Collins Lake

Let’s start off with an 8 pound bass that Anthony De Luz from Chico reeled in this morning!  He had been doing catch & release with a jig from one of our rental boats but when he hooked this monster he scrambled up to the store for a picture and weigh-in.  I didn’t even catch his last name before he was running back to the water to attempt a release.  He came back up 20 minutes later to fill in the details.  His largemouth black bass could swallow your foot.  Great catch Anthony!

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Fred Libby’s Catch & Release

Bass fishing is hot and I expect it to continue at least until last week in May, or until rising water temperatures signal spring spawning.  But don’t take my word for it, aside from Anthony, Erich Simpson reeled in a 2 3/4 pound bass, Arron Hopson brought in two casting Rattletraps.  Dale Mansfield from Forbestown caught a 3 1/2 pound bass on a shad plug, David Whalen a 4 1/4 spot on a plastic worm near the inlet, and our own park ranger Probhat Palma a 4 1/2 pound bass, as usual “in the lake”.

We don’t get pictures of all the bass with many anglers catching-and-releasing.  But you can always snap a picture on your phone and email it!  fishing@collinslake.com

Cayden’s Catch

Cayden Mulliken from Walnut Creek sent in this great photo of his 3 pound spot which he caught on a plastic worm, shot on a iPhone 6s Plus and let-off in the shallows.

Fred Libby sent us evidence of his 5 pound black bass, caught on a Senko and released after a quick pic.  Most of the time I like your pictures better than mine, so send them in! …And I always appreciate a timely tip or a special story.

Folks on the water are also telling me that live minnow are a sure bet for big bass, we don’t sell them anymore but if you’re coming in through Yuba City stop by Johnson’s Bait and Tackle, they’ve got live minnows and normally crawdads as well (although last week they were out). 

This morning around 9am I drove along the shoreline, starting at the dam headed back toward the marina and on to Elmer’s cove.  I knew that shore fishing for trout had slowed a bit but I’d still heard about quite few good shore catches this week like the 3 pound trout Amber, Gregory & Sophia caught on green powerboat from the shore.  What surprised me on my drive wasn’t the absence of fish, but the absence of folks fishing.  The shore line was packed with trucks and tents, but no tenants.  It wasn’t until I saw all the trailers at the ramp that I figured out what had happened.  The fishermen have moved to deeper waters.  Trolling.

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It is well advised.  In fact nearly all the trout that came in off the shore this week shared something in common: location.  Chris Cardwell from Fairfield was sinking worms on the bank in Elmer’s Cove and pulled up a 7 1/2 pound rainbow trout.  Lance Quan pulled up a 4 1/2 pound catfish that had been patrolling the same area. 

Spillway flats, drone shot by Roy. You can’t see how shallow and vast from the ground;  Breaks my heart to see people in the sun all day casting this hot still water!

The next day the “Cardwell Clan” showed of six more trout from a “mystery spot” along the shore.  It’s not one place in particular, but I’ve had different people at different times tell me about the same locations. 

It’s all about what the ground looks like under the water.  I hate to tell folks fishing from the shore to their face that they’re in the wrong spot but, my tolerant and beloved reader, I’ll say it here- pay attention to slope you’re casting into!  If you’re casting onto the spillway flats with the surface temperature as high as it is, you may be casting into a barren wasteland– better to move around the point where David Bunting caught his 4 3/4 pound trout on green PowerBait or get access to the main channel from the dam itself, which is how young Winston Huber, who has a wall full of Collins Lake fish pictures at home, caught his 2 1/2 pound trout.  Also, while there’s pan fish and small bass around the trees on the beach, the terrain rolls off faster farther North, you’re more likely hit trout in that deeper water.  

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It’s not always for lack of knowledge, often times the best shore spots are occupied, and I can’t complain about people being courteous.  Case in point, Bynne & Sadie with a 5 1/4 pound trout caught on PowerBait casting down the steep shoreline right out of their campsite #212.  Here’s my advice, if you want access the the best shore fishing make time to come up mid-week.  I know for many people it’s hard get time off and only God can guarantee fish but from the right spot you can still limit out from the shore.   You have a better chance of getting the best position when you’re not competing with the weekend crowd.

Better still, if you don’t have access to a boat, Collins Lake will rent one to you (You know I work for them, right?).  Mike Chyzy showed us that orange PowerBait still works, catching 3 trout across the lake, from a boat.  You’ve heard is said that the two best days of being a boat owner are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.  If you’re my dad you’ve had a lot of great days– but let me tell you, your worst day as a fisherman is the day the big fish are biting and you can’t get to them.   Again, no guarantees on your catch, but the numbers don’t lie and this is your best bet:  a weekday in a boat.

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Trolling has been great, with plenty of trout 15’ to 25’ down here’s some highlights:  Rich Murphy & Allan Brody caught 5 1/2 and a 3 3/4 pound trout trolling a Hoochie and a Rapala near the main channel in front of the boat ramp.  Katelyn, Kim (and Jim) showed of a the largest of their four trout, a 5 1/4 pound rainbow caught on a trolling fly.  Jim Hayhurst caught a 6 1/4 pounder trolling a Rapala near the dam on Saturday and then repeated with 5 3/4 pounder the following day, doing the same thing and again on Monday with another 5+ pound fish.  Louis Zenti from Elk Grove caught a couple 3 pounders trolling worms on the East side.  Carl & Bill caught their limit trolling flashers and worms, as did Lee Larson from Lincoln on the same day.  Have you ever heard of Speedy Shiners?  It’s a wobbling lightweight trolling lure by Thomas Lures, Bob Henricus from Ione swears by them and he caught his limit to back him up.

My advice for this week is pretty simple, go fishing! -Ed

Got a great photo or story from Collins Lake?  

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Email me:  fishing@collinslake.com