FROM ALL ANGLERS

Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a central San Joaquin Valley native and local fishing expert.

KEY: 1=poor, 2=fair, 3=good, 4=excellent

ROGER’S REMARKS: Striper action has been exploding all along the coast, making me wonder where all these fish have been hiding the last couple of years. This hot spell is going to really shift things around, reinforcing the good bites in the high Sierra lakes as the best and coolest bets for anglers right now.

VALLEY
New Melones Reservoir
Bass-3 Crappie-2 Catfish-3 Trout-2 Kokanee-4 .
Danny Layne of Fishn’ Dan’s Guide Service reported continued “Red Hot” kokanee fishing in the main part of the lake at depths from 45 to 60 feet with Glitterbug Hootchies or Uncle Larry’s spinners scented with anise or vanilla Shoepeg corn. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing confirmed the continued red hot action, and he added that the fish are starting to drop to 70 feet in response to the 80 degree surface temperatures. The lake was primed for the Project Kokanee derby with $10,000 of prize money awarded. Melanie Lewis at Glory Hole Sporting Goods said bank trout fishing is over, and she recommended anglers head up Highway 4 to Spicer or Lake Alpine. Trollers are finding a few trout about 10 feet above the kokanee schools. She said the bass bite continues to be good with top water lures early or late before switching to crawdad or shad-colored Carolina-rigged 6-inch plastics, ripbaits, spinnerbaits, Zoom Baby Brush Hogs or Senkos. The bass are holding along the main lake points in the strong mud line or on the shaded sides of coves and against steep drop-offs or cliff faces. Catfishing continues to improve with Rod Wnorowski catching a 12-pound whiskerfish at night on chicken liver at Glory Hole Point. Night fishing for crappie is fair to good at depths from 10 to 30 feet in Bear, Mormon or Carson Creeks with small minnows or minijigs. Glory Hole will be holding a seminar on August 2nd at 3:00 p.m. with Tom Dutil of Dutil Fishing Charters demonstrating night fishing under lights for summer trout and crappie. The lake dropped eight vertical feet to 970.22 feet in elevation and 50% of capacity.

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Stripers-2 Catfish -2 Bass-2 Crappie-2
Ly Tu of Ly’s Fishing Goods in San Jose said blood and pile worms have been the top bait for bank anglers in the Forebay who are picking up a few catfish at Check 12 to go with undersized stripers. White flukes are bringing in the occasional striper to 22-inches. There is great interest in fishing under the Forebay Bridge at night, particularly on the weekends. In the big lake, anchovy fillets are working for stripers to 5-pounds in 60 feet of water on anchovy fillets. The majority of area striper fishermen have been heading to the beaches for the best action in the past five years from Monterey to San Francisco. The lake level continues to drop, and the low water levels are concentrating the fish. The lake released 10,925 acre-feet to 392.47 feet in elevation due to water releases down the aqueduct and canals for irrigation and municipal uses in the south valley. Wind conditions: 800-805-4805.

Eastman Lake
Trout-2 Bluegill -2 Catfish-2 Crappie-2
Patrick Movey at the Fisherman’s Warehouse in Manteca said there have been mixed reports with some anglers getting on the fish to 2.5-pounds with others going home scratching their heads. James Mize of Valley Rod and Gun said “junk fishing” with a variety of techniques: jigs, plastics or Senkos are picking up a few bass. Most anglers are keeping quiet due to this weekend’s two tournaments on the lake. Catfish can be caught from the banks near the main launch ramp with anchovies or chicken livers. The lake has dropped ten vertical feet to 13% of capacity and 481.85 feet in elevation.

Hensley Lake
Bass-2 Trout-2 Catfish-2 Crappie-2
Not much information on this body of water with minimal angler interest and no upcoming tournaments, in addition to heavy water releases. Catfish should be able to be found up the river arm with with night crawlers or chicken livers, and it should improve with this week’s hot weather. There has been a top water bass bite with PopR’s or Zara Spooks in the early mornings or at dusk. The lake dropped another twenty-four vertical feet this week to 13% of capacity and 464.55 feet in elevation.

