TOP PICKS
AMERICAN RIVER--It's an unsolved, and perhaps an unsolvable mystery, but salmon continued to dribble into Nimbus Hatchery, while steelhead flooded in--relatively speaking. The steelhead count is considerably higher than last year, and higher than normal for this early in the season. Few people have been fishing for them, and it's not fast fishing, but the feet and hands don't seem so cold when a steelhead 8- to 10-pound range hits, as happened occasionally last week. Some hit Blue Fox spinners. Some hit Little Cleos, Glo-Bugs, roe, nightcrawlers or beads. Fly fishers swung streamers on shooting heads or dead-drifted nymphs under an indicator.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento--Some surprisingly large striped bass continued to be caught last week. This time a 30 pounder taken at the mouth of the Feather River on an anchovy. That area and the Port of Sacramento continued to produce mostly schoolie-sized stripers, plus the occasional whopper. Trolled swimbaits, deep-diving Yo-Zuris and Rebels with a plastic worm trailer accounted for most of the fish at the Port. Jigging, too.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa--Salmon fishermen continued to experience some good days, but a seal at Tisdale was "causing chaos" with the fishing on others. Persistent anglers unwilling to give up were still catching some beautiful king salmon, a few pushing 50 pounds. Around Hamilton City and points upstream, the preferred method was backtrolling Kwikfish. Around Tisdale and downstream, anchoring or trolling downstream with big spinners was the chosen method. Some nice steelhead were being caught above Butte City. Navigating the low-flowing river, especially in the fog, has been treacherous.
SUISUN BAY--Great reports from both the striped bass chasers and the sturgeon guys, with oversized fish released and limits on the linesides. The upper end has been best for sturgeon, while the striped bass action has been coming from Seal Island to Buoy 6.
ICE HOUSE RESERVOIR--Wide-open rainbow action continues here, but cold temperatures can make the launch ramp a bit icy early in the morning. Trolling brown or olive grubs has been working, while nightcawlers remain the best fall-back bait. Anglers have been getting around a dozen rainbows per day, with a few browns mixed in.
GENERAL
12-12 Charts
NORTH COAST RIVERS
North Coast streams and rivers are regulated by low flow closures, and you should always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed by low flows. The DFG's Low Flow Closure Hotline: (707) 822-3164.
CHETCO RIVER--The salmon options are rapidly closing here, and the few fish left in the river are dark. There will be a few more when the next rain hits, but by then it's steelhead season. Flows are below 850 cfs, so it's low and clear, and tough to even navigate with a driftboat. WON Field Reporter Dave Pitts suggests waiting for rain, but if not, a try for steelhead using very light gear might work.
ELK RIVER--The Elk River continues to see some fresh fish in the mouth, but this is a long hike if you come in from the State Park side. This is either a sidedrifting or float fishery and roe and sand shrimp are connecting.
ROGUE RIVER--WON Field Reporter Dave Pitts says that the steelhead action is picking up and anglers fishing from Agness to the Lobster Creek area are seeing some good hookups. Some anglers are using Smile Blades combined with Cheaters to connect on holding steelhead. Most of the action is coming for anglers who wade, with boaters a close second. Nightcrawlers and roe seem to be the best baits used while sidedrifting. Float fishing with jigs has also begun to take off for some. That slow seam water is holding fish. For both shuttle and fishing information anglers should contact the Rogue Outdoor store in Gold Beach.
RUSSIAN RIVER--Yes, there might be a steelhead or two in the river, but your chances of running into one are very slight. There won't be anything worth trying for here until the next big rain.
SMITH RIVER--There are only 3 fishable holes in the entire river, and flows are so low it's tough to even drift. Competition is heavy at the few holes with fish, and it's not exactly a "pristine" fishing experience. Bring your boxing gloves if you want to try it.
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS
BULLARDS BAR--Fishing is fair at best for browns and rainbows being caught by trollers up in the Yuba River branch of the lake. Lake is at 49-percent capacity with a water temp of 59 degrees. Launching is good. Plenty of spotted bass around, but there is little pressure on them.
CAMP FAR WEST--Very foggy weather lately. Good bass action on worms and jigs. Catfish are hitting worms in Rock Creek, Jake Covakis of Sheridan checked in with two 4 pounders.
COLLINS LAKE--Trout, bass and catfish action is fair for fish up to 2 pounds, no big fish lately. Trout trollers are doing best on toplined Rapalas and flasher/worm combos. Recent survey of the lake determined that the lake is 1008 acres and should be removed from the "No Stocking" list. A challenge will be filed with the courts soon.
ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR--Trout action good for bait anglers. Houseboaters in the marina are doing well with worm/bobbers off the back of the boat fishing 10 feet deep. One guy caught a 2 1/2-pound brown and four 1 1/2-pound rainbows. Boaters running up above the "no tow" zone are drifting worm/Power Bait combos in 30 to 40 feet of water off the bottom for holdover trout. Army Corps of Engineers says the lake should not be on the 'No Stocking" list and may challenge the decision.
FRENCH MEADOWS RESERVOIR--Lake is lower than seen in some time and making launching difficult. 4-wheel drive required to launch small aluminum boats on steep banks. Trout trolling is good longlining Rapalas near shallow rocky banks and shoals. No snow, so access is good.
HELL HOLE RESERVOIR--Roads are open and the launch ramp is still useable. Last reports were good for trollers using Rapalas for lots of brown trout up to 20 inches.
LAKE OROVILLE--Lake is at 28-percent capacity and the only launching is at the Spillway, 4-wheel drive "at-your-own-risk". Very little traffic on the lake but those getting out are finding good action on bass and coho. Bass anglers are doing well on fish to 3 1/2 pounds on drop-shot worms, tubes and jigs at 20 to 25 feet. Coho chasers are trolling 20 to 40 feet deep with dodgers and small Rapalas or Needlefish in the larger coves or soaking anchovies at the buoy line at the dam at 40 to 60 feet for fish up to 2 1/2 pounds. Other anglers have reported good luck on both bass and coho by splitshotting a live minnow in the North Fork in 25 to 30 feet of water. Construction was started on the ramp extension at Bidwell and will continue into next year.
