LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: Andy at The Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113): Fishing was awesome over the weekend for all kinds of Smallmouth Bass and rainbow trout, up to 20 inches.
BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484):
Intake No. 2: Continues to be the best fishing, especially for the kids. Stingers and Mini-Jigs have been awesome.
North Lake: Road is still closed due to snow but the walk is easy. Good results with Salmon eggs, Power Bait or silver/blue Thomas Buoyant lures.
South Lake: Fishing is pretty good with nightcrawlers or Power Bait. Lots of beautiful fish but not much size.
Bishop Creek: A 6-pound, 12-ounce rainbow on a Trout Teaser and a 6-pound, 12-ounce rainbow on a Blue Fox spinner.
BISHOP, CALIF. Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425):
Sabrina Lake: Fishing this week was quite an adventure with snow, rain, wind and temperatures in the 20s. For those fishermen that got out in the weather, fishing was GREAT. Lots of pan size fish, along with a couple of larger fish. Claudio Seraffi of Varese, Italy (one of the dam workers) landed a beautiful 7 pound (26-inch) rainbow on a piece of shrimp (of all things). A nice 3-1/4 pound trout on a nightcrawler in the small creek between the two natural lakes. The lake is still low, so some walking is still needed.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): "Saturday morning, we had blizzard conditions for about two hours. A lot of folks packed up and went back home."
BLUE LAKES, NEV: Opens June 10. Closes Nov. 15.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jim Reid of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707) (at 11 a.m.): "The reservoir is still doing excellent, both from shore and from boats. We had a 7.5 pound rainbow on a Rapala lure from shore and an 8-pound brown on a Hot Shot lure, checked in, here at the store. The fish are hitting on just about everything. The reservoir is very full.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Randy Picton of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677): Fishing continued to be good to excellent during the week with many limits. Mixed bags of rainbows and browns (mostly 1-3 pounds), trolling or stillfishing with nightcrawlers, Power Bait and Velveeta cheese. Friday and Saturday were busts because of the nasty weather. Sunday and Monday were picture perfect with very good fishing, nice calm weather and a lot of stockers showing up including some very nice cutthroats at 16 inches. We have seen a few perch, picked up trolling, up to 3-pounds, 2-ounces. A lot of folks believe that the next Calif. state record (3-10) will come out of Bridgeport Reservoir.
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey of Douglas reported that the ice is now off the lake, except for the area from the resort to the spillway.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported, "The river is running at just over 300 CFS (Tuesday morning). On Monday, Jeff Gliever of Carson City caught a 4-pound rainbow on a nightcrawler. On Monday, Jason Guinn of Gardnerville caught a 3-pound brown on a green Kastmaster lure.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Andy at The Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks (358-6113): Fishing is still slow except for those fishermen trolling large rainbow-colored Rapala lures to catch Northern Pike.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448): River is at 3,000 CFS. King Salmon starting to arrive. Catching nice Kings, 15-pound average, very chrome in color. Fishing is up and down. Using Flatfish lures T-50's, yellow & silver. Some days better than others.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs/Hank Mautz (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113) or (530-365-8140):
Salmon water flows near Gridley have dropped to 3,000 CFS, which has made for much tougher fishing conditions. Anglers looking for chrome bright salmon averaging 8-16 pounds can expect a tougher bite due to the lower flows. Sardine wrapped K-15 Kwikfish lures have been best bet early in the morning with a better roe bite later in the day. Salmon averaging 12-18 pounds from Oroville to the town of Gridley. Some larger Salmon in the 30-35 pound class, the two largest were 33 and 36 pounds.
Striper fishing near Yuba City has begun to slow down with best action downstream below Boyds Pump. Drifting minnows or fishing pile worms from anchor have been best bet.
Shad fishing has really picked up from Oroville to Gridley. Averaging 1-3 pounds, with the occasional 4+ pound being reported.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported a 5-pound rainbow was caught on Sunday with a black Woolly Bugger fly.
KIRMAN (AKA CARMEN) LAKE, CALIF: Jim Reid said a couple of anglers reported they did pretty good on cutthroat and one brookie trout.
Note: This lake is about a 2 mile hike from the Sonora Pass Highway (S. R. 108).
KNOTT CREEK RESERVOIR, NEV: Opens June 10.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain at Burke's Market (Closed on Mondays) at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): "The weekend weather was miserable and very windy and the lake was so high there was hardly any place to camp, Some of the people pulled out and went home, where they could stay warm and take a hot shower."
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Don and Tracee Hettrick and Don Quilici, all of Carson City, caught and released more than 20 bass last Thursday, while trolling orange colored Rapala or Flatfish lures. In another boat, Norm Budden and Bob "Slick" McCulloch, both of Carson City, only caught two small fish for the entire day.
ONION VALLEY RESERVOIR, NEV: Opens June 10.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Rich Bachle of Fernley fished from shore last week on Tuesday near Pelican Point. He caught and released 7 cutthroat, all over 20 inches, with two at 24 inches.
RED LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey of Douglas reported that the ice is now off the lake.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448): Water flows are 14,000 CFS.
Drifting the Redding to Anderson stretch for wild rainbows.
Fishing is good, catching lots of fish.
Fly fishing, using Prince nymphs, Pheasant Tails and egg patterns.
Spinfishing, using Flatfish lures.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Dave Jacobs/Hank Mautz (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113) or (530-365-8140: Trout fishing near the town of Redding has continued to be most productive for wild rainbows averaging 1-3 pounds, with the occasional 4+ pounder. Side-drifting Glo Bugs with a small piece of roe has continued to be the hot ticket to catch these wild rainbows. Light egg colored Glo Bugs have been best bet. Anglers can expect multiple hookups and best action early in the morning and late in the evening.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero: Catching beautiful landlocked King Salmon, from 35 to 80 feet, using shad pattern lures. Trolling around the Dam area and Dry Creek Arm. Hot fishing, lots of action. Limits. Monday, produced limits of Salmon for 5 anglers. Catching rainbows on the surface (0-35 feet) in the Dry Creek Arm.
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, 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): "We have been trolling at 120-280 feet with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows at depths of 110-290 feet. I've been fishing Agate Bay, Dollar 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.
TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV:
Truckee River: Andy at the Gilly's reported that the river is flowing way too fast and it is blown out. Need to wait for about two more weeks.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort: The lakes are still covered with ice, especially Big Virginia, only the inlet and outlets have water showing. It will be the last to break up probably around mid June. Little Virginia has about 1/5 water showing at inlet and outlets. Trumbull lake has 3 large areas of water to fish, but anglers will have to walk over snow to get to the lake. Not much fishing has gone on, as people are still in awe of the 6 foot wall of snow in the parking lot, and would be artists are making a name for themselves in the wall.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Jim Reid reported:
East Walker: They dropped the flow down to 570 CFS and it should be a "Killer" today (Tuesday) for the fly fishermen.
West Walker: Is over 2,000 CFS and blown out. High and muddy. Should be a couple of weeks before it is fishable.
Little Walker: High, fast and muddy.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: "It's nippy, up here. It was 26 degrees last night (Sunday). The fishing is excellent for rainbows and cutbows, up to 6 pounds, in the Owyhee River, just below the dam. The Catfish are just starting to move into Hendricks Creek."