Collins Lake

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Wow, was it a great week at Collins Lake for fishing!! Finally, the fish appear hungry &  aggressive, and Bass and Trout are hanging in less than 10 feet of water. The sunny days are a help, and the water clarity is fantastic for this time of year.  The beginning of February we received 3,000 lbs. of Trout from F & G which is equal to three plants.  We will probably see another triple plant around the 1st of March.  Collins Lake private planting program began last week and those fish were very hungry and active.  Another private plant is scheduled for next week and those plants will continue every other week through mid March. Mid March will be an explosion of plants and we will beef it up to weekly plants and sometimes two to three plants in a week. In April we will need to start the release of our “raised Trout” and will plan on emptying two to three cages a week until May.

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Brian Bower caught a 7 lb. 8 oz. Catfish using Sardines, right from his campsite!  Joe Duran of Yuba City caught two Bows around 3 lbs. each off the beach on power bait. Friends Michael Lawson & Justin Harrison of Loma Rica caught a Trout off the beach on roe.  Jason Smith & his son Jacob of Sac. just tossed lines from the shore in the Open Area and netted some great Rainbows.

Shore fishing & Trolling are both working equally well right now and boaters are using lures mostly or trolling with worms and a dodger.  Some of the lures they’ve been using are Needlefish, Kastmasters, or Rapalas. The pattern on the lures working best is Fire Tiger (green on top and yellow and red on it’s belly with black stripes on the side).

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Hannah Witten of Wheatland caught a “tagged trout” (holdover tag from last year) and it was her 1st Fish!! Hannah’s was a beautiful 2 lb. Rainbow and she used power bait. Dwayne Chavers of Brownsville took two Trout home for supper, both over 3 lbs. He was toplining and used power grubs for bait. James Dagit of Marysville caught a 3 lb. 8 oz. trolling with a minnow in five feet of water by the marina.

Mica Fish Jr. & sister Myah were the only 2 to catch fish this week in their camping party with their infamous Grandpa (Mica Fish) the one that lost his pole last November!!  They were trolling near the dam using silver/blue Kastmasters in very shallow water.

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Dave Callison & Kevin found a ton of Bass in less than 10 feet of water and limited out.  Dave & his grandson Hunter came back over the weekend and limited out again. Robert Finato of Plumas Lake caught a 2 lb. Bass while trolling with a Rapala lure near the dam.

Bill Duncan landed his “biggest fish ever” by the dam from shore! He caught a 3 lb. 5 oz. Rainbow Trout and used power bait to lure in his beauty. Al Alvis & his friend A.J. of Antelope worked hard for their 3 Rainbows, they trolled in four feet of water with a Fire Tiger Needlefish lure.

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Zackary Howell caught his 1st Fish at Collins Lake too! He even caught a 3 lb. 4 oz. Rainbow with his 2 other fish. Way to go Zack, you the man!!  Have you ever hear the story about Jonah & the Whale?  Well another version would be- Jonah Chadwick of Oroville caught his 1st Fish on his 1st Fishing pole and it was a whale to him……He is pictured as photo of the week with his 2 friends Tamara & Katherynn.

Ryan Pence of Marysville used salmon eggs to lure in a 2 lb. 8 oz. Bow off the beach. Tony Schwartz of Citrus Heights trolled near the main campground using a Rapala to catch his Trout.  Lisa Lagrimas of Oroville showed those men how it’s really done!! Go Lisa with your 4 Trout  toplining with a Kastmaster she killed the Trout!

Pete Visalli from Dobbins had a great day of fishing too!  His 2 biggest Trout weighed 2 lb. 4 oz. & 2 lb. 8 oz. and he trolled with a broken back silver colored Rebel lure. Ramona Marks & Debbie Djajaremadja of Palo Alto caught a trout each and both weighed just over 2 lbs. each

Vern Felker “sparkled” when he held up his 3 lb. Rainbow Trout which he caught on a Rapala.  Jack Hodges brought up the first Redear Sunfish this year and it weighed 1 lb. 8 oz.  which is huge for a sunfish.  He used worms and was fishing on the east side around the last island.