Lake Amador
The Tackle Box Café reported planting another 3000 pounds of fighting cutbows today for a total of 26,500 pounds in the past month. The lake is holding steady, and the anticipated rain isn’t expected to do much to the water levels with the dry ground ready to soak up the precipitation. The fish are in the top 18 inches of the surface, and anglers drifting slowly on the surface are scoring more fish than traditional trollers. At this time of year, bank anglers also have the advantage on trollers. There were several limits of cutbows brought into the shop on Tuesday, November 17th. The lake is still 45 feet down, but the launch is on the cement with the dock accessible.
Clear Lake
Bob Higgins at Limit Out Bait and Gifts said there is a very good minnow bite in the south portion of the lake, as they have been selling loads of minnows. Ross England of Clear Lake Guide Service confirmed the hot minnow bite with 2 anglers on Saturday using 6 dozen shiners for 40 bass to 7-pounds with a pair of 6’s, three 5’s and a load of 3.5 to 4.5-pound fish in the mix. Higgins said the weekend bass tournament produced a winning limit of 23+-pounds with a good jig bite in the deeper water and a ripbait bite with LV500’s in the northern portion of the lake. The northern region has the best artificial action. Catfishing is still steady in the main lake, but the fish have moved out of the Keys with the exception of the main channel. Live minnows are also working for the whiskerfish.
Lake Camanche
Russ Faught at the Fishermen’s Friend in Lodi reported an outstanding trout bite for fish to 5-pounds/13-ounces on his trips to this foothill impoundment. He has been trolling his red/white R-Lure naked on 8-pound test three feet behind a ball bearing swivel at 3 to 4 colors of lead core for great action. The R-Lure is designed to run faster at 2.5 to 3 MPH. Faught said the Countdown Rapala in Hot Steel long-lined has also been productive, but he has not felt the need to switch over from his R-Lure. I visited this afternoon with Russ at the The Fisherman’s Friend, and he has an excellent selection of the shallow-running, suspending or deep-diving Yozuri’s in all possible colors for the striper fishermen at the very reasonable price of $10.99, in addition to a sale on the older P-Line Predators - buy 3 and get 2 free.
New Melones Reservoir
Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods in Angels Camp reported good numbers of large trout to 3-pounds/11-ounces have been taken from the banks in Angels or Glory Hole Coves near the mouths with Berkley Power Eggs, Power Bait or crawler/marshmallow combinations. Kastmasters have also been effective. Trolling is improving with the fish moving up in the water column with shad-patterned Needlefish or ExCels or the smaller Countdown Rapalas at depths from the surface to 30 feet. Brown trout have been taken on Trophy Stick or Countdown Rapalas in rainbow trout or rolled shad at depths from 20 to 40 feet near structure. Adriane Reimer of San Andreas reeled in a 4-pound/6-ounce rainbow on a shad-patterned Rapala on the surface under the Highway 49 Stevenot Bridge. A trout plant is scheduled at Melones this week Bass fishermen have been targeting the large schools of shad in the main lake around lake points holding wood with Carolina -rigged creature baits in green pumpkin or similar crawdad imitation colors. Baby Brush Hogs or Reaction Innovation Sweet Beavers are also working at depths from 30 to 40 feet with a heavier weight of ˝-ounce. Numbers of smaller fish can be taken on 4-inch plastics on the drop shot. Alex Niapas caught and released a 9-pound/12-ounce largemouth on a Lunker Punker on a windy day while fishing a main lake point in Mormon Cove. He also released a pair of 6-pounder earlier in the day on the same lure. Catfish have moved into deep water, but there are still some quality whiskerfish have been taken with anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver, or a ball of night crawlers. Randy Miller landed a 10-pounds/10-oz. on a live minnow near the Spillway. Crappie and bluegill action continue to be slow with the best action at night under lights at depths from 10 to 30 feet around submerged trees with live small or medium minnows, or crappie jigs with jigs in red/white, black/chartreuse or purple/white in Bear, Carson or Mormon Creeks. The lake is holding at 956.86 in elevation and 46% of capacity.
Lake Tulloch
Monte Smith of Gold Country Fishing has been targeting nearby Lake Tulloch for limits of rainbows to three-pounds at depths from 20 to 27 feet trolling 2 to 2.5 mph with shad-patterned Vance’s Slim Fins or ExCels. He switched over to the lures as blade/crawler combinations or rolled shad weren’t effective. The water temperature has been ranging from 57 to 59 degrees which is perfect for this lake.
Don Pedro
Manny Basi of the Bait Barn said the bass bite has remained with few changes within the past week. Larger fish have been hard to locate with the smaller bass taken by dragging Carolina-rigged lizards or Baby Brush Hogs in watermelon red/flake. Brown jigs with greenpumpkin trailers are working in a variety of depths from 10 to 50 feet with no set pattern for the fish. The Reaction Innovation plastics in Bad Shad Green or shad-patterned Wright (formerly Keeper) worms are working. The reaction bite is slow. On the trout fishing front, the lake should turn over in the next couple of weeks, particularly with stormy weather anticipated this week. There has been decent trout fishing in the upper end of the lake in the Woods Creek Arm at depths from 10 to 35 feet with Vance’s Slim Willies in tandem with a night crawler or lures such as ExCel’s, Midge Wobblers or Shasta Tackle’s UV Humdingers for rainbows from two to four pounds. A trout plant is scheduled for this week. The lake is holding at 775.26 feet in elevation and 69% of capacity.
