BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): "Saturday, we got 8 inches of what the weatherman called Partly Cloudy. Today (Monday) it's trying to rain. Not too many humans up here. Mostly winter recreationalists and no fishermen. We keep smiling and waiting for good weather. It has to arrive, sooner or later."
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Bank fishing has been good at the dam and at Lunker Point. Most fishermen are using nightcrawlers but many are getting good results with green or rainbow glitter Power Bait. Boats can be put in at Lunker Point.
HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull reported, "A fly fisherman, who fishes there about 1-2 times a week, caught 10 fish in 4 hours, last week. He fishes from shore with brass-colored Beadhead with a size No. 14 hook about 5 feet down from his strike indicator. His trout were 8-14 inches and he also caught 3 Largemouth Bass, the biggest was 16 inches.
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. Some fishermen are out there and they are catching some small Walleye and Catfish. There are lots of fish jumping at Beach No. 11. Parts of Beach No. 7 are under water. At the Day Use area, the water is almost up to the picnic tables."
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store and Pyramid Lake Charters (775-476-0555): "The fishing has been incredible! Everyone has been catching fish from shore and boats. Last Wednesday, I had four guys from Riverside, Calif. When they had caught and released a total of 100 fish, we quit for the day! Their largest fish was 22 inches. We were in 25 feet of water and using Apex and Kastmaster lures. That was my best day, ever. Three guys in another boat caught and released about 50 fish. On March 26, an 8-pounder from shore. On March 30, a 6-pound, 3-ounce from shore. On April 2, a 10-pound, 10-ounce from a boat.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Andy at the Gilly, "Fishing has been outstanding in the late afternoons for fly fishermen using Popcorn Beetle flies at The Nets. The cutthroat are running up to 5-8 pounds. Yesterday, a fly fisherman caught and released 50 fish between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Another fly fishermen caught and released 28 after 1 p.m. If you're planning to go out there, sleep in and go in the afternoons."
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448: Water flows are currently at 22,000 CFS. We are fishing as weather allows. Have been drifting the Redding to Anderson stretch for wild rainbows.
Fly fishing has been good. Practicing all "catch and release." Fishing the slower water and producing many nice rainbows.
Producing 15 fish days.
Fly fishing, using No. 14 or No 16 Prince nymphs, No. 16 Micro Mayfly nymphs and Fox's Poopahs.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero: Catching beautiful salmon, from 50 - 100 feet, using shad pattern lures. Trolling around Dry Creek Arm producing nice salmon. Also catching a few salmon around the Little Back Bone area of Lake Shasta.
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. I'm 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 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): "Sunday's weather was real bad and we did not go out. The Mackinaw fishing has been good to excellent, between storms. When the wind lets us get out, 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: "The 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. Our largest fish last week was a 31-inch Mackinaw, caught at Camp Richardson."
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: "The fish are beginning to move toward the south end of the lake because of the Spring run-off from the Truckee River. The rainbow and brown fishing is good to excellent at places like Deadman's Point and Logan Shoals. Last week, the largest brown was 24 inches. Toplining has been good with large F-18 Rapala lures. We caught a 6-pound Mack in 25 feet of water. I was told Cave Rock will be getting a new dock by the end of the month."
TOPAZ LAKE: Linda Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775) 266-3550: "The weather is nice today (Monday). We've got a big tournament under way right now. There are a total of 73 fishermen, mostly from the Auburn, Calif., area. That tournament started Sunday and ends today. They have caught lots of 2-pounders, but nothing larger.. Most of the fish have been caught from boats at the south end, near the mouth of the river. That end of the lake was also loaded with shore fishermen, over the weekend."
TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: Andy at the Gilly: "The Truckee is blown out again from all of the bad weather."
WALKER LAKE, NEV: Don and Elaine Quilici of Carson City fished in their chest waders at the far south end of the lake on Sunday, between 8 a.m. and noon. They caught a total of 8 cutthroat, up to 18 inches, while spincasting with rainbow-colored TOR-P-DO lures. They reported fishing was very slow after 10 a.m., the weather was breezy and very cold and there was moss in the water.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining and the temperature is 42 degrees (Monday). We still have about 18-20 inches of ice, but there is some open water showing around the edges. The creeks are running pretty good and the lake has come up about 6 feet. You might even be able to fish from shore in some spots by the end of the week."