Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3904 Feb 1-14 | Page 16

14
Jan 31 - Feb 14, 2020
MAP FEATURE
VOL.38 • ISS. 25
Anglers were using the low water ramp at Granite Bay at press time, but that change as the water level rises from winter storms and the main
ramp becomes available.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
Folsom Lake, Sacramento’s Backyard Chinook and Trout Fishery
W
hen the salmon season is
closed on the ocean and Central
Valley rivers, anglers still have the
chance to hook both planted fall Chinook
salmon and wild naturally-spawned
fish on Folsom Reservoir, Sacramento’s
backyard salmon and trout lake.
Within ten minutes of putting the rod
in the water on Folsom Lake on January
25, the rod tip began to dance and the
fish pulled the line off the downrigger.
I grabbed the rod and fought the fish
to the edge of the boat, where Jerry
Lampkin of TNG Motor Sports Guide
Service netted it.
The fish was a fat 12 inch Chinook,
silvery and shiny. Lampkin released the
fish back into Folsom’s clear and cold
water. Not long after that, we landed
another small but scrappy Chinook and
released it also.
While the morning began with
great expectations, that was the
last fish landed that morning,
although we did lose one other
fish. We got off the water before
noon while enjoying a beautiful,
sunny morning on Folsom.
We trolled that morning with
a variety of offerings, including
Bleeding Shad Rapalas on top lines
and blue/chrome Speedy
Shiners, GVF Speedo
and Wee Dragon lures
and homemade hoochie/
spinner combos at 10
to 40 feet deep behind
Cannon downriggers. We also trolled
nightcrawlers behind Sling Blade
dodgers. We caught the two fish in the
North Fork, but also trolled in the South
Fork.
Three days before our trip, Lampkin
and Jim Palmus from Lincoln landed
three rainbows to 17 inches and two
kings in the 12 inch range while trolling
chrome/blue Speedy Shiners in the
North Fork at 20 feet deep.
Folsom Lake, located on the American
River above Folsom Dam, is the second
reservoir in the state after Don Pedro
where the successful spawning of
Chinook salmon in the river above the
dam has been documented by anglers
and CDFW biologists.
The Chinooks were first stocked in
1999 and have been a very popular
species with anglers because
they grow to over 8 pounds
in the forage-rich waters
of Folsom. The CDFW
stocks triploid (sterile)
Chinook salmon
in the lake
when they are
available
to feed upon
the abundant
Japanese pond
smelt and
threadfin shad.
The CDFW
planted 30,000
Chinooks
in 2015 and
another 42,588
Chinooks in
2016, but none
were available
in either 2017 or
2018. However,
CDFW was able
to plant 100,000
chinook finger-
lings in Folsom
Don Vaught from Manteca and Igor Bobritskiy from Livermore show off a
in 2019.
mixed catch of rainbows and kings caught during a February 2019
“I’m not sure great
trip to Folsom with Jerry Lampkin of TNG Motor Sports Guide Service.
if there are
Photo courtesy of TNG MOTOR SPORTS GUIDE SERVICE.
Chinook still
spawning, but
overall best time to pursue Chinooks
I would assume there are,” said Jay
and rainbows on Folsom Lake, there
Rowan, CDFW Senior Environmental
is decent fishing available for the two
Scientist Supervisor. “That survey
species year round.
that we did on the South Fork several
“Folsom is a finicky lake,” emphasized
year ago was brutal physically and
Lampkin.
“One day you’re a hero, the
dangerous. It’s not one I’d send anyone
next
day
you’re
a zero. Some days are
in to repeat.”
great,
while
some
days you can’t find a
“There has been at least some level
fish.
of natural survival which I assume
Lampkin had his best day on Folsom
will try to spawn, but the fish
a
couple of years ago when his four
we have stocked from 2014-to
clients
landed 20 quality fish, including
present will all be triploids,”
Chinooks
up to 6 pounds as well as big
said Rowan.
holdover
rainbows,
before noon.
While spring is the
Now Booking American River Steelhead and Folsom Lake Trout
Drift Boat
Trips
Jerry Lampkin
holds up a
scrappy king
salmon before
releasing it back
into the cold waters of
Folsom Lake.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish
Sniffer Staff.
Custom 23’
Rogue Jet
Cpt. Jerry Lampkin – 25 years of experience fishing
Salmon, Steelhead, Stripers, Trout & landlocked Kings on
the Feather, Sacramento, American Rivers and Folsom Lake
3802
T.N.G Motorsports Guide Service
[phone] • www.tngmotorsports.com