McClure Reservoir
Manny Basi of the Bait Barn reported an improved top water bite with PopR’s in the coves, but the top techniques have been the Reaction Innovation plastic worm in Bad Shad Green, the Pro Worm 300 small redflake or Senko in color 330. The Yamamoto Hula Grub in color 300 with a Twin-tail trailer is also working at depths from 10 to 30 feet. Diana Mello at A-1 Bait in Snelling said live minnows or crawdads are producing bass from the banks along Barrett’s Cove or McClure Point. Crappie have been showing up from the banks with small minnows under a bobber. Catfish have moved into deeper water to seek out warmer temperatures for the winter. Trout fishing continues to be slow, but things will improve with the trout plants continuing through the next couple of weeks. The trout bite should take off as soon as the lake turns over.
McSwain Reservoir
Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling reported lake levels have returned to normal after a period of dropping water for dam repairs. Trollers have been scoring limits with blade/crawler combinations or chartreuse Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler behind a dodger or blade/crawler combinations at depths from 12 to 15 feet from Gilligan’s Island to the Floating Restrooms. Bank anglers have been soaking lemon-lime, chartreuse, or Sunries Power Bait or Power Eggs, or marshmallow/night crawler combinations at the Handicapped Docks or the Brush Pile. A Calaveras Trout Farm plant is scheduled for this week.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Ly Tu of Ly’s Fishing Goods in San Jose said jumbo and extra-large minnows have been hard to locate due to interstate import restrictions. He has located an in-state supply this week, but with the paucity of minnows in the past week, fishing on the main lake was slow. Those possessing minnows have picked up limits of stripers to 24-inches in the Forebay. Merritt Gilbert said a few stripers to 7.5-pounds have been taken on large minnows in the main lake with smaller fish in the 22 to 23-inch range landed on mooched anchovies near the Trash Racks or in Portuguese Cove. The lake is holding at 26% of capacity. Wind conditions: 800-805-4805.
Delta Mendota Canal and Sloughs
There have been few reports on the local canals this week, and Patrick Movey said things have slowed down. The rumor of the 61-pound striper from Mendota Slough appears to be only a rumor, as no one provided any additional information in the past week. In the south Aqueduct, Vernon and Becky Selbach of Bakersfield landed a pair of limits of striper to 5-pounds on blood worms. Tube baits, live bullheads, anchovies, swimbaits or top water lures are all working in the Lost Hills area. Pete Cormier touted the Aqueduct stripers as the best thing going in the Bakersfield area.
Eastman Lake
Ranger Keith Willis reported fair bass action at depths from 6 to 12 feet near deep water access with crawdad imitation plastics in orange or red. Merritt Gilbert said a 10-pound plus limit of four fish was landed during a weekend club tournament with dragging Brush Hogs or split-shotting 6-inch plastics along the bottom at depths from 30 to 40 feet working best. A bank fisherman was witnessed keeping an estimated 10-pound largemouth from the Dam area on a live crawdad. Raul Lazado and Greg Gresham of Tulare put in catfish to 12-pounds and largemouth to 3.5-pounds on live crawdads. The freshwater crustaceans have been the top bait for catfish. Panfish can be landed on red worms, mini-crawlers or wax worms. The trout plants are starting to pay dividends with bank fishermen scoring with rainbow or various colors of Power Bait. The lake is holding at 471.99 feet in elevation and 9% of capacity.
Hensley Lake
Bass fishing continues to be very slow with Merritt Gilbert referring to the lake as the “Dead Sea”. Patrick Movey said bank anglers have been picking up planted trout with rainbow Power Bait. The lake dropped a foot to 476.09 feet in elevation and 20% of capacity.
Millerton Lake
Merritt Gilbert of Valley Rod and Gun said the lake continues to drop rapidly at 2.5 feet per day. The launch ramp is expected to be on Ramp 4 by the end of the week. As a result, the bass are suspended, and fishing has been tough. The best technique is either brass n’ glass or drop shot shad-colored plastics at depths from 15 to 20 feet around submerged trees. Once again, larger fish have been hard to locate. No striper reports going on the fourth consecutive month. The lake dropped thirteen feet to 506.38 feet in elevation and 45% of capacity. A trout plant is scheduled on the lower San Joaquin River this week, and the flows have been reduced to 125 cfs which will make for far better conditions. Patrick Movey said white Roostertails are working for the planters, as well as various colors of Power Bait or night crawlers.
