Fishing line

TOP PICKS

FOLSOM LAKE - Fish and anglers adjusted to lower lake levels and nice fish were caught last week. The trick was to fish edges dropping off into deeperwater. The main body has been producing better than coves up the river arms. Plastic worms and jigs in natural, bait-imitating patterns were still the most consistent lures. Try drop-shotted and Carolina-rigged baits in Aaron's Magic, Prizm Shad and Morning Dawn. The lake went to a 5 mph speed limit Tuesday.

LAKE BERRYESSA - Limits of kokanee were taken on the main body of the lake on Sep's 3/0 chrome starlight dodgers or watermelon dodgers with chartreuse and red Radical Glow Tubes and the hot belly colored spinners by Uncle Larry from 45 to 66 feet deep and in 100-plus feet of water. They caught bass on splitshotting 4- and 6-inch Robo and Power worms. Points were good, and fish were about 15 to 20 feet deep.

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ACRAMENTO VALLEY

AMERICAN RIVER - Shad were around in the upper runs and could be caught in the last hour of legal fishing. If only someone was trying to catch them. About the only anglers on the American River were fishing for striped bass by trolling and drifting jumbo minnows in the lower part of the river just before and after dark. Throwing big streamers, plugs or swimbaits has also been an effective method along edges where faster water drops into holes. Best, though, is fishing with soft-shell crawdads found under rocks along the river.

FEATHER RIVER - While a few legal-size striped bass were caught below Shanghai Bend last week, the big (OK, just semi-big) news was that there were still good numbers of shad swimming around in the same area. Good numbers of steelhead mostly populated the Low Flow Section and were caught on nightcrawlers and small nymphs like tan foxes, Poopah and pheasant tails.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento - Fishing continued to be slow around Sacramento, except that the Port of Sacramento continued to pump out a few small striped bass and catfish, along with fewer-still largemouth bass and crappie. The mouth of the American River at the color line produced a few small stripers. Catfish ate anchovies and chicken livers. Backwaters, eddies and local sloughs produced catfish.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Ward's Landing -- Fishing for striped bass was good last week, although 8 pounds was the top fish reported and you had to go through lots of shakers--and bait--to get to a keeper. Bait fishermen soaked sardines, while fly fishermen threw big streamers late in the day. An increase in flows later in the week threw off the bite, but it should pick up again when it stabilizes.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding--Trout fishing was good until flows rose and then dropped a little throwing off the bite, at least temporarily. Glo-Bugs and crickets worked for spin fishermen, while fly fishers scored on tan caddis poopahs, iron Sallies, stoneflies, and midges.

UPPER SACRAMENTO RIVER--Trout fishing was fair, with rising water temperatures pushing fish into pockets and fast water. Fish early in the day and the upper reaches with nymphs like Princes in No. 14's, micro-Mayflies and caddis poopahs in No. 16's.

DELTA REGION

SACRAMENTO RIVER side - Warmwater fish like catfish and bluegill are taking over the summer action. Numbers of them both are being taken and are a great option for the kids. Mackerel, chicken livers and other stinky baits are popular for the catfish. Bluegill are hitting on small worms and mealworms. Tons of stripers had to be sorted through to find a few keepers on anchovies.

SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side - Frogs or chartreuse-colored spinnerbaits held a solid possibility in White Slough for some big bass boys. Heading into the Mokelumne River area between Sycamore and Beaver sloughs and looking for tules, islands or pumps was another good idea.

NORTH COAST RIVERS

ROGUE RIVER, Lower--Down around Gold Beach, trollers pulling spinners and herring have been seeing some toad kings to the mid 40-pound class in front of Lex's Landing and Jot's Resort. The fall run is definitely starting to make a showing!