Lake Amador:
Interest has been very high with a good bite over the past few weeks. Alan Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Fresno shot an episode of “Fun Fishing” on the lake this week due to the good action. The Tackle Box Café reported 800 to 1000-pounds continue to be planted each weekday, and the fish are holding close to the shoreline in response to all of the bugs and critters that washed down from the banks. The northwest corner of the dam has been a popular bank location, in particular due to the predominate direction of the winds. The lake is down 15 feet after rising a couple of feet from the recent rains. The parking lot has been full of trailers, but only one launch is currently open.
Lake Berryessa
Don Paganelli of Paganelli’s Bass Experience reported a relative slow bass bite with the fish waiting for the water temperature to rise before moving out of the depths. The fish are still deep, holding between 25 and 35 feet on points and deeper in the creek channels. The best cut of spotted bass is found at depths from 30 to 50 feet with 1.25 oz. BladeRunner spoons in Electric Chicken or Morning Dawn while numbers can be achieved by drop shotting with 4.5 to 6-inch Robo Worms in Aaron’s Magic or Hologram Shad has also been effective on a slow, methodical presentation. The trout bite has slowed, and live minnows continue to be the top technique to locate the fish in the open waters of the lake.
Lake Sonoma
A huge bass limit over 29+-pounds was taken on Saturday, January 28th by anglers working Picasso or Rago Alabama rigs in the creek arms at depths from 15 to 25 feet around the submerged timber. Two six-pound bass were taken on one cast. This bite is taking place in spite of 46 degree winter surface temperatures. Shaking worms or Senkos in 15 to 25 feet in depth is good for numbers. Steelhead in the 4 to 5-pound range have been consistently taken by anglers slow-trolling a threaded night crawler on the surface in the creek arms. Small spoons such as Sep’s , Dick Nite’s, or Needlefish are also effective with the best action in the top 5 to 10 feet. The recent runoff has brought a significant amount of debris into the surface.
Upper Blue Lake
A trout plant took place this week, and bank anglers should be scoring with Power Bait or night crawlers with trollers pulling blade/crawler combinations or small spoons for the catchables.
Almanor
Trollers should work the east side of the lake at 2.0 miles per hour in the early mornings before increasing to 2.2 and 2.5 MPH when the sun is up and the fog burns off. Smelt imitation spoons or threaded night crawlers behind a flasher, microflasher, or dodger will give off flash and vibration to help fish find your presentation. Coating lures or injecting night crawlers with a heavy application of Pro Cure Trophy Trout will increase bites. The fish are still holding at depths from 5 to 20 feet. The Canyon Dam is the only public ramp available, and the United States Forest Service Ramp is open, but there is no courtesy dock available.
Baum Lake
The lake has been stocked heavily with mostly planters, but there have been some larger fish to 9-pounds taken on occasion. Damsel nymphs with a marabou tail are the best bet on a slow retrieve. Most anglers are working from the banks, but float tubes and prams are also effective. Spincasters are scoring with Kastmasters with night crawlers effective for bait fishermen.
Pit River
The river is high, and the best action occurs in mid day with dry flies, baetis nymphs, copperjohns, prince nymphs, or rubberlegs. The slippery rocks make for dangerous conditions for anglers wading the river.The section of the river below the Lake Britton Dam is catch and release until the stream opener in April.
Shasta
For bass, the reaction bite continues to be slow, and the most consistent action remains on the bottom with dart heading, drop shotting, or Senkos. Top Shelf swimbaits or Picasso umbrella rigs are working for larger fish with numbers taken on Mother’s Finest worms, the 6-inch Berkley Havoc Hopper on a custom wacky-rig hook, or Senkos at depths from 5 to 30 feet. Trout fishing remains very good with the trout holding at depths between 10 and 25 feet with heavy Needlefish, Kastmasters, or small Rapalas working around Centimudi, Harz Bay, Digger Bay, or the Big Backbone.
