Northern CA Freshwater Fishing Report

Collins Lake good for trout, catfish and bass BY PAT YOUNG/WON Staff WriterPublished: Jun 27, 2012

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OREGON HOUSE — With the warmer water temperature, fish have moved deeper in Collins Lake and both shore anglers and trollers who fished near the bridge at the upper end of the lake struck it rich on rainbow trout. Bass and catfish action improved this past week, especially for those fishing at night off the docks in the marina. “The bridge was the hotspot this past week as shore anglers and boaters drifting bait all did well on rainbows to 2 pounds,” Kathy Hess at Collins Lake Resort said. “The fish are definitely in deeper water now and the terrain at the bridge is steep and deep, so it is easy to reach for shore casters.” Trollers caught fish in the same area running Needlefish and threaded nightcrawlers at 20 to 30 feet deep. “Bass and catfish appeared to like the warmer weather seen early this past week and several anglers tied into some nice fish,” Hess said.  “Plastic worms, crawdads, and worms accounted for bass to 2½ pounds for fishermen working the east side of the lake and off the boat docks."   Catfish really turned on this past week with fish running 4 to 5¾ pounds coming to the scales from anglers who fished from the bridge to the dam — pretty much the whole lake, she said. The whiskerfish fell for Power Bait, worms, and chicken livers. Shelley Groce at the store recommended fishing at night off the boat docks at the marina. “You never know what you’re going to catch off the docks — it could be a big catfish, bass, redear or a trout.”