Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3903 Jan 17-31 2020 | Page 14

12 FRESHWATER REPORTS: CONTINUED FROM PG 11 EAST DELTA FRESHWATER Jan 17-31, 2020 cont. Clyde Wands, shallow trolling expert, has switched over to drifting live bait, and he said, “The striper bite has been tough in the 49-degree water, but we managed to put in two keepers along with releasing 5 smaller fish with everything on minnows as the mudsuckers were not effective. I also lost one at the net in the 10-pound range. This is winter fishing right now.” Captain Zach Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures was out on Sunday with a family from Nevada until the rain become too much for the children, and he said, “I went to the Mothball Fleet, but we didn’t see much going on there with the small tides so I worked back upriver to find more sturgeon. We put them onto a 58-inch slot sturgeon that was released along with a number of shakers to keep the action going. We have been averaging around 2 to 3 slot sturgeon per trip, but it hasn’t been earth-shaking for us.” Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing said, “Sturgeon fishing has been very good for us with the exception of Saturday and Sunday during the day on the smaller tides. We have been grinding it out, and we have landed a slot-fish on every trip. It’s been tough with the small tides since every little bit of cross wind makes it tough to stay straight. I was out with Vince Borges on Saturday night during the big outgoing tide that ran from 5:00 p.m. to midnight, and we did very well. Salmon roe and lamprey eel have been out best baits.” - Dave Hurley EASTERN SIERRA Storms Drop Snow, But Trout Fishing Rolls Forward! BISHOP- “The latest storm dropped snow down to the 6000′ level,” reported Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Guide Service. “The East Walker River got a decent shot of it overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning.” “Great fishing is available on the Lower Owens River, with a mix of fish of all sizes. Some really nice ones have been coming to the net that have been falling victim to our streamer patterns. Rainbows and browns are making a showing now. A BWO hatch can be a real treat in the afternoons. Most of our runs are open and the water conditions are ideal. We are now in full operation down here, so call or text us at (760) 935-4250,” tipped Loe. VOL.39 • ISS.3 Bridge reopened to steelhead fishing on January 1. Only barbless hooks may be used in this section of river. Anglers can hook the steelies, averaging 2 to 5 pounds, while throwing out nightcrawlers, salmon roe, spoons, spinners and flies. The Feather River Fish Hatchery has trapped 1057 adult steelhead to date. That compared to 929 adults last season, according to hatchery manager Anna Kastner. Roger Bonner of San Jose caught this massive 8 plus pound rainbow at The hatchery Lake Chabot, while soaking PowerBait off Raccoon Point. staff did their Photo courtesy of the LAKE CHABOT MARINA, Lake Chabot. first spawning of steelhead on Tuesday, December 31. “The snow has covered the roads into The hatchery saw a very good salmon the Upper Owens. Some melting will take year on the Feather, with a total of 26,979 place this week, but we are expecting more snow possibly by the weekend. Take fall chinooks, including jacks and jills (two- year-old) fish. They also saw 3800 spring great care if you choose to drive in and run chinooks. watch the ruts. Most of the fish are still The river is difficult to navigate by boat moving up river and holding in various now, due to low flows. Combined releases areas. Our egg patterns have been to the Feather River below the Thermalito doing well in the deeper sections and the Afterbay Outlet are now 2,450 cfs. occasional deeper spots along the banks. - Dan Bacher Some good midge hatches throughout the day have some fish moving into the slick water eddies to feed,” said Loe. “On Hot Creek, the trout have become very opportunistic and egg patterns bounced along the stream bed are doing the trick. Go with some small mayfly FOLSOM LAKE emergers just prior to the mid-day hatch for some steady action. Smaller midge Trollers Target North Fork for patterns are also getting takes. Fish are Holdover Rainbows starting to concentrate more in the deeper AUBURN – The few trollers getting pools,” Loe concluded. out on Folsom Lake are hooking some holdover rainbows while trolling lures and worms. “The fish are hitting Speedy Shiners and worms behind dodgers or flashers in the North Fork,” said Craig Newton at Willfish FEATHER RIVER Bait and Tackle. “Most of the rainbows Upper Stretch