For as many times I’ve been fishing, one would think that I’ve pretty much seen it all when it came to launching a boat.
Last weekend I saw something that I still can’t believe ever happened. As I backed my trailer into the water to retrieve my boat, I watched as another boat drove right up onto my trailer as if it was his.
In disbelief, I walked over to him and said, “That’s my trailer.”
He did a double take, apologized, and backed his boat off of my trailer.
On the positive side of him driving onto my trailer, he cleared up most of the hyacinth that had drifted onto my trailer, making driving my boat onto it much easier.
Delta Report
Striped bass fishing continues to be good. A lot of anglers using live bait are using bluegill caught around the many Delta docks. I prefer using a No. 2 bait hook when drifting bluegill and hook them through the bottom lip and out through the nose area.
Make sure that once bit to let the striper run a bit as they have to swallow bluegill head first. Largemouth bass fishing has slowed lately with very few big fish being caught. Anglers using jigs are having the most consistent bites while flipping and pitching.

New Melones Lake
There are very few reports of trout being caught while fishing the lake. A lot of that is due to very few anglers that are out on the lake fishing. Typically, as we get further into winter the trout move up shallow to feed.
Bass fishing has slowed some for a lot of anglers as the water temperatures continue to drop. Schools of bass can be found right now as deep as 40 feet. During select times of the day bass can be caught of main lake points while using rip baits.
Glory Hole Point is the only launch ramp that’s open on the lake right now. A vehicle that is equipped with four-wheel drive is highly recommended as there are no cement launches that are still in the water.

Lake Don Pedro
Bass anglers are finding bass holding deep. Many are dragging drop-shotted worms and other small plastics through groups of fish that their finding with their depth finders. For larger bass, anglers are tossing trout imitating swimbaits for mixed results.
Trout fishing continues to be tough as very few anglers are having any success. Fleming Meadows is the only launch ramp that is open.

Lake Amador
Trout fishing has taken over lately on the lake. Weekly plants continue to keep the lake stocked with nice sized Mt. Lassen trout. The bait of choice seems to be Power Bait. Make sure when fishing with Power Bait that enough is put on enabling the bait to float off the bottom.
The annual Trout Derby began on Wednesday, Nov. 25 and runs until March 6, 2016. One hundred tagged fish were planted into the lake as part of the 1,200 pounds of Mount Lassen Fish Hatchery rainbows on Thanksgiving Day for a season total of 9,300 pounds since early October.

Lake Camanche
Weekly trout plants have begun and many anglers are reportedly doing well while trolling and using power bait off the bank. Anglers trolling are trolling the top twenty feet with shad imitators and anglers fishing off the bank are fishing the North Shore area.
The trout ponds are also being planted providing anglers the option of either fishing the main lake or the ponds. Bass fishing has slowed down but anglers are still able to catch them while working jigs down to 40 feet.

Tip of the Week
Water temperature should be taken into consideration when selecting baits. As the water temperature drops fish become less and less active. Unlike us, the colder the temperature the less fish must eat in order to stay alive. Artificial baits must be worked slowly as the cooler the water the slower the baitfish actually moves.
Next time you hook a fish in the middle of winter, take note of how much less that fish fights compared to a fish the same size caught during the warmer months of the year. 

To contact Jarod Ballardo email jgbbass@yahoo.com.