LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: Andy at the Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks at 358-6113 reported: The trout are in the shallow water and the fishermen are toplining with green or rainbow-colored Needlefish lures. The bass fishing is awesome from the banks to about 25 feet deep.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): We had 1,000 "Leafers" (Fall color admirers) up here over the weekend. The weather was beautiful.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Randy Picton of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677): Bait and fly fishing is the real news here. Many limits last Saturday using GREEN floating bait of all things. Worms and nightcrawlers are still the mainstay. Trolling is so-so but still productive from the Marina to the dam. Try flashers with nightcrawlers, Rapalas, Thomas Buoyants, or Roostertails. Slow troll, 6 to 7 feet down. Fly fishers use any variety of streamer patterns. Perch are the best right now. Midgeing is always a sure hit. Get up into the channels.
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey of Douglas County reported that the fishermen are doing very good, and he reminds everyone that the boat ramp will close at the end of the month.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported:
East Carson River: Has been good for fly fishermen in the Trophy Section, but nothing real big.
West Carson River: Fishing has been tough due to the low water. Not a lot of fish caught.
HEENAN LAKE, CALIF: Will close on Sunday, Oct. 29.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that it is starting to get interesting, now. A 9.5 pound rainbow on Oct. 12 on rainbow Power Bait by Wayne Davis of Minden, and a 8.5 rainbow on Oct. 11 on red Power Bait by Justin Malley of South Lake Tahoe.
JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF: Steven Osterman reported: Some nice fish starting to show up in Grant Lake at the mouth of Rush Creek. Try Matukas, black or purple Woolly Buggers and Hale-Bopp Leeches. The flow in Rush Creek is 261 CFS. Try black ants and Royal Coachmen.
MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIF: Steven Osterman: Fly rodders casting purple Woolly Buggers, G's Catch 'em All and cinnamon Leechs have been scoring well in all the lakes. Also try a Stevie's Wonder under an indicator or hung in the film.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400 reported: The fishing continues to be very good. The Fish Sniffer Newspaper of California had over 100 fishermen here last weekend. The fishing continues to be good. The largest fish of the week was a 10-pounder (26.75 inches) caught by Steve Foley of Sparks, while trolling a Flatfish at Pelican Point. There were lots of 5-6-7-8 pounders caught by boats trolling at Pelican Point, Spider Point, Warrior Point, Monument Rocks, the North end and at the Marina.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Andy at the Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks at 358-6113 reported: The fly fishermen are doing well with Popcorn Beetles in "The Nets" area.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555 reported: The weekend fishing remained good, but the lake was crowded with all of the boat fishermen from the Fish Sniffer. The trollers were doing good at places like Pelican, Spider and Warrior. On our boat (Pyramid Lake Charters), we caught and released up to 40 fish, up to 7 pounds, on one trip. Colors did not seem to matter.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Don Hettrick and Don Quilici of Carson City caught and released 17 cutthroat, last Thursday morning. Their largest was 23 inches. They trolled between Pelican and Spider Points with Flatfish and TOR-P-DO lures.
RED LAKE, CALIF: Doug Busey reported that the fishermen are doing fair. They are shore fishing at the middle of the dam with bright-colored Power Bait, floated off the bottom.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448): Water flows are 5,800 CFS and water is low. King Salmon: Fishing for Kings is awesome. Salmon fishing is heating up. Kirk and clients, currently catching 8-10 King salmon a day. Fishing the Anderson area now. The salmon are typically around the 30 pound range, but can be anywhere from 12-50 pounds this time of year. All of our 50 plus salmon, have been caught in November. They are being caught on Flatfish lures, T-55's, chrome & green colored, with a sardine wrap.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:
Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): No report. He is gone on a 14-day backpack trip in the John Muir Wilderness Area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: Andy at the Gilly's reported that the river is fishing pretty well in the park areas when NDOW plants.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort: Peggy Yoon took a nice 11-pound, 6-ounce Alper's on Thursday out of Little Virginia Lake. Marshmallows/egg combo was the number one ticket. Clouding over the Sierra was predominant on Friday, but it cleared nicely for the Saturday debut of the "General" who was caught and released by Ron Norris of Foothill Ranch. He caught him on his secret "fly" in a tube on Little Virginia, late Saturday afternoon, and he brought him to shore gently. We weighed him in at 9-pounds, 1-ounce and Ron held him until he regained his momentum and he returned to the water. It was his second large fish for the day. His first was a 5-pound Alper's, and my heart has been pounding ever since. This is the most magnificent native Brown I have seen during my many years here.
WALKER LAKE, NEV: A report of some nice-sized Cutthroat caught while trolling in the deep water in front of "The Cliffs."
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Steven Osterman reported: East Walker River: The flow in the river is currently 134 CFS. Fishing is good. Soft hackle Hares Ears, driftless Caddis, peeking Caddis and gray WD-40'S.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: That emergency deer hunt in Area No. 6 is not going to bring much business to us, but it is sure going to screw up deer hunting in this area for years. We got a little snow last night but other than that, the weather has been beautiful. The fishing has been super, as it usually is at this time of the year. A lot of 4-5 pound trout being caught from shore by deer hunters, fishing in the middle of the day with nightcrawlers or Power Bait.