Best Fishing in the State
Lake Oroville
Off Olive Hwy. (Hwy. 162) east of Oroville
Fishing Clinic information, 538-2219
Yes, it's true. In a recent issue of Bassmaster
magazine, Lake Oroville was ranked the best bass fishing spot
in the state of California according to the fishery experts.
But Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass aren't the only type of fish
you'll find in the lake. Chinook, Catfish, Mackinaw, Sturgeon,
and Brown Trout can all be found there in great quantities and
great qualities. Nineteen pound Mackinaw have been reeled in
as well as 3 pound, 4 ounce White Crappie, and now the Sturgeon
that were "planted" in 1984 are expected to be the
legal size of 46 inches or more.
Bob Schleismayer, former Fishing Clinic instructor
and Pro Fishermen at Lake Oroville, offers the following tips
for fishing at Lake Oroville. "For artificial hard baits:
1. Recognize the survival instincts that control
the bass's action (avoidance of stress, proximity of food source,
and safety).
2. Check temperature and watch water level recent up/down, watch
barometer up/down or stable. Stable for 24 hours or rising are
the best conditions.
3. Be versatile. Frequent small adjustments such as tuning, color,
position, and speed will make the day.
4. Sharpen all hooks and check your gear. Don't use swivels.
Retie after two or three rock hits and check sharpness of hooks
often.
5. Recognize time of year, condition and position of the natural
baits. For example, Shad spawn in March and April in shallows
and die off in November; Pond Smelt spawn in December and January
and die off very heavy every 7 years; Crawfish, small green and
red/orange from February to October, 1.5-3 inches in size; Newts
are brown and orange, major spawn every 7 years.
6. Don't ever just cast bait. Pick a target such as a rock, tree,
bank, etc. Speed and action is critical. The colder it is, the
slower the retrieve. Increase speed with temperature up to 76
degrees. Then revert to winter cold retrieve. Slow and then slow
to half that fast. I always try to hit the bait on a tree, stump,
rock wall or anything else in shallow water and make the bait
touch bottom."
The best producing bait recently have been Fatraps, Shadrap,
and 4-1/2 inch worms (blue neon, brown, and orange).
You want fish, we've got fish, the BEST rated fishing in the
whole state! |
