FRESHWATER
20 Sept 14 - 28 , 2018 VOL . 37 • ISS . 20
FRESHWATER REPORTS :
CONTINUED FROM PG 12
NEW MELONES LAKE cont .
the action has tapered off bit with the arrival of cooler water temperatures .
“ The water temperature is 4 degrees cooler , and shad have moved into deeper water ,” John Liechty of Xperience Bass Fishing Guide Service said . “ It is still good fishing , but a lot has changed in a week . The bass have moved into deeper water , but the bait is what moves the bass , not necessarily the water temperature . They have repositioned , and finesse techniques are working best .”
“ Prior to the cooler weather , there was a topwater bite , but we only had two swirls in over six locations on Saturday morning that have been producing from one to five bass on each location . The fish aren ’ t coming to the surface anymore , as there is little bait in the top 10 feet . You have to adjust right now , and the ability to adjust makes a good day a better day .,” said Liechty .
“ We still ended up with 45 bass to 3.5 pounds on Saturday , and every other fish was in the 1- to 2-pound range and not any of the chunky spots or largemouths that we have been finding . I am really excited about the change in the weather and what is to come during the fall .,” advised LIechty .
The trout fishing is still spotty , although the fish being landed are quality ones in the 3 to 7 lb . class .
Gene Hildebrand of Glory Hole Sports in Angels Camp advised anglers to troll with blue / orange hoochies or rainbow Apex lures tipped with scented corn behind a rainbow dodger . The kokanee are hitting on orange or green frog hoochies behind an orange-scale dodger . Use your graph to determine the depth where the trout and kokanee are holding , since the weather has cooled down .
The Glory Hole Catfish Derby is set for the month of October and sign-ups began in September .
“ Catfish are coming out at night , and anglers are soaking cutbaits and hanging a bell on the end of their rod , with the coves around Tuttletown or by the dam being the top locations ,” he stated .
“ Crappie are on the bite feeding in and around coves - and live minnows , top
Glen used a tiny fly to fool this big Lake Crowley brown trout in late August . Photo courtesy of SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE , Bishop .
water baits , and plastic crappie jigs are productive baits to use ,” he added .
The lake is currently 76 percent of capacity .
OROVILLE LAKE
Trollers Go Down to 50 Feet for Chinooks
OROVILLE – Very few anglers are targeting landlocked king salmon on Lake Oroville at this time , since most are concentrating on targeting salmon on the Feather and Sacramento rivers .
“ I ’ ve been focusing on Feather River salmon lately , so I haven ’ t been fishing Lake Oroville ,” said Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob ’ s Guide Service . “ However , anglers are continuing to catch limits of salmon in the lake .”
“ One friend reported hooking limits of kings in the 16 to 20 inch range while trolling with Brad ’ s Kokanee Cut Plugs ,” said Reimers . “ He said the fish were spread out in schools . The fish hit in the Bidwell Canyon area of the lake at 50 feet deep .”
The bass fishing has changed very little lately , with a typical late summer bass bite on tap . The majority of the fish are smaller
spotted bass in the 12 to 14 inch range , with an occasional larger fish mixed in .
Boaters should throw top water lures off the main lake points early and late in the day and then drop shot with Robo Worms and other plastics in deep water during the day .
Lake Oroville is holding 1,646,321 acre feet of water , 47 percent of capacity and 70 percent of average .
- Dan Bacher
PARDEE LAKE
Trollers Bag Rainbow Trout , Kokanee Salmon
SACRAMENTO – The weekly trout plants continue weekly at Lake Pardee , with 1000 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm rainbows to 5 pounds released on August 23 , bringing the season ’ s total to 43,750 pounds . Trollers are picking up a mixture of rainbow trout and kokanee salmon .
Anglers are picking up the trout while trolling Speedy Shiners at 40 to 50 feet deep by dam and the kokanee while using hoochies and homemade J-Pex lures , tipped with white corn , behind dodgers at 70 to 120 feet near the river mouth .
Andre Fotenot out of San Bruno limited out on both rainbow trout and kokanee salmon . He trolled by the dam and the mouth of the river with pink radical glow tubes & homemade J-Pex lures , according to Silva Rogers of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company .
Bob Scruggs , Jeff Geizler , and Sid Miller fished the south end of the lake and twin coves while using J-Pex lures in gold / green & purple / pink . They caught a good amount of kokanee around 70-100 ft . deep .
Joe Askamit of Joefish Guide Service has also been experiencing kokanee success near China Gulch , while Brian Thomas of Pioneer bagged a limit of kokanee , topped by a 17.5 incher , while trolling with pink / purple hoochies at the river mouth .
“ The shore anglers are getting trout and bass at the Woodpile ,” said Rogers . “ The trout are hitting green and rainbow and garlic scented PowerBait . Largemouth and some smallmouth bass are hitting top water lures and drop shot rigs with plastic worms .”
The catfish action has slowed down , but anglers still hooking cats between 4 and 7 pounds on nightcrawlers and other baits at low water ramp evening bite .
Pardee is holding at 98 percent of capacity .
- Dan Bacher
REDDING / RED BLUFF
King Salmon and Rainbow Trout Bite !
RED BLUFF - “ The fishing is good ,” reported Mike Bogue of Mike Bogue ’ s Guide Service . “ Some days it ’ s really good and some days you have to work for them . I think the best fishing is still ahead
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