(Lake Berryessa) Not much has changed at Lake Berryessa over the past couple of weeks – the bass bite continues to rage and the trout and salmon fishing remains slow.
“For the better fish, we’re working drop shot rigs and Blade Runner spoons from 30 to 50 feet deep,” sad Don Paganelli of Paganell’s Bass Fishing Experience. “The fish are feeding heavily on the threadfin shad now.”
On his latest guided fishing adventure, Paganelli and his client caught and released 15 bass. “Our largest fish included a largemouth pushing 5 pounds, a 3-1/2 lb. smallmouth and a spotted bass going about 4 pounds,” said Paganelli.
They concentrated on the main body north and south of Big Island. “The surface temperature is still in the high sixties and we need cooler days and nights to cool the temperature down for us to see more variety, including rainbow trout and crappie, in the catches,” he noted.
When the lake finally turns over, bank anglers can expect to nail rainbow trout and king salmon while tossing out minnows and nightcrawlers under bobbers in the lake’s coves.