16 August 21,, 2020 VOL.39 • ISS. 18
FRESHWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PG 11
KLAMATH/TRINITY RIVERS cont.
we hooked four fish and lost them all. On
another day, we hooked two salmon and
landed both.”
“The salmon ranged up to 15 pounds,
but they averaged 8 to 10 pounds each.
Dave Sparks also landed a 9 lb. hatchery
steelhead,” said Lampkin.
Lampkin said trolled anchovies
produced the top action, but said Brad’s
Cut Plugs also worked He was slated to
go back to the Klamath for the fall run
opener on August 15.
The spring Chinook salmon fishery on
the lower Klamath River (downstream of
the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec) and
Trinity River (upstream of the confluence
of the South Fork Trinity River) opened
July 1 and run through Aug. 14 on the
Klamath River and through Aug. 31 on
the Trinity River. The daily bag limit has
been set to one Chinook salmon (no size
restrictions), and the possession limit set
at two Chinook salmon.
The fall Chinook salmon fishery in the
Klamath River will open Aug. 15, and in
the Trinity River, the fall Chinook salmon
season begins Sept. 1. The Klamath-
Trinity basin in-river quota is 1,296 adult
fall Chinook salmon for 2020.
Fall Chinook salmon regulations on
length have changed since 2019, with
the adult size now being greater than
23 inches total length (previously 22
inches). Bag limits will remain the same
as 2019, with a two-fish daily bag limit,
with no more than one fish over 23 inches
(such as one adult and one jack). The
possession limit remains the same at six
fish, with no more than three fish over 23
inches (effectively three daily bag limits).
Additionally, the brown trout bag
and possession limits have doubled;
increased to 10 fish per day and 20 fish in
possession throughout the basin.
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The salmon bite is on in the Feather River. These anglers hooked these salmon while fishing with Captain Kevin
Brock on July 23.
Photo courtesy of KEVIN BROCK’S GUIDE SERVICE, Chico.
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BRENTWOOD –- If you want to catch
striped bass and channel catfish at
Los Vaqueros Reservoir, toss out cut
anchovies from the bank for the best
success.
“Shore anglers are catching both
species while fishing in the South Cove or
hiking into Cowboy Cove,” advised Ryan
McKinley at the Los Vaqueros Marina.
“The rental boats haven’t been able to
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FRESHWATER
get out for the past week because of the
wind.”
“Trout fishing off the shore is tough,” he
noted. “However, when the boats have
been able to get to Howden and Cox
Coves, they have catching rainbows up
to 24 inches. They’re catching most of the
fish on PowerBait and Kastmasters.”
Big fish honors go to Joseph Burney,
who successfully battled a 10 lb. catfish at
Los Vaqueros.
Boat rentals are now open again at
the marina. They are available on a first
come, first serve basis, and are subject to
wind restrictions.
Just a few reminders: social distance
and masks are required. No pets, BBQs,
alcohol, or fireworks are allowed. Cold
October and November as possible, so if
you’re looking for me this fall don’t come
knocking because I’ll likely be in the woods
or on the water.
So, if you want to go lake fishing right now,
what are some good spots to consider trying?
From what I’ve seen, if kokanee are your
passion there are several options for big
numbers of pansize fish including, Bucks,
Stampede, Pardee and Bullards Bar. For
big sockeye salmon, New Melones and
Berryessa seem to be the kings this year,
with the size title going to Melones. I’ve seen
photos of 19 inchers at Melones. The high
end Berryessa fish are an inch or two smaller.
Never the less, both lakes are producing
some handsome ‘kokes, but it’s not limit
style fishing. You’ll have to work for your
strikes, but the size makes up for the effort!
Folsom has been playing host to a sleeper
king salmon bite that ranges from good to
very good depending on the day. Most of
the fish are about 2 pounds, but 5 pounders
are possible. Copper spoons are drawing most of the
strikes when trolled from about 35 to 60 feet deep.
At Tahoe, the combo action has been pretty good.
Mackinaw are providing steady limits on fish that
range up to 11 pounds. The kokanee bite kicked into
gear about 2 weeks ago and it’s been getting steadily
better since then. So far, the big salmon are running
up to about 15, but with the fish just now starting to
concentrate bigger salmon will show up.
If trout are your passion, a trip to Shasta might be
just what the doctor ordered. The rainbows are starting
to stack up in the thermocline. Most serious trollers
can pull a limit by 9 in the morning (before it gets
super-hot and the recreational boaters show up) while
pulling shad imitating spoons 40 to 70 feet deep.
Eagle? Almanor? Both of these trout power houses
are producing trout. At Almanor top end rainbows go
about 7 pounds and at Eagle big fish range up to 4.
While the action at both of these lakes is good on big
rainbows, it’s going to be a lot better for even bigger
water is available
at the marina,
but always make
sure you pack
extra in the heat.
No swimming is
allowed at the
reservoir.
The reservoir and
watershed will be
open for normal
hours: 6 am-8 pm.
Call the Marina with
questions at 925-
371-2628.
NEW
MELONES
LAKE
Kokanee Are
Big, But Not
Numerous
ANGELS CAMP–
If you want to
catch big kokanee
salmon, New Melones is your best choice
this summer. However, the fish are not
numerous and it takes a lot of work to
catch them.
Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service
has been taking evening trips on New
Melones, and he has consistently scored
limits of big, chunky kokanee to 19 inches,
but he said, “It hasn’t been easy as you
have to find them as they are hugging the
bottom. I am using stainless steel stick
weights to bounce the bottom with Apex
lures behind the new Mag Tackle Gold
Series dodger at 85 feet.”
“I took out young Northrop Kirk of
Soulsbyville, and he landed four quality
kokanee to 2 pounds along with one
smaller fish. I am seeing signs of the
WHAT’S HOT continued from page 1
CONTINUED ON PG 17
Lake Shasta’s rainbows are starting to bite well for early morning
anglers. Patty caught this limits during a trolling adventure near
Bridge Bay at the end of July.
Photo courtesy of ROBERT HOWER, Lake Shasta.
fish in 6 to 8 weeks!
Now if you want to do something really fun,
consider a “warm water potluck trip”. You can
do this at just about any foothills or valley lake,
although smaller lakes are better.
What I’m talking about is hitting the water early
with light gear in search of topwater bass and
panfish.
Small bass and big bluegill are super active at this
time of the year. They like that 75-degree water!
Small poppers will draw savage strikes from small
bass for the first couple hours of the day.
After that switch, over to a tiny jig or a cricket
under a bobber and laugh a couple hours away
smacking around some palm size panfish!
Well that’s it for now. I’ll catch you right here in
the pages of the Fish Sniffer next time. Between
now and then, I’m going to invest some time
getting my gear ready for fall and of course I’m
going to chip away at that honey do list so I’m
ready to rock when things heat up in a few weeks!