Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3905 Feb 14-28 | Page 24

22 FRESHWATER Feb 14 - 28, 2020 FRESHWATER REPORTS: SANTA CLARA VALLEY LAKES/SAN LUIS RESERVOIR CONTINUED FROM PG 21 SACRAMENTO AREA VOL.39 • ISS. 5 cont. The event is for 5-15 year-olds only. There is no pre-registration. The following clinic will be at Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 22, cosponsored by the Rancho Cordova Parks and Likewise, the event is for 5 to 15-year-olds only. There is no pre-registration. On Saturday, February 29, there will be a clinic at the Willow Hill Reservoir Community Park from 8 a.m. to noon, sponsored by the City of Folsom Parks and Recreation. Preregistration is required. On Saturday, March 14, there will be a clinic at Elk Grove Regional Park from 8 a.m. to noon, sponsored by the Cosumnes CSD Parks and Recreation. The event is for 5 to 15-year-olds only. There is no pre-registration. The final clinic of the winter will be on Saturday, March 21 from 8 a.m. to noon at the North Natomas Regional Park, cosponsored by the City of Sacramento Parks and Recreation. The event is for 5 to 15-year-olds only. There is no pre- Lake Oroville continues to boot out big bad king salmon. This fish smashed a Brad’s Cut Plug during registration. a January 25 with Captain Rob of Rustic Rob’s Guide In addition, the CDFW will be Service. planting trout at Granite Regional Photo courtesy of RUSTIC ROB’S GUIDE SERVICE, Yuba Park and the North Natomas City. Regional Park the week of February 10.. They will also stock For more information, call the Fishing trout at Hagan Community Park and the in the City - Sacramento Metro Area Willow Hill Reservoir Community Park the Information line: (916) 358-2872, or email week of February 24 and the Willow Hill r2fishinginthecity@wildlife.ca.gov Reservoir Community Park the week of - Dan Bacher February 24. Move Around to Find Stripers COYOTE – Whether you are fishing from shore or boat, moving around until you find the fish is the key to bagging stripers at San Luis Reservoir. “I’m hearing mixed reports from the main lake,” said Greg Padilla at Coyote Bait and Tackle. “The shore anglers who are moving around until they find the fish and bait are doing the best now. They’re doing best while tossing out Keitech swimbaits or while bait fishing with anchovies and shad. The fish are mostly in the 18 to 20 inch range, with some larger stripers mixed in. Targeting big points, such as Dinosaur Point, is your best bet.” “Boaters are experiencing the top action while drifting jumbo minnows or trolling big Rapalas,” said Padilla. “The Trash Racks is one of the better areas to fish.” Padilla recommended employing similar techniques for stripers at the O’Neill Forebay. “Bass fishing is just starting to pick up in the local lakes with the warmer weather,” he advised. “Guadalupe, Almaden and Calero lakes are starting to produce some bass ranging from 1 to 4 pounds.” Since Calero is the only local lake where you can fish from a boat now, that’s where most anglers are fishing. Fish jigs at 5 to 15 feet deep for the best action. “Some crappie are also hitting small jigs in deep water at Calero,” Padilla noted. “Anderson is producing very slow bass fishing,” he stated. “Most anglers are catching zip or maybe just one fish.” Coyote bass fishing is also tough. Your top prospect is to fish jigs in the deepest water near the dam. Uvas and Chesbro are yielding an occasional crappie to bank anglers tossing out little jigs as far as they can and Boat Anglers! to reach the deeper water, concluded 2020 TOURNAMENT DATES Padilla. • FEB. 8th................... San Pablo Dam Res. - Dan Bacher NorCal Trout Anglers Challenge! For both Bank Anglers Sponsored by WIN A NEW BOAT! Top 50 adult finishers from all 2020 tournaments are eligible for a chance to win the Grand Raffle Prize • March 14th ............. Lake Pardee • April 25th ............... Collins Lake • May 2nd .................. Lake