FRESHWATER
20 Sept 28 - Oct 12 , 2018 VOL . 37 • ISS . 21
FRESHWATER REPORTS :
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EAGLE LAKE
Water Temp Comes Down , Trout Move Up !
SPAULDING - The surface temperature is down to 62 degrees in some areas and the trout are hitting well in the 5 to 15 foot depth range . There are bait balls holding in water that is 15 to 30 feet deep , but with a higher oxygen level near the surface that is where you ’ ll find the trout .
The southern basin is the place to be at this point and both trollers and bait anglers are hooking limits . The bait fishing crowd is soaking worms beneath bobbers 10 to 15 feet deep . The best action is taking place on the West side , with the fish being more scattered on the eastern side of the south basin .
Trollers are scoring with a variety of lures including trolling flies , grubs , spoons and Rapalas . Top colors for spoons include orange , orange and brass , firetiger and red dot frog .
The average rainbow being caught right now runs 2 to 2.5 pounds , but fish well over 3 have been weighed .
October is going to be an incredible month at Eagle as the trout move into shallow water to feed .
If you ’ d like to take a guided fishing trip at Eagle Lake , Capt . Cliff Spediacci of Hook & Ladder Guide Service is a great choice . For more information or to book a date , give Cliff a call at ( 530 ) 250-5996 .
Captain Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy ’ s Guide Service will also be fishing the lake this fall with both conventional gear and fly tackle . To book with Roccucci give him a ring at ( 530 ) 370-1001 .
If you plan on taking your RV to Eagle Lake this fall be sure to ask the folks at the Eagle Lake RV Park about the Fish Sniffer special . Eagle Lake RV Park , ( 530 ) 825-3133
No RV , no problem ! Dave at Heritage Land has a full menu of rental cabins available both large and small . Heck you can even rent the Fish Sniffer ’ s Paul Kneeland ’ s rustic Spalding cabin . Heritage Land Company ( 530 ) 825-2131
feed when they are holding in 80 to 100 feet of water ? Yes . What do they feed on ? Baitfish . What color are baitfish ? They are grayish silver with a lighter belly and darker back . That ’ s right , baitfish are not blue or fluorescent green , yet the salmon are able to find them and eat them . This leads me to believe that while color vision is a factor in the feeding behavior of landlocked king salmon at times , it is not the primary factor and at depths beyond 80 feet color vision may not be a factor at all . Personally , I think that the ability to see colors in only part of the puzzle in terms of fish locating and striking prey . A fish ’ s lateral line , the strip of nerve sensitive issue running along the flank of trout , salmon and other predatory fish senses vibration and movement . Since we humans don ’ t have this ability it is hard for us to understand , but it seems to be something akin to radar in as much as the fish can “ sense ” the world as a 360 degree sphere of “ feeling ” and can pinpoint objects on that sphere based on the sounds and vibrations they emit . I believe they can even make determinations about the physical state of the prey that surrounds them using this information . This is one of the ways a king or brown trout can pick an injured baitfish out of a school of healthy fish . At this point I ’ ll bring this discussion full circle with a couple examples . When I fish for lingcod , I ’ m typically working the bottom in water that is from 90 to 150 feet
David was a happy camper after boating this husky Lake Almanor rainbow , during a trip with master guide Bryan Roccucci on August 30 .
Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY ’ S GUIDE SERVICE , Quincy .
EASTERN SIERRA
Trout Fishing Slows , Fall Blitz To Kick In Soon !
BRIDGEPORT - “ Twin Lakes are still producing some nice fish though you might have to work a little for them ,” reported Jim Reid of Ken ’ s Sporting Goods . “ The heat of the summer tends to put some of those fish down a little so if you get a little deeper than usual you should be able to pull some fish . The bait anglers are getting some fish with Mice Tails , Powerbait , pinched crawlers and inflated crawlers . The trolling has been decent with Thomas Buoyants , Kastmasters and crawlers . Fly anglers are getting into some fish with Twin Lakes Specials , seal buggers and matukas .”
