NORTH COAST RIVERS
North Coast streams and rivers are regulated by low flow closures. Always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed or no reports. The DFG’s Low Flow Closure Hotline for north coast rivers is (707) 822-3164. For the Russian River and counties of Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin, call (707) 944-5533. South Central Coast streams number is (831) 649-2886. Many streams close, and others change to artificial/barbless only on, March 31 and others on April 25. Trouble identifying salmon or steelhead? Go to: http://www.swr.noaa.gov/fmd/identify.htm.
ROGUE RIVER, Gold Beach, Ore.—Jim Carey of The Rogue Outdoor Store said that the salmon fishing in the Bay is improving as the fish are blocked by high temperature flows in the main river. “I’m quite surprised how many 30- and 40-pound fish have been caught so far this year,” he said. The best trolling in the estuary is the top of the tide and the few hours of the beginning of the outflow. He said there’s been a lot of silvers out in the ocean this year, and when the wind lays down that fishery should really get going. So far, only about 20 boats a day are trolling the estuary, but that number is growing and will eventually reach hundreds.
ROGUE RIVER, Shady Cove, Ore.—Kurtis Jermain of the Fishin’ Hole said it’s the tail end of spring salmon in their area and the season ends July 31, but then they begin fishing the Gold Hills area through August, where the fish are fresher. They’re getting one or two a day, or none. Summer steelhead begin showing up now through August. Fishing is good, though, for a mixture of cutthroats, rainbows and steelies with averages of about 8 to 12 fish a day 14 to 22 inches, and a bunch of smaller ones C & R.
RUSSIAN RIVER—The river is running warm and swimmers, rafters and inner-tubers are loving it, but the only fish that enjoy it are the smallmouth bass, available early and late before and after river activities disrupt the fish.
TRINITY/KLAMATH RIVERS
KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen—There’s been a dramatic turnaround in the fishing. Though the water is still very warm, the moss has died off, and many more salmon were being caught in the past week. However, they seem reluctant to move upriver out of the estuary, swimming a bit upstream, then back down on tide swings, apparently deterred from continuing upriver when hitting the warm flows of the Klamath. Fishing was good at the mouth, though, with most anglers hooking salmon, and the Indian netters also doing well. Fishing for summer run steelhead was outstanding, and it’s possible to hook a dozen or more hard-fighting steelhead to more than 10 pounds in a short time. The best action has been up around Blue Creek for anglers drifting roe. The baby salmon die-off is worsening, though.
TRINITY RIVER—Salmon fishing improved last week in the upper river up to Steel Bridge, though it still can only be called fair. Anglers were hooking 2 to 5 fish an outing, mostly on drifted roe. That’s a combination of salmon, small steelhead and brown trout. Fishing is much better early in the morning before the sun gets high in the sky. Then, it becomes a lot tougher, and air temperatures skyrocket. Downstream, fish are moving upriver in pods, and it is necessary to do a lot of prospecting from the highway shoulder above the river to scout for fish. Find the fish, and there’s a good chance of also finding some action.
NORTH COAST LAKES
CLEAR LAKE—The better bite has been in the two southern arms of the lake but you’ll still have to move around a lot. Look for shallow fish early with topwater baits around rocks and weeds. As the morning progresses start moving deeper towards the 15- to 20-foot range with plastics and a range of crankbaits. Catfish action remains good off docks for cats in the 8- to 12-pound range with nightcrawlers, hot dogs and cut baits. Crawdads are a favorite catfish bait, fished under bobbers in the weedy areas.
LAKE BERRYESSA—Troll from the Ranch House to the Big Island for good results. RMT dodgers, Uncle Larry’s spinners, Apex spoons, RMT hoochies and Pautzke Fire Corn with fresh garlic oil and Pautzke liquid krill brought in limits of kokes. Some kings and rainbows were also taken. Most bass are from 1 to 2 pounds, but there have also been a few in the 4-pound range taken on topwater.
LAKE SONOMA—Use the mud lines created by the wakes made in the afternoon by recreational boaters to cover water with spinnerbaits or a LuckyCraft BDS in Lake Fork shad color for bass that are chasing shad.
NORTHEASTERN AREA
LAKE ALMANOR—Hit it right and it’s been good. Try Big Springs before 8:00 a.m. mooching anchovy tails or trolling from the Fox Farm to Bunell Point.
