Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif., Fishing Lines Column: Lots of Action on Y-S Water

By Todd Hansen, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

May 22–Pauliine Davis found a quiet spot along the Sacramento Bypass, pitched some worms above some rocks and tangled shrubs, and waited for the catfish to bite.

“Had better luck yesterday,” the Gridley area angler said. “I think the wind had the fish indoors.”

Davis also spent some time at Clear Lake on Monday.

“That was a long trip for nothing. The wind was really blowing hard when we were over there, and the fishing was bad,” Davis said.

“I think it’s a little dangerous to be out there when it’s that windy, so we called the day off early.”

The wind also cooled what had been a very good trout bite at Englebright.

“When the wind blows, the fish don’t bite,” said Carol Munro of Skipper’s Cove. “I know that, because I’ve been up here for 30 years.”

The wind certainly has not impacted all the foothill lakes.

Collins reports a very good trout bite, including a 7-pound, 2-ounce rainbow hooked by Shane Stevenson of Chicago Park on Wednesday. He was trolling a Rapalla.

Ron Matson caught his limit of trout. His report to lake officials was that he was using everything, everywhere on the lake and the fish would not leave him alone.

Shore casters were finding luck using Powerbait.

The bass action was OK, with a 5.5-pound spotted bass being netted then released by Ed Netzel fo Sacramento. He was using a blue crawler near the islands.

The real action, however, is on the rivers.

“Shad action is super hot on Shanghai falls,” said Scott Feist of Feisty Fish Guide Service and Johnson’s Bait & Tackle in Yuba City.

Feist said shad darts with red heads, green bodies and with a split shot above seems to be working best, but with as many fish in play right now, the choices are plentiful.

Jim Dickerson said the Feather River also is surrendering stripers, but the best play is on the Sacramento where top-water techniques are working on the bass as they come out of the spawn.

Some fishermen were concerned that the recent heat wave was going to blow the season away, pushing the spawn, and therefore the exodus back down the river.

Feist said that certainly happened, but “there are still a lot of fresh fish in the system.”

Typically, anglers are using minnows or cutbait, but fish-for-fish, Feist said, the fly fishermen are outdueling the bait anglers.

“It’s been phenominal,” Feist said of the fly bite.

The hot fly is a Clouser in charteuse and white with a little blue coloring, he saiid.

For those interested in the mighty fight, it’s out there.

“They are still catching some sturgeon,” Dickerson said.

Tip of the Week: The new salmon fishing rules have left some folks confused. Anglers can still take one a day from the Feather, and guide Ray McReyolds says the fish are in the river.

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Copyright (c) 2008, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

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