“ Bridgeport has also slowed up just a bit ,
HOW TO By Cal Kellogg continued from page 15
deep . My preferred artificial lure is a blue anchovy shaped jig . I have a lot of confidence in this bait and rarely buy any other color if blue is available . Most of the time , these lures get lost fairly quickly , but once in a while one will avoid the snags and stick around for a while . It doesn ’ t take the craggy bottom long to scrape almost all the finish off these veteran jigs and they soon take on a drab whitish grayish color . However , the fish continue to hit them just as vigorously as they did when they were new . Clearly the blue color is more important to me than it is to the lings ! Okay , now cut to Whiskeytown Reservoir several years back . Gary Miralles and I were trolling for ‘ kokes . Gary had a camera attached to his downrigger so we could see fish approaching our lures on a portable television . We were trolling in 60 to 80 feet of water and we were fishing with Hum Dingers and Cripplures . It didn ’ t take us long to determine that the only lures the salmon would follow or hit was pink . At those depths , pink shouldn ’ t even be visible … So what ’ s the bottom line ? I don ’ t think colors are a primary factor in making fish hit , but my tackle box contains every imaginable color combination because sometimes if you don ’ t have the right color , you just aren ’ t going to catch fish even though they want a color they shouldn ’ t even be able to see ! Are you confused ? Me too . There is one constant that relates to our sport … If you fish long enough , the fish will eventually drive you nuts ! the numbers aren ’ t as high as they were a few weeks ago but there are still some very nice fish , up to around 5 pounds , coming in daily . There are also some nice Sacramento perch being caught as well . Still too early for any shore action so you need to be out on the water in a boat / tube / kayak . Trolling is still fairly good with some good fish being caught on small Rapalas and crawlers . Bait anglers are using inflated crawlers , pinched crawlers , Powerbait and Mice Tails . Fly anglers are still pulling some fish stripping streamers near the bottom ,” said Reid .
“ The West has been fishing ok , some bait fishing but mainly on flies . Hopper / dropper rigs have been the best with a hopper or stimulator on top and a soft hackle or prince nymph underneath . There has also been some action with black ants and beetles on top . Bait anglers have been using salmon eggs and crawlers . The lure fishing has been tough but if you want to give it a try go with a Panther Martin or Mepps and work them early and late in the day ,” Reid tipped .
FOLSOM LAKE
Experienced Bassers Bag Bass on Top Water Lures
SACRAMENTO – It ’ s the time of year just before the water cools down at Folsom Lake and fishing for black bass , rainbow trout and king salmon shifts into high gear .
However , experienced boaters are finding a good top water bass bite in the main body and forks early and late in the day , according Alan Fong at Fisherman ’ s Warehouse . Most of the fish being hooked on Zara Spooks , Pop-Rs , Splash-Its and other top water baits are spotted and largemouth bass , with a few smallmouths mixed in .
“ During the day , your best bet is to fish Robo Worms and other plastic worms on drop shot rigs in 25 to 35 feet of water off the main lake points ,” explained Fong .
September and October are traditionally great months to target channel catfish along the shoreline . Shore anglers should throw out mackerel , anchovies , chicken liver and other baits in the coves both during the day and in the evenings .
Fishing pressure has been light for rainbow trout and king salmon . Expect the trout and salmon action to perk up as the water cools this fall and the lake undergoes its annual turnover . During the fall turn over , shore anglers and boaters both find solid action as the fish move into shallower water around the reservoir .
Shore anglers should toss out nightcrawlers , PowerBait and live minnows at Browns Ravine and Granite Bay , while trollers should use Speedy
Shiners and other lures in the main body and north and south forks .
Folsom Lake is holding 494,330 acre feet of water , 51 percent of capacity and 83 percent of average . The lake is 415.81 feet in elevation .
- Dan Bacher
KLAMATH RIVER
Adult Chinook Fishing Hot Until Closure
KLAMATH GLEN – The take of adult Chinook salmon on the lower Klamath River is now closed , since the recreational quota was reached at press time .
“ What a great week it has been ,” said Jerry Lampkin of TNG Motor Sports Guide Service . “ Fishing has been off the hook . We experienced the best salmon fishing in 10 years . Many thanks to my cousin , Jerry Lampkin , and Sherry Lampkin for the chance to fish another week with them .”
The two anglers limited out for four days in a row before Lampkin ended his season on the river in anticipation of the closure . The adult fish averaged 12 to 15 pounds , with the largest weighing 18 pounds .
“ We boondoggled and side drifted with salmon roe from Ah Pah to the mouth . One night the wind down came down the estuary and we landed 2 out of the four fish we hooked while trolling with gold Kastmsters . The two fish weighed 12 and 14 pounds .”
Lake Berryessa is producing some handsome bass . This largemouth was landed during an early August outing . Photo courtesy of PAGANELLI ’ S BASS FISHING
EXPERIENCE , Sacramento .