Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3801 Dec 22-Jan 4 | Page 10

FRESHWATER Dec 21, 2018 - Jan 4, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 1 FRESHWATER REPORTS: catching stringers along the west shore across from the marina,” said Jacob. “Mice Tails and Garlic PowerBait are the top baits to use. You can use the Micetails as bait or work them like a Senko. For larger trout, the covers in Swallow Bay are a better bet.” “The bass bite is still slow,” he tipped. “Lure-wise, you want to use spinnerbaits or Kastmasters worked slow on the bottom. The lake is quite muddy, so nightcrawlers are also a good bet for any fish here. It is hard for the fish to see any darker lures or anything without a smell to it.” “The catfish bite is still going well with anchovies or nightcrawlers being their favorite baits. A good place to target the cats from shore is across from the marina where the trout are biting,” he noted. “The larger stripers are running around the marina, chasing the smaller trout. Trolling big swimbaits or bait fishing with anchovies and nightcrawlers are both productive. You should drift these baits around the marina or peninsula by the Hetch Hetchy group campsite.” CONTINUED FROM PG 7 CLEAR LAKE cont. minnows, we hooked and released 8 channel cats from 2 to 10 pounds, a couple of crappie and about a dozen bluegill. The bluegill were some of the biggest I’ve ever seen, averaging a pound apiece. The largest one went 1-1/4 pounds,” he disclosed. Whereas two weeks ago anglers were catching bass on Lucky Craft LV 500s and jerk baits, drop shotting is producing the top largemouth action now with the water temperature dropping to 52 degrees. Robo Worms in the MM3 and green pumpkin colors are yielding the best results. “The fish are hitting as shallow as 5 feet deep first in the morning and then are biting down to 25 feet deep,” he stated. “Other anglers are throwing Huddleston swimbaits in 20 to 25 feet of water. I’ve heard of about 20 bass caught using this method over the past week, with the top bass going 9 pounds,” he tipped. The crappie are showing in big numbers, but you’re not going to find them in the shallows. “Anglers are hooking the slabsides while fishing small 1/16 oz. jigs mid-lake. The fish are suspended about 10 feet deep in 20 feet of water. Mixed in with the crappie are large bluegill,” Burruss added. - Dan Bacher Julie Montoya took a trip to Collins Lake this November and put the smack down on this hefty rainbow trout. Photo courtesy of the COLLINS LAKE RECREATION AREA, Oregon House. COLLINS LAKE Trout Lead Winter Angling Parade Big bad rainbow trout remain on the bite at Eagle Lake. This incredible fish was tempted with a trolling fly in late November. Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY’S GUIDE SERVICE, Quincy. OREGON HOUSE – Few anglers have ventured out on Collins Lake lately with the arrival of cold winter weather. Trout fishing is the main angling attraction at this time. Both trollers and shore anglers are hooking quality rainbows, according to Mike Butler at the Collins Lake Resort. Big fish honors go to Asa Ames of Citrus Heights, who landed a 7 lb. trout while trolling s Kastmaster past the hazards sign. Ames and Steve Herrera landed a total of 5 rainbows that day. Elias of Yuba City caught 5-1/2 pound trout on PowerBait in the open area by the dam. Four-year-old Cody and his dad Jeremy caught and released 12 trout while trolling the top 10 feet of water. All were over 3 lbs. and 2 were over 5 lbs. The lake level has risen 2 feet, due to inflows from recent storms. LAKE DAVIS Shore Anglers Reign Supreme PORTOLA – As a film of ice begins to form in the north end of Lake Davis, bank anglers are experiencing the top trout action while soaking PowerBait and nightcrawlers in the Mallard Cove Area. “I’ve seen a total of 4 trout weighed in over the past week,” said Jim Graham at J&J Grizzly Store & Campground Resort. “The biggest one was 24 inches. All of the fish hit nightcrawlers or PowerBait fished from the bank.” Graham hasn’t heard of anybody heading out to troll with lures and bait or fly fishing on Davis. There are lots of trout in the lake for anglers willing to brave the cold weather. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife stocked an amazing 14,420 pounds of rainbows in the reservoir in August. Davis Lake is holding 67,507 acre feet of water, 81 percent of capacity and 118 percent of average. The boat ramps remain in the water, though the docks have been pulled out. - Dan Bacher DEL VALLE LAKE Shore Anglers, Boaters Reel in Rainbows LIVERMORE - The water temperature at Lake Del Valley has stayed in a constant range of 50 to 55 degrees, the perfect temperature to fish for trout, according to Captain Jacob of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. “Many of our shore fishermen are Full Time Guide “I’ll make you a better Hooker!” Sacramento River SALMON! 3615 888-975-0990 WWW.FISHTIGHTLINES.COM EAGLE LAKE CABINS Home of the Eagle Lake Trophy Trout * Furnished Cabins from $50 night or $300 week * Awesome Trophy Trout Fishing * Hiking and Biking * Great for Relaxation Now booking Trolling for Trout Turns On LA GRANGE – Rainbow trout trolling has taken off at Don Pedro, and the rainbows have risen close to the surface despite the shad schools holding in deep water. The lake is getting ready to turn over, and the wintertime pattern of trout on the surface and bass in deep water is nearly complete. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing was on the lake with three clients on Sunday, and he said, “We had a great day with my clients landing 19 fish, keeping 14 rainbow trout, releasing a few smaller trout and three bass. We had a number of strikes that didn’t stick and also had a fish that broke us off, but we ended the day on a high note with a double hookup. Overall, it was an action-packed day. “I think last week I was fishing below the schools at 22 to 35 feet, and I switched over to my custom shad-patterned spoons or Speedy Shiners at 3 to 5 colors on lead core line,” he continued. “The water temperature is 58 degrees, and there is still good clarity at the lake. I think the lake is close to turning over especially if it keeps raining like this. It rained at the lake until midnight on Saturday evening although the valley was dry in the afternoon after a huge morning rainstorm.” “We are still finding success in open water, and we did find some shad schools this week, but they are deep. I am also seeing marks deeper, and these might be king salmon. I am looking forward to this coming summer as the plants of king salmon should be paying dividends,” Smith continued. For bass, the best action remains in deeper water to 35 feet with finesse techniques of jigs or plastics in crawdad patterns. The lake rose slightly to 69 percent. - Dave Hurley 2315 Sunny’s Electric Marine ONE DAY SERVICE $50 OFF for Veterans! 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