BATTLECREEK RESERVOIR—According to Rim Rock Ranch, small browns are about all you can expect to land at this time. Not a lot of action due to warming water and the chub situation. This will be the last update as Rim Rock Ranch anticipates fishing conditions will only worsen.
BAUM LAKE—The Fly Shop in Redding reported on and off good days for both rainbow trout and even a few brown trout, but get there early.
BUCKS LAKE—Light tackle action in the creeks has been good for mostly rainbow trout and a few browns and kokes.
CASSEL FOREBAY—Rim Rock Ranch reports the bite on the forebay remains good with lower pressure and lots of limits. Bait fishermen are catching a lot of brookies on floating baits and nightcrawlers with fly fishing improving every day. PMDs and chironomids working well.
EAGLE LAKE—The fish are moving around but closer in. Even so, the Eagle’s Nest is worth checking out anchored in 50 feet of with threaded nightcrawlers down 20 to 25 feet at first legal light.
FALL RIVER—The Hex hatch is still going and should continue through July and maybe into early August.
UPPER HAT CREEK–Rim Rock Ranch reported fishing was excellent with most catching lots of fish. There are lots of big brooder brookies in the creek, so it is not uncommon to weigh in two to four fish a day over 4 pounds. Two fish were weighed in over 5 pounds. The majority of the big brookies have been taken with worms, but the most successful bait overall has been Pautzke Gold Label Balls of Fire. Spinners and crickets have also been working well. Twice a week plants continue, but the large number of campers usually here in the summer months have just not materialized, so the fishing should only get better. The weather is moderate right now with temperatures in the high 80s during the day and low 50s overnight.
PIT RIVER—Fishing reports range from poor to great depending on an angler’s ability to handle the heat. There are caddis hatches going off, so get here early.
MANZANITA LAKE–Rim Rock Ranch the action has been slow to fair with mostly pansized trout biting at this time. Better hatches are starting to come off, so callibaetis and pheasant tail patterns should take fish. When more caddis start presenting, some bigger fish should also start hitting. Remember this is a catch and release lake with special restrictions so be sure to check the regulations.
McCLOUD RIVER—The fishing continues to be great but crowded on weekends so you can expect a big crowd now that the word is out. Caddis come off before 9:30 so get here early.
SHASTA LAKE—Fishing in the McCloud and under the I-5 Bridge was good for cookie cutter trout and a few salmon, but get out early before the recreational boat traffic. Both species have been between 40 to 60 feet and caught with white Wiggle Hoochies behind Sling Blades. For bass, stay in any of the no ski zones where there is less traffic and better visibility. There has been a decent topwater bite before the sun come up or with drop-shot tubes and worms further out once the sun is on the water for a bunch of smaller fish.
WHISKEYTOWN RESERVOIR—The I-5 Bridge is a good place to troll as it provides both structure and shade. Cookie cutter 13- and 14-inch kikes are here and they are fat, hard fighting fish that provide limits. The fishing was fair but not red hot with pink/pearl or pink UV Apexs, a Radical Glow tube or pink Hoochies behind Sling Blades. Target points and humps for bass but as the day winds down switch to topwater baits and larger 7- to 9-inch swimbaits for the possibility of a fish to 7 pounds.
NORCAL SALTWATER
BERKELEY—Striper fishing lit up from Berkeley all the way up through Carquinez Straights and into Suisun Bay. Sturgeon were active and a few were even hooked from the Martinez Marina Pier. An improving halibut bite was reported both outside and inside the Golden Gate. Happy Hooker, California Dawn and other boats had their choice of good fishing for salmon, striped bass, rockfish or halibut.
BODEGA BAY—Salmon fishing went off the hook for yet another week. Maddog and New Sea Angler found easy limits at the Whistle Buoy. Down the coast at Dillon Beach, halibut action was reported off the beach and inside of Tomales Bay.
CROCKETT—Striped bass bit so well, people were using up all their bait in short order. Most fish were schoolie size but some bigger units bit.
EMERYVILLE—Early week salmon fishing was good, hovering around a fish per rod, before slowing down late in the week and improving again over the weekend. Rockfishing results were great at the Farallones and some boats stopped by the sand bars outside the Golden Gate to score a few halibut.