Pine Flat Reservoir
Merritt Gilbert said the trout bite has been good for some and very tough for others. The fish are moving up in the water column with a few fishermen pulling in limits of rainbows to 14-inches within six hours. The majority of the trout are chasing the omnipresent shad schools from the Power Lines to Windy Gap, in front of Zebe Creek and a few fish around the Dam. Some trollers are long-lining on the surface in the morning before moving down to 3 colors with shad-patterned ExCels, Needlefish, and Shasta Tackle Humdingers. Bass fishing has been “feast or famine” with a good spoon bite once you locate fish. A 9.5 to 10-pound limit in possible at depths from 20 to 40 feet with drop shot plastics or jigs, particularly in submerged trees. The majority of fish are small with 14 to 15-inch spots hard to locate. The lake rose another two feet to 788.19 feet in elevation and 28% of capacity. Trout plants are scheduled on the lower Kings for the next two weeks, and fishing interest is starting to pick up for planters on Power Bait, night crawlers or Kastmasters.
Lake Kaweah
Tough fishing during Saturday’s Top Ten tournament with winning weights nearly half of the limits landed just a week ago. The ten teams only weighed in 34 bass with two fish over 3-pounds and the remainder in from 1 to 2-pounds. Kerns reeled in a 2-pound spot on his first cast with a spinnerbait, but this was the end of the reaction bite as everything else came on jigs or plastics. There are still large schools of shad cruising the lake. The lake actually came up four feet to 584.04 feet in elevation and 6% of capacity.
Lake Success
The Army Corp of Engineers Ranger Station reported increased interest in trout fishing with the heavy plant last week. Shore anglers are soaking various colors of Power Bait or night crawlers. Bass fishing has been hit or miss, but there are still crappie landed on small minnows from the banks. The lake has dropped slightly to 586.91 feet in elevation and 8% of capacity.
Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area
Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait reported bass fishing has been hit or miss with a few fish picked up on crankbaits, but brown jigs with a green pumpkin Yamamoto Twin-tail trailer being the top technique at depths of 15 feet. A local club tourney put in a winning weight of 16-pounds for 4 fish over the weekend. The trout bite continues to improve with the cooling water temperatures with the best action around the Dam and near the inlets with Power Bait or night crawlers. Catfishing continues to be decent with frozen shad, mackerel or anchovies in the deeper water areas from the bank. Crappie fishing has slowed, but perhaps due to a decrease in angler interest. The lake is holding at 2547.29 feet in elevation and 18% of capacity. In the Bakersfield area, action at the Buena Vista Trout Derby was reported to be slow, but a 4.7-pounder was the top fish. This lake will continue to plant large brooder fish during the winter months. Pete Cormier touted River Walk as the top local lake for planted trout with Garlic Power Bait, meal worms, wax worms or crappie jigs. A trout plant at the local lakes is scheduled for next week.
Bass Lake
The low water at the launch ramp led to the change of venue during this past weekend’s Kings River Bass Club tournament, as the lake level has dropped to 45% of capacity, keeping all but small boats off of the water. As a result of the low water, fishing action has been slow. Things will improve with inflow and the upcoming trout plants.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Dick Nichol’s of Dick’s Fishing Charters reported fishing is “hit or miss” with possible mixed limits of kokanee and trout, but 3 to 4 fish are the norm. There have been a few of the large brooder trout landed this week. The best areas have been the Sierra Marina Cove to Road 2 and around Boy Scout Island to Tunnel Creek at depths from 10 to 17 feet with the chartreuse/orange Dick’s Trout Busters tipped with a night crawler behind the Captain Jack’s Shaver Lake Dodger. Kokanee can be found at depth from 32 to 38 feet with Captain Jack’s perch Fat Bug with the firetiger spinnerblade behind the Shaver Lake Dodger. Matt McCandless of Shaver Lake Sports reported a continued excellent smallmouth bite in the evenings off of the Point in the rocks with Atomic Tube lure or live crickets. The water temperature is 55 degrees. All of the ramps are open, but the marinas are closed until mid-April of 2010. Shaver is holding at 68% of capacity with Huntington also holding at 56%. At Huntington, Patrick Movey said a few fishermen are putting in small aluminum boats with 4WD tow vehicles to troll for the chance at a brown trout on large Rapalas around main lake points.
Wishon/Courtright
Merritt Gilbert reported a few hardy bank fishermen have been heading up to Courtright for limits of rainbows to 14-inches on Power Bait in a half-day of fishing. There is very little interest or reports from Wishon. The road to Courtright is still accessible, but it may be closed any day, so anglers are advised to check road conditions before heading up the hill.
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
Not much information on the Kaiser Pass lakes. Edison is holding at 53%, Florence has risen to 8% with Mammoth Pool rising to 31%.
Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez
Matt Short of Jim’s Pro Bass in Paso Robles said things haven’t changed much in the past week with a good spotted bass bite for fish to 1.5-pounds in on dark-patterned plastic worms such as Aaron’s Magic or Oxblood or spinnerbaits under the docks. The water is very low and off-color at 60 degrees. Lopez is still kicking out good numbers of small fish on drop-shot or jigs in depths over 30 feet with a good evening crankbait bite. Santa Margarita continues to be slow as well as San Antonio. San Antonio is holding at 722.65 feet in elevation and 33% of capacity with Nacimiento dropping another two feet to 713.60 feet and 15% of capacity.
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