Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3720 Sept 14-18 | Page 8

8 Sept 14 - 28 , 2018 VOL . 37 • ISS . 20

ALMANOR / BUCKS LAKES

Trout Bite At Almanor As Bucks Kokanee Hit 15 Inches

CHESTER - The water level at Lake Almanor is higher than usual and the lake ’ s rainbows are providing thrills . At this point the action is fair , but is expected to get much better the days get shorter and the water temperature drops .

Anglers are starting to pick up some rainbows while trolling quickly with spoons , but the most consistent approach remains slow rolling a threaded worm right along the bottom .

“ We ’ ve been working just off the bottom around the Peninsula with threaded worms with very good results . We ’ ve been getting some very good rainbows up to 5.5 pounds and there have been some good size salmon showing up too . We haven ’ t seen many browns recently , but they will start getting active again with the approach of fall ,” reported Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy ’ s Guide Service .

The average trout has been going about 2.5 pounds and rainbows to 6 are possible .

“ The kokanee bite has been really consistent up at Bucks Lake ,” disclosed Roccucci . “ We are seeing lots of 14 and 15 inch fish right now on lures and blades from Paulina Peak Tackle .”

Roccucci will be leaving Bucks Lake soon . He will be spending the fall guiding on both Lake Almanor and Eagle Lake .

LAKE AMADOR

33.4 Lb . Bag Tops Moonlighter Team Bass Tournament

IONE – On August 25-26 , Lake Amador Resort sponsored its annual Moonlight Team Bass Tournament from 7 p . m . to 7 a . m . Twenty-one teams participated in the unique event , according to Elizabeth Lockhart at the Lake Amador Resort .

Jimmy Ghiorsso and Bryan Roland won first place with 33.40 pounds of bass .

Lake Almanor Eagle Lake Lake Davis Bucks Lake Lake Tahoe

FRESHWATER REPORTS

They won a total of $ 1250 .

Scott Hammond and Tom Manley placed second with 25.85 pounds , winning $ 750 .

Steven Cotiler and Dennis Torre placed third in the event with 24.35 pounds , winning $ 350 .

Big fish honors go to Kevin Kaufman with his 8.95 lb . largemouth . He won $ 210 .

The event cost $ 174 per team , including entry fees . There was a 80 percent payback for the prize money .

The morning , evening and night hours are the prime time to target catfish at Lake Amador now . Anglers are bagging cats ranging from 4 to 17 pounds while soaking mackerel , nightcrawlers and other baits . The boat docks , RV Park and Carson Creek Arm are among the better areas for the channel cats .

The lake is currently 16 feet from maximum pool .

AMERICAN RIVER

Bureau Drops Flows Below Nimbus Dam to 1,800 cfs

SACRAMENTO – As is normally the case right before the fall run of Chinook salmon enters the lower American River , the U . S . Bureau of Reclamation has reduced water releases below Nimbus Dam . The agency cut flows from 2,200 cfs to 1,800 cfs on August 28 and 29 due to “ reduced delta needs ,” said Peggy Manza of Reclamation .

The top prospect on the river now is striped bass , but few anglers have been out fishing for them . Anglers fishing the river from Sailor Bar to Howe Avenue should toss out Zara Spooks and Pencil Poppers early and late in the day . During the heat of the day , fishermen should fish with jumbo minnows , sardines and anchovies .

“ Salmon fishing on the American is very slow at this time and I haven ’ t heard of many anglers getting out on the river ,” said Alan Fong at Fisherman ’ s

Now Booking Fall Trout at Lake Almanor and Eagle Lake

Captain Bryan Roccucci www . BigDaddyFishing . com

Call for Best Dates – ( 530 ) 370-1001

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on Highway 88 at Carson Pass

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Warehouse . “ I haven ’ t heard of any many anglers targeting striped bass either .”

- Dan Bacher

LAKE BERRYESSA

Target Three Species of Bass with Spoons !

NAPA - Larry Hemphill , fishing guide , reported on a good bass fishing trip to Berryessa with long time fishing buddy and owner / creator of Blade Runner Tackle , Rick Tietz .

“ Most of you know he created the now famous Blade Runner spoon , with the most natural colors ever seen on a spoon ,” said Hemphill . “ When I fish spoons with Rick , I do my best not to be embarrassed . He is the best !”

“ The bite was slower than expected in spite of bait everywhere now ,’ noted Hemphill . “ Yesterday was cooler and windy which might have slowed the bite . Yea , we only caught around 50 and lost 15-20 more . It wasn ’ t a search and destroy trip , just covered about 2 / 3 ’ s of the lake , checking out locations of bait , etc .”

“ Wow , Berryessa is one healthy lake ,” said Hemphill . “ In one section of the narrows , we saw an amazing feeding period of about 45 minutes , bass chasing bait all over the place . It makes one realize how many bass are in the lake - that don ’ t BITE !”

“ We did catch a few of them . I

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Anglers fishing with Robert Weese of Northern California Guide Service have been battling some beautiful king salmon while fishing the Sacramento River near Red Bluff . Photo courtesy of NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GUIDE SERVICE ,

Redding .

LAKE AMADOR

Trout Planted Weekly !

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caught a few drop-shotting a MM111 Robo worm in 40 feet of water . We didn ’ t catch any big bass , but several in the 2-1 / 2 to a little over 3 lbs . All three species were biting - and the smallmouth were back ,” stated Hemphill .

“ We didn ’ t fish much on the bank , just tried to find off-shore structure with ledges , rock piles , and creek channels . These are the new homes of summer bass , following the bait ! We use the 1 3 / 4 ounce spoons . Don ’ t waste time with a light spoon ! As in drop-shotting , get down to where the summer bass are ,” he concluded .

Kristy and Mike Carpentier , Fish Sniffer subscribers , reported top-notch trout fishing on their trolling adventure at Lake Berryess on August 26 . .

“ With the weather being so hot , this was our first time fishing in about a month ,” said Carpentier . “ It was really nice to get the boat wet and hunt down some Berryessa trout .”

“ A 7am we headed out to the main lake and began fast trolling , 3-3.5mph ,” she stated . “ It didn ’ t take long before the poles

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Continued on Pg 6

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Ken Salvi caught this 4 lb , 24 inch German brown in July 2017 near Emigrant Creek . For information , call ( 209 ) -258-8888

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