BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): The road is now open, there are a lot of people going up there, but I've had no fishing reports. Not much fishing activity in this area due to the Death Ride on Saturday.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jim Reid of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707) (at 11 a.m.): Excellent fishing for fly fishermen and bait fishermen. Trollers are doing OK. A 6-pound, 15-ounce rainbow, yesterday (Tuesday), from shore with a brand of Power Bait. Lots of nice fish in the 2-4 pound class.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Randy Picton of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677): "The lake has stabilized at full capacity. The fish are back to normal feeding grounds and fishing is very good to excellent.
Bait guys using nightcrawlers or floating bait in Buckeye Bay and Rainbow Point.
Trolling is still very good from the Marina north to the dam (4 to 15 feet under the surface, flashers with nightcrawlers or black/silver Rapala or Thomas Buoyant lures.
Fly guys having a ball with Nymphs, perch streamers, and Midges. Nothing huge coming in but many limits of the usual 1 to 2 1/2 pounders."
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Joe Hawley reported that on July 8, he, Steve Baxter and Nick Cornoa caught and released 40 nice rainbow trout. The average was 2 pounds and the largest was 3.5 pounds.
CARSON RIVERS AND NEARBY WATERS, CALIF:
West Carson River: Dave Kirby: The river is in excellent shape, right now. On July 5, Tom Busse and Tim Sorenson, both of Minden, caught a 4.75 pound rainbow, a 4.5 pound rainbow, a 3.5 pound brown and a 2 pound brown, all on nightcrawlers.
Alpine Lake: Will be stocked by Alpine County this week.
Silver Creek: Don Reasons of Carson City caught a 7-pound (27 1/2 inch) rainbow on July 6 on a No. 14 hook with three red Salmon eggs.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Lots of thunder and lightning strikes on Saturday afternoon. A lightning-caused forest fire, north of Jenkins Point, on the west side of the lake was quickly brought under control by the U.S.F.S.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448): Oroville to Yuba City: 2, 500 CFS water release. Fishing slow, low water levels playing a huge factor. Catching a few salmon at the outlet. Feather River will improve when water rises.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Fishing has been a challenge this past week, but everyone is catching at least one or two. Trollers are doing great off Lunker Point. Use lead core line (3 colors) with a gold/red dot Panther/Martin lure. Catfish are showing up all around the lake but are especially plentiful at Crystal Point.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market (Closed on Mondays) at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): Lot of water, lots of fish and we got mosquitoes. If you come out here, bring your bug spray. The water is starting to go down. The fishermen are still catching limits of white bass and wipers. The first person to bring in a 5+ pound Walleye will get a free T-shirt, here at the store.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs/Hank Mautz (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Fishing has really picked up for wild rainbow trout from 1-3 pounds with occasional hog of 4-6 pounds. Redding to Anderson has been most productive water. Side drifting Glo Bugs with a small piece of roe has been best bet. Best colors have been light egg patterns tied on No. 6 or 8 hooks. Back trolling small Hot Shot 50's in silver or gold color patterns has also produced wild rainbows. Anglers can expect multiple hook-ups to be common with 15 to 25 fish days being reported. Shad fishing from Red Bluff to Chico has really picked up in the last couple of days with 20 to 30 hook-ups being reported.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550: Not much fishing with all of the jet skis and the water skiers. The shore fishermen are catching some fish on the southwest corner with nightcrawlers. Boats are anchoring where the river comes in and fishing with nightcrawlers or Chartreuse Power Bait. The North end has been real quiet.
TWIN LAKES, CALIF: Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 6-pound, 12-ounce rainbow on a nightcrawler, a 6-pound, 7-ounce rainbow on a worm and a 5-pound, 5-ounce rainbow on a Kastmaster lure. Lots of stringers caught from shore on worms or rainbow Power Bait. Red/gold Thomas Buoyants still the hot lure.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort: DF&G has done a great job so far this summer and fishing can't get any better. Worms have been the number bait for the week, followed by Power Worms in glitter orange. Don't expect that to last more than a day or so, fish are similar to women, a bit on the fickle side. Hot lures have been red/gold Thomas Buoyant, red fire-stripe Hot Shot, Cyclops, a small gold Kastmaster, and a few Spin-A-Lures in gold with red dots. Fly line addicts have been using the VLR special Matuka, Spruce flies, chocolate Mosquitoes, regular California Mosquitoes, Zug Bugs, Griffith's Gnats, and of course all the wonderful light and bright Woolly Buggers (light blue/white, yellow/orange, dark chocolate and burgundy). It's all working.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Jim Reid reported:
East Walker: Running at 520 CFS and fishing really well. May flies and Midges are doing great.
West Walker: Running between 700 and 90000 CFS. Starting to pick up for lures like Panther/Martin.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "It is a delightful 51 degrees (9 a.m. on Monday). Our weather has been beautiful. The fishing is excellent, even better than last week. They are catching lots of 4-pound "Stuff" from both shore and boats. The reservoir is still full.