LITTLE GRASS VALLEY RESERVOIR--A boater fast troll/pumping a No. 9 shiner Rapala 140 feet back along steep big rock banks picked up two 8-pound browns and a big 12 pounder on Dec. 4th.
ROLLINS LAKE--Lots of bass boats hitting the lake for largemouth and smallmouth to 2 pounds. Trout trollers doing well for planted rainbows. With the lake on the DFG's new "No Stocking" list, concessionaires are looking into a private planting program.
SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE--Trout trollers are doing well on planted rainbows up to 16 inches with a Needlefish down the middle of the lake. Someone reportedly caught a 14-pound brown, but there is little information being volunteered about what it was caught on or where. Lake received several extra plants in Sept. and Oct. which may help mitigate the lake's inclusion on the "No Stocking" list. Some bass have been caught by trollers but pressure is low. Launching is good.
SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR--Forest Service reporting little pressure on the rainbows planted last summer by DFG. Lake is on the "No Stocking" list for future plants.
STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR--Launching is 4-wheel drive only for small aluminum boats off the bank. Forest Service reports little pressure on the lake but trollers getting out have been catching limits of rainbows on dodger/worm combos at 20 feet.
THERMOLITO AFTERBAY--Steelhead action on live minnows is still going strong at Wilbur Rd and the rock wall at the Hwy.162 Bridge. Fish are averaging 4 1/2 to 5 pounds.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
FEATHER RIVER--Some nice stripers were caught below Shanghai Rapids last week on Hair Raisers. Steelhead fishing was kind of slow in the Low Flow Section and seemed to be better below the Outlet down to Gridley for some reason.
FOLSOM LAKE--The lake level continued to eke downward in spite of the drop in flows on the American River. Spots in the 2-pound class were biting spoons and drop-shotted Robo-Worms in shad patterns. Dark-colored jigs worked, too. Fish the edges of drop-offs into the main and side channels on the main body at and up into the North and South forks. Even better is finding concentrations of bait.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding--Fishing for trout continued to slow last week, and anglers worked fairly hard with both spinning and fly rods to catch a dozen or so trout to a couple of pounds. A few steelies were in the mix as well.
North Saltwater
BENICIA--Mostly stripers on the boats weighing in fish, but there was a nice keeper sturgeon brought in from the Mothball Fleet, a victim of pile worms. Several nice stripers caught, mostly on bullheads, from the Glomar to the east end of the Mothball Fleet with one weighing nearly 36 pounds.
BERKELEY--Pretty quiet around the harbor now that rockfish is closed, but some of the boats will be running sanddab and crab combos, with maybe a sturgeon trip now and then.
BODEGA BAY-- Looks like the squid are back in numbers similar to the first year the New Sea Angler started fishing for them. Captain Rick Powers reported three trips, one on Wednesday, and trips on the weekend. "We had 1,126 squid on those three trips," said Powers. The action came between 22 and 24 miles out of Bodega Bay on the edge of the Cordell Banks.
EMERYVILLE--Only one trip out, a special charter targeting sand dabs and crabs on Sunday on the New Salmon Queen. That boat will be one of the two running until something other than sand dabs, giant squid and crabs are available, Captain Shim targeting the squid, while the New Seeker will focus on crab and 'dab.
EUREKA--The ocean was rough, so only the bigger commercial crabbers were running pots, but there was some shoreline action reported on rockfish from the Trinidad area, near Camel Rock. A couple guys caught close to limits of black rockfish fishing from shore there. Pretty quiet otherwise, with redtail surf perch fishing slow, day and night surf smelt runs over, and boat fishing for bottomfish closed. So far, crab numbers are down, with commercial landings looking pretty dismal.
FORT BRAGG--Now that commercial crab season is open, crab numbers will be falling off for the sport guys, but Captain Randy Thornton on the Telstar will continue to offer crabbing trips, plus giant squid trips when conditions permit.
HALF MOON BAY--Captain Tom Mattusch continued his efforts at offering variety in giant squid and crab trips on the Huli Cat, and this time, his anglers really nailed the squid. "The squid came up in a vengeance," said Mattusch, who told the group to pull their gear when 160 squid were loading up the boxes and littering the deck. He said they also managed 1/2 limits of crab.
MARTINEZ--Take your pick, sturgeon and striped bass were both off the hook, with Captain Jay Lopes on Right Hook reporting a new boat record sturgeon released, roughly measured in the water at 98 inches. Several keeper sized sturgeon were also boated, some kept, some released, shakers and another oversized released as well. Top baits were straight ghost shrimp and eel and grass shrimp combos. Striped bass action remained great on the Happy Hooker, with limits and fish to 18 pounds on Saturday. A combination of bullheads or anchovies working on the stripers.
SAN PABLO BAY--The southern side is still a good bet for halibut, with a few private boats trolling with herring or anchovies for 1 to 2 per trip. Not too much other effort here, but the northern end is a good bet for leopard sharks and the occasional striped bass.
Sierra Lakes/Rivers Formcharts
Blue Lakes (Upper, Lower)--Road still open at least to Lower Blue and reports indicate the action is well worth the trip. Rainbow action at Lower Blue really took off last week, producing lots of rainbow limits for anglers dunking nightcrawlers.
BOCA LAKE--Action pretty slow here. Lake level quite low now. Best bet remains fishing 'crawlers at the dam.
CAPLES LAKE--Some anglers still on the lake, but few fish being caught now.
