Northern California fishing report
By Tim Goode
For Bay Area News Group
Posted: 04/06/2011 06:22:42 PM PDT
Updated: 04/06/2011 11:35:30 PM PDT
Lakes
BERRYESSA: Just about anything will take bass here. It's red hot. Bass have moved up into the top 10 feet of water all over the main body. Another front coming in later this week may push the fish back a bit. Coves and narrows also have fish. The Northeast side of the lake is holding larger fish on the flats. A tournament last week was won with a 34-pound, five-fish limit. (707) 451-1199, (916) 502-3474
CAMANCHE: The lake is 78 percent full, and the water temperature is 63 degrees. Steady river inflows create a "current" in the river channel and draw trout up to the east end of the lake. Bait fishing out of a boat has proved successful between the Penn mine and Arkansas bend. Bass are in the pre-spawn mode and are active in 25-35 feet of water in rocky areas with drop-offs. (209) 763-5915, (209) 763-5166
CHABOT: Water clarity is better than 3 feet near the dock and better near the dam. Best spot for trout has been Half Moon Bay, where three trout between 7 and 9 pounds have been caught in recent days. Kastmasters and Rapalas have been working well. (510) 247-2526
CONTRA LOMA: Trout are biting at the Boat Ramp and Channel Point Dock using night crawlers or Power Bait. Black bass fishing is good on a variety of artificial lures as the bass begin pre-spawn. High fish of the week was an 8.12-pound trout caught by Ron Hodgson of Bay Point. Three fish larger than 5 pounds were caught at Cattail Cove.
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(510) 544-3154
DEL VALLE: Three stripers, the largest a bit larger than 10 pounds, were caught last week in the Narrows. Water clarity is improving, and the surface temperature is 54 degrees. Trout bites have been very good in Heron Bay and Swallow Bay. (925) 449-5201
LAFAYETTE: Mount Lassen this week will plant 1,000 pounds and the Department of Fish & Game will add 2,000 pounds, so this is worth checking out. The reservoir is at its highest level in years and last week water had to be released in order to bring the level down half a foot. Despite the murky water from the storm runoff, most anglers are getting a few bites and catching a few fish. The Outdoor Sportsmen's Coalition of California's annual fishing derby will be held April 16. Registration and weigh-in of fish will occur on the upper lawn at Lafayette Reservoir. This event is great fun for kids and adults. For more information: (925) 765-6202 (925) 284-9669
LOS VAQUEROS: Striped bass and catfish bites remain very good. A dozen stripers larger than 10 pounds were landed since early in the week. Shore anglers use cut bait while boat anglers use Rattletraps or swimbaits. The marina shoreline and the dam are the spots to explore for stripers. Four catfish larger than 15 pounds were since Monday. A 27-pounder, a pound shy of the lake record, was landed in South Cove by Gene Curruit. Largemouth are becoming active in Peninsula Cove. (925) 371-2628
PARDEE: Smallmouth and largemouth are on the bite. Swimbaits account for many of the fish, and the bass are spread throughout the lake in 10 to 15 feet of water. Kokanee are upriver near Columbia. Most are 12-14 inches. A German brown trout weighing close to 9 pounds was caught Tuesday. Trout are in the top 10 feet of water. Bank anglers using Power Bait do well. Surface temperature on the lake is between 55-58 degrees and visibility is 10 feet. (209) 772-8108
QUARRY LAKES: The trout bite has been solid all around the lake. Trout from 5-7 pounds are being landed and some limits are being checked in. White Power Worms have been the best producer. (510) 544-3130
SAN LUIS RESERVOIR: Striper fishing is slow in general. Best spot is near the dam. The forebay at Check 12 and the Highway 33 Bridge have some action. (408) 463-0711
SAN PABLO RESERVOIR: The water is still murky, but trout fishing is improving. Anglers spending time soaking Power Egg, Power worm combos along the Main Recreation Area get two to three fish. Boaters going to Sandy Point using bait do well. A plant of 1,200 pounds went in this week. (510) 223-1661
SHADOW CLIFFS: Good numbers of trout, including limits, are being reported. Pat Ferguson caught a 10.4-pound trout with a fly while casting from the shore. Six- and 7-pound trout aren't uncommon from the first and second docks. Power Bait is the top producer. (510) 544-3230
Rivers
NAPA: The water in the river is clearing. Schoolie-sized stripers are at the mouth of the sloughs. A few larger fish are in the mix. Sturgeon fishing remains best at night. (707) 255-5544
SMITH: There is a good bite on downstream steelhead. Guide Mike Coopman had good numbers Saturday, hooking 11 and landing nine with three rods in the water. There was poor fishing Sunday, but on Monday, Coopman found them again and hooked 15 and landed 10. The fish are in excellent shape and average 7-8 pounds. The river is closed from the forks upstream. (707) 487-2278, (707) 465-1367
Delta
ANTIOCH: Stripers are showing in decent numbers ranging from 5-10 pounds. Mudsuckers and pile worms get the stripers. (925) 706-7400
BENICIA: Carquinez Strait remains a steady producer of sturgeon. The green buoy to Dillon's Point is a good stretch, as is the water near the Ozol. Main baits have been ghost shrimp, pile worms, eel and salmon roe. Grass shrimp have been hard to come by. Best bet in on the incoming tide. Stripers are scarce. (707) 745-4921
FRANKS TRACT: Bass have moved up on to beds, and big fish are common. Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, senkos and drop-shot pull bass from shallow water. Schoolie-striped bass are few and far between. (925) 625-2441
PITTSBURG: Small stripers are being caught in Broad Slough and Honker Bay. Most are 4 pounds. Some go to 8 pounds. Pile worms, shad and bullhead work, if you can find the bullhead. (925) 252-0151, (916) 777-6498
RIO VISTA: The water is moving too quickly for stripers. There's a lot of grass, and the water is cold. (916) 502-3474, (707) 374-2372
TRACY: Black bass bite is much improved on the Grant Line Canal. A tournament Saturday saw an 8.2-pound largemouth, and two bags close to 25 pounds were weighed in. (209) 835-3182
Saltwater
BERKELEY: The Happy Hooker went out Thursday and Saturday and enjoyed decent sturgeon fishing in San Pablo Bay. (510) 849-3333, (510) 223-5388, (707) 334-4827
PACIFICA: A few striped bass are coming into Linda Mar and Rockaway. Green Point swimbaits have been popular. Anywhere from one to four bass per evening are being caught. (650) 355-8303, (650) 359-9790
SAN FRANCISCO: The first halibut of the spring were reported Tuesday. Three were caught a half-mile in front of Oyster Point. Two more were caught Wednesday. Biggest was 19 pounds. The others were between 8-11 pounds before the wind kicked up Wednesday afternoon. The smelt bite is good when the wind is down. (650) 589-3474; (510) 703-4148
SAN PABLO BAY: A senior fisherman and his son went out Tuesday for a few hours and caught sturgeon measuring 60, 62 and 69 inches off Rat Rock near China Camp. Sturgeon fishing is quite good. Striper are in the area. Biggest striper in a week has been 9 pounds. Most aren't legal. (415) 456-0321
SUISUN BAY: Sturgeon bite is best at Bouy 2, the Martinez Pier and the Glomar. Ghost shrimp and eel account for most of the fish. No stripers of any size have been caught. (925) 229-9420, (916) 777-6498
-- COMPILED BY TIM GOODE
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