BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484):
Intake No. 2: DF&G continues to stock heavily.
Power Bait and Sierra Gold are bringing out lots of limits.
Float tubers are having a ball with Mosquito or Matuka flies.
North Lake: Has been good with nightcrawlers and with grasshoppers/natural Stingers.
Fly and bobber users are doing very well with olive Matuka or Woolly Bugger flies.
South Lake: DF&G and Alpers continue to stock and the results are fine.
Best results are trolling deep (about 35 feet) with a RipN' Minnow or a rainbow, jointed Rapala lure.
Weir Pond: A 4-pound, 15-ounce rainbow on a Mini Jig.
Bishop Creek: A 2-pound, 5-ounce rainbow on a nightcrawler and a 1-pound, 3-ounce rainbow on a Roostertail lure.
Panther/Martin and yellow Roostertail lures have been very effective. Power Bait has been great.
Backcountry: No report.
BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425):
Sabrina Lake: Fishing during the first of the week proved most fruitful, but most anglers need a bit more patience over the weekend.
Not sure if it was the bright moon during the night, warm weather, the threat of thunderstorms or the wearing of bug repellent and sunscreen, but the bite was a bit off.
The trollers using flashers and a worm did well as did pulling a red throat olive Matuka fly or just a swivel, split-shot and a worm.
The inlets are still the place to fish.
Eggs, worms or Power Bait was the ticket this week.
The drifters were having some luck using the same bait as the angler at the inlets.
DF&G stocked the lake Monday with pan-size fish and a few fish tipping the scales at 2-pounds.
A couple of larger fish were caught this week, one tipped the scales at 2-1/4 pounds, plus a nice 3-1/2 Rainbow and a 3-3/4 pounder.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930):
Upper and Lower Blue Lakes: Lots of mosquitoes.
Produced some limits from shore on inflated worms.
Lower Blue Lake: Water is being pulled down.
Upper Blue Lake: Is full.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Rick Giser of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707): Still doing excellent.
Mostly out of boats that are stillfishing with either bait or small Woolly Bugger or blood Midge flies.
They are catching rainbows averaging 2-2.5 pounds and running up to 5 pounds.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jeffry Wenger of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677) (website www.bridgeportreservoir.com) reported: "As of Aug. 1, we are still experiencing a very consistent season. Water levels peaked about a week ago and the lake is just starting to go down a bit. Good news for shore fisher people, though as accessibility is better.
Power Bait (orange, 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 along the West shore late in the evening.
Fly fishing is happening, just in case you haven't heard!
Try indicator techniques using Midges in the afternoon, size 18 or 20, at Buckeye Bay.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Brad Davis at the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): "Alpine County plants on Fridays and the State plants on Tuesday.
We had a heck of a week, it was unbelievable.
We've had "wall to wall" fishermen and they've been catching some nice fish.
Last weekend was our busiest weekend of the year. We were swamped.
On July 30, while fishing with a nightcrawler, Dion Hill of Somerset, Calif. caught a rainbow that weighed 10-pound, 3-ounce (after it was gutted!).
In addition, there was a 6-pound, 3-ounce rainbow on Power Bait on the 23rd, a 6-pound rainbow on a Panther/Martin lure on the 24th and a 5-pound, 9-ounce rainbow on a Panther/Martin on the 23rd."
East Carson River: Dave Kirby reported that Cari Adamson of Carson City caught a 7.5 pound rainbow on a little Roostertail lure on Saturday.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported a 7-pound rainbow taken on Salmon eggs by Robert Shaw of Carson City on Sunday, and a 6-pound rainbow taken on a small Kastmaster lure on Saturday by a fisherman from Elk Grove, Calif.
In addition, Girish Pandit of Carson City caught a 5.5 pound rainbow on 4-pound test line with Power Bait on Sunday.
FEATHER RIVER AT ORVILLE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported: Water is at 3,500 CFS. Picking up a few King Salmon. Using gold Flatfish lures and bouncing roe.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): "Fishing has been great this week.
Many reports of limits.
Use nightcrawlers, Power Bait.
Bank fish with worms or marshmallows floated off the bottom.
Any time of day is OK.
Turkey Point has Catfish one day, trout the next.
Troll deep through the Narrows.
GREEN CREEK, CALIF: Rick Giser reported that the mosquitoes are really fierce! Bring repellent.
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: Doug Busey of Douglas County reported seeing a fisherman walk past, with a gold Kastmaster lure hanging down from his cheek.
KIRMAN (AKA CARMEN) LAKE, CALIF: Rick Giser said that he has had reports of 8-10 fish per rod per fly fisherman using 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).
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) reported:
Redding to Anderson: Water flows at 12,500 CFS.
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 is off to a slow start this year.
This is expected change say Fish & Wildlife biologists, as there is said to be one million salmon returning to the river this year.
At any time, we are expecting the fishing to change from fair to fantastic.
Starting to pick up a few salmon now.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported catching nice King Salmon (2-6 pounds) and a few rainbows. Fishing is great. 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 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.
On Sunday, 13 clients caught and kept about 18-19 Macks (up to about 5 pounds) and released about 13.
We even got checked by the game warden.
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're catching lots of fish, but nothing super big.
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 - 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."
Note: Cave Rock Landing was planted with 9,000 rainbow trout on July 26.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550) reported, " it's really quiet out here, fishing-wise.
There are a few fish being caught, here and there, but not enough to talk about.
Not a lot of fishermen any more due to the swarms and swarms of water skiers and jet skis.
The water is up and warm.
TWIN LAKES, CALIF:
Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071) (Ask for the boat house): A 4-pound, 14-ounce rainbow on a custom Woolly Bugger fly and a 4.25 pound rainbow on rainbow Power Bait.
Rainbow Power Bait still hot from shore and boats as are nightcrawlers.
Lower Twin Lake: Steve Lightfoot of Douglas County fished all day from shore and caught one trout.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort:
Weather once again has taken over the Eastern Sierra scene.
Light shows have lit up the sky for the last couple nights.
Fly fishing has been good with a lot of standard dries taking hits and turning up some nice Brook Trout.
Streamers have also been producing for those tube-kickers that like to back pedal dragging a streamer in front of them.
Lures have brought in a lot of DFG Brooders again this week: Top of the list are Brass/Fire 1/4 ounce Hot Shot, Red/Gold 1/6 ounce Thomas Buoyant and silver Cripple.
Inflated worms on the bottom have got more hits than top water.
The latest surprise to take over the top spot is salmon eggs, and the trout are nuts for them especially with a drop of anise.
Berkeley strike has also been a good attractant over the past couple weeks.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Rick Giser reported good fishing on ant and mosquito flies.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Rick Giser reported:
East Walker: Good fishing for 18-22 inch rainbows. Having to work for the fish but well worth the effort.
West Walker: Is running at about 250 CFS and is not quite low enough for dry flies.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: It's been down to 35 degrees at night. We are getting up into the 80's during the day.
We had rain on Friday and Saturday and that really knocked down the fire danger.
The reservoir is full but not many fishermen.
Fishing has been a little slow due to the full moon that we just had and the warm daytime weather.
