Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3826 Dec 6-20 | Page 17

Rollins Reservoir
Nevada & Placer Counties
Head
Ranch
Bear River
Pines
k

Greenhorn Crk
Greenhorn
Road
Bear er
Riv
u
Yo
R
et
m
or
d
Po
oa
Donner Trail
Markers
an
ee
Cr
B
Stampede

Reservoir
d
oa
s
llin
Ro
R
ke
La
Hayford
Hill

Orchard Springs
Road
Long Ravine
Road
174
Dam
Cape
Seventeen teams of
two people each, a total
of 34 anglers, fished
the lake that day. All of
the fish weighed in the
event were spotted bass
with the exception of
two largemouths and one
smallmouth bass.
The results of the event
also demonstrate another
aspect of the Rollins
bass fishery: the lake
continues to be known
for the quantity of its
spotted bass rather than
its size
Michael Allen caught
the big fish, a 1.88 lb.
spotted bass., while drop
shotting with a ¼ oz.
dark grape Robo Worm.
The two bass that he
landed weighed a total
of 3.80 pounds.
Ryan Petersen and
Ryan McGinnis won
first place in the event
Richard McGuire and his brother, Ron, nailed their two limits of
with 5 fish weighing
rainbow trout while casting crankbaits in the Greenhorn Creek
7.07 pounds.
arm of Rollns Lake last November.
Rainbows are the
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
most abundant trout at
Rollins. The Depart-
ment of Fish and Wildlife historically
largemouths. Smallmouth bass in the 8 to
12 inch range were the predominate catch. stocked the reservoir with an average of
6,000 pounds of catchable rainbows per
But as is the case on many foothill lakes,
year, although the number of fish stocked
spotted bass now dominate the fishing at
has been slashed in recent years.
Rollins.
A sleeper population of German browns
The predominance of the spotted bass in
also makes the lake their home. There is
the lake was demonstrated by the results
no official lake record, but browns up to
of Kellogg’s most recent trip to Rollins,
7 pounds have been documented and fish
as well Folsom Bass Club tournament out
in the 2- to 4-pound range are relatively
of the Long Ravine Resort last November
common.
that I reported on.
Shady
Glen
Cape Horn
Rising Sun
Mine
To
Truckee
Magra
Peninsula
Chicago
Park
Rollins
History and size:: The earthen dam that creates Rollins Reservoir was
constructed in 1965 by the Nevada Irrigation District, with a height of 228 feet
and a length of 1,840 feet at its crest. It impounds the Bear River, a tributary of
the Feather River, for hydropower, flood control, irrigation water storage, and
municipal water use. The dam is one of the ten facilities owned and operated by
the Nevada Irrigation District. It is part of the Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project.
Rollins Reservoir features a surface area of 1.3 square miles and a maximum
capacity of 66,000 acre-feet.
Rollins Lake Campgrounds: The campgrounds are privately operated but
open to the public. At an elevation of 2,300 feet, the lake enjoys a long season.
The lake is popular for fishing, water skiing, boating, fishing, swimming, and
camping.
Long Ravine Campground: is located on a peninsula on the eastern side of
the lake. Location: 26909 Rollins Lake Road, Colfax. CA 95713
Campground Amenities:
RV and tent campsites, full hook-ups available, large group site
Store, flush toilets, hot showers, dump station (fee)
Picnic tables, BBQs, fire pits
Marina, boat ramp, Rollins Lake Boat Rentals, boating, water skiing, fishing
Swim platform and slide, beach
Reservations: [phone]
Orchard Springs Campground: is located on the west shore of Rollins Lake,
off Highway 174 via Orchard Springs Road. Location:: 19085 Larsen Rd, Grass
Valley, CA 95945
Campground Amenities:
91 RV and tent sites, some RV hook-ups available
Restrooms with flush toilets, hot showers
Cabins, marina, store, beach
Reservations: summer [phone], winter [phone]
Peninsula Family Camping: is on a peninsula on the northeast side of Rollins
Lake. The campground is open during the spring and summer seasons. The
resort has over 300 acres. Location: 21597 You Bet Rd., Grass Valley, CA 95945
Campground Amenities
70 tent and RV sites along 1.5 miles of lakefront
Group sites for up to 24 or 40
Campfire pit or ring, picnic table
Hot showers, restrooms with flush toilets, dump station (fee)
Cabins for rent, boating, boat rentals, launch ramp, fishing, swimming, kids’
crafts, volleyball, horseshoes, other sports
Reservations: (866) 4MY-CAMP or California and Nevada residents call (530)
477-9413
