Fun Day With Spotted Bass At Collins Lake

Our friend Manuel Saldana Jr. of MSJ Guide Service (above) usually zeroes in his clients on epic striped bass and Chinook fishing in the Feather and Sacramento Rivers. But as the spring run of spawning stripers is looming closer – fish should be in the rivers by March, which we’ll feature in our March issue – Saldana is catching fish in the interim.

Check out this Collins Lake spotted bass report from Saldana:

Myself and (deckhand) Justin Leonard have been fishing Collins Lake for the last two weekends. The weather, which looked like it wanted to switch over to spring in February. I couldn’t resist so we had to put some work in. We hit the lake bright and early and the water temp was 51 degrees and 53 degrees by midday. 

These bass wanted to come into the shallows, but the weather quickly took a turn back to winter for the last three to four days which is only going to keep these bass deep and in winter mode. Anyhow, we have been fishing 20 to 30 deep on the dropshot set for our catches as of lately. But when our weather turns again and starts to warm up and when the water warms, the bass will be in prepawn mode and the bite should pick up greatly. We have been averaging 10 to 15 bass per trip as of now. 

I know the spotted bass aren’t huge, but it is sure is fun to catch them!

MSJ Guide Service: 530-301-7455: msjguideservice.com