"The catfish bite is definitely your best bet at Sonoma right now," reported Scott Green of Outdoor Pro Shop in Rohnert Park. "We're seeing a lot of fish averaging 8 to 15 pounds and the largest reported this week was a 22 pounder."

According to Green, the creek channels have been most productive for catfishing, but main body cuts and coves are also holding plenty of fish. "The key is fishing right along the edge of a drop off in 20 to 25 feet of water," he added. "Remember to gear up because these are really big fish."

Bass fishing has been fair this week. "Steve Seals and Jeff Hampton reported catching 5 fish for 18 pounds yesterday," said Green. "They actually caught their two biggest fish on frogs in the back of Warm Springs and the rest came on 6 inch plastic worms."

Green said the topwater bite has been decent for anglers tossing Zara Spooks and buzzbaits. Once the sun hits the water, switch over to drop shotting or Texas rigging plastics on main body points. "If the lake is crowded, look for a few quality largemouth bites while throwing spinnerbaits or crankbaits in the mudlines," he added. "The fish have been averaging 1 to 3 pounds."

The Russian River is a solid bet for smallmouth bass. "If you want to make a full day of it, anglers are canoeing from the Alexander Valley Bridge to Healdsburg and averaging from 20 to 30 fish a day," said Green. "Try fishing small plastics in the deep shady holes. I also had some reports of fish being caught on tiny buzzbaits."

x

"Shallow water rockfishing has also produced a solid bite fishing just south of Fort Bragg," said Van Dine. A recent rockfishing expedition yielded 11 red rockfish and 9 lingcod for 7 anglers.

"We only had one boat out running for salmon Wednesday, the Rumblefish, and they brought back full limits of salmon for 18 clients," noted Ashley Diez of Noyo Fishing Center. She said the boats are catching the fish while trolling hoochies, Apexes and Rotary Salmon Killers just outside the harbor.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

Salmon anglers are finding the best results fishing a low slack tide, rather than the normally more productive high incoming tide. "Also, most anglers getting on the water a few hours after sun up have reported doing just as well, if not better, than those working for their fish early in the morning."

The biggest salmon caught in recent weeks, was a 53 pound beauty pulled in by a local angler fishing the lower river. Fishing anchovies or cut plug herring is your best bet for salmon success.

"A few summer run steelhead are starting to trickle into the river system, but the run is just beginning," reported Cares. "The lower 15 mile stretch of the Rogue has been the best area to try your luck for steelhead."

Anglers are using dark colored flies such as Black Gordon's, as well as bait fishing with worms or tossing out Panther Martin lures.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

"There are lots of salmon from Junction City to Lewiston," explained Tim King of King's Guide Service. "We have been putting 5 to 6 fish in the boat most trips and the fish have been averaging 12 to 14 pounds with a few larger fish mixed in the catches."

According to King, the Department of Fish and Game has been counting fish in Junction City on the week days and so far 750 fish have been counted this season with an average of 20 fish a day coming through during the past week.

"Under the present conditions it is best to fish at low light, which means you will have to do your fishing in the early morning or very late in the evening," reported local fishing guide E.B. Duggan. "The salmon are, for the most part, from Del Loma up to Douglas City holding up in the deep holes or just below cold fresh running streams coming into the river."

Dunn said the top baits have been roe, tuna balls, #4 Blue Fox spinners with silver blade/orange body, gold Kastmasters or Little Cleos.

At Trinity Lake, fishing pressure has been very light. "We're seeing a few trout caught by anglers trolling deep water early and late in the day," said Michelle Berg from Wyntoon Resort. "The bass bite has been decent. Anglers are catching largemouth and smallmouth from 2 to 5 pounds up at the north end of the lake. Plastic worms, crickets and topwater baits work best."

Trinity Lake is currently 42 feet from maximum pool and water releases into the Trinity River at Lewiston are 458 cfs with water temperatures at 52 degrees.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

A live bait trip by the Sea Stag III on Friday, July 19, yielded limits of rockfish and The 12 passengers caught limits of rockfish and 20 Lingcod for 12 passengers.

On Wednesday, the Wild Wave headed up the coast with 28 passengers on board and 25 scoops of live bait, destination New Year's Island. "The conditions were tougher than we hoped, with green water and a little land breeze," observed Captain Mike Baxter of Shamrock Charters. "The large-sized sardines were so lively it appeared as if they were trying to mate as we let them down. They were swimming so fast they were causing tangles."

