"The wind was almost dangerous," he quipped. "We stayed the whole time in Jago Bay, where we caught and released 14 fish. The fish were pushed off the bank by the wind."

Art Huie of South San Francisco, Luke Peacock and another angler fished from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. with Hemphill after launching out of Red Bud Marina. The top two fish weighed just under 4 pounds each, while the best five bass weighed a total of 18 pounds.

"Several fish were missed including a big one, but we kept at it, catching fish until midnight when the bite just died," said Hemphill. "Senkos and Robo Worms were the best baits. A few fish took black Berkley Power worms."

Most bass were in the top 5 feet of water - inside the weeds. "The big one that was lost was on a dock piling," he added. "The deepest bass was taken at 20 feet deep. We never saw another boat. I heard 3 carp roll all night. We were in full winter gear!"

Catfish action surged to life following several days of rain and now some nice bright sunshine. "Shad, mackerel, live minnows and night crawlers are the hot ticket," said Bob Rider of Lakeshore Bait and Tackle in Clearlake. "There is no particular areas to zone in on - the cats have been caught all over. The Annual Catfish Derby is scheduled from May 15 thru 17."

Captain Randy Thornton of Telstar Charters can't wait to begin rockfish fishing. He is optimistic about the prospects of boating quality rockfish and lingcod.

On the crab fishing front, Thornton's clients have been scoring consistent limits when the weather allows them to get out of Noyo Harbor.

The most productive area for crabbing has been off 10 Mile Beach in 40 to 120 feet of water. While anglers are getting limits, it's not easy. Typically it takes 4 to 5 pots to score a 10 crab limit.

When the rockfish season opens, good fishing is expected through out the Fort Bragg area. Rockfish should respond to shrimp flies tipped with squid, while metal jigs and swimbaits will draw the attention of any marauding lingcod.

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"The fishing was good on Thursday, May 7 on the river above Elephant Rock," said Dave Castellanos of Cast Guide Service. "My clients landed three chinooks weighing 22, 15 and 12 pounds while fishing spinner/anchovy rigs."

However, the action slowed down on Saturday, May 9 on his trip to the same area of the Rogue. "I saw a few salmon taken, but we didn't catch any," he noted.

On the middle Rogue, anglers are still catching a few winter steelhead, according to the Oregon Department of Wildlife. Fishing for spring chinook salmon is improving as more fish move into the area around Grants Pass. Back-trolling plugs and drifting bait, drift bobbers, or yarn balls have been effective techniques. Anglers are reminded that only adipose fin-clipped chinook may be retained at this time. The flow at Grants Pass on April 27 was 2650 cubic feet per second and the water temperature was 54 degrees.

A few winter steelhead are still available, and spring chinook are starting to arrive in upper Rogue. To date, 5,418 winter steelhead and 230 spring chinook have been counted at Gold Ray Dam. Anglers are reminded that only adipose fin-clipped chinook may be retained at this time. The flow out of William Jess Dam is 1,920 cfs and the outflow temperature is 49 degrees. The flow at Gold Ray Dam is 2,280 cfs.

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"Overall I'd say that the bass bite has slowed down a little, but it is still possible to catch solid numbers of bass," reported Adam Rudolf at Phil's Propellers. "The reaction fishing we had been enjoying has shut down for now and soft plastics are your best bet."

"Mother's Finest Worms in the No. 39 or 60 colors have been really good. Tubes in brown or watermelon are producing, as are Senkos. When a front moves through the fish tend to back off the shore line, but as soon as the pressure stabilizes, they move right back up," added Rudolph.

Shasta's trout are spread out, but if you invest some time to find a concentration of fish, the action can be very good for rainbows up to 3 pounds. Bright red and orange colored lures such as small crankbaits, Hum Dingers, Cripplures, Kastmasters, Needlefish and Shasta Tackle Wiggle Hoochies have been out performing traditional baitfish colored lures.

Salmon are stacked up in Dry Creek, as is typically the pattern this time of the year. If you want to troll for them, Apex Lures, hoochies, Kok-A-Nuts and rolled shad will all get strikes. If bait fishing is more your style don't hesitate to mooch anchovy tails right off the bottom while either drifting or anchored. Most of the kings being caught run 1 to 2 pounds, but fish up to 3.5 pounds are showing occasionally.

Shasta is currently 56 feet below maximum pool and coming up.

At Whiskeytown, Mike Elster of Mike's Fishing Guide Service reported that kokanee are just starting to hit. Trout have been caught by anglers' toplining with small Rapalas, but fishing pressure has been very light.

