Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3726 Dec 8-21 | Page 10

10 FRESHWATER Dec 7 - 21, 2018 FRESHWATER REPORTS: CONTINUED FROM PG 7 DON PEDRO RESERVOIR Bass and Trout In Transition Mode LA GRANGE - The bass and trout continue to be in transition mode at Don Pedro Lake - and the best bass action seems to be on the bottom from 30 to 50 feet with plastics on the drop-shot or jigs as the reaction bite continues to be slower than anticipated. With the water temperature at 62 degrees, trout trolling is on the upswing with rainbows in the 14- to 16-inch range hitting Speedy Shiners, Excel Lures or Humdingers or similar shad-patterned spoons at depths to 50 feet. The dam and the Graveyard areas of the lake have been the better areas for trout trollers. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing made a trip to the lake this week, and he put his two clients onto limits of rainbow trout only keeping seven for the dinner table. They caught fish from 20 to 35 feet while another angler did well trolling lures at 50 feet. All ramps are currently open to launching. The lake dropped slightly to 68 percent. VOL.37 • ISS. 26 EAGLE LAKE Fall Bite Hits Apex! SPALDING - “It’s really good at Eagle Lake right now. I think the fall fishing is hitting its peak. We are getting lots of rainbows and there are plenty of big fish in the mix,” exclaimed Captain Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy’s Guide Service. “Trolling is good, but the fly fishing is absolutely fantastic. For trollers the challenge is getting into shallow enough water where the majority of the feeding fish are cruising. This isn’t a problem for fly guys that use their boats to access areas of the bank that are off the beaten path and then wade and toss streamers in the shallows,” said Roccucci. “My groups have been landing 30 to 50 fish per day that run from 2 to 5 pounds. Hard fighting rainbows in the 23 to 24 inch class have been pretty common and there are likely larger fish around,” Roccucci related. For trollers, flies, grubs and threaded worms are drawing strikes, while fly guys are using tui chub colored and bright orange streamers. If you’re planning a trip to Eagle Lake before the season ends and would like to take your RV, get in contact with the team at the Eagle Lake RV Park and ask them about the Fish Sniffer Fall Special! EAST DELTA San Joaquin Near Port of Stockton Kicks Out Stripers Fish the Sacramento River with Mike Bogue’s Guide Service (530)246-8457 • WWW.MIKEBOGUE.COM Book Early for Best Dates new ima Little Stick saltwater version in sardine, and although this lure has heavier hooks, you still have to replace them after landing several stripers. There were more birds diving the following day, and the stripers were far more active,” he stated. “Most of the stripers were in the 3-pound range. However, we went further west on Tuesday, and Scott Dreyer of San Ramon caught and released a huge lineside that bottomed out my 35-pound scale on an Optima Bad Bubba Shad. It was a beast,” said Pringle. “On my next trip I plan to work the flats on the San Joaquin as the fish are holding along the ledges and in the weeds. I plan on using the Bad Bubba Shad swimbait behind a Popping Cork which is a redfish technique that I learned in Louisiana,” Pringle concluded. Mike Pipkens of Gotcha Bait in Antioch said, “I am just weighing in a limit of striped bass at 11 and 13 pounds on live mudsuckers in the San Joaquin. We have sold a ton of mudsuckers over the weekend along with fresh shad. Big Break has been a good location for striped bass. Sturgeon are coming in numbers on grass shrimp, ghost shrimp, and even on shad for those targeting striped bass.” “Crappie are biting small minnows in Discover Bay along the docks on a one- fourth ounce barrel weight. Fishing has been fantastic here and anglers are still getting red ear sunfish, as we sold 25 dozen minnows over the weekend,” he tipped. - Dave Hurley EASTERN SIERRA Fly Guys Hook Up On Lower Owens & Hot Creek FEATHER RIVER It’s Steelhead Time on River OROVILLE – Steelhead are starting to hit on the Feather River between Gridley and Oroville, though fishing pressure is light because smoke from the Carr Fire has kept people off the river lately. “Most of the fishing now is being down from drift boats or shore because of the low flows on the river,” said Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s Guide Service. “Most of typical Feather steelhead in the 2 to 3 lb. range.” Anglers are using salmon roe, Glo Bugs, nightcrawlers and an array of flies to hook the steelies. Salmon fishing on the Feather from the unimproved boat ramp above the Thermalito Afterbay Outfall to 200 yards above the Live Oak boat ramp is closed now, though fishing for steelhead and other fish species remains open. Few anglers have been targeting the salmon as they move into spawning mode. The bag limit for fall-run Chinook Salmon on the American, Feather and Sacramento rivers is one fish, and the possession limit is two fish, according to the 2018-2019 Supplemental Sport Fishing Regulations. - Dan Bacher FOLSOM LAKE Five Mph Speed Limit In Effect on Lake SACRAMENTO – Folsom Lake has a 5 mph speed limit on the entire lake, due to low water conditions as the lake level continues to drop. The low water ramp at Granite Bay and the Hobie Cove ramp at Brown’s Ravine are the only 2 ramps in operation. The lake is holding 346,546 acre feet of water, 35 percent of capacity and 72 percent of average. The lake level is 395 feet above sea level, 71 percent from full. Few anglers have been out of fishing on the lake. “Before the lake began dropping, experienced anglers like Rick Tietz of Bladerunner lures were hooking BISHOP- Flows on the Lower Owens are pushing along at about 220 cfs. That’s a perfect level for fly anglers. Angles are able to wade and reach most parts of the river. Working streamer flies has been the best approach for trout to 2 pounds. Be sure to work the fly all the way back as the trout have a habit of following almost to the rod before striking. If you decide to hit Hot Creek, “I’ll make you a better Hooker!” you’ll find dry fly action, but to hook up you’ll have to go small with flies in the No. 20 to 22 size range. The fish that come up tend to be a smaller grade of trout. To get the bigger fish, 3615 small No. 18 to 20 nymphs work best. CONTINUED ON PG 11 captain JAMES NETZEL Full Time Guide STOCKTON - Striped bass continue to move further into the East Delta and the San Joaquin system near Stockton, but the best action remains on the western edge. This week’s rain will only enhance the already good striped bass action on the western edge of the San Joaquin River Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, reported a solid striped bass bite for a small grade of legal linesides near the Port of Stockton. He said, “The birds were sitting down and not working the bait, but we searched Trout action has busted loose at Camanche Reservoir. These quality around and rainbows were landed on November 4. Photo courtesy of LAKE CAMANCHE RESORT, Lake Camanche. found them in tight groups. 3716 There were a number of sea lions under the docks on the south side of the 26 years of experience on the Sacramento River! channel, and some of the sea • Salmon lions jumped • Steelhead over 4 feet out of the water to • Trout reach the docks at low tide.” 3603 “The following day, we found a good topwater bite with the Collins Lake is booting out some very nice rainbow trout. Trout plants have been underway for several weeks, thousands of pounds of rainbows have been planted. Now is the time to pay Collins a visit! Photo courtesy of the COLLINS LAKE RECREATION AREA, Collins Lake. Now booking Sacramento River SALMON! 888-975-0990 WWW.FISHTIGHTLINES.COM $50 OFF for Veterans!