The anglers still managed to catch 30 lingcod, 1/2 to 3/4 limits of rockcod and two big halibut.

The Salmon bite continued to produce a few limits for boaters who fished near Capitola and Cement Ship. "The numbers where Wiki limited with Wiki Whackers and White Krocodiles are 36'55/121'56," said Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine. "A few other anglers in the same area caught 1-3 Salmon. The Salmon are in 50-80 feet of water and the fish were caught on the bottom."

The albacore fishing is good for some and slow for others. "The best report of albacore was at 36'28/122'32, 36'30/122'30 and 36'32/122'38," added Fraser. "Some boats on Wednesday, July 24 had just one fish, while others had 15 albacore. The average was 5-8 Albacore. The best lures were Channel Island Fish Traps trolled and Zukini Brooms. A few other fish were caught on Blue and White Cedar Plugs and Jerry Garcias. The water was calm on the outside, but there was some wind chop for the ride home."

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

Meanwhile, the Hat Creek Wild Trout Area is producing good catch and release action for anglers fishing the caddis hatches. Rusty spinners, tricos, callibaetis cripple and PMD patterns are also picking up wild rainbows, according to Vaughn.

"Baum Lake produced slow trout fishing for rainbow and brown trout this week," said Vaughn. "Your best bait and lure bets are nite crawlers, meal worms, Power Bait, Crave, silver/blue Kastmasters and Panther Martins. The top fly patterns are PT's, caddis, callibaetis cripples, spent-wings in rusty or tricos."

Cassel Area continues to yield good rainbow and brook trout fishing for fly fishermen fishing the hatches when the wind doesn't blow. "PMD's in size 18, caddis patterns and Adams parachutes in size 16 taking fish. "For nymphing, try pheasant tails in size 16. Callibaetis cripples in a size 18 taking fish. Little Yellow Stones are showing."

Upper Hat Creek is kicking out mixed limits of brook and rainbow trout averaging 10 to 15 inches. The best bait bet seems to be crickets, while the hottest lures are Roostertails, according to Vaughn.

In the Burney Creek Wild Trout Area, lots of caddis hatches are coming off. Also try Adams, Humpies and Royal Coachmen patterns. Bait and lure fishermen are doing best above the falls using Roostertails and Panther Martins, small nite crawlers and crickets.

On Fall River Wild Trout Stream, the hex hatch is over. However, anglers are catching trout on PMD's, Steve's olive, blue wing olives, rusty spinners, zug bugs and pheasant tails.

If you want to catch smallmouth bass, Lake Britton is the place to go. "Fly Rod Poppers are working well for smallmouth," Vaughn added. "Some crappie are also being caught. "

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

"From shore any kind of worms with light green Power Bait or salmon eggs produced fish," he said. "The hot spots were just off site 27 and 37 in Little Beaver Camp Ground, off the rocks at the Peninsula and near the dam at Black Rock."

From a boat, he recommended fishing near the mile marker buoys and about halfway between the Peninsula and Bald Mountain. "There is a spot that is 40 feet surrounded by 50 feet of water that is loaded with rainbows," Hain stated. "Use a small hook with 3 or 4 Pautske's Ball's of Fire salmon eggs."

Shirley and Walt Stone from Challenge caught their limit every day using Pautske's salmon eggs. They fished by the 5 mile markers and the 40 foot spot between Bald Mountain and the Peninsula.

German browns are also hitting at 40 to 55 feet in the cool water on either side of the channel leading up to the dam. Willie Carroll from Sacramento took the week's big fish honors with a German brown weighing 5.2 pounds that he fooled near the dam at 52 feet with a Dick Nite lure.

"Kokanee are hot in the early morning for anglers slow-trolling with white corn on a Ford Fender or anything that flashes gold or silver," he stated. "Most of them are 8 to 11 inches long."

Some bullhead catfish, ranging from 7 to 12 inches long, are being taken on worms ad other baits at night, but a few are being caught during the day.

Little Grass Valley has 297 campsites and is not full yet. "The surface water temperature is 75 degrees and plenty warm to swim in," added Hain.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

The latest kokanee adventure by Scott Bartosh of Miner Moe's Guide Service yielded limits of fish aveaging 14 inches for 5 anglers in six hours. "We caught the fish at 45 to 75 feet deep in the Mill Creek and Willow Creek areas," said Bartosh. "The largest blades and lures worked best for some reason."

