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Smallmouths, Bluegills, Rainbows, Brookies,and Browns

Well the derby is over. Again just like last year when a crappie was my biggest fish, I failed to get a trout over three pounds. This time it was a 7lb 2oz catfish that was my largest fish. I caught about 100 trout, all under two pounds. Too bad the derby was not a cumulative total weight derby.

We decided to take a trip up north to see what we could catch in the many streams and lakes in Lassen co. The snow had melted and the streams were running. Our first stop was Shingletown, about 25miles East of Redding. Where does one go to find out about local fishing spots? Why the bakery of course. Stocking up on the largest donuts I have ever seen, I got the info. Two small lakes, Nora and Grace, were the local secret spots. Drug Ferne out of the quilt shoppe and on to Nora. Stopped at Nora which is only 4 acres and saw some small fish but no where to fish so on down the road to Grace, a 7 acre lake. Here we saw fish rising every where. Put on the 1/16 oz Wyld spinner and cast out. Soon a fish was on! The first fish of the trip was a beautiful Brown trout. A couple of rainbows later we headed on down the road with 3/4 of the donuts left.

Our plan was to drive to Burney, about 45 miles north and use the motel as a base camp. Driving past Hat Creek we arrived in Burney. Checked in and then out to fish the Wild Trout section of Hat Creek, barbless hooks only. Mother nature had other ideas. We no sooner rigged up when thunder and lightning lit up the sky. We were fishing right next to a METAL BRIDGE. Lightning? not a good mix so we got the heck out of there! Driving back, hail and wind and rain made sure we did not go back. We did manage to take some pictures of the locals.

The next morning we went to Burney Falls, the Eight Wonder of the World. Within two miles you can fish for planted trout, totally wild trout and warm water species like bass and blugills. We did it all. First we went to see the falls and then drove 1 mile to Lake Britton. Here we walked around the shore and saw that the Smallmouth Bass were on their nests. Not having any plastics in the tackle box , I dug out some Rebel Cat'r Crawlers, a one and a half inch sinking worm imitation. WE cast out and let it sink on the beds. Soon I had a nice two pounder on. Caught a few more , Ferne even got her first Smallie . It was the biggest of the five we caught. I even caught a giant bluegill bigger then any I have caught in 45 years!

After going swimming for a lure stuck in a log we went trout fishing. First we tried the planter section above the falls. Had two on but nothing sticking. So we went to the Wild Section. The fly fishermen had beaten the waters for two hours before we go there and did not get a thing. I was not expecting anything when I tied on the 1/4 oz barbless Wyld Spinner . I picked a spot where the river flowed under a tree. I made ten casts and nothing. I was ready to let Ferne try but I did not want to go swimming for the lure stuck in a tree where it would no doubt land, so I make one last cast. I got a hit! I was so surprised that I did not set the hook. I made another cast and ,FISH ON!!! A perfect 13 1/2 in Brook Trout came to shore to be photoed and released. After that we hiked and enjoyed the flora and fauna. It was getting to be lunch time so back to the motel and then out to try to catch a fish at Hat Creek.

We chose to go to Cassel a stocked section of Hat Creek, not near a metal bridge. After finding the right location near the bridge we started to catch rainbows, nothing big but great fighters. Ferne caught her rainbow,and I caught a few dozen before kissing the last rainbow good bye.

A great short trip, lots of fish, lots of photos, and lots of giant donuts. (It took us two days but we ate them all.)

Until we loose ten pounds, God Bless

Ferne @ Michael


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SPINNERS RULE!!!!!!

As promised, I took a trip to Del Valle and Chabot this week. Tuesday I went to Del Valle and did some trolling around the dam and the Marina. I fished with broken back J5 Rapalas and those CAGI attractors on one pole and The Wyld Spinners on the other. It was slow . So slow that I only saw two other boats come and go. The Fish Sniffers must have told everyone the bite was off. After two hours it was a draw, one fish on each pole. The wind came up and I motored back to the Marina. Three boats were anchored in front of the Marina. I put out both poles and waited for about two minutes before the first hit, on the Wyld Spinner. The trout just loved the spinner. I caught ten in about two hours with twice as many hits. The other pole with the Rapala got nothing!Then it stopped. The fish turned off . I released all the trout and said that the next fish was coming to dinner with me. Finally the Rapala got a good hit and a nice pink meated 2!/4 pounder was the main attraction for dinner. Final total,11 for the Wyld Spinner. 2 for the CAGI Rapala combo. Del Valle trout love Wyld Spinners.

