2013 Edition the Almanor Fisherman
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2013 Edition The Almanor Fisherman THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ALMANOR FISHING ASSOCIATION N HIS SSUE Already this year, fish we caught have just been thicker than I T I ... you would expect coming out of winter, another indictor that there’s no “winter smelt” shortage here. Healthy, as they should be, feeding on smelt all winter, and then for Fishing Lake Almanor Page 1 months on aquatic insect hatches. Thick strong fish are fish Successfully Trolling Lake Almanor Page 4 that fight, and by September they look like they have been Fish for a Wish Page 6 at the gym and doing PEDs. Services on Lake Almanor Page 7 Almanor - The Good Old Days Page 8 With the spring season underway, and throughout summer 2012 - A Year of Ups and Downs Page 10 and fall, that’s the time more big fish are caught here.Spring Not Wanted - Quagga/Zebra Mssels Page 11 and summer aquatic insect hatches have provided the Lake Almanor Fishing Map Page 12 required protein. Protein that converts to energy quickly, Chester High School’s Trout Hatchery Page 14 making fights much more energetic and fun. By The Lake Almanor Basin Page 15 mid-summer the majority of insect reproduction events Plumas Audubon Society Page 16 have wrapped up, and smelt are now rotated back to the top Thermal Curtain Update Page 18 of the fish food menu. Responsible Boating Page 18 The Merits of Catch and Release Page 19 2012 smelt fry hatches had another huge successful season. Almanor Fishing Derby Draws a Crowd Page 20 The largest amount of bait fish I have ever seen over the Lake Almanor 2013 Team Trout and Page 21 course of a single season! Fish we checked were packed Salmon Derby with them. Birds are picking off the floaters, as we troll by, Almanor Fishing Association’s 21st Page 23 collateral damage from feeding attacks below. Annual Family BBQ Continued on Page 2 Fishing Lake Almanor By Doug Neal Lakeside and another cool mountain morning, man the vibe is good! Just twenty feet away a fish rises slowly, revealing large shoulders, “Oh he’s big” I hear myself saying in a low voice, to nobody. Then another rise. Visions of eye candy, forever burning the image into the very fabric of our memo- ries. The peace and quiet is like a tranquilized moment of time stopped. Welcome to Lake Almanor, my name is Doug Neal, local resident and fishing guide. Fishing pressure around the lake is always light during the late winter months. As surface temps begin to slowly climb, the “Big Bite” ramp up is just moving into the start- ing blocks. While the Almanor winter bite is good, it really takes off in spring, and through summer, peaking in fall. It starts this spring. The fish get active and the bite holds strong during the early morning. It becomes more evident as larger, quality fish now begin to show more often. The Almanor Fisherman • the Official Newsletter Of the almaNOr fishiNg assOciatiON • 2013 • Page 1 Fishing Lake Almanor - Continued from Page 1 Jigging techniques differ, from vertical jigging right un- der the boat, or casting them way out and allowing it to The Trolling Bite: sink to the bottom, then working them back quickly with By mid summer, downriggers and lead core rigs are neces- a double pumping action...that’s when you will sometimes sary to get baits down deeper. Surface temps will still be see browns chasing your stuff... big dark shadows following warm enough to keep fish down, lead core can be effective that jig. That double pump action is intended to look like till the sun gets high, after that the bite is at 35 to 45 ft. deep, the evasive maneuvers of a panicked baitfish that has been or about 12 ft. off the bottom. Deeper the fish, the darker the separated away from the safety of the others, darting around water. Attractors are often employed. Dodgers or flashers scared, it’s an easy and exciting stimulating target for a big help bring fish over for a lookie loo and then, Ka-Pow! lazy browns to pick up. Last year we ran the Seps “Strike Master Dodger” in Char- Some of the best jigging areas are also some of the best bait treuse, with a threaded 1/2 crawler, 14” back, on a #6 hook, fishing areas, making spots like these double productive. Big with eyebrow raising success. Springs, The A-Frame, Spar Buoy, the Snag and the mouth of The Hamilton Branch are all productive bait fishing spots Fast action trolling lures like Needlefish, Speedy Shiners, that can be jigged, and can be found on fishing maps sold in Pin minnows, Strike Pros, Rapalas, all