Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3618 August 18- September 4 2017 | Page 10

8
FRESHWATER
Aug. 18 - Sept. 1, 2017
FRESHWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PG 4
AMERICAN BASIN
cont.
average. Ice House Reservoir is holding
37,601 acre-feet of water, 86 percent of
capacity and 98 percent of average.
AMERICAN RIVER
Toss Jigs Early & Late For
Stripers
SACRAMENTO - Striped bass have
replaced shad as the top quarry on the
American River in the “dog days” of August,
but few anglers have been out trying in the
heat.
“Locals are hooking a few stripers,
mostly schoolies up to 8 pounds, while
throwing out fish traps on 1-1/2 oz. jigheads
early and late in the day,” said Alan Fong
at Fisherman’s Warehouse. “The most
consistent action is available in the upper
river from Sunrise to Hazel Avenue.”
The salmon fishing has been slow since
the opener, though persistent fishermen
are picking up a few kings in Nimbus Basin.
“One friend and his buddy reported landing
two salmon weighing 6 and 12 pounds in
the basin,” said Fong.
Water releases from Nimbus Dam in the
American continue to be 3,500 cfs, reported
Peggy Manza of Reclamation.
- Dan Bacher
LAKE BERRYESSA
Trollers Working For Limits Of
Rainbows
WINTERS - Boaters are catching limits
of healthy Eagle Lake-strain rainbows at
Lake Berryessa, but they can expect to
work harder for them in the late summer
heat.
“We’re trolling spoons at 35 to 55 feet
deep for rainbows in the 15 to 22 inch
range,” reported Troy Barr of T-Roy’s
Guide Service. “We’re using RMT Serpent
Spoons, Apex lures and Brad’s Kokanee
Cut Plugs in the Narrows and Skier’s Cove
areas.”
“We landed limits on our latest trips, but
they’re getting harder to catch because
of the heat,” noted Barr. “There are a lot
of kokanee in the 10 to 12 inch range,
but we’re not fishing for them now. The
kokanee fishery looks good for next year.
The lake is really healthy this summer.”
Black bass are in their summer pattern
at Lake Berryessa, with top water lures
working in the early morning and late
evening hours – and drop shot rigs
working the rest of the day.
“One my last trip to Berryessa, we
landed 12 bass total, mostly largemouths,”
said Don Paganelli of Paganelli’s Bass
Fishing Experience in Sacramento. “The
drop shot bite is best with Robo Worms
fished at 10 to 30 feet deep. The bass are
scattered all over the lake now.”
BULLARDS BAR/
ENGLEBRIGHT LAKES
Trollers Nail Ten Fish Kokanee
Limits
SACRAMENTO– If you like to catch a 10
fish limit of scrappy kokanee salmon, Bullards
Bar offers some of the top action for summer
trollers in California now.
“Guys are still going up there and catching
limits of kokanee averaging 10 to 12 inches
long,” said Alan Fong of Fisherman’s
Warehouse. “Trolling in the main body of the
lake at 35 to 45 feet deep in 300 feet of water
is your best bet.”
He recommended trolling with pink
hoochies or Apex lures, tipped with white corn.
Wedding Rings, Sockeye Slammers, Uncle
Larry’s spinners, Hum Dingers, Needlefish and
other lures will also work.
“Anglers are catching easy limits of kokanee
at Bullards Bar,” confirmed Craig Newton at
Will Fish Bait and Tackle in Auburn. “Boaters
are doing best trolling micro hoochies behind
dodgers at 35 to 45 feet deep. The larger fish
measure 12 to 13 inches long.”
Bullards Bar Reservoir is holding 842,447
acre-feet of water, 83 percent of capacity, and
112 percent of average.
Fishing pressure at Englebright Reservoir
has been light lately, due to the large numbers
of recreational boaters hitting the lake and
the hot weather. Englebright is a sleeper for
trollers to pursue beautiful holdover rainbows
and a few wild German browns.
Englebright is holding 67,5