New Melones Reservoir
Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods in Angels Camp reported very good trout fishing with a number of nice, colorful holdovers in addition to the catchables planted by the Department of Fish and Game. Bank anglers have been scoring with scented varieties of Berkley Power Bait, Power Eggs, or Gulp! Bait in pink, chartreuse, or rainbow from the access areas at Tuttletown, Angels Cove, or Glory Hole Cove. Marshmallow/night crawler combinations are also working. Lewis advised anglers to make certain that their bait is able to float off of the bottom. For a chance at larger fish from the banks, minnow-like lures such as Rapala CD7 or CD9, or a shad-patterned spoon such as a Kastmaster or Excel. On overcast days, gold and brightly painted lures will generally attract more fish than silver and natural colored baits- these work better on clear days. Lewis reported that trollers have landed several large brown trout this week including Darwin Parrish of Murphys with a 7.75-pound brown on a blade/crawler combination at a depth of 20 up the river arm, Ed Grossman of Wallace with a 7.5-pound fish rolling shad on the surface above the Parrott’s Ferry Bridge, and John Stewart of Sonora with a 4.75-pounder on a shad-patterned jointed Rebel at a depth of 10 feet near the dam. Rapalas scented with Pro Cure’s Bloody Tuna produced limits of rainbow in the south side of the lake. Lewis advised, “It is very important to use light line when the water is as clear as it is now, and a 3 to 5-foot piece of 4 to 6-pound fluorocarbon will do the trick.” The smaller fish are biting on the surface, and the bigger fish are down at 15 to 25 feet. It is very early for kokanee, but there also have been reports of kokanee to 15-inches landed near the surface by anglers targeting trout. Lewis rated bass fishing as fair with the fish holding at depths from 25 to 65 feet along main lake structure. The spots are fat, healthy, and loaded with shad. Shad-patterned plastics on a drop shot rig or Yamamoto Hula Grubs in natural crawdad colors are working best, but large swim baits, such as a Spro BBZ or a Huddleston will work on windy or overcast days. Few anglers are targeting catfish, but Lewis advised trying at depths from 35 to 70 feet along deep ledges and main lake points with night crawlers, frozen shad or anchovies. William Heinle of Arnold landed another huge whiskerfish at 11.75-pounds on shad soaked in Pro Cure’s Catfish Cocktail. Crappie and bluegill action is still slow to fair with the best action on small minnows, red worms, or mealworms on a slip-float rig at depths from 15 to 25 feet with 4 to 6-pound test. The lake dropped held at 1049.89 feet in elevation and 82% of capacity.
Lake Don Pedro
King salmon have been showing up in Middle Bay, and Gary Vella of Vella’s Fishing Adventures scored limits to 4-pounds on consecutive trips over the weekend. Danny Layne of Fishn’ Dan’s Guide Service said the mild winter weather has sparked a fairly good king salmon and rainbow bite in the upper reaches of the lake near the Moccasin Recreation Area, and in the Tuolumne River Arm between Rough and Ready Island and the Ward’s Ferry Bridge with rolled threadfin shad or ExCel lures at depths to 30 feet. Layne said similar action has been taking place in the Woods Creek Arm. The bank trout bite for planters has slowed a bit, but Kastmasters, Power Bait, or night crawlers continue to produce at Fleming Meadows or the Blue Oaks Launch Ramp. A trout plant is scheduled for next week. Bass fishing continues to be slow. Manny Basi said the most consistent action is taking place at depths from 40 to 60 feet with plastics on the drop shot, Senkos, or 3.5-inch tube baits. Green pumpkin with purple/copper flakes, green pumpkin with purple/black or shad patterns are working best . A very slow and methodical presentation is necessary in the depths. Downstream, trout plants are scheduled at Modesto Reservoir the week of February 5th and 12th and in Turlock Reservoir the week of February 12th.
McClure Reservoir
Manny Basi of the Bait Barn in Waterford reported a continued slow bass bite with the best action still on the bottom in deep water with drop shotting plastic worms, jigs, or tube baits. There was a 5.31-pound spotted bass landed on a swimbait during Sunday’s Western Rookie League tournament that was the difference between 1st and 2nd place, but swimbait fish have been rare. Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling said the Keeper 082 plastic has pulled spots over 2-pounds from the banks at McClure Point. Live minnows and crawdads continue to produce, and A-1 sold out of large minnows over the weekend due to demand. Kokanee and king salmon have been found in deep water near the dam, and trout fishing remains best up the river are with blade/crawler combinations. Another trout plant is scheduled for the week of February 5th. A few crappie have been located around the Houseboats at night under lights with small minnows. The lake rose one foot to 807.21 feet in elevation and 65% of capacity. In the Merced River, Fresno area fishermen have been plugging with small swimbaits or white flukes for stripers in the 24 to 25-inch range. Downstream, a trout plant is scheduled at Yosemite Lake the week of February 12th.