CARSON RIVER (East, West)--Cold temperatures have slowed angler activity on the catch-and-release section of the East Carson. Todd Sodaro at Carson River Resort said he's been seeing only a couple cars per day along the river. He said nighttime temps have been dropping into the 'teens and there is ice on both sides of the river.
DAVIS, LAKE--A little ice has started to form up in the area around Mosquito Slough and the dock at Honker Cove was finally taken out of the water early in the week. Larry Goldsmith with Wildlife Charters in Beckwourth said fishing has been pretty good, but he hasn't been "knocking them dead." He and another fisherman landed 7 rainbows from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds trolling Needlefish and cinnamon Jay Fair trolling flies. He did pick up another 'bow just under 4 pounds down about 20 feet on a fire-tiger broken-back Rapala.
DONNER LAKE--Mackinaw action has been picking up and better numbers of fish have been taken, particularly in the China Cove area. No really big macks like the 23 pounder caught in mid-November have been reported lately.
FRENCHMAN LAKE--Fishing continues good here. Terri Stancil at Wiggin's Trading Post in Chilcoot said boat launching areas have been favorite spots for many fishermen. Corey Davis from Sparks caught 3 rainbows 14 to 18 inches using nightcrawlers at Lunker Point. Stancil said other anglers have been getting limits, as well as catching and releasing more 'bows. Weather has been good, but for latest conditions call Wiggin's at 530-993-4683.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR--Lake fishing pretty good. Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station in Woodfords said the water is looking really nice and there have been a couple good-sized rainbows caught. The lake was planted a few weeks ago and the plant included trophy fish, some up to 8 pounds. He said a trip to the lake is a worthwhile endeavor, with lots of trout and roads clear and in good shape.
JENKINSON LAKE (Sly Park)--Good rainbow action pretty much all over the lake, according to Jim Cozzens at Sly Park Resort. Cozzens said Jim the painter caught a 3-pound brown and a 6-inch rainbow trolling behind the island.
PROSSER LAKE--Fishing inlet areas continues to be the bet approach here, with the low lake level. Try nightcrawlers or salmon eggs, or even some dark-colored lures can work.
PYRAMID LAKE--Lake has been fishing fair, with most anglers getting a few fish. Carla Molino at the Pyramid Lake Store in Sutcliffe said they did check in a 9-pound, 3-ounce cutthroat that was caught by Jeremy Riales from Reno, who was fishing at the south end of the lake. At Crosby Lodge in Sutcliffe the biggest fish of the week was a 30-inch, 10-pound, 4-ounce cutt caught by Sparks fly fisherman Jeff Morris, who was fishing at the south Nets.
RED LAKE--Some good action here. Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station in Woodfords said anglers have been taking limits of brookies and cutthroat. He said some patience is required, but limits are to be had.
STAMPEDE RESERVOIR--Lake very low now, but some determined anglers are working it pretty hard at times, and occasionally getting good results for the effort. Brian Nylund at Mountain Hardware and Sports in Truckee said Truckee fisherman John Minnis nailed a nice 11-pound Mackinaw trolling a big 7 1/2-inch jointed AC Plug at 40 to 60 feet deep between the dam and the island.
LAKE TAHOE--Good Mackinaw action going hand-in-hand with great weather over the weekend. Most of the action is in the morning from around 6 a.m. until around 9 p.m. Good fish being found down as deep as 350 feet.
Motherlode
AMADOR LAKE--Bass fishing showed some life when guide Larry Hemphill fished the lake, and while he and his client found slow action, they did catch a couple to 2.75 pounds, losing several others. That was a night trip, and 10-inch black Berkley Power Worms worked best. Other anglers reported the best bite upriver on RoboWorms. Trout remain the top attraction, with a fly fishing club holding a contest on Saturday, and anglers lining the lake most days targeting the Donaldson's trout. Most are catching 2 to 3, with the occasional limit rare. Floating Power Bait has been the top bet for shore anglers, while trollers long line grubs, flies, Rapalas and small spoons.
CAMANCHE LAKE--Trout trollers continued to find the best action upriver where flows from Pardee are attracting the rainbows. Toplining with Rapalas is the top tactic, with fish to 9 pounds reported. Bank action has been good at the ramps with the top spot recently the sandy island in front of the north marina where fish to 3.5 pounds were landed on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Bass to 4 pounds reported on 6-inch worms fished in 18 to 30 feet of water.
DON PEDRO RESERVOIR--Good action on planter trout around Fleming Meadows, top baits either Power Bait or Pautzke salmon eggs. Water level is slowly rising (less than a foot per week).
LAKE McCLURE--This lake is also getting heavy trout plants, so count on planter action at Barretts Cove. Spotted bass fishing reported good for some, but slow for others, the bite as spotty as the fish. Top bets are crawdad imitation lures fished in 15 to 30 feet of water around rock structure and on steep banks. Lake level dropped, but very slowly.
LAKE McSWAIN--Two plants, one from the state and the other from Calaveras Trout Farm boosted the trout bite, with limits reported from shore anglers fishing near the Brushpile. Boat anglers also scored, the best action coming from upstream on flasher/'crawler combos. This lake will be one of the few that will continue to get plants from the state.
NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR--Black bass and catfish action slow, but some shore action on striped bass reported for anglers still fishing with cut baits. Very light angler pressure. Lake level dropped slightly (less than a foot).
NEW MELONES RESERVOIR--Trout fishing picked up with the cool temps and plants by the Department of Fish and Game (this lake will be one of the few still getting plants). Several limits were caught by shore anglers fishing Glory Hole Point, Angels Cove and under the Highway 49 Bridge. Bass fishing improved as well, with good action on spotted bass from 1 to 2 pounds, and a few up to 5 pounds. Depth zone is wide, between 5 and 50 feet, for anglers using craw colored worms or Baby Brush Hogs. There was a lunker largemouth caught weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces, by a trout angler casting a Rooster Tail near Tuttletown.
