LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The ice is departing and the bite is returning here with trout being taken just off the bottom on a nightcrawler and roe. This week, conditions should improve, as will reports, as anglers return along with predicted good weather.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): This whole area has lots of deep snow and lots of thick ice.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River Trophy Section: The Trophy Section of the East Carson River, from Hangman's Bridge downstream to the Nevada stateline, is now open, year round, with special restrictions.
Dave Kirby: A fishermen on the trophy section got cited for fishing without a license.
CROWLEY LAKE AREA, CALIF: Steve Osterman of Performance Anglers of Mammoth Lakes (760) 924-2181:
Hot Creek: Water flow is 5 CFS. If you are planning to fish the creek, be prepared for a bit of a hike. Snow shoes or X-country skis are an asset. Best fishing is during the mid day hours. Some good dry fly action with Adams or any BWO patterns in size 18 or 20. Nymph fishing is also good with small Pheasant Tails, gray or black Midge Pupa and Brassies.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Ice fishing has been improving for anglers fishing the good weather conditions between storms. Best bait bets have been nightcrawlers, Power Bait and flies like green Woolly Buggers. Ice thickness reported varying from 14 to 24 inches around the lake. Best fishing areas have been at Coot Bay, Mallard Cove and the dam, with some action reported near Catfish and Camp Five.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Some decent action was found on mostly small Steelhead, plus the occasional adult pulling plugs around Gridley. A few Steelhead were also being caught in the Low Flow Section, mostly on nightcrawlers. The occasional striped bass was being caught around Shanghai Bend, but the numbers and size were down from previous years.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): There hasn't been much change in the conditions. The ice remains about 12 inches thick. Access to the dam, hike or snowmobile to the other locations of the lake.
FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull of Yerington reported anglers are catching more bass this year as compared to last year. Their best success has been with 4-inch rubber grubs for bass, mostly in the 10-inch category (throw-backs).
HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV: Liz Weirauch at the Angler's Edge (782-4734) reported that 25 anglers attended the High Sierra Flycasters Fishout over the weekend. She said fishing was awful. The 25 caught a total of 3 fish. The water temp was 43 degrees and their fish finders showed the fish right on the bottom.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported fishing is difficult because of the snow. It's hard to get to the reservoir as the road is not plowed past the airstrip.
OROVILLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Bass fishing has been slow, but it was fair, earlier last week before the rains. The fish will hit jigs and plastic worms at 25 to 40 feet and can be caught with plastic worms, tube baits and jigs. A few 12-18 inch Coho were hitting trolled lures in the creek arms.
OWENS RIVER, CALIF: Steven Osterman:
Upper Owens: Water flow is 86 CFS. Fishing is good with Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, WD-40's and most standard Nymph patterns. Bring your snow shoes and hike upstream from the Benton Crossing bridge.
Lower Owens: Water flow is currently 109 CFS. An increase in water flows to over 200 CFS interrupted fishing last week but the water is now back down and fishing is improving. Before the jump in water flow the May fly hatch was great and dry fly fishing was good. Barr's Emerger, Pheasant Tails and WD-40'S work well under the surface.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie and Linda at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: Saturday was ugly due to the wind. Sunday was gorgeous and we had so many people out here. The biggest fish of the week was 12-pounds, 5-ounces and it was caught by Mike Huber of California with a black Woolly Worm at "The Nets." We also had a 9-pounder and a 5-pounder checked in at the lodge.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: The fly fishing from shore was very good last week. We had a report that the fly fishermen at Pelican caught and released 300 fish but I don't know if it is true or not. The boat fishing has been scattered, mostly from Warrior Point to Popcorn.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Sparks of Hog Charters (358-5199): On Sunday, we went south to "The Nets" and caught and released 23 fish on Apex lures.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): Saturday, you could not get on the lake, it was too windy. Sunday, I went north to Warrior Point and then back to Pelican. In 5 hours we caught and released 25 fish. We were trolling spoons at 35 feet deep in 60-100 feet of water.
RED LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported lots of deep snow and lots of thick ice.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): In the McCloud Arm, Holiday Harbor and Hirtz Bay, found trout where the clearer waters mixed with the murky waters. Toplining minnow-type baits or a Rapala, 200 feet behind the boat, working the points, will be good areas to target this week. The bass pattern held on with crawdad patterns and a few reaction bites, early in the mornings being the mainstay of most but jigs, dart-headed worms and Hula grubs also worked from 10 to 40 feet down.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): When we can get out, we are getting 4-10 fish per trip that run 2-7 pounds with some larger. We have been trolling 140-260 feet deep. We locate the fish on the fish finder and then troll Dodgers and a live minnow in a "Figure Eight" pattern, bouncing the bottom. I've been fishing at Cal-Nevada Point, Dollar Point and Sugar Pine Point. The Macks are feeding heavily on shrimp, crawdads and Kokanee Salmon.
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: No report, as the fishing at the north end is too good to pass up.
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: No report.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): You can now launch all-sizes of boats from our Marina with no problems. Saturday was horrible, it was white-capped all day and there was not a soul fishing. Sunday, we had a rental boat out and the fisherman caught 6 trout, up to 18 inches, with bright yellow Needlefish lures.
TOPAZ LAKE: Diane Mcewen at the Topaz Lake General Store (775-266-3337): What a beautiful week it has been and fishing has been good. Anglers out and about on the shores and in boats. We've been weighing lots of fish this week and the largest fish of the week for $50.00 goes to Cindy Mollohan, a local with a 4 lbs. 3 oz 22-inch long trout. Second place for $25.00 is another local, George Baba weighing in at 3 lbs 11 oz and a length of 19.5 in long. Almost every fish this week has been in the high 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. range.
Topaz Lake: Don Hettrick of Carson City trolled for 5 hours last Thursday and got skunked.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Steve Osterman:
East Walker River (From Bridgeport Dam to the Nevada Stateline): The West Walker River, from the Bridgeport Dam downstream to the Nevada stateline, is now open, year round, with special restrictions. The water flow is down to 20 CFS. Fishing is very tough as ice is forming in the channel. Prince Nymphs, WD-40's, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Sparkle Caddis Pupa, Stimulators and E/C Caddis. Some decent reports from anglers fishing on the Nevada side. Warmer weather should improve fishing here.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: It was 15 below zero Sunday night. The weather last week was nasty but the fishermen were doing all right by jigging a small flasher and a piece of mealworm. They were catching trout, perch and catfish. There is still at least 15 inches of ice on the reservoir. NDOW has stocked the reservoir with Wipers for the last four years and I don't see the Smallmouth Bass like I used to. I think the Wipers are eating them.