Conditions are beginning to change up here.  The ice is on the decline and open water is becoming more reliable.  Boat traffic is still very light and there is cold weather and snow in the forecast.

I've been fishing the east basin and pulling in a few rainbow trout.  I've had success pulling speedy shiners from 7' to 15' near the dam at about 2.2mph.  The water temperature is hanging around 36 degrees.    I've also caught a couple good fish on plugs in the A-Frame area above rec1.  The fish are scattered, bait is difficult to find, well, ok, non existent.  The days, in general, are warming.  The snow is in retreat.  Except for a forecast next week of heavy snow, it feels as if spring is in the air- Kind of.  It's still quite cold.  It's shortly after noon here at my desk and the temperature just clicked to 32 degrees today under partly sunny skies.

I understand highway 70 is still blocked by debris.  I heard highway 32 was closed for a period yesterday when a tractor trailer wrecked.  Highway 36 from Red Bluff has been pretty reliable this winter.  It's definitely time to start thinking about getting on the water.  In the same breath, there's an argument it's just a little bit early yet too.  I'm looking forward to warmer weather and stronger bite in the coming weeks.