TOP PICKS

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento-Striped bass fishing has taken off with a vengeance with most of the action from shore at various locations: Miller Park, Bryte's Beach, Garcia Bend and South River Road. It's all bait with pileworms, bloodworms, and sardines catching most of the fish. Not many boats are on the water yet, but flows are dropping, and boaters should be back in action soon.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Knight's Landing-The ramps at Knight's Landing and Tisdale are still closed, but the ones at Verona, Ward's Landing, and Colusa are available. Flows are dropping, and striper fishing should take off big time this week.

FEATHER RIVER, Yuba City-Fishing for striped bass has continued to be very good, but heavy pressure and lower flows has meant that it's no longer a "slam dunk" to catch dozens of fish an outing on the weekends. Some fish have moved downstream from Boyd's Pump, and the key to success is to move around until concentrations of fish are found.

CAMANCHE LAKE-Most of the interest remained on trout fishing, with fish to 11.67 pounds weighed. Power Bait worked for shore anglers, while trollers scored with Rapalas. Bass are moving up to seek out beds, and anglers fishing 20 to 25 feet for staging fish are getting action on plastic worms in green pumpkin, smoke and salt and pepper color patterns. Top spots are rocks, so the Camanche Arm, Lancha Plana, and dikes 1 and 2 are great bets.

LAKE OROVILLE-The lake is at 83-percent capacity. Bass fishing has been good with fish scattered from shallow to deep. There are post-spawn, pre-spawn, and spawning fish on the banks right now-take your pick. Wacky-rigged Senkos and jigs are working the best for spots up to 4 pounds and largemouths to 3 pounds. The coho bite is wide-open for trollers working the area from the Spillway ramp across the front of the dam. Troll pretty much anything at 5 feet deep for 40 to 50 fish a day up to 2 1/2 pounds.

GENERAL

NORTH COAST RIVERS

ROGUE RIVER, GOLD BEACH, Ore.-Some guides were getting 5 to 7 springers a day this past week, and that's really good for this early in the year, but springers are there one day and gone the next, or just not biting. There were good days and bad days last week, but the river is still dropping-from 15,000 cfs on Wednesday to 10,500 cfs on Sunday at Agness, and the lower the water the better the fishing. WON Field Reporters Curtis Palmer of River Secrets Guide Service and WON Field Reporter Andy Martin of Wild Rivers Fishing are both on the river now and both report the same thing: It's starting out great!

RUSSIAN RIVER-Starting to green up at the top of the river, but the big change started on Monday when Lake Sonoma cut flows from 2,000 cfs to 250 cfs. Lake Mendocino was already at 150 and is going to 125 cfs, so it will drop out quick, and is expected to be in excellent shape this weekend for downers and bluebacks, both. The run was up from 1200 fish at the hatcheries last year to 4,000 this year, but still not up to the 12,000 steelhead returns of the past. Shad are expected to begin showing soon, but the main run is usually in May.

TRINITY/KLAMATH RIVERS

TRINITY RIVER, Douglas City- The river down to Douglas City is fishable, but fresh steelhead are very rare these days. It's mostly a steelhead smolt and downrunner-both of which should be released-affair. The 8- to 10-inch smolts are fun to catch and readily take dry flies. Sea-run brown trout were also being caught on streamers, woolly buggers and leeches cast into overhung banks by fly fishermen, and spinners, small spoons and drifted nightcrawlers by spin fishermen.

KLAMATH RIVER, Iron Gate Dam-No change. The whole length of the Klamath was still too high and muddy-even right below Iron Gate Dam.

NORTH COAST LAKES

CLEAR LAKE- All of the county launch ramps are open now. And with bass moving in on beds, more of them and larger ones were being caught and released on live minnows. The artificial bite is definitely picking up; swimbaits are being used for the big females hanging out in the spawning areas. Use crawdad colors for worms and jigs.

