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No More Cutting Fishing Trips Short for Gas

No More Cutting Fishing Trips Short for Gas

You picture loading up the cooler and rods then heading out toward those California spots that most guys only talk about. The Delta's twisting channels with its muddy green water or the Sierra's high lakes where the trout sit waiting. You want the kind of trip where you don't have to watch the clock or the gauge the whole damn time.

Most folks know swapping out a fuel tank is a real pain, dirty and even dangerous on a lot of trucks, and for many models it's not something you can even do. For Tundra owners, Trucksmart has it figured out. They can drop in a 46 gallon Transfer Flow tank in place of that stock 26 gallon one and get you back on the road without all the usual hassle.

That extra capacity changes how you fish. You push further into the good country, hit a couple different spots in one day, and still make it home without scrambling for fuel. It just lets you focus on the fishing instead of the logistics and that's what keeps us coming back for more.

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Hot Bites

CLEAR LAKE

Hefty largemouth bass are the reward for anglers using live scopes to locate fish. Use shad pattern swimbaits, jigs and other lures for the best success.

FOLSOM LAKE

Holdover rainbows, recent planters and king salmon are being caught by experienced anglers. Troll with Trout Trix Worms, Speedy Shiners and other lures from the surface to 25 feet deep.

MONTEREY BAY SANDDABS

Sanddabs, along with petrale sole and mackerel, are the reward for anglers venturing out on charter boats out of Santa Cruz and Monterey. Tom’s jigs, tipped with squid strips, are the top lures.

COLLINS LAKE

Trollers are catching rainbow trout on spoons and plastic worms behind dodgers. Shore anglers are hooking trout while tossing out PowerBait and nightcrawlers.

Good Bets

LAKE OROVILLE

The spotted bass action should shift into high gear for anglers using small swimbaits and soft plastics. Expect to catch fish in the 15 to 25 foot range.

PORT/DEEP WATER CHANNEL

Fishing for striped bass is tough on the Delta. However, anglers trolling Dredger lures and spooning in the Port of Sacramento and Deep Water Channel are catching fish averaging 6 pounds.

AMERICAN RIVER

The stretch of river below Nimbus Fish Hatchery is producing steelhead. Anglers are throwing spoons, drifting nightcrawlers under floats and pulling an array of plugs.

RUSSIAN RIVER

The steelhead season is in full swing. Boaters are hooking bright steelies while pulling plugs, while shore anglers are using fish pills, yarn and salmon roe.

Sleepers

TRUCKEE RIVER

Rainbow and brown trout are hitting flies on the Truckee River. The stonefly hatch is expected to begin in March.

UPPER KLAMATH

Steelhead fishing has been tough since dam removal. However, one guide reported catching and releasing 6 adult fish while fly fishing on a recent trip.

SAN PABLO RESERVOIR

The lake reopened to fishing on February 6. 4,000 pounds of rainbow trout went into the reservoir before the opener

SUISUN BAY STURGEON

Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing has been productive. Use ghost shrimp, salmon roe and lamprey eel for the sturgeon.

Coming Soon

HALF MOON BAY

Rockfish and lingcod season will begin on April 1. Expect to bag limits of colorful rockfish, along with lingcod, while using bars, jigs and shrimp flies.

SACRAMENTO/FEATHER RIVER

It won’t be long before the striper run begins in the Sacramento and Feather rivers. The fish typically start moving into the rivers in early March.

BODEGA BAY PERCH

Expect the perch fishing to pick up off the Sonoma County Coast in March and April. Toss out pileworms, shrimp and plastic grubs for the best action.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY HALIBUT

Bay Area party boats will begin trolling anchovies and herring for halibut in March. This should be another great halibut season.