DELTA REGION
SACRAMENTO RIVER side--Stripers averaging 10 pounds were taken on surface plugs like Pencil Poppers and Zara Spooks in shad patterns. If it's clear water and bright sun, switch to throwing sub-surface stuff like Fish Traps and rip baits by late morning. Yo-Zuri's found fish in Montezuma Slough, while trolled shad did the trick by Chain Island. A few sturgeon opened up by the PG&E but most of them have lock-jaw. A good tide next week will hopefully help. Roe and shrimp caught fish to 48 inches.
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side-- JD Richey Sportfishing Charters said striper fishing was generally very good again this week in the main San Joaquin and the lower Mokelumne where Pencil Poppers and Zara Spooks in shad patterns did the trick. If you're in clear water and bright sun, switch to throwing sub-surface stuff like Fish Traps and rip baits by late morning.
CAMANCHE LAKE--Trout anglers saw increasing catches boosted by plants. Trollers fished upriver from the narrows to the Penn Mine with a flasher/'crawler combo, or a Rapala. Some reported good action toplining, but most are getting the gear down 12 to 18 feet. Shore action continued to improve at the day use areas on both north and south sides for those using dough baits. Bass action reported good for anglers fishing Little Hat Island in 18 to 25 feet of water with 4- to 6-inch plastic worms. Catfish was a top bet for anglers fishing with anchovies, mackerel and liver in 20 feet of water at East Cove and China Gulch.
EAGLE LAKE--The season may be winding down and will close on December 31 but the fishing hasn't. Boats can still launch at the Spalding ramp, just trim your motor high, stay in the center of the channel, use caution and you'll be fine. Use a No. 10 or 12 crystal buggers or J-Fair wiggle tails in rust and olive off the rocky points of the eastern shore or troll 3-inch brown or orange grub, in open water in the middle basin near Pelican Point, in 4 to 6 feet over 7 to 10 feet of water, adding Trophy Trout or Freshwater Shrimp Oil to the grubs.
GENERAL
NORTH COAST RIVERS
CHETCO RIVER--Low, but there are some kings and steelhead around. You really have to get into stealth mode to get them, however - light leaders, small baits, etc. What this place could really use is a major shot of rain!
EEL RIVER, Main Stem--Closed to fishing late last week. Before that, there wasn't a whole heck of a lot going on anyway.
EEL RIVER, South Fork--A trickle and closed to fishing. We need rain!!!
MAD RIVER--A few salmon and steelies showing before the river closed, but it's all a moot point until the river re-opens with the next rain...whenever that is.
REDWOOD CREEK--Closed due to low flows.
RUSSIAN RIVER--Some reports of a few early steelhead trickling out of the area, though with the low water, don't expect any banner days until we get a bump in flows.
SMITH RIVER--Open, but extremely low and not a whole lot of good fishing to report. There are some dark kings laid up in the deeper holes and the occasional steelie, but tough, tough fishing.
VAN DUZEN RIVER--Closed due to low flows.
MOTHERLODE
AMADOR LAKE--Still pretty low water level, but lake managers are still planting 3,000 pounds of trout per week. A few boaters are drifting baits, but the shore anglers seem to be more prevalent. Worms have been the best bait, but a few Power Bait holdouts are reporting success. Catfish action was good with more big lunkers landed. Chicken livers, anchovies and mackerel are top bets. Bass dropped deeper, and .
DON PEDRO RESERVOIR--Fishing got tougher with the warm and sunny conditions. Trollers found the fish down a little deeper, with rainbows at 15 to 25 feet, and the kings hard to find anywhere. Water level has been steady, with a slight rise over two weeks now.
LAKE McCLURE--The lake level started dropping again after a small gain, so the lake is still at 25 percent of capacity. The Barrett Cove Marina is closed for the season, but launching is still possible at their low water ramp. Good bets this time of year are toplining with a dodger/'crawler combo for planted and holdover rainbows. Sideplaners help get the gear out away from the boat.
LAKE McSWAIN--Trout fishing remained about the same, with both shore and boat anglers hooking fish, but nothing standing out. The usual Power Bait, both straight and combos with nightcrawlers are tempting a few fish. Boaters are getting some fish with flasher/'crawler combos, but more are still fishing with bait.
NEW HOGAN RESERVOIR--Water levels have remained steady with only minor (measured in inches) fluctuations. Very light angler pressure, but striped bass should be active and willing to hit trolled anchovies and shad. Most recent black bass report indicated plenty of small fish in the shallows, but keepers are harder to find and are holding out in 18 to 25 feet of water. Drop-shotted worms have been top choices. For catfish, try secondary points in the creek arms with chicken liver or mackerel.
NEW MELONES RESERVOIR--Improving shore action for trout with limits for some. One group of four anglers caught 13 trout on Power Bait, while others caught limits casting spoons. Top spots are Tuttletown and Glory Hole Point. If you want a big fish, targeting catfish is your top bet. One nearly 16 pounds won the Glory Hole Sports big fish contest. That one hit a trout bait fished on GloryHole Point. Another 13 pounder hit a 'crawler, so that might be a good choice of baits if targeting both trout and catfish.
TULLOCH RESERVOIR--One of the few lakes attracting angler attention, and trout fishing was reported fair. Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing reported some fish caught between 12 and 20 feet on shad, or if you get on the lake early enough, on top with Slim Willie flashers with a 'crawler trailing. Launching is no problem now that they are using the lower ramp.
NORTH COAST LAKES
CLEAR LAKE--Clear Lake Guide Service said for hard baits, shad patterns have been the most popular and one of the more sought after baits around the lake is the new color of ghost chartreuse shad made by Lucky Craft. They have several new colors out and this one is a winner here on Clear Lake. Jig colors in combinations of brown and purple are being reported as the top choice. Plastic worms in morning dawn type colors are working well for the drop shot crowd. The long awaited kick off the live bait bite is here with many anglers reporting 20 to 30 fish days all over the lake. Whether fished under slip floats or fly lined, as the water has cooled down the shiner bite is getting under way for the winter.
LAKE BERRYESSA--The Narrows, Steele Park Pipeline, and Monticello Dam areas are producing stringers of trout by drifting with live minnows and a bobber. Bass anglers are having a little tougher time but you might try darter heads with a twin tail grub, or the almighty drop-shot.