EUREKA—Limits of salmon came in under two hours on some days for the professional skippers and the majority of private boaters were able to limit out. Pacific halibut served as bonus fish for successful salmoneers with some spare time. Red tail perch began biting near the mouth of the Eel River.
FORT BRAGG—High rockfish counts came easy and some nice lingcod came along for the ride. Salmon catches averaged a fish and a half per rod. Seahawk found salmon ranging from 20 to 30 pounds without long transit times.
HALF MOON BAY—Quick transit times and good salmon fishing made boaters happy out of Half Moon Bay. Huli Cat fished off the Ritz Carlton for a nice grade of salmon to 27 pounds. Que Sera Sera scored big with limits of salmon to a whopping 42 pounds. Rockfishing is wide open.
MARTINEZ—Striper and sturgeon both proved to be hungry. A few sturgeon were hooked from the Martinez Marina pier this week. Boaters fishing from Benicia Bridge to past the mothball fleet enjoyed success with both sturgeon and stripers. Private boaters focused on stripers had phenomenal success, catching and releasing fish for hours.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
AMERICAN RIVER —Some nice stripers were being caught throughout the length of the river on crawdads, minnows, swimbaits, Pencil Poppers and even Clouser-type streamers. Behind Cal Expo was one good spot. Nimbus Basin was another, and holes from Sailor Bar to Grist Mill was another.
FEATHER RIVER—Everything on the Feather River is focused on salmon fishing starting on Tuesday, July 16 when the season opened. A few steelhead were still being caught in the Low Flow Section.
FOLSOM LAKE—Fishing slowed as the water continued to drop, but John Enos of “Big” John’s Guide Service still was able to score an occasional big landlocked king salmon as well as a few trout. He found a 4.5 pounder at 40 feet on a green spoon in front of the dam. Bass continued to work deeper, but were being caught, mostly on plastics off rocky points.
RANCHO SECO LAKE—A few bass were still being caught, mostly very early and late, but most of the fishing action now is on panfish, especially redeared sunfish.
SACRAMENTO RIVER— Lots of folks were getting ready for the salmon opener on Tuesday, July 16, but a few went striper fishing and caught some keepers as well as a few whoppers, including two weighing 38 and 41 pounds that were taken around Clarksburg on sardines. Fishing for catfish to about 5 pounds continued to be good in slow spots on the main river, the Deep Water Channel and in Sutter Slough.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding—Flows were high, but trout fishing was good, at least for non-fly fishers. For them, Glo-Bugs, nightcrawlers, and crickets were doing the trick on fish to 20 inches. Redding to Anderson was the most productive stretch. Fly fishers were getting a few trout dead-drifting pmd’s under indicators.
UPPER SACRAMENTO/McCLOUD RIVERS—Fishing was in the summer swoon, but fishing was still “fair” around Dunsmuir where trout are planted. The best area for fly anglers has been from Pollard Flat to Sims. On the McCloud, fishing was pretty good around Ah-Di-Na and around Ash Camp.
YUBA RIVER—Fishing for fat rainbows to 20 inches continued to be very good, especially on hopper-imitating dry flies. Evenings continue to be particularly good. Trout were also being caught on swinging soft hackles on floating lines as well as on nymphs under indicators.
SIERRA LAKES/RIVERS
BLUE LAKES—Todd Sodaro at the Creekside Lodge reported that fishing was wide-open here with one angler reportedly catching a nice limit and then releasing 15 to 20 more fish in a morning.
BOCA LAKE—The lake is at 75-percent capacity. After the DFW plant, the fishing was good at the dam for rainbows using Power Bait, worms and Kastmaster spoons.
CAPLES LAKE—The lake is at 98-percent capacity. Caples Lake Resort reported that fishing was very good since the Kirkwood PUD and DFW trout plants. Trollers and shore anglers were both doing well. The big fish of the week was a 10-pound brown taken by Rick Alcartado of Rio Vista. He rented a 12-foot boat at the resort and caught the big fish trolling off the dam. Sallie Clampitt of Fallon, NV, caught a 2 1/2-pound brown trolling a dodger/worm at Emigrant Bay. Dominic Atwell and Spencer Keating picked up 7 rainbows and a brown on worms at Wood’s Creek while Jeff Bovero of El Granada caught a limit of rainbows to 2 pounds in the same place on Power Eggs.
