NORTHEASTERN AREA
LAKE ALMANOR--The west shoreline provides the easiest access for boaters and bankies. Early morning is best, starting with surface trolling white streamer flies and a little later, fishing deep waters jigging with spoons and Git-Zits, in 30 to 40 feet, just off the bottom.
BAUM LAKE--Steve Vaughn of Vaughn's Sporting Goods in Burney said the lake has been really good for browns and 'bows from 15 to 20 inches with nightcrawlers, Power Baits, Kastmasters, Panther Martins, small nymphs, blue wing olives, and woolly buggers. Roads are open.
EAGLE LAKE--Closed now, the season ended with angler finding near limits of fish that went from 2 to 5 pounds.
LEWISTON RESERVOIR-- Trout are jumping everywhere but few if any were out to pursue them. Power Bait or a combination of white and red eggs will help entice the trout.
PIT RIVER--It remains open to zero kill, barbless hooks, and artificials only from Lake Britton Dam downstream to Shasta Lake but no reports were available due to the weather. Before the storms, Black AP's, golden stones, rubber-leg prince did well.
LAKE SHASTA--The bass bite was good despite the rain, with at least one five-fish limit of 20-plus-pounds. The bigger boys seemed to come out with the rain. Staying in the mouth of the arms also seemed to help find the better bite. Cloudy and or showers are better than sunny and cold days. Try 5- and 6-inch swimbaits and some topwater too. Trolling off the main body in Big Backbone and Digger Bay produced 1- to 3-pound trout, including a few brown trout. Gold and green Cripplures as well as Glow Shad and Glow Fire Tigers or the new UV ones, when the sun comes out, helped anglers fill their limits
Motherlode
CAMANCHE LAKE--With the cold temps, the South Shore Trout Pond action picked up for anglers soaking yellow or chartreuse Power Bait behind a long leader on a sliding sinker rig and a size 12 or 14 treble hook. Trollers in the main lake reported good action fishing east from the launch ramps up through the narrows to the bridge. Top offerings have been Rapalas in firetiger or gold/black, or a nightcrawler behind a dodger.
DON PEDRO RESERVOIR--Blue Oaks has been the top bet for trout, and shore anglers cornered the market. Power Bait and nightcrawlers worked best, with many limits reeled in. 16,000 pounds of trout were planted over the holidays.
LAKE McCLURE--16,200 pounds of trout were planted over the holidays. Despite the rains, the lake level was holding steady. Top spot for shore action on planters is at Barrett's Cove, where Power Bait and nightcrawlers are the top strike getters.
LAKE McSWAIN--Solid action on planted trout for both shore and boat anglers. Trollers found the best action on dodger/'crawlers, bead spinners and Rapalas, while the shore action went to Power Bait or Power Egg soakers.
NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR--Cold water temperatures shut down the striped bass and catfish action. Best bet now is soaking cut baits for both. Black bass rated slow, with jigs and small plastic worms producing best. Water level rising slowly.
NEW MELONES RESERVOIR--16,000 pounds of trout were planted over the holidays, boosting the action especially for shore anglers. Top tactics are soaking Power Bait or marshmallow-nightcrawler combos, or casting Roostertails and Kastmasters. Trolling is picking up with all the plants, but with the fish in the top 15 feet, sideplaners or long lining is required. Top trolling lures are Uncle Larry bead spinners with Power Bait added, shad or shad patterned lures. Lake level is rising slowly now.
TULLOCH RESERVOIR--Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing said the lake is still fishing good with "the usual nightcrawler combos behind flashers and trolled shad from the surface to about 15 feet deep."
North Saltwater
BERKELEY--While not many of the sportfishing boats are running trips, Captain James Smith reported his second boat has been targeting Dungeness crabs commercially. "We're getting about 2 per pot, but the price is good," said Smith.