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"The rockfish bite is wide-open off Point Sur," said Chris Arcoleo of Chris's Fishing Trips. "However, the weather hasn't allowed us to fish there since Wednesday, May 6. Since then we've fished the local reefs including Cypress Point and Carmel."

The 25 anglers aboard the Star of Monterey on May 6 bagged limits of rockfish and 8 keeper lingcod. "About half of the fish were big vermilions and the rest were olive, yellowtail and widow rockfish," said Arcoleo. "Most of the anglers that day were fishing bars and jigs."

"The local trips are producing limits of rockfish," noted Arcoleo. Ten anglers aboard the Checkmate on Monday, May 11 bagged limits of blue, yellowtail and vermilion rockfish during a trip to the local spots.

The last trip to Point Sur by the Chubasco out of Randy's Fishing Trips on May 6 yielded limits of rockfish and 6 lingcod to 8 pounds. "We were able to get down to Big Sur before the wind started blowing," said Cutting. "However, the wind's been blowing ever since."

The fish being caught off the Big Sur Coast are a mixture of yellowtail, olive, vermilion and other rockfish in the 3 to 5 pound range, according to Cutting. Anglers are enticing the bottomfish with shrimp flies, Kings Tackle jigs, P-Line Lazer Minnows and other lures in 180 to 220 feet of water

Fishing for rockfish locally has picked up since, due to warming water temperatures and an increase in forage. "The water temperature has warmed up from as low as 48 degrees on opening weekend to 51 degrees now," said Cutting. "We're also seeing more squid and anchovies around the rocks."

For example, 16 anglers fishing aboard the Chubasco on Sunday, May 10 bagged limits of mostly olive and yellowtail rockfish in the 2 to 3 pound range in the Cypress Point area. They also nailed some copper and vermilion rockfish, but no lingcod.

"The weather was horrible," noted Cutting, "with a 6 to 8 foot swell and wind in the afternoon. However, we were able to catch our limits by noon."

The weather was even rougher on Saturday, when the 25 guys aboard the Sur Randy and the 28 anglers aboard the Chubasco caught three-quarter limits of rockfish in the Monterey

Anglers departing from Santa Cruz are catching rockfish limits in the Davenport area and south side of the bay. The 24 anglers aboard the Velocity on May 9 bagged nailed 240 copper, red and brown rockfish in 150 feet of water, reported Ken Stagnaro of Stagnaro's Fishing Trips.

The 12 fishermen aboard the Velocity also had a great day on May 1, catching 120 red and black rockfish and 2 lingcod. The 30 fishermen aboard the boat the following day bagged 200 red and yellowtail rockfish on the south side of the bay.

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Upper Hat Creek in the Old Station area probably offers you the best chance of catching trout. "Anglers are catching rainbow, brown and some brook trout while fishing nightcrawlers and crickets," said Steve Vaughn at Vaughn's Sporting Goods. "Fly fishing is tough in the relatively high water conditions."

Lower Hat Creek is producing "pretty tough" wild rainbow action, although there are some pale morning dun hatches taking place. The catch is 10 to 16 inch wild rainbows.

The Cassel area of Hat Creek and Baum Lake are producing a mixture of rainbow and brook trout. Fly fishermen are fooling the trout with callibaetis, caddis and Copper John patterns, while bait fishing enthusiasts are enticing the trout with mealworms, crickets and Power Bait.

"The trout fishing was good on the Pit River until last week's storms," noted Vaughn. "Anglers nailed 11 to 17 inch rainbows while fishing Copper Johns, PT nymphs and rubber legs prince nymphs."

The unsettled weather has set the smallmouth and crappie action at Lake Britton back a bit. "Smallmouth bass fishing is fair for anglers using plastic worms, jigs and crankbaits," said Vaughn. "The crappie action has slowed down, but should rebound with more stable weather."

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Trolling has been good for fish up to 18 inches. The hot presentation has been the Red head Wee Dick Nites trolled approximately 6 feet deep.

Ed Dillard of Dillard's Guided Fishing caught and released 34 rainbows in wind and waves up to three feet. On the next day, Jim Lamb caught and released 52 fish to 18 inches while trolling.

"Shore fishing and fly fishing is rated as slow to fair depending on the day," added Dollard. "Bait fishermen using night crawlers have reported limits at Eagle Point. The Bead Head Prince Nymph pattern has accounted for limited numbers of fish at Coot Bay recently."

