The Fish Sniffer

(Sacramento) While the sunny days of late point to spring being right around the corner, it’s still winter for trout, salmon and bass at Folsom Lake, due to cold water temperatures. Expect fishing for salmonids and bass to pick up as the water temperature warms up.

“The fishing was kind of slow on my last trolling trip to Folsom Lake,” disclosed John Enos of Big John’s Guide Service. “We landed one king about 13 inches and two holdover rainbows in the 13 to 14 inch range.”

Enos trolled Rapalas and Speedy Shiners at 25 to 40 feet in the main body and the North Fork. The water temperature was only 47 to 48 degrees.

“We also hooked a 12 inch smallmouth on a Rapala at 30 feet deep,” noted Enos. “Some guys reported catching some spotted bass on live minnows.” 

Folsom Lake is holding 570,668 acre feet of water, 58 percent of capacity and 108 percent of the 10 year average. The water level is 425 feet in elevation, 41 feet from maximum pool.