make terrific smelt the local shops.We often get a couple baits set ups going just patterns, and most of us have these proven lures in our off the bottom, and start jigging just before the sun hits the arsenal anyway. water. Browns rolling in the top water is a no-brainer; they are chasing small groups of bait fish right to the surface. A good jigging bite can go on all morning and into the after- noon. Chartreuse, white and yellow jigs are excellent colors that hold their true color value in deeper, darker water. The Bait Bite: The more casual but effective approach is bait fishing on anchor. Just a hook, line and sinker. That’s right, basic fun- damental 101 fishing. Often this application is the most consistent method to catching large fall trout and salmon. I troll and bait fish equal amounts of time all year, and the biggest fish have come off a variety of different baits suspended off the bottom. Rainbows and browns will take crickets and mealworm this time of year, and baits should be about 6 to 10 ft. up off the bottom. Bait scents added to your offering will help fish find the hook. It’s always going to be darker down that deep, and fish may not even see it as they come through. With a scent on it, that works like an invisible balloon of aroma with your bait sitting center. As fish pass thru, they taste it The Jig Bite: through their gills and slow down for what I call a “ Look They appear to be fearless. As 2 to 5 lb. browns chase jigs and a Hook.” Pro-Cure bait scents work best and I have right to the boat, before flaring back to the darkness. When tried them all. Trophy Trout Super Gel scent and Garlic plus that happens, its just a matter of time before you’re setting work best on meal worm/cricket combos and crawlers. the hook. Targeting salmon? Anchovy tail fillets and a #8 baitholder. I have had a 6 lb. brown take it right at the boat, actual- You need to add the Super Herring Gel, or the Bloody Tuna ly crashing into the boat with only about a couple feet of Scent to the meat side of the fillet. Use a small brush as a line left out. Browns like crushing jigs, they are the bad- applicator to make sure your scent adheres to the baits that dest predators in this lake, and smaller fish move out when you’re sending down. Fact is, a # 8 Gamakatsu baitholder is these big guys move in. Most times when they hit jigs the’re the only hook I use all season when bait fishing on anchor. just feeding, but later in September, during the spawn, the Crickets, anchovy, mealworms and crawlers all fit on this hits will be more territorial aggression hits. This is the time size hook. If the crickets are small, we will go to a #10, but when brown pre-spawn activity begins and deeper areas not too often. below are patrolled by the largest males staking claims to nesting hens. The Almanor Fisherman • the Official Newsletter Of the almaNOr fishiNg assOciatiON • 2013 • Page 2 If you’re looking to improve your fishing, increase your catch rate or just want to learn the lake, call me and book a trip. It’s a good way to start your vacation. Guided trips are like floating seminars. I show you the spots and meth- ods used to catch more fish. Come up and fish! Check out the “Almanor Fishing Report and Lake Status” at www.almanorfishingadven- tures.com. Doug Neal, Almanor Fishing Adventures (530) 258-6732 ALMANOR FISHING ASSOCIATION The Almanor Fishing Association is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Lake Almanor Basin Sport Fishing. We encourage the practice of true sportsmanship, the enjoyment of the sport of fishing and the responsible use and management of our natural resources. Take the number of fish you need for yourself but please don’t take in excess of your need or legal limit. It it concerns fishing -- we’re concerned! New Members Welcome Please help support the Almanor Fishing Association. Thank you! ALMANOR FISHING ASSOCIATION MAIL-IN MEMBERSHIP COUPON P.O. BOX 1938• Chester, CA 96020 NAME PHONE# STREET/PO CITY/ZIP E-MAIL ADDRESS TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP: SPONSOR $100 FAMILY $50 BUSINESS $30 INDIVIDUAL $25 You may count on me for help as needed: Work Projects Board Committees Funds for Special Projects The Almanor Fisherman • the Official Newsletter Of the almaNOr fishiNg assOciatiON • 2013 • Page 3 Successfully Trolling Lake Almanor By Bob Kopernik Although this is only my second year of providing Fishing Electronics Guide services on Lake Almanor, I have been fishing the The first “fish finder” I owned was a Heath Kit flasher unit lake since the late 70’s.