CARSON RIVER (East, West)—Alpine County planted 1800 pounds of 3-pound average rainbows into the East and West Carson this past Friday. Fishing was very good in the East Fork during the week, but a big motorcycle run closed the area for most of this past weekend. Todd Sodaro at the Creekside Lodge and Chad Machado at the Carson River Resort reported that anglers were picking up lots of 4- to 6-inch DFW cutthroats and 8- to 12-inch planter rainbows along with good numbers of 1- to 2-pound Alpine County fish and a few bigger fish to 4 pounds.
DAVIS LAKE—The lake is at 76-percent capacity. Ed Dillard at Dillard’s Guided Fishing reported that trout trolling was good this past week. His last trip produced 23 rainbows from 12 to 19 inches trolling Wee Dick Nite and No. 1 Dick Nite spoons at 21 feet in the channel between the little island and the big island. Fly fishermen were picking up a few fish in the late mornings at Jenkins during the damsel hatches. Shore fishing was slow.
DONNER LAKE—After the DFW plant, the rainbow trout action was good at the west end and north shore at the public docks and piers for anglers using Power Bait and worms. Kokanee trolling was still productive from Loch Levon to China Cove using dodger/pink RGT’s and hoochies at 40 feet deep for 12-inch fish. Get out early for any chance of success on the kokes.
FEATHER RIVER CANYON—Mike Hanson at Caribou Crossroads Resort reported that trout fishing in the North Fork was slow due to muddy water conditions caused by some PG&E work as best as anyone could tell. The Caribou Powerhouse was fishing well with rainbows to 5 pounds seen this past week.
FRENCHMAN LAKE—The lake is at 58-percent capacity. Wiggins Trading Post reported that trout fishing was good at the dam and Crystal Point using nightcrawlers, Power Bait and salmon eggs. Catfish action was also good off Crystal Point using worms.
GOLD LAKES BASIN—Lower Sardine Lake is scheduled for a DFW trout plant this week. Mark Tieslau at Mountain Hardware and Sports in Blairsden reported that Salmon, Sardine, Snag, and Packer were all producing limits of planters in 1 to 2 hours on worms and Power Bait. Gold Lake was kicking out a few rainbows and macks.
ICE HOUSE RESERVOIR—The lake is at 80-percent capacity. As the water temp warms, the trolling was getting more sporadic for rainbows. Boaters were working for limits of trout using dodger/worm combos in the top 25 feet.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR—The lake was planted by the DFW this past week and fishing was good. One group of 3 anglers caught 6 fish in 2 hours according to Chad Machado at the Carson River Resort.
JACKSON MEADOW RESERVOIR—The lake is scheduled for a DFW trout plant this week. The Yuba inlet was producing great quality rainbows this past week according to Tony Marotta at Mountain Hardware and Sports.
JENKINSON LAKE (Sly Park)—Sly Park Resort reported that shore anglers were still coming in with DFW tagged trout from the first dam. Trollers were picking up rainbows all over the lake.
LAKE TAHOE—Chuck Self at Chuck’s Charter Fishing reported that trolling was best from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. at the latest for limits or near limits of 5- to 11-pound macks. Self was running Rapalas and spoons from 120 to 430 feet deep from Crystal Bay to Tahoe City. Mike Nielsen at Tahoe Topliners reported doing well for macks jigging Williamson Benthos jigs from 120 to 220 feet deep all along the west side of the lake. Nielsen was stopping on 15 to 20 spots and picking up small numbers of fish from active schools as he worked from north to south. The kokanee bite was sporadic for most trollers. Nielsen only saw a couple of fish for 2 hours of trolling while others might limit out on an actively biting school of kokes while trolling very slowly with flasher/hoochies, spinner, spoon combos. Rick Kennedy of Tight Lines Guide Service did well this past week trolling spoons for macks at Tahoe City at 180 to 300 feet deep.
LOON LAKE—The lake is at 81-percent capacity. With the water temp rising, the trolling got tougher for trout. Get out early and run dodger/worm combos at 15 to 25 feet deep.
MARTIS LAKE—Tony Marotta at Mountain Hardware and Sports reported that the lake was making a comeback with lots of small cutthroats and browns hitting J. Fair Wiggle Tails and dry blue damsels. A Kastmaster with a single barbless hook was also working well for some fish to 20 inches. The lake is all catch-and-release with barbless artificial lures only.