TULLOCH RESERVOIR--Still a top bet for quality holdover rainbow trout, although launching may become difficult soon. Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing fished with Tommy Farr who caught limits of rainbows to over 2 pounds. Top action came on Slim Willies followed by a 'crawler on top for the most fish, while the better quality fish preferred shad between 10 and 12 feet down along the shorelines.
NORTH COAST LAKES
CLEAR LAKE--Clear Lake Guide Service said the north end of the lake has been producing well on Basstrix Paddle-Tail swimbaits and LV-500's. The fish are in about 3-6 feet on the outside weed lines, and although not a lot of huge fish are being caught, a lot of quality fish in the 4- to 6-pound range are there. In the south end, quality crappie have shifted to the shallow side of the rock piles, around 10 feet and mostly after dark using neon glow sticks on slip bobbers with medium to jumbo minnows in the moonlight. As a bonus, catfish are in the same area. Regardless of which end you fish, live bait has found the best bass bite.
LAKE BERRYESSA--The usual areas of the Narrows, Steele Park's pipeline, and Monticello Dam areas are producing stringers of trout by drifting with live minnows with a bobber. Bass anglers are having a little tougher time but you might try darter heads with a twin tail grub, or the almighty drop-shot worm.
LAKE SONOMA-- While no reports were available, the fishing must be good, as local shops can't keep enough minnows on hand. Saturday's Trout and Salmon Derby (Dec. 13) will includes free homemade beef stew and buttermilk biscuits for all participants and their family after the 1 p.m. weigh-in at Spanish Flat Country Store & Deli. Call the store for more details about this "winner take all" event.
DELTA REGION
SACRAMENTO RIVER side--Soaking baits like ghost shrimp or shad produced plenty of stripers, from "keepers" to 12 pounds, from Montezuma Slough all the way up to the deep water channel at Light 52. A few nice ones were also taken at the power Lines, as was a 77-pound sturgeon.
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side-- Jigging with brown/purples and black/blues and crankbaits in chartreuse colors was productive in Frank's Tract, just stick to the heavy weed lines for the bigger fish.
NORTHEASTERN AREA
LAKE ALMANOR--The trout bite has been slow but will pick up as soon as the area gets weather to stir things up. When it does, you can bet that jigging, trolling and baitfishing will also pick up.
BAUM LAKE--BWO's, and Griffith's gnat for dries, while copper Johns in green, Don's bug, midges, and woolly buggers are doing well for nymph fishermen. Lure fishermen are doing well on just about anything. Bait fishermen are still doing best on nightcrawlers or Power Bait.
EAGLE LAKE--Close on Dec. 31 but trout abandoned their "light bite" routine in favor of slamming baits. Both the north and south end produced fish on 3-inch orange grubs fished 4 to 5 feet down on downriggers over 6 to 7 feet of water. The grubs were also scented with Pro-Cure's Freshwater Shrimp Oil.
LEWISTON RESERVOIR--Trout bite hasn't slowed, just angler turn out. Trout are jumping everywhere. Power Bait or a combination of white and red eggs will do the trick.
MEDICINE LAKE-Trolling slowly with a Sep's dodger and worm will produce easy limits here if it doesn't snow.
PIT RIVER-- Good reports in the Pit 5 area, as it remains open to zero kill, barbless hooks, and artificials only from Lake Britton Dam downstream to Shasta Lake. Black AP's, golden stones, rubber-leg prince are all doing very well.
LAKE SHASTA--Choose your favorite trout spot, as they are abundant all over the lake. The McCloud is kicking out some nice fat ones. Browns weighed as much as 5 pounds here and a few 3-pound Kamloop also came out of this area by trolling from a few feet down below the surface but no farther than 15 feet down, with a 3 1/2-inch Kazi Minnow in a variety of bright colors and shad patterns, as well as Flee Bitty's, Cripplures in the UV patterns, and Hum Dingers. The bass bite was best with 5- and a few 6-inch swimbaits in trout or white patterns, on shallows with tapering mud points. Senkos tossed down steep banks or rock walls, as well as brown jigs or crawdad colored dart-headed worms brought in bass averaging from 1 to 2 1/2 with a few larger in the mix.
LAKE SISKIYOU-- Trolling slow with a Sep's dodger and worm or K-7 KwikFish will land some nice trout.
TRINITY/KLAMATH RIVERS
KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen--Fishing was hit-and-miss, mostly "miss" once again at the lower end of the Klamath last week, and it took lots of patience to intercept one of the relatively few steelhead that swam past riffles between Blue Creek and the mouth of the Trinity. A few halfpounders were being caught, plus the rare winter run steelie starting to show up. They were taking spinners and spoons like Mepps and Blue Foxes. Nightcrawlers, roe, too. Fly fishers were swinging assassins.
KLAMATH RIVER, Iron Gate--The stretch between Happy Camp and Iron Gate Dam was the place to be if you wanted to catch a steelhead and not have too many people around you while you did it. A small, backtrolled Hot Shot, with, or without, a nightcrawler trailer, was effective. So was drifting a golden stone nymph or copper John under an indicator. Most of the fish were small, 1 to 3 pounds, but an occasional larger fish weighing up to 8 pounds was showing up, as well.
TRINITY RIVER, Willow Creek--There were a few halfpounders, plus a rare, adult winter-run steelhead being caught, mostly on spinners and nightcrawlers, and, occasionally, on flies. Fishing was still slow, though.
TRINITY RIVER, Junction City--Flows continued to be very low and clear, and the relatively few fish in the river spooked by anything other than the stealthiest approach. That was hard, though, because pressure, while down from Thanksgiving weekend, was still heavy considering the tough fishing. Anglers were working hard for a bite or two, with fly fishers occasionally scoring on golden stones and copper Johns under an indicator, while spin fishermen used spinners, spoons, nightcrawlers and roe .
