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Steelhead, smallmouth fishing picks up
Anglers have begun looking to harvest summer steelheads on the north Umpqua River, and Smallmouth bass fishing has been steady on the main Umpqua.
Crawfish, crankbaits and worms have been the best bets for anglers on the Umpqua. Sturgeon fishing near the Umpqua Estuary has slowed.
Following is the weekly fishing report, compiled by fisheries and biologists associated with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and posted every Wednesday on its Web site:
SOUTHWEST ZONE
AGATE RESERVOIR: Fishing for largemouth bass and panfish should be good. At Agate, flies, crappie jigs and bait all work for crappie.
ALL SPORTS POND: Fishing for and bass and panfish should be good.
APPLEGATE RESERVOIR: Applegate Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout.
The quiet jolt at a perfect site for fly-fishing
It's that moment when a trout grabs your dry fly. It starts when you see the trout rise before you feel the grab. A millisecond later, the trout jolts you, and it's almost an electric sensation, as if you are wired directly to the fish. For a lot of people who fly-fish, it's the single most exciting moment in all sport. This is better than watching any sport because here you are the participant, not the observer. And the way you take this to the highest level is by casting a dry fly to wild fish in a pristine wilderness stream. That is what has always led me back to the Middle Fork San Joaquin River, high in the Sierra in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, the best place in the West to try and catch the grand slam of wild trout in a single day: rainbow trout, brook trout, golden trout, brown trout and a strange-looking hybridized mix I called the "golden-brook." Even though the trout are not large here, you have a chance to get 20 to 50 grabs in a day.
Area lake/fishing report
New Melones Lake is currently holding 2.16 million acre-feet of water, at 89 percent capacity, at 1,067 feet above sea level and 21 feet from capacity. Surface water temperature is approximately 78-84 degrees. Water is stained, with mud lines forming on main lake points, with high-water ramps.
Trout is excellent for both trollers and for those fishing at night under lights. New Melones is kicking out plenty of big, fat, healthy trout. Most trout have been picked up at around 40 to 80 feet deep, in the main lake near the spillway/dam/Rose Island area, or in the mouths of major creek arms, such as Angels or Carson Creek. John Darroch trolled a shad-patterned Excel spoon 40 feet deep to catch a pretty 2.4-pound brown trout near Glory Hole Point. Michi Marshall landed a 4.6-pound rainbow while trolling a silver Apex.
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