PROSSER LAKE—The lake is at 39-percent capacity. With DFW finally making a plant, the fishing was good at the inlet for rainbows. Smallmouth bass fishing was good at the dam and on rocky points for anglers using tubes, jigs, and crawdad crankbaits. A 3- to 4-pound brown was reportedly taken off the dam over this past weekend.
PYRAMID LAKE—Perch action was sporadic for Joe Mendes at Eagle Eye Charters, but good numbers of trout were hitting marabou jigs while fishing for Sacramento perch.
RED LAKE—Hit the dam and the inlet for the best chance at brookies and cutthroats.
SILVER LAKE—The lake is at 86-percent capacity. Ron Peterson, EID host, reported that shore anglers and trollers were picking up limits of rainbows including some of the bigger 2- to 3-pound Kirkwood PUD stockers.
STAMPEDE RESERVOIR—The lake is at 59-percent capacity. Rick Kennedy at Tight Lines Guide Service reported that kokanee trolling was very good around the island at 40 feet deep using Sep’s watermelon Strike Master Dodger with a RMT Crystal Watermelon Assassin spinner or an Uncle Larry’s Tropical Tiger spinner tipped with Pautzke’s new Shoepeg Can-O-Corn. The kokes ran 12 to 14 inches with the bite best at first light. Tony Marotta at Mountain Hardware and Sports reported that smallmouth bass fishing was good in the Davies Creek arm using jigs and tubes in crawdad colors.
TOPAZ LAKE—The lake level dropped to where there was no longer any launching off the ramps at Topaz Landing Marina or the County Park. Small boats could launch off the shore. The docks at Topaz Landing Marina were sitting in the mud.
TRUCKEE RIVER—With bigger releases from Lake Tahoe, the bait and lure fishing from Tahoe City along Hwy 89 to Truckee was good for bigger fish. The flyfishing from Truckee to Stateline was good on yellow sallies, PMDs, stones, and caddis. Look for dry activity in the evenings.
UNION VALLEY RESERVOIR—The lake is at 84-percent capacity. Kyle Neeser at Crystal Basin Tackle and Guide Service reported that fishing was very slow—“it sucks!!” Neeser trolled for kokes from 6:00 to 12:45 and only caught 4 fish at 55 feet deep and other experienced boats on the lake got skunked. The meter showed only a veritable wasteland with no fish marks!
WEST WALKER RIVER—The Little Walker and West Walker are both scheduled for DFW trout plants this week. George Anderson at the Toiyabe Motel reported that fishing was very good with lots of limits of DFW planters and good numbers of the bigger Mono County and Chamber of Commerce fish taken. The “How Big is Big” Trout Derby leader this week was 8-year-old Cameron Holcomb who caught a 6 1/4-pound rainbow on a worm at Old Mt. Gate. Jim Hollister landed a 6-pound, 2-ounce rainbow in Walker on a nightcrawler. Marty Moreno of Modesto picked up a 4-pound, 6-ounce trout in Walker on a nightcrawler, also. Flyfishermen were catching-and-releasing 40 to 80 fish per day—mostly 8- to 12-inch DFW planters.
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS
AMERICAN RIVER—The Silver Fork of the American is scheduled for a DFW trout plant this week. Tom Lanini of Davis reported that the North Fork at Italian Bar was very productive for rainbows using Mepps spinners, but a good hike was involved to reach the river so be prepared!!
BULLARDS BAR—The lake is at 73-percent capacity. Emerald Cove Marina reported that boaters drifting worms in the marina were picking up mixed stringers of bass, big bluegill, and trout.
CAMP FAR WEST—Kathy DeRossett at North Shore Resort reported that bass fishing was still pretty good. “Ron” of Folsom caught 20 small bass on green pumpkin Brush Hogs at 8 to 10 feet deep up in the Rock Creek arm. Catfishing was better at night due to the heavy recreational boat traffic during the day.
