Blues Lake Road to open this Friday

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): The road is still closed, but I'm hoping that it will be open about mid-day on Friday, which is the traditional road opener. The back road (Forestdale Road) is still closed.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jim Reid of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707) (at 11 a.m.): "It's been windy and overcast. The fly fishing, yesterday (Tuesday), was tough due to the weather.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Randy Picton of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677): Water levels increased to about the max about a week ago. With the huge water level increase, the fish are on the move as the whole lake environment changes. Limits of 1-3 pounders, mostly on nightcrawlers or Power Bait. Trollers were spotty, but some success in the clearer water near the dam with nightcrawlers or Rapalas, about 18 inches behind "Gregs" flashers or "Dodgers." Fly fishers probably did the most consistent of all. Mainly close in to the marina along the weed beds and across the lake at Buckeye in the stream-flow.

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported Jason Krueger of Carson City caught a 4.5 pound rainbow and John Wayne of Minden caught a 4-pound brown.

CARSON RIVERS, CALIF: West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported Ike Bennett of Woodfords caught a 2.5 pound Cuttbow on a small lure. Curt Harmer of Carson City caught a 5-pound rainbow on Salmon eggs last weekend.

CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Michelle West of the Convict Lake Resort (800-992-2260): An 8.63 rainbow on a green Woolly Bugger fly from the south shore, a 7 pounder on a nightcrawler from the south shore and a 4.64 pounder on a perch-colored Thomas Buoyant lure at the Inlet.

FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448): King salmon fishing. Catching nice bright Kings over the weekend, 10-15 pound average.

FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs/Hank Mautz (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Anglers looking for salmon can expect much tougher fishing conditions with lower flows and high water temps. Currently, the flows near Gridley are 3,500 CFS, with water temps at or near 68 degrees. Many salmon have moved upstream in the low flow section, where flows are only 600 CFS, with much colder water temps of 58 degrees. Shad fishing has also slowed due to the high water temps as many shad have already spawned for the year.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that it is starting to get in its summer mode (moss and algae). You need to fish deep.

Summit Lake (above Indian Creek): Was planted and fish are being caught. Saturday, a fly fisherman caught and released a 5-pound rainbow on a Mosquito fly.

KINNEY RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported a fisherman told him the ice is completely off the water. He could see lots of fish, but they were not biting.

KIRMAN (AKA CARMEN) LAKE, CALIF: Jim Reid had a report of a fly fisherman in a float tube landing a 20-inch brookie and a couple of 18-19 inch Cutts. This lake is about a 2 mile hike from the Sonora Pass Highway (S. R. 108).

LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market (775-577-2750): The reservoir is full of water, but going down a little. There is still a lack of beach space. There was a 10-pound Walleye caught at beach No. 7.

RED LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey reported that on Sunday, he counted 38 vehicles, 4 boats, 2 float tubes and 1 raft. He caught a 3.14 pound (25 inches) cutthroat trout on Power Bait.

SILVER LAKE, CALIF: Joe Hawley and Steve Baxter of Carson City trolled with flasher blades and worms for 4.5 hours last Saturday. Baxter caught an 8-pound Mackinaw trout and Hawley got skunked.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462): "We have been getting our Mackinaw trout early in the morning. I'm tagging and releasing the smaller ones. We have been catching lots of fish, up to 5-6 pounds, but nothing big.

I've been trolling the deep-water area in front of Carnelian Bay and King's Beach with Herring Dodger flasher blades with 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): "Fishing has been good. We have been trolling at 180 feet with Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows. I've been fishing Cal-Neva Point and the Tahoe City Shelf.

LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: "I've been trolling at Ski Run Shelf and Camp Richardson. We have been trolling at 160-250 feet with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows.

LAKE TAHOE - SOUTH SHORE: Doug Busey reported that the Kokanee fishermen are doing good for "Kokes" in the 10-14 inch class.

LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: "Trolling has been slow to good for Macks, running 2-7 pounds. I'm trolling 150-250 feet deep with Dodgers and live minnows."

TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550: Not too bad. The fishing has been up and down. Catching some limits, but the fish are small (about a pound each). They are fishing on the bottom with inflated nightcrawlers from boats on the south end and from shore on the west side. Lots of water skiers and jet skis on the weekends.

TWIN LAKES, CALIF: Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 4-pound, 13-ounce rainbow on a Rapala lure and a 4-pound, 6-ounce rainbow on rainbow Power Bait.

VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort: "How do you define excellent, exceptional, outstanding, superb, tremendous? That's how the fishing has been for over 3 weeks now. The campground opened finally and has water. Both upper and lower primitive camping areas are open also. The past week, we've been weighing some nice 5 pound fish the entire week. DF&G stocked on Friday, and we got 500 pounds. The good thing is the snow is melting in this 70 + degree heat, and it's taking a lot of food into the water, fortunately the fish haven't been too finicky, they are just going deeper. The biggie of the week was 5-pounds, 5-ounces."

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Jim Reid reported:

East Walker: Running about 800 CFS. They are hooking fish but the fish are tough to land.

West Walker: Still running pretty high (1,700 CFS).

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "The weather is beautiful. It was 91 yesterday (Sunday) and 38 this morning. The reservoir is full and it is full of fish food. They are hammering the fish both from shore and boats. Everyone is limiting out on big fish. We had 10-12 people over the weekend with 5-pound trout. The Perch are averaging 8-9 inches. There was a 15+ pound Channel Catfish at Hendricks Creek. Fishing is also excellent in the Owyhee River, below the dam."