Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3826 Dec 6-20 | 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  Reservoir d oa s llin Ro R ke La Hayford Hill   Orchard Springs Road Long Ravine Road 174 Dam Cape Seventeen teams of two people each, a total of 34 anglers, fished the lake that day. All of the fish weighed in the event were spotted bass with the exception of two largemouths and one smallmouth bass. The results of the event also demonstrate another aspect of the Rollins bass fishery: the lake continues to be known for the quantity of its spotted bass rather than its size Michael Allen caught the big fish, a 1.88 lb. spotted bass., while drop shotting with a ¼ oz. dark grape Robo Worm. The two bass that he landed weighed a total of 3.80 pounds. Ryan Petersen and Ryan McGinnis won first place in the event Richard McGuire and his brother, Ron, nailed their two limits of with 5 fish weighing rainbow trout while casting crankbaits in the Greenhorn Creek 7.07 pounds. arm of Rollns Lake last November. Rainbows are the Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. most abundant trout at Rollins. The Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife historically largemouths. Smallmouth bass in the 8 to 12 inch range were the predominate catch. stocked the reservoir with an average of 6,000 pounds of catchable rainbows per But as is the case on many foothill lakes, year, although the number of fish stocked spotted bass now dominate the fishing at has been slashed in recent years. Rollins. A sleeper population of German browns The predominance of the spotted bass in also makes the lake their home. There is the lake was demonstrated by the results no official lake record, but browns up to of Kellogg’s most recent trip to Rollins, 7 pounds have been documented and fish as well Folsom Bass Club tournament out in the 2- to 4-pound range are relatively of the Long Ravine Resort last November common. that I reported on. Shady Glen Cape Horn Rising Sun Mine To Truckee Magra Peninsula Chicago Park Rollins 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 hydropower, 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 Highway 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 15 Dec 6 - 20, 2019 MAP FEATURE VOL.38 • ISS. 26 Colfax Burnt Flat To Sacramento Fishing Notes Fishing Notes • • Rainbow Rollins. The fish fish can can be be taken Rainbow Trout Trout are are the the most most commonly commonly caught caught trout trout in in Rollins. The taken year for for shore and boat fishing for for year round, round, but but winter winter and and spring spring are are the the top top times times shore and boat fishing rainbows. Trout prepared baits, as as rainbows. Shore Shore anglers anglers use use Power Power Bait Bait , Nitro , Nitro Trout Bait Bait and and other other prepared baits, well and crickets. Bank fishermen also find find success while well as as salmon salmon eggs, eggs, nightcrawlers nightcrawlers and crickets. Bank fishermen also success tossing out Cripplures, Kastmasters, Panther Panther Martins Martins and Roostertails. Trollers employ while tossing out Cripplures, Kastmasters, and Roostertails. Trollers nightcrawlers behind flashers dodgers or and a variety lures. employ nightcrawlers behind or flashers dodgers and of a minnow variety of imitation minnow imitation • lures. Brown Trout are taken by shore anglers using nightcrawlers in the winter and early spring. Boaters target these prized anglers fish by trolling Rebels, Yo-Zuris • Brown Trout are taken by shore using Rapalas, nightcrawlers in the winter and and other early plugs along the shoreline of the main fish body Bear River arm. spring. Boaters target these prized by and trolling Rapalas, Rebels, Yo-Zuris and other • plugs Spotted Bass now the of predominant species of bass found in Rollins, although along the are shoreline the main body and Bear River arm. anglers also catch an offer occasional smallmouth and largemouth. Fishing is good year fish • Smallmouth Bass fast action during spring, summer and fall. Most of the are under 13 inches, in but can find shot larger particularly in the round, but especially the persistent spring and anglers fall. Use drop rigs, fish, Senkos, poppers, winter and and early spring. Largemouth Bass, though not as abundant as the feisty swimbaits other lures... are also found in the Rollins. • smallmouths, Bluegill and Green Sunfish are most prolific sunfish in Rollins, but crappie are also • Bluegill Green Sunfish most brush prolific and sunfish Rollins, but crappie are caught by and anglers fishing small are jigs the around other in structure. also caught by anglers fishing small jigs around brush and other structure. The browns are known for being long and slender, with Cal Kellogg’s largest ever brown measuring 27 inches long and weighing 5-1⁄2 pounds. With water cooling down, now is a good time to target browns at the reservoir. “For browns, troll with stickbaits like Rapalas in the Bear River arm 200 to 300 feet behind the boat from now through spring,” tipped Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle in Auburn. 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. The lake also features a sleeper popula- tion of crappie measuring 12 to 14 inches long and sometimes bigger. Anglers fishing with small jigs off the points and structure pick up the slabsides year round. Trophy crappie are always a possibility here. Just ask Richard McGuire, who landed an 18 inch crappie at Rollins last year. Another angler also caught a 20 inch crappie at the lake. Channel catfish offer a solid 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, 346-6166, or visit www.longravineresorts.com. Cal Kellogg, Fish Sniffer Editor, got into a great bluegill bite at Rollins Lake in September while fishing from his kayak. Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff.