Putah Creek landlocked steelhead above Berryessa

[winxp_man]

Now that I have a boat and I troll berryessa for salmon the trout I catch at that lake are AMAZINGLY strong and big. If I cuaght one from a river I’d swear they were steelhead based solely on their looks. They’re most likely the eagle lake strain that gets stocked in there. They focus on Shad in that lake. You should at least go and take a look. I’m sure there are some big fish.

In Alaska there are big lakes that have rainbows. And big bows! They look dead on like they would pass as steelhead of one was to post a pic and stat steelhead. But they are just big now and don’t go to the ocean. So you’re right about trout that look like steelhead for sure.

[winxp_man]

.

As far as actual fishing usual stuff should mostly work, but I have fished the Lake run rainbows here on the Sac for years and I find that they like swung streamers (black bunny leaches ) more that the stream resident fish,
also by fishing down and across with a sink-tip I catch quite a few Bass..



*Family friendly version

This is because lakes offer more bait fish. I know what you mean about liking swung leeches for sure.

[Sonoman]

I made it out to the ranch last weekend with the landowner. More of a scouting trip and had only a couple hours to fish before dark. The sun was already behind the hills so the water was in deep shade. I didn't see any spawning fish over gravel and fished a deep run with rocky structure below fast riffles/small waterfalls. Looked like good holding water. Bank was brushy so all single-handed spey and roll casting. Landed three very spirited trout in the 16in range on my 5-wt; next trip I will bring my bigger net. The trout fought more like strong river trout than resident lake trout, with some good runs that made the Hardy sing.

Saw a few bugs come off the water...probably midges around size 22. I didn't see any surface action but could have missed some sips. Caught all the fish on swung or stripped streamers, black or olive.

One fish had healed scars on its flank and a small open wound on its back. Maybe from jumping up small waterfalls? Ospreys?

I will attempt to attach a photo

[mike borba]

Putah above the lake is closed to fishing until the last Saturday in April.

[Sonoman]

Are you certain? I tried to sort it out in the oh-so-clear regs but could not find a definitive answer. I spoke to the Coast Guard guy who oversees the now defunct Loran station out there and he fishes it all winter. I hate to think I was poaching out of season

Steve Bertrand said in his earlier post on this thread:

As I understand it the controlling reg for Putah above Berryessa
would be this section:

(2) All inland streams, rivers, and canals, except
those listed in Section 7.50(b), are open to fishing
from the last Sat. in Apr. through Nov. 15, with a five
trout daily bag limit, and ten trout possession limit,
with no gear restrictions. From Nov. 16 through the
Fri. preceding the last Sat. in Apr., a zero trout bag
limit applies, and only artificial lures with barbless
hooks may be used. In waters where the
bag limit for trout is zero, trout must be released
unharmed, and should not be removed from the
water.
(3) Exceptions:
(A) All waters in Section 7.50(b), Alphabetical List
of Trout Waters with Special Fishing Regulations,
are those having regulations different from the
General Statewide Regulations for trout.
(B) Brook Trout bag and possession limits may be
taken in addition to the statewide trout daily bag
and possession limits. See Section 5.84.


Note that this is the general state-wide regulation.

What this means is that every stream in the state that is not listed by name in the special reg tables
and is not an anadromous waterway is most likely now open year-round.

I do not insist I am right on this piece of water cause I just did a quick look at the Regs,
but this is what I think is right. (assuming the water in question is in the Valley district).

[Sheepdog8404]

Wouldn’t “landlocked steelhead” just be a rainbow?

[Sonoman]

That was covered earlier in the thread. I don't know. The landowner called them "landlocked steelhead", so I did too. It is the same as the rainbows in Lake Sonoma, which are still called "landlocked steelhead". The argument goes they were steelhead trapped when the dam went up and the gene pool lives on. Or, as my son pointed out, Great Lakes steelhead...are they steelhead or trount? I am not going to argue strongly either way, particularly above Berryessa which has been planted with millions of stockers over the decades. They are rainbow trout and they fight hard.

I am far more interested in understanding the fishing regs above Berryessa. I can make arguments either way and was encouraged by Steve Bertrand's post. Anybody from the DFG who knows? Does the DFG even know for sure? It's like trying to find somebody in the IRS who understands corner-case tax issues. The "happy path" is easy but corner cases stump even those tasked with enforcing the laws and regulations.

[Sheepdog8404]

Looks to me like it would fall under CCR T14 7.50(b)(10).

Edit: previous post referenced incorrect section.

[StevenB]

I
One fish had healed scars on its flank and a small open wound on its back. Maybe from jumping up small waterfalls? Ospreys?

If the fish had a roundish wound in its back near the dorsal fin, I have assumed that is a Heron wound
because they try to stab the fish with their beak, but that does not account for the scars on the sides.

Possibly Otter? They leave claw scars and often a bite mark.

Osprey I think mostly leave talon marks but lots of things are possible. The talon could penetrate on the grab.

Fun fact about Osprey:

They drop fish on occasion because when they first start gaining altitude after a fish grab they turn the fish in their talons so it is pointing head first for better aerodynamics.
This jugging act can end poorly for the Osprey but good for the fish .

Thanks for the report. Nice to hear you got out there.

Reg wise as I said I would verify you are in the Valley district, then what I quoted should be the new Regs as of
Mar 1 2021

I don't know about that other guy you talked (USCG) to cause I think this is the first winter that water has been open
(like Hat Creek, which is now open year round).

when you wrote "he fishes it all winter" makes it sound like he has been doing it a while.

If you meant 'he has fished it all winter' then OK

[mike borba]

Here are the pertinent regs:
Section 7.50 B
All fisheries closed to all fishing except as listed
Berryessa Lake tributaries: Lake and Napa counties
Open from last Saturday in April through September 30
2 trout, with 4 trout in possession
As noted this applies to all fish not just trout