BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484):
Intake No. 2: Has been very busy with a lot of anglers lining the shore.
Fishing has been good with Power Bait and some action on Salmon eggs.
North Lake: Mainly using Lemon Twist Power Bait.
Silver colors seem to do well with Thomas Buoyant, Roostertail and Super Duper lures.
South Lake: DF&G stockers are at about 6-8 colors on lead core line and have been falling for frog-colored Needlefish or silver Super Duper or Thomas Buoyant lures.
Shore fishing has been OK with Power Bait or nightcrawlers.
Weir Pond: No report.
Bishop Creek: Fishing has been good with nightcrawlers or Power Bait.
A 5-pound, 12-ounce rainbow on Salmon eggs and a 3-pound, 13-ounce rainbow on a cricket.
Backcountry: The weather and mosquitoes remain heavy.
BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425) reported:
Sabrina Lake: "They took anything and everything I threw at them. I could have put a piece of bubble gum on my hook and they would have taken that," remarked one angler after getting his pan-size limit of fish in two hours.
DF&G stocked the lake Tuesday with pan-size fish and a few fish tipping the scales at 2-pounds.
A 6-pound rainbow on a nightcrawlers back at the inlet.
The best lures for the week were the red/gold Thomas Buoyant, gold Phoebe, or use flashers and a worm or a No. 5 Tiger Shark Rapala.
At the inlets, the hot ticket was a Grasshopper jig tipped with a meal worm or a worm just floating in the current.
Rainbow Power Bait was the color of the week.
Worms and lures with a bit of red seemed to be working best, from the dam.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930):
Upper Blue Lake: Mixed reports. Some success, but not nearly as good as Lower Blue.
Lower Blue Lake: Good reports. Three fishermen caught and released 17 fish (up to 1.5 pounds) on Saturday and then caught their limits on Sunday. They were using nightcrawlers.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Rick Giser of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707): It is excellent at Buckeye Bay for Midge, Damsel or Woolly Bugger flies or Power Bait or nightcrawlers.
Some boaters are anchored and using Thomas Buoyant lures.
They are catching rainbows averaging 2-2.5 pounds and running up to 4-6 pounds.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jeffry Wenger of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677) reported: "As of Aug. 15th, we are still experiencing a very consistent season.
Water levels peaked about ten days ago and the lake is just starting to go down a bit.
Good news for shore fisher people as accessibility is better.
Try by the dam early in the morning or late in the evening.
Nightcrawlers and Power Bait (orange, green or rainbow), or lures is still the way to go in Buckeye Bay, Rainbow Point or off the Marina.
Average fish between 13 and 20 inches.
Fly fishing is still happening.
Try indicator techniques using midges, size 18 or 20 at Buckeye Bay. Mini- leeches or damsel patterns with a medium sink in 4-7 feet of water.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): "Water is perfect and the fishing is spectacular.
We have wall to wall fish in the river.
On Friday, Kevin Simonson of Napa caught a 5.5 pound rainbow on worms.
On Monday, Randy Lopez of Incline Village caught a 7.5 pound rainbow on a Panther/Martin lure.
Also on Monday, Anthony Battuone of Daily City caught a 6-pound rainbow on Salmon eggs.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported it was outstanding over the weekend due to the conditions of the water (low and clear).
An 8-pound rainbow taken on Friday on a nightcrawler by Pat Reddick of Minden.
A 7.5 pound rainbow caught on Sunday on a 1/8 ounce Mepps spinner by Courtney Faulkner of South Lake Tahoe.
Limits reported of small fish.
FEATHER RIVER AT ORVILLE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported: Water is at 3,500 CFS. Slow fishing for King Salmon. Water is low.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): "Slow, but limits of rainbows caught mostly on worms.
The Catfish situation is this: Can't keep them off the hook!
Troll deep or cast off the bank to deep water.
Keep bait off the bottom, use bobbers.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that the water was murky, dirty and warm over the weekend.
KIRMAN (AKA CARMEN) LAKE, CALIF: Rick Giser said he fished it the other day and got skunked.
The water is really green with lots of algae.
He recommends not fishing it until cooler weather.
Note: This lake is about a 2 mile hike from the Sonora Pass Highway (S. R. 108).
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): "The best catch of the week was the large motorhome that snagged and tore out our phone line at the store. We were without a phone for two days.
Last Thursday, there was a 13-pound Walleye caught on a minnow from shore at Beach No. 10.
Beach 10 and 12 have been great for Walleye all summer.
The reservoir water level is finally beginning to drop."