BODEGA BAY-- Captain Bob Monckton on Reel-lentless reported great squid fishing early in the week, his group catching 35 on the six-pack boat. "We had to quit, we had no more room," said Monckton. "My swim platform was under the water." His weekend trips didn't fare as well, the wind coming up causing the drift to speed up and make getting jigs down for the first hookup impossible.
CROCKETT--Captain Mike Shimel on the Morning Star found a good flurry of sturgeon action during the outgoing tide on Friday and Saturday, finding a total of 4 keeper sturgeon topped by a 61 incher. The fish ate grass shrimp behind the Mare Island Rockwall.
EMERYVILLE--The boats will likely be tapping the South Bay sturgeon bite if they can get enough anglers interested. Otherwise, not much to report.
EUREKA--The weather once again kept saltwater anglers off the jetties and the open ocean. Crabbing has been generally slow, but a few Dungeness are showing up for Trinidad crabbers. The mouth of the Eel River was good until the rains came and the freshwater flushed the crabs out.
FORT BRAGG--With little to target and weather fronts to dodge, not much happening here. Captain Randy Thornton of Telstar Charters said he will continue to offer squid and crab trips, weather and angler interest permitting.
HALF MOON BAY--Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat is really getting into the squid business, running two trips on the weekend, finding well over 300 squid for the two groups. The squid are hefty, running upwards of 35 to 40 pounds. Saturday's trip also found a blue shark for one lucky angler.
MARTINEZ--Cold water temperatures upstream from the Carquinez Bridge has most of the party boat operators wishing for a warm spell. Striped bass were the best bet, the action best in the afternoon when water temps warmed up the most. Sturgeon are around, with many reporting plenty of jumpers, and lots of metered fish.
PITTSBURG--Captain Kevin Yost on Lucky Strike found that the best way to combat cold water temperatures was to fish at night. He had a trip that produced a first keeper for one angler, and an oversized fish hooked up that jumped then broke the line.
SAN PABLO BAY--Some short sturgeon coming from the mouth of Sonoma Creek, but just sharks, flounder and rays from the deeper water. Another good bet is the Rodeo Shoreline, where water temperatures are warmer than up in Suisun Bay.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY--The Oakland Airport bite is on, with several keeper sturgeon reported. "We're going to fish South Bay the next three days," said Captain Bob Monckton on Reel-lentless, who is giving the squid out of Bodega a break, and switching from Martinez as a launch point.
SUISUN BAY--Cold water temperatures have continued to make for slow sturgeon and striped bass fishing. There were some bass caught, with live mudsuckers the top bait, and lots of sturgeon reported jumping, but only a few hookups reported.
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS
AMERICAN RIVER--Open year round to catch-and-release artificial barbless lure fishing only. Weather has made this a poor choice right now. Run-off making water flows heavier.
BULLARDS BAR--Big storm last week brought lots of wind and rain to the lake. Steady winds 10- to 20-mph made it unsafe for boating. Only silver lining on this cloud is that the lake has come up at least a foot.
CAMP FAR WEST--The recent rains have brought the water in the lake up significantly and as a result the 5 mph restriction has been lifted. Lots of anglers have been hitting the lake between storms and bass fishing has been reported to be good for fish up to 4 pounds on worms and jigs. Shore anglers have been having a tough time. Launching is still off the old dirt ramp but the higher water level has made launching easier for somewhat larger boats than just small aluminums.
COLLINS LAKE--Lake has come up 5 feet with the recent rains and the main launch ramp at the marina is back in operation. Anglers have been on the water but there are few reporting back in. Lots of campers were checked for the New Year holiday. Junior hunters have been doing well on deer at the special Lottery Tag Hunts at Daugherty Hills Wildlife Area with a big forkie and a 4x4 taken last week.
ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR--The big Christmas storm brought lots of rain and wind to the area. Trollers are working the area in front of the marina and down towards the dam at 10 feet with a dodger/worm combo for browns and rainbows, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds. Boaters in the marina are still catching lots of fish on a bobber/worm set at 10 feet.
SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE--1 1/2 feet of snow at the lake but the roads to the ramp have been plowed to allow launching. Icy conditions in the morning make 4-wheel drive a good idea. Trollers have been doing pretty well on holdover fish on flashers and worms. Shore anglers have been walking out to the point and catching a few rainbows on Power Bait.
SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR--A lot more snow in the area from the storm has made it tough to get to the lake although the roads are plowed to the lake, just not into the parking lot or ramp. No pressure here at all. French Meadows is closed until spring
STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR--A lot more snow hit the lake with the Christmas storm, look for access to be difficult until the roads are plowed, 4-wheelers can still get to the lake. No angling pressure on any of the lower elevation lakes according to the Forest Service. Hell Hole is closed until spring.
THERMOLITO AFTERBAY--Steelhead anglers are still connecting with fish, 4 to 5, but the trollers are doing better than the minnow fishermen. Trollers are using a variety of flashers and dodgers with spoons or minnows near the pipes, rock wall at Hwy 162 or anywhere there is water movement. Shore anglers have been doing pretty well casting small spoons and spinners, like Kastmasters and Panther Martins for a share of the big steelies.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
FOLSOM LAKE--Bass fishermen were catching some bass, mostly around the main body where the water is a bit warmer than up in the forks. Go very slow, and be ready for any hesitation which might be a bass just softly mouthing a drop-shotted, or dartheaded plastic in either a dark- or shad pattern. Trout from a recent DFG plant were also being caught by the Granite Bay boat ramp.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento--Striper fishing was pretty good, especially trolling in the Port of Sacramento, before storms brought the river up and muddied the water. Sturgeon fishing is the next big thing on the Sac, now that the abbreviated salmon season has closed.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa--The abbreviated salmon season closed with a whimper, with high and muddy flows "sucking" fish upriver into the closed zone and clamping a lid on the bite. Lots of anglers were switching to sturgeon judging by the bait being sold, but it was too early for reports to start coming in.
- Western Outdoor News www.wonews.com
http://www.sacbee.com/fishing_hunting/stor...Fishing/Hunting
LAKE ALMANOR--The west shoreline provides the easiest access for boaters and bankies. Early morning is best, starting with surface trolling white streamer flies and a little later, fishing deep waters jigging with spoons and Git-Zits, in 30 to 40 feet, just off the bottom.
BAUM LAKE--Steve Vaughn of Vaughn's Sporting Goods in Burney said the lake has been really good for browns and 'bows from 15 to 20 inches with nightcrawlers, Power Baits, Kastmasters, Panther Martins, small nymphs, blue wing olives, and woolly buggers. Roads are open.
EAGLE LAKE--Closed now, the season ended with angler finding near limits of fish that went from 2 to 5 pounds.
LEWISTON RESERVOIR-- Trout are jumping everywhere but few if any were out to pursue them. Power Bait or a combination of white and red eggs will help entice the trout.
PIT RIVER--It remains open to zero kill, barbless hooks, and artificials only from Lake Britton Dam downstream to Shasta Lake but no reports were available due to the weather. Before the storms, Black AP's, golden stones, rubber-leg prince did well.
LAKE SHASTA--The bass bite was good despite the rain, with at least one five-fish limit of 20-plus-pounds. The bigger boys seemed to come out with the rain. Staying in the mouth of the arms also seemed to help find the better bite. Cloudy and or showers are better than sunny and cold days. Try 5- and 6-inch swimbaits and some topwater too. Trolling off the main body in Big Backbone and Digger Bay produced 1- to 3-pound trout, including a few brown trout. Gold and green Cripplures as well as Glow Shad and Glow Fire Tigers or the new UV ones, when the sun comes out, helped anglers fill their limits
Motherlode
CAMANCHE LAKE--With the cold temps, the South Shore Trout Pond action picked up for anglers soaking yellow or chartreuse Power Bait behind a long leader on a sliding sinker rig and a size 12 or 14 treble hook. Trollers in the main lake reported good action fishing east from the launch ramps up through the narrows to the bridge. Top offerings have been Rapalas in firetiger or gold/black, or a nightcrawler behind a dodger.