COLLINS LAKE—Kathy Hess at Collins Lake Resort reported that fishing was good despite the heat. Trout, bass, panfish, and catfish were all hitting in deeper water. Trollers did well on trout near the dam or in the channel at 30 feet deep using flasher/worm combos and Rapalas for rainbows to 5 1/4 pounds. Shore fishermen did well on trout at the dam, docks, and bridge area using Power Bait and worms for fish to 5 3/4 pounds. Catfishing was good with whiskerfish to 10 3/4 pounds caught this past week from shore or the docks. Bass, crappie, and redears were all hitting in good numbers this past week. One family caught 9 bass, 4 catfish to 7 1/4 pounds, and 20 trout on nightcrawlers.
ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR—The lake is at 91-percent capacity. Houseboaters and boaters fishing from shore and drifting in the Boston Bar area were picking up rainbows to 3 1/2 pounds on worms. Fish mid-week to avoid the heavy recreational boat traffic.
FRENCH MEADOWS RESERVOIR—The lake is at 57-percent capacity. The best bet was trolling a dodger/threaded nightcrawler at the creek inlet near the dam in the early morning for planter rainbows.
HELL HOLE RESERVOIR—The lake is at 61-percent capacity. The Georgetown Ranger Station reported that canoeists had to carry their boat over 200 feet of shallow bottom to reach the upper side of the Narrows to get to the Rubicon River inlet where they caught several 10- to 12-inch brown trout on worms and spinners. Trollers were still picking up a few kokanee at the powerhouse on dodger/hoochie or spinner combos at 20 to 40 feet deep, and some nice macks at 80 to 100 feet deep at the dam.
LAKE OROVILLE—The lake is at 68-percent capacity. Guide Ron Gandolfi reported that the bigger fish had finally started moving up out of deeper water to feed on passing schools of pond smelt. Running reaction baits, especially lipless crankbaits, past ambush points was working very well for increasing numbers of 2- to 4-pound bass in the upper river arms. The bass were hitting the reaction baits in 1 to 10 feet of water along rocky points, trees, and walls. If the fish had dropped off the bank, they were hitting Senkos at 10 to 20 feet deep on points. The coho salmon trolling remained consistent for nice fish using dodger/hoochies from the dam to the Green Bridge at 40 to 60 feet deep—let your meter be your guide for the correct depth!!
ROLLINS LAKE—Casey Reynolds of Auburn reported catching a few rainbow trout drifting nightcrawlers near the bottom in the deeper coves and catfish to 6 pounds were hitting nightcrawlers near the sand bar at Greenhorn. Matt Holiday at Long Ravine Resort reported that bass boaters were picking up good numbers of smallmouth bass to 3 pounds on jigs on rocky points. Catfishing was good at night near the boat ramp for fish to 8 pounds using chicken livers and hot dogs.
SCOTT’S FLAT LAKE—The lake is scheduled for a DFW trout plant this week. Jim Caldwell reported that recreational boat traffic was very heavy and few fishermen were getting out. For the best chance, get out during the week in the early morning and troll flasher/worm combos at the dam at 25 to 35 feet deep. After the plant, shore fishing should be good in and around the marina using Power Bait.
SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR—Little to report from the Foresthill Ranger Station—lots of campers but few reports about the fishing. Try early in the morning for the best chance.
STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR—The lake is scheduled for a DFW trout plant this week. The Georgetown Ranger Station reported that the campgrounds were full over the weekend and anglers were still picking up a few holdover rainbows—the plant should help the fishing a bunch!!
THERMOLITO AFTERBAY—The lake was at 134.3 feet elevation at press time—87-percent capacity. One local was doing well on some bigger fish using frogs along the tule banks and grass mats in the late afternoon on hot days.
MOTHERLODE
AMADOR LAKE – Debbie Grayson at Lake Amador Store said “the bass bite must be good at night as there are lots of bass guys coming in around 6 and leaving at 2 a.m.” Tournaments are coming up and nobody is talking. A 17.3-pound catfish was caught by Sue and Todd Coyle of Folsom on chicken liver in the Rock Creek area.
BEAVER CREEK – Beaver Creek has been fishing excellent. All the usual stream tactics will work.
BIG TREES STATE PARK – The Park is open for camping. You need to make a reservation to insure a camping site. You can contact Big Trees State Park at 209 795–3840 for more information regarding the Park.
