whiskeytown cherry poopin 12/13/2011

I fished Whiskeytown creek all day Thursday and Friday for a nada. So I decided to regroup, study up on my target species and tactics, then hit it again today. I launched from oak bottom around 11. paddled up river to the power house, floated down looking for drop offs, eddy lines, anything really. decided to head back to the ramp around 3:30 and 200 yards from the ramp I get lit up. few good shakes and it pops off. reset and trolled back and forth till I hook and land a nice rainbow trout. dropped her in the live well and kept at it. A few more good strikes then the sun dropped behind the mountain and it got cold real fast so I paddled in. Pretty stoked to get the skunk off my yak and get a famous northern rainbow.

Congrats, Jeff - I've never caught a fish at Whiskeytown, but I've spent a little time around there - cool place.  I think FishMaster does trips up there.  I'd love to hit it up some time on a waterslide run for the kids or something... 

How big was your rainbow?  Worm trolling?  Lure trolling?  I'd probably troll a wedding ring behind a little flasher and mini DeepSix, but a Roostertail, Kastmaster, Panther Martin, Mepps, BlueFox or other would likely get it done, I figure.  I'd like to do some miles there. 

Are there kokanee in there?  What boat are you paddling?

I was trolling a candy bar spoon with a cheap plastic worm about a foot back. fish hit while trolling over a bank from 65' to 25'. she was a solid 16". yea there's kokanee in there, I have yet to get one but maybe this spring. Im paddling a Malibu stealth 14. I recently moved to Redding and kept hearing that whiskeytown is the hardest lake to fish around hear because of the crystal clear water so naturally I set out to fish it first

Congrats on getting the skunk off and landing what Im sure was a beauty!    That crystal clear water is unforgiving, way to fool em!  NOW go get a good CAMERA and take some pics so we can be there with ya!
  

Good job Jeff, but a word to the wise, creek fishing closed in mid Nov., and some say anything west of Oak Bottom is considered creek fishing. I guess it depends on the warden you talk to. I've done well out of Whiskey creek launch and Brandy creek launch, both legal to fish all year.
The kokes have headed up the creeks to spawn already ( too dark to eat ) but will show up around March or so. Post a hookup or PM me and I'll show you what I know.

good to know. I paddled up there mostly to explore but did put lines in the water. I broke the rule of never leave fish to find fish, on the way up there I noticed lots of marks on the FF by the swimming area but curiosity got the best of me. yea I'll hit you up to fish sometime soon.

Ive caught tons and tons of bass out of whiskeytown  and lots of sunfish but ive never caught A Koke! Best place for fishing that place is around the glory hole... Beautiful lake!.. Ive got some big rainbows but that was in my float tube days, never yaked it but will be doing so sometime next year,,.. ..Thanks for the report.... ANother lake you should try with monster rainbows is Lewiston! Happy fishing!

thanks for sharing your cherry burster with us.......a picture says a 1,000 words.

Nice job gettin out, Whiskeytown can be alot of fun.  Any chance you were out towards the tower on Friday afternoon (Whiskey Creek Arm).  I was heading over to the coast and made a quick stop to check out the water, saw one lonely looking yak-fisher out there with the whole lake to himself.

tight lines, let me know when you want to get out...i could use a break from work!
beenfishin

Im paddling a Malibu stealth 14.

Cool - I love my X-Factor and want to demo their other boats.

so naturally I set out to fish it first

   I like anyone who likes a challenge.

Welcome to the Madness, NorCal style.  I see you're acustomed to the salt - maybe you can make it to Gimme Shelter 6th Annual Kayakfishing Tournament at Shelter Cove, California May 12th, 2012 - it's the lingcod/rockfish opener and a great place to meet new friends, get on the salt, and discover one of the north state's treasures.  I will post the signup details early in 2012.   

yep that way me out there on friday, stone colored kayak, and a big straw hat. I heard good things about the drop offs between the 299 bridge and the tower. struck out but had the lake to my self all day.
LoletaEric, I had an Xfactor for a few years and loved it, then as I got more into live bait fishing and our "money between friends" tournaments in san diego I traded for a stealth instead of building a proper bait tank. the two boats are similar except for deck lay out. the stealth feels a bit wider but i think its the positioning of the middle handles.