Denis Peirce

Columnist at The Union

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Articles

Denis Peirce: Fishing high elevation lakes

2 weeks ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

From down here in the foothills, our warm weather this week made me think that heading to the upper elevations to fish would be a good idea. A couple of years ago I wrote a column about fishing Gold Lake in late May and I thought returning to Gold Lake this week would produce similar results. It goes to show how wrong I can be. Next I went back to the main road and tried the old roadside launch place. There was a 4X4 with a trailer for a small aluminum boat parked there.
Denis Peirce: May fishing

4 weeks ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

This weekend we are predicted to have temperatures as high as 90 degrees in the valley. It has been about 200 days since the valley has seen 90. This translates into warming waters in the valley and foothills. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Minnows continue to be the most popular bait but other lures will produce fish. The foothill reservoirs are nearly full. Shasta is 6’ from the top.
Denis Peirce: Go fishing next week

1 month ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The last weekend in April is the traditional opening of the Sierra stream trout season. The pattern I remember most is fair weather leading up to the weekend, stormy Saturday then the following week, warm temps bordering on hot in the valley. With Sierra weather predicted to be cold and wet this weekend, the pattern continues. The fishing conditions with this pattern are modest river flows that look fishable in the preceding week then the subsequent week’s heat brings on the snowmelt in earnest.
Denis Peirce: Spring fishing

1 month ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

Lakes and valley rivers are the places to be for April fishing. The rains are gone for the time being, the days are getting longer and the waters are warming. This is the formula for good fishing. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. These flows have allowed the rivers to warm up. The Sacramento River is in the middle 50’s above Red Bluff, and it is 60 degrees from the Tisdale area down through Rio Vista in the Delta.
Denis Peirce: Striper time

2 months ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

With the vernal equinox behind us, it is time to look for stripers in the valley rivers. In early March as the days are rapidly getting longer it is tempting to search for stripers in the valley rivers. In looking back over the years it is a bit premature to find them this far up in the system. After a long winter we want to think they may get here early but it rarely happens. I received reports from two guides who were scouting for stripers a week ago on the Sacramento and Feather rivers.
Denis Peirce: Best fishing is in lakes

Feb 14, 2025 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The recent week of heavy rain has left us with little visibility in our rivers. The Lower Yuba has been high and dirty, having peaked at over 22,000 cfs last week. It has dropped to 6,000 cfs range by the middle of this week. The best bets for fishing are selected lakes in the north state. For local anglers Bullard’s Bar is a good choice. Bullard’s is at a lower elevation than Grass Valley and it has a lot of green water to fish. Bullard’s water temp is in the high 40’s.
Denis Peirce: Good fishing weather

Jan 24, 2025 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The recent streak of good weather has provided the stability that is an important ingredient to good fishing. Frequent storm fronts separated by brief periods of sunshine are tough conditions for fish to establish a predictable pattern. Early in January Colin and I spent an afternoon on Englebright. The rains had only let up a few days before. The first thing we noted when launching our boat was how low the lake level was. Normally the lake moves up and down 4 to 5 feet over a 24 hour day.
Denis Peirce: Sunny & warm January

Jan 10, 2025 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

Many if not most years we get a stretch of warm days in January. I can delude myself into thinking that the worst of winter weather is behind us. But it is just Mother Nature teasing us with a hint of spring to keep us from leaving for the desert. Even if this is just a head fake, it does not preclude us from getting outdoors to enjoy a sunny few days after the rain we recently endured. The best fishing is probably to be found at Bullard’s Bar.
Denis Peirce: Bullard's Bar for winter fishing

Nov 29, 2024 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The recent week of rain was a taste of winter that officially arrives in 3 weeks with the shortest day of the year. After a week of indoor confinement I needed to find a place to get out on the water. With chain control in effect for Donner Pass I didn’t want to head up the hill. The best option seemed to be Bullard’s Bar which is actually a bit lower than Grass Valley. It takes a long time for deep reservoirs to cool off from the heat of summer and the lake is at 57 degrees still.
Denis Peirce: Rain rain rain

Nov 22, 2024 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The second half of this week has been duck hunting weather. The wind and low cloud ceiling in the valley keeps the ducks on the move and flying at low altitudes. The missing ingredient is good numbers of ducks in the north state. The determining factor is the weather in the Pacific Northwest. As long as the ponds and small waters in Washington and Oregon are not frozen over, the birds stay up there and feed.