McSwain Reservoir
Trout-3
McSwain Marina reported good action from the banks with rainbow, Chunky Cheese or corn yellow Power Bait at the Brush Pile or Handicapped Docks. The lake level is stable, and the cool water contributes to a steady trout bite. Trollers have been working hard for a few fish with night crawlers behind hammered Ford Fender dodgers from the Dam to the 2nd Fence Line at depths to 30 feet. A DFG plant of 1000-pounds is scheduled for this week.

Delta Mendota Canal and Sloughs
Stripers-2 Catfish-2
There hasn’t been too much going on at the local canals, although bait shops continue to sell bags of anchovies. Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait Bucket reported a 20-pound striper was taken on an anchovy by 17 year-old Destry Paradise of Bakersfield in the California Aqueduct near Mettler north of the golf course. The Aqueduct is flowing heavily, even during the day, in response to increased water demands. There have been blue gill taken out of the Friant/Kern Canal.

Millerton Lake
Bass-2 Stripers-2 Shad-2 Trout-2
James Mize of Valley Rod and Gun reported a decent bass bite in the trees with plastic worms behind the 5 MPH Buoys. Patrick Movey said a few stripers have been taken off of the banks with bait or white flukes. A 12-pounder was caught from the bank up the river arm. Falling water levels and very low river inflows this week have pretty much killed the striper bite upstream for a while. Boat pressure is intense after 8:00 a.m. throughout the lake. Heavy water releases lowered the lake to 94% of capacity and 575 feet in elevation with a current ¾ foot /day drop in elevation. The area below Friant Dam on the San Joaquin will receive a trout plant this week, but the water releases have the river running extremely high, making fishing difficult.

Pine Flat Reservoir
Bass-2 Trout-2 King Salmon-1 Crappie-2 Catfish-2
The bass bite continues to be very tough with only 6 limits weighed in during the Fresno Bass Club night tournament over the past weekend. Texas-rigged plastics or white/chartreuse spinner baits have put in a few fish. James Mize said trout fishing has slowed with the fish dropping from 35 to 40 feet in scattered pockets in the main lake. Silver/blue Humdinger, Needlefish in Cop Car or Bikini or Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler are still working for a few fish. Tipping the lures with a piece of crawler has produced more strikes. The lake is dropping about 1.6 feet per day, and is at 851 elev. and 501,00- acre feet storage The lower Kings below the Dam will receive a plant this week, but the water is running very high from the water releases.

Lake Kaweah McClure Reservoir
Bass-3 Trout-2 King Salmon-2 Kokanee-2 Crappie-2 Catfish-3
Manny Basi of the Bait Barn in Waterford said that 1/4th oz. dart-head or drop shot with 4 to 6-inch plastics in shad-patterned with a red or purple flake at depths, Hula Grubs on a ½ oz. jig head in color 330 or Baby Brush Hogs from the banks to 20 feet in depth are your best options. There is a decent top water bite early or late with PopR’s or Zara Spooks. Diana Mello of A-1 Bait said catfishing continues to improve on live jumbo minnows or anchovies near muddy, sloping banks in 15 to 20 feet of water. Crappie fishing is fair at night near the Houseboats in Barrett’s Cove. The trout have dropped deep to 30 feet, and the only bite is in the early morning hours before the sun rises with the standard trolling gear. No king salmon, or kokanee reports with most Mother Lode fishermen taking advantage of the red-hot action at New Melones. The lake is at 744.38 feet in elevation and 39% of capacity.

Lake Don Pedro
Bass-2 Trout-2 Kokanee-2 King salmon-3
Manny Basi of the Bait Barn in Waterford reported an inconsistent bass bite with 4 to 6-inch shad-patterned plastics working on the drop shot or dart head in depths from the banks to 30 feet with the majority of the fish holding around 20 feet. Brush Hogs or 7 to 10-inch worms in watemelon/red, greenpumpkin or watermelon candy are also working. The top water bite is only fair at best. Danny Layne said there is a fairly good king salmon bite for fish to 3-pounds in the Woods Creek arm on rolled shad or anchovies at depths from 50 to 65 feet. The lake also dropped 49 vertical feet to 61% and 757.20 feet in elevation.

