Spring Fishing 2007

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May 29-30, 2007

A New Melones Limit of Trout & Kokanee!

I really wanted to head to the Delta and a late try for a sturgeon, but the wind was howling over Suisun Bay at over 30 MPH. So I headed up to New Melones Reservoir for some trout and kokanee fishing. And the wind was blowing there, too, but not nearly as bad.

I trolled at depths from 45 ft. to 55 ft. for a few hours the first day and had four kokes on, but lost two before I got 'em to the boat. About 5 o'clock I anchored near the spillway for the night and tossed a couple of nightcrawlers over the side. As the sun set, I dropped my submersible light down to attract some action. I caught the two larger trout on bait at anchor, the third trout I caught soon after I started trolling on the morning of the second day. That made my limit of five fish. 

It was very breezy the second day as these New Melones wind waves show. There were few boats out and two parties I spoke to at the ramp chose to head back home and forget the fishing in such choppy conditions. It was not pleasant in that wind, but did get my limit fish!

May 16-17, 2007

Five Pound New Melones Trout!

 Hiway 12 was closed for repairs this week from Tuesday through Thursday. Also, the wayward whales were attracting too much attention on the Delta. With those traffic delays, I decided to just head for the foothills and some lake fishing.

I planned to hit New Hogan on Wednesday to try for some striper action. As back up, I planned to drive on up to New Melones if Hogan was as dead as it usually is - and it was and I did.

I gave Hogan four hours of rolling frozen anchovies and shad on Wednesday. I had no strikes and no action of any kind. There were no "boils" to be seen, either. Boils are what we call the action caused by stripers chasing bait fish to the surface and the resulting feeding frenzy. Such times are great for tossing a lure into the cauldron and hooking up with a crazed striper. But not this trip.

After giving Hogan a fair try, I loaded up the boat and headed to New Melones. It was after 5 O' clock when I launched, so I headed directly to the spillway area and anchored for the night. I set out a couple of rods baited with night crawlers - and was rewarded with a hard, long run as soon as I set the second rod in the holder.

I grabbed the rod and was amazed by the fight I had on my hands! I knew I had a big fish on and we fought for ten minutes before she finally tired. I scooped her into the net and weighed her in at five pounds! In the years I've fished New Melones I've never caught such a fish! My prior best there was a 4 1/2 Lb. brown trout while trolling.

My big catch was an exciting start to a wonderful evening that included quite a display of trout dining by a nearby osprey. The beautiful raptor dined in a nearby tree with as much pleasure as I display when dining on a juicy, rare, rib-eye steak. What a life they lead!

I had one more big hit that evening while fishing under a submerged light - but didn't get to the rod in time to set the hook. Rats. I'm sure the one I missed was a big one, too.

The following morning I was treated to more osprey antics as one patrolled the area around my boat and finally scooped another trout off the surface for breakfast.

I trolled for several hours Thursday morning and managed one kokanee of about one pound. The kokanee season is just getting started and are not that easy to come by - yet. At least not for me.

 
In this very poor photo an osprey scoops up his breakfast. What a show!

May 7-9, 2007

Sturgeon Fishin From Brannan Park

FishWisher awaiting the little sturgeon nibble that never came. I launched at Brannan on Monday and fished a couple of hours off Decker Island, where I took this photo. The next day I headed downriver to Suisun Bay where I do my most productive sturgeon fishing.

The water was like glass on my way downiver to Suisun Bay. This red barn overlooks the river a few miles south of Rio Vista, near the area referred to by fishermen as "the powerlines" due to the many lines that are strung across the river in the area. But the glass like  conditions didn't last.

The wind kicked up and blew against the outgoing current, creating wind waves. I dealt with a mild chop through all of Suisun Bay. Here the drogue, an underwater parachute device, holds the boat in line with the current as the wind tries to blow the boat in circles.

 I spent about four hours fishing Suisun,  but gave up early as the wind continued. I tire easily from too much wind - and I hate banging back upriver in a choppy, lumpy river. I settled in again for a few hours at Decker Island, near Brannan Park. A big sturgeon fight was not to be, but that's not unusual for those of us who faithfully keep trying for the next big brawl. Maybe next week...

Another Brannan Island Visit:
Good Sturgeon Fishing!

A large female gives it up at the boat. She was probably 72 inches or more, and was released according to the new 66" rule. She took lamprey at my honey hole near Garnet Point on Suisun Bay on Tuesday. I waited almost four hours for her tender sturgeon bite. After about 15 minutes, she was at the boat in submission. I measured her with my little "sturgeon stick" which is shown below:

The green gardening tape is 66" long and is marked at 46", the allowable slot limit for keeping sturgeon. I managed to catch two sturgeon; one too large to keep by about six inches, the second about 4 inches too small to keep. Even so, the fight to get them to the boat was still very enjoyable. For me. Probably not the sturgies!

Here a smaller sturgeon of about 42 inches or so comes to the boat and is also released.

This week's trip to Brannan was timed perfectly. The weather was warm and calm and the tides were timed to make daytime fishing just right. I spent two nights and Brannan State Park, camped in the RV Campground just above the boat docks. I met a several new and old fishing cronies at the campground Tuesday evening and enjoyed their company as well as dining with them. Life is good when you have friends with a pot full of campfire stew!

The Rig at Brannan's ramp parking lot is a head turner, I guess. I like it when folks come up to me and talk fishing or RVing. This combination makes for comfortable fishing and cozy overnight stays complete with all the comforts of home. I need to find other RV/ramp locations where I can launch - such as lakes and perhaps further down the Delta.

March 8, 2007

Another Trip to Camanche!

After Tuesday's skunk, I couldn't live with myself. Poor Willie had a hard time going home empty handed, too.

So I called Willie to see if he was up to another try, and he couldn't wait to get back on the lake!

We trolled for about 4 1/2 hours, and landed just the one 3 3/4 pounder above. I was in the process of checking that a couple of our trolled lines were not crossing, holding the rod in my hand when this beauty hit.

Catching the single, stupidest fish in the lake is not new for me. For two days this week, every other fish was too smart for us.