The Fish Sniffer

San Pablo

(El Sobrante) If you want to catch good-sized rainbow trout, now’s the time to hit San Pablo Reservoir. The trout bite is excellent from the shoreline near the Main Recreation Area and across the other side at Sandy Point and Scow Canyon and also from the shoreline at the Boat Launch area, reported Audie Banagan of the Rocky Mountain Tackle Company.

The top baits for shore anglers are spring green and chartreuse Power Bait, Mice Tails and inflated nightcrawlers. Trollers are doing best with broken-back fire tiger Rapalas and Kastmasters  

Carter Phillip of Walnut Creek caught 5 rainbows to 5 lbs while soaking Pumpkin PowerBait by the old Steps. Trevor Long of Berkeley landed 2 trout to 4.5 lbs. while using Power Worms

Jeff Gillman of El Sobrante caught 4 trout to 4.5lbs. while using PowerBait at the Main Rec. Area. Randy Reese of Pinole bagged a 1.5 lb. trout while using MiceTails at Sandy Point.

Jordan Wong of Hayward landed a 3.5 lb. rainbow while using Mice Tails at the Main Rec Area. James Karellner caught 10 trout while fishing marshmallows off shore.

Steve Babich of El Sobrante caught a pair of spotted bass weighing a total of 4.75 lbs. while tossing out plastic worms.

The last plant of Mt. Lassen Trout included 1,080 lbs. of catchable trout and 120 lbs. of trophy rainbows. The water temperature has been around 51 degrees. 

Los Vaqueros 

(Byron) Trout anglers are finding the most consistent action at Los Vaqueros, while fishing for striped bass, largemouth bass and catfish remains tough.

“Some regulars are getting limits every time, while others aren’t,” reported Chris Senti of Los Vaqueros Reservoir. “Shore anglers are hooking the trout while using PowerBait, Power Eggs and nightcrawlers in the backs of coves.”

Trollers are finding the top action while trolling Rapalas and other minnow imitation lures at 5 to 12 feet deep.

 Mount Lassen Fish Farm planted 1,0o00 pounds of rainbows on February 27 and another 1000 pounds the week of March 4. The fished averaged 1-1/2 to 2 pounds and went up to 10 pounds.   

Pablo Miske landed a limit, topped by a 7.2 and 6.5 pound trout, while soaking Power Bait in Cowboy Cove. Barreri Clack bagged a 6.7 lb rainbow on garlic Power Bait in the East Cove. 13-year-old Destiny Belcher caught a 5 pound trout on Power Bait.

 “The striper fishing is still slow,” he added. “We still see a handful of 18 to 22 inch stripers taken every day from shore on anchovies and other cut baits.”

Expect the striped bass fishing to shift into high gear as the water temperature warms up and the stripers become more active.

 The water level is now 115,000 acre feet and the water temperature is 53 degrees.

Lafayette

(Lafayette) “Trout fishing is still really steady here at the reservoir,” reported Lauren Sanders at the Lafayette Recreation Area.

Tino (age 14) and James (age 13) from Belmont were fishing from a boat using floating garlic eggs as bait. They teamed up to land a 1.5lb trout.   Caitlyn from Moraga caught a 4.8lb rainbow trout on the south end while using a Kastmaster.  

The water temperature is 50.5 degrees so the trout are pretty close to the surface. The last rainbow trout plant from the Department of Fish and Wildlife was 2,000 pounds, while their latest plant from Mount Lassen was 1,000 pounds.   

Shadow Cliffs

(Pleasanton) You never know what you might catch when you fish Berkley PowerBaits.

Just ask Alex from San Leandro, who landed a huge 16 lb. 14 oz. largemouth bass at Shadow Cliffs Reservoir. He was fishing PowerBait for trout near the first dock when the fish hit, reported Pete Alexander of the East Bay Regional Park District.

Jimmy Nguyen from San Jose caught a 5 lb. trout on a Kastmaster with Power Worms.  He was fishing between the boat rental and the first dock.

Alexander noted that one hardcore local angler, “Joe,” usually catches close to his daily limit while fishing in his favorite spot.

The park district planted 500 pounds of rainbows and the Department of Fish and Wildlife stocked 1000 poundsthe week of March 4 They will plant 500 pounds the week of March 11.

Del Valle

(Livermore) After a slow period of fishing, trout fishing appears to be picking up at Lake Del Valle. Of course, regular plants are helping to boost the catches.

The park district stocked 750 pounds of rainbows the week of March 4 and will plant 750 pounds the week of March 11.

 The trout are hitting night crawlers, Mice Tails and PowerBait, while the catfish are hitting anchovies.

Joe and Mark of Livermore brought in 10 trout on a stringer using Mice Tails in the Narrows on February 27. Their largest fish weighed 4.7 lbs. Luke Ferguson of San Jose brought in a 6.7 lb. stringer of trout from the dam while using Power Worms. Victoria Jones reeled in 1 catfish and 4 trout from the dam while using PowerBait. 

The smallmouth bass are grabbing Zara Spooks, while largemouth bass are falling for  Robo Worms, jigs and slow moving artificial lures. Striped Bass are starting to hit anchovies and Rebel rainbow trout jerk baits.   

The water temperature is 58 degrees at the dock. The water clarity is minimal.

Quarry Lakes 

(Fremont ) Trout fishing continues to be productive at Horseshoe Lake. “Fishing has been the best in the Kiosk Cove, but the area is small, so please be courteous to your fellow anglers and don’t crowd each other,” said Pete Alexander. “Please try not to cross each other’s lines!”

Fred Omai of San Mateo caught a 5-lb. Desert Springs, OR. trout on green pumpkin Power Bait in the Kiosk Cove. Anthony Tafolla of San Jose landed a 5.7-lb. trout while using a mini-jig in the Kiosk Cove.  Alan Fujita of Fremont caught a limit of trout while fishing to the left of the beach. The largest fish weighed four pounds and the total limit weighed 12.8 pounds! 

Jeff Miller of Milpitas bagged a 12.6-lb. trout on nightcrawlers while fishing to the left of the beach. Rich Rasmussen of Newark caught his limit of trout up to 4.10 pounds while using green pumpkin Power Bait   in the Kiosk Cove.  

Jose Gonzalez of Union City caught a limit of trout on green pumpkin Power Bait while in the Kiosk Cove.  Michael Avila of Salinas caught three trout, the largest weighing five pounds, while trolling a Rapala   from his friend’s boat on the back side of Horseshoe Lake. Nine-year old Dylan Claus of Milpitas caught a 5-lb. rainbow trout on nightcrawlers  in the Kiosk Cove.  

The park district stocked 500 pounds of rainbows the week of March 4 and will plant another 500 pounds the week of march 11.