18 Aug . 18 - Sept . 1 , 2017 VOL . 36 • ISS . 18

FRESHWATER REPORTS :

CONTINUED FROM PG 9

COLUSA / KNIGHTS LANDING cont . been fishing cut sardines and anchovies for stripers at the Colusa State Park and near the Highway 20 Bridge .”

“ Other anglers fishing from boats are catching and releasing a few larger stripers while tossing out surface baits such as S-Wavers and Whopper Stoppers early and late in the day , but they ’ re pretty tight lipped about where they are fishing ,” he noted .

If you want to catch catfish , including some bigger fish in the 8 to 10 lb . class , fish mackerel and other cut baits above and below the Highway 113 Bridge in Knights Landing at night .

LAKE DAVIS

Trollers Battle Trout In Deep Water

PORTOLA – The surface water temperature has soared to 77 to 80 degrees and the trout have headed into deep water .

“ Your best bet is troll at 25 to 30 feet deep with a red dot firetiger or copper red head Dick Nite lure during the day ,” said Jim Graham of J & J Grizzly Store and Camping Resort . “ The trout have been coming up into the shallows to feed and then after 10 am go into deep water . The top area to troll is between the Big Island and Camp Five .”

One 11-year old girl caught a huge rainbow measuring 26 inches and weighing 6 pounds , 15 ounces while fishing PowerBait with her dad from shore early in the morning at Mallard Cove . “ The next day her and her dad landed three rainbows weighing 3 pounds each while fishing PowerBait in the same area ,” he said .

Graham hasn ’ t heard any reports lately about the fly fishing , but noted that there are hex and blood midge hatches occurring in the Fairview and Mosquito Slough areas .

Small largemouth bass , bluegill and catfish continue to be caught by shore anglers . One guy landed a 2-1 / 2 lb . largemouth , but

Sambo Lage hooked this beautiful Lake Pardee rainbow while trolling a Cripplure behind a Sling Blade dodger on July 19 .

Photo courtesy of SAMBO LAGE , Shasta Tackle .

didn ’ t divulge to Graham what he was using .

Lake Davis is holding 77,066 acre-feet of water , 93 percent of capacity and 122 percent of average .

- Dan Bacher

DEL VALLE LAKE

Striper Bite Is Hot Like The Weather

LIVERMORE – The surface water temperature is still sitting at a comfortable 81 degrees . The hot bite at Lake Del Valle over the past couple of weeks has been stripers , with many anglers coming back with limits , reported Cody McGarry at the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company .

“ For stripers , most anglers have been fishing out towards the dam with either anchovies , chicken liver or sardines ,” he tipped . “ If you ’ re here in the early morning from 6 to 8 a . m , I would recommend using a top water bait or a jerk bait around the bait balls . The upper narrows have also been a good spot for stripers lately , but make sure you ’ re fishing about 20 feet deep at the most ”.

Catfish action is also solid , with most anglers using anchovies and nightcrawlers . “ I would recommend trying out smaller chunks of mackerel ,” McGarrysaid . “ Make sure you are fishing around cover in the water , such as fallen trees ad weedbeds .”

Black bass are doing well this week with many early morning fishermen hooking them on top water baits . He also recommended throwing Senkos , RoboWorms or crankbaits around rocky points and deep coves .

Big fish honors go to Howie Aguwa of San Leandro , who landed a 14 lb . striper , and Jesus Mendoza of Newark , who caught a 6 lb . channel catfish .

DON PEDRO RESERVOIR

Rainbows Slam Shad Imitating Spoons !

LA GRANGE - “ We have been finding quality rainbows stuffed with 1-inch or larger shad at depths from 30 to 55 feet running my custom spoons on the downrigger on Phenix Rods ,” reported Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing . “ We found the fish in one area on Wednesday and were done by 10:30 a . m . with a few limits . The following day , the fish had moved around 100 yards away , and it was a different bite , but we stayed with it . Friday ’ s bite was outstanding with limits by 10:45 a . m .”

“ There is a lot of bait in the lake , and the fish are spitting up ground shad while their bellies are loaded with whole shad .

The rainbow bite is on at Lake Don Pedro as this successful angler will attest

Photo courtesy of GOLD COUNTRY SPORTFISHING , Oakdale .

Sometimes I coat my spoons with Pro Cure ’ s Super Sauce in either tuna or herring , and the scent certainly can ’ t hurt . We even picked up three king salmon this week , but kokanee were absent , and we aren ’ t targeting them anymore . The water clarity has changed to the normal summer pattern of a green tinge , and we have around 8 feet of visibility . The lake is nearly full despite releasing water , but the majority of the snowpack has melted although there is still snow on Sonora Pass ,” said Smith .

Mike Gomez of the Bait Barn in Waterford said , “ There is a topwater bite with the River2Sea Rover or similar lures early in the morning or evenings , and buzzbaits have also been effective . By 9:00 or 9:30 a . m . when the sun is on the water , you have to work your way down in the water column with crankbaits , jerkbaits , or swimbaits before going at deep at 60 feet by noon with Pro Worms in 124p or 300 or Berserk ’ s brown / purple or Purple Hornet jigs .”

“ At this time of year , I like to use 1 / 8th ounce shakey head on 4-lb . test in order to get down to the 45 to 60 foot level . The fish become inactive during the heat of the day , but they will move up once again at night with anglers using fluorescent line with black spinnerbaits or crankbaits . At both lakes , anglers are getting on at first light and getting off by 10:00 a . m . when the water skiers arrive in force ,” Gomez concluded .

- David Hurley