Putah Creek Re-Opened After 120 Day Emergency Closure, Charlie Myer, The Fish Sniffer Online

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Putah Creek Re-Opened After 120 Day Emergency Closure

By: Charlie Myer
May 3, 2004

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The popular and underrated stretch of Putah Creek from Monticello Dam downstream to, and including Lake Solano will be open to fishing as of April 24. This follows an emergency 120 day closure that went into effect after the discovery of the New Zealand Mud Snail in late October of 2003.

According to the California Department of Fish and Game, the action was necessary to delineate the reaches of Putah Creek where the snail has invaded, and evaluate options to control or eradicate the snail.

The opening of Putah Creek is fantastic news for northern California anglers who will once again have access to this jewel of a trout stream. Putah Creek (along with Lake Solano) not only contains monstrous rainbows into the double digits, but is also considered by many locals to be one of the most underrated German Brown fisheries in the state.

Fish Sniffer Editor Dan Bacher has been hammering the banks of Putah Creek for the last four years and says the fishing can be phenomenal.

"This place kicks out a lot of browns in the 2 to 8 pound class every year and there's a lot bigger fish hooked and lost," he explained. "In September of 2000, two anglers brought in one of the best stringers of trout I have ever seen. They had ten fish, a mix of browns along with holdover and native rainbows running from 3 to 6 pounds. They were casting Rapalas from float tubes at the junction of Putah Creek and Lake Solano."

To ensure productive fishing , the Department of Fish and Game will be planting two thousand pounds of quality rainbows, one thousand pounds in Putah Creek and another thousand pounds in Lake Solano. "Those are the biggest fish I've got out there," promised Dennis Redfern, Manager of the American River Fish Hatchery. "Most of the fish in the 'catchable' category are in the half-pound range, but these fish are just over 3/4 pounds each."

Of course, the problem of the NZMS still exists and anglers are being urged to take precautions in order to prevent spreading the snail to uninfested waters. "The most important control method typically used is to educate anglers who fish in infested waters to completely clean their equipment before moving to a new stream," said Ed Pert, Chief, DFG Inland Fisheries Division. "A Major factor in the spread of the NZMS is a lack of awareness by anglers and others in contact with waters infested with NZMS. These snails can survive out of the water on wading and fishing gear for extended periods."

The DFG suggests that anglers treat their gear with at least one of the following methods to prevent spread of NZMS:

Spray gear with Clorox Formula 409, and then scrub with stiff-bristled brush to remove all visible snails. Follow the procedure with a careful inspection of waders and gear to ensure the removal of all adults. Finish with a tap water rinse. Snails frequently collect between laces and tongue of wading boots and in the boot's felt soles.
Freeze waders six to eight hours. It is best to leave them in the freezer overnight to ensure complete mortality.
Drying in air temperature over 112 degrees (50 degrees Celsius) for 24 hours will eliminate all mud snails. Alternatively, place gear in water maintained at 130 degrees for five minutes. Mortality of snails varies by exposure to heat and humidity at different combinations.
NZMS are not the only aquatic invasive species spread by anglers and boaters. Live bait and the packaging used for some forms of live bait are known to spread other invaders. In addition, invasive aquatic plants and animals are known to hitchhike on boats, their propellers, live wells, and fishing gear. Cleaning all boating equipment is crucial to reducing the impacts from non-native invasive species.

Considering the above average runoff taking place in the High Sierras at press time, upper elevation trout streams may not be your best bet during the early weeks of spring trout season. Your best bet may very well be targeting a lower elevation fishery such as Putah Creek. I know that's where I'll be!