Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3726 Dec 8-21 | Page 17

Rollins Reservoir Nevada & Placer Counties Head Ranch Bear River Pines k  Greenhorn Crk Greenhorn Road Bear er Riv u Yo R et m or d Po oa Donner Trail Markers an ee Cr B Stampede Rollins  Reservoir   o s llin Ro R ke La 174 Dam Cape Horn orange/gold Cripplures and Berkley PowerBait from shore. I was one of two anglers fishing on the lake that day. A sleeper population of German browns also makes the lake their home. There is no official Richard McGuire and his brother, Ron, nailed their two limits of rainbow trout while casting crankbaits in the Greenhorn Creek arm of Rollns Lake on lake record, November 17. but browns Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. up to 7 pounds have weighing 619 pounds while Eric Crowe been documented and fish in the 2- to and Dante Parell took fifth with 5 bass 4-pound range are relatively common. going 5.10 pounds. The browns are known for being Rainbows are the most abundant trout long and slender, with Cal Kellogg’s at Rollins. The Department of Fish largest ever brown measuring 27 inches and Wildlife has historically stocked long and weighing 5-1⁄2 pounds. the reservoir with an average of 6,000 With water cooling down (it was 58 pounds of catchable rainbows per degrees at press time), now is a good year, although the exact amount of fish time to target browns at the reservoir. planted varies by year. “For browns, troll with stickbaits like Trout fishing can be great if you Rapalas in the Bear River arm 200 to hit the lake at the right time, as the 300 feet behind the boat from now McGuires did. I experienced top-notch through spring,” tipped Craig Newton fishing in wonderful solitude on a at Willfish Bait and Tackle in Auburn. winter trip to Rollins several years “Start trolling at a slower speed and ago. I hooked over 30 rainbow trout, then speed up and rip the lures to give keeping my limit of five fish in the the an erratic motion. Use plugs in 12 to 16 inch class, while casting out bass, perch, rainbow trout and brown Colfax To Sacramento Fishing Notes • Rainbow Trout are the most commonly caught trout in Rollins. The fish can be taken year round, but winter and spring are the top times for shore and Fishing Notes boat fishing for rainbows. Shore anglers use PowerBait, Zeke’s Sierra Gold • Rainbow Trout are the most commonly caught trout in Rollins. The fish can be taken and other dough baits, as well as salmon eggs, nightcrawlers year round, but winter and spring are the top times for shore and and boat crickets. fishing for Bank fishermen also Shore find anglers success tossing rainbows. use while Power Bait , Nitro out Trout Cripplures, Bait and other Kastmas- prepared baits, as ters, Panther and Roostertails. employ nightcrawlers well Martins as salmon eggs, nightcrawlers Trollers and crickets. Bank fishermen also find behind success tossing out a Cripplures, Kastmasters, Panther Martins flashers or while dodgers and variety of minnow imitation lures. and Roostertails. Trollers employ behind flashers using or dodgers and a variety of in minnow imitation • Brown Trout are nightcrawlers taken by shore anglers nightcrawlers the winter lures. Boaters target these prized fish by trolling Rapalas, Rebels, and early spring. • Brown Trout are taken by shore anglers using nightcrawlers in the winter and early Yo-Zuris and other plugs along the shoreline of the main body and Bear River spring. Boaters target these prized fish by trolling Rapalas, Rebels, Yo-Zuris and other arm. plugs along the shoreline of the main body and Bear River arm. • Spotted Bass are the Bass most offer abundant followed • Smallmouth fast action bass during species, spring, summer and by fall. largemouths Most of the fish and smallmouths. hook spotted in larger the 12 to particularly 16 inch range are under Anglers 13 inches, can but persistent anglers bass can find fish, in the early plastic spring. Largemouth not as crankbaits, abundant as the feisty year round winter while and using worms on Bass, drop though shot rigs, Senkos, are also in Rollins. swimbaits, smallmouths, top water baits and found other lures. Burnt Flat • Bluegill and Green Sunfish are the most prolific sunfish in Rollins, but crappie are • Bluegill and Green Sunfish are the most prolific sunfish in Rollins, but crappie also caught by anglers fishing small jigs around brush and other structure. are also caught by anglers fishing small jigs around