(Oroville) King salmon are abundant in the catches at Lake Oroville now, but most are the smaller fish, averaging 10 to 12 inches, that were planted last fall.
“My latest trolling adventure on the lake produced just one big king, a 22 incher,” said James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service. “We caught and released a bunch of fish in the 10 to 12 inch range; we lost count.”
He and his clients fished with pink hoochies, tipped with anchovy strips, at 35 feet deep near the dam. Other good areas to try include the Green Bridge and the spillway.
“The bass bite is good at Oroville,” said Brent Cline at Oroville Outdoors. “The fish are still in pre-spawn mode. Anglers are throwing ripbaits or spinnerbaits for a reaction bite in the mornings. They are then fishing Senkos, tubes and Robo Worms at 10 to 30 feet during the day. Most are spots in the 1-1/2 to 2 lb. class.”
A shore angler caught a 13 lb. 14 oz. largemouth bass on a Senko by the marina on Saturday, March 27. “My fishing buddy weighed it on his scale after he saw the angler holding up the fish on his stringer,” said Cline.
The reservoir is currently holding 3,039,556 acre-feet of water, 86 percent of capacity and 113 percent of average. The lake level is 866.76 feet in elevation.