BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): "No humans up here (Woodfords Station). I've been outside shoveling 15 inches of "Partly Cloudy" from yesterday (Monday). We also lost our electricity most of yesterday.
In 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, my rain gauge at the store measured 6.25 inches of rain. I think that is a record for Woodfords. I had to sandbag the back of the store, and ended up mopping up about 25 gallons of water that came in, before I did all of the sandbagging.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Andy at The Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113): "Bring your fish in to the store to be registered and photographed for a drawing at the end of the season for a fly fishing rod and reel combo worth more than $800."
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Hank Mautz of Professional Guide Services (800) 355-3113 or www.davejocobsfishing.com: "Due to heavy rains during the Christmas/New Year's holiday week, Salmon fishing for late fall-run King Salmon has been unfishable due to extremely high water conditions.
Most likely, there will not be anymore Salmon fishing on the Sacramento River before the closure of January 15th. There is a slight possibility if the rains diminish in the near future and rains discontinue for 4-5 days.
Anglers should be prepared to fish high water due to increased river releases from Keswick Dam. River releases from Keswick Dam have been fluctuating between 15,000 and 40,000 C.F.S. and could even go higher due to flood control activities.
SILVER LAKE, CALIF: Linda Thorbjornson at Kay's Silver Lake Resort (209-258-8598): The sun is shining finally, and we have a couple of feet of new snow (Tuesday morning). I think that lake is frozen over, but I can't tell due to the snow. It has been super quiet, up here. Yesterday, the road (S.R. 88) was closed all day due to avalanche control.
SMITH RIVER, CALIF: Hank Mautz: "Anglers in hot pursuit of chrome Smith River Steelhead from 8 to 16 pounds can expect unfishable river conditions, currently.
As of Friday evening, Dec. 30, the Smith River crested at over 32 feet at the 101 Bridge. Anglers looking to fish from a drift boat can expect favorable river conditions, possibly by Wednesday or Thursday, Jan. 4 or 5.
Bank anglers pursuing Smith River Steelhead should be able to locate fish in any of the three forks or the main stem Smith River as soon as the river begins to drop into bank fishable conditions.
High water bank anglers should note side drifting roe and a "Quickie" or yarn and a Quickie can produce nice Steelhead. Be sure to make your cast in close, because in high muddy conditions, most of your Steelhead travel in 1 to 4 foot of water.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:
Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462): "The fishing has been reasonably good, whenever I can get out. We have been catching our Mackinaw trout early in the morning. Tagging and releasing the smaller ones.
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 lake came up over a foot, last week.
We were without power for three days and it finally came on, last night (Monday). It was like camping, but in our house.
We had the fireplace for heat, used a Coleman camping stove for cooking and used lanterns and flashlights for lighting.
When we could get out, we have been trolling for Macks with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 150-280 feet, along the edges of the drop-offs.
I'm on my way down to the Cave Rock Landing to plow off the ramp for State Parks."
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: "Fishing has been all the way from poor to excellent, dependent on the day, at Ski Run Mound, Ski Run Shelf and Camp Richardson. We have been trolling 150-300 feet deep with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows.
I've only seen a couple of other boats, and they were jigging at Ski Run Mound."
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore:
Gene St. Denis: "Slow fishing. Toplining has dropped out and not been that good lately.
The shore fishermen have been picking up 4-7 pound rainbows from the Cave Rock Landing, but it is a long wait in between fish.
TOPAZ LAKE: Opened Jan. 1.
That first day and Monday were both was on the quiet side (fishing-wise) due to very bad weather conditions.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Linda at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "Dennis (Dunn) went to town, so I'll give you the fishing report.
The sun is shining (Tuesday morning), but it snowed all day yesterday. I haven't seen anyone today, except for the mail lady.
We have about 5 inches of snow and there are 10-12 inches of hard ice on the reservoir.
The other day, some guy caught 50 Perch, all by himself. One of the Perch was 11.5 inches, which is huge for Wildhorse.
The trout are in shallow water (2-6 feet) and the perch are down about 15-20 feet.
Fish with small, white-colored, lead-head jigs with a plastic tail, together with a tiny piece of worm, mealworm or cocktail shrimp on the hook.
Drop that combination down to the bottom, bring it up about 1-2 turns on the reel handle and slowly jig, up and down."