HIGH SIERRA
Bass Lake
Bass-2 Trout-2 Kokanee-2
Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service said you will have to work hard for fish, but up to 6 kokanee from 14 to 18-inches were landed this week at depths to 35 feet with the pink Radical Glow Tube behind a watermelon dodger or the blue RGT behind a pink or blue Hyperglo dodger. Rainbow trout can be located from 22 to 30 feet on blade/crawler combinations, Wedding Rings or small spoons tipped with a piece of crawler. Spotted bass are chasing the fry in the shallows in the early mornings. Boat traffic is heavy by mid-morning. The lake has dropped slightly to 75% of capacity.

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Kokanee-3 Trout-3 Smallmouth-4
The hot action at Huntington slowed down a bit this week with Paul Kalpakoff of Central Sierra Sport Fishing and Art Carlson landed a total of 6 kokanee and two trout after exper iencing quick limits the previous week. He thought the slower bite might be attributed to the full moon and lack of cloud cover at the high elevations. He found the best action from the Island off of the Sheriff’s Cabin to the Dams with Shasta Tackle UV Humdingers in fishscale, PPK’s red Tomahawk or pink hootchies tipped with red anise corn behind a Shasta Tackle UV Sling Blade at 3 to 5 colors of lead core in 40 to 60 feet of water. Dick Gomez of Young’s Sporting Goods confirmed the slower bite, and he said the sailboat regattas on the weekends are making for more crowded waters. He said there are far more fishermen heading to Huntington on weekdays. Captain Jack Yandell reported Shaver Lake kokanee limits are few and far between with a few quality fish taken at depths to 50 feet from the Point to the Dam in the middle of the lake with Apex lures or Super Fat Bugs behind a Jumbo Jack dodger. There is a mix of the tiny and quality planted rainbows in the top twenty feet of the surface with blade/crawler combinations, Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler or small lures. Recreational boating is heavy on the weekends. Smallmouth bass fishing continues to be outstanding with unlimited numbers of the bass taken on crickets or plastic grubs. Shaver has dropped to 93% of capacity with Huntington at 99% of capacity. The majority of the high country creeks are scheduled for trout plants this week.

Wishon/Courtright
Trout-4
Chuck Crane of Wishon RV Park reported heavy plants prior to the weekend’s Kiwanis Special Olympics Trout Derby made for excellent trout action at Wishon. There were 513 participants that pulled out tagged fish worth $1725.00. Blade/crawler combinations, Speedy Shiners or Thomas Buoyants in a variety of colors trolled between 2 to 5 colors have been working for boaters with Power Bait or inflated night crawlers effective from the banks at Short Hair Creek or the Dam. The lake is at 77% of capacity. Trolling at Courtright remains excellent with similar lures or Rapalas long-lined on the surface. Bank fishing has been fair. Dick Gomez said that the water levels at Dinkey Creek are holding, and there have been some larger fish mixed into the plants. Those willing to walk to the Muley Hole at Lower Dinkey are rewarded with some native fish on crickets, salmon eggs or flies. Trout plants are scheduled at Dinkey and local creeks this week.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
Trout-3
Dick Gomez said fishing at Lake Edison continues to be solid, but no large fish have been reported. Edison has risen to 65 %, Florence has dropped to 85% with Mammoth Pool dropping to 78%.

