After a couple very windy days we’re back to calm water and good fishing. We are blessed to have a lake less than 6ft from spill, especially as there’s only been about an inch and a half of rain for all of January. Surface temperature is up to 51.6F. For the most part the weather has been idyllic for just about any kind of outdoor activity. For a while there is seemed like the trout were as confused about the sunshine as we were, but eventually Collins Lake anglers figured out that trout were mostly surfing the surface. Here’s some January catches to catch you up:

Butch DeMontmollin caught a 5lb rainbow trout on green PowerBait by the dam. Lightning struck for Randy Freeman of Grass Valley who caught a 5-3/4lb golden rainbow trout tossing a nightcrawler from shore at the beach. Michael Cobbold doubled down on Butch’s catch with another 5lb rainbow trout, on green PowerBait, by the dam. So I guess even if lightning doesn’t strike the same place (and bait?) twice at least rainbow trout do!

Kris Kopfman of Glenn landed two Collins Lake trout both over 7lbs using an Orange Jay Fair Fly on the east side of the lake. Johnny Grizzle of Manteca showed us a chunky 7lb rainbow trout that he caught on green PowerBait by site #117.

Hunter, Wyatt, Hana, Ana & Troy caught the kid’s first two fish, one weighing in at 4.5lbs on a Caliboii Custom Cheese-Minitube lure. Levi & Sumner of Citrus Heights caught a pair of trout, the one on the right weighing in at 6.5lbs, caught trolling a hot steel Rapala at ~2ft near campsite #202.

For trout that’s been the vibe- near the surface. Most catches trolling have been reported as “top two feet” and more and more we’re seeing good shoreline activity. It looks like early February might have some rain for us, but if I were you, I’d just keep an eye on the wind- It’s better to be out in a light sprinkle on a calm day with a good chance of catching, than on a dry but blustery afternoon fighting whitecaps. We have one more trout plant scheduled for January with planting planned to continue into May, conditions permitting.

Get out and enjoy these unseasonably beautiful days!