weather, striped bass and catfish offer the best action during the“ dog days of August” at Los Vaqueros Reservoir.

when the surface temperature was over 85 degrees.

For whatever reason rainbows holding in cool water offshore will often roam up into shoreline areas during the periods around midnight and dawn.

At lake’ s like Amador, Camanche and Collins, night anglers fishing from the bank routinely tempt big rainbows on floating dough baits. You’ re not going to get a limit of fish like you did in the spring, but these midnight and dawn rainbows are typically big sassy holdovers.

Don’ t hesitate to toss lures for these warm water‘ bows either. In fact, I’ d run one rod with bait and reserve one for casting spoons and crankbaits. The trout will be aggressive and moving quick, so give the bait plenty of speed and action. Stream Trout: Low Water, Warm Temperatures, Fishing Pressure

In the spring when the flows are up, the temps are down and the trout are frisky you can bang them with spoons, spinners and plugs. By late summer things have changed. The flows are down, the water is clear and the stupid aggressive trout have taken a plunge in smoking hot bacon grease. Sure, you’ ll spark some fish on hardware during the dog days of August, but finesse tactics are a better option. For me the ultimate stealth rig for low water trout is the pairing of traditional wet flies and nymphs with light spinning gear and fluorocarbon leaders.

Subsurface flies will often draw easy strikes from trout that shun bait and hardware alike. For this work a 7 foot fast action spinning rod rated for 4 to

Dan hit the Sacramento River with Captain Monte Smith on August 1 and caught this incredible king salmon.

Photo courtesy of GOLD COUNTRY SPORTFISHING, Oakdale.

“ Shore fishermen are landing a lot of stripers in the 18 to 22 inch range, as well as releasing undersized fish,” said Nick Sanders of the Los Vaqueros Marina.“ The fish are hitting best on anchovies and Rat-L-Traps in the South Cove and near the marina. We haven’ t been able to let the rental boats out much this month because of the wind.”

The second top prospect at the reservoir now is channel catfish.“ Shore anglers are hooking cats averaging 5 pounds each

10 pound line is just about perfect. Match it with a decent spinning reel like an Abu Garcia Cardinal spooled with 6 pound moss green mono.

String the rod, and knot on about 8 feet of 6 pound fluorocarbon. Your fly will go on the end of the fluoro and you’ ll apply split shot for weight.

In terms of split shot, pick up an assortment box of English fly fishing split shot. These pieces of shot come in various sizes, all of which are smaller than the standard stuff you’ ll find in a normal tackle shop.

For casting and subtle retrieving or swinging in the current, you can’ t beat a black wooly bugger. Sizes 8 and 10 are solid choices.

For nymphs, a small assortment of mayfly, stonefly and caddis imitations in sizes 10, 12 and 16 cover most situations. Beadhead nymphs are particularly useful for spinning rod anglers. You may have to downsize the leader size with the smallest flies.

Presenting a nymph is just like presenting bait. Flip it up and across and adjust the weight to keep the fly near the bottom. Guide the fly through the slots just a bit with a semi-tight line. When you feel a tick or when the line stops, assume it’ s a fish and give the rig a conservative hookset. With experience comes

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while soaking anchovies and chicken livers in the South Cove,” said Sanders. Most of the fish are from the 5,000 lb. plant the lake received in late May.

“ The trout fishing is slower now,” he said.“ We’ re not seeing as many limits as we were seeing earlier this summer. If you want to hook the rainbows, your best bet is to throw out PowerBait, nightcrawlers and Kastmasters in Cowboy Cove. Most of the rainbows weigh 2 to 4 pounds.”

The reservoir is currently holding 153,000 acre feet of water. Filling has stopped for the summer. With the warm weather, the water temperature has heated up to 72 degrees, noted Sanders.

If you are looking to rent a boat, it is a good idea to call ahead to check current wind conditions at( 925) 371-2628 or check the weather conditions.

- Dan Bacher

NEW MELONES LAKE

Kokanee Fishermen Boat Limits

ANGELS CAMP – The kokanee bite has finally turned on at New Melones after months of tough fishing.

“ The season of the kokanee is upon us,” reported Gene Hildebrand of Glory Hole Sports.“ Some great fishing for the land locked salmon can be had now at New Melones.”

“ Kokanee corn is in short supply everywhere; we’ re having trouble receiving orders from vendors. so tip your presentation with a pink Berkley Gulp Maggot, dab your dodger / flasher with Pro Cure scent of your choice,” he advised.

feel and after a while you’ ll pretty much know the different between a hang up and a bite.

When the water is low there are many situations where you’ ll be able to sight fish for the trout. Positioning yourself without spooking the fish is key. The first drift is generally the money drift so you want to think things through before you make your play.

Aug 17- 31, 2018

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Gary Burns of Take It To The Limit Guide Service confirmed the upswing in the kokanee bite.“

“ Most days out on New Melones we have been putting kokanee in the boat and other days are slow,” said Burns.“ My dog Woody and I went out this week and we took it to the limit with 5 nice fat kokanee. I also took my good friends Jerry and his son Anthony out on Melones and we landed a 2 lb. 1 oz. kokanee along with 9 others and a 2 lb. rainbow.”

He reported the top action hoochies and spinners in pink and green, along with Wiggle Hoochies in pink( that hooked the 2 pounder at 55’) tied behind a watermelon blade.

“ It seems like the kokanee can’ t make up their minds how deep they want to stay at, but with the warmer weather this week we found them from 55’ all the way down to 80’,” he noted.“ We have landed most of the fish in the main lake from the spillway down to the dam and over to Rose Island.”

“ Look for rainbow trout deeper in the water column where the water is cooler for them, 50-85 ft. deep,” said Hildebrand.“ John Harmon from Sacramento fished the spillway and trolled at 75 ft. depth to land a couple of nice rainbows using chrome Needlefish behind a dodger. His trout weighed in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces and 3 pounds, 12 ounces.”

“ We’ re not seeing the bass anglers like we do in the fall, winter and spring, but some of the local hard-to-the-core bass phenoms are having out of body experiences fishing thru the night and catching crates full of bass,( of course releasing all fish caught.) Glide baits, jigs, Carolina rigs and Texas rigs are the best bets for your bass endeavor,” he quipped.

CONTINUED ON PG 18

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