VOL.39 • ISS. 20
FRESHWATER
Sept 25, 2020
13
EASTERN SIERRA cont.
“It is safe to say that the majority of the
fish in the lake are now in these areas
due to the number that are being caught
now. It is a mixed bag of trout sizes and
species currently with some fish as small
as 6 inches and ranging up to 24 inches.
Rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout are
all in the mix now and feeding heavily on
midges over the mud and perch fry along
the weeds.”
“Our assassins in dark and light along
with perch fry patterns in dark and light
are accounting for many of our catches.
Midges can be fished tight to the bottom
or up a few feet higher currently for best
results. Stripping streamers along the
weeds especially when the wind kicks up
can get you into some nice fish this time
of year,” Loe disclosed.
“On the Upper Owens, the fish have
now seen every hopper pattern thrown
their way so they are getting selective.
Try stimulators as an alternative when the
wind kicks up. A good selection of dry flies
for different times of the day will be useful
now. Smaller nymphs drifted through the
deeper pools will get you fish. Sneak
attacks are necessary now with low and
clear water,” said Loe.
“Flows are fluctuating a little upward
and a little downward on the East Walker.
This is not enough to adversely affect the
fishing though, as they are staying fairly
consistent. Fish in the faster riffles in the
early and late parts of the day. Crawdad
patterns, hoppers, pheasant tails, midges,
and San Juan worms are doing the trick,”
Loe concluded.
EAGLE LAKE
CABIN RENTALS
3811
HOW TO
By Cal Kellogg
continued from page 5
fish compared to the rainbows we often
catch, so the mack is going to pull the line
right out of the downrigger clip, right?
Well, sometimes that is exactly how a
strike occurs, but more often than not a
bite is much subtler than that. Since your
offerings are moving slowly lakers tend to
nip at them daintily and get hooked right
in the front of the mouth. Many times
when they are hooked they will swim
along with the boat and the line won’t be
pulled from the release.
As a result it is imperative to keep
watching your rod tips as you troll. A few
light taps or pumps are often the only
things that register a hooked fish. If you
think a fish is on the bait, grab the rod,
pop the line out of the clip and reel as
quickly as you can to get the slack out of
the line. Once the mack feels the resistance
and is drawn off the bottom it will
wake up, shift gears and begin putting
up the dogged head shaking fight that
deepwater macks are known for.
Furnished
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$60 per night or
$360 per week
Awesome
• Trout Fishing
• Hiking
• Biking
• Relaxing
Rentals — Real Estate — Lots & Land
For Reservations and info:
(530)825-2131
www.eaglelakeheritage.com
Tom Mailey caught this impressive king during an August trolling trip to Folsom Lake.
Photo courtesy of TOM MAILEY, Sacramento.
FEATHER RIVER
Salmon Bite Remains Tough
OROVILLE - More salmon are moving
into the Feather River, but the fishing
has been tough during the recent hot
weather.
“I made a solo trip below the
Thermalito Afterbay Outlet that produced
one 12 lb. king,” said Rob Reimers of
Rustic Rob’s Guide Service. “I also lost
another fish that day. Both fish hit Brad’s
Killer Fish.”
However, the next two trips didn’t
produce any more salmon. The reports
he’s heard from other anglers confirm
the tough fishing.
“On my latest trip to the Feather River
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between Marysville and Gridley, I was
the only boat that was fishing,” stated
Mark Morrison of Mark Morrison’s Guide
Service. “I tried trolling K-14 Kwikfish,
fishing jigs and casting spinners, but didn’t
hook any salmon.”
Few anglers are targeting striped bass
and channel catfish. Catfish offer the best
prospects for boaters and bank anglers
fishing in the evenings and early in the
morning. Toss out mackerel, chicken
liver, anchovies and other cut baits for
maximum success.
Department of Water Resources
releases from Lake Oroville to the Feather
River are now 2,100 cfs.
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FOLSOM LAKE
Variety Fishing Available on
South Fork
FOLSOM – Daryl Carter of Sacramento
experienced solid variety fishing during
a trolling adventure at Folsom Lake on
Friday, September 11 after launching out
of Browns Ravine.
He landed two king salmon weighing 3
and 1-1/2 pounds while trolling sardine
strips behind Sling Blades, a 2 lb.
spott4ed bass while trolling a Speedy
Shiner and a 2 lb. channel catfish while
fishing a nightcrawler in a cove in the
South Fork.
A 5 mile per hour speed limit throughout
Folsom Lake will go into effect when the
reservoir reaches elevation 400’. The lake
level was 411.76 feet at press time. The
lake is holding 463,039 acre feet of water,
47 percent of capacity and 78 percent of
average.
Boaters need to use caution while
boating on Folsom as the lake is changing
elevation on a daily basis, according
to the Folsom Lake Marina. By state
law there is always a 5 mph speed limit
within 200’ of shore. The Granite Bay,
Folsom Point and the Hobie Cove ramp at
Brown’s Ravine are opened. boat Ramps.
Black bass fishing pressure has been
light, due to the heat and the fires
throughout California. The fishing should
become more consistent as the weather
cools and the smallmouth, spotted and
largemouth bass become more active.
Until it does, expect the fish to remain
in a summer pattern: fish top water lures
off major lake points first thing in the
morning, then drop shot with Robo Worms
and swimbaits in pond smelt and crayfish
patterns in 15 to 30 feet of water during
the day.
Rob Cooper and his fishing partner
found excellent action on all three bass
species while working Zoom Flukes off
underwater structure on a recent trip.
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CONTINUED ON PG 16
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