DON PEDRO RESERVOIR--Blue Oaks has been the top bet for trout, and shore anglers cornered the market. Power Bait and nightcrawlers worked best, with many limits reeled in. 16,000 pounds of trout were planted over the holidays.
LAKE McCLURE--16,200 pounds of trout were planted over the holidays. Despite the rains, the lake level was holding steady. Top spot for shore action on planters is at Barrett's Cove, where Power Bait and nightcrawlers are the top strike getters.
LAKE McSWAIN--Solid action on planted trout for both shore and boat anglers. Trollers found the best action on dodger/'crawlers, bead spinners and Rapalas, while the shore action went to Power Bait or Power Egg soakers.
NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR--Cold water temperatures shut down the striped bass and catfish action. Best bet now is soaking cut baits for both. Black bass rated slow, with jigs and small plastic worms producing best. Water level rising slowly.
NEW MELONES RESERVOIR--16,000 pounds of trout were planted over the holidays, boosting the action especially for shore anglers. Top tactics are soaking Power Bait or marshmallow-nightcrawler combos, or casting Roostertails and Kastmasters. Trolling is picking up with all the plants, but with the fish in the top 15 feet, sideplaners or long lining is required. Top trolling lures are Uncle Larry bead spinners with Power Bait added, shad or shad patterned lures. Lake level is rising slowly now.
TULLOCH RESERVOIR--Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing said the lake is still fishing good with "the usual nightcrawler combos behind flashers and trolled shad from the surface to about 15 feet deep."
North Saltwater
BERKELEY--While not many of the sportfishing boats are running trips, Captain James Smith reported his second boat has been targeting Dungeness crabs commercially. "We're getting about 2 per pot, but the price is good," said Smith.
BODEGA BAY-- Captain Bob Monckton on Reel-lentless reported great squid fishing early in the week, his group catching 35 on the six-pack boat. "We had to quit, we had no more room," said Monckton. "My swim platform was under the water." His weekend trips didn't fare as well, the wind coming up causing the drift to speed up and make getting jigs down for the first hookup impossible.
CROCKETT--Captain Mike Shimel on the Morning Star found a good flurry of sturgeon action during the outgoing tide on Friday and Saturday, finding a total of 4 keeper sturgeon topped by a 61 incher. The fish ate grass shrimp behind the Mare Island Rockwall.
EMERYVILLE--The boats will likely be tapping the South Bay sturgeon bite if they can get enough anglers interested. Otherwise, not much to report.
EUREKA--The weather once again kept saltwater anglers off the jetties and the open ocean. Crabbing has been generally slow, but a few Dungeness are showing up for Trinidad crabbers. The mouth of the Eel River was good until the rains came and the freshwater flushed the crabs out.
FORT BRAGG--With little to target and weather fronts to dodge, not much happening here. Captain Randy Thornton of Telstar Charters said he will continue to offer squid and crab trips, weather and angler interest permitting.
HALF MOON BAY--Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat is really getting into the squid business, running two trips on the weekend, finding well over 300 squid for the two groups. The squid are hefty, running upwards of 35 to 40 pounds. Saturday's trip also found a blue shark for one lucky angler.
MARTINEZ--Cold water temperatures upstream from the Carquinez Bridge has most of the party boat operators wishing for a warm spell. Striped bass were the best bet, the action best in the afternoon when water temps warmed up the most. Sturgeon are around, with many reporting plenty of jumpers, and lots of metered fish.
PITTSBURG--Captain Kevin Yost on Lucky Strike found that the best way to combat cold water temperatures was to fish at night. He had a trip that produced a first keeper for one angler, and an oversized fish hooked up that jumped then broke the line.
