BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): "Between the cold, wet, snow and wind, it has been pretty miserable up here. It's gotten so old, that I'm not even thinking about it anymore. I haven't seen a human in a long time. I have not sold a fishing license in a month of Sundays. The only ones having fun, right now, are the snowmobilers."
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey of Douglas County reported that the Caples Lake resort reported that in a 16-day period, they received 16 feet of snow. There has been a lot of wind, which has blown much of the snow off the ice on the lake. People are ice fishing by the spillway.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Andy at The Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113): Nothing to report due to the weather. I would suspect that the ice if forming, again, along the edges.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Fishing continues to be good. Lots of limits are being reported. Rainbows 16-18 inches. Most people are fishing at or near the dam. Float nightcrawlers off the bottom. Fish are close to shore. Streams open April 29 with the exception of the Middle Fork of the feather River from the Railroad Bridge in Beckworth to the Mohawk Bridge in Blairsden, that area will open April 1.
FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull of NDOW reported, "We got about 2-3 inches of snow last night (Monday). Not a whole going on, right now. Not very fishermen due to the weather.
HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull reported, "Had a spincaster check in, and he caught some small fish with a gold Kastmaster lure, nothing big.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market (Closed on Mondays) at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): "We have about 2-3 inches of snow on the ground this morning (Tuesday). I hardly doubt that anyone will be going fishing today. The lake is full and then some. Last Saturday, we actually had some people camping overnight. It's getting to be that time of the year. If anyone does come out here fishing, remember to tell them that we are running a weekly contest for the biggest fish. Catch a nice fish, bring it in, tell us some fish stories, and we'll take your picture. If yours is the biggest fish of the week, it will win a nice prize."
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store and Pyramid Lake Charters (775-476-0555): "Fishing has been pretty good. There are some guys out there, today (Tuesday), fishing from shore, even though we got about 5 inches of snow last night.
On the 18th, we weighed a 7.5 pounder caught from shore and on the 19th, we weighed an 8-pounder caught from a boat.
Yesterday (Monday), a fly fisherman at "The Nets" caught and released 27 fish.
When the wind lets you stay out there, the trolling has been good. On Sunday, we caught and released 14, with the biggest being 22.5 inches."
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Andy at the Gilly, "Pyramid is doing good for fly fishermen using black, brown or green Popcorn Beetle flies. Nothing super big, but they are catching Cutts up to 8-9 pounds. Remember to ring your fish in to be registered and photographed for a drawing at the end of the season for a fly fishing rod and reel combo worth more than $800."
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448: Water flows are currently at 25,500 CFS.
We are fishing as the weather allows.
Have been drifting the Redding to Anderson stretch for wild rainbows.
Fishing is fair to good.
Practicing all "catch and release."
Fishing the slower water during these slightly higher flows.
Fly fishing, using No. 14 or No 16 Prince nymphs, No. 16 Micro Mayfly nymphs and Fox's Poopahs.
King Salmon opens July 16 on the Sacramento River.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero: Still a little cold, but picking up a few trout near the surface around the McCloud Arm.
Watch for fishing to heat up, April and May.
Houseboaters, take advantage of our boat-to-boat service. We'll pick you up right from your houseboat!
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:
Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462): "The fishing has been good, when we can get out.
We have been getting our Mackinaw trout early in the morning, and tagging and releasing the smaller ones.
We have been catching lots of fish, but nothing big.
I've been trolling 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): "Good fishing, when the weather lets us get out. We have been trolling for Macks with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 140-250 feet, your best depths. I've been fishing Agate Bay, Carnelian Bay and Sugar Pine Point. My largest fish of the week was a 34-inch Mack at Sugar Pine Point. We caught it at a depth of 150 feet."
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: "I've been trolling at places like Ski Run Mound, Ski Run Shelf and Camp Richardson. We have been trolling 180-300 feet deep with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows. On Friday, I caught a 31-inch (10-pound) Mack and a 27-inch (7-pound brown). Toplining has been poor to excellent, dependent on the day.
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: "I cleared the snow off the ramp again on Friday. The shore fishing has slowed down at Cave Rock Landing. They are getting an occasional Mack."
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550: "The boats have been catching limits in about a half-day, but nothing big. There have been a few fish, up to 2 pounds. They are trolling in the top 10 feet of the water, down the middle of the lake, with Rapala lures.. The shore fishermen are along the highway side, and they are using Power Bait.
TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: Andy at the Gilly: "The Truckee is running a little fast but the water color is beautiful. It should be good fishing for the fly fishermen."
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "It's the first day of Spring (Monday) and it's still cold! We got down to about -2 degrees, last night.
We now have 3 feet of ice on the reservoir.
The ice fishermen are catching lots of perch and some very nice trout.
The trout are about 6-8 feet below the ice and the perch are down about 20-30 feet, on the bottom.
Fish for the trout with lures like Kastmaster or with nightcrawler and slowly jig, up and down.
Fish for the perch with small, white-colored, lead-head jigs with a plastic tail, together with a piece of worm, a mealworm, a cocktail shrimp or a party-sized marshmallow on the hook. Drop your combination down to the bottom, bring it up about 1-2 turns on the reel handle and slowly jig, up and down.
The best place is still near the island."