Rich Lingor Is Not Fooling Around For This April 1st Fish Report!

Rich Lingor with a hefty Spotted Bass

Moments of summer gaining traction stirs anglers with fishing itch as well as spring fever to
warm water species of fish. Bass, bluegill, catfish, and the shad that they feed on all move up from winter depths to spawn as warming shallow water temperatures become more inviting. Striped bass and white bass spawn in flowing water and are triggered by the current from seasonal inflows. In our climate zone, March marks the beginning of the seasonal migration around the full moon, followed by another shift around the next full moon in April. Warming water in the spring draws fish shallow in incremental stages as our seasonal transition flows from chilly winter cold fronts into more temperate influences of warmer days and nights as well as longer hours of daylight and shorter nights. The environment around us responds with budding life, and aquatic inhabitants follow these environmental shifts. Structural elements inundated by spring rains
and associated flooded terrestrial weeds and brush attract migrating fish. Fish tend to follow rising water.

Analysis and assessment of the biological and environmental influences on the target of our passion is an interesting exercise, but there is nothing like getting out on the water, putting theory to the test through practical application. Early March field research confirmed shallow fish were testing and moving into shallow water with persistent deliberate presentations rewarded with success. As water temperatures continue to warm, fish will be more active and respond more quickly to an angler's presentation. Notes on our scorecard: Warm tropical southern storms have brought warm rains and warmer than normal overnight low temperatures. On all of our local lakes, the bass are putting smiles on happy anglers’ faces. White bass and spotted bass are biting at Nacimiento. Pan fish (bluegill, bed ear, and crappie) are still checking the alarm clock to see if it is time to wake up. Some of them have had their coffee, but most of them will be straggling in a little later. Stripers are early spawners and should soon be chasing the shad. I attended the Monterey County Parks committee meeting on March 6. The Resource Management Agency
(R.M.A.) director and his assistant said that they have been hearing all of us, and they are trying to get Lake San Antonio back open. The plan is for a "soft" opening (weekends only) on Easter weekend. They were not ready to make it official because of the long list of maintenance-related challenges. On March 16, assistant R.M.A. director John Guertin told me that they were optimistic about meeting the Easter weekend target and should have an official announcement mid-week (about March 22). Full opening is planned for Memorial Day weekend. It's spring. Trees are blooming. Fish are biting.
Tight Lines!

Lake San Antonio
Advance Official Press Release :) 
At the South Monterey County Rural Coalition Town-hall meeting Friday. Board of Supervisor member and Parks Committee co-chair Simon Salinas gave a sneak peek at the press release to be announced Mid-day Monday. Lake San Antonio's soft opening will be April 14th at 7 am.Weekends only until the full opening on May 19th :D . Supervisor Salinas' chief of staff Chris Lopez will email the full press release to me as soon as it is official.

Side Notes: You can access my past articles through the web site www.hesperiahall.org. click on "newsletter"
My articles also appear in the King City Rustler,Soledad Bee, Greenfield News, and Gonzales Tribune.
Fishing with Rich
by Rich Lingor