LAKE BERRYESSA-Go for variety here under changing weather conditions. Spinnerbaits, ripbaits or crankbaits or plastics such as Senkos, Robo worms and tubes since some bass are on beds, and others moving in. T-Roy's Guide Service suggested depth from 9 to 16 feet with good marks all the way to 25 feet for kokes and trout. His best setups were RMT hyper plaid dodgers with Uncle Larry's spinners in pink Tiger, blue Tiger, Mad Irishman or a pink Apex with herring corn, all with scent gels.

UPPER BLUE LAKE- They've been doing well on planters and a few to 2 1/2 to 3 pounds here. With the last plant about two weeks ago, and another planned for this week, it should be in good shape for this weekend's 23rd annual Blue Lake Trout Derby sponsored by the local school district and emergency services. The cost is $8 for adults, and $4 for kids no day or lake charges. Contact the Narrows Resort for more details. This Friday at 6 p.m. is the deadline for entries.

DELTA REGION

SACRAMENTO RIVER side-The water is still high and running fast, with plenty of debris, but conditions are continuing to improve. Johnny Trans at the New Romeo Bait and Tackle Shop said to use blood worms and pile worms for stripers, they've been best for fish to 10 pounds. Stay close to tree line though, it is still running fast and use 2- to 4-ounce weights. A mix of sturgeon sizes came from Prospect and Cache sloughs on pile/eel combos or pile/ghost shrimp combos.

SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side-Black bass fishing was better back in the sloughs where it is warmer, for fish to 10 pounds on purple Senkos for pre-spawning bass. Chain Island, Broad Slough, and just above Middle Ground were good for sturgeon in 35 feet of water on the outgoing tides.

NORTHEASTERN AREA

LAKE ALMANOR-Rainbow trout have been in spawning mode, and brown trout are holding in rocky areas feeding on pond smelt. Trophy Sticks and Rapalas, along with a healthy dose of scent produced fish to 5 pounds on the east shore.

BAUM LAKE-Vaughn's Sporting Goods reported unchanged conditions. There's been good fly fishing due to lots of hatches, but fish have been difficult to read. Bait and lure fishermen also had difficulty hooking up. Fish should adjust to the sunny skies shortly and hopefully the catching will pick back up then.

BRITTON LAKE-The water has cleared some from the dark mud color of last week, but not enough to tell if the crappie and bluegill are starting to move up yet.

IRON CANYON RESERVOIR-There have been no new reports yet but you can expect it to be muddied up, especially near the inflow of water. Vaughn's Sporting Goods reported that with the previous weather patterns, Pit 5 is the only dependable access.

PIT RIVER-The river continues to run high, very fast and muddy so there have been no fishing reports but that doesn't mean it's unfishable. The Fly Shop reported flows at 450 cfs between Pit 4 and 5 and Pit 3 at 350 cfs. Over the next few weeks, as conditions improve, so will the fishing. There should also be some hatches of caddis, baetis, golden stones and salmon flies by then.

LAKE SHASTA- Shasta Tackle's owner reported trout to 16 inches on the Sac arm in Elmer's Bay, Goose Neck and Salt Creek. Back in coves also produced, but most came in open water at 15 feet. Cripplures, Hum Dingers, Apex's and regular hoochies behind UV Sling Blades took their share. The salmon are picking as they move into the Dry Creek, Digger Bay, Dam and Backbone. While not consistent yet, the swimbait bite has already been the best it's been in years. Big fish are coming up on points early, try a 7-inch Ghost Rainbow colored Osprey for quality fish. The worm bite for numbers of smaller at 15 to 25 feet with MF shad colored worms. And for a monster, an 8-in. Huddleston Deluxe in Shasta Tout color. Water color is perfect, with 7 feet visibility.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

AMERICAN RIVER- Flows have stabilized at 10,000 cfs, and very few anglers have been fishing the river. However, there are still some bright steelhead present, and they are willing takers of spinners and spoons, as well as nightcrawlers in Nimbus Basin and above the Sunrise Bridge. Striped bass are present, too, but virtually all the striper interest is focused on the Sacramento and Feather River.

