Action heating up at south end of Topaz

LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The bay in front of the Chester Airport has been steadily producing on threaded nightcrawlers, run from the surface on planer boards down to 6 feet or with Cannon downriggers in 9-13 feet of water. Trout to 3 pounds were taken this week but bite is picking up.

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): I'll be gone next week. I'm going down to watch major league baseball spring training in Arizona.

EAST CARSON RIVER, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported the Trophy Section from Hangman's Bridge downstream to the Nevada stateline, opened year-round, on March 1. A few fishermen getting a few bites. Water is still cold.

DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Had some ice on it, but was mostly ice-free. The remaining ice is too thin and dangerous to walk on.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): There is still some ice at the dam but you can walk down to plenty of open water. Only small boats can be put in at Lunker Point.

The fish are hungry and close to shore. We've heard of many catches of rainbows in the 18-inch range. Nightcrawlers and marshmallows are the best bait.

FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull of Yerington reported that a fisherman told him he was catching catfish, up to 5 pounds, on chicken livers and worms.

He also caught some Bluegill.

HINKSON SLOUGH (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull: Had a report that the fly fishermen were doing very well.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Doug Busey of Douglas County drove in by way of the dirt road on Saturday and Sunday. There is no ice on the reservoir. On Saturday, he counted 14 vehicleS. He reported catching three fish on Sunday with the largest being just over 2 pounds.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported there were a lot of fishermen on Sunday. The water is still cold and the fishermen are struggling to get any bites. One boater trolled with Wedding Rings and caught one fish. The reservoir should be planted in the near future.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400 reported: We've had some nice fish: A 12 pounder by a fly fisherman at Pelican Point, an 11-pound, 14 ounce, a 10-pound, 8 ounce and a 10-pound, 4 ounce.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jason Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: The weather is much warmer. It is supposed to be 80 degrees today (Monday) with a light breeze. The fishing as picked up. There were lots of fishermen over the weekend, mostly from shore, and most of the bigger fish were caught by the shore fishermen.

SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The trolling bite has been good for trout but the mooching bite slowed. Best areas include Digger and Packer Bays and by the dam.

For king salmon you'll have to go down from 50 to 90 feet with a dodger/flasher and trolling files like an Arctic Fox in Chartreuse or black/pearl, 16 inches behind an 8-inch flasher.

Bass action continues to hold steady as they begin their move in and up. Find a good bite with Senkos or dart-headed worms in brown or green from the surface down to 40 feet.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): Fishing has been excellent. It's the best it has been for a long, long time. We have been trolling at 150-300 feet with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows in a "Figure Eight" pattern. I've been fishing mostly at Cal-Neva Point and Dollar Point.

LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: Fishing has been slow to good. I've been trolling at Ski Run Shelf at 150-280 feet with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows. The jiggers are jigging in water 160 feet deep with Crippled Herring Jigs, tipped with a live minnow. The Macks are running 2-7 pounds.

TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550) reported: It's been good. Lots of limits, lots of fish. Most of the action was on the south end of the lake, trolling with nightcrawlers. The hot action was trolling from west to east on the south end. They were trolling high in about 40 feet of water. The shore fishermen down there, also did well. I had a report that a $100 tagged fish was caught.

TOPAZ LAKE: Diane at the Topaz Lake General Store reported: Kathy Amundson caught a 5.7 pound (22-inch) tagged rainbow, while trolling about 100 yards from the Topaz Lake Marina. It was worth $100. In addition, David Banner caught a 7-pound (25.5 inch) rainbow from shore on the south end. There were also 3 fish over 4 pounds that were reported.

TOPAZ LAKE: George and Debbie LaMonica of Douglas County trolled on Friday for six hours until the wind came up. They caught a total of four rainbows in the 1-1.5 pound class. The were trolling lures in about 15 feet of water on the southwest side of the lake.

EAST WALKER RIVER, CALIF: The trophy section from the Bridgeport Dam downstream to the Nevada stateline, opened year-round, on March 1.

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Mark at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: Weather has been marvelous. We've still got ice on the reservoir but the ice fishing is just about over. There is open water showing around the hot springs areas and the ice is very thin around the edges of the shoreline. At this rate, it won't be too long before they are trolling in boats.