For anglers looking to catch freshwater redfish on Calaveras Lake, the news is good; if the reds aren’t biting, the catfish will be.
“If a cold front blows in, you can pretty much forget about the reds,” said Calaveras Lake guide Shawn Reese. “But there’s always catfish. It’s been fair; we’re still seeing some redfish, but it’s kind of day-to-day depending on the weather.”
As far as the catfish go, Reese said the channel cats are averaging 3 pounds. The best bait to use depends on a variety of factors.
“Cheesebait, shrimp or cut-bait; it all depends on how deep I’m fishing, and if it’s windy,” he said. “I’ve been catching them from 2 feet to 20 feet.”
Calaveras has been producing bigger fish than nearby Lake Braunig, according to Reese.
“There’s days I catch big redfish, and days I resort to catfishing,” he said. “I’m always considering the weather. If there’s a cold front I won’t even go, but as it stays cold I’ll go after catfish.”
Capt. Shawn Reese, (210) 288-4972.
