Lake Berryessa - Trout/Salmon tips?

Hey everyone,

I'd like spend some good time out at Lake Berryessa this winter and spring, hopefully getting dialed in on the trout, Kokanee, and king salmon fisheries.

Can anyone offer tips (or links to tips) for trout/salmon fishing at Berryessa? Seems like trolling spoons, spinners, and hoochies with flashers/Dodgers down in the 10-30 foot range is the norm.

I'm hoping to dial in my downrigger fishing technique over the winter and spring chasing trout and landlocked salmon so I'm ready to slay some ocean salmon in April.

Thanks in advance!

~Alex

Best tip, use your electronics to find the bait balls and dial in your downrigger depth from there. Fish were deep two weeks ago near the dam, now they're hanging the Narrows near the surface. Wherever the shad go, the trout and salmon go. Dodger/hoochie or rolled shad is the ticket for salmon while trout tend to go for various shad-imitating hardbaits or trolled crawlers.

Good stuff. Thanks, Chattich.

What is "deep" for Berryessa trout? Are we talking 40 feet?

I've only camped out there once. It was last January, and we stayed by Cappell (sp?) cove. Did a little trolling, but mostly I was just out there for the fresh air and relaxation.

Are there other good camp spots near the trout/salmon action?

I have caught trout at berry at 90' trolling for kokes.

I was at Berryessa in the kayak yesterday trolling from Skiers cove out to the main body for kokes/trout. Lots of marks from 10-30 feet but no bites.  Talked to a PB that trolled the dam and main body all day for no takers.  But things can change overnight.

I was at Berryessa in the kayak yesterday trolling from Skiers cove out to the main body for kokes/trout. Lots of marks from 10-30 feet but no bites.  Talked to a PB that trolled the dam and main body all day for no takers.  But things can change overnight.

What's going on with that place? I remember catching trout nonstop;, about 3 years ago around this time of year right outside of lupine shores. Trout jumping everywhere.
What was really odd was no one caught trout at SALMON SLAM last year??? Did they stop the trout program there?

Not sure what the water level is like now, but it was REALLY low when I was out there last winter. Probably hasn't come up much since then.

I was at Berryessa in the kayak yesterday trolling from Skiers cove out to the main body for kokes/trout. Lots of marks from 10-30 feet but no bites.  Talked to a PB that trolled the dam and main body all day for no takers.  But things can change overnight.

What were you dragging out there? I gotta buy some lake trolling lures...

I plan to pick up:

- Couple small Sling Blades (dodgers)
- Few pink hoochies
- Few chartreuse hoochies
- Couple Needlefish
- Maybe a "Wedding Ring"?
- Couple cans of Shoepeg corn...

Any other suggestions?

I used to kill them (trout)  with  dodger and night crawler combo, down 5-10 feet.

I tried a couple different Seps dodgers with pink and white hoochies. Jigged with a 3/4 oz silver Kastmaster and a pearl P-line lazer minnow.  When I was jigging I dropped a night crawler on the second rod.

I used to kill them (trout)  with  dodger and night crawler combo, down 5-10 feet.

How do you string the crawler for trolling? Just thread it onto a small baitholder hook?

I used to kill them (trout)  with  dodger and night crawler combo, down 5-10 feet.

Great all around combo.
Look for birds and then the fish feeding on shad on top. Use a 3/4 oz pline minnow, I like the pink/silver. Add a black dot on both sides. Cast it towards the feeding school and count to 5 reel in repeat.

Mike

I used to kill them (trout)  with  dodger and night crawler combo, down 5-10 feet.

How do you string the crawler for trolling? Just thread it onto a small baitholder hook?

I used to break the worm in half and put it on a #8 bait hook with about 16"  leader. Important thing is use a heavy dodger. Not a light shasta blade, unless your using a DR or sinker.

Good stuff. Thanks, Chattich.

What is "deep" for Berryessa trout? Are we talking 40 feet?

I've only camped out there once. It was last January, and we stayed by Cappell (sp?) cove. Did a little trolling, but mostly I was just out there for the fresh air and relaxation.

Are there other good camp spots near the trout/salmon action?

Depth changes week to week - its where the shad go really. Two weeks ago, the action was 40-60' down early then dropping to 100'+ around midday. As guys have said, seems like the Kokes and Chinook are usually a little deeper than trout. I live in Napa so I never camp up there and just make the run up for the day so I'm no help on camping spots unfortunately.

I used to kill them (trout)  with  dodger and night crawler combo, down 5-10 feet.

How do you string the crawler for trolling? Just thread it onto a small baitholder hook?

I use a crawler threaded on a size 8 Octo hook in red.  Troll  18" behind micro flashers at whatever depth I mark fish. Best luck comes on the wire to control depth. Most trout I catch at Berry are caught while targeting kokanee though. I ALWAYS use scent of some type.