A $100 rainbow troutSunday at Topaz Lake

By Don Quilici

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) said, "It's pretty nice up here at Woodfords (Monday afternoon). I've sold a couple of fishing licenses but have not had any reports back on fishing."

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530) 993-4683 said, "We've had reports that the ice at the dam is about 3-5 inches thick. We've also heard that the ice is beginning to pull away from the shore in some spots.

So, please be careful.

No word on conditions around the rest of Frenchman. You still need a 4WD and chains if you want to get past the dam."

LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain of Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750) said, "The weather today (Monday morning) is clear but chilly.

It you're coming out here be sure to bundle up.

The water level at the reservoir is rising due to the storms.

The two best places to fish at the present time are either at the mouth of the river or at the dam."

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: A representative of the Pyramid Lake Store (775-476-0555) said, "It hasn't been too good due to the cold weather, which really slowed down the fishing. In fact, it is really slow right now.

There are a few fish being caught, up to about 8-10 pounds, mainly from Sutcliffe to Popcorn.

The Block House is where most of the shore fishermen seem to be going. It's been crowded there.

George Molino (Pyramid Lake Charters) went out yesterday (Sunday), and they had 7 hook-ups and they kept two keepers."

RED LAKE, CALIF: See today's column by Don Quilici.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing in Redding (800-670-4448) said:

Anderson: "The king salmon season closed on Wednesday, Jan. 14 and will reopen on July 16.

Redding to Anderson: Fishing for rainbow trout is fair."

SMITH RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported catching Steelhead trout with 2-4 fish days.

Bouncing roe, drifting from Hiouchi to J.S. Park.

Prime time for big Steelhead is Feb. and March.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462) said: "The fishing has been good.

We've been catching 12-15 Macks, up to about 8-9 pounds, per trip. I've been tagging and releasing the smaller ones.

We're trolling early mornings at 250-550 feet deep in front of Carnelian Bay and King's Beach.

I've been using silver, Herring Dodger flasher blades with live minnows or large Apex lures.

I'll be gone for the next two weeks, manning my booth at both the Sacramento and the San Francisco Sport Shows."

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552) reported: "Fishing at Dollar Point and Cal-Neva Point has been slow.

When we fish, we troll at 180-280 feet deep with silver flasher blades and live minnows."

LAKE TAHOE - South Shore:

Gene St. Denis said, "This is the best place for Mackinaw trout fishing at all of Lake Tahoe right now. The best locations are in front of Camp Richardson, Ski Run Blvd. and Edgewood.

I'm trolling at a depth of 160-220 feet with silver flasher blades and live minnows.

Your best bet is at a depth of 160-180, either trolling or jigging."

LAKE TAHOE - East Shore:

Gene St. Denis said, "The boat ramp at Cave Rock is the best place on the entire lake to launch your boat at the present time.

Make sure that you have 4WD with snow tires when launching your boat because of icy conditions on that ramp.

Fishing in this area is best at Skyland Point and on the Cave Rock Shelf. You'll get Macks, up to 4-5 pounds.

Troll that area at a depth of 180-220 with silver flasher blades and live minnows.

TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550) said, "The weather is nice and the fish are biting.

It's taking about a half-day to catch your limit, right now.

The shore fishing is best either on the southwest or the north side of the lake.

Boaters are doing best out toward the middle. They are toplining in the top 10 feet of water with either Perch-colored or Rainbow-colored, Broken-Back Rapala lures.

Yesterday (Sunday), Herb Simmons of Minden caught a 3-pound, 5.75 ounce rainbow trout that was tagged. It was worth $100 for him. There was also a 3-pounder caught on a nightcrawler by a shore fisherman on the southwest shore."

WALKER LAKE, NEV: An unidentified angler reported that shore fishing was very slow.

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775-758-6472) said, "It's beautiful, but pretty cold, up here, right now (Monday noon). It's only 11 above and we went down to -15 degrees last night.

I really don't know how thick the ice is but I can tell you that it is at least a foot thick, if not more.

We've got a bunch of snowmobilers and ice fishermen up, and they are having a ball.

The snowmobiles are running all over the countryside and all over the reservoir.

The ice fishermen are catching lots of perch and trout, mostly in front of the state park.

The perch are running all the way from 3 inches to 12 inches. The trout are running up to 18-19 inches.

The fishermen have been jigging with white, yellow or Chartreuse, plastic jigs with the hook tipped with either a piece of worm or a piece of corn.

Send your ice fishermen up here and they will have a blast."