By Don Quilici
• BISHOP CREEK AREA, CALIF:
Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484): "Well, our year is now over. With the weather we have closed the boat ramp and Parchers Resort early. Bishop Creek Lodge closed on October 31, as scheduled. The fishing was great, the weather co-operated through most of the summer, and most of our visitors have taken home memories to be cherished for years to come. We are now snowed in and starting our winter maintenance.
• BLUE LAKES, CALIF. AREA: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) said, "It is raining up here, this morning (Monday).
There were no fishing reports for this last weekend.
The county has closed the gate across the road for the winter."
• BLUE LAKES, NEV: No report. Will close on Nov. 15.
• BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: A representative of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760) 932-7707 said that there are a few die-hard fishermen left at this time of the year, who are fishing from shore.
• CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby said that the lake is getting ice along the edges.
Doug Busey of Douglas County reported 10-12 fishermen by the spillway on Sunday.
• CATNIP RESERVOIR IN NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY: No report. Will close on Nov. 15.
• CONVICT LAKE, CALIF:
David DeSurra of the Convict Lake Resort (800) 992-2260 reported the annual Convict Lake Fall Derby runs through Nov. 15 with over $5,000 in prizes.
Susie Greilich at Kittridge Sporting Goods Store in Mammoth (760) 934-7566 reported a 7.6 pound Alpers Trophy Rainbow Trout caught on a brown fly.
• CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF: Susie Greilich reported that the Marina is closed.
Use artificial lures or flies with a barbless hook.
Limit is two fish over 18 inches long.
• FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Two Reno anglers caught their limits over the weekend at Big Cove. The total fish weight was 14 pounds. They were using nightcrawlers with Anise oil.
• INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR. CALIF: Dave Kirby reported: "There were about a dozen fishermen on Sunday with two of them reporting that they had each caught three fish with nightcrawlers and Power Bait.
The last fish plant of the year was on Sunday.
The plant was a mix of catchable and trophy size, including a couple of female rainbows that weighed 9 pounds.
The two 15 pounders that were planted earlier this year have still not been caught."
In addition, Doug Busey of Douglas County reported that Jessy Salas of Carson City caught a 2.5 pound rainbow on worms from shore.
• JUNE LAKE LOOP AREA, CALIF: Susie Greilich said:
Grant Lake: Road is closed.
Gull Lake: Use Power Worms.
June Lake: Use nightcrawlers.
Silver Lake: Road is closed.
Rush Creek: Road is closed.
• KIRMAN (CARMEN) LAKE: A representative of Ken's Sporting Goods Store said that one hardy angler did very well last week. If you go there, be prepared to hike (about a 2-mile hike) in snow, up to 2 feet deep, on the road.
• KNOTT CREEK RESERVOIR, NEV: No report. Will close on Nov. 15.
• MAMMOTH LAKES AREA, CALIF: Susie Greilich said:
The road to George Lake, Mamie Lake, Mary Lake and Twin Lakes is closed.
Hiking is required and you will probably have to break through the ice to fish.
Mammoth Creek: Use Salmon eggs.
• PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Andy Moore reported that he and Alan Iverson, both of Carson City, caught and released over 60 Cutts on Sunday.
Their largest fish was 24 inches.
They were trolling Flatfish and TOR-P-DO lures between Pelican Point and Warrior Point.
On Saturday, Moore trolled with Jim Swanson of Carson City.
They caught and released an estimated 25 Cutts in the area between Popcorn and Wino Beach.
• RED LAKE CALIF: Dave Kirby said that the lake is getting ice along the edges.
Doug Busey reported that the ice is creeping further and further out into the lake.
• SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) said:
Redding to Anderson: Water flow is 5,000 CFS.
Fly fishing for rainbow trout is good. Catching and releasing. Using Micro Mayfly. Fox's Pupahs, egg patterns and Glo Bugs.
Red Bluff: Catching nice King Salmon, 10-18 pounds.
Occasional 30-40 pound Salmon.
Catching fish every day.
Brought in a 35 and a 40 pound Salmon over the weekend.
Using Flatfish (T-50's & T-55's), and bouncing roe are best bet, both producing great Kings.
Watch for November and December to produce monster Kings, even larger.
Any rain will bring more fish into the area.
King salmon season will remain open until January 14, 2005.
• LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:
Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462) said: "We've been catching our Mackinaw trout early in the morning and I've been tagging and releasing the smaller ones.
I troll 250-550 feet deep in the deep-water area in front of Carnelian Bay and King's Beach.
We are using silver, Herring Dodger flasher blades with live minnows or large Apex lures."
Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552) said his clients have been getting a lot of smaller fish (averaging 3-5 pounds), with a late bite starting at about 10 a.m.
He trolls at Cal Neva Point, Agate Bay and Dollar Point.
He trolls 120-250 feet deep with a short leader, Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows.
• LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis reported that the best fishing is off Ski Run Shelf and in front of Camp Richardson.
Trolling 130-280 feet deep with Herring Dodger flasher blades with live minnows.
• LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis reported that the Mackinaw trout are smaller in this area (2-5 pounds).
Trolling 160-220 feet deep with silver flasher blades and minnows.
They are catching 10-14 inch rainbows from shore.
• VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF. AREA:
A representative of Ken's Sporting Goods Store reported that both Little Virginia Lake and Trumbull Lake are iced over with slushy ice.
Big Virginia is still open, but you need to walk in from the end of the pavement.
• WALKER LAKE, NEV: Don and Elaine Quilici fished in their chest waders on Sunday. They were spincasting with red-colored, NO. 2 TOR-P-DO lures and brought home three, 18-inch Cutthroat trout.
• WALKER RIVERS: A representative of Ken's Sporting Goods Store reported:
West Walker (Calif.): "I wouldn't waste my time because of the low water and no recent fish plants."
• WILDHORSE RESERVOIR NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472 said, "The weather is rainy, right now (Monday morning).
Heck, it only got down to 45 degrees last night. There is a little ice around the edges of the reservoir, but it is melting from the warm weather.
The fishing is good but we don't have very many fishermen.
Just about the only ones fishing right now are the elk hunters, who have been bringing out some nice bulls from Merritt Mountain or from above the Bruneau River.
• YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK AREA, CALIF: Susie Greilich reported that the road to Saddlebag Lake is closed.