SAN PABLO BAY--Some short sturgeon coming from the mouth of Sonoma Creek, but just sharks, flounder and rays from the deeper water. Another good bet is the Rodeo Shoreline, where water temperatures are warmer than up in Suisun Bay.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO BAY--The Oakland Airport bite is on, with several keeper sturgeon reported. "We're going to fish South Bay the next three days," said Captain Bob Monckton on Reel-lentless, who is giving the squid out of Bodega a break, and switching from Martinez as a launch point.
SUISUN BAY--Cold water temperatures have continued to make for slow sturgeon and striped bass fishing. There were some bass caught, with live mudsuckers the top bait, and lots of sturgeon reported jumping, but only a few hookups reported.
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS
AMERICAN RIVER--Open year round to catch-and-release artificial barbless lure fishing only. Weather has made this a poor choice right now. Run-off making water flows heavier.
BULLARDS BAR--Big storm last week brought lots of wind and rain to the lake. Steady winds 10- to 20-mph made it unsafe for boating. Only silver lining on this cloud is that the lake has come up at least a foot.
CAMP FAR WEST--The recent rains have brought the water in the lake up significantly and as a result the 5 mph restriction has been lifted. Lots of anglers have been hitting the lake between storms and bass fishing has been reported to be good for fish up to 4 pounds on worms and jigs. Shore anglers have been having a tough time. Launching is still off the old dirt ramp but the higher water level has made launching easier for somewhat larger boats than just small aluminums.
COLLINS LAKE--Lake has come up 5 feet with the recent rains and the main launch ramp at the marina is back in operation. Anglers have been on the water but there are few reporting back in. Lots of campers were checked for the New Year holiday. Junior hunters have been doing well on deer at the special Lottery Tag Hunts at Daugherty Hills Wildlife Area with a big forkie and a 4x4 taken last week.
ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR--The big Christmas storm brought lots of rain and wind to the area. Trollers are working the area in front of the marina and down towards the dam at 10 feet with a dodger/worm combo for browns and rainbows, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds. Boaters in the marina are still catching lots of fish on a bobber/worm set at 10 feet.
SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE--1 1/2 feet of snow at the lake but the roads to the ramp have been plowed to allow launching. Icy conditions in the morning make 4-wheel drive a good idea. Trollers have been doing pretty well on holdover fish on flashers and worms. Shore anglers have been walking out to the point and catching a few rainbows on Power Bait.
SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR--A lot more snow in the area from the storm has made it tough to get to the lake although the roads are plowed to the lake, just not into the parking lot or ramp. No pressure here at all. French Meadows is closed until spring
STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR--A lot more snow hit the lake with the Christmas storm, look for access to be difficult until the roads are plowed, 4-wheelers can still get to the lake. No angling pressure on any of the lower elevation lakes according to the Forest Service. Hell Hole is closed until spring.
THERMOLITO AFTERBAY--Steelhead anglers are still connecting with fish, 4 to 5, but the trollers are doing better than the minnow fishermen. Trollers are using a variety of flashers and dodgers with spoons or minnows near the pipes, rock wall at Hwy 162 or anywhere there is water movement. Shore anglers have been doing pretty well casting small spoons and spinners, like Kastmasters and Panther Martins for a share of the big steelies.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
FOLSOM LAKE--Bass fishermen were catching some bass, mostly around the main body where the water is a bit warmer than up in the forks. Go very slow, and be ready for any hesitation which might be a bass just softly mouthing a drop-shotted, or dartheaded plastic in either a dark- or shad pattern. Trout from a recent DFG plant were also being caught by the Granite Bay boat ramp.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento--Striper fishing was pretty good, especially trolling in the Port of Sacramento, before storms brought the river up and muddied the water. Sturgeon fishing is the next big thing on the Sac, now that the abbreviated salmon season has closed.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa--The abbreviated salmon season closed with a whimper, with high and muddy flows "sucking" fish upriver into the closed zone and clamping a lid on the bite. Lots of anglers were switching to sturgeon judging by the bait being sold, but it was too early for reports to start coming in.
- Western Outdoor News www.wonews.com
http://www.sacbee.com/fishing_hunting/stor...Fishing/Hunting
