Time to get out there and fish

Bill Lynch says even the fish like the weather cooler and cleaner air.|

The air is clear and there may be a little rain, but that should make the fishing even better. Now is the time to get out there!

The best action close to Sonoma is off our coast where rock and ling cod fishing is red hot, and the salmon bite is starting to come back. Rick Powers at Bodega Bay Sportsfishing is finding good limits of rock cod, plus some large ling cod as well as a few salmon trolling. Rick said that one of his clients left the boat last weekend with two salmon over 20 pounds, plus a big ling cod and a limit of rockfish. Call Rick at 875-3344 to book a trip.

Anglers booking party boats out of the Golden Gate are also finding some salmon. If you are looking for a party boat that will take you after halibut in the bay or salmon out in the ocean, I recommend Capt. Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters, (415) 307-8582, who works out of Loch Lomond Marina. He’s a good guy and knows where to find fish.

In the Bay, the best action for halibut is off Red Rock and the other Marin islands.

If you don’t have a boat or go out in one, there is still good fishing from shore along the Marin Coastline. Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait Shop in San Rafael is the guru of bay fishing and knows all the best spots to fish. Keith also has plenty of bait to sell. Call him at (415) 456-0321.

Recently people have been catching keeper-sized stripers off the docks and levees near his shop. Other good shore spots include China Camp and Paradise Park, all a short drive east of the Marin Civic Center.

The closest good trout fishing is the Truckee River, or possibly the lower Yuba near Marysville. The Sacramento River between Redding and Anderson offers excellent trout fishing, but you definitely need a boat, and a guide if you don’t know the river.

The upper Sacramento River between Lake Siskiyou and Shasta Lake offers good fishing right now, and you can walk and wade fish most of it. The best place to start is at the Ted Fay Fly Shop in Dunsmuir, where proprietor Bob Grace can sell you a detailed access map and direct you to the best places to fish right now.

I like the upper Sac because there are so many easy access places that you can drive to along I-5. The access map even gives you suggestions where to fish at each of those points. Bob can also set you up with a guide which is a good way to start if you’ve never fished that river before. Call him at (530) 235-2969.

Bob said the fishing has been decent this week on both the upper Sacramento and the McCloud River, which is about a half-hour drive from Dunsmuir. Most of the action is on nymphs, but the fall caddis hatch has started so there may be some action on top of the water in the evenings.

And, if you are headed that way and will be there between Thursday and Sunday, I highly recommend Cafe Maddalena in downtown Dunsmuir. It is the best restaurant for miles in any direction. I recommend you make reservations, (530)-235-2725.

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