Fishing with the Kids

Yesterday I listed the DFG website for trout plants. Today I'd like to talk about a couple of places in the Sacramento Valley that I've found to be good places to take your kids. I once mentioned to an acquintance "caught a limit of trout yesterday at Mather Lake". The response I got was "where is Mather Lake".

Sunrise Blvd south of Highway 50 to Douglas Blvd. Make a right and go about two miles to Mather Park. This used to be part of the Air Force Base, but is now accessable to the public. It's, I believe, a county park and has the usual $5.00 daily fee. DFG stocks this several times during the Fall, Winter, and Spring. Check the link from 1/10/2009. It's a really nice, well kept up park and while you are fishing, or after, it has nice picnic and play areas for the kids. I took my Grandson there last fall and he caught his first trout.

OK, part of this blog is to let you know what I used to catch the trout. I've fished this lake several times and each time different lures have caught fish. The first time, the Panther Martin 6-PMR-G 1/4 oz (Gold/black) worked. The next time Panther Martin 6-PMR-S 1/4 oz (Silver/Yellow) worked. Another time Little Cleo (burgandy/gold) worked. I guess my point is, you need a selection of lures to catch trout. I spoke to one fisherman the day I was catching fish on Little Cleo and he was having good luck with a lure called Mack's Wedding Ring.
I've usually found that if you cast out a lure five of six times and don't get at least a hit, I change to another lure. The time I was fishing with my Grandson, a couple fishing next to us asked how I changed lures so fast. I told them "snap swivel". I use a small black snap swivel to change lures. Saves the time of tying on lures and also reduces your line twisting and knotting up.

Another good lake is Rancho Seco Lake. Again a county park and a $5.00 fee. I was there one day last fall and caught a limit on Panther Martins. A young boy about seven was there with his dad and he had a silver lure of some kind (I've not be able to find one like it) and was catching trout as fast as he could cast out.

My suggestion is to check the DFG plant posting on a regular basis. They plant places like Hagen Park Lake, Gibson Ranch Lake, and a bunch of other lakes in the valley.

Till next time, remember "A bad day fishing is better than any day at work".

Shoreman