Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3726 Dec 8-21 | Page 19

VOL.37 • ISS. 26 FRESHWATER 19 Dec 7 - 21, 2018 FRESHWATER REPORTS: CONTINUED FROM PG 13 SHADOW CLIFFS LAKE Trout Catches Soar with Plants, Cold Water Temperatures PLEASANTON - The surface water temperature: has dropped to 58 degrees at Shadow Cliffs Lake, creating improved fishing conditions for trout. Trout plants continue, with the latest rainbow plant going into the reservoir Thanksgiving week. On the other hand, channel catfish action has slowed down. Big fish honors go to Ken, who caught an eight-pound trout on the first dock. Jefff P. of Pleasanton landed a six-pound trout and a one-and-a-half pound trout off the Stanley Shoreline while soaking PowerBait. Greg caught a five-pound trout from the second dock. Finally, Robin J. of San Francisco caught four trout weighing up to five-and-a-half-pounds while fishing from the Stanley Shoreline with PowerbBait. Anglers haven’t reported hooking any largemouth bass from the Arroyo Del Valle ponds over the past couple of weeks. Fishing is limited to catch and release, barbless hooks and artificial lures only. No boats – only float tubes can be used. An EBRPD Daily Fishing Permit, an CA State Fishing License are required. SHASTA LAKE Anglers Absent, Fishing Okay… BRIDGE BAY- With big king salmon on the chomp in the Sacramento River, fishing pressure on Lake Shasta has been Raith Heryford and Ryan Tripp spent a day drifting Pro-Cure Roe and tossing Acme Little Cleos on the Feather River recently while filming an episode of Angler West TV and landed several steelhead, including these beauties! Photo courtesy of JUSTIN WOLFF, Angler West TV. light. Anglers that have visited the lake have experienced slow fishing overall. “I fish Lake Shasta quite a bit and the fall is my favorite time to target trout on the lake. As of now the surface temperature is still in the 60’s and as a result the fall bite hasn’t really kicked in yet,” reported Ross Hand of Red Bluff. “For the trout bite to get going we need some cold weather and rain to get the surface temperature down into the 50’s. That will cause the trout to spread out and that’s when I typically do really well fast trolling spoons just under the surface. On my last trip about a week ago I only managed 3 rainbows during a 4 hour trolling trip in the McCloud River Arm,” said Hand. Bass anglers are scoring better than trouters at Lake Shasta these days. For the most consistent action drop shot rigs and spoons are working the best, but reaction baits are working too. Topwater fishing has been inconsistent but crankbaits and spinnerbaits are getting hit. Most of the bass being caught are spots in the 12 to 14 inch class, but largemouths to 6 pounds have been reported in recent days. As of press time Lake Shasta was holding steady at 101 feet from maximum pool. At Whiskeytown, there has been little in the way of fishing reports, but kokanee continue to spawn in Whiskey Creek. “I dropped in at Cave Rock and trolled my way north. On one rod, I pulled a rainbow pattern Yo-Zuri L Minnow near the surface. The other rod was a leadcore outfit tipped with a 4 inch silver and black Rapala. In all I caught 4 mackinaw to 3 pounds and 2 rainbows to 3.5 pounds. All of the fish except one came on 4 colors of leadcore trolled at 2.5 to 3 miles per hour. Tahoe is a really unique fishery and I want to learn more about it,” added Pleece. CONTINUED ON PG 18 NOW OPEN! 3706 TAHOE Macks And ‘Bows Tangle With Late Fall Anglers SOUTH LAKE TAHOE- Recent fishing Under New Management at Lake Tahoe has been a good news, better news proposition in recent days. GREAT Fishing for: For starters, the mackinaw bite has Trout • Kokanee • Catfish been hot, both near the surface and in deep water. Large & Smallmouth Bass The Tahoe Sportfishing team boasts Crappie • Bluegill • Sunfish a full fleet and all their boats have been rounding up mackinaw. The fish are Store • Campsites/RV sites averaging 3 to 4 pounds, but much larger Marina • Boat Launch fish are on the chomp too. The smaller New Boat & Motor Rental Fleet fish are great for the grill or the smoker. Sweet smoked mackinaw fillets are a Call for Information & Reservations holiday favorite for Sierra anglers that are in the “know”. Tahoe Sportfishing skippers are running 4900 Stony Creek Rd. Ione a variety of different offerings, but the www.rockymountainrec.com hands down go to offering is a rig minnow paired with blades. Mickey Daniels of Mickey’s Big Mack Charters has also been scoring fish at 3204 the north end of the lake. For macks to 8 pounds Daniels is 5 hours trolling deep water $ with a combination of Kok-A-Nuts and Sling Blades. “I visited Tahoe All Gear Provided for a day of kayak trolling and jigging just before • Discounts for Cash • Thanksgiving and did • Large or Small Groups • very well considering Group Discounts • Gift Certificates it was my first trip to the lake,” reported Over 50 Years Experience on The Lake Jason Pleece of Meadow Vista. P.O. Box 488 (800) 416-6992 Fish Lake Tahoe! DaiLy Trips 90 (800) 877–1462 These folks hit the Sacramento near the Capital in early November and limited out with these husky king salmon. Photo courtesy of TIGHT LINES GUIDE SERVICE, Loomis. Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 (530)546–4444 E-mail: bigmack-2@att.net • www.mickeysbigmack.com