The lake level looks to be 4 to 5 feet below spill; ebmud maintains that lake level will remain unchanged. Current water temperatures are 64 degrees at 20 feet and 69 at surface; look for these temps to continue throughout the weekend. Water clarity is good to 16 feet. The Marina reports that the banks have been very quiet during the week. It usually slows down this time of the year and the number of folks fishing drops off dramatically. The few anglers I saw this morning had the entire Recreation Area to themselves. The preferred baits are white power worms, maggots and power bait, so try behind the ebmud boathouse, the "mud hole lagoon", Porcupine point, the Launch ramp and Tom Sawyer Island, they aren't crowed. Power worms and green power bait are also effective, with wooly boogers and silver/blue Kastmasters good for surface casting.

This week Trollers are working the River Mouth and the face of the dam and getting some decent Rainbows. Fish are holding at 30 to 50 feet . Most are using small spoons or needlefish type lures in pink or florescent orange/red tipped with a night crawler, grub or power worm behind small flashers, dodgers or sidekicks in silver/green that all seem to work well. Lots of catfish in the 5 to 15 lbs. range taken from southern coves lately and all around the Recreation Area. Chicken liver, anchovies and night crawlers are their favorite snacks. California Department of Fish and Game has planted 3,000 lbs. of fish in addition Pardee Lake Inc has planted 44,000 lbs. of trout as of two weeks ago.