FishSniffer Magazine Issue 4006 | Page 12

12 March 26 , 2021 VOL . 40 • ISS . 6

LAKE ALMANOR

Big Browns and Elusive Rainbows

CHESTER - We have had unsettled weather for the past week here on Almanor with a mixture of snow / rain / wind . Lake level continues to rise and water temps remain in the high 30 ’ s to low 40 ’ s . Clarity is unchanged at 5-8 ’. There is a slight chance of precipitation today ( Sunday ) before we see spring like conditions here on Almanor for at least the next seven days . While fishing is far from red hot the grade of fish remains spectacular with reports of browns over ten pounds , rainbows remain elusive . We caught and released a brown today that was all of nine pounds , wall mount worthy for sure . We started at the dam this morning fast trolling rapalas and picked up a couple of quality fish prior to moving up the west shore to flag island where we picked up one good fish , we moved to the Peninsula and picked up a couple of more slow trolling . The moral of the story remains , be patient stick to your referred method and put your time in ; you just might be rewarded with that once in a lifetime fish . We had the most success in 20-30 ’ of water and 20-30 ’ deep on the wire , conditions changed throughout the day . Bank fishermen are targeting fish at Hamilton Branch , on both sides of the causeway and the

Hook ’ d Up Sportfishing has been consistently on the sturgeon this season . Raymond and Julian Juarez from Galt were fishing with Captain Steve when they landed this nice sturgeon .

Photo Courtesy of Hook ’ d Up Sportfishing

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coves around Canyon Dam with Hamilton Branch your best shot at catching mature fish . Today I saw my first Osprey of the season and also saw a few insects hatching , both good signs of spring . Canyon Dam remains the only open public boat ramp .

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AMERICAN RIVER

A Tough Year for Steelhead

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winds its way through the Sacramento area for steelhead or other species lately . Steelhead fishing remains tough for those going out on the river . The Bureau of Reclamation ramped up the releases up from 1200 cfs to 3500 cfs on March 11 . From March 14 to March 18 , the agency then raped the releases back down to 1200 cfs . The reason for ramping the river up was State Water Resources Control Board ( SWRCB ) Order D1641 that implements flow objectives for the San Francisco Bay / Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary , according to T . Washburn of Reclamation . Steelhead season is currently open from the U . S . Geological Survey gauging station cable crossing about 300 yards downstream from the Nimbus Hatchery fish rack site to the SMUD power line crossing at the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park . If you would like more information on freshwater fishing regulations , follow this link to access CDFW ’ s online booklet : https :// nrm . dfg . ca . gov / FileHandler . ashx ? DocumentID = 177572

- Dan Bacher

BULLARDS BAR / ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIRS

Trollers Battle Scrappy Kokanee

DOBBINS – The kokanee aren ’ t big at Bullards Bar Reservoir at this time , but they are very plentiful . Most trollers report no problem catching their 10 fish bag limits . “ The larger kokanee – the 10 inch fish – are hitting at 5 to 20 feet deep ,” reported Craig Newton at Willfish Bait and Tackle . “ There are also kokanee showing at 35 feet and deeper .” For maximum success , Newton recommended pink and orange hoochies , tipped

with white shoepeg corn , behind dodgers . Mill Creek , Willow Creek and other areas on the lake are all producing fish . Englebright Reservoir continues to produce recently stocked rainbows trout , along with some larger holdover rainbows and an occasional German brown . Newton recommended trolling with worms behind dodgers or Rapalas in the

Patty Poling was trolling with Rob Hower when they caught these beauties .

Photo Courtesy of Rob Hower

Yuba River Arm . Bullards Bar is holding 551,818 -acre feet of water , 57 percent of capacity and 83 percent of average . Englebright is holding 67,700 feet of water , 97 percent of capacity and 102 percent of average .

– Dan Bacher

LAKE CAMANCHE

South Shore Pond Kicks Out Rainbows

BURSON - Shore fishing has been for best for anglers tossing out nightcrawlers and sherbet Power Bait near the north and south shore ramps and at the South Shore Pond . If you want to catch trout from a boat at Lake Camanche , your top prospect is to troll between 16-25 ’ below the surface . The top lures are Speedy Shiners and Rapalas , according to the Lake Camanche Recreation Compamy . During the latest plant on March 19 , Mt Lassen delivered a total of 3600 lbs . to the lake and pond . During the previous plant , Mt . Lassen delivered 1200 pounds to the South Shore Pond . 180 pounds of these were trophy-size and 500 pounds were lightning trout . Big fish honors go to Butch and Tom of Antioch , who nailed a stringer of trout up to 6.40 pounds while using Speedy Shiners near South Shore . For black bass , anglers have reported using drop shot rigs , plastic worms and other baits at 25 to 30 feet deep , no more than 20 feet away from piles and cliff facings . The crappie bite is picking up around shoreline structure for shore and boat anglers fishing with jigs and PowerBait . Lake Camanche recently reopened for dry camping , cabin , tent cabin and resort rentals . To book a reservation , call 209.763.5121 x 1 , from 8 am – 4:30 pm daily or email camping @ golakecamanche . com Lake Camanche ’ s current elevation is 210.65 feet above sea

Continued on Pg 13