Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3821 Sept 27, 2019 | Page 20

18 Sept 27 - Oct 11, 2019 FRESHWATER REPORTS: CONTINUED FROM PG 15 EAST DELTA cont. skirt in bluegill patterns as the skirt bulks out the lure. “ Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “I have been finding more bait that is balling up around Frank’s Tract, and the first real push of striped bass is starting. I have been averaging around 15 stripers to 22 inches on Optimum’s Bad Bubba Shad swimbaits. Punching the weeds was the key for our fishermen in Saturday’s Open tournament, and a 13.80-pound limit took the event.” Mathisen is now guiding out of Russo’s Marina for largemouth and striped bass. The algae blooms continue in the east and south Delta, and the Department of Boating and Waterways advised limiting contact with the water, especially for pets. Anglers are requested to report any sightings of algae blooms through the HAB hotline at 1-844-729-6466. - Dave Hurley LAKE DEL VALLE Channel Cats and Stripers Pace Catches LIVERMORE – Channel catfish and stripers offer anglers their best chance of hooking up at this time at Lake Del Valle. The trout fishing should pick up as the FRESHWATER FRESHWATER water temperature cools and the East Bay Regional Parks District begins fall trout plants. Juanita Alcazar caught a 10 lb. catfish while using anchovies in Shallow Bay, reported Jake at the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. The latest plant of 750 pounds of channel catfish took place the week of September 9-13 The top spots for the cats include the Narrows, Swallow Bay and all of the coves with structure. Nightcrawlers, anchovies and sardines are the best baits. The stripers are averaging behind five and eight pounds and go up to 20 pound. The larger fish are being caught in Heron Bay and in the Narrows. The striper boils are growing, and fishermen are taking full advantage, with the boils only lasting from about 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.” After the boils die down, the best bet is to cast out frozen cut baits like anchovies, sardines, and shad. The hot striper lures include Flukes (white/silver/blue), Super Spook Jrs, and anything that could mimic a shad. Largemouth bass are holding in deeper water around rock points, weed lines, drop offs, and any structure you can find. Smallmouth bass in the two-pound range are hitting baits, drop shots, and grub jigs. Trollers can catch the smallies in Heron Bay in about 15-foot of water while using panther martin spinners. If you want crappie and bluegill, use red worms, nightcrawlers, and little jigs. DON PEDRO LAKE Trout and Kokanee Bite Busts Loose TR took a trip on Folsom Lake aboard the Fish Snffer Duckworth with Wes Ward and nailed this husky spotted bass while trolling an FHS Shad Tube this September. Photo courtesy of WES WARD, Fish Sniffer Staff. #424 Glow In the Dark! LA GRANGE - Don Pedro has exploded for both kokanee and rainbow trout as it has been mostly ignored for these species all summer. The bass bite is also starting to show signs of life as the water temperatures are finally starting to cool. Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Fishing said, “New Melones is all but dead right now. You can VOL.38 • ISS. 21 catch next year’s kokanee, but I am not interested in doing this as I want these fish to grown for next year. Since the kokanee bite died at New Melones, I have been traveling to Don Pedro, and we found an ‘epic’ trout bite on both Saturday and Sunday. We crushed the kokanee on Saturday, but we couldn’t find a bite on Sunday. However, the trout bite has been outstanding, and we scored two easy limits trolling Speedy Shiners at 3.5 mph at depths from 55 to 85 feet. ‘It was overcast on Saturday, and the Speedy Shiners in gold/copper worked best while on Sunday in much lighter conditions, gold/red and gold/blue were producing. The key is to run the lure fast, and another boat was struggling so I tossed him a Speedy Shiner and said, ‘Keep up with me,’ and he started to catch. You aren’t going to outrun a hungry trout. The kokanee are coming at depths from 95 to 127 feet with Paulina Peak’s Flutter Bugs or hoochies This young man battled this dandy brown trout while fishing behind a Paulina Peak Lake Almanor on September 9. Dodger,” Wise stated Photo courtesy of BIG DADDY’S GUIDE SERVICE, Chester. For bass, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Guide Service said, “The bass are still all over the board, the west side of the lake. Night time lows and the umbrella rig bite will start going are running in the mid 40’s. This is notable soon in 15 to 20 feet of water. Right now, because all we need is a week of night plastics on the drop-shot or shakey head time lows in the 30’s and the trout will start along with small swimbaits on underspins to move into shallow water,” tipped Noxon. are working at depths from 25 to 50 feet “On my last trip, we trolled Eagle’s Nest with some action on topwater in the early to Miner’s Bay. Trolled spoons in colors mornings. I mentioned at 25-30 feet deep on down Don Pedro is still high in elevation, but it riggers in 50 feet of water. We caught dropped from 88 to 86 percent. - Dave Hurley three nice Eagle Lake Trout. The biggest weighed 3lbs 5oz. This fish was typical of what we’ve been catching; very healthy, thick body, and “big shoulders.” I would say a few years ago, during the low water EAGLE LAKE conditions, this fish would have weighed 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound less. Eagle Lake has The Early Angler Gets The been feeding its trout well this season. We Trout! also caught 15 Tui Chubs in this area. SPALDING - “Start Early,” says Tim If you plan on taking your RV to Eagle Noxon of Fish Traveler Guide Service. Lake this fall be sure to ask the folks at “We are dropping our lines in by 5:45. We the Eagle Lake RV Park about the Fish usually have two fish in the box by sun up. Sniffer special. The trout we are catching average 2.5-3 No RV, no problem! Dave at Heritage pounds.” Land has a full menu of rental cabins “Fishing is limit style one day and half available both large and small. Heck limits the next. We are still fishing deep, you can even the Fish Sniffer’s Paul 20-30 deep in water 35-50 feet deep. We Kneeland’s rustic Spalding cabin. are trolling spoons in red/gold and red/ silver. Hot locations are Eagles Nest to Miner’s Point on the east side and Wildcat Point to Shrimp Island on #423 UV Reflective! APEX now available in New HERRING AID Color! #423 and #424 Best Selection — Best Service — Best Prices 3720 APEX Lures catch all species of Trout & Salmon! NEW FOR 2019! APEX’s available in 7 sizes from 1 inch to 6 1/4 inches. 3813 (916) ROCKLIN 773-7333 6455 PACIFIC ST. AUBURN (530) 888-7825 11844 ATWOOD RD www.trucksmart.com