• BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484):
North Lake: Has been good with nightcrawlers and Salmon eggs.
Intake No. 2: Has been a great spot for float tubers using olive Matuka or Woolly Bugger flies. Lots of limits.
South Lake: Fishing slowed down a bit this week. Most are catching fish but really having to work.
Weir Pond: No report.
Bishop Creek: Running very fast and the fishing has been getting increasingly difficult.
A 2-pound, 9 ounce rainbow on a nightcrawler and a 1-pound, 9-ounce rainbow on yellow Power Bait.
Backcountry: Hikers reporting better trails and less snow. Bring repellent!
• BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425):
Sabrina Lake: What a week - three stockings! A surprise stocking from Calif. DF&G of 450 pounds of brown trout, another regular stocking of 500 pounds of Rainbows and a stocking of Alpers.
Even with all the stockings and hold-over fish from last year, fishing was a tad on the slow side possibly due to the warm weather and full moon.
Those anglers with a bit of patience and know-how had no problems bringing in limits.
A 4.25 pound Rainbow at the inlet on yellow eggs, a 4.75 pounder on Power Bait, Zachary Woodfield of Las Vegas lured a 5 pound Alpers onto a Trout Trap at the inlet.
A few limits were caught using worms off the bottom or just trolling.
For bait fisherman, Salmon eggs, Lemon Twist or Rainbow or Salmon/Peach Power Bait, worms and Perch Pattern Trout Traps tipped with a mealworm were working best at the inlets.
Trollers were using Red/Gold Thomas Buoyant lures, Olive Woolly Buggers, olive Red Throat Matukas, along with flashers and a worm.
• BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930):
Upper and Lower Blue Lakes: Produced limits on inflated worms from shore.
Tamarack Lake: Was pretty good for brookies and some cutthroat taken on nightcrawlers.
• BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Doug Busey of Douglas County reported that one angler caught a limit of rainbows on brown Power Bait in one hour at Lower Blue Lake.
• BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Rick Giser of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707): Fishing has been excellent, mostly out of boats. They are hammering them at Buckeye Bay. It is quiet from shore. The water is pretty green with growth but not bad where the water is coming into the reservoir.
• BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jeffry Wenger of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677) reported: "Record water levels, many big fish and lots of food are the story here. We are still experiencing a very consistent season.
Power Bait (green or rainbow), or lures is the way to go in Buckeye Bay, Rainbow Point or off the Marina.
Average fish between 13 and 20 inches.
Some trolling is working despite that nasty grass around your hooks.
Also try a floating Rapala lure along the West shore late in the evening.
Fly fishing is still on! 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 Is going off."
• CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey reported the fishing was outstanding on Saturday.
He and Steve Lightfoot fished there on Sunday, and only got one bite between the two of them.
He said that Caples was planted last week with 5,000 pounds of brookies and 2,000 browns (weighing about 2.25 pounds each).
• CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Brad Davis at the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): "The river dropped about a foot over the weekend but still running a little fast.
We weighed in several big ones in the last few days.
A 6-pounder on a Panther/Martin lure, north of the resort, on July 24, a 6-pound, 3-ounce rainbow on Power Bait on the 23rd and a 5-pound, 9-ounce rainbow on a Panther/Martin lure, also on the 23rd.
The state just planted so the fishing should be good this weekend.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported Roger Benson of Gardnerville caught a 10.5 pound rainbow on a blue plastic minnow on Saturday and an 11-pound rainbow on Sunday on an orange plastic minnow.
In addition, Kumar Vellore of Carson City caught a 7-pound rainbow on Saturday morning. This was only his fourth time fishing. He was using a Panther/Martin lure with 8-pound test line. It took 25 minutes to land the trout. He was accompanied by Girish Pandit of the Nevada Appeal.
Also, a 6 pound rainbow was taken on Saturday by Toby Kallista of Pacifica, Calif. on Captain America Power Bait.
• CATNIP RESERVOIR, NEV: The 2005 season will open on Sept. 1.
