Fishing Report (10/03/12)

VALLEY

• LAKE DON PEDRO — Guide Monte Smith is still finding limits of rainbows to 3 pounds by pulling heavy spoons at 48 to 65 feet in the early mornings near the dam. "We didn't find many bait balls on Saturday, and the bait was scattered," he reports. The bite shut down after 11 a.m. Many guides are saying they expect a great fall bite for rainbows. For bass, top-water lures such as PopR's or Super Spooks in Okie Shad are working in the early mornings or at dusk. After the sun comes up, the fish are dropping to 30 and 40 feet, and shad imitations plastics are effective on the drop shot. Reaction Innovations Flirts in Bad Shad Green or Pro Worms Purple Shad pattern 124 remain top patterns. Call: Monte Smith (209) 581-4734; Danny Layne (209) 586-2383; Gary Vella (209) 652-7550; Bait Barn (209) 874-3011

• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Trout and king salmon reports have been scarce with the hot temperatures. Bass, catfish and crappie are providing the best action. Jason Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling said bass fishing has been strong at night with the full moon with one fishermen landing a limit in the slot, including an 8 pounder on Senkos. Bait fishing with live crawdads has produced catfish to 4½ pounds and bass to 4½ pounds from the banks near McClure Point. A few crappie are taken on live minnows near Maxwell Creek in the Horseshoe Bend area. Catfish are hitting The Robo Worm Hologram Shad or similar shad imitation plastics in the mornings or evenings. Call: A-1 Bait (209) 563-6505; Bub Tosh (209) 404-0053

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — Jason Mello of A-1 Bait reported excellent trout action after the double-plant in the past week. Limits have been taken in a lots of places, including the campground loops and the handicapped docks using gold Kastmasters or chartreuse/garlic Power Bait. Trollers are picking up fish near the chimney with night crawlers behind cowbell flashers. McSwain will host the Fall Trout Derby on Oct. 6-7, starting at 7 a.m. Saturday and ending at noon Sunday. Find out more at lakemcclure.com or by calling (855) 800-2267. Registration is $12 for individuals or $28 for families. The lake will be planted by Thursday. Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR / TULLOCH RESERVOIR — Trout fishing continues to be slow with the best action at night under submerged lights. Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said trollers have landed a few limits during the days by fishing at 30 to 90 feet in the main lake or at the mouth of major creek arms. She suggested shad patterned ExCel lures. She said using a pair of lures in tandem has been effective. Lewis said there has been a good bite on the Stanislaus River with salmon eggs, night crawlers, Rooster tails and Panther Martins. The Kokanee have just about quit biting as they attempt to spawn. Bass fishing is good with spotted bass ambushing balls of shad along main lake and in main lake pockets. Lewis suggested using top-water lures such as the Lucky Craft Gunfish or PopR's in the mornings before switching to jerkbaits and flukes by mid-morning. She said some largemouth bass can be found in the shallows in the morning before moving out from 25 to 45 feet later in the day. Super Spooks are working in the mornings around wood and rock, before using brown, brown/purple, or greenpumpkin jigs on a ½ to › ounce football head with a matching Yamamoto twin-tail trailer. Catfishing is excellent on frozen shad, mackerel, wads of night crawlers, chicken livers or anchovies. Call: Glory Hole Sports (209) 736-4333; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734; Danny Layne (209) 586-2383; Sierra Sport Fishing (209) 599-2023

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR/O'NEILL FOREBAY — The hot striped bass bite at the trash racks cooled off just about the time it was warming up. Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait in Morgan Hill fished the lake Friday and said he landed five striped bass from 20 to 24 inches using 1¾-ounce Duh! Spoons in chartreuse/white or black shad with two fish taken on jumbo minnows. The magic depth was 80 feet, and they found fish on both bait balls they located. Roger George fished the big lake and found a much tougher bite, but got 10 fish at 60 to 80 feet. In the Forebay, smaller stripers in the 16- to 18-inch range can be found on top water lures or RatLTraps in chartreuse shad or black shad in the early mornings. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711

• DELTA — Salmon fishing has been steady, but the hot weather is forcing the fish up the river. Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait reported 16 salmon taken at the State Park with another six at 1st Street. Sturgeon fishing is picking up in the shallows of Honker Bay. Shoreline striper fishing is improving with bullheads or bloodworms. For largemouth bass, guide Randy Pringle said the clear water in the east and south Delta means you've got to wor the bottom. He has been scoring with the ima Flit ripbait in shad-imitation patterns, and the Olive Herring pattern. The "stop and start" technique is essential in enticing strikes in addition to accurate casting. Working the bottom with the Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper in shad imitations on 8-pound test is also effective, and Pringle said. Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Vella's Fishing Adventures (209) 521-0164; Mark Wilson Sport Fishing (916) 682-1630; Intimidator Sport Fishing (916) 806-3030.

OCEAN

• MONTEREY/SANTA CRUZ — Chris Arcoleo of Chris's Landing reported good rockfishing at Point Sur for ¾ limits of rockfish and 20 ling cod for 30 anglers. The albacore have moved out to 50 miles, but private boats were reported to be putting in up to 15 fish early in the morning. The sea bass are still on the bite up the coast, according to Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz, and there were a few quality salmon taken at 70 to 90 feet near Pleasure Point. Call: Chris' Landing (831) 375-5951; Bayside Marine (831) 475-2173

• HALF MOON BAY — After a few windy days, the albacore action exploded again Thursday. Dennis Baxter of the New Captain Pete's scored big at the Gumdrop Seamount. Later the fish were only 25 miles from the harbor along the 123.02 line with fish to 40 pounds holding along the water break. A few boats have been willing to run north to Duxbury for salmon and bringing back a fish per rod to full limits. Call: Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388; Roger Thomas, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362, Bait and Switch Sport Fishing Center (650) 726-7133 and (650) 726-7133; Emeryville Sport Fishing (510) 654-6040; Don Franklin, Soleman (510) 703-4148

• SAN FRANCISCO BAY — Captain Roger Thomas of the Salty Lady found epic action with 51 albacore to 30 pounds for a dozen fishermen outside the Farallons above the Gumdrop, 43 miles out of the Gate. Salmon action is good around Duxbury. Inside the bay, Capt. Jim Smith put in 18 limits of stripers to 10-pounds in San Pablo Bay. Halibut fishing is producing ¾ fish per rod.

TROUT PLANTS

Reservoirs and lakes that will be planted with trout by the California Department of Fish and Game during the week of Oct. 7:

• Fresno — Kings River below the Pine Flat Reservoir; San Joaquin River below Friant Dam.

• Madera — Corrine Lake.