Fishing for rainbow trout in the 14 to 18 inch range continues to be productive from the shore near the dam, at Crystal Point and off Lunker Point at Frenchman Lake, divulged Shirley Wiggin at Wiggin's Trading Post.

"Fishermen are floating nightcrawlers off the bottom with white or chartreuse marshmallows or under bobbers," said Wiggin. "Panther Martins, Rooster Tails and small frog pattern lures are producing fish also."

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"Fishing will get better every day as the river recovers from the spring storms," said Kevin Brock of Kevin Brock's Fishing Guide Service. "The fishing started to pick up on Saturday when my 5 anglers hooked 10 fish, landing 5 stripers to 7 pounds."

Brock drifted jumbo minnows and still-fished with sardines between Grimes and Ward's Landing. Other boats reported 2 to 4 stripers, while one angler bagged a 47 pound sturgeon at Grimes.

"The fishing was on fire before the high flows arrived," said Daniel Vaca at Kittle's Outdoors. "On my latest trip, four of us caught and released 25 stripers while trolling P-Line Predator Plugs in chrome/black and casting black plastic worms."

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Sturgeon are also on the move and keeper fish are being landed all over the Delta, but Rio Vista finds itself in close proximity to several of the best areas to hook sturgeon at this time such as the Power Lines, Cache Slough and Light 25.

According to Karen Tate at Rio Vista Bait, stripers are the focus of most delta anglers right now. "We've been getting good reports from both trollers and bait anglers," said Tate. If you want to catch stripers using bait, ghost shrimp, shad, anchovies, jumbo minnows and sardines are all good choices.

Trollers are using the standard shallow and deep running Bombers, Yo-Zuris and Bombers to hook fish in the 3 to 20 plus pound range.

Rene Villanueva of Steelie Dan's Guide Service recently took out a pair of clients on a trolling adventure. They did well, scoring 14 fish to 33 inches.

"Red and white Yo-Zuri shallow runners worked the best for us," said Villanueva. "We trolled them between 140 and 160 feet behind the boat. High tide was the best time and the shoals off the Cliff House were the best spot, but we also caught fish up near the Isleton Bridge and in the Deep Water Channel."

Audie at Hap's Bait reported very good action on both stripers and sturgeon. "Over the past two days we've had 4 nice stripers and 3 keeper sturgeon brought into the shop," disclosed Audie.

"The sturgeon have been hitting at the Power Lines. Ghost shrimp, grass shrimp and pile worms have been the best baits. Stripers are being caught by both trollers and bait anglers and some of the fish are really large. Trollers are using standard minnow plugs, while bait anglers are using bloodworms, anchovies, sardines, pile worms and shad," concluded Urbano.

For a complete Delta Report, click here.

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"Early morning top water action is best," said Basi. "Small swimbaits and purple and brown jigs are also producing good numbers of fish. Main lake points are the better producers for largemouth and spotted bass."

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing has seen a solid uptick in trout and salmon action lately.

"We caught mixed limits of king salmon and rainbow trout in the 2 pound range on the last two trips," said Smith. "Vance's Slim Willies leading nightcrawlers from the surface to seventeen feet deep are taking the trout - sideplaners are still effective - but warming weather will end that soon. Rolled shad pulled 70-80 feet deep is working best for kings."

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Ken Mathis of Ken's Custom Tackle found Union Valley mackinaw are still scattered and the kokanee bite is yet to turn on. 

"We are covering a lot of water to find the mackinaw," said Mathis. "So far, it's been a real slow year. Loon is still iced over and Ice House is only kicking out the occasional rainbow and brown trout."

Jay Ward at Sly Park Lake Resort reported a decent smallmouth bass bite. "Anglers tossing Power Worms at the back side of the lake have caught a few limits lately," said Ward.  "A few macks are coming in every week - with the depths varying based upon weather. Rainbows have been only so-so."

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According to Brock's Sporting Goods, the Lower Owens River is flowing at 300 cfs, which is significantly higher than the 120 cfs that is considered the optimum flow rate for fly anglers.

Despite the higher flows, anglers are still hooking fish. Midges, Baetis and caddis flies are all hatching between 10 am and 3 pm. WD-40's Zebra Midges, Copper Johns and Pheasant Tail nymphs in sizes 18 to 20 are all working. For dry flies, go with Hatch Master BWOs, Hi-Vis BWOs and Parachute Adams in sizes 16 to 20.

The Upper Owens and the Owens River Gorge are kicking out trout for anglers working the same fly patterns that are working in the lower river.

