Fishing line

TOP PICKS

• FOLSOM LAKE - Don Paganelli of Bass Fishing Experience reported a good bass bite last week. As for fishing for trout and landlocked king salmon, it's been tough. It's best to stay in the main body to avoid snagging the downrigger weights, but it's risky even there if you fish too deep.

• SILVER LAKE - Rainbows to 5 pounds and some 3-pound Mackinaw being caught here, with the good bite likely to get better as anglers start to connect with rescued fish from drawn-down Caples Lake. Try trolling FlatFish at 25 feet on downriggers, and toplining with Cowbells trailing a worm.

• KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen - Lots of salmon entered the river and headed upstream. Most of the adult salmon seemed content to mill around in the estuary and didn't seem to be in any hurry to head upstream while the water is still warm. But it is cooling, and guides predicted adults to 20 pounds and even more should soon be shouldering their way upstream. Salmon also were caught as far upstream as Orleans. Steelhead were being caught between Blue Creek and Johnson's Riffle on spinners and flies on the swing such as Assassins and Burlaps. Fishing pressure increased dramatically over Labor Day weekend.

• CAPLES LAKE - Still going down a foot a day and expected to be at minimum pool about Sept. 23. Fishing was disrupted during the 72-hour DFG effort to transfer fish from Caples to Silver Lake, although some shore anglers still scored some fish. First move of fish was at 8 a.m. Wednesday, when 1,000 fish weighing 400 pounds were moved to Silver.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

• AMERICAN RIVER - Striped bass hit topwater lures at

scattered locations on the river, with most of the action taking place from River Bend (formerly Goethe) Park downstream.

• FEATHER RIVER - Striper fishing improved last week, with fish to 15 pounds caught from Shanghai Rapids to Live Oak. Minnows, sardines, swimbaits and streamers were all producing bites at one time or another. A few small steelhead were taken on nightcrawlers and small nymphs in the Low Flow Section.

• SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento - There was an uptick in the striper action in the area. Some were being taken around Rio Vista on Bombers and

Yo-Zuris with a Trick Worm trailer, and others, mostly small stripers to around 24 inches, were caught around the I Street Bridge on bloodworms.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa -- Striped bass fishing continued to be pretty good, especially for fly fishermen tossing big streamers on shooting heads. Some weighed more than 15 pounds. The best action was below the Meridian Bridge. Minnows were working, too.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Red Bluff--Trout fishing continued to be fair, not great, on small nymphs under indicators. But, drifting crickets and Glo-Bugs, and back-trolling small Hot Shots has been producing more and larger fish.

DELTA REGION

were good for trolling, as well as between Rio Vista and Isleton bridges, up in Cache Slough, down by Montezuma or off Sandy Beach, all had keeper stripers.

Sturgeon reports are also starting to roll in, with one 56-pound diamond-back, taken at Light 13 on salmon roe.

-colored beaver in the same areas. Over all it was a tough bite, with an average of only half of dozen fish caught, the biggest going to 3.5 pounds. Fish slowly and dead stick.

MOTHER LODE

Bass action has been best after dark when plastics worked best. The topwater bite tapered off. Catfish is still a good bet, with top choices chicken liver, mackerel and nightcrawlers for bait. Some crappie action off the docks. Water level is down over 30 feet, but launching is still possible, and the lake managers have lowered the entry fees.

CAMANCHE LAKE -- Still a great bet for big catfish, with most of the reports coming from the upper lake and river arm. Chicken livers and anchovies are favorite baits. Bass action is good for anglers fishing the main lake with worms in 12 to 25 feet of water, most of the fish coming from the rocky dike faces or humps. Trouters scored while anchoring near the dam and soaking Power Bait, or trolling between Hat Island and the dam with Rapalas and Ex-cel spoons.