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WAITING FOR IT TO BUST WIDE OPEN!

By: Ron Wilson

March 5, 2008.... The cold weather the first part of the year had put the black bass and trout bite off all over the central California lakes.

I started fishing this year at Lake McClure in January. The bite was fair for spotted bass but the trout fishing was slow. We caught limits of bass, but nothing of any size. The bite was a sluggish one where they just barely grabbed the bait. The fish were in the 40 foot area of the lake and cold. The bass did come up to feed on the banks in the afternoon when the sun warmed up the water a little. The trout bites we had on plastic were shallow and on the bank in 10 to 15 feet of water dropshotting for black bass.

New Melones was the next lake I fished. The bass were deep there also. The trout were shallow near bait balls in Angels Creek arm of the lake. It seemed the trout were near the bank here also.

The next Lake was Lake Don Pedro. I was fishing for salmon there and they were 50 to 100 feet on the wire. Slow rolling shad was the bait of choice however red and yellow Ex-Cel Lures also worked for a few strikes. We caught a half dozen and all were released except a 3 pounder that went home for dinner.

Guide Bruce Hamby of Sierra Sportfishing had a large fish on that was pulling drag as it departed. No monster but one well over 5 pounds, it sure would of made a good picture fish. His best salmon at the lake last year was over 10 pounds.

My next trip was Lake Camanche. Be prepared to spend a little time getting in to fish this lake as they are searching all the boats to make sure there is no water in the bilge or Livewells, in fact expect to open up every compartment that the boat has to be inspected. If your registration trailer license is out of state or you come from certain parts of the bay area don’t even bother coming to that lake as you will be turned away. They are trying to keep an invasive muscle from invading the waters there and at Lake Pardee also. The fishing at Lake Camanche was spotty to say the least. We trolled all day for 2 small trout and went through all the old baits that worked there in previous years. Never tried for black bass at all but I know its good fishing for them there.

Now the reason for the spotty black bass fishing is pretty simple. Cold water shutting down the bite and if you think about it the reason for the spotty trout bite is just about as simple. The cold water enables the trout to stay shallow and run the banks making it difficult for fishermen using downriggers or lead core line to catch them.

I know that there are times when the black bass come up shallow to feed but I just haven’t found them in the lakes so far this year.

I have talked to guys that have found them and they are catching spinner bait, swim bait and ripping fish off and on. Its all about being in the right place at the right time of day. Fishing in the central valley is fixing to bust wide open as the weather warms up along with the water.

Something that I don’t understand is the pond bass. The bite there has been pretty consistent on plastics, crankbaits and spinner baits since early January even with the water temp in the low 40’s. I am just thankful that they have been active as its been the best playground for me so far. I have caught several fish in the five to eight pound class tugging at my line every time I go play with them. With 3 caught close to 14 pounds there last year I know the big gals should be chomping any day now.

Good Black Bass fishing is busting loose all over the valley with the warmer weather but I think it will take a couple more weeks of warm weather to get the trout back into deeper water where they can be targeted with success.

The salmon fishing will pick up also as the water temp really doesn’t affect them that much as they stay down there in there comfort zone in 50 feet or deeper water. When the shad balls come up out of the depths the salmon and other fish will follow and the fishery for all the species should change for the better!