Noob looking for Loon Lake and Sacramento intel

Long time lurker, this is my first post.  I've been thinking about jumping into this for over a year now, and I finally picked up my Trident 11 Angler today.  I cannot WAIT to get it in the water.  Grew up stream and shore fishing, mostly trout, lots of rock hopping floating eggs with ultralight spinning rigs.  I usually make a couple trips to Loon Lake in the spring and summer and have never had much luck from the shore at the Pleasant (Boat-In) Camp sites, but then again, I haven't spent a lot of time trying.  I'm heading up in a couple weeks to christen the yak and hopefully pull some fish out of that lake.  I'm thinking of trolling some jointed shad raps, maybe jigging some spoons/wobblers if I come across the right structure but any suggestions for set-up would be extremely appreciated - Flashers?  Dodgers?  Anyone?  This is a totally new style of fishing for me.  I'm also super intrigued with exploring the cave depending on the water levels, but that's pure curiosity.  

Also, I live on the Sacramento River between Sutterville and 43rd and I have no idea if/how to determine if the current is too swift to kayak out here.  No idea how the fishing is either, so any intel would be awesome.  Sounds like the Shad are running up on the American though?

I saw some posts about the Port of Sac, Barge Canal Access and I'm thinking about cruising out there as soon as I get my PFD, just to get a feel for the boat.

Any tips, input, info would be great, it the meantime, I'll continue to devour all the great info already on this site.

Thanks to everyone, looking forward to this...

Loon may be frozen still in a couple of weeks. Last time I was there was a few years ago Icaught several average trout near the back of the lake. At that time I used a flasher and worms. Learned from another guy doing the same thing. Sac, no idea. Post a hook up when you go. I may be willing to give it a try. I might head up to Collins lake near Marysville tomorrow. Your welcome to join me. I have a PFD you can use if you need it. Trout in the early AM, bass later on probably.

     Rob

Thanks Rob,

I committed to some pool time with the GF today or I would have taken you up on your offer.  I'll keep you posted on my Sacramento adventures.  We walked down to the river access near my house last night and down the levee about 1/2 mile - no realistic launching spots in sight, but the water looks to be calm enough to navigate against the current.

I have some friends who headed to Loon this weekend and the gate is closed so the ended up at Union Valley- could Loon possibly be frozen still?  I've camped there in May - it's usually cold, but it's never iced in.

Let me know if you made it up to Collins and thanks for the Loon info. I'll post in hookups as soon as I get out.

All the high lakes are still frozen as far as I know. Loon, Caples, Silver, Red, and more. Collins was a howling wind so I went elsewhere to no fish. See my report. Let me know if you want to hook up during the week anywhere. Mather( bass), Collins, Englebright, Clementine, or anywhere else. Maybe delta bass.
   Should have met you at the pool. Would have been more succesful. Also practiced self rescue.

Welcome to the madness  

I LOVE Loon Lake Caught my first Brown on a kayak at loon many moons ago. I read somewhere that  Browns are like LMB...they like to seek cover and ambush anything that swims by. So, with that intel and with the clear water vis, I paddled around the Islands in the middle of that lake and spotted some big boulders sitting on a ledge. I tied a shad rap and went back to the spot and trolled right in between the sunken boulders and hooked up!

Anyway, welcome to the site and looking forward to your reports!

Here's a site with good information about places to launch on Sacramento River:

http://www.sacramentoriver.org/

You can put in at Miller Park and paddle upstream past Old Sacramento and into the American river for some of that shad action. You'll go past a ramp just upstream from the I Street Bridge on the west bank that puts you right into the current. Try getting out and back in to see if you're ready for that. It's the closest free ramp to the American from the Sacramento. I think you'll find that boats are a bigger problem in the Sacramento River than the current.

Check here for what's biting around Sacramento and in the delta:

http://www.fishsniffer.com/

http://www.imhooked.com/

Both sites have kayak fishing forums.

I paddled into the cave at Loon Lake with friends from our campsite late on a moonless night. Very cool. They had to back their tandem kayak all the way out!

Have fun!

~Steamer

Thanks for the pointers guys - my NRS Chinook shipped this morning with an anchor kit and some other goodies. I'll keep you posted on my progress and outings.

Been a while but I've fished Loon many times.  Pleasant camp is great for camping but no fish over there.  ACROSS from Pleasant Camp a few hundred yards is a shallow lagoon.   At dusk you'll get trout feeding over there.   Most of the fish I've caught in Loon have been in the shallow lagoons not deep water for some reason.  I've always been a Panther Martin guy. 

Also, from Pleasant Camp there is a nice hike over a ridge to Spider lake, really a pond.  Never seen any fish in there but its a nice hike.

I've always been a PM guy myself - in fact I always have a couple of the black with yellow spots (gold blade) in 1/16, 1/8, and 1/4 in my box.  Being a stream guy, it's probably been my most productive lure since I was a kid.  After the 1/4 oz. enticed a personal record 5lb trout out of the Carson and into my bag, I developed understandably strong sentimental feelings for that lure.

I've done that hike to spider lake, nice hike. I'll look out for the shallow lagoon - I'm planning on fishing dawn and dusk every day - although the dawn appointment may be directly related to the quantity of alcohol consumed around the campfire the previous evening - let's be real, I'll still be on vacation.

I've been talking about setting-up a hookup at the Loon Lake boat-in sites for like 3 years now. Let's do it!

Oh and Mooch, I think I may have read that report about your detached lip Brown Trout - Hilarious.

Anthony

I think Loon may be un frozen now. I was at Caples and it is ice free. 8000 feet. I guess most of the high lakes are good now. Very cold water though.

Yeah, what I heard was there was still snow in the shade but no ice.  Here's the last report I found online...

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/documents/other/recreate.htm

Ice House, Sunset, Westpoint Boat Ramps and the unimproved boat ramp on the North end of Loon Lake are open as of 06/08/2010, all others are closed.

LOON LAKE – most ice has now melted from entire lake;  boat access is at an unimproved gravel boat launch north of Loon Lake Chalet
 
LOON LAKE CG – closed due to snow

It seems I never do things the easy way(internet). I need to drive to check it out. More fun, but if it's frozen or blown out, I spend extra $ I shouldn't.

Hey there exhibita, I myself am new to the game but have caught on pretty quick.  I'm also located near the Sac/Am river (about 1 mile from Disco park).  Lately I've been making a few evening trips to the mouth of the American after work drifting minnows for Stripers with good success.  Three-way swivel, 3/4 oz cannoball on the dropper, size 1 hook - large/jumbo minnows.  Work the shelf on the opposite side from sandy beach.  As far as the Port goes, it should be picking up around Sept/Oct.  The barge canal access point is great however I'd advise not to keep ANY valuables in your car.  If you're looking for a place to try out the new 'yak, I'd suggest heading to Folsom lake over the river or port.  The water in the port right now is just plain nasty and the river isn't a great place to test the yaks 'limitations'.  I fish out of a sand colored hobie outback.  Be sure to say hi if you see me out there!