BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): "We just finished a 15 minute snowstorm and now the sun is shining (Monday morning). It has been really quiet, all the fishermen are staying home."
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that an ice fisherman told him that there is more than 5 feet of ice on the lake.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs/Hank Mautz (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Fishing for chrome bright salmon averaging 8-15 pounds near Oroville has been slow due to high releases. However, fishing in the low flow section above the Thermalito outlet has been hit or miss depending on flows. Back bouncing or trolling sardine wrapped K-16/K-15 Kwikfish in silver/chartreuse or gold/chartreuse have produced best results.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): The road around Frenchman is clear now, so access to the boat ramps is good. Although, most people seem to be fishing from shore at the dam or at Lunker Point.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Doug Busey reported that both roads to the reservoir are free of snow, the reservoir is ice-free, the BLM day-use area and the boat ramp are both open to use by the public.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market (Closed on Mondays) at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): "The lake is really full and the Spring run-off hasn't even started yet. There are practically no beaches left. Parts of Beach No. 7 are under water. At the Day Use area, the water is almost up to the picnic tables. There were all kinds of fishermen out there on Saturday but no one checked back with us.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Doug Ouellette at The Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113): The lake is hot! We fished last Thursday out of a Boston Whaler near the South Nets. We anchored in 10-12 feet of water and caught nice fish (a 8.5 pounder, two over 7 pounds and a bunch of 6-pounders). We were using Shooting Heads and a Copper Head."
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Don Hettrick and Don Quilici, both of Carson City, and Rich Bachle of Fernley reported "red-hot" fishing last Thursday. They caught/released more than 50 cutthroat trout (up to 22.5 inches) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Pelican Point area. They were trolling at 40 or 50 feet deep with Apex and TOR-P-DO lures.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448: Water flows are 40,000 CFS. Fishing is on hold due to high water flows.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero: Catching beautiful salmon, from 50 - 100 feet, using shad pattern lures. Trolling around Dry Creek Arm producing nice salmon. Catching a few salmon around the Little Back Bone area.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): "The Mackinaw fishing has been good to excellent, between storms. We have been trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 110-290 feet. I've been fishing Dollar Point, Homewood and Sugar Pine Point."
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: "Water temperature is 39 degrees and the fish are lethargic. I've been trolling at places like Ski Run Mound, Ski Run Shelf and Camp Richardson. We have been trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550: "We had another tournament last weekend. The biggest fish was 2-pounds, 9-ounces. Boats were doing best at the south end with flashers and nightcrawlers, rather than with Rapala lures. There was no action at the north end. Shore fishing has been pretty quiet."
TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: Doug at the Gilly: "The Truckee River will be no good for about another 3-4 weeks."
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Linda at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "If you want to ice fish, you will have to swim out to the ice. The reservoir now has about 20-30 feet of open water around the edges. It's sunny right now (Monday morning) but we got 4 inches of snow last night.
We are going to start a series of weekly fishing contests in May."