FOLSOM LAKE-With the lake steadily rising and the weather finally turning nice, bass are making their big move toward the shallows. Fish Senkos slowly, as well as crankbaits and spinnerbaits around flooded brush and trees and in the backs of coves until you find a pattern that works.

RANCHO SECO LAKE, MATHER LAKE-Nice bass are being caught in the shallows of area ponds. Try both plastic worms like Senkos and reaction baits until you find what is working.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding-The release at Keswick will be down to under 10,000 cfs, and trout fishing around Redding has turned back on big time. Try dead-drifting a combination of egg pattern and small nymph under an indicator.

SIERRA LAKES/RIVERS

BOCA LAKE-The lake is at 79-percent capacity. Boaters have been launching off the beach and trolling for trout and kokanee. Sling Blade/hoochie combos have been working according to Mountain Hardware and Sports.

CAPLES LAKE-Thick ice and snow has kept everyone off the lake for the past couple of weeks.

CARSON RIVER (East)-Runoff has the river high, but the water color is good. There's just not much interest in fishing here with Indian Creek Reservoir so good.

DAVIS LAKE-The lake is at 75-percent capacity. The road has been cleared to Mallard Point, but not beyond. There's still some thin ice showing at the dam and above Fairview-NOT SAFE FOR FISHING!! The boat ramp was dug out, and the ramp is being dug out and prepared for installation-with any luck the ramp will be in the water this week. The only problem will be the very limited parking. There will only be room for 8 to 10 rigs until after May 1 when the logs and logging equipment stored in the parking lot must be removed. Fishing has been slow otherwise from the shore along the open water at Coot. Fly fishermen walking into the west side and casting nymphs at the ice/open water edge were catching 30 fish a day this past week, according to Mountain Hardware and Sports in Truckee.

DONNER LAKE-The lake is high enough to launch boats now and trollers have been trying for macks and trout. Shore anglers using inflated nightcrawlers have lucked into some big trout.

FRENCHMAN LAKE-The lake is at 66-percent capacity. Fly casters stripping nymph patterns from the shore along the open water have been doing very well on rainbows up to 2 1/2 pounds. Shore anglers soaking nightcrawlers and Power Bait have been doing well, also.

ICE HOUSE RESERVOIR-The lake is at 39-percent capacity. More snow this past week postponed any chance of getting in here soon. It will take at least a week of good weather before the roads can be cleared.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR-Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters reported good action for trout running 3 to 5 pounds casting leeches and midge patterns into the shallows while wading. Lure casters are doing well on Rooster Tails and Panther Martins.

JENKINSON LAKE (Sly Park)-The lake is full, spilling, and scheduled for a DFG trout plant this week.

LAKE TAHOE-Big Mack Charters reported good action on macks when the weather cooperated. His Friday trip clients landed 12 fish to 6 1/2 pounds-5 kept and 7 tagged. The early fish came at 60 to 80 feet and late fish came out of 240 feet of water on Sling Blade/Koke-a-nut combos, flasher/minnows, and Sting Kings.

PROSSER LAKE-The lake is at 36-percent capacity. The inlet area has been fishing well with worms and either the rainbow or Cap't America Power Bait.

PYRAMID LAKE-The first weekend of the Spring Catch-and-Release Derby was led by a 9 pounder caught by shore angler, Tim Rhyme. Only 5 fish were weighed in all weekend, leaving 15 blank spots in the prize list-come up for the finale this weekend and walk away with some great prizes. $80 entry can be paid at the host marina, Crosby's Lodge. Call 775-476-0400 for more info.

RED LAKE-Ice and snow over 6 feet thick has kept ice fishermen from being able to fish. A guide from Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters had a 5 1/2-foot long auger and could reach the water.

SILVER LAKE-More snow this past week made this lake even tougher to get to, plus the ice and snow are getting too deep to auger through. There has been very little fishing pressure up here.

TOPAZ LAKE-The cold front that moved through the area late this past week made fishing tough. Three guys from San Diego only had 3 rainbows the first day and 5 fish the next. Trollers have been doing the best at the south end of the lake. The Topaz Lodge Trout Derby ended this past weekend with the overall winner being crowned-Dusty McDonald of Topaz landed a 23-inch, 5-pound, 14-ounce rainbow. Second place went to Eva Bell of Yerington with a 4-pound, 5-ounce rainbow.

