BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Gary Olson of the Bishop Creek Resorts (760-873-4484): No report.
Intake No. 2: Was a favorite this weekend with lots of limits coming out with nightcrawlers or a white and yellow jig. Trout Teasers were knocking them silly this weekend.
North Lake: Picking back up. Rainbow Power Bait or Gulp seem to be best. Anglers are also reporting good sizes and plenty of fish.
South Lake: Several large Alpers have come out with Power Bait. Fishing the rockslide area with nightcrawlers deep has been very good or back by the inlet with Salmon Eggs. Trolling has been good with nightcrawlers or red frog Needlefish lures on lead core line. All anglers are reporting the fish are fat with nice fins and fighting hard.
Bishop Creek: Nightcrawlers or Salmon Eggs have been great. Lot of action with Panther Martins this week and several nice sized fish coming out. Some action with Power Bait but lures seem to be doing best. Olive Woolly Buggers or olive Cody Bullets have been great at Weir Pond or any area with a small pool or slow moving water.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): We had a little bit of snow on Saturday morning, but not enough to close the road.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: As of Sept. 28: Water level is very low but the water temps are coming down. You want to be fishing by the dam in 8-15 feet of water. For bait, try Gulp in Rainbow Candy or Chunky Chartreuse and nightcrawlers. For lures, try 1/4 oz. Kastmasters in silver /Chartreuse tape or silver/orange, Thunder Bolts in perch or gold and CD-3 Rapalas in Perch or Rainbow. Trollers have been sticking some nice Browns in the evening with large Rapalas and spoons by the dam. Even try casting large Rapalas off the dam. Don't forget about fly and bubble with perch fry patterns such as Olive Matukas and Hornburgs along weed lines.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): Fishing has been good. They are not catching a bunch of big fish, but every person is catching at least one good-sized one. 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: No fishing report, but lots of people in the Hope Valley area to see the Fall colors on the Quaking Aspen.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Launa Strickland at the Convict Lake Resort (800-992-2260): Warren Hinka of Thousand Oaks caught the Big Fish of The Week, bringing in a spectacular Rainbow that tipped the scale at 10 lbs, 1 oz. Warren used a nightcrawler at the Inlet. An 8-pound, 8-ounce rainbow at the inlet with Velveeta Cheese. A 7-pound, 12-ounce rainbow on Power Bait at the inlet.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676): As of Sept. 28: The word out is that Alpers stocked some Browns in the lake last week. The Southwest corner or the inlet has been the hot spots for most of the year. Berkeley Gulp in Chunky Cheese or Rainbow Candy and Nitro Eggs in Rainbow. For lures, try 1/4 Oz. Kastmasters in silver/blue or Brook Trout, 1/4 Oz. Thomas Buoyant in copper or silver/blue and Blue Fox spinners in silver.
CROWLEY LAKE AREA, CALIF: Steve Osterman of Performance Anglers of Mammoth Lakes (760) 924-2181:
Crowley Lake: The lake is fishing well with the north arm producing the best. Midge fishing under an indicator has been productive as well as streamer fishing with full sink lines. Try black/red Zebra Midges, Stevie's Wonder black/gray for Midging and olive Matukas, Zonkers and purple Woolly Buggers for streamers.
Hot Creek: Water flow is 3 CFS. Same old small flies and fine tippet. Low water and lots of weeds. Try small black Caddis, E/C Caddis, Hoppers and foam Beetles.
CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676): As of Sept. 28: Has started to turn in McGee Bay over the last couple of days. Sandy and Alligator Point are producing some nice fish. You want to be fishing in 5-12 feet of water. For lures, try 1/8 oz. Kastmasters in silver/orange or gold/Chartreuse tape. Cyclones in Perch or gold/red or Jake's Spin-A-Lure in gold. Trout Trap Stingers under a bobber or by themselves in pearl/red or pearl/orange. Trollers have been picking some nice browns off Chalk Bluffs or Sandy Point with 3-6 colors.
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): Fishing has been good for the most part. Those fishing in the early morning or evening are most productive. Bank fish off the dam or at Turkey Point with worms and bobbers. Trollers have been doing well through the Narrows with large brown, yellow or olive colored files.
HEENAN LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported fishing was slow. The fishing reports showed a total of 3 fish caught for 84 hours of fishing.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported it is slowly improving. Some algae still around the edges. Some limits over the weekend but nothing big.
