BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484):
Intake No. 2: A 3-pound, 6-ounce Alper's Trophy Rainbow on Salmon eggs. Still doing very well with Power Bait and Salmon eggs. Good reports for olive Cody Bullets jigging slowly.
North Lake: Was very good with Thomas Buoyant lures or a white Lip-Ripperz. Nightcrawlers remain the top bait. Some good reports with Gulp from shore.
South Lake: Back of the lake was great with olive Woolly Buggers or olive or black Cody Bullets. Lots of luck with silver Panther/Martins from shore.
Bishop Creek: A 2-pound, 10-ounce Alper's Trophy Rainbow on a nightcrawlers. Fishing has been good with anglers reporting nice limits with Panther/Martins or nightcrawlers. Salmon eggs have also been doing well.
BISHOP, CALIF. AREA:
Sabrina Lake: Rick and Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425): Fishing improved a bit this week. Once again, fishing the Dingleberry Inlet with worms or Power Bait brought in a few limits as did those trolling with flasher and worms. The shore anglers were also seen using worms and Power Bait, but the hot ticket was just drifting between the rock piles.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): Lower Blue is the hot spot with a number of good fishing reports. PG&E must have planted. A number of campgrounds in this entire general area are beginning to close for the year, so check with me for closures before going camping.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: The water temps are starting to drop and the fishing is getting good. You want to be fishing at Rainbow Point or outside of Buckeye Bay in 8-15 feet of water. For bait, try Gulp in Chunky Cheese or Chunky Chart and nightcrawlers. For lures, try 1/4 oz. Kastmasters in Silver /Red Tape or Gold Tape, Thunderbolts in Perch or Gold and CD-3 Rapalas in Perch or Fire Tiger. Trollers have been sticking some nice Browns in the evening with large Rapalas and spoons by the dam.
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported one fisherman caught 4 nice rainbows off the dam, but it took him a little while to do it.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): Richard Dean of Calif. caught a 6 pound, 9-ounce rainbow on a nightcrawler. J. B. Yarnell of Arnold caught a 4-pound, 1-ounce rainbow on a Hopper. Lots of 3-7 pounders being reported here at the store. The water is holding good for this time of the year. We already have reservations for the months of Oct. and Nov. We are staying open through the winter due to the year-round season on the section below Hangman's Bridge.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby: Low and clear water makes the fishing challenging.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Launa Strickland at the Convict Lake Resort (800-992-2260): Fishing continues to be good. We saw quite a few full stringers, especially around the first of the month. Paul Hathaway from Murrieta caught the Big Fish of The Week, bringing in a fat-bellied rainbow weighing in at 4-pounds, 12-ounces. Paul used Nightcrawlers on the South Shore. Nightcrawlers and Power Bait are still the best bet, with most of the action happening on the South Shore. Get out there early in the morning or about an hour before sunset for maximum results.
CROWLEY LAKE AREA, CALIF: Steve Osterman of Performance Anglers of Mammoth Lakes (760) 924-2181:
Crowley Lake: The hot bite in the North Arm has cooled off, but Crooked Creek and McGee Bay have been fishing well. Stevie's Wonder in gray/black has been a dominate fly of late. Lot's of perch minnows showing up. Use small Matukas or Zonkers on full sink lines.
Hot Creek: Water flow is 4 CFS. Time for 6x -7x leaders and small flies. Use a dry/dropper combination. Good action on Trico Duns early, then Trico spinners followed by BWO's, PMD's and Caddis on the surface. Small WD-40's, Pheasant Tails and Brassies for the dropper.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: The lake, its shorelines, all its tributaries, all land upslope of these water bodies to the ridge tops of the Freeman Creek watershed, and all campgrounds, boat launches, and day use sites in the Davis Lake Recreation Area are now closed for the eradication of Northern Pike. This closure will remain in effect until the tributaries and Davis Lake are found to be free of rotenone constituents.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Bank fishing is good with the standard Bait: Nightcrawlers or Power Bait. Rainbow glitter and Chartreuse are working the best. Troll deep with nightcrawlers and flashers or Woolly Buggers (olive, rust or black). Various lures such as Roostertails and Dick Nites are working well, too.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported the fish was pretty decent with the cooler temps. John Mandoki of Carson City and a couple of buddies caught nice limits of rainbows from shore, mostly on worms.
JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF: Steven Osterman: Current flow in Rush Creek is 13 CFS. Try Pheasant Tail Nymphs, flash back Hares Ears and black ants. The section of stream below U.S. 395 to Mono Lake providing some good dry fly opportunities with Royal Wullf's, Sierra Brite Dot's and Elk Hair Caddis. Fishing has picked up in Grant Lake near the mouth of Rush Creek. Try Spruce flies, Mohair Leeches and black Woolly Buggers.
JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: Gull Lake has been fishing great for the last week. Silver and June are in a close second. Make sure to focus on dropoffs, weed lines and deep bays. Berkeley Gulp Eggs in orange or Chartreuse and Berkeley Gulp dough in Rainbow Candy or Chunky Cheese. Try using a 3-inch pink or red Berkeley Trout Worm with a split shot 2-3 feet above the worm and drag or wiggle the worm along the bottom. For lures, try 1/4 Oz. Kastmaster in silver/orange or Frog , CD-3 Rapalas in gold and Perch, Thunderbolts in silver or gold and 1/4 Oz. Roostertails in black or yellow. Don't forget about the Trout Traps when you're out in a boat.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain and Shirley at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): We do not advise you to launch a boat. We do encourage you to fish from a float tube or rubber raft or fish from a chair on the shore due to the low water levels. The water is super low.
MAMMOTH LAKES BASIN, CALIF: Steven Osterman: Pretty crowded for the Labor Day Troutstock Festival with heavy stocking from DFG and Alpers Ranch. For streamers try the Clown Berg available at Rick's Sports Center.
MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: The Lakes Basin got hit hard over the weekend. I would go to one of the deeper lakes like Mary or George. Try nightcrawlers, Berkeley Power Trout Worms in orange or pink with a couple split shot 2-3 feet above a split shot and Berkeley Gulp in Chunky Cheese or orange pulp. For lures, try 1/4 Oz. Thomas Buoyant in gold/red or brass, 1/6 Oz. Roostertail in yellow or Fire Tiger, Jake's Spin-a-Lure in gold and CD-3 Rapala in gold or Rainbow Trout. Trollers getting down 4 to 7 colors with Flatfish, Kastmasters and Tasmanian Devils are pulling up good numbers of big rainbow trout. For the first and last hour of the day, try a fly and bubble set up.
OWENS RIVER, CALIF: Steven Osterman:
Upper: Water flow 100 CFS. The river is fishing well and the slight increase in flow has helped. Above the Benton Crossing Bridge, the fish have become much more selective and you better get a real good drift. Basic Nymph patterns like Hares Ears and Pheasant Tails will do. Try a Stimulator or Elk Hair Caddis on the surface with a bead head Zebra Midge as a dropper. Some nice fish showing up below the monument just above Crowley Lake.
Lower: Water flow is currently 453 CFS. Fishing is pretty tough now due to the high flows.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113):
Salmon fishing this past week has really improved over the week prior fishing, with more salmon showing every day. Anglers in the right place at the right time have been reporting 2-5 salmon per day this past week. Back bouncing sardine wrapped Kwikfish lures in the morning and switching over to roe and a Quickie puff ball in the mid morning and afternoon have been the best producers . Best fishing has been from Balls Ferry down stream towards Chico. Side drifting roe and a Quickie puff ball has also produced nice salmon. Salmon have been averaging 18-26l pounds with larger fish weighing in at 30-40 pounds. Big fish of the week was a 42 pound salmon caught by Rick Tracy of Reno Nevada.
Stampede Reservoir, CALIF: "Father" Dick Murphy of Sun Valley (888) 852-2680 reported: Best area is from the boat ramp west to Sagehen Creek and around the Springs area. Depth of 50-60 feet. Best lure: Murphy's Super Bug 2 (green yellow pink). Pink spinners with a small worm. Kokes are getting humpback and are turning red.
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 80-240 feet deep. We locate the fish on the fish finder and then troll in a "Figure Eight" pattern, bouncing the bottom hard. I've been fishing at the Tahoe City Shelf and Cal-Neva. We are getting 1-9 Mackinaw per trip. Last week, we had 6 fish that were between 10 and 16 pounds.
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: I've been fishing 160 feet deep at Ski Run Shelf. Trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and minnows. Bouncing off the bottom in a serpentine pattern. Catching Mackinaw in the 2-5 pound class.
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: Shore fishing has slowed down. Reports of 1-3 Mackinaw at the Cave Rock Shelf.
TWIN LAKES, CALIF: Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 5-pound, 2-ounce rainbow on a Mosquito fly, a 5-pound, 2-ounce rainbow on a red/gold Thomas Buoyant lure and a 4-pound, 2-ounce rainbow on a green Woolly Bugger fly. Good-sized stringers coming in with nightcrawlers and Power bait caught in the cove.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Jim Reid reported:
East Walker: Fishing has been tough but the water temps are dropping. We encourage you to fish in the early morning hours to avoid stressing the fish. Release them as soon as possible.
West Walker: Very low and clear. You need to search out and fish the deeper pockets.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
East Walker: Steve Osterman: The flow in the river is down to 74 CFS. Prince Nymphs, WD-40's, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Sparkle Caddis Pupa, stimulators and E/C Caddis. Mid day water temp's are 70 +. Be sure to not over play fish and return them quickly.