brush and other structure. Shady Glen Rising Sun Mine Hayford Hill Orchard Springs Road Long Ravine Road ad Chicago Park To Truckee Magra Peninsula History and size:: The earthen dam that creates Rollins Reservoir was constructed in 1965 by the Nevada Irrigation District, with a height of 228 feet and a length of 1,840 feet at its crest. It impounds the Bear River, a tributary of the Feather River, for hydro- power, flood control, irrigation water storage, and municipal water use. The dam is one of the ten facilities owned and operated by the Nevada Irrigation District. It is part of the Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project. Rollins Reservoir features a surface area of 1.3 square miles and a maximum capacity of 66,000 acre-feet. Rollins Lake Campgrounds: The campgrounds are privately operated but open to the public. At an elevation of 2,300 feet, the lake enjoys a long season. The lake is popular for fishing, water skiing, boating, fishing, swimming, and camping. Long Ravine Campground: is located on a peninsula on the eastern side of the lake. Location: 26909 Rollins Lake Road, Colfax. CA 95713 Campground Amenities: RV and tent campsites, full hook-ups available, large group site Store, flush toilets, hot showers, dump station (fee) Picnic tables, BBQs, fire pits Marina, boat ramp, Rollins Lake Boat Rentals, boating, water skiing, fishing Swim platform and slide, beach Reservations: (530) 346-6166 Orchard Springs Campground: is located on the west shore of Rollins Lake, off Hwy 174 via Orchard Springs Road. Location: 19085 Larsen Rd, Grass Valley, CA 95945 Campground Amenities: 91 RV and tent sites, some RV hook-ups available Restrooms with flush toilets, hot showers Cabins, marina, store, beach Reservations: summer (530) 346-2212, winter (530) 265-5302 Peninsula Family Camping: is on a peninsula on the northeast side of Rollins Lake. The campground is open during the spring and summer seasons. The resort has over 300 acres. Location: 21597 You Bet Rd., Grass Valley, CA 95945 Campground Amenities: 70 tent and RV sites along 1.5 miles of lakefront Group sites for up to 24 or 40 Campfire pit or ring, picnic table Hot showers, restrooms with flush toilets, dump station (fee) Cabins for rent, boating, boat rentals, launch ramp, fishing, swimming, kids’ crafts, volleyball, horseshoes, other sports Reservations: (866) 4MY-CAMP or California and Nevada residents call (530) 477-9413 Greenhorn Campground: is located on the northwest side of the lake. To reach the campground take Greenhorn Access Road off Highway 174 and follow the road to the campground. Location: 15000 Greenhorn Access Road, Grass Valley, CA 95945 Campground Amenities: 40 gravel or dirt campsites, some sites with hook-ups Restrooms, showers, store, dump station, WiFi (fee, limited range), game room, horseshoes Marina, boat rentals, launch ramp, fishing, boating, swimming Reservations: (530) 272-6100 To Grass Valley Rollins Lake Facts 17 Dec 7 - 21, 2018 MAP FEATURE VOL.37 • ISS. 26 trout patterns,” he tipped. While rainbows can be taken at the reservoir year round, the months of April and May when the water has cleared up from winter storms that often muddy the water, are some of the best to target trout here. Fish Sniffer Publisher Paul Kneeland, who lives right near the lake, said his favorite time to fish Rollins is in May before the summer boat traffic shifts into high gear. “I like to head into the Bear River arm and drift nightcrawlers for the rainbows in the flow of the river,” he tipped. “For browns, I like to troll with CD 5 and 7 Rapalas.” The lake also features a sleeper crappie population measuring 12 to 14 inches long and sometimes bigger. Guys fishing with small jigs off the points and structure pick up the slabsides year round. “Find a school and start jigging,” advised Newton. Trophy crappie are always a possi- bility here. Just ask McGuire, who landed an 18 inch crappie at Rollins. Another angler also landed a 20 inch crappie at the lake. Channel catfish offer a good summer and fall fishery for shore anglers and boaters, particularly at night when the whiskered leviathans go into the shallows to feed. For more information about Rollins Lake, call Long Ravine Marina, (530) 346-6166, or visit www.longravinere- sorts.com. Michael Allen caught the big fish, an 1.88 lb. spotted bass, and a smaller bass, at the Folsom Bass Club Tournament at Rollins on November 17. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.