_ Western Outdoor News
www.wonews.com
http://www.sacbee.com/fishing_hunting/stor...Fishing/Hunting
AMERICAN RIVER--It's an unsolved, and perhaps an unsolvable mystery, but salmon continued to dribble into Nimbus Hatchery, while steelhead flooded in--relatively speaking. The steelhead count is considerably higher than last year, and higher than normal for this early in the season. Few people have been fishing for them, and it's not fast fishing, but the feet and hands don't seem so cold when a steelhead 8- to 10-pound range hits, as happened occasionally last week. Some hit Blue Fox spinners. Some hit Little Cleos, Glo-Bugs, roe, nightcrawlers or beads. Fly fishers swung streamers on shooting heads or dead-drifted nymphs under an indicator.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento--Some surprisingly large striped bass continued to be caught last week. This time a 30 pounder taken at the mouth of the Feather River on an anchovy. That area and the Port of Sacramento continued to produce mostly schoolie-sized stripers, plus the occasional whopper. Trolled swimbaits, deep-diving Yo-Zuris and Rebels with a plastic worm trailer accounted for most of the fish at the Port. Jigging, too.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa--Salmon fishermen continued to experience some good days, but a seal at Tisdale was "causing chaos" with the fishing on others. Persistent anglers unwilling to give up were still catching some beautiful king salmon, a few pushing 50 pounds. Around Hamilton City and points upstream, the preferred method was backtrolling Kwikfish. Around Tisdale and downstream, anchoring or trolling downstream with big spinners was the chosen method. Some nice steelhead were being caught above Butte City. Navigating the low-flowing river, especially in the fog, has been treacherous.
SUISUN BAY--Great reports from both the striped bass chasers and the sturgeon guys, with oversized fish released and limits on the linesides. The upper end has been best for sturgeon, while the striped bass action has been coming from Seal Island to Buoy 6.
ICE HOUSE RESERVOIR--Wide-open rainbow action continues here, but cold temperatures can make the launch ramp a bit icy early in the morning. Trolling brown or olive grubs has been working, while nightcawlers remain the best fall-back bait. Anglers have been getting around a dozen rainbows per day, with a few browns mixed in.
GENERAL
12-12 Charts
NORTH COAST RIVERS
North Coast streams and rivers are regulated by low flow closures, and you should always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed by low flows. The DFG's Low Flow Closure Hotline: (707) 822-3164.
CHETCO RIVER--The salmon options are rapidly closing here, and the few fish left in the river are dark. There will be a few more when the next rain hits, but by then it's steelhead season. Flows are below 850 cfs, so it's low and clear, and tough to even navigate with a driftboat. WON Field Reporter Dave Pitts suggests waiting for rain, but if not, a try for steelhead using very light gear might work.
ELK RIVER--The Elk River continues to see some fresh fish in the mouth, but this is a long hike if you come in from the State Park side. This is either a sidedrifting or float fishery and roe and sand shrimp are connecting.
ROGUE RIVER--WON Field Reporter Dave Pitts says that the steelhead action is picking up and anglers fishing from Agness to the Lobster Creek area are seeing some good hookups. Some anglers are using Smile Blades combined with Cheaters to connect on holding steelhead. Most of the action is coming for anglers who wade, with boaters a close second. Nightcrawlers and roe seem to be the best baits used while sidedrifting. Float fishing with jigs has also begun to take off for some. That slow seam water is holding fish. For both shuttle and fishing information anglers should contact the Rogue Outdoor store in Gold Beach.
RUSSIAN RIVER--Yes, there might be a steelhead or two in the river, but your chances of running into one are very slight. There won't be anything worth trying for here until the next big rain.
SMITH RIVER--There are only 3 fishable holes in the entire river, and flows are so low it's tough to even drift. Competition is heavy at the few holes with fish, and it's not exactly a "pristine" fishing experience. Bring your boxing gloves if you want to try it.
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS
BULLARDS BAR--Fishing is fair at best for browns and rainbows being caught by trollers up in the Yuba River branch of the lake. Lake is at 49-percent capacity with a water temp of 59 degrees. Launching is good. Plenty of spotted bass around, but there is little pressure on them.
CAMP FAR WEST--Very foggy weather lately. Good bass action on worms and jigs. Catfish are hitting worms in Rock Creek, Jake Covakis of Sheridan checked in with two 4 pounders.
COLLINS LAKE--Trout, bass and catfish action is fair for fish up to 2 pounds, no big fish lately. Trout trollers are doing best on toplined Rapalas and flasher/worm combos. Recent survey of the lake determined that the lake is 1008 acres and should be removed from the "No Stocking" list. A challenge will be filed with the courts soon.
ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR--Trout action good for bait anglers. Houseboaters in the marina are doing well with worm/bobbers off the back of the boat fishing 10 feet deep. One guy caught a 2 1/2-pound brown and four 1 1/2-pound rainbows. Boaters running up above the "no tow" zone are drifting worm/Power Bait combos in 30 to 40 feet of water off the bottom for holdover trout. Army Corps of Engineers says the lake should not be on the 'No Stocking" list and may challenge the decision.
FRENCH MEADOWS RESERVOIR--Lake is lower than seen in some time and making launching difficult. 4-wheel drive required to launch small aluminum boats on steep banks. Trout trolling is good longlining Rapalas near shallow rocky banks and shoals. No snow, so access is good.
HELL HOLE RESERVOIR--Roads are open and the launch ramp is still useable. Last reports were good for trollers using Rapalas for lots of brown trout up to 20 inches.
LAKE OROVILLE--Lake is at 28-percent capacity and the only launching is at the Spillway, 4-wheel drive "at-your-own-risk". Very little traffic on the lake but those getting out are finding good action on bass and coho. Bass anglers are doing well on fish to 3 1/2 pounds on drop-shot worms, tubes and jigs at 20 to 25 feet. Coho chasers are trolling 20 to 40 feet deep with dodgers and small Rapalas or Needlefish in the larger coves or soaking anchovies at the buoy line at the dam at 40 to 60 feet for fish up to 2 1/2 pounds. Other anglers have reported good luck on both bass and coho by splitshotting a live minnow in the North Fork in 25 to 30 feet of water. Construction was started on the ramp extension at Bidwell and will continue into next year.
