I've read several glowing reports about the great koke bite on Lake
Berryessa (about 40 miles west of Sacramento), and having never
visited the lake, decided it was time to give it a try. I hooked up
the boat on Tuesday morning and started the 105 mile trip.

I launched late and didn't begin trolling 'til about 1530. I planned
to fish 'til evening, then again the next morning before sunup. At
anchor I hung a couple of lines over baited with night crawlers. Again
nothing at anchor and I can't figure that out.

Within the first hour of Day 1, I reeled in a small king salmon of
about 15" from 80' deep, trying for kokanee. He took a pink Assassin,
then put up a grand fight 'til I finally netted him. I reeled in a
small, sickly trout later in the evening, and tossed it back. The
water is waaaay too warm for trout to be healthy is my guess. That was
it for the first day.

On Wednesday morning I was again trolling before sunup. It would be a
short day as I wanted to head home before the lake lice started
launching. I managed one more sickly trout, and tossed it back. I
called it a day at 0930, and headed for the dock.

Once again I caught the single, dumbest fish in the lake, but that's
not all bad! It's been that way almost all summer it seems, and I'm
sure looking forward to ocean-run salmon fishing on my beloved
California Delta soon!

More story and photos on my homepage: My First Visit to Lake Berryessa
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