Reopens to are 13 to 15 inches long, but fish up to 19 Steelhead Fishing inches have been caught lately. I haven’t YUBA CITY – The section of the Feather heard of any kings caught by anglers in the last few weeks. River from the Shore fishermen in pursuit of salmon or Table Mountain trout should toss out PowerBait, minnows Bicycle Bridge to and nightcrawlers for trout and salmon the Highway 70 at Browns Ravine, Folsom Point, Granite Bay, Five Percent and other areas on the lake. Jerry Lampkin of TNG Motor Sports Guide Service said his latest trolling 3826 adventure on Folsom yielded two king salmon measuring 12 inches each. “We trolled with hoochies in Reopens On Feb. 13, 2020 front of Granite Bay at 15 to 60 feet deep.” Nestled between Los Vaqueros Los Vaqueros Brentwood Reservoir Reservoir and Livermore off Vasco Road Nestled between Brentwood and Livermore off Vasco Road Now Catching First STRIPED Time Anglers BASS Welcome! Beautiful TROUT Spring Wild Flowers CATFISH • SALmON • TROUT LARGEMOUTH BASS • STRIPED BASS The New Marina • Building CATFISH & Boat Rentals • NOW LARGEmOUTH BASS OPEN!!!! (925) 371-2628 Los Vaqueros Recreation Co. 9990 Los Vaqueros Rd. Byron, CA, 94514 GREAT Fishing for: Trout • Kokanee • Catfish Large & Smallmouth Bass Crappie • Bluegill • Sunfish $25 boat rentals every Monday thru Friday (non holidays) www.NORCALFISHING.COm A Contra Costa Water District Facility 2907 3125 Store • Campsites/RV sites Marina • Boat Launch New Boat & Motor Rental Fleet KLAMATH RIVER Steelhead Fishing Continues to Be Great HAPPY CAMP – The Klamath River continues to produce exceptional fishing in the upper and middle sections for anglers fishing flies, spinners, spoons, plugs and bait. “The Santa Cruz steelhead slayers put a smack down on the Klamath,” said Mario Gomez of Ironhead Guide Service. “The best part of being a guide is getting to take kids fishing and share my love for the outdoors with future generations of anglers. Take kids fishing and teach them about subsistence and conservation.” “Who likes catching beautiful steelhead on a swung fly? Who likes fishing all day on an amazing river and not see another soul? I know I sure do and most who come fish with me enjoy my sentiment,” he added. LOS VAQUEROS LAKE Trout Dominate Shore Catches LIVERMORE - Trout fishing is going strong due to the cold water temperatures and the abundance of trout from recent trout plants. “Anglers fishing from the rental boats or shore have been limiting out while using lures or PowerBait,” said Kent Hintzman of the Los Vaqueros Marina. Bank anglers are experiencing the top fishing while tossing out PowerBait, nightcrawlers and lures in South Cove, near the marina and off the Rockwall. Big fish honors go to John Kitta, who caught a 10-pound trout in Penn Cove using PowerBaiit. Yekam El Nakar landed two 9-pound and 11.35--pound trout in South Cove using a crappie jig. Joe Vargas of Campbell landed an 8.01-pound trout while using a Kastmaster. Russel Herrera and Dave Bassaro of San Jose teamed up to catch limits of rainbows while trolling Kastmasters from a rental boat. On Christmas Day, an angler caught two catfish weighing 10.01 and 8.4 pounds. A combined 3,000 lbs. of rainbows from Mt. Lassen and the CDFW went into the South Cove on December 13. Another 1,000 pounds of trout went in December 19. “We put in 5,100 pounds of trout in the CONTINUED ON PG 13 Now Booking American River Steelhead and Folsom Lake Trout Drift Boat Trips Call for Information & Reservations (800) 416-6992 4900 Stony Creek Rd. Ione www.rockymountainrec.com For spotted, largemouth and smallmouth bass on Folsom, you should employ drop shot rigs with Robo Worms, jigs and tubes off main lake points and fish very slowly in the cold winter weather. “I caught and released 6 bass in the 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 pound range, including 3 spotted bass and 3 largemouths, while drop shotting with Aaron’s Magic Robo Worms on my most recent trip to Folsom,” said Paganelli. “The fish were holding at 25 to 40 feet deep.” He said a troller fishing near him caught the fifth fish in his limit of rainbows while trolling with Speedy Shiners. Folsom Lake is holding 517,006 acre feet of water, 53 percent of capacity and 109 percent of average. The water level is 418.65. feet in elevation and rising with the inflows from winter storms. - Dan Bacher Custom 23’ Rogue Jet Cpt. Jerry Lampkin – 25 years of experience fishing Salmon, Steelhead, Stripers, Trout & landlocked Kings on the Feather, Sacramento, American Rivers and Folsom Lake 3802 T.N.G Motorsports Guide Service (530) 320-0884 • www.tngmotorsports.com