LITTLE GRASS VALLEY RESERVOIR--A boater fast troll/pumping a No. 9 shiner Rapala 140 feet back along steep big rock banks picked up two 8-pound browns and a big 12 pounder on Dec. 4th.
ROLLINS LAKE--Lots of bass boats hitting the lake for largemouth and smallmouth to 2 pounds. Trout trollers doing well for planted rainbows. With the lake on the DFG's new "No Stocking" list, concessionaires are looking into a private planting program.
SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE--Trout trollers are doing well on planted rainbows up to 16 inches with a Needlefish down the middle of the lake. Someone reportedly caught a 14-pound brown, but there is little information being volunteered about what it was caught on or where. Lake received several extra plants in Sept. and Oct. which may help mitigate the lake's inclusion on the "No Stocking" list. Some bass have been caught by trollers but pressure is low. Launching is good.
SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR--Forest Service reporting little pressure on the rainbows planted last summer by DFG. Lake is on the "No Stocking" list for future plants.
STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR--Launching is 4-wheel drive only for small aluminum boats off the bank. Forest Service reports little pressure on the lake but trollers getting out have been catching limits of rainbows on dodger/worm combos at 20 feet.
THERMOLITO AFTERBAY--Steelhead action on live minnows is still going strong at Wilbur Rd and the rock wall at the Hwy.162 Bridge. Fish are averaging 4 1/2 to 5 pounds.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
FEATHER RIVER--Some nice stripers were caught below Shanghai Rapids last week on Hair Raisers. Steelhead fishing was kind of slow in the Low Flow Section and seemed to be better below the Outlet down to Gridley for some reason.
FOLSOM LAKE--The lake level continued to eke downward in spite of the drop in flows on the American River. Spots in the 2-pound class were biting spoons and drop-shotted Robo-Worms in shad patterns. Dark-colored jigs worked, too. Fish the edges of drop-offs into the main and side channels on the main body at and up into the North and South forks. Even better is finding concentrations of bait.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding--Fishing for trout continued to slow last week, and anglers worked fairly hard with both spinning and fly rods to catch a dozen or so trout to a couple of pounds. A few steelies were in the mix as well.
North Saltwater
BENICIA--Mostly stripers on the boats weighing in fish, but there was a nice keeper sturgeon brought in from the Mothball Fleet, a victim of pile worms. Several nice stripers caught, mostly on bullheads, from the Glomar to the east end of the Mothball Fleet with one weighing nearly 36 pounds.
BERKELEY--Pretty quiet around the harbor now that rockfish is closed, but some of the boats will be running sanddab and crab combos, with maybe a sturgeon trip now and then.
BODEGA BAY-- Looks like the squid are back in numbers similar to the first year the New Sea Angler started fishing for them. Captain Rick Powers reported three trips, one on Wednesday, and trips on the weekend. "We had 1,126 squid on those three trips," said Powers. The action came between 22 and 24 miles out of Bodega Bay on the edge of the Cordell Banks.
EMERYVILLE--Only one trip out, a special charter targeting sand dabs and crabs on Sunday on the New Salmon Queen. That boat will be one of the two running until something other than sand dabs, giant squid and crabs are available, Captain Shim targeting the squid, while the New Seeker will focus on crab and 'dab.
EUREKA--The ocean was rough, so only the bigger commercial crabbers were running pots, but there was some shoreline action reported on rockfish from the Trinidad area, near Camel Rock. A couple guys caught close to limits of black rockfish fishing from shore there. Pretty quiet otherwise, with redtail surf perch fishing slow, day and night surf smelt runs over, and boat fishing for bottomfish closed. So far, crab numbers are down, with commercial landings looking pretty dismal.
FORT BRAGG--Now that commercial crab season is open, crab numbers will be falling off for the sport guys, but Captain Randy Thornton on the Telstar will continue to offer crabbing trips, plus giant squid trips when conditions permit.
HALF MOON BAY--Captain Tom Mattusch continued his efforts at offering variety in giant squid and crab trips on the Huli Cat, and this time, his anglers really nailed the squid. "The squid came up in a vengeance," said Mattusch, who told the group to pull their gear when 160 squid were loading up the boxes and littering the deck. He said they also managed 1/2 limits of crab.
MARTINEZ--Take your pick, sturgeon and striped bass were both off the hook, with Captain Jay Lopes on Right Hook reporting a new boat record sturgeon released, roughly measured in the water at 98 inches. Several keeper sized sturgeon were also boated, some kept, some released, shakers and another oversized released as well. Top baits were straight ghost shrimp and eel and grass shrimp combos. Striped bass action remained great on the Happy Hooker, with limits and fish to 18 pounds on Saturday. A combination of bullheads or anchovies working on the stripers.
SAN PABLO BAY--The southern side is still a good bet for halibut, with a few private boats trolling with herring or anchovies for 1 to 2 per trip. Not too much other effort here, but the northern end is a good bet for leopard sharks and the occasional striped bass.
Sierra Lakes/Rivers Formcharts
Blue Lakes (Upper, Lower)--Road still open at least to Lower Blue and reports indicate the action is well worth the trip. Rainbow action at Lower Blue really took off last week, producing lots of rainbow limits for anglers dunking nightcrawlers.
BOCA LAKE--Action pretty slow here. Lake level quite low now. Best bet remains fishing 'crawlers at the dam.
CAPLES LAKE--Some anglers still on the lake, but few fish being caught now.
