Caples July 13, 2010

Took some friends up to our beautiful Sierra lake called Caples. They really didn't know how to fish very well, but it turned out to be an okay catching day. Started off with the usual and easy powerbait routine. Rainbow and orange power bait was the magical color on this day.

Trolling wise, it was slow, but Mark did nail a nice rainbow on a cop car needlefish. What turned out to be the ticket was drifting. Drifting with powerbait underneath a casting bobber and split shot power worm did the trick for most of the action.

Not the biggest trout around, but great company and scenery. Hard to beat it. Thank goodness the trout were kind enough to entertain us.

Water temp was 58-60 degrees and high. The snow melt has done wonders for this lake this year. Weather was breezy with lots of sun. Just ask my nose.

Shad Season

Oops! Been so busy with work and shad season on the American. That brings me the weirdest and greatest shad season of all times. Started off in April on the main Sacramento River tossing a red/white shad dart with a 1/2 oz egg sinker and leader. Most of the action came off the banks at Miller Park and Discovery. But the crowds were just as thick as the fish.

Beginning of May we ventured to the American and started our own slaughter fest of shad in solitude. On the American the gear is simple. A light weight trout rod, 2-4 lb test, and a 1/16 oz jighead tipped off with a 1" pink champagne grub. It was an awesome season. The shad were much BIGGER this year with the average being 3 pounders. Lots of 4 pounders were caught up to 6 pounds. The weather was going nuts in northern California this year. We fished from nice sunny 80 degrees days to windy rainy blistery winds the following day. The weather pattern was pretty much like that all through May and early part of June.

One thing I found out this year, when it was cloudy and miserable, the shad bite could and would happen at all hour of the day. Made for some great catching days. You didn't have to be there at first light or last light. Now that we're hitting the end of shad here in July. It's all a late night affair right before sunset. A tiny trickle of fish are still milling around for the spawn, but it's definitely not great catching right now.

Ok, had to put the picture of the incidental catch from my son on his shad gear. The striper hit his shad as he was reeling the shad in. He was using 2lb maxx mono line. Ultralight Shakespeare rod. Ultra light Okuma Aveneger reel. Striper weighed in at 9.65. What a feat. You just never know might happen in this crazy world of fishing.

Trout In General

Ok, we have been hitting the pond at Camanche on a regular basis. Also tried Amador a couple of times. Let me tell ya. For 25 bucks they cahrge for two to fish at Amador. I vote for the pond. Even the pond has gone to shame. From slamming fish every minute or so, you better know the pond or you're going home skunked. They have not stocked the pond in almost 3 weeks now.

As Amador goes, they stock every Tuesday and you will see all kinds of cruising trout in front of ya. But the worst case of lockjaw ever. What works, old rainbow powerbait from a bobber and bottom. Powerworms and egg combos off the bottom. Still suggest using at least a 3' leader. Mine is like 4-6', makes a difference in your bite ratio. Keep that line light and go no heavier than 6 pound test. I always use 4, but some prefer 6 for them hawgs out there. Lures, Kastmasters by far is still your best bet going. Have fun out there in this chilly weather. Brrrrr. Be safe.

The Pond

Been slamming the pond every chance we get, but with the extra crowds, the fish are not so willing to bite anymore. If you can, don't go on a Saturday. What a zoo it can be and not worth the aggravation. For the few lucky ones, you'll get a limit. Fish are getting smaller and it's tough fishing right now at best. Hopefully the next plant will come next week and it'll be on like donkey kong again.

Tomorrow fishing action might involve Lower Bear to see how that's going before it shuts down for the winter. Will try to get pics and hopefully some trout. Be safe and warm out there. Winter is showing her freezing ways. Brrrrrrrr.

Trout Pond

How can you not go to this place when it kicks out quality trout and hardy limits of the knowing who regularly fishes here. They are stocking the pond as usual early in the season with 1 pounders on average all the way above 10 pounds. A chance for a quality 5 plus pounder at the pond is a good bet. Not as usual though, this year plant are producing nice colored bows and fesity fighters.

Showing our good friend Mark about, how, and where to fish the pond produced an easy 10 caught fish for him. Not bad for a beginner at the establishment. I was once again lucky enough to hook into another 5 plus pounder. Released several in the 2-3 pound class. Today was one of them days where almost everything worked. But bait was the better of the deal. Kastmasters and a Rapala did produce fish, but the bait dunking was the way to go for quantity. Power worms and eggs, and of course the old trusted rainbow power bait did major damage today. Enjoy your fall fishing while it lasts. Cooler weather and pleasant. Not long it will be that bone chilling wind and rain. Be safe out there.

Camanche

What a great day to get off of work early yesterday. Without a free fishing opportunity going to waste. Waited for my son to get out of his college class. Finally we headed out the door and was fishing Camanche at 14:45. First 5 minutes had a tug on my power worm, eggs combo. Didn't get 'em. Tied on my Kastmaster to the second rod and third cast. Bam! Knew it was bigger than usual right away. What a way to start, 5 plus pound bow. It was almost non-stop action from there if you kept working at them. We kept 5 and released several other guys between 14 inches to 4 pounds.

Stuff that worked, power worm/ eggs, Kastmasters, wooly buggers, and the good 'ol rainbow powerbait. Trout were jumping and surfacing all over the place. Weather was awesome and catching was fantastic. Can you ask for much more in life.

Caples 11/01/2009

Went out to Caples off HWY 88 to see what all the hoopla was over. Well, met our good friend Mark there at 0815 and it was fish on city to down right boredom when we didn't get bit in 5 minutes. Yes, it was one of those days of just catching and releasing. Caught browns, bows, and brookies. It was such an awesome day for only being able to fish 4 hours due to real life commitements. Between the three of us, we managed over seventy fish easily and it looked like one of them days where they would never stop biting. Nothing of major size, most ran from 12 inches to the largest brown around 16 inches. Bruisers were cruising by, but only two showed interest and both escaped to grow even bigger. Talking about 5 plus pounders.

What worked, rainbow power bait and power worm and power egg combos. Flies were slow for my son Mark, but he tore them up using a power worm on the fly rod. Best lure was the usual 1/4 oz Kastmaster, and no it wasn't the gold one. Let's just say it was froggy like. Best overall aresenal was no doubt the rainbow power bait. Get up there while you can. The winter storms should be closing it down in 45 days (guessing). Good luck out there and be safe.