McSwain Reservoir
Stephanie Powell of the McSwain Marina reported limits of rainbows have been taken off of the big peninsula to the right of the marina with salmon eggs, and garlic Power Bait has been a good choice from the banks near the McSwain Dam. There have been some rainbows in the 3 to 4-pound range taken from the banks in the past week. Trollers are pulling night crawlers behind a silver/copper flasher near the Floating Restrooms. A DFG trout plant is scheduled for the week of February 5th, and regularly biweekly plants between Calaveras Trout Farm and Fish and Game will start the second week of February.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
With the high water levels continuing at 96% of capacity, finding the schools of stripers has been problematic. Mickey Clements and Paul Jolley of Coyote Bait in Morgan Hill fished the lake over the weekend, and Clements reported the overall grade of fish is decreasing with the majority in the 16 to 18-inch range. They started with a couple of top water fish in Portuguese Cove on 6-inch Lunker Punkers in rainbow trout or white before switching to dropping to the bottom with River2Sea Sea Rock or flutter spoons by cranking up from the depths. Clements said, “The bite is light in the cold water.” Ly Tu of Ly’s Fishing Goods in San Jose confirmed the slower action with boaters having difficulty finding the shad schools in the high water. A few anglers are scoring small fish with filleted anchovies or jumbo minnows. In the Forebay, the water is fluctuating wildly from heavy pumping, and there can be a 15 foot difference in the level of the lake. A few trollers are pulling Yozuris along the rockwall on the western side of the impoundment. Bank fishing has been limited by the muddy shorelines from the pumping. Important Note: EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2011, VESSEL INSPECTIONS FOR QUAGGA AND ZEBRA MUSSELS TO BEGIN AT SAN LUIS RESERVOIR SRA. All boats, personal watercraft, kayaks, canoes, sailboards, inflatables, and float tubes must undergo a mandatory inspection. This inspection is to prevent the spread of Quagga and Zebra Mussels. This invasive species threatens recreational opportunities, the water delivery infrastructure of California, and the aquatic habitat of San Luis Reservoir SRA. Failure to allow inspection of any watercraft will result in the refusal to launch.
Delta Mendota Canal and Sloughs
The local water conveyance systems continue to be very slow. In the south aqueduct, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported an overall slowdown for area fishermen for striped bass. He said, “The aqueduct is a difficult place to fish if you don’t have the experience, since you can’t sit in one spot and expect to catch,” adding, “It is important to keep moving to find the fish.” 5-inch white tubes on a ¾ to 1-ounce jig head, anchovies, or blood and sand worms are working for small legal stripers along the access areas.
Eastman Lake
Bass fishing has been decent with Brush Hogs on a Texas or Carolina-rig, drop shotting plastics, or Senkos over submerged structure. One largemouth of nearly 7-pounds was reportedly landed on a Senko in the past week. Trout trolling continues to be popular on the lake with blade/crawler combinations producing on the surface near the dam for rainbows in the 13 to 13.5-inch range. A trout plant is scheduled for the week of February 12th. The Lakeview Trail is open between the Codorniz Recreation Area and Raymond Bridge, but the area of the lake extending upstream along the Chowchilla River is still closed beyond the buoy line. The lake rose nearly a foot to 557.17 feet in elevation and 68% of capacity.
Hensley Lake
The trout bite from the banks is reported to be better than at nearby Eastman, and salmon peach or rainbow Power Bait is working from the banks at the Swim Beach area. A trout plant is scheduled for the week of February 12th. Bass fishing remains very slow with few anglers targeting the lake. The lake rose more than a foot to 494.04 vertical feet and 36% of capacity.
