Fishing line

TOP PICKS

DON PEDRO RESERVOIR - The king salmon bite turned on, resulting in 11 fish boxed and several smaller ones released. The action came from 45 to 56 feet down on shad and dodger-'crawler combos. The crappie bite picked up, with some jumbo slabs caught by anglers targeting bass with large live minnows.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento - Striped bass numbers were up, while sturgeon fishing was good. Bryte Beach was a good location. Try anchovies, sardines or a pileworm-nightcrawler combo. You might get a grab from a big sturgeon or a striped bass.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Knights Landing - Sturgeon fishing was good at Ward's Landing, Tisdale, Colusa and Knight's Landing, but many fish exceeded the 66-inch maximum limit. Eels were a good bait, alone or in combination with ghost shrimp or pileworms.

CAMANCHE LAKE - Still a top bet for giant trout, with one nearly 13 pounds, another 12-pounder and an 8-pounder weighed in. The fish took baits from shore anglers and a combination of offerings by trollers. Top bets: Rapalas and dodger-'crawler combos. Bass fishing seemed to slip, based on boats weighing in at a bass tournament. brown jigs.

LAKE OROVILLE - Coho fishing was wide open. Shore anglers used Power Bait and live minnows. Boaters trolled small spoons and Rapalas or mooched with anchovy tails and minnows. Some of the fish ran 14 to 16 inches and 1 1/2 pounds. Bass fishermen worked worms, jigs, spoons and tubes at 25 to 30 feet. Some pre-spawn fish in the shallows responded to crank baits, depending on water temperature.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

AMERICAN RIVER - Not many anglers were on the river, which made for some nice conditions for the few still seeking steelhead. They caught some, too - pretty spring fish 2 to 5 pounds. Boaters drifting the river below Rossmoor Bar should take note: tThe next safe ramp for taking out is all the way down to Howe Avenue. You can exit at Watt, but only with difficulty because of low water.

FEATHER RIVER - Small steelhead were caught in the low-flow section, mostly on nightcrawlers and spinners, plus a few stripers near Shanghai Bend.

FOLSOM LAKE - Changing weather threw anglers and bass off their game. No method offered a sure thing. Some bass were caught on top-water, some on drop-shotted plastics. Minnows worked, too. The north fork and main bodies were best, likely because water is colder in the south fork. Not a lot of landlocked salmon were caught, but they were quality, ranging from 19 to 22 inches.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding -- Trout fishing continued to be excellent, and the caddis hatch is beginning, so just about any small caddis-imitating nymph fished under an indicator has been good. However, some bigger stonefly nymphs have been effective, too. Waders have been having their best opportunity in years to catch the Sac's big rainbows because of the low flows. Spinfishermen have been throwing spinners.

DELTA REGION

SACRAMENTO RIVER side - Reports from Rio Vista Bait suggest sturgeon sizes were down, and only two were reported. The three shrimp favorites were working in the Cache Slough area and around the Rio Vista Bridge. Bloodworms were good bait for schoolie-sized fish.

SAN JOAQUIN RIVER side - For bass, try jigs, Senkos, swim baits and reaction baits in Franks Tract. Sturgeon were taken from Big Cut, Broad Slough and other areas on the shrimp choices.

NORTH COAST RIVERS

CHETCO RIVER -- Not much happening here during the week and then some rain hit over the weekend and slowed it down even more.

EEL RIVER, Main Stem--Early on, the fishing down low was pretty solid for anglers drifting eggs. The fish were a mix of mostly downers with some freshies mixed in. The rain on Friday, however, blew the river out.

EEL RIVER South Fork--The fishing was hanging in there until the rains hit on Friday. It should come back into shape soon - unless the fresh snow in the hills starts melting. If that's the case, the river may be "out" through the end of the season, which ends on April 1.