Nice Mackinaw trout through ice at Caples Lake

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): Be sure to tell your readers that I have California Sno-Park permits. We have 3 feet of snow at the store with 4 foot drifts (Monday morning). At 7,000', they have 7-8 feet of snow, and at Kirkwood, they are reporting more than 11 feet.

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported two ice fishermen on Sunday caught a 4-pound Mackinaw and a 5-pound Mackinaw with nightcrawlers bought at his store. They were fishing in the area in front of the boat ramp. They reported about a foot of ice under deep snow.

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.

Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): No one here except me. We have 3 feet of snow, and right now, we are really socked in with this latest snowstorm.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Frenchman receive at least 2 feet of snow from the storms this past weekend. The road leading to the dam is plowed but you will not be able to access the rest of the lake unless you have a snowmobile. Prior to the storms, we had many positive reports on the ice fishing.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie and Linda at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: We had two fish checked in: A 7-pound, 11-ounce caught on a green Flatfish lure by Dustin Miller on Jan. 5, and yesterday, a 6-pound, 2-ounce caught from a boat at the marina.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: There were very few fishermen, but for those that went out, the fishing was good. Nothing big, but the fishermen were cold and happy.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Tim Wilson of the Pyramid Lake Marina and RV Park at (775) 476-1156: Pretty much the same as last week: The fish are scattered and are being caught anywhere from 5 to 90 feet deep. The south end continues to be the best fishing. The fly fishermen are starting to catch a few, now. There have not been very many fishermen due to the weather. You could probably count those brave souls on the fingers of one hand. We have about 2-3 inches of snow (Monday morning).

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Sparks of Hog Charters (358-5199): We did not go out over the weekend due to the weather. Before that, we were trolling at Popcorn. We caught and released 9 fish, 20-23 inches. We were 12 feet deep in 30-40 feet of water.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Salmon fishing has been excellent up and down the Sacramento River from the Barge Hole near Balls Ferry downstream past Chico. Salmon fishing is now closed from the Red Bluff Diversion dam downstream until mid July and salmon season will remain open from the Red Bluff Diversion dam upstream to the Deschutes Bridge until January 14th. Heavy rains have blown the river out temporarily but with a break from the rains salmon fishing may continue as the river drops into shape. Most salmon have averaged 12-18 pounds with the occasional 30-40 plus pounder reported. Mike Scriven and Dave Leonard of Stockton caught their limit of king salmon with Mike's salmon weighing in at 37.5 pounds while out with Dave Jacobs on Dec. 28th. Backbouncing sardine wrapped K-16 Kwikfish lures in various color combos has been best bet.

SMITH RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs of Professional Guide Services (800) 355-3113: Adult Steelhead are being caught this past week side drifting roe and a Quickie puff ball. Daily scores have been low but should improve in the coming weeks. Steelhead have averaged 8-12 pounds with Steelhead in the high teens and low twenty pound class a real possibility on this river. Steelhead are coming in mostly from plunkers and bank anglers fishing high water. Flows are still a bit high for optimum drift boating. These big rains will hopefully bring in a big push of fresh Steelhead into the Smith daily.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): I've been doing a lot of snow plowing and not much fishing. Before these latest storms, the fishing was good to excellent. We have been trolling 80-200 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. We've been getting 2-9 fish per trip (most fish are 2-6 pounds) with the biggest being 12 pounds at Sugar Pine Point.

LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: When I fish there, I've been 80-200 feet deep at Ski Run Shelf and Camp Richardson. Trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and minnows, and bouncing off the bottom in a serpentine pattern. Macks are small, 2-7 pounds.

LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: We've got about 3-5 feet of snow on the ground, with about a 5-6 foot burm at the entrance to Cave Rock Landing. When state parks plows the landing, I will plow the boat ramp. Be sure to have a four-wheel-drive vehicle because the ramp will be icy. Before the storms, the shore fishermen at Cave Rock Landing were catching browns up to 5 pounds and Mackinaw up to 6 pounds.

TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): We have 18 inches of snow and you can hardly get to the lake. We had snow, snow, snow all weekend. A very few fishermen have walked down to the lake. There have been no boats. There is some ice out in the middle of the lake.

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn, Jerry, Fred, Ron and Debbie at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: There are 8 inches of snow at the Resort and it is snowing, right now (Monday morning). The reservoir ice is 10-13 inches thick, clear and hard. Ice fishing is good in the deep channel between the island and the west bank. Not many fishermen due to the weather.