CARSON RIVER (East, West)--Cold temperatures have slowed angler activity on the catch-and-release section of the East Carson. Todd Sodaro at Carson River Resort said he's been seeing only a couple cars per day along the river. He said nighttime temps have been dropping into the 'teens and there is ice on both sides of the river.
DAVIS, LAKE--A little ice has started to form up in the area around Mosquito Slough and the dock at Honker Cove was finally taken out of the water early in the week. Larry Goldsmith with Wildlife Charters in Beckwourth said fishing has been pretty good, but he hasn't been "knocking them dead." He and another fisherman landed 7 rainbows from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds trolling Needlefish and cinnamon Jay Fair trolling flies. He did pick up another 'bow just under 4 pounds down about 20 feet on a fire-tiger broken-back Rapala.
DONNER LAKE--Mackinaw action has been picking up and better numbers of fish have been taken, particularly in the China Cove area. No really big macks like the 23 pounder caught in mid-November have been reported lately.
FRENCHMAN LAKE--Fishing continues good here. Terri Stancil at Wiggin's Trading Post in Chilcoot said boat launching areas have been favorite spots for many fishermen. Corey Davis from Sparks caught 3 rainbows 14 to 18 inches using nightcrawlers at Lunker Point. Stancil said other anglers have been getting limits, as well as catching and releasing more 'bows. Weather has been good, but for latest conditions call Wiggin's at 530-993-4683.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR--Lake fishing pretty good. Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station in Woodfords said the water is looking really nice and there have been a couple good-sized rainbows caught. The lake was planted a few weeks ago and the plant included trophy fish, some up to 8 pounds. He said a trip to the lake is a worthwhile endeavor, with lots of trout and roads clear and in good shape.
JENKINSON LAKE (Sly Park)--Good rainbow action pretty much all over the lake, according to Jim Cozzens at Sly Park Resort. Cozzens said Jim the painter caught a 3-pound brown and a 6-inch rainbow trolling behind the island.
PROSSER LAKE--Fishing inlet areas continues to be the bet approach here, with the low lake level. Try nightcrawlers or salmon eggs, or even some dark-colored lures can work.
PYRAMID LAKE--Lake has been fishing fair, with most anglers getting a few fish. Carla Molino at the Pyramid Lake Store in Sutcliffe said they did check in a 9-pound, 3-ounce cutthroat that was caught by Jeremy Riales from Reno, who was fishing at the south end of the lake. At Crosby Lodge in Sutcliffe the biggest fish of the week was a 30-inch, 10-pound, 4-ounce cutt caught by Sparks fly fisherman Jeff Morris, who was fishing at the south Nets.
RED LAKE--Some good action here. Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station in Woodfords said anglers have been taking limits of brookies and cutthroat. He said some patience is required, but limits are to be had.
STAMPEDE RESERVOIR--Lake very low now, but some determined anglers are working it pretty hard at times, and occasionally getting good results for the effort. Brian Nylund at Mountain Hardware and Sports in Truckee said Truckee fisherman John Minnis nailed a nice 11-pound Mackinaw trolling a big 7 1/2-inch jointed AC Plug at 40 to 60 feet deep between the dam and the island.
LAKE TAHOE--Good Mackinaw action going hand-in-hand with great weather over the weekend. Most of the action is in the morning from around 6 a.m. until around 9 p.m. Good fish being found down as deep as 350 feet.
Motherlode
AMADOR LAKE--Bass fishing showed some life when guide Larry Hemphill fished the lake, and while he and his client found slow action, they did catch a couple to 2.75 pounds, losing several others. That was a night trip, and 10-inch black Berkley Power Worms worked best. Other anglers reported the best bite upriver on RoboWorms. Trout remain the top attraction, with a fly fishing club holding a contest on Saturday, and anglers lining the lake most days targeting the Donaldson's trout. Most are catching 2 to 3, with the occasional limit rare. Floating Power Bait has been the top bet for shore anglers, while trollers long line grubs, flies, Rapalas and small spoons.
CAMANCHE LAKE--Trout trollers continued to find the best action upriver where flows from Pardee are attracting the rainbows. Toplining with Rapalas is the top tactic, with fish to 9 pounds reported. Bank action has been good at the ramps with the top spot recently the sandy island in front of the north marina where fish to 3.5 pounds were landed on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Bass to 4 pounds reported on 6-inch worms fished in 18 to 30 feet of water.
DON PEDRO RESERVOIR--Good action on planter trout around Fleming Meadows, top baits either Power Bait or Pautzke salmon eggs. Water level is slowly rising (less than a foot per week).
LAKE McCLURE--This lake is also getting heavy trout plants, so count on planter action at Barretts Cove. Spotted bass fishing reported good for some, but slow for others, the bite as spotty as the fish. Top bets are crawdad imitation lures fished in 15 to 30 feet of water around rock structure and on steep banks. Lake level dropped, but very slowly.
LAKE McSWAIN--Two plants, one from the state and the other from Calaveras Trout Farm boosted the trout bite, with limits reported from shore anglers fishing near the Brushpile. Boat anglers also scored, the best action coming from upstream on flasher/'crawler combos. This lake will be one of the few that will continue to get plants from the state.
NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR--Black bass and catfish action slow, but some shore action on striped bass reported for anglers still fishing with cut baits. Very light angler pressure. Lake level dropped slightly (less than a foot).
NEW MELONES RESERVOIR--Trout fishing picked up with the cool temps and plants by the Department of Fish and Game (this lake will be one of the few still getting plants). Several limits were caught by shore anglers fishing Glory Hole Point, Angels Cove and under the Highway 49 Bridge. Bass fishing improved as well, with good action on spotted bass from 1 to 2 pounds, and a few up to 5 pounds. Depth zone is wide, between 5 and 50 feet, for anglers using craw colored worms or Baby Brush Hogs. There was a lunker largemouth caught weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces, by a trout angler casting a Rooster Tail near Tuttletown.