The lures that produced fish included chrome/pink Dick Nites, Uncle Larry's Spinners and Needlefish. As usual, they tipped the hooks with white corn.

"If you want to spear fish for carp," added Bartosh, "there's plenty of big fish in the North Fork of the Yuba."

Solid trout fishing is available at Englebright Reservoir. "Two campers went out for their breakfast and came back after 10 minutes of fishing with two rainbow trout," said Skip Sivertsen at Englebright Reservoir. "They still-fished with Power Bait, but most anglers are trolling now."

The reservoir level is approximately 8 feet from maximum pool and both the Narrows and Joe Miller ramps are open.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

"Being out on the water hasn't been too bad because we are getting the occasional breeze that makes the hot weather more bearable," reported Mark Lassagne of Gone Fishing. "The water temperature this week has been heating up between 72-80 degrees, so fishing in current is key, since these fish need a steady oxygen flow to stay around the area."

"Where your fish depends on whether you're interested in quantity or quality," stated Lassagne. "When fishing for numbers of bass, try working off points and rocks or pull the bait through the weeds into 2-8 feet of water."

If you want to hook into a monster largemouth, try drifting with the wind and cast into "trash" pockets with high water in about 3-7 feet of water, advised Lassagne.

Recent trips on the Delta have yielded consistent action, with guided parties boating between 30-40 fish weighing up to 6 pounds. Mark has found a steady response while throwing white half-ounce Persuader spinner baits, all white buzz baits, white and fire tiger frogs and Speed Traps in crystal craw patterns.

"This summer heat is making the catfish in the back sloughs very active," said Ken Dyer of Valley Bait & Tackle. Anglers are bagging cats to 10 pounds while soaking chicken liver and anchovies in White and Disappointment sloughs.

"Anglers are struggling to catch quality stripers, but black bass anglers are doing very well nailing largemouth in the 3 pound class," noted Dyer. "Look for the mats of top water algae to throw frogs onto. Bass enthusiasts are taking fish on white and chartreuse frogs, as well as green pumpkin Senkos."

For a complete Delta Report, click here.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

"After a slow month of action, anglers are again taking limits of quality stripers averaging 12 pounds," explained Ly Tu of Ly's Sporting & Fishing Goods. "For the most consistent bass bite, stick to fishing the main lake, where most boaters and bank anglers have found little difficulty catching their limits."

Good baits to entice the stripers with include minnows, mud suckers, frozen anchovies and shad.

"I've received a lot of good striper reports from boaters who are letting out a few hundred feet of line and then reel the bait back," added Tu. "They're finding the best action using this method off Dinosaur Point."

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

Chuck Aulgur placed second with a 5 lb. 4 oz. rainbow caught on turquoise Power Bait, according to Marla Allison at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods. Bob Fernandez used a Kastmaster to fool a 4 lb. 5 oz. beauty and capture third.

In the Children's Division, Matthew Girardi and Greg Girardi got first and second place with a 3 lb. 1 oz. and a 1 lb. 3 oz. trout. Both were caught on green Power Bait. Kevin Eades took third with a 1 lb. 1 oz. rainbow taken on orange Power Bait. "There are still plenty of big trout biting at Alpine for bankies and boaters alike," added Allison.

"Trout fishing is still good in the high country lakes," said Allison. "The fish are holding in the top 12 to 18 feet and are feeding at the surface in the evenings."

Bank anglers are reporting good catches from Kinney Reservoir, Mosquito Lakes, Alpine, Union and Spicer with Power Bait and worms. Crickets floated on top in the evenings are also working.

Flycasters are picking up fish with wooly buggers, prince nymphs and hares ears during the day and caddis, black gnats, duns or hoppers in the evenings. Boaters are trolling shallow with a flasher or dodger/worm combo in the mornings and evenings but are going down 20 to 30 feet during the day.

"The flows are getting low in the streams," added Allison. "Beaver Creek will not be planted the rest of the summer, but restocking of the North Fork of the Stanislaus continues weekly. Small spinners and crickets are working best and flycasters are doing well with caddis, light cahills, black gnats and attractor patterns."

Now is the time to backpack into some of the remote areas and fish for wild trout. "Most of the high lakes are filled with aggressive brook trout," she tipped.

For Wiza's Sierra's report, CLICK HERE.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

"It's hard to beat Shaver now," reported Merritt Gilbert of Valley Rod and Gun. "The kokanee are on the bite and the trout action has remained steady."

