California reservoirs are filling up after storms. Here's your fishing outlook.

Dan Bacher
·4 min read
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Trent Zizileuskas landed this 8-pound rainbow trout while fishing with rainbow PowerBait from the shoreline near the dam at Collins Lake on Jan. 16. Photo  courtesy of the Collins Lake Resort.
Trent Zizileuskas landed this 8-pound rainbow trout while fishing with rainbow PowerBait from the shoreline near the dam at Collins Lake on Jan. 16. Photo courtesy of the Collins Lake Resort.

Central Valley reservoirs have risen dramatically in recent weeks, due to the atmospheric rivers that have hammered California since late December. The water levels will rise even further with the arrival of the spring snow melt.

Smaller reservoirs like Collins and Amador are now flowing over their spillways, while the larger Central Valley Project reservoirs like Shasta, Oroville, and New Melones are filling from recent rains. When the snowpack melts in the spring, the lake levels will rise even further.

The influx of water into the reservoirs will improve boat launching conditions and fishing for black bass, crappie, bluegill, rainbow trout, brown trout, landlocked king salmon and kokanee this year. The rising water into shoreline brush and trees will also create habitat where juvenile fish can feed and hide from predators.

Reports late last week showed:

  • Shasta Lake on the Sacramento River has risen to hold 2,418,562 acre feet of water, 53% of capacity and 85% of average.

  • Lake Oroville on the Feather is holding 2,093,391 acre feet of water, 59% of capacity and 106% of average.

  • Buillards Bar on the Yuba River is holding 776,871 acre feet of water, 80% of capacity and 125% of average.

  • Folsom Lake on the American River is holding 540,536 acre feet of water, 55% of capacity and 126% of average.

  • Berryessa is holding 1,041,617 acre feet of water, 65% of capacity and 85% of average.

  • Pardee on the Mokelumne River is holding 201,892 acre feet of water, 99% of capacity and 124% of average.

  • New Melones on the Stanislaus River is still low, holding 921,766 acre feet of water, 38% of capacity and 67% of average.

  • Don Pedro on the Tuolumne River is holding 1,532,939 acre feet of water, 76% of capacity and 108% of average.

  • McClure on the Merced River is holding 582,5;82 acre feet of water, 57% of capacity and 124% of average.

Fishing pressure has been light on these lakes during the storms, but will increase during this extended period of dry weather. Over recent days, a few anglers caught trout in the Collins, Amador and Camanche lakes as trout plants continue in all three reservoirs.

Collins Lake Rainbows – The lake level is now 8 inches above full, and is now going over the spillway. Most anglers aren’t experiencing good fishing at this time because of the muddy water conditions, but some fishermen are catching trout, according to Sheri McCutcheon of Collins Lake.

For example, Trent Zizileuskas landed an 8-pound rainbow trout while using rainbow PowerBait from the shoreline near the dam. He and James Zizileuskas caught three other trout, noted McCutcheon.

Cal Kellogg and Wes Ward of www.fishhuntshoot.com made a scouting trip together for 90 minutes that produced fish. “We hooked 3 trout and landed 3 rainbows up to 4 pounds while using garlic Power Bait from our pontoon boat,” Kellogg stated.

“If you want to catch trout, it’s absolutely critical that you fish in less than 4 feet of water,” said Kellogg. “The water is muddy and cold at 47 degrees. I think the water will clear up earlier than it did last year because the water running into the lake is now crystal clear. We plan to resume trolling for trout on March 15. It’s exciting to have a full lake to fish.”

The latest private addition of 1,000 pounds of rainbows took place on Jan. 12, while the next addition of 1,000 pounds of trout, including trophy-size fish, will go in this week.

Lake Amador Trout – This reservoir near Ione continues to go over the spillway. “It’s still spilling 8 inches over the spillway, but at one point it was flowing 3-1/2 feet over,” said Lee Lockhart at the Lake Amador Resort.

“We had debris the full length of the dam after the storms,” said Lockhart. “We have got about 95 percent of the debris off lake, but anglers should watch out for the occasional log.”

The resort stocked 800 pounds of trout, including cutbows and blue rainbows, most in the 3- to 5-pound range, and at least 300 pounds of Amador golds from 5 to 14 pounds on Jan. 19.

“Fishing pressure has been very light, but some people have caught fish in front of the spillway and in the boat ramp cove,” said Lockhart. “The water is muddy, so anglers are doing the best fishing brightly-colored PowerBait and lures, including Kastmasters and spinners.” Information: (209) 274-4739.

On Jan. 20, Taylor and Enoch Underwood from Galt caught a couple of quality cutbows while using rainbow garlic PowerBait in the boat launch cove.

Lake Camanche Rainbows: Camanche Reservoir on the Mokelumne River is holding 312,520 acre feet of water and is 75% of capacity and 124% of average.

Rainbow trout additions continue at Lake Camanche. The latest trout added was on January 13, when 1,000 pounds of rainbows went into the South Shore Trout Pond, 1,000 pounds to the South Shore Main Ramp and 1,000 pounds to the North Shore Main Ramp, for a total of 3,000 pounds.

Big fish honors go to Andre Mull, who caught a 10-pound monster rainbow at the trout pond. Information: https://www.golakecamanche.com/

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: California reservoirs fill up after storms, improve fishing prospects