Around October 22 every year Lake Berryessa "turns over" bringing the deep cold water to the top and this brings the big schools of

Threadfin Shad to the top where game fish and birds feed on them.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/travel/a...p?t=04a9983024



About 20 to 40 years ago it seemed like lots of fly fishers chased trout feeding on Threadfin Shad in our many mid-elevation

reservoirs in CA the Fall.

About 50 years ago? the CA D of F & G planted Threadfin Shad in many reservoirs. These fish made their way down stream all the

way to the big lakey areas in the Sacramento Delta. Stripers and Largemouth feed on them in the Delta. We first heard of these

Threadfin down in the Delta at locations the Port of Stockton, Port of Sacramento/Lake Washington, Mildred Island and Franks Tract.


Andy Puyans and Bob Quigley would drive up to Shasta Lake for this exciting fishing.

Milt Jensen chased these busting schools at Lake Almanor.

Al Perryman told me about the activity at Collins reservoir in the Fall.

Many of us chased them on Folsom Lake back in the day.

Some from the Davis fly club chased them on Berryessa.

Al Perryman took me up to Lake Oroville where there were Threadfin Shad and Asian Pond Smelt that came down from Lake

Almanor.

About 40 years ago Leo Gutterres found Stripers feeding on Threadfin at the Port of Stockton fishing in a round float tube.


In early November I would go to some of these reservoirs I mentioned on a calm day and look for schools of game fish busting theses

tiny 1 to 2 inch Shad. Having some overcast might help too.


I am sure veteran fisheries biologist Denis Lee knows tons about these fisheries.