Trout in the water column...

Looking to get a general opinion here on where rainbows are at in the water column at most reservoirs given the resent warm weather... I am thinking of giving pillsbury another shot, but since reports for that lake are less common than big foot sitings, I have no idea if they have started to go deep.  I did well up there on 5/27 top lining... but that was then and this is now.  It may be time to get a two pole stamp and pack my downrigger.

Surface temp at New Melones last week was aprox 70f, and most anglers were catching trout at around 40ft.  Lake Clementine surface temp was 68-71f and most of the trout I marked were in the 20ft range (afternoon), but came to the surface about 30min before sunset.

Hope that helps.

interesting... come to think of it, last time I was up there I met a PBer and the ramp who had done well at 20ft... Assuming a rise in surface temp, I may need to get down a bit... possibly 15-30ft. 

Over at Berryessa last week I was catching them at 35-55 fow except I got one right at dark in 10 fow with adjacent deep water access.

Thanks Salty... just kinda hard to figure.  Pillsbury is up higher, and gets more snow melt.  I better two pole it for sure.

I don't have a downrigger; I thought using an inline sinker or barrel weight would get the lure down as well.  Long line and slow.  That sound about right?

Old conventional reel w/ thick dacron line + broken rod + cannon ball = Downrigger.

I have an old penn reel and some braid and some oakie engineered pvc contraption for a downrigger.  But banana weights work too... I just hate all the weight when you have a fish on.

The 1st of the month we caught fish @ Pillsbury from the surface down to 30'.  Most of the action was on the suface 5-7' foot using Apexs. Last week I landed a very nice fish @55' @ Sonoma.  I'll try and post my Okiemexican downrigger later tonight.

Good info Rockroach... thanks for the headsup.  I would think the pillsbury fish have to be starting to get a bit deeper... maybe they will be up in the morning and head deeper as the day goes on.