RED LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that it was quiet with a few fishermen.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) reported:
Redding to Anderson: Water flows at 10,000 CFS.
Rainbow Trout:
Fly fishing for rainbow trout is awesome.
Catching and releasing many nice rainbows, 2-6 pounds.
Using No. 14 or No. 16 Pheasant tail flies.
Micro May Fly patterns were working well.
Spin fishing is good with Glo Bugs and Crickets for trout and Shad.
Great bug hatch now.
King Salmon:
Is improving. Fishing is fair. Some days better than others, with increasing numbers of Salmon passing over the Red Bluff Diversion Dam. Over 400 fish passed yesterday (Sunday).
Catching some nice Kings in the Corning area, using Flatfish lures and bouncing roe,
Salmon are 15-30 pounds, bright-colored.
SILVER LAKE, CALIF: Linda Thorbjornson at Kay's Silver Lake Resort (209-258-8598): "There have been some nice rainbows caught recently.
Mostly from boats trolling with silver flasher blades and nightcrawlers.
A 7-pound rainbow on a flasher and worm (Aug. 12) and another 7-pound rainbow on a Rapala lure with a worm (Aug. 14).
Shore fishing has also been good.
If you come up here, put your food in a bear box.
The bears are making the rounds from the campground to the private cabins.
They are ripping doors off cars to get to food.
We have rental cabins here at the lodge.
Kit Carson Lodge has excellent gourmet dinners and Sunday brunch.
Plasses Resort has breakfast, lunch and dinner."
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported catching nice King Salmon (2-6 pounds) and a few rainbows. Fishing is great, 80 feet deep, trolling with Shad pattern lures. Fishing the Digger Bay area.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:
Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462): "The fishing has been excellent on every trip. We've been catching our Mackinaw trout early in the morning and tagging and releasing the smaller ones.
We're catching lots of fish, but nothing super big.
The other morning, we caught and released 20 Macks in 3 hours!
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): "The Tahoe City Shelf, Agate Bay, Cal Neva Point and Dollar Point have all been excellent, early in the morning.
It's slower in the afternoons.
We're catching lots of fish, with easy limits.
We are trolling for Macks with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 100-250 feet, along the edges of the drop-offs."
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: "Fishing is good.
Best places have been Ski Run Mound and Camp Richardson.
We are trolling 150-250 feet deep with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows."
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore:
Gene St. Denis: "Fishing has been good.
We are trolling silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at a depth of 150-250 feet.
Working the Cave Rock Shelf for Macks. Most are 1-4 pounds."
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550) reported, "It's about the same as last week: It's still slow, out here, fishing-wise.
They are not catching any limits, only 1-2 fish for the whole day.
Those fish are being caught on worms at the south end.
Not a lot of fishermen due to "tons" of water skiers and jet skis."
Note: Topaz Lake will close for 2005 fishing on Sept. 30.
TWIN LAKES, CALIF:
Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071) (Ask for the boat house): Reports of small browns being picked up with Mosquito flies in the early morning.
A 5-pound, 13-ounce rainbow on orange Power Bait, a 5-pound, 10-ounce rainbow on a rainbow Rapala lure and a 5-pound, 2-ounce rainbow on nightcrawlers.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort:
August has been a great month for fishing overall for both Little Virginia and Big Virginia, even with the double stock (two weeks worth) and no plant last week.
Number one lure is the red/gold Thomas Buoyant.
Power Worms are starting to take over this past week.
Salmon eggs have also done well on the bottom, on a small egg hook.
Streams are doing good on lures and salmon eggs.
Red Lake has been productive with small brookies taken on flies, along with Blue Lake.
Cooney and Frogs are starting to slow down due to heavy traffic. Some nice aerial-stocked rainbows are coming out, mainly on olive Elk Hair Caddis flies, and worms.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Rick Giser reported:
East Walker: Water flow is 288 CFS, just perfect.
Lots of rainbows over 20 inches.
Using Nymphs, right on the bottom.
A 6.75 pound rainbow on a Rapala lure.
West Walker: Water flow is 112 CFS.
Has picked up with dry flies such as Grasshoppers and Coachmen.
Little Walker: No report.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "Skeeter" from Las Vegas caught and released 50-60 trout over the last 3-4 days. He was using Lemon Twist Power Bait or nightcrawlers.
Two guys trolling yesterday (Sunday) really hammered them with Flatfish lures.
My gas pumps should be back up in operation in a couple of days (they were struck by lightning).
Our gas is going to be $3.50 a gallon.
