A 4.5 pound catfish at Lahontan Reservoir

By Don Quilici

BLUE LAKES, CALIF. AREA: No report. Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) is on vacation in Seattle.

FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS, NEV: Elmer Bull of the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) reported the fishing is rated as slow, overall. One party of four fishermen reported catching only one catfish and one bass.

The better fishing is on the east side of the ponds.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): There is not a lot of change in conditions this week. We are waiting for the ice to go off. Call for updates.

HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV: Elmer Bull reported that Rich Ellington, retired from NDOW, caught and released 22 fish in five hours, last week. He was fishing with a size No. 14, black, bead-head Midge fly with a strike indicator and letting the fly sink 3-6 feet.

Other fishermen were having success with either small Nymph flies or Kastmaster lures.

There are some brooder stock rainbows in the 2-33 pound class that were recently planted from Gallegher Hatchery near Ely.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR. CALIF: Terie of the Woodfords Station reported that most of the ice is off the reservoir.

Doug Busey of Douglas Count reported the ice should be completely gone, sometime this week. He fished there on Friday and caught two 3-pounders.

In addition, on Saturday, a father with his young daughter caught and released a 4-5 pound rainbow.

LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750) reported: "Everybody must be playing hooky today (Monday). There are a lot of fishermen out here.

They have been catching white and channel catfish off Beach No. 10.

The fishermen are using chicken liver, the stinker the better.

We had a channel catfish come in last week that was about 4.5 pounds.

There are some crappie being caught at Virginia Beach.

Tell the fishermen that Missy wants to see their catches, so we can take pictures.

NORTH PONDS, NEV: Elmer Bull reported that there is not much action as the fish seem to be eating an ample supply of bugs.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Doug Ouellette at the Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113) reported: "Now, that the guy caught the 24-pounder, everybody and his brother is out there, fishing.

The fly fishermen are using black Woolly Bugger, Woolly Worm or foam Beetle flies.

The spincasters are using the usual TOR-P-DO type lures. The best colors seem to be Chartreuse or Frog.

The boaters are trolling with Lyman, Apex or U-20 lures.

The jiggers are jigging with Gibb's Minnows or Maribou Jigs."

SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) said:

Redding to Anderson: Water release is 3,700 CFS and steady.

Fly fishing for rainbows is excellent.

Catching and releasing 25 fish a day.

This river is producing some nice rainbows.

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 reported they are picking up some nice rainbows (1-3 pounds). Fishing is fair. Starting to see some King Salmon 60-80 feet deep. Trolling with Shad pattern lures.

SMITH RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported that the Smith is really low and clear.

Due to the lack of water, he has moved to the Sacramento River for wild rainbows, until getting much needed rain.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462) said: "The other morning we caught a total of 10 but nothing big.

We've been catching our Mackinaw trout early in the morning and tagging and releasing the smaller ones.

We're catching nice fish but we're not catching anything super big.

I troll in 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 have both been medium-to-good for Mackinaw trout.

The Macks are averaging 4-6 pounds.

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: "Ski Run Shelf continues to be good-to-excellent for Macks.

We are trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at a depth of 200-300 feet.

Most of the fish are running 3-6 pounds.

The Mackinaw are stuffed full of shrimp.

Ski Run Mound has also been good for jigging with 2-ounce White Star or Squid Jigs tipped with a minnow."

LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: " Toplining has been medium-to-excellent, dependent on the day, for mostly Mackinaw and a few rainbows.

They are toplining in 20-40 feet of water with silver/black, No. 11 Rapala lures or No. 9 Count Down Rapala lures.

Fishing has been good for Macks on the Cave Rock Shelf, when trolling silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at a depth of 160-280 feet."

TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields at Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550 reported, "The fishing has really picked up, but nothing super big has been caught.

The boaters are catching and releasing limits of rainbows, and then some.

They are trolling in the top 10 feet of water with either black/silver or black/gold Rapala lures.

Shore fishing has not been as good as for the boaters, but some shore fishermen are catching limits, mostly with orange Power Bait.

The best action seems to be on the southwest side of the lake."

TOPAZ LAKE: Andy Moore of Carson City reported that he trolled on Sunday and got "skunked."

WALKER LAKE, NEV: Gene Phelps of Carson City reported that fishing was slow last week. His three-member fishing party caught a total of six cutthroat trout.

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472 said, "The weather is absolutely beautiful in the daytime and very cold at night.

The ice is holding at about 20-24 inches thick.

The fishermen are coming in with sunburns and fish.

The best fishing is toward the dam, from the island. It couldn't be any better than it is, right now.

They are catching rainbow trout in the 3-4 pound class (up to 22 inches) and the Perch are 5-13 inches.

The fishermen are using small plastic jigs with worms or Power bait or Power Bait with a piece of worm."