Summit Lake (above Indian Creek Reservoir): A fisherman caught 2 small rainbows on Saturday.
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 Highway 395 to Mono Lake providing some good dry fly opportunities with Royal Wullf's Sierra Brite Dots 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: As of Sept. 28: Gull has been the best lake for Alpers and may be even a Cutthroat, if you're lucky. For numbers, try Grant by the inlet or Silver by the outlet. Berkeley Gulp in Orange Pulp or Chunky Cheese and worms 4-7 feet under a Bobber. For lures, try 1/4 Oz. Kastmasters in silver or Cutthroat , CD-3 Rapalas in gold and silver, Thunderbolts in silver or gold and 1/4 Oz. Roostertails in black or yellow. Don't forget about the Trout Traps in Roe or Firecracker when you're out in a boat. Berkeley Power Trout Worms in orange peel or pink with a drop shot rig. Fly and bubble with a Woolly Bugger or Matuka is also very deadly in the fall.
LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Missy Swain and Shirley at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750): We advise you not to launch a boat. We do encourage you to fish from shore over by the dam and be sure to bring a warm coat. We had an unconfirmed report of a 26-pound Channel Catfish caught by the dam.
MAMMOTH LAKES BASIN, CALIF: Steven Osterman: Lake Mary is pretty good near the George Creek inlet. Try an olive Matuka or a clown Berg on a full sink line in 10-15 feet of water.
MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: As of Sept. 28: Mary by the Barretts Landing or the outlet black/yellow dots, Jake's Spin-a-Lure in gold, 1/4 Oz. Cyclone in gold/red or silver/blue and CD-3 Rapala in Brook Trout or gold. Trollers getting down 4-6 colors with Needlefish, Rapalas and Tasmanian Devils are hooking some. Try using the Berkeley Trout Worms 4-7 feet under a bobber next to weed lines or dropoffs at Upper Twin Lake.
OWENS RIVER, CALIF: Steven Osterman:
Upper Owens: Water flow 87 CFS. Fishing is good. Most standard Nymph patterns are working well. Some dry fly action with small Adams or BWO's.
Lower Owens: Water flow is 433 CFS. Fishing is pretty tough now due to the high flows.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie, Linda and Patsy at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: It was pretty nasty yesterday. The wind finally laid down in the late afternoon and a few boats went out, but no one checked in with any fish. Not much fishing.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: Not much to report. Yesterday (Opening Day) was windy and cold. The boats did not get out until after 10 a.m., and then, they got beat up by the wind. If you caught a couple of fish, you did well. If you caught more than a couple of fish, you did very well.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Tim Wilson of the Pyramid Lake Marina and RV Park at (775) 476-1156: Lots of wind yesterday and not much fishing. Today (Tuesday), the wind is out of the southwest. They are catching a few by fishing deep.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448):
Salmon: Fishing finally picking up. Kirk and client's catching 2-4 salmon per day now, some salmon over 40 pounds. A good rain or two will bring more salmon up river for November. Using Flatfish lures, green and chrome.
Rainbow: Fly fishing is fair to good. Drifting from Redding to Anderson, late afternoons, evenings best bet. Nice size trout, average day's catch 8-18 trout. Flies that are working well Fox's Poopahs, Prince Nymphs and Pheasant Tails.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Salmon fishing from Balls Ferry downstream to near Chico has been spotty at best with some days better salmon scores than others. Anglers can expect 2 or more salmon a day with some days higher scores of 4 or more. 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 bets. Salmon have been averaging 18-26 lbs with larger fish weighing in at 30-40 lbs. Some salmon are older and darker than others yet there are still new fresh salmon moving upstream every day.
UPPER TWIN LAKE, CALIF: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): Nikki Risco, age 10, caught a 6-pound, 1-ounce rainbow on a nightcrawler. Taylor Barker, age 11, caught a 4-pound, 11-ounce rainbow on rainbow Power Bait. Frank Wagner used an olive Woolly Bugger fly to catch a 5.25 pound and a 4-pound rainbow.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Steve Osterman:
East Walker River: The water flow has dropped to 55 CFS. The lower flow has created some tough fishing conditions. Prince Nymphs, WD-40's, flashback Pheasant Tails, sparkle Caddis Pupa, Stimulators and E/C Caddis. Water temps are cooling and the fish are a little more active.