• FEATHER RIVER AT ORVILLE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported: Water is at 4,000 CFS. Slow fishing for King Salmon. Not many fish in the river at this time. Using gold Flatfish lures and bouncing roe.
• FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): "Troll deep with nightcrawlers behind flashers.
Fishing is good, if you can get deep.
14-16 inch fish are sizes caught on the average limit.
Catfish are at the shallow spots at the north end of the lake. Good fishing, if you like them."
• GREEN CREEK, CALIF: Rick Giser reported that the mosquitoes are really fierce! Bring repellent.
• HEENAN LAKE, CALIF: Opens on the Friday before Labor Day each year (Sept. 2, 2005).
• HOBART RESERVOIR, NEV: All access by way of Ash Canyon is restricted due to logging work on-going in that area.
• INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported fishing has been "iffy" due to the conditions of the water. The surface temp was reported to be 78 degrees, so go deep. The shore fishermen are struggling to catch any fish.
• Summit Lake (Above Indian Creek Reservoir): Not good. Only about 5-6 feet of water remaining. Tried to plant fish in there, but they died due to the low water conditions.
• KIRMAN (AKA CARMEN) LAKE, CALIF: Rick Giser said that he has had good reports of 9-10 fish days by fly fishermen using Woolly Buggers or Mini Leach patterns. The Brookies are averaging about 17 inches (about 3 pounds).
Note: This lake is about a 2 mile hike from the Sonora Pass Highway (S. R. 108).
• PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Closed to Lahontan cutthroat trout fishing until Oct. 1.
• RED LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey reported that it was planted with 1/4-3/4 pound brookies this week.
• SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) reported:
Redding to Anderson: Water flows at 14,000 CFS, perfect for drifting.
Rainbow Trout:
Fly fishing for rainbow trout is fantastic.
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:
King Salmon are slowly making their way upriver, the season off to a slow start , but give it a couple weeks and salmon should be here in larger numbers. The salmon run is said to be the best in years, twice the number of salmon this year expected to return to the area.
• SILVER LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey reported that it was recently planted with 6,000 browns.
• SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported catching nice King Salmon (2-6 pounds) and large rainbows. Fishing is excellent. 80-100 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 very good 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 nice fish, up to about 10 pounds, 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): "Agate Bay, Cal Neva Point and Dollar Point have been good to excellent, early in the morning.
We are trolling for Macks with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 110-300 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 - South Shore: Doug Busey: Kokanee salmon fishing is picking up between the Tahoe Keys and Cascade. They are reported to be 30-50 feet deep.
• 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 is slowing down. Not much action due to the hot weather and the time of year. Not much fishing going on due to all of the jet skis and water skiers. Lots of them, all over.
• TOPAZ LAKE: Doug Busey reported that Kenny Wagoner of South Lake Tahoe caught a 6.13 pound rainbow, while stillfishing from a boat.
• TWIN LAKES, CALIF:
• Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071) (Ask for the boat house): Nice stringers coming in on nightcrawlers and Power Bait.
A 4-pound, 9-ounce rainbow on a red-throat Matuka fly, a 4-pound, 2-ounce rainbow on a gold Kastmaster lure and a 3-pound, 4-ounce rainbow on Sierra Gold.
• VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Rick Giser reported good fishing on ant and mosquito flies.
• WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Rick Giser reported:
East Walker: The flow is 435 CFS. The fly fishermen are hooking fish with Caddis or Midge flies on the bottom.
West Walker: It is down to 3000 CFS today (Tuesday). Water is clearing up and they are catching fish on lures, baits and wet flies.
Little Walker: Dropping and clearing.
• WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: The weather has been beautiful. It was 40 degrees this morning (Monday). We are getting up into the high 80's during the day.
Fishing has been pretty good, but a little slow due to the full moon that we just had.
Business has been a little slow, but that is probably because of the hot weather that everyone else is having.
They are catching some nice-sized trout (2-3 pounds). They are catching rainbows, bowcutts, cutbows and browns.