The kokanee have been found in good numbers around Shaver Point and from the dam to slide rock in the main channel. The fish are stacked up from 45 to 70 feet down with some shallow action coming around sunrise. Jack's Fat Bugs, Koke A Nuts, and CJ's Specials have been the top lures, all tipped with white corn. Used in combination with small dodgers the lures are attracting limits by noon on most outings.

The kokanee average 15 inches and a few fish up to 18 inches have been caught in the last few weeks.

"Trout action has been good for trollers working the deep water off the dam and the main channel to Edison Marina," stated Gilbert. "The fish are hitting night crawlers behind blades, Wedding Rings, Cripplures in blue/nickel and Needlefish in the cop car pattern."

The bows are holding from 25 to 50 feet with a good evening bite near the surface with large matuka or wooly bugger flies. Landing 2 to 4 fish in the 12 to 14 inch range per outing is common.

"Bank anglers are scoring with rainbow or yellow select Power Baits," added Gilbert. "The hot areas have been around Dora Bella Cove and the Edison Marina. Most of the action is happening before noon."

Crowley Lake leads the angling parade of Bishop area waters. Limits have been common and catches of several rainbow trout in the 3 to 5 pound class are making this lake the place to be.

"The boaters have been doing well with lead core, long lining out and using night crawlers or small spoons at Crowley," reported Jeremy Ross of Ernie's Sporting Goods.

Sacramento perch are also on the bite. Fish marabou jigs and other lures in the weedbeds for these tasty sunfish.

Rock Creek Lake continues to produce big fish. 4.6, 4.8 and 5.9 pound rainbows have fallen for frog pattern Super Dupers, Frog Needlefish and night crawlers. Yellow or turbo Power Baits are working well off the shoreline.

Pleasant Valley Reservoir is good for pan-sized trout. The fish are hitting small Roostertails in black/silver and night crawlers. Large wooly buggers and streamers work well late in the day.

For the SouthEast Sierras Report, click here.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

"Ron and Zack Panik from Reno just brought in a big stringer of fish," reported Dennis Dunn of Wildhorse Resort. "They had a 7 pound brown, 4 cutbows in the 18 to 19 inch class and about 25 perch up to 11 inches."

According to Dunn, the lucky pair of anglers found success while soaking nightcrawlers in 25 feet of water at the mouth of the canyon. "The fish are starting to move out to deep water, so this area has been very productive lately," added Dunn.

The trout action has been fair to good overall with most anglers reporting 2 to 3 fish a rod, mostly quality rainbows from 14 to 20 inches. "Try yellow or rainbow Power Bait or crawlers along the north bank from Hendrix Creek to the dam," said Dunn. "For trollers, a crawler or minnow imitation fished behind a set of silver flashers should do the trick."

Perch fishing has been very good throughout most of the lake, with the top action taking place along the west bank. "You can take big numbers of perch fishing a white jig tipped with a piece of nightcrawler or a red worm," said Dunn. "From the bank, work the jig 18 to 24 inches under a bobber. Boaters can just cast and retrieve the jig."

Wildhorse Lake is currently 8 feet from maximum pool.

x Back to "Hot-Bites" Report Index

The salmon fishing outside of the Golden Gate along the Marin coast is also going strong, with a lot of big fish being caught now by moochers and trollers. "We've been experiencing some solid salmon action just outside the Gates near Duxbury Reef, with an average of 1 fish per rod being caught," reported Chris Nelson of Berkeley Marina Sport Center.

Four boats trolling for salmon out of the Berkeley marina averaged a solid one fish per rod, with several of the boats producing near-limits.

New Easy Rider took out 19 anglers to catch 20 fish to 27 pounds, while the 24 passengers aboard New El Dorado III managed to haul in 38 salmon up to 31 pounds. Eighteen anglers fishing aboard El Dorado I came up shy of their limits with 33 fish to 31 pounds. New Golden Eye had 17 anglers on their trolling trip as they put 27 salmon to 32 pounds in the box.

Golden Eye ended up with 22 salmon to a whopping 44 pounds for 14 anglers.

"We finally hooked into a good school of bass while fishing Seal Rock," noted Jim Smith aboard Happy Hooker. "The 20 passengers fishing with me managed to boat 20 halibut to 30 pounds, 15 stripers to 12 pounds, 13 lings to 15 pounds and several assorted rockcod on Wednesday."

"Today the bite is looking just as productive for bass numbers as yesterday. My boaters have already put 20 bass in the box and were still not done yet," he added.