Fish report

TRINITY LAKE: Despite low water, there has been a very good bass bite reported with small bass in the shallows and goodsized bass still holding deep between 35-50 feet. Fish slow plastics deep and swim baits in the shallows. The lake dropped once again from 29 to 28 percent. Boaters are advised to launch at the Trinity Center public boat launch. AMERICAN RIVER/Sacramento: The American is running at a very low level of 646 cfs at Fair Oaks, and it is as low as long-time residents can remember.

All launch ramps are closed with the exception of Discovery Park at the confluence with the Sacramento River. Salmon fishing has improved at the mouth for those jigging P-Line’s Laser Minnows or similar spoons, trolling Silvertrons, or sitting on anchor with Brad’s Killer Fish. There are reports of salmon running upriver to

the base of Nimbus Dam.

AMERICAN RIVER/Above Folsom: The flows are very low, and the American River watershed above Folsom Dam closed to bait fishing on September 30 th with only catch/release with artificials on barbless hooks allowed until the week prior to Memorial Day. This is applicable in all waters of the American River watershed above the dam.

FEATHER RIVER: Salmon are starting to show in decent numbers around the 5th Street Bridge and conditions should start to improve upriver. Numbers still low at the Outlet, Boyd’s Pump and Gridley but more fish are being taken every day. The water flows at Gridley are steady at 1200 cfs.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Red Bluff to Colusa:

Salmon numbers high, most boats with limits. Fish quality good. Some older fish in the mix. Water levels at the Colusa Bridge up from

4704 to 5005 cfs.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Metro area: Salmon fishing has kicked off from Freeport to the mouth of the American and all the way up to Verona. The quality of the fish is very good and many of the guides are now concentrating on trolling this section of the river until a fresh push of fish moves in. The flows dropped from 9395 to 4938 cfs at Freeport.

LAKE OROVILLE: The lake remains out of play for the third consecutive month as the launch ramp at the Spillway remains closed with the lake at 22 percent. The launch may reopen if the lake continues to drop as the slope will flatten out. It’s all about bank fishing right now, and there are some small spotted bass taken with plastics from the shorelines. The launch ramp may not open once again until the lake rises in the event of precipitation in the coming months.

LAKE SHASTA: John Boitano of JB’s Guide Service reported that the bass bite is still good on both the

Pit and Squaw arms. He recommends looking for the shad balls and then casting into the middle. Just about any bait will work. Bridge Bay water level 177 feet below the norm. Shasta Cascade and the Fall Classic bass tournaments will go as planned unless the water drops to below 204 feet. There are only three operable boats ramps. Bridge Bay is down to a single lane 4 wheel-drive track, Jones Valley resort is now a dirt ramp only with no dock. Centimudi still has 2 paved lanes and is workable for 2-wheel drive. The lake held at 23 percent, and there are unmarked hazards throughout the lake.