By Don Quilici
BLUE LAKES, CALIF. AREA: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): "No fishing report for Blue Lakes. It is a gorgeous day today, The temperature is 62 degrees already (Monday morning).
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Rick Giser of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707) reported that the reservoir is ice-free. The season will open on April 30.
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that some ice fishermen went up there and got blow out by the wind. They went back the next day and did not do well. They told him that there is still some six feet of ice on the lake.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Is reporting that there is some open water showing near the bridge. They are busy as bees, getting ready for the Opening Day of the fishing season on April 30.
CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF: Is reported to be ice-free. The season will open on April 30.
FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS, NEV: Elmer Bull of the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) reported the fishing is still rated as slow. One fishermen caught six bass in one hour. He was using a yellow-colored plastic tube with tentacles. One cat fisherman had two fish.
HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV: Elmer Bull reported that the fishing has been up and down. It has been very inconsistent. Two fly fishermen in float tubes fished there last week. One did very good and the other did not.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR. CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that they are still waiting to do the first trout plant of the season. It will depend on the weather and the condition of the road.
On the 5th and the 6th, Mark Franzi of Markleeville caught a 4.5 and a 4.75 pound rainbow, both on nightcrawlers.
On the 6th, Russ Wickwire of Woodfords caught a 6.75 pound rainbow on a Kastmaster lure.
Summit Lake (Above Indian Creek Reservoir): Ken Baldwin, a fly fisherman from Reno, said that he took his float tube into the lake but did not get any rises. He is not sure that there are any fish left in the lake.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750) reported: "The weather on Saturday was cold and windy. On Sunday, the weather was beautiful.
There have been some 3-4 pound Walleye caught on minnows at Beach No. 6.
They are catching Catfish on chicken liver at Beaches 8-10-12.
Be sure to stay on the designated roads to avoid getting stuck in the sand.
And, right now, we have lots of pretty butterflies out here."
NORTH POND, NEV: Last Thursday afternoon, NDOW planted an estimated 500 Blue Gill in the pond, which is located on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area. The fish (some of which are record-book size) were obtained at a private hatchery near Chico, Calif., earlier that same day. The cost of the operation was partly funded by the Ormsby Sportsmen's Association (OSA) of Carson City. Attending the plant were Norm Budden, Jack Cooke and Bob McCulloch of OSA. NDOW has long-range plans that the Crappie population will increase and then serve as a food source for the pond's Bass.
PARDEE RESERVOIR, CALIF: Don Reasons of Carson City reported that his fishing partners caught 23 trout, up to 2 pounds, in three days of fishing. They were in a boat and stillfished where the Mokelumne River flows into the reservoir. They used Power Bait and nightcrawlers.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Doug Ouellette at the Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113) reported: "I went there a few times in the last couple of days and did OK. I was catching a couple an hour. They were nice fish, running 22-25 inches. The evening hours are still the best time to fish.
The fly fishermen have been using black or purple Woolly Bugger, Woolly Worm or foam Popcorn Beetle flies.
The spincasters are using the usual TOR-P-DO type lures.
The boaters are trolling with Lyman, Apex or U-20 lures.
The jiggers are jigging with Gibb's Minnows or Maribou Jigs."
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Andy Moore reported that his fishing party trolled on Sunday. They fished with Needlefish or TOR-P-DO lures in the Warrior Point area. They caught and released a large number of Cutthroat, up to 25 inches.
RED LAKE CALIF: Dave Kirby said that the lake is still frozen but he has not had any fishing reports from the ice fishermen.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) reported: Same as last week:
Redding to Anderson: Water release is 3,700 CFS and steady.
Fishing, rain or shine!
Fly fishing for rainbows is excellent. HOT!
Catching and releasing at least 20 fish a day.
This river is producing nice, wild rainbows, 2-5 pounds.
Drifting from Redding to Anderson.
Using No. 14 or No. 16 olive and brown Pheasant tail flies.
Also Caddis and Micro May Fly patterns working well.
Opening day of King Salmon fishing will be July 16.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero had the same report as last week: They are picking up some nice rainbows and King Salmon (1-3 pounds). Fishing is fair. 60-80 feet deep, trolling with Shad pattern lures.
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 tagging and releasing the smaller ones.
We're catching nice fish but nothing super big.
I am trolling the deep-water area in front of Carnelian Bay and King's Beach with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades with live minnows or large Apex lures."
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:
Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): "Cal Neva Point and Agate Bay continue to be pretty much the same.
We are trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 250-300 feet, along the edges of the drop-offs."
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: "Fishing continues to be good to very good, dependent on the day.
Last Thursday, Eugene Kim of Sacramento caught a 14-pound, 11-ounce (35 inch) Mack in front of Camp Richardson.
We are trolling 140-260 feet deep with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows.
Ski Run Mound has been good for jigging with 2-ounce White Star or Squid Jigs tipped with a minnow."
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: "Fishing on the Cave Rock Shelf has been slow to very good, dependent on the day.
We are trolling silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at a depth of 160-280 feet.
Toplining has also been good, dependent on the day, for mostly Mackinaw and a few rainbows.
The Topliners are trolling in 10-20 feet of water with silver/black, No. 11 Rapala lures or No. 9 Count Down Rapala lures.
The shore fishermen at the landing are picking up mostly rainbows and an occasional brown."
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields at Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550 reported, "It's a beautiful day today (Tuesday) and the last couple of days. We have had a lot of people out here fishing. There were some 3-pounders caught last weekend.
The best fishing has been for those boats trolling in the top 5 feet of water with silver flasher blades and either Needlefish lures or nightcrawlers. There have been some also caught with Rapala lures. The fishing has been good, all over the lake. The shore fishermen seem to be mostly down on the south end of the lake. The lake level is about the same, the river has slowed down with the cooler weather."
TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: Doug Ouellette said that the river is clear and really looks fishable, right now. That can change almost daily, once the Spring runoff starts.
WALKER LAKE, NEV: Gene Phelps of Carson City reported that his fishing partners fished the far south end of the lake, last week.. The fishing was very slow with only a couple of trout being caught.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR NEV: Mike at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472 said, "Dennis (Dunn) is at the doctor's this morning (Monday). He is down sick with that nasty flu that is going around.
The ice is coming off the reservoir (it's about 40 percent open) and there are lots of places, now, where you can fish from shore.
The whole south end and all of the inlets are open, but there is still not enough open water for boats. It will probably be another couple of weeks, because there is still plenty of ice, out toward the middle.
The shore fishermen have been doing very good on nice-sized rainbows.
Nightcrawlers and fluorescent Marshmallows are working well, also fluorescent red spinners and spoons."