TRUCKEE RIVER-Best from Trout Creek to Glenshire-below there the flows were up to 1200 cfs but have slowed this week, according to Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters. Down at the Nevada border near the diversion, squalus stones and sculpin patterns have been drawing strikes from browns up to 20 inches in the slower water. Rainbows are spawning now, so leave them alone! The Little Truckee between Boca and Stampede is fishing very well now according to Tony Marotta at Mountain Hardware and Sports.

UNION VALLEY RESERVOIR-The lake is at 59-percent capacity. More snow this past week postponed any chance of getting the roads cleared here for a while longer.

Motherlode

AMADOR LAKE-Trout and bass both stirring, with quite a few limits of the planted trout over the weekend. Power Bait was the main go to bait for shore anglers, but one canoe guy did score a limit on Rapalas. Bluegill are moving in and are eating redworms under a bobber.

DON PEDRO RESERVOIR-Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing fished Monday with four clients, finding quick success, but a rather scratchy all day bite on trout and king salmon. "At the end of the day, the tally was 8 fish boated, 3 lost, big fish a 2.5-pound salmon," said Smith. Chuker T spoons attracted the strikes, with most of the fish scattered between 10 and 40 feet down. Water clarity is a little murky, and surface temps were at the 60-degree mark. Bass fishing has been good as the fish move up in various stages of spawning. Senkos, plastic worms and some reaction baits are working. A recent tournament took 20 pounds for first place honors.

LAKE McCLURE-A bass weighing 15 pounds was caught during a tournament Saturday, but no details were available. Diana Mello at A1 Bait said overall bass action has been great with plastics scoring plenty of slot-plus sized fish. The hot depth zone is 5 to 15 feet for anglers using brown craw-green sparkle Gitzits around the dam. McClure Point was a hotspot for another group who caught 23 bass, 8 over the slot, using purple ghost/chartreuse tail plastic worms in 10 to 23 feet. Trout and salmon are hitting for trollers fishing the buoy line outside the spillway with Apexes behind a Mack's Flashlite.

LAKE McSWAIN-Great action for both shore and boaters, with limits for anglers fishing garlic rainbow Power Bait over the weekend. Trollers also scored, one group checking in at A1 Bait with 2 limits caught on baby Cowbell chrome flashers and Wedding Rings in red. The river below the dam and powerhouse was a hot spot for one angler who caught his limit at the fishing access using rainbow Power Bait.

LAKE PARDEE-The first lunker brown of the 2011 year weighed 8.75 pounds, caught in the river mouth on a Sockeye Slammer by an Elk Grove angler. The other lunkers showing are largemouth bass, with a 6.81 pounder hitting in the Rec Area. Trollers reported good action on kokanee and rainbows.

NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR-Bass are staging, and anglers fishing the points and rock banks in 15 feet and less with Senkos, plastic worms and spinnerbaits found good action. The lake is back on the rise, about a foot in three days over the weekend.

NEW MELONES RESERVOIR-The lake shut down for one night, managers rousting campers and locking the gates when the federal budget stalled out, but apparently things are back to normal now.

TULLOCH RESERVOIR-Great bass and trout action, with planted trout keeping the troll bite going, and the bass up on beds. Trollers used Krocodiles fished about 10 feet down, and shore anglers stuck with Power Bait. Bass guys were sight fishing or working rocky points with plastic worms, Senkos and tube baits.

NORTHERN FOOTHILLS

AMERICAN RIVER-Warm weather is melting snow and flows are high.

BULLARDS BAR-The lake is at 85-percent capacity. No one has reported in at Emerald Cove Marina, but the water is warming up and spotted bass should be moving up in the beds. Swimbaits and reaction baits should be producing some good fish, along with Senkos. Trout trollers should be picking up some nice rainbows up in the North Fork.

CAMP FAR WEST-The lake is full and spilling. With the off-color water, the surface temp is rising and the bass are becoming more active.