Millerton Lake
Merritt Gilbert reported numbers of small fish are available by drop shotting or jigs with the fish moving up in the shallows from 10 to 12 feet in depth on overcast days and dropping back down between 30 and 40 feet on ‘bluebird’ days. Most anglers have been leaving happy due to the numbers, and the limits have been ranging from 6.5 to 7.75-pounds. No stripers reported this week. The lake held at 530.52 and 61% of capacity with the launch ramp on the 2nd Ramp. Woodward Park is scheduled for trout plants the next three weeks. Access to the San Joaquin River is still limited to the Broken Bridge with the continued closure of the Lost Lake areas, but anglers are scoring planters with yellow or chartreuse Power Bait, Kastmasters, and Gulp! Worms. The work to clear up the debris at Lost Lake has begun.
Pine Flat Reservoir
Trout fishing continues to produce limits for trollers, and Merritt Gilbert of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Pine Flat is the only game in town, as the trout bite is holding up very well” One fisherman reported landing large rainbows at 24, 21, and three 18’s at the upper end of the lake near Trimmer, but the majority of larger fish have been taken around Lefevre and Zebe Creeks or the Power Lines at depths from 40 to 50 feet. Art Carlson and Russ Doylan of Fresno landed two limits of trout last Thursday ranging from 12 to 18-inches by pulling PPK’s Tomahawk Red spinners tipped with a night crawler behind a Shasta Tackle’s #3 UV Sling Blade on lead core at 4 to 5 colors near Sycamore Cove. They also had two downriggers at 35 feet in depth with a Shasta Tackle’s Nickel Shad tipped with a piece of crawler behind a #3 UV Sling Blade. Humdingers, Dick’s Trout Busters behind a 1.5-ounce Mountain Flasher, ExCel lures, Rainbow Runners, and Needlefish are also producing limits. Patrick Movey of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Fresno reported king salmon to 15-inches are starting to show up at depths of 20 feet in the main lake. Bass fishing is remains decent, but there has been no consistent pattern with the fish in the shallow on one day and then dropping back down to 40 feet the following day. A few quality fish have been taken on the Alabama rig, but the best technique remains on the bottom with jigs, or plastics on the drop shot or dart head. Dark-colored Senkos or Hula Grubs in Color 208, or smoke/black/purple are also working. The lake rose two feet to 870.28 feet in elevation and 58% of capacity. Interest in bank fishing on the lower Kings remains high due to the recent plant of trophy fish. Plants will take place for at least the next three weeks. Roostertails in chartreuse, Kastmasters, Joe’s Flies, night crawlers, or various colors of Power Bait continue to be effective. The bank action at Avocado Lake has slowed down, although the action should heat up with the lake being planted the next three weeks. Some large rainbows have been dumped in the lake with a few fish in the 3 to 4-pound range reported on yellow Power Bait. Salmon garlic Power Bait has also been a top choice.
Lake Kaweah
Trout anglers have been lining the banks after last week’s plant for catchables near the 1st and 2nd Launch Ramps with night crawlers, Power Bait, or Kastmasters. The great winter weather has brought out a number of bank fishermen. Another trout plant is scheduled during the week of February 12th. Sierra Sport Fishing in Exeter said the bass are moving higher in the water column with the warmer temperatures, and they are currently found at 20 to 25 feet in depth with drop shot plastics, jigs, or swimbaits either worked solo or on an umbrella rig. A few crappie continue to be taken at night under lights from the Houseboats area has been producing crappie at light under lights. The lake rose 8 feet to 610.06 feet in elevation and 15% of capacity.