TULLOCH RESERVOIR--Still a top bet for quality holdover rainbow trout, although launching may become difficult soon. Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing fished with Tommy Farr who caught limits of rainbows to over 2 pounds. Top action came on Slim Willies followed by a 'crawler on top for the most fish, while the better quality fish preferred shad between 10 and 12 feet down along the shorelines.
NORTH COAST LAKES
CLEAR LAKE--Clear Lake Guide Service said the north end of the lake has been producing well on Basstrix Paddle-Tail swimbaits and LV-500's. The fish are in about 3-6 feet on the outside weed lines, and although not a lot of huge fish are being caught, a lot of quality fish in the 4- to 6-pound range are there. In the south end, quality crappie have shifted to the shallow side of the rock piles, around 10 feet and mostly after dark using neon glow sticks on slip bobbers with medium to jumbo minnows in the moonlight. As a bonus, catfish are in the same area. Regardless of which end you fish, live bait has found the best bass bite.
LAKE BERRYESSA--The usual areas of the Narrows, Steele Park's pipeline, and Monticello Dam areas are producing stringers of trout by drifting with live minnows with a bobber. Bass anglers are having a little tougher time but you might try darter heads with a twin tail grub, or the almighty drop-shot worm.
LAKE SONOMA-- While no reports were available, the fishing must be good, as local shops can't keep enough minnows on hand. Saturday's Trout and Salmon Derby (Dec. 13) will includes free homemade beef stew and buttermilk biscuits for all participants and their family after the 1 p.m. weigh-in at Spanish Flat Country Store & Deli. Call the store for more details about this "winner take all" event.
DELTA REGION
SACRAMENTO RIVER side--Soaking baits like ghost shrimp or shad produced plenty of stripers, from "keepers" to 12 pounds, from Montezuma Slough all the way up to the deep water channel at Light 52. A few nice ones were also taken at the power Lines, as was a 77-pound sturgeon.
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side-- Jigging with brown/purples and black/blues and crankbaits in chartreuse colors was productive in Frank's Tract, just stick to the heavy weed lines for the bigger fish.
NORTHEASTERN AREA
LAKE ALMANOR--The trout bite has been slow but will pick up as soon as the area gets weather to stir things up. When it does, you can bet that jigging, trolling and baitfishing will also pick up.
BAUM LAKE--BWO's, and Griffith's gnat for dries, while copper Johns in green, Don's bug, midges, and woolly buggers are doing well for nymph fishermen. Lure fishermen are doing well on just about anything. Bait fishermen are still doing best on nightcrawlers or Power Bait.
EAGLE LAKE--Close on Dec. 31 but trout abandoned their "light bite" routine in favor of slamming baits. Both the north and south end produced fish on 3-inch orange grubs fished 4 to 5 feet down on downriggers over 6 to 7 feet of water. The grubs were also scented with Pro-Cure's Freshwater Shrimp Oil.
LEWISTON RESERVOIR--Trout bite hasn't slowed, just angler turn out. Trout are jumping everywhere. Power Bait or a combination of white and red eggs will do the trick.
MEDICINE LAKE-Trolling slowly with a Sep's dodger and worm will produce easy limits here if it doesn't snow.
PIT RIVER-- Good reports in the Pit 5 area, as it remains open to zero kill, barbless hooks, and artificials only from Lake Britton Dam downstream to Shasta Lake. Black AP's, golden stones, rubber-leg prince are all doing very well.
LAKE SHASTA--Choose your favorite trout spot, as they are abundant all over the lake. The McCloud is kicking out some nice fat ones. Browns weighed as much as 5 pounds here and a few 3-pound Kamloop also came out of this area by trolling from a few feet down below the surface but no farther than 15 feet down, with a 3 1/2-inch Kazi Minnow in a variety of bright colors and shad patterns, as well as Flee Bitty's, Cripplures in the UV patterns, and Hum Dingers. The bass bite was best with 5- and a few 6-inch swimbaits in trout or white patterns, on shallows with tapering mud points. Senkos tossed down steep banks or rock walls, as well as brown jigs or crawdad colored dart-headed worms brought in bass averaging from 1 to 2 1/2 with a few larger in the mix.
LAKE SISKIYOU-- Trolling slow with a Sep's dodger and worm or K-7 KwikFish will land some nice trout.
TRINITY/KLAMATH RIVERS
KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen--Fishing was hit-and-miss, mostly "miss" once again at the lower end of the Klamath last week, and it took lots of patience to intercept one of the relatively few steelhead that swam past riffles between Blue Creek and the mouth of the Trinity. A few halfpounders were being caught, plus the rare winter run steelie starting to show up. They were taking spinners and spoons like Mepps and Blue Foxes. Nightcrawlers, roe, too. Fly fishers were swinging assassins.
KLAMATH RIVER, Iron Gate--The stretch between Happy Camp and Iron Gate Dam was the place to be if you wanted to catch a steelhead and not have too many people around you while you did it. A small, backtrolled Hot Shot, with, or without, a nightcrawler trailer, was effective. So was drifting a golden stone nymph or copper John under an indicator. Most of the fish were small, 1 to 3 pounds, but an occasional larger fish weighing up to 8 pounds was showing up, as well.
TRINITY RIVER, Willow Creek--There were a few halfpounders, plus a rare, adult winter-run steelhead being caught, mostly on spinners and nightcrawlers, and, occasionally, on flies. Fishing was still slow, though.
TRINITY RIVER, Junction City--Flows continued to be very low and clear, and the relatively few fish in the river spooked by anything other than the stealthiest approach. That was hard, though, because pressure, while down from Thanksgiving weekend, was still heavy considering the tough fishing. Anglers were working hard for a bite or two, with fly fishers occasionally scoring on golden stones and copper Johns under an indicator, while spin fishermen used spinners, spoons, nightcrawlers and roe .
_ Western Outdoor News
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