COLLINS LAKE-The lake is full with off-color water. With the surface temp at 53-degrees, fishing is heating up for all species. Trout fishing was very good this past week with lots of limits showing for both shore anglers and trollers. The bass bite is picking up for anglers throwing crankbaits and plastic worms. Redear sunfish are starting to show along the brushy banks. The biggest trout of the week was caught by Madison Salinas of Sacramento-a 5 1/4 pounder. The CIFFI trout Derby will be held on April 16-check out www.ciffi.org for entry forms or sign up at the lake.

ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR-The lake is full and spilling. Lots of trollers were out with the nice weather. Flasher/worm combos are working well in the marina. Shore anglers have been doing well along the trail between the ramps.

ROLLINS LAKE-The lake is full and scheduled for a DFG trout plant this week. Long Ravine Resort is scheduled to open April 15, including the marina and Outrigger Grill.

SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE-Will Fish Tackle in Auburn reported that one troller picked up a 22-inch rainbow on a No. 9 vampire Rapala working the shoreline at Deer Creek. The water clarity is good and the lake was planted this past week.

STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR-The lake is full. Access still a problem for all but 4-wheelers. The camp concessionaires are trying to get the campgrounds ready for business.

THERMOLITO AFTERBAY-Water levels are higher than they've been in some time. 5- to 6-pound largemouth bass are hitting swimbaits along the tule banks, and there is always a chance for a fish over 10 pounds. The bite has been good. Steelhead are hitting nightcrawlers or minnows drifted under a bobber in the Wilbur Rd. area.

North Saltwater

BERKELEY-The Happy Hooker got out for sturgeon Saturday and scored some action including a big oversized sturgeon released. The New Easy Rider slipped outside for salmon for a brief try before the weather came up and while they didn't box any keepers, they released plenty of shakers, boding well for the season to come.

BODEGA BAY- Captain Bob Monckton on Reel-lentless finally managed to slip out for salmon, finding limits for four anglers from just 3 miles outside the harbor.

EMERYVILLE-The fleet got out for salmon, and while the keeper counts were on the low side, they did release lots of shakers while fishing the Marin Coast. The New Seeker fished on Sunday, finding 3 kings to 8 pounds.

EUREKA-The top bet for Humboldt anglers was down at Shelter Cove where the king bite went off on Sunday. Locally, surfperch and crabs are open, but the ocean conditions haven't offered much chance for either. Pacific halibut season opens on May 1, and salmon season scheduled for a May 15 opener in local waters.

FORT BRAGG-Captain Randy Thornton said the salmon bite remained scratchy, with one keeper on Friday, and only a shaker released on Sunday. He dropped some pots, but the lump slowed the crabbing also; his anglers did come home with 6 Dungeness each.

HALF MOON BAY-The fleet got a break and managed to get out for salmon, finding some deep fish off of Pescadero. Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat scored two kings to 16 pounds, both hooked in about 250 to 300 feet of water. Out of Huck Finn Sportfishing, the New Gravy had one 10 pounder caught while mooching the same area, plus another 9 shakers released.

MARTINEZ-Jordana Santiago at Martinez Bait and Tackle said the bite really picked up for boaters, with several nice sturgeon reported and a few brought in. Many anglers are nearing their season limit, so are now releasing diamondbacks. Captain Steve Talmadge on Flash Fishing said his anglers released two oversized fish, and scored a couple keepers and with several shakers released. Anglers fishing from the Martinez Pier also caught some sturgeon and stripers, said Santiago.

SHELTER COVE-The boats slipped out on Monday after the salmon opener, and caught some decent numbers of kings, but on Sunday, the ocean laid down and 15 boats got out, and all had limits with kings to 31 pounds caught. "Some of the boats had 6 and 8 fish," said Captain Trent Slate of Shelter Cove Sportfishing. "We're going to start charters as soon as the phone starts ringing!" The action came just a mile out of the harbor at the Red Can, with green Apexes, purple hoochies and bait all working.

--Western Outdoor News

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