BISHOP, CALIF. AREA: Sabrina Lake: Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425): Fishing the inlets with worms, Woolly Buggers or jigs was very productive. Trolling worms or flies along the shore or the rock piles was working for the anglers who just can't sit still. Those that were into total relaxation were seen taking a snooze on shore while their rod was a-bobbin after baiting up with Power Bait or floating worms off the bottom. Ryan Hofmeister of Murrieta landed a 5-pound Rainbow on a woolly bugger. Shawn Murphy of Temecula pulled in a nice 6-pound Alpers. Lake Sabrina Boat Landing planted a few Alpers along with some Browns on Wednesday. We will be planting with Alpers and Browns every other week until the end of the season.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): A family went up there Friday and Saturday, and they limited out on Friday. Nothing big, the biggest was about 2 pounds. Not many people are out, and it could be due to the hot weather and the high gas prices.
BRIDGEPORT CALIF. AREA: Jim Reid of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707): Fishing is still doing excellent, from boats or float tubes. Nothing from shore. Mostly, still fishing with nightcrawlers or Power Bait floated off the bottom or flies such as Damsels or Blood Midges. The average size is 16 inches with some 20-24 inchers. Fishing right in front of the Marina or in the middle between the Marina and Buckeye Bay.
BURNSIDE LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that it was fishing very well from float tubes with dry flies, but nothing big.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): Sunday, it was about 85 degrees with a nice breeze. On the 18th, Lucas and Ray Taroli of Oregon used Salmon eggs and nightcrawlers to catch 7 rainbows that totaled 20 pounds. On the 19th, a youngster, "Junior," used Salmon eggs to catch 4 rainbows. Brian Arline of Roseville caught a 4.8 pound rainbow on a nightcrawler.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby: Planted the week before. Limits for those fishermen working the deeper holes. A couple of 4 pounders and a 7 pounder.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Launa Strickland at the Convict Lake Resort (800-992-2260): The top rainbows of the week were: a 6-pound, 6-ounce on a nightcrawler at the inlet, a 5-pound, 12-ounce on a Triple Teaser from the jetty and a 5-pound, 7-ounce on a nightcrawler at the inlet.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Salmon fishing has slowed a bit despite better flows of 5100 CFS near Gridley. Very few new fish have been moving upstream making for tougher fishing. Best fishing has been from Oroville to Gridley. Angler's casting large NO. 6 Blue Fox spinners from the bank around the outlet have caught a few salmon to 30 pounds. Most fish have averaged 12-25 pounds. Back bouncing small K-14 to K-16 Kwikfish in various color combos with a sardine wrap has been best bet for king salmon to 30 pounds.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Nightcrawlers seem to be the best bait for bank fishermen. Troll deep: About 25 feet down with nightcrawlers and flashers or try crawdad type lures.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported: Fishing is slow, there is low water and heavy algae. There are plans to install several new aerators this fall to help with the algae problem.
MASON VALLEY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA, NEV: Elmer Bull reported: My son said that Bass Pond continues to fish pretty darn good for bass with rubber worms from shore and then later in the afternoon with buzz baits.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113):
Salmon: The 2007 salmon season opened on July 16th with very good reports of salmon being caught from the Red Bluff diversion dam downstream below Chico. Many guides reported 2-5 salmon per boat with a limit of 8 salmon being the most that I had seen on the opener. Sardine wrapped K-15 and K-16 Kwikfish color combos has produced the most hook-ups this past week. Back bouncing roe or Kwikfish has been the No. 1 technique as well. Salmon counts are up from last year to 2233 salmon passing through the Red Bluff diversion dam. Daily limits are two salmon per day per angler.
Trout: Fishing near Redding was very good this past week as well for wild rainbow trout with many large rainbows, to 4 pounds, being caught. Multiple hook-ups were common with many double hook-ups side drifting Glo Bugs or live crickets. Side drifting small hand tied Glo Bugs in various egg color patterns proved best early in the mornings. Natural cured roe tipped with a Quickie puffball also scored some great fishing for wild bows'. Most trout averaged 1-3 pounds with the occasional large rainbow 4-5 pounds. 20 hook-ups are average with better scores of 30+ hook-ups possible on good days. Redding to Red Bluff has been most productive water.
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 50-240 feet deep. We locate the fish on the fish finder and then troll in a "Figure Eight" pattern, bouncing the bottom. I've been fishing at Cal-Neva, Dollar Point and Sugar Pine Points.
LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: I've been fishing 50-200 feet deep at Ski Run Shelf, Camp Richardson and the Tahoe Keys. Trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and minnows. Bouncing off the bottom in a serpentine pattern. Macks are 2-7 pounds.
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: Trolling for Mackinaw 60-150 feet deep with flashers and minnows.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): Not much going on, out here. With this hot weather, all we have is lots of jet skis and water skiers.
TWIN LAKES, CALIF:
Upper Twin Lake: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 5.25 pound rainbow on Chartreuse Power Bait for Tina Jackson of Carson City. A 3-pound, 15-ounce rainbow on a trolled lure and a 3-pound, 13-ounce rainbow on yellow Power Bait.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort: Stocking held up to the pressure with only a few disappointed anglers who seem to fish the wrong time of day. The surface water is warm and fish are down lower than normal enjoying the summer from a different perspective. Bait dunkers were using every method available; threaders, blowers, dye and "squirty" stuff, and a bunch were successful. Salmon Peach still held the record for the week with salmon eggs by a nose. Fly flingers were using just about everything, and most had fair to good success on streamers, black and olive, even the burgundy/black took some nice fish. Olive Hornburg, and olive Guinea Hen Hornburg also did very well. Trumbull did good on worms and salmon eggs with a few lures taking some nice bows off the rocks. Small Adams, and mosquitoes also did well, and the black/olive Woolly flies took a good number of fish during the week. Big Virginia also produced at the outlet on Adams parachute, black Gnats, and Griffith's Gnats. The best was the Gray Hackle Peacock No. 14 on the east shore between the rental boats and the outlet around 4-7 p.m. Backcountry has shown good results on dries at inlets and outlets with black Gnats, Mosquitoes, brown Bi-visible, Bitch Creek and large Chernobyl type ants.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Jim Reid:
East Walker: Water is starting to get a little warm. Release your fish as soon as possible to avoid stressing them.
West Walker: Good in the canyon along U.S. 395. Also, below the Pickle Meadows area.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn, Mark, Rocket and Scott at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: We have a huge fire north of us, that has burned 750,000 acres, so far. It is about 10 miles north of the reservoir. There are no fishermen here, but the fishing is still excellent, both from shore or in boats. The perch, trout and bass are all hitting.