22 Dec . 8 - 22 , 2017
FRESHWATER
VOL . 36 • ISS . 26
FRESHWATER REPORTS :
CONTINUED FROM PG 20
LAKE TAHOE cont .
“ Cal encouraged me to give it a try . I figured he ’ d recommend using minnow plugs and he did , but he also advised me to give PowerBait drop shot minnows trolled behind a 6 inch Sling Blade dodger a try . I was skeptical about using bass baits , but I picked some up and I ’ m glad I did . After dropping in at Cave Rock I spent an hour trolling with Rapalas both topline and off a leadcore outfit . I got one bump and zero hookups , so I decided to slow down and give the PowerBait / Sling Blade combo a try .”
“ I hooked a small 2 pound mackinaw on the leadcore outfit within the first 10 minutes . A while later I got another mack that was a little bigger and then I got the big strike of the day . The leadcore rigged got slammed with the gear working about 30 feet deep and the fish was immediately on the surface . I knew it was a big rainbow and I was sure I was going to lose it , but I got it into the net . I didn ’ t weight the fish , but I got a rough measurement before the release . It was right around 25 inches ,” exclaimed Souza .
Souza ’ s total for the day was 4 mackinaw and the big rainbow . He released all the fish but one , keeping a 3 pound mack for the smoker .
TRINITY RIVER / LAKE
Trinity Fall Chinook , Steelhead Weir Counts Soar
WEAVERVILLE - Fall Chinook salmon counts at the Willow Creek Weir on the lower Trinity River are almost four times as those recorded by the same time last year .
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife ( CDFW ) reported 1,895 fall chinooks , including 1030 adults and 865 grilse , to date . That compares to 459 fish , including 383 adults and 76 grilse , in 2016 .
Likewise , coho numbers are up considerably from last year , with a total of 66 fish , including 30 adults and 36 grilse , so far . That compares with 3 fish , including 1 adult and 2 grilse , last year ,
Steelhead numbers are also up from last season , with 746 fish , including 689 adults and 57 pounders , this season . That compares to 564 fish , including 519 adults 45 half pounders , by the same date in 2016 .
Recent rains had muddied the water on the Trinity at press time , with the only area producing solid steelhead fishing being the Lewiston to Douglas City stretch . However , the fishing below Douglas City is expected to pick up as the water clears , reported Tim Brady of Trinity Outdoors .
“ Fishing has been good for bank anglers and boaters ,” said Brady . “ Fishermen are using an array of flies , nightcrawlers , roe and spoons . Most fish are in the 2 to 5 lb . range , with some bigger steelhead .”
Fishing pressure continues to be relatively light on the Trinity River , due to the closure of fall Chinook fishing this year on the Trinity River from Sept . 1 through Dec . 31 .
Lewiston Lake is still worth a try for rainbow trout , but few anglers have been fishing for trout , salmon or bass at Trinity Lake .
Trinity Lake is holding 1,752,097 acre-feet of water , 72 percent of capacity and 110 percent of capacity . Releases to the Trinity River below Lewiston Dam are 315 cfs .
WEST DELTA
Persistence Pays Off For Bait Anglers
BRANNAN ISLAND - Fishing success in the West Delta requires bait and patience
with declining water temperatures . Both sturgeon and stripers are up for grabs for anglers willing to put in some time .
Captain Hayden Mullins of Dragon Sportfishing has been on a sturgeon catching rampage recently .
“ We ’ ve been on fire recently . We ’ ve found the fish and they are on a solid eel bite ,” exclaimed Mullins . “ We ’ ve been working water that is around 30 feet deep down toward the ships in Suisun Bay . We had over 30 sturgeon last week . One looked to be over 175 pounds and two over 200 pounds . We ’ ve been averaging 2 keepers per day .”
“ Upcoming this bite should hold up if we don ’ t get a huge shot of rain . Big rain will change things . When that happens the fish typically
head down to San Pablo . If big rains come we ’ ll continue catching fish , but we ’ ll have to find them again and establish a new pattern . It ’ s all part of the game , but as for right now we ’ ve got them dialed in ,” related Mullins .
On the striper fishing front , both live and cut baits are working . For a limit of keepers ,
Ron travelled all the way from Arizona to fish with Delta Legend , Barry Canevaro on October 27 . Capt . Canevaro didn ’ t disappoint , he put Ron on this 45 inch keeper sturgeon while fishing the upper end of Suisun Bay .
Photo courtesy of FISH HOOKERS SPORTFISHING , Isleton .
it ’ s hard to beat filleted shad or chicken liver . For larger fish , live baits such as mudsuckers , jumbo shiners and bullheads are the way to go .
The average bass is running 4 to 6 pounds , but bigger fish up to and beyond 10 are common and fish to 40 pounds have been reported .
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