FRESHWATER REPORTS :

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EASTERN SIERRA

Upper & Lower Virginia Lakes Produce Trout For Kayakers

BRIDGEPORT - “ We ’ ve had some slow reports from the shore anglers on Upper and Lower Virginia Lakes , but some really good reports from anglers fishing from tubes and kayaks ,” reported Jim Reid at Ken ’ s Sporting Goods . “ The bait fishing has been good with Mice Tails , pinched crawlers and night crawlers . Lure anglers are using Kastmasters and Thomas Buoyants . Fly anglers are stripping streamers like matukas , seal buggers and balanced leeches .”

“ Bridgeport Reservoir is starting to pick up again with anglers reporting 10 to 20 fish per boat both bait fishing and trolling . Trollers are using Rapalas , Needlefish and crawlers and having good success . There are lots of Sacramento perch being caught with some anglers reporting getting into 20 to 40 per day on the troll ,” said Reid .

“ Bait anglers are doing the best with inflated crawlers and there ’ s also some action with pinched crawlers , Mice Tails and PowerBait . There still isn ’ t much action from the shore but as the water cools and the weeds start to go away this should improve . Most of the trout being caught are in the 2 to 3 pound range with some going up almost 5 pounds lately ,” exclaimed Reid .

“ The Twins are still kicking out some nice fish , the numbers have dropped a little but there are still some good quality fish being caught . The bait and fly fishing have been the best ,” added Reid .

FEATHER RIVER

Anglers Slam Fall Chinooks !

YUBA CITY – Salmon fishing remains very good on the Feather River below the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet , where both boaters and bank anglers are hooking their limits .

“ That ’ s a wrap !” said Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob ’ s Guide Service after his most recent trip . “ We had an awesome morning on the Feather River , catching our one fish limits . Even the captain and deckhand got in on the action .”

Manuel Saldana , Jr ., also reported topnotch fishing on the Feather River below the outlet .

“ Sean and Chad caught their one fish

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“ I ’ ll make you a better Hooker !”

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Capt . Brad Bugica

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Holly and Brandon took an early September trip to Collins Lake and landed this impressive largemouth bass .

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

limits by 6:55 AM today ,” said Saldana . “ They used the Brad ’ s Killer Fishing Gear double glow nose again .”

Salmon fishing on the Feather from the unimproved boat ramp above the Thermalito Afterbay Outfall to 200 yards above the Live Oak boat ramp will close after October 15 , though fishing for steelhead and other fish species will remain open .

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife ( CDFW ) is reminding anglers to be aware of regulations regarding possession of Spring-run Chinook Salmon , as well as the bag and possession limits specific to the Mokelumne River .

“ Spring-run Chinook Salmon are protected by both the state and federal Endangered Species Acts ,” according to the CDFW . “ The largest population occurs in the Feather River where the Feather River Hatchery has a tagging program for this protected run . Spring-run Chinook Salmon are tagged and released in the low-flow channel of the Feather River to allow them the opportunity to spawn in an area of the river that is closed to fishing .

“ However , they sometimes stray captain

JAMES NETZEL

Full Time Guide from the closed section of the river and are subsequently caught and kept by anglers . The CDFW asks anglers to return any tagged spring-run Chinook Salmon to the river ,” the Department said .

The bag limit for fall-run Chinook Salmon on the American , Feather and Sacramento rivers is one fish , and the possession limit is two fish , as per the 2018-2019 Supplement Sport Fishing Regulations . However , the bag limit for fall-run Chinook Salmon on the Mokelumne River is two fish , and the possession limit is four fish .

- Dan Bacher

FOLSOM LAKE

Target Bass With Top Water Baits , Drop Shot Rigs

SACRAMENTO – Fishing pressure for black bass , king salmon , rainbow trout and channel catfish has been very light at Folsom Lake in recent weeks . Most local anglers are focused on salmon fishing in the Sacramento and Feather rivers or rockfish and lingcod outside of the Golden Gate .

For black bass , Don Paganelli of Paganelli ’ s Bass Fishing Experience recommended tossing out top water lures including Pop-Rs and Zara Spooks in the main body of the lake first thing in the morning . After the sun comes up , he recommended switching to fishing drop shot rigs off points and off the peninsula .

“ You should find pretty good action on spotted , smallmouth and spotted bass while drop shotting on offshore structure at 15 to 35 feet deep ,” he tipped .

Anglers should use Robo Worms and other plastics in pond smelt and threadfin shad patterns for the top bass success .

If you want to catch channel catfish , now is the time to shore fish at Five Percent , Granite Bay , Browns Ravine and other areas on the lake . Use mackerel , anchovies , chicken liver and other baits during the day and evenings . As water temperatures cool , you can expect the rainbow trout and king salmon bite to perk up on Folsom . When the reservoir undergoes its annual fall turn over , shore fishing can be as good or even better than

fishing from a boat as the fish move into the shallows to feed .

Bank anglers should toss out nightcrawlers , PowerBait and live minnows at Browns Ravine , Granite Bay and Five Percent . Trollers should use Speedy Shiners and other lures or shad in the main body and north and south forks . Folsom Lake is holding 475,565 acre feet of water , 49 percent of capacity and 84 percent of average . The lake is 413.40 feet in elevation .

- Dan Bacher

KLAMATH RIVER

Boaters Hook & Release Salmon , Steelhead

KLAMATH GLEN – The adult Chinook salmon fishery on the main stem of the Klamath River from the Highway 96 Bridge to the mouth of the Klamath River at the Pacific Ocean is now closed , but anglers continue to catch and release good numbers of adult chinooks , jacks and steelhead .

The rest of the lower main stem of the Klamath River below the Highway 96 Bridge at Weitchpec remains open to the harvest of jack ( two-year-old ) Chinook salmon ( 22 inches or less ). All adult Chinook salmon caught must be immediately released and reported on the angler ’ s report card .

“ We caught and released a lot of adults and a few jacks , along with some steelhead , on our latest trips on the Klamath ,” said Mario Arguelles of Mario Arguelles Guide Service . “ We landed about 20 fish per day . The adult salmon averaged 8 to 14 pounds , along with an occasional larger fish .”

“ We also released around 4 to 8 steelhead , averaging 5 to 6 pounds , per trip ,” he stated .

“ I ’ m now headed to fish the Checto and Smith River estuaries for fall Chinook salmon ,” Arguelles added .

Anglers may still fish for adult Chinook salmon in other reaches of the Klamath basin , including the main stem of the Klamath River above Weitchpec and the entire Trinity River until the closure of those fisheries .

Anglers may monitor the quota status of open and closed sections of the Klamath and Trinity rivers by calling the information hotline at ( 800 ) 564-6479 .

- Dan Bacher

COLUSA / KNIGHTS LANDING

Anchor Fishermen Bag Bright Kings

COLUSA – Salmon enthusiasts venturing out on the Sacramento River above and below Colusa are hooking some bright king salmon as the fall run makes its way upriver to spawn .

“ Two locals , Gene McKasson and CONTINUED ON PG 18

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• Salmon

• Steelhead

• Trout

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