Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3909 April 10-24 | Page 25

FRESHWATER VOL.39 • ISS. 9 WEST DELTA Brannan Island Campground Closed, Fishing Continues... BRANNAN ISLAND - California State Parks temporarily closed all campgrounds in the state park system to support state and local efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Camping reservation holders will be contacted via email for refunds. As of press time, non-campground outdoor areas of parks, including trails and beaches, remain open. Visitors are reminded to practice social distancing and maintain at least six feet between other visitors and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Restrooms also remain open, and visitors are advised to take soap for hand washing and alcohol-based hand sanitizers when water is not available. Striper trolling in the West Delta has been good to very good depending on the day and the tide. Deep running Yo-Zuris and P-Line Predators are both performing well in both the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. Bait anglers are picking up bass on chicken liver and sardines. The average bass goes 18 to 22 inches, but fish to 10 pounds have been reported. GONE FISHING 23 Sturgeon anglers soaking salmon roe and eel were reporting fair action amid light fishing pressure as of press time. Reports indicate that bait can be challenging to come by at this time, but that situation is very fluid. Arch nailed this striper while kayaking Liberty Island on February 23. Photo courtesy of the KAYAK CITY FISHING TEAM, Kayak City. contin- To get the job done I had to recruit Gena to help out. By the end of the day we had the tree bucked up and the fences repaired. We were wet, tired and stressed out! In all we were without power for 5 days. Our generator was a game changer. It’s good to be prepared! When lakes, including Collins Lake, started closing the day after my power came back on, my gut told me I better hit the water while the getting was good. With lakes closing left and right and many of the other lakes I like to fish locked in the grip of deep snow I had limited choices. Ultimately, I settled on Rollins Lake and it turned out to be a good choice. I launched at Long Ravine with zero problems. I drew a blank trolling in the morning. Around noon, Lucy and I pulled into a small cove for lunch and Lucy got to take a swim. When we got back onto the water after lunch, I found some rainbows blitzing bait and the bite window stayed open for about 40 minutes. I hooked Powered by Clean, Quiet, Dependable Honda 4 Stoke Outboards. Now available in 2 hp. to 250 hp. Models... the right outboard motor for any boating need. SPRING SALES EVENT! Huge Inventory • EZ-Financing • Call Now! Boats From 14 To 20 Feet Pontoon Boats From 13 To 28 Feet Electric WE MAKE IT WORTH THE DRIVE. or Gas CALL NOW FOR DETAILS! WE MAKE IT WORTH THE DRIVE. CALL NOW FOR DETAILS! SALES • SERVICE • PARTS • ACCESSORIES • ELECTRONICS BOATS FROM 18 TO 30 FEET WE MAKE IT WORTH THE DRIVE. CALL NOW FOR DETAILS! Boats From 12 To 22 Feet WE MAKE IT WORTH THE DRIVE. CALL NOW FOR DETAILS! (916) 652-1660 3320 Boyington Rd. at Penryn in Loomis, CA 3909 April 10-24, 2020 For optimum performance and safety, read the Owner’s Manual before operating your Honda Marine Product. Always wear a personal flotation device while boating. www.auburnoutboardmarine.com Cal Kellogg did well while speed trolling for trout at Rollins Reservoir just prior to the lake closing as a result of the COVID 19 virus. Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff. 6 trout while trolling spoons from 15 to 20 feet deep and kept a limit of trout that ranged from 12 to 15 inches. With the Hobie Pro Angler back on the trailer I headed for the gate and was greeted by two Nevada Irrigation District Employees. They informed me that the lake had closed at 9:30 that morning and that they had allowed folks already on the water to fish out the day. I was the last one to leave and I presume I’ll be the last visiting boater to land a rainbow at Rollins for the foreseeable future. At this point it would make sense to delve into what waters are open and what waters are closed, but that’s impossible. The situation is fluid right now and lakes and launch ramps continue to close. Is this convenient? No, but this is serious business and we need to take it seriously. There will be plenty of time for fishing in the weeks and months ahead. When we do hit the water again, the action promises to be outstanding. The DFW is going to have a glut of fish to plant. The fish that are already in our lakes should be sassy and aggressive without having been exposed to any recent fishing pressure. On the Delta striper fishing front, I know there are some folks out fishing, but most are not. In the big picture this is a positive. Less bass harvested during the spring spawn this year, will likely translate to more stripers down the road. At this point I’ve rambled long enough. I want to wish all the folks out there in the Fish Sniffer Family good luck. Stay healthy and we’ll see you out on the water soon!