David Keeland has a nice pair of striper from New Hogan Reservoir.
I got to fish New Hogan Reservoir with my buddy David Keeland and we got some action. We got an early start and were on the water before 6 a.m. I had heard through friends that the top-water feeding (striper boils) had begun. I also got information that the striper were small and weren’t in the mood for any lures, but I needed to find out for myself.
In search of boils, the first thing I did was motor at high speed up the Calaveras River. The sun wasn’t on the lake yet, and this is the best time to get in on some fantastic top-water action. As we traveled, David and I kept an eye out for any splashes in the main lake or near the shoreline or in any of the coves. When we approached the cove next to the Acorn Campground, I noticed splashes about halfway into the cove. I turned into the cove and reduced our speed to 5 mph with high hopes the small splashes would turn into a full-blown boil.
Soon there were more splashes at the surface, but it was easy to see the feeding striper were small. I had brought eight rods, with two set for top-water work, two with plastics on a jig-head weight, two ultralight rods with small Kastmaster spoons and two set up to roll anchovies. All my poles were balanced (rod power to line to lure) to ensure long casts. The key at New Hogan is to match the size of the shad that the striper are feeding on with particular lures.
Rob Schlick lands a sweet rainbow trout near the houseboats at New Melones Reservoir.
David began to cast a Heddon Zara Super Spook with 10-pound line while I threw a Pencil Popper behind 15-pound test. These top-water lures had nice side-to-side action as we retrieved them, but no fish made any strikes. David stayed with the Zara Spook as I went through my arsenal of rods and lures.
The top-water feeding would stop in one place and start in another in the cove and this action continued for more than a half hour. I made several casts with the plastics behind 8-pound test line. I didn’t get one strike on the plastics, so I picked up the ultralight rod with 4-pound test and a quarter-ounce Kastmaster. After a dozen throws, I finally got a hit, but it proved to be a miss. I put down the rod and grabbed my last lure, an eighth-ounce Kastmaster tied to 4-pound line. I cast to the deep water but had no takers. My boat was drifting closer to the bank and I threw the little Kastmaster near the shoreline. “Fish On,” I told David as I watched a small black bass fight at the end of my line. The fish soon escaped the hook.
Striper fillets cook nicely with egg, fish sauce and breadcrumbs.
Now the sun was fully on the water and we took a snack break. After eating, I headed back to the main lake so we could do some trolling. I double-hooked the anchovies on our rolling rigs, released them to 100-feet behind the boat and dropped them to depth with the downriggers. David caught the first striper – an 18.5-incher – at 18-feet deep. I got the next strike at 16 feet, which popped my line from the release-clip instantly! I began to reel the fish in but it escaped. David got his final hit at 18 feet again, but the 17.5-inch striper got tangled in my line and the downrigger cable. Somehow, after bringing the downrigger up, I grabbed the tangled striper with my hand.
Bring a selection of different lures to catch striper of various sizes.
It was now about 10 a.m. and we made for the boat ramp. The top-water boils are few and far between this year, but anchovy bait works on the troll and for bank-fishing. David gave me his striper because I gave him my trout on our last trip, and Erica and I enjoyed the fillets.
Tip of the Week – For the past decade or two, the sizes of the striper have declined at New Hogan Reservoir. Striper to 28-inches long were common not that long ago. Now only small fish are common. New Hogan attracts a lot of fishing pressure because of the striper. I firmly believe a minimum 18-inch, two-striper limit would be beneficial in every way on this unique lake. The current striper limit at New Hogan is 10 of any size.
On the water:
Don Pedro – The trout action continues to be good for trollers. Soak your trout baits up the Tuolumne River arm. There isn’t much of a kokanee bite. Find king salmon near the dam and in the deepest pockets of the river arm while rolling baits.
New Melones – As the Stanislaus River’s flow decreases, the main lake will stratify. The trout and kokanee will seek deeper water. Try the river arm for trout. The catfish, crappie and bass bites are good right now.
Pardee – Trout plants continue twice a month through the summer. Troll or bait-fish the Mokelumne River narrows for a decent trout bite. The catfish and bass bites are just fair.
Camanche – There is a good bass bite with more small fish reported recently. The catfish bite is just fair and the trout bite is fair to slow at Big and Little hat islands to the dam.
Amador – Bass, bluegill and catfish are best fishing during the summer months at this lake.
High Sierra – Summer is the time for awesome fishing adventures in the breathtaking Sierra. PowerBaits attract fish on all the lakes close to the highways. At backwoods lakes and streams, there is good fishing with worms, spinners and flies.
Contact William Heinselman at solidgoldfishing.com.
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