CAMANCHE LAKE – Fishing is good for bass and catfish. Summer temperatures have trout down 35 plus feet. Hat Island seemed to be a particularly popular fishing spot this week as most anglers reported catching both bass and catfish around that location. Nightcrawlers are definitely the bait of choice for bass right now while Power Baits are the choice for catfish. 10-year-old Erin Vian had quite a bit of luck last week with a stringer of 5 catfish one day and a few days later he came back to catch an 8.69-pound bass! Randy McNabb of Valley Springs caught a 4.94-pound catfish using worms. Aarion Hudson had similar luck and brought in a 4.49-pound catfish with worms. David Irmini of Salinas fished North Shore and brought in 6.29- and 5.8-pound catfish.
DON PEDRO RESERVOIR – Bass, trout, salmon and kokanee are slow with doldrums of summer having set in. There is an early morning topwater bite and late evening for bass. Guide Danny Layne took clients Trevor Adams from Hayward and Uncle Bill Rucker from Oakdale out fishing and they had rainbows to 2 pounds and king salmon to 3. Trout were holding at 40 feet and salmon at 85 feet and down off the face of the dam and Big Oak Island, Ex-Cell lures and small broken-back Rebels worked well,
HIGHWAY 4 CORRIDOR – The fishing has been excellent, even though there were some fairly good-sized crowds here in the sierra. The DFW has planted fish and the fishing couldn’t be better… You must obtain a fire permit before camping. You can contact the CDF at 209-795-1381 for up to date information regarding camping and fire safety.
LAKE ALPINE – “The fishing couldn’t be better,” said Bill Reynolds at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods.
LAKE MCCLURE – Fishing is good. Anglers in the know are catching limits of kokanee and trout at 50 to 70 feet. There has been a decent catfish bite on live crawdads. Jason Mello at A-1 Bait Shop caught a 2-pound plus spotted bass on an S-Waver. There have been a few crappies being caught.
LAKE MCSWAIN – “Trout fishing is good,” said Victoria Sturtevant at Lake McSwain Marina. The DFW just planted 1,500 pounds of trout. There was a 7 pound rainbow trout caught last week. Best baits have been Yellow Power Bait and ‘crawlers off the bank. The trollers are using all the regular style fishing gear. The best bite has been early in the morning or late in the evening. During the heat of the day you have to go deep to find the fish.
LAKE PARDEE – There is a good bite for kokanee 10 to 12 inches. The bank fishing has been okay on banks opposite the EBMUD boathouse and also Rainbow and Blue Herron Points. Kokanee fishing continues to be good with the hot spot last week at the mouth of the river and the area between there and the face of the dam. Kokanee have been hanging very deep, down to 90 feet. Trollers continue to use Uncle Larry’s copper pops and pinkies along with Wedding Rings, Apex and Sling Blades behind silver/gold or watermelon dodgers. Look for catfish in the river arm and the southern coves, from Mel’s Cove to Rattlesnake. Chicken livers, Power Bait and ‘crawlers are the baits of choice.
NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR –“The striper fishing has really slowed down,” said guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing. “I think the massive hatch of shad in the lake has caused the slowdown as the stripers are feeding heavily on these small bait fish, and we are starting to see fish feeding on the surface.”
NEW MELONES RESERVOIR – Fishing is good with some of the better fish caught at night. There has been a good catfish and trout bite at night. Kokanee are being caught at 50 to 70 feet. Early morning and late evening has been the best time to fish for bass. Try throwing topwater and reaction baits. Once the sun comes up the fish will pull off of the shoreline and out to deeper water, you should go to using soft plastics baits at that time.
NORTH FORK OF THE STANISLAUS – The river has been fishing excellent. You can check the flows for The North Fork of the Stanislaus by going to dreamflows.com. All the regular stream fishing styles should work.
MOSQUITO LAKES — “Mosquito Lakes has been planted numerous times and fishing is excellent.” said Bill Reynolds at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods.
SPICER RESERVOIR – Fishing is good trolling lures at 2 to 4 colors of lead core line. Some anglers are toplining lures or trolling flies early in the morning with success. Contact Bill Reynolds at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods for more information.
UNION RESERVOIR — Fishing is good. Union Reservoir is located next to Utica Reservoir off the road to Spicer.
WHITE PINES LAKE — White Pines Lake located near Arnold has been excellent and was planted last week. Bill Reynolds at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods said, “Remember it has been extremely warm up here and you should be on the water at sunrise.” All the regular lake fishing styles should work.