Lake Success
Ranger Sylvia Guerrero reported interest in the planted trout has been high with fishermen lining the banks on the Rocky Hill side of the lake with Power Bait, night crawlers, or Kastmasters. Another trout plant is scheduled during the week of February 12th. A plant is scheduled at Murry Park Pond in Porterville next week. Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said local anglers have been enjoying good bass action by drop shotting plastics or the ½ to ¾ oz. Sonic Silver Buddy spoons over the rockpiles which are holding the shad schools. The Tule Point south and Rocky Hill launch ramps are still open, but the best access remains at Rocky Hill. The lake rose 4.5 feet to 609.55 feet in elevation and 24% of capacity
Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area
Trout fishing continues to be the top draw to the lake, and Sierra Gateway Sporting Goods at Lake Isabella reported good action on Gulp Alive floating pinched night crawlers in bright green near the Marina or Paradise Cove. Rainbow/garlic Power Bait has also been a good choice. Trolling has been slow. Trout plants are scheduled for the weeks of February 12th and 19th. Bass fishing continues to be slow with a few fish taken on drop shotting plastics or jigs in brown/orange, black/blue, or shad-patterns at depths from 15 to 30 feet. Catfishing is fair, but nothing to get excited about, and crappie remain a mystery with a few fish taken around the marinas. The 23rd Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby is scheduled for March 31st – April 2nd, and set to offer record prizes of over $250,000 this year, Applications for the Derby are now available online at http://www.isabellafishingderby.com/2012_derby_app.pdf, at the Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce office, several local merchants in the Kern River Valley, as well as in Bakersfield. If you enter early and become eligible for the $500 early bird prize, sponsored by the Cedar City Utah Chamber of Commerce. To qualify for the early entry drawing, they must receive your entry to the Derby before 6:00 pm on March 1, 2012. The lake rose less than ½ feet to 2560.52 feet in elevation and 30% of capacity. Trout plants will resume on the upper and lower Kern River the week of February 5th, and Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “An estimated 7-pound rainbow was taken from the lower river near Sandy Flats on a night crawler this past week,” adding, “This was a beautiful fish with bright colors and a hooked jaw.” The crappie bite at Buena Vista has slowed down considerably, but the warmer water has brought out the bass and catfish. Trout fishing remains slow at Buena Vista, but the small local impoundments have been producing consistently on Power Bait in rainbow/garlic or garlic and the new Berkley Mice Tails. Trout plants are scheduled at Hart Park, Truxton, Woollomes, Ming, and the River Walk during the weeks of February 5th and 19th.
Bass Lake
The lake dropped slightly to 40%, and overall fishing pressure at the lake has been very light. A few float tubers have been working the submerged trees in the shallows for spotted and largemouth bass. The Pines boat launch was retrofitted by PG&E with ramp extensions allowing boat access during low lake levels through the winter months weather permitting and for 4 wheel drive vehicles only. The quarry blasting will take place on Tuesday and Thursday at 3:45 p.m. of the current week.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters said, “With blue skies and mid 50 temperatures, Huntington remains a good destination for bank fishermen, as limits 10 to 14 inches are possible using green, pink or yellow Power Bait with the west shore and Deer creek the most productive spots.” Merritt Gilbert confirmed the good trout fishing from the shorelines for rainbows to 15-inches with a couple of limits possible for a 5 hour session. At Shaver Lake , The Trophy Trout project meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at Tiffany Pines meeting room, and visitors are invited. There next meeting is February 15th. Captain Jack Yandell and Shaver Lake fishing guide Dick Nichols, will be featured at Shaver Lake fishing seminars at Herb Bauer's in Fresno on February 23 at 6 p.m. and Valley Rod and Gun, in Clovis, on March 31st in the early afternoon. Long time Shaver Lake resident Lee Gates will be on the agenda and present a historical slide show at each event. Yandell and Nichols will also be using the slide show in their presentation. Topics to be covered in the slide show, current photos of Shaver, along with photos of the late 1800's. Nichols will provide photos of the lake bottom, cover the hot fishing spots of the lake, and what it takes to catch the trophy size trout. Yandell, Shaver Lake’s resident kokanee expert, will cover the progress of the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project, a slide show of last year’s trophy trout that were caught, his recommendations on catching big fish and the use of the down rigger. Huntington rose to 61% of capacity with Shaver Lake remains at 0%, but it will start to fill soon from upstream sources.
Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez
Nacimiento was the host for the inaugural Best Bass Tournament on Saturday, and 24 of the 28 boats weighed in limits with a number of bass in the 1.5-pound range being culled,. The Snake Arm and other creek arms were producing the best cut of fish with jigs or plastics, but fishing deep with jigs also produced. Wacky-rigged stickbaits were another option for tournament anglers.
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