At Pleasant Valley Reservoir, both fly anglers and spin anglers are hooking trout. Fly anglers are stripping streamers for a mix of browns, rainbows and Alpers trout.

Spin anglers are catching the same mix of trout, but they are employing Power Bait, worms and Thomas Buoyant spoons.

Lake Crowley is clear and its trout are biting. McGee Bay has been the hot spot for fly anglers that want to hook a quality fish. Dark streamers worked along the bottom are catching the largest fish. For numbers of fish, midges in sizes 16 to 20 will draw plenty of strikes.

"Fishing here on the June Lake Loop has been very good for the past week," reported Jeremy Ross at Ernie's Tackle. "Just about every lake in our area is kicking out big numbers of trout. June Lake, Silver Lake and Gull Lake have been the most popular lakes on the loop and each of them have been very productive for anglers fishing with bait. The top baits have been Power Bait, Gulp!, Zeke's Floating Bait and worms."

Rush Creek is holding trout in its deeper holes. Spin anglers are catching them using salmon eggs and worms, while fly fishing enthusiasts focus on drifting large dry flies teamed with a small nymph rigged on a dropper.

"Bridgeport Lake is still producing pretty well these days, in spite of the wind," exclaimed Jim Reid at Ken's Sporting Goods. "The guys out there in boats are doing the best fishing crawlers about 2 feet off the bottom, lots of rainbows in the 2 to 3 pound class and some browns in the 2 to 4 pound range."

There's also been some good action on flies, both stripping streamers down near the dam and midging under an indicator out in the middle of the lake, between the marina and Rainbow point. The shoreline down near the dam has also produced some nice fish up to almost 5 pounds.

"Twin Lakes is producing rainbows for both trollers and bait fishing. For trolling, it's been dodgers and crawlers or needlefish, or stick-baits like Trophy Sticks, Rapalas and AC plugs," said Reid.

"Since last week we've had some really great reports from Kirman," he tipped. "The road is clear, and the fishing is great for brookies to almost 20 inches and cutthroat to 25 inches. Scud and midge patterns seem to be the best flies. For lures, it's been Kastmasters and Rooster Tails as well as Trout Teasers and Lip Ripperz."

For Tom Loe's Sierra Report, click here.

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According to Valerie Taylor at Crosby Lodge, Pyramid's biggest trout are holding near the shore line and fish in the 8 to 11 pound class have been landed by anglers up to the challenge of fly fishing in the wind. The fish are hitting a variety of flies, including woolly buggers and beetle imitations. 

As badly handicapped as fly anglers have been in terms of the wind, the situation has been even worse for boaters. At times the lake has simply been too rough for boating. When the conditions do allow boaters on the water, they've had a difficult time hooking the larger fish, since they are so close to the shoreline. 

There are plenty of fish holding offshore and they are cooperating with boaters, but they tend to be a smaller grade of fish than those you find on the shoreline. For boaters, the top lures have been Flatfish, Kwikfish and Apex Lures in green colors.   

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"We've been trolling recently with pretty good results," disclosed Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sportfishing on May 10. "On Friday I took out 12 anglers and they caught 14 halibut and 4 bass. On Saturday, we had 22 anglers on the boat and they ended up with 15 halibut and 2 bass."

Captain Joe Gallia of New Easy Rider Sportfishing has also been trolling for halibut. "Yesterday we took out 6 anglers and they got 6 halibut to 15 pounds. We've tried drifting with dead bait, but trolling has been working much better," said Gallia.

Captain Jim Smith of Happy Hooker Sportfishing has been targeting halibut and stripers with live shiner perch.

"Yesterday we had 8 halibut and 1 bass for 15 anglers. Last weekend we took out 12 anglers on Saturday and they caught 6 halibut and 2 bass. I caught a 20 pound halibut on that trip. The next day we went out with 9 anglers and caught 7 halibut and 1 bass," said Smith.

"We've had a lot of missed opportunities while fishing with shiners. When you have live anchovies, you can fish pretty effectively by placing your rod in a rod holder. With perch, you do much better holding the rod. The fish don't swallow a perch as quickly as they swallow an anchovy. When you feel that first little bite with a shiner, you've got to feed the halibut some line to convert the bite into a hookup," tipped Smith.

The story at the Emeryville Sportfishing Center is much the same with anglers nailing halibut and bass while trolling. On Saturday May 9, the Tigerfish took out 15 anglers and they scored 5 halibut to 10 pounds and 1 striper that went 5 pounds. On the same day, the New Huck Finn had 13 halibut to 14 pounds and 2 stripers to 5 pounds for their 18 anglers.