NorCal Reports

Plenty of smaller fish are being caught at Sonoma, primarily with drop-shots, swimbaits, or any other small soft plastic; not a lot of shallow fish, as most are holding in 10+ foot water. The wind has been churning up the lake in the afternoons, so mornings have been ideal for fishing the main body. Carp continue to group in the creek arms. Bring some corn if you want some alternative action.

Stampede continues to churn out excellent kokanee fishing for fish up to 14 inches. Ideal trolling depths have been getting deeper as the weather warms; right now, between 45-60 feet is the sweet spot. Limits are assumed, although there are a lot of small fish. Folks are hoping these fish can add a couple of inches over the next few months.

A few fish are still spawning at Clear Lake, but most are in post-spawn mode and easing into their summer patterns. Not to worry... post-spawn action has been very good. Fish are holding in both shallow and deeper water, and a variety of techniques are getting consistent bites. Chatterbaits in the grass, medium diving crankbaits, jigs, dropshots... and the list goes on. The morning frog bite has also been excellent.

Water clarity is so-so, ranging from 3-6 feet, with surface water temps hitting 80 degrees in late afternoon. July 4th weekend will be busy and hot, so aim to be out on the water in the early morning or late evening.

The kokanee bite is just starting to show, but it's been all about the big macks over the last few weeks. Guides are reporting daily client trips yielding 10+ pound Mackinaw, typically targeting them in 60 feet of water on the north shore. The south shore has been hit-or-miss, with the macks far more scattered and deeper.

Striped bass are still lingering in the Delta, but primarily just schoolies. The bite has been best early mornings and late evenings due to the heat. Topwater, jerkbaits, swimbaits, and glide baits are producing the most strikes.

Largemouth fishing is inconsistent, featuring abundant small fish and some larger ones on late beds. Recent tournaments saw 20 lb bags win out. Junk fishing with topwaters, chatterbaits, or bigger 6-7 inch Senkos was the top strategy. Once again, water temperatures are high, so early/late day fishing is obviously recommended.

With summer recreational boaters dominating much of the lake by late morning, your best bet for Folsom is either early morning or late evening. Trollers are still catching king salmon and rainbow trout, with earlier in the day being better.

Bass action has tapered slightly as the spring spawn has ended. Slowing down with soft plastics (Senkos, Ned rigs) has been best for numbers. However, the early morning reaction bite is producing bigger fish. Crank baits or topwater lures have been very effective before sunrise.

Water levels are at 91% of capacity.