Fishing: Memorial Day weekend fishing report

Hello fellow anglers.

Memorial weekend is upon us and so will be the crowds.

Please use patience when you venture out to your favorite fishing hole. A few rules to remember: Boating safety is very important. Keep the alchohol at home to celebrate when you get there, or at your camp site. Also, depending on where you go, check the local fire restrictions. In designated camping areas, campfires are permitted.

But, outside of those areas, it is best to check with local authorities. Use caution when venturing into the backcountry with vehicles, as there are still wet areas that can be deceiving, which may put a damper on your outting. Now lets check out the fishing world.

NORTH LAKE TAHOE: Cal/Neva, Dollar and Sugarpine points are doing well for trollers using a dodger followed by a live minnow or a pointer minnow lure. Anglers have had best success in 40 to 240 feet of water. Average fish 2 to 6 pounds, with the exception of a 10-, 12- and a 15-pound mackinaw that was caught last week. J.K. Burt from Exeter, Calif., caught a nice 10.7-pound brown trout. For more information, call Gene St. Denis at Blue Ribbon Charters at (530) 544-6552.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE: With the high pressure moving back in this weekend, Rick Muller predicts the bite to be a good one. The Ski Run Shelf to the Nub has always been a good area to troll. If you want to drift a minnow, the Edgewood area has been good. Rick reported that jigging silver herrings or a lake star jig produced a few mackinaws in the 7- to 9-pound class. For more information, call the Sportsman at (530) 542-FISH.

CAPLES LAKE: The launch ramp and general store are open now from 7am to 7 pm. Last week a 16-pound mackinaw was caught and released. The brook and rainbow trout action has been fair for anglers using flashers and a worm near the Woods creek area and the spillway area. Shore aglers get up there early. The best bite has been at 5:30 to 8:00 a.m. For more information, call the Caples Lake Resort at (209) 258-8888. If no answer, listen to the updated weekly message.

RED LAKE: Last Sunday, Josh Busey and myself fished in the wind for 2.5 hours and only caught two small brook trout. This was true for everyone else fishing there. The lake is full and ice free. Best action was on a night crawler. As a note: at the far left end of the dam is a survey box. The CDFG is conducting a fishing survey, please fill one out and return it to the box.

BLUE LAKES: Acorrding to Alpine County, the road to upper and lower Blue will open today.

CARSON RIVERS: Both the east and west fork were running clear and perfect as of last Sunday. The Alpine County Fish Commision and the California Department of Fish and Game will be planting these rivers with pan-size to trophy-sized rainbow trout. Rhonda Roberts from Camino Heights, Calif. and Todd Sodaro from Markleevile caught and released over 16 trout last weekend in an hour. For more information, call the Carson River Resort at (877) 694-2229.

SILVER CREEK: Located up above the East Carson River, it was planted with catchable rainbow trout last week. Jesse Pelleriti from Tustin, Calif., caught his limit last Tuesday.

INDIAN CREEK RES.: Last Friday was picture perfect. I fished for five hours and kept one two-pound Rainbow trout.

It was a fly anglers paradise. Brown wooly buggers were the ticket. I went back Sunday and Josh and I got blown off the lake. Windian Creek owned up to its name. For more info on fly fishing call the Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters at (530) 542-8208.

TROUT CREEK, TAYLOR CREEK, AND THE UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER: Closed to fishing until July 1.

KINNEY RESERVOIR: Aproximately 20 miles past the Carson River Resort, this water body was planted by the California Department of Fish and Game this week. And yes, Monitor and Luther Pass are open.

TOPAZ LAKE: Few anglers have caught their limits , but had to work long and hard. Joe Buffo of Gardnerville caught a nice 3.14-pound rainbow. Joe was trolling flashers and a night crawler. Rick Hallert from Coleville caught a 6.6-pound largemouth bass while jigging a rapala. Unfortunately the fish was not released. I hope the lodge decides to mount it for everyone to see. Guess we'll see. For more info call the Topaz Marina at (775) 266-3550.

Good fishin and tight lines.

-- Doug Busey is The Record-Courier's fishing columnist. He can be reached at 267-9722.