High Country Trout and Bay Halibut Lead Angling Options

KIRKWOOD – August is known for being one of the tougher summer months to fish in Northern California. Many anglers head for the high-elevation lakes and streams of the Sierra Nevada to target trout or the ocean and San Francisco Bay to go for halibut, striped bass, rockfish and lingcod.

Lake Alpine Trout – Lake Alpine is producing some of the top trout fishing in the Ebbetts Pass region, according to Bill Reynolds at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods.

“People are catching a lot of 2- to 4-pound rainbow trout,” said Reynolds. “The lake was stocked with a private plant of 1800 pounds for a recent kids' derby sponsored by Alpine County. The CDFW is also scheduled to plant the lake with rainbow trout the week of July 31.”

Bait tossers fishing Alpine should try using Berkley Garlic scented Power Bait, Power Eggs, Berkley Mice Tails and floating nightcrawlers using a sliding sinker rig or cast-a-bubble at Alpine. Fly casters are advised to use Woolly Buggers, Sparrow Nymphs, Parachute Adams, Royal Wulffs, PMDs, Blue Wing Olives, Mosquitoes, Ants and Bead Head Nymphs.

Lure casters should toss out Kastmasters, Panther Martins, Rooster Tails and Thomas Buoyant lures. Trollers are advised to use Wedding Rings, Needlefish, Speedy Shiners, Phoebe Spoons and Triple Teazers behind your favorite troll rig tipped with a nightcrawler.

There is now a launch fee and parking fee, so be prepared if you plan to launch a boat.

Spicer Reservoir fishing has slowed down as the trout move into deep water, with the rainbows and browns going down below 60 feet deep, said Reynolds. The bank fishing is very tough, but boaters using downriggers are catching both rainbows and browns.

“Anglers fishing around the wilderness area buoys in the back of the lake are catching fish while using Speedy Shiners, Wedding Rings, Phoebe Spoons and other lures at 60 feet and deeper,” said Reynolds. “Some browns in the 20-inch-plus range and rainbows in the 16- to 18-inch class are showing, but the fish average in the 14- to 16-inch range.”

The North Fork of the Stanislaus River flows have decreased and fishing is “very good,” said Reynolds. The CDFW has planted a lot of trout in this river this summer.

Most of the fish are rainbows, but some browns are now being caught, particularly the further you hike up from the public access points. The top access areas are the Sourgrass Campground, Big Trees State Park and the Stanislaus Camp. Reynolds advised.

Lure casters fishing the North Fork should try Panther Martins, Mepps spinners, Kastmasters, and Thomas Buoyant lures. Fly fishermen are advised to use Woolly Buggers, Bead Head Nymphs, Adams, Stimulators, Stone Fly Nymphs, Blue Wing Olives, Light Cahills, Caddis and Ants. Bait tossers should use salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Berkley garlic scented Mice Tails and Berkley garlic eggs on a split shot rig.

White Pines Lake, which also received plenty of trout plants this summer, continues to yield rainbow trout for anglers fishing the creek channel and around the spillway. The lake is scheduled to be planted by the CDFW the week of July 31. While bait and lure tossers are catching fish, it is the fly fishermen that are experiencing the hottest fishing.

“The fly fishermen tossing out an array of dry flies are experiencing great action in the evenings,” said Reynolds.

Caples/Silver Lakes Trout – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife finally planted trout in Caples Lake on Thursday, July 27 and fishing is on the upswing, according to Joe Voss at the Caples Lake Resort.

“The CDFW stocked 800 pounds of rainbow trout in Caples and another 800 pounds in the West Fork of the Carson River,” said Voss. “Both people in boats and from share are catching rainbows at Caples.”

Anglers fishing from boats have also caught a few browns in the 2 to 3 lb. range. Boaters have been also catching some Mackinaw trout while casting Panther Martins.

Bank anglers are seeing the best action tossing out Power Bait and nightcrawlers in the Woods Creek inlet and Immigrant Bay. The biggest mackinaw reported this year to date was 9 pounds.

Voss said Silver Lake is also producing some rainbow trout for anglers fishing nightcrawlers, Power Bait and lures from shore. Some big mackinaw trout were caught earlier in the season by anglers trolling with big Rapalas and swimbaits.

“The West Fork of the Carson River is in perfect condition now,” said Voss. “Anglers are catching rainbows and some browns while using spinners, flies and bait.”

Voss and a friend recently made a short fly fishing trip to Caples Creek and caught and released several small wild brook trout. “The fish hit Parachute Adams and Prince Nymph patterns,” he stated.

He also noted that the road to Lower Blue Lake is open now, although the road to Upper Blue Lakes isn’t.

San Francisco Bay Halibut/Marin Coast Rockfish and Halibut – The top-notch halibut action continues in San Francisco Bay.

Mike Rescino, Captain of the Lovely Martha, reported “fantastic fishing” while drifting live anchovies on the central bay on Friday, July 28. The boat ended up with 11 limits (22) of halibut before 10 a.m. A half-day trip on the bay on Saturday, July 30 produced 27 halibut for 22 anglers, according to Rescino.

Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sportfishing reported “one of the best weeks of fishing I've seen in a while. Everything is biting.”

The California Dawn 2 returned to the dock with 20 limits of lingcod (40) to 20 pounds, 20 limits of halibut (40) to 28 pounds, ¾ limits of assorted rockfish (150) and 3 cabezon on Saturday, July 29. The California Dawn 1 checked in with 23 limits of lingcod, 17 halibut and 3/4 limits of rockfish the same day.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: High Country Trout and Bay Halibut Lead Angling Options