FRESHWATER REPORTS :

CONTINUED FROM PG 10

DAVIS LAKE cont .

accessible by a 2wd vehicle ; there is some snow ( melting rapidly ) as you go down the access roads . Honker Cove boat ramp has snow and ice on it , but the cove has thawed as is ice free . There is some unsafe , very thin ice in the dam area with several open water areas .”

Lake Davis is holding 70,142 acre feet of water , 85 percent of capacity and 119 percent of average .

- Dan Bacher

DEL VALLE RESERVOIR

Trout Limits The Rule !

LIVERMORE – Anglers are enjoying spring-like weather and excellent trout fishing on Lake Del Valle .

“ The weather has been favorable for trout fishing this past week ,” said Cody McGarry of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company . “ People are limiting out from shore again on rainbow trout . Mouse Tails and any type of PowerBait or Power Eggs with garlic are your best baits .”

Jay Beal of San Jose led the catches with an 8 lb . rainbow . Other successful anglers include , Phabian Warren of

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This angler and his fishing partner teamed up and landed this incredible rainbow trout during a January outing at Collins Lake .

Photo courtesy of THE COLLINS LAKE RECREATION AREA , Oregon House .

Livermore , who caught a trout weighing 5.5 lbs ., and Daryl Hill of San Jose , who also landed a rainbow weighing 5.5 lbs .

Anglers also reported catching several stripers over the weekend , noted McGarry .

There is an abundance of big , hefty rainbow trout at Lake Del Valle , due to heavy plants by the East Bay Regional Park District and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife ( CDFW ). The latest park district plant of 750 pounds of rainbows and the last CFW plant of 1,000 pounds went into the lake the week of January 29 .

EAST DELTA

Early Spring Weather Creates Active Conditions For Largemouth Bass

STOCKTON - All the signs of an early spring were revealed this week , and the unseasonably warm temperatures have led to more active largemouth

Randy Pringle , the Fishing Instructor , said , “ Mother Nature is making these days wars , and

we are 65 to 70 degrees . The fish are thinking , ‘ Holy

Smokes , spring is early .’ We have added the Max Scent from Berkley to our arsenal of the ima Flit ripbait and the Rock N ’ Vibe Suspend , and this been doing really , really well for us on a tungsten head . We are using the Bearded Chigger Craw which has a skirt on it , and since it has so much scent , we are able flip it up near the banks on a Texas-rig . Areas I am looking for are around weeds as the fish are starting to migrate to the spawning grounds . They aren ’ t spawning , but they are moving to the secondary staging points around weeds so they can ‘ belly up to the bar ’ in order to feed . They are feeding on food that is found in the weeds , and some better than average fish in the 5- to 7-pound range are starting to show up . The Berkley General and Flat Dog are also working for us . I am not even targeting striped bass in the San Joaquin anymore , but the largemouth bite is getting better and better . All is good in the ‘ hood in the San Joaquin-Delta .”

Dan Mathisen of Dan ’ s Delta Outdoors in Oakley said , “ I was only out for a few hours over the weekend for 3 bass to 12 pounds working Brass N ’ Glass in the grass in 6 to 10 feet of water . The key is slowing down and tickling the grass . There is also a jig bite . We also landed

5 legal stripers in the 21-inch range on the high tide in Frank ’ s Tract with vibrating jigs .”

Steve Santucci of Steve Santucci ’ s Fly Fishing Guide Service said , “ Delta fishing is really good and seems to be improving with each time out . There are more fish and the average fish are larger . We must have a fresh run of fish that have come up from the bay . The fresh stripers seem to hit harder and are much more aggressive . We are catching them on large Clouser minnows and using both fast sinking and intermediate lines .”

Johnny Tran of New Romeo ’ s Bait and Tackle in Freeport reported a solid bluegill biteoff of Eight Mile Road west of Stockton with red worms or jumbo red worms on a drop-shot rig .

- Dave Hurley

EASTERN SIERRA

Storms & Variable Conditions Impact Trout Fishing Success

BISHOP - “ A couple of mild winter storms came through the region , but only dropped any measurable precipitation at the highest of elevations ,” reported Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Guide Service . “ Another storm was forecast for the coming week , but it looks to be mostly rain . We are keeping an eye on the following weekend for the possibility of a decent snow storm . This one will be much colder and could bring over a foot of snow to the upper elevations .”

“ The East Walker River is holding at a nice winter release . Fish are once again spread all over the river . The upper Owens River has experienced a major increase in flows . Fishing may improve here if they drop again or some new fish move in ,” said Loe .

“ Hot Creek is stuck at low winter flows . Some decent afternoon hatches are providing some dry fly opportunities . Middle Owens River fishing good . Flows are holding at 98 and the water clarity is great . The Wild Trout section and Pleasant Valley Reservoir have been decent . Try dry dropper rigs with small patterns # 18-22 in the wadeable sections , while full sink lines can dredge up some trophy sized fish in the reservoir ,” Loe tipped .

CONTINUED ON PG 14

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