OCEAN
San Francisco Bay
Halibut-3 Stripers-4 Rockfish- 3 Leopard shark – 2
Sturgeon-2
There have been some huge scores of bass and halibut taken both inside and outside the Golden Gate. The tides are backing off this week, and halibut counts are expected to rise with striper scores dropping off with the exception of those boats willing to work outside the Gate. Jim Smith of the Happy Hooker put went outside the Gate on Sunday for 17 limits of stripers to 14-pounds and 19 halibut to over 30-pounds. They also hooked another large white sea at 20 pounds after landing a 65-pound trophy white sea bass on the beach the previous day. Smith has put in limits of stripers on four consecutive trips.Jay Lopes of Right Hook Sport Fishing also experienced tremendous action outside the Gate on Sunday with three white sea bass to 40-pounds to go with 13 halibut to 25-pounds with four of the flatties being over 20-pounds. The larger sardines and live mackerel have been the top baits, but the anglers will need to be patient to allow the fish to swallow the bait. Emeryville Sport Fishing was able to send a boat out to the Farallons on both Friday and Saturday for limits of rockfish and a few lings per trip to 14-pounds. Towards San Pablo Bay, Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael said local fishing continues to be very good with “lots of bass” taken off of the Brothers, Whaling Station and Red Rock. The southwest corner of Angel Island has also been a hot spot. Debbe Vinje at Leonard’s Bait in Port Sonoma reported the striper action has started in the Petaluma River with 5 fish to 15-pounds taken on bullheads at the Miramonte Hole.

Delta/Stockton
Bass- 3 Stripers-2 Sturgeon-2
The Delta is deep into the summertime mode with slow striper action dominated by undersized fish. A few larger fish are starting to trickle back into the system with huge stripers to 55-pounds taken far upriver near Colusa. In lower Suisun Bay, Benicia Bait and Tackle said the shoreline action is starting improve with stripers taken off of 1st and 9th Streets on anchovy fillets or grass shrimp. Hap’s Bait in Rio Vista said striper fishing is starting to pickup with legal fish taken from the banks near the Duck Island RV Park and under the Rio Vista Bridge. A few sturgeon continue to come from Montezuma Slough and near the 1st Row of the Mothball Fleet. The San Joaquin River features either undersized stripers or catfish. Mike Gravert of Intimidator Sport Fishing has been working the north Delta in the Mokelumne River system for stripers with live blue gill. He is starting to troll for stripers on evening trips to avoid the daily boat traffic and take advantage of the quieter water. Call:; Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Kevin Yost, Lucky Strike Fishing (707) 301-8050, Mark Wilson Sport Fishing (916) 682-1630, Fin Addict Sport Fishing (209) 367-4665, Jolly Jay’s Guide Service (209) 478-6645.

Tournament Results
Kaweah- Visalia Bass Club night tournament – July 10th – 1st: Mike Chavarria/Erick Schott – 11.13-pounds 2nd-Steve Babb/Chuck Stricklin– 9.96; 3rd – Antonio and Crystal Hernandez – 9.74 (Big Fish – 4.95).

New Melones –Project Kokanee -July 11th – (Combined total length of 5 fish):1st- Douglas Hagen/Nathan Sloan – 182.40 cm; 2nd –Brett Brady/Ron Hufford -180.00 cm; 3rd – Dennis Supinger/Bill Dunn – 179.10 – cm.

Pine Flat – Fresno Bass Club night tournament – July 11/12th – 1st: Mark Corrente – 11.60-pounds (Big Fish – 2.94); 2nd- Ron Armstrong – 10.82; 3rd – Seth Rowe – 8.19.

Upcoming
July 18th: Isabella – Western Outdoor News
Tulloch – Western Outdoor News
Pine Flat – Kings River Bass
Eastman – Sierra Bass Club/Fellowship of Christian Bass Anglers
San Antonio – Bakersfield Bass Club
Delta/Russo’s – Angler’s Choice
Santa Margarita – TriValley Bass

July 19th: Isabella – Inland Empire
New Hogan – Fisherman’s Warehouse Kayak Sport Fishing Event – Information: Eric Kaai: 225-1838.

July 23rd: Bill Kunz –Summer Bass Fishing–– 6:00 p.m. ––Manteca Fisherman’s Warehouse

July 25th: Isabella – American Bass
Santa Margarita – Jim’s Pro Bass
Delta/Ladd’s – Family
Don Pedro – Western Outdoor News

August 1st: New Melones, Central Valley Anglers Kokanee Derby –Information (209) 369-0204.
Delta/Russo’s – Hook, Line and Sinker
Eastman – Family Bass
San Antonio – Jim’s Pro Bass

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