LAKE CONDITIONS:Lake Camanche's current elevation is 202 feet above sea level, a drop of .36 feet this week. There is currently no water flowing into Lake Camanche, and water is flowing out of Lake Camanche at 225c.f.s. The surface water temperature at the marina has cooled to 53 degrees. Although the marina stores are closed for inventory until Dec. 29, Lake Camanche is still open for boating and fishing from 5 A.M. every morning, every day of the year.

TROUT: This is the time of the year to catch really big trout right on, or near the surface of Lake Camanche. Frequent Camanche campers and fishermen Dave Ritter, Tom Fugate, Ben Costello, and George Thieme teamed up to catch some outstanding fish last week. They started by catching a huge 10 pound 6 ounce rainbow, while fishing with a Rapala J-7 (Brook Trout) near the narrows. That fish was caught in the top 10 feet of water. Ben Costello (15 years old) caught a 9 pound 10 ounce rainbow near South Shore while trolling a Rapala J-9 (Brook Trout) right on the surface. George Thieme then caught an 8 pound 13 ounce trout while trolling the same Rapala lure, right on the surface, near Hat Island. Thanks for the report Dave!

Another frequent Camanche troller had a good day last Wednesday. Steve McCutcheon, from Fremont, had a fine limit of trout that he caught while fishing up the river. He was trolling with small Rapala type lures in silver/black, and another with an orange bottom. All of his fish came on, or near the surface, and he was trolling in the area below the highway bridge down to the Narrows.

We continue to get reports of limits of trout at the South Shore Pond; with Power Bait, Power Eggs, and nightcrawlers being the favorite baits. Dick Anderson, from Twain Hart, caught the biggest trout reported at the Pond this week, when he landed a beautiful 9.4 pound rainbow trout. He was fishing with a fly rod, and was using a Wolly Bugger fly.

Another group of trollers reported catching their limit of trout while trolling in the main lake. They were using pink Uncle Larry's spinners, and Vance's Slim Fin lures in Cop Car and also in red/gold. They were fishing on the surface early in the day, and down 5-10 feet later in the day; and were fishing near Hat Island and the buoy line at the dam.

This week's trout plant of beautiful Mt. Lassen Hatchery fish will be split between the South Shore Pond (600 pounds) and South Shore launch ramp (600 pounds).

BASS: Bass anglers this week reported catching bass up to 3 pounds while fishing spoons and brown jigs. They were in 25-35 feet of water, near the creek channel, in the Causeway area. They also caught a couple of bass drop shotting with 4 inch Robo Worms (Aaron's Magic), fishing the ledges and drop-offs near Hat Island.