Greenhorn Campground: is located on the northwest side of the lake. To
reach the campground take Greenhorn Access Road off Highway 174 and
follow the road to the campground. Location: 15000 Greenhorn Access Road,
Grass Valley, CA 95945
Campground Amenities:
40 gravel or dirt campsites, some sites with hook-ups
Restrooms, showers, store, dump station, WiFi (fee, limited range), game
room, horseshoes
Marina, boat rentals, launch ramp, fishing, boating, swimming
Reservations: [phone]
To
Grass
Valley
Rollins Lake Facts
15
Dec 6 - 20, 2019
MAP FEATURE
VOL.38 • ISS. 26
Colfax
Burnt Flat
To
Sacramento
Fishing Notes
Fishing
Notes
• • Rainbow
Rollins.
The
fish fish
can can
be be
taken
Rainbow Trout
Trout are
are the
the most
most commonly
commonly caught
caught trout
trout in in
Rollins.
The
taken
year
for for
shore
and
boat
fishing
for for
year round,
round, but
but winter
winter and
and spring
spring are
are the
the top
top times
times
shore
and
boat
fishing
rainbows.
Trout
prepared
baits,
as as
rainbows. Shore
Shore anglers
anglers use
use Power
Power Bait
Bait , Nitro
, Nitro
Trout Bait
Bait and
and other
other
prepared
baits,
well
and
crickets.
Bank
fishermen
also
find find
success
while
well as
as salmon
salmon eggs,
eggs, nightcrawlers
nightcrawlers
and
crickets.
Bank
fishermen
also
success
tossing
out Cripplures,
Kastmasters,
Panther Panther
Martins Martins
and Roostertails.
Trollers employ
while tossing
out Cripplures,
Kastmasters,
and Roostertails.
Trollers
nightcrawlers
behind flashers
dodgers or and
a variety
lures.
employ nightcrawlers
behind or flashers
dodgers
and of a minnow
variety of imitation
minnow
imitation
• lures.
Brown Trout are taken by shore anglers using nightcrawlers in the winter and early
spring.
Boaters
target
these
prized anglers
fish by trolling
Rebels,
Yo-Zuris
• Brown
Trout are
taken
by shore
using Rapalas,
nightcrawlers
in the
winter and
and other
early
plugs
along
the shoreline
of the
main fish
body
Bear
River arm.
spring.
Boaters
target these
prized
by and
trolling
Rapalas,
Rebels, Yo-Zuris and other
• plugs
Spotted
Bass
now the of predominant
species
of bass
found
in Rollins, although
along
the are
shoreline
the main body
and Bear
River
arm.
anglers
also catch
an offer
occasional
smallmouth
and largemouth.
Fishing
is good
year fish
• Smallmouth
Bass
fast action
during spring,
summer and
fall. Most
of the
are under
13 inches, in but
can
find shot
larger
particularly
in the
round,
but especially
the persistent
spring and anglers
fall. Use
drop
rigs, fish,
Senkos,
poppers,
winter and and
early
spring.
Largemouth Bass, though not as abundant as the feisty
swimbaits
other
lures...
are also
found
in the
Rollins.
• smallmouths,
Bluegill and Green
Sunfish
are
most prolific sunfish in Rollins, but crappie are also
• Bluegill
Green
Sunfish
most brush
prolific and
sunfish
Rollins, but crappie are
caught
by and
anglers
fishing
small are
jigs the
around
other in
structure.
also caught by anglers fishing small jigs around brush and other structure.
The browns are known for being long
and slender, with Cal Kellogg’s largest
ever brown measuring 27 inches long and
weighing 5-1⁄2 pounds.
With water cooling down, now is a good
time to target browns at the reservoir.
“For browns, troll with stickbaits like
Rapalas in the Bear River arm 200 to 300
feet behind the boat from now through
spring,” tipped Craig Newton at Willfish
Bait and Tackle in Auburn.
While rainbows can be taken at the
reservoir year-round, the months of April
and May when the water has cleared up
from winter storms that often muddy the
water, are some of the best to target trout
here.
The lake also features a sleeper popula-
tion of crappie measuring 12 to 14 inches
long and sometimes bigger. Anglers
fishing with small jigs off the points and
structure pick up the slabsides year round.
Trophy crappie are always a possibility
here. Just ask Richard McGuire, who
landed an 18 inch crappie at Rollins last
year. Another angler also caught a 20 inch
crappie at the lake.
Channel catfish offer a solid summer and
fall fishery for shore anglers and boaters,
particularly at night when the whiskered
leviathans go into the shallows to feed.
For more information about Rollins
Lake, call Long Ravine Marina, 346-6166,
or visit www.longravineresorts.com.
Cal Kellogg, Fish Sniffer Editor, got into a great bluegill bite at Rollins Lake in September
while fishing from his kayak.
Photo by CAL KELLOGG, Fish Sniffer Staff.