Today went to Chabot for three hours. I started out with the same two set ups as Del Valle. I put out the poles and waited. I trolled for fifty feet when the pole with the Wyld Spinner started to sing out. I grabbed the pole and held on. The fish was heavy, very heavy. Was it a derby winner? After about 10 minutes of fighting the fish, I had my answer. It turned out to be a 7lb. 2oz. channel catfish! Not the derby winner, and no camera to record the catch. So back into the water it went. The spinner was still perfect. Not a bent hook or spinner shaft,GOOD spinners. For the next two hours it was ,Wyld Spinners out fishing the Rapalas 8 to 1!!! The only thing negative thing about the Wyld Spinners was no whoppers. The bigger fish came on the Rapalas, but 8 to 1, I'll take that any time. The batteries on the motor were getting low and the wind really came up, so back home I went . Another victory for the Wyld Spinners. Here is the link for the spinners, try them, they work for me.

Until the next whopper photo,

God Bless, Ferne @ Michael

Trolling spinners DO catch fish in lakes

There is a joke about trolling spinners on the Fishsniffer trout board. When ever anyone says what did you catch them on the reply is SPINNERS! They mean grubs or other lures. Well, I took a trip to Los Vaqueros yesterday and proved that SPINNERS do catch fish when trolled. You do need to do a few things to the spinners. First you need the right spinner. I use WYLD EDGE spinners from Oregon. They are designed for steelhead fishing in rivers. They have a heavy body and two ball bearings around the blade which reduce line twist. A single heavy wire hook holds any fish. The colours are GREAT. I would not use anything else. You attach the WYLD EDGE spinners to a dodger. I use UV SEPS and SHASTA TACKLE brands ,they troll at a faster speed because of their shape. The spinners are 18 inches back from the dodger. I apply some Pro Gel or Bass Wax to the dodger and the spinner. I let out two colours of lead core and then let out 90 feet more of braid. The lures are 10 feet down and 130 feet or so in back of the boat.

I put on two of these rigs and set out trolling Los Vaqueros. The first time some fish showed up on the fish finder. I got a hit on one pole then the other. The fish just kept hitting, and getting hooked. the trout were in 10 to 35 feet of water and would come up to gobble the spinner. This is the first time that I saw fish on the screen and they bit the bait. They were not great size, about one pound. But they never stopped . I tried putting on other lures like CripLures, but the fish only hit the spinner rigs. With the single barbless hooks ,it was easy the release the fish.

So try spinners, they DO catch fish.

Until I take this rig to Del Valle. God Bless,

Michael & Ferne

GIANT BROOK TROUT at Los Vaqueros

Finally broke my 0-four streak at Los Vaqueros. I switched work days so I could be there when the 3000 pound stocking took place. I arrived at 11:00 am. and rented a boat. The stock was about 1/2 hour away ,so I trolled around the marina until the truck arrived. I was not expecting any hits when one of the poles with a criplure on got hammered. The drag sang out , but the fish got off,too lean a drag. But that was a good omen. The truck arrived and began dumping the three tanks full of trout. I slowly trolled past the truck, looking for fish. I saw the fish but they had gone up into the no fishing zone creek. Smart fish. I positioned the boat off a sharp dropoff ,50 yards from the fish and anchored. I began casting large flies and then x-raps. No hits, so I switched to spoons. I got a few bumps but no hook ups. I switched to a brightly coloured Little Cleo. I got it for 88 cents at Cabelas. The first cast and fish on. For the next four hours I caught fish after fish. About every thirty fish or so I would get one that just stayed down and swam any way it wanted. When I got it to the boat, I saw this big brown speckled fish. It turned out to be a LARGE brook trout. It was one of the breeders from the plant,full of eggs and ready for my tomatoes. (The breeders make great fertilizer). Final total sixty or so small trout from 1/2 to one pound and three breeders, a 4.85 brookie, a 4.38 brookie and and a 3.25 rainbow. Three fish totaling 12.48 pounds!

Every Tuesday in April they will be having large plants at Los Vaqueros. So get going. The boats are great and priced right.,$25.00 for five hours. If the fish are not so smart as these, you can catch them from the shore.So get out there. If I bring Ferne,you will not have many to catch after she gets through catching twice as many as I do.

Now if the King Salmon were so easy......

For my dad,God bless

Ferne @ Michael