The California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) planted 1,760 rainbow trout in Atascadero Lake this week.
After recent storms, the lake has risen by about 1 foot, according to the City of Atascadero.
On Thursday, the combination of these factors brought out several anglers eager to find their catch of the day.
According to CDFW, the lake also holds non-native sport fish such as Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Bluegill Sunfish, and Brown Bullhead, as well as other species such as Common Carp, Mosquitofish, and Monterey Sucker.
Jeff Flynn has been coming to the lake for 25 years and knows it takes a lot of rainfall to benefit his fishing.
“It takes quite a few storms. You gotta get the runoff,” Flynn said.
However, those storms can also muddy the water, making it difficult for the fish to see the bait. Angler Noel Herrera explains how to bait the fish when this happens.
“Fish can’t see that far, so you’ve got to find them,” Herrera said. “You literally have got to get close or use vibrating bait, something they can feel rather than see.”
Not to mention, some fish require specific temperatures.
“If it gets too warm, the trout won’t bite,” Flynn said.
Both Flynn and Herrera agreed that a day of fishing could range in duration from minutes to hours.
“Sometimes you can catch them on the first cast. Sometimes it takes 50,” Herrera said.