Amador • Oct. 10th ................. Lake Pardee • NOV. 7-8th...Tournament of Champions... Collins Lake Brought to you by FOR YOUR Derby hours 7am to 2 pm ENTIRE FAMILY! Adult Entry Fee: $25 Per Event Kids 15 And Under Are FREE $10 High Roller Side Pot Option (3-Qualifiers Awarded) FREE Raffle after Weigh-in for Eligible Tournament Participants Entry Fee ONLY $25 State Fishing Licenses are required and Calif. DFW rules apply and KIDS ARE FREE! ONLINE REGISTRATION AVAILABLE AT WWW.ANGLERSPRESS.COM Phone Entry Reservations: (916) 768-0938 • Enter Online At www.anglerspress.com Mail Entry To: Anglers Press P.O. Box 601956, Sacramento, CA 95680 EXHIBITOR BOOTHS • HUGE RAFFLE AFTER THE WEIGH-IN • PRIZES • FAMILY FUN & EXCITEMENT! *Prizes, payout, schedule, and tournament locations are subjected to change without notice A Sheldon Bright Production. Bass Action Excellent, Trout Fishing Continues To Improve SMITH/CHETCO RIVERS Big Winter Steelhead Move Into Rivers SMITH RIVER - The fishing is picking back up on the Smith and Chetco rivers as bright fish move in after the recent winter storms. “We are seeing a bunch of fresh fish moving into the rivers, and this next week should produce the best fishing we have seen so far this year,” reported Mario Gomez of Ironhead Guide Service. “The rivers had a good flush and are dropping back into shape.” On his latest trip, his two clients caught and released a 10 lb. and a 15 lb. steelhead while plunking with Spin Glos and a couple of beads on the Smith at Ruby Park and Water Tower, according to Gomez. Gomez said the Chetco has been muddy, due to a slide, and was becoming fishable at press time. “The middle of February is the peak of the winter steelhead season on the West Coast, so the time to go is now,” he added. For more information, call 530- 598-0530. - Dan Bacher REDDING - Fishing pressure continues to be exceptionally light at Lake Shasta, but bassers and trouters that do venture out are scoring well. At this point bass fishing is better than trout fishing, but trout fishing is coming on strong, with more and more fish showing near the surface. “I spent two days kayaking the McCloud and Sacramento Arms at Shasta. I caught a total of 14 trout and 22 bass,” reported Fish Sniffer reader Adam Cruz. “Trout fishing was best in the McCloud Arm. I got rainbows to 19 inches there while pulling Kastmasters, small Rapalas and Cripplures. I caught a few trout in the Sacramento Arm while fishing out of Lakehead, but I focused on bass up there fishing down the arm from Sugar Loaf Resort. I caught The kokanee bite is coming on strong at Bullards Bar spotted bass up to Reservoir. The fish are averaging about 11 inches now and Top 25 youth finishers from all 2020 tournaments are eligible for a chance to win a Grand Raffle Prize Thousands Of Catchable Trout Planted In Each Lake! TONS OF FUN GREAT PRIZES FOR THE KIDS DIVISION! SHASTA LAKE about 3 pounds while tossing Senkos, 4-inch Power Worms and a black jig teamed with a 3-inch blue Yamamoto Grub.” Most of the trout being caught at Shasta at this time are rainbows holding in the top 25 feet of the water column, but some large browns up to 7 pounds have been showing near the surface in the McCloud. Trolling flies, large spoons and large minnow plugs have all been hooking browns. Patience seems to be more important for brown trout anglers than any specific lure. As of press time, Lake Shasta was 44 feet from the top and rising slowly. At Whiskeytown Reservoir, winter kokanee are on the bite in the top 30 feet of the water column. Wedding Ring Spinners and hoochies tipped with corn produce strikes when combined with Mack’s Lure Double D dodgers. The average salmon is 11 to 12 inches long, but fish to 13 are showing up already. CASH and PRIZES for the Adults Division! *Boats shown with options. SPONSORED BY: Fisherman’s Warehouse 3901 getting bigger every week. Photo courtesy of RUSTIC ROB’S GUIDE SERVICE, Yuba City.