LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): As of Oct. 19: Trolling by the Dam can produce nice brown trout this time of year on Chartreuse-colored jigs or larger Kastmasters. Head to the mouth of the Hamilton Branch, for salmon in 35-45 feet of water with crickets, roe or jigs. Then head inside of the Branch and the shallows for rainbow trout on nightcrawlers, crickets or jigs.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): It is pretty quiet right now. The Blue Lakes road is still open and Upper Blue was pretty fair. Some fish being caught but not a lot of limits.
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Jeffry Wenger of the Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park and Marina (888-377-1677) or (760-932-7001): Same as last week: The reservoir is in pretty good shape. The algae is gone and the fish are starting to bite. Boats are using large red spoons down the center from the "blue house" to the dam. Shore fishermen are using nightcrawlers from the west shore and fly fishermen are using streamers down by the dam.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): Fishing has slowed down a little. They are picking up a fish, here and there (pan fryers, 9-14 inch rainbows). A nice blue sky today (Monday) and the water is still the same as it has been for the last two months. 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: The river is super low and clear. No fishing reports.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Launa Strickland at the Convict Lake Resort (800-992-2260): We keep repeating ourselves, but the fishing at Convict Lake continues to get better each week! We saw too many rainbows in the 5 pound range to post on this report! Ryan Denos of Yucaipa caught the Big Fish of The Week, bringing in a 10 lb. 1 oz. Monster Rainbow! Ryan was using the Trout Teaser Crappie on the North Shore.
CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676): As of Oct. 18: Fishing has been fair to slow at Convict. The hot spots have been north side of the Marina and the southwest corner. Berkeley Gulp in Orange Pulp or Rainbow Candy and Power Bait in Corn Yellow. For lures, try 1/4 oz. Kastmasters in silver or silver/blue, 1/4 oz. Thomas Buoyant in white or silver/blue and Blue Fox spinners.
CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676): As of Oct. 18: Fishing has been good for those who are still coming up to fish. Sandy Point, Green Banks and Alligator Point have been fishing the best. For lures, try Thomas Buoyant in Perch or gold/red, Jake's Spin-A-Lure in gold and CD-3 Rapalas in Fire Tiger or Perch. Trollers have picking up some nice fish by Alligator Point or Chalk Bluffs. You want to be fishing 3-4 colors with Needlefish in pink or gold and Tasmanian Devils in pink or orange. Try a trolling with Strait mono and a Rapala or Kastmaster. Some of the fish are moving into the top 10 ft, of the water column.
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.
EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): As of Oct. 19: Fishing continues to be very good. This week a few trout weighed in over 4 pounds and quite a few fish weighing almost 3 pounds were taken. Spalding Bay has the larger concentrations of baitfish and trout. The best baits this week were Sep's No. 2 grubs in watermelon, orange, amber or brown.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that it is the bright spot of the area, fishing wise. The water is low but OK and the fish are biting.
JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: As of Oct. 18: June and Silver has been a fun for the angler heading for the loop. For bait, try Berkeley Gulp in Chunky Cheese or American Pie and worms. For lures, try Thunder Bolts in gold and silver, Panther/Martins in black/yellow and Kastmasters in silver/Chartreuse tape or silver/red tape. Berkeley Power Trout Worms in orange or red with a drop shot rig. Fly and bubble with a Woolly Bugger or Parachute Adams is also very deadly in the fall.
MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIF: The Trout Fitter in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. (760) 924-3676: As of Oct. 18: The Lakes Basin has been fishing fair over the last couple of days. Twins or George are the two hot spots. Sierra Gold in gold or rainbow and Berkeley Gulp in Chunky Cheese or American Pie. For lures, try 1/6 oz. Panther/Martin In black/red dots, 1/4 oz. Thomas Buoyant in gold/red or silver/blue and CD-3 Rapala in Rainbow Trout or gold.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie, Linda and Patsy at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: Fishing has been pretty good but the weather hasn't been good, mostly due to the wind. Few people have been fishing due to the windy weather. There has been a 5-pounder here, and a 5-pounder there. On Saturday, Mike Phillips of Reno caught an 8-pound, 15-ounce (29 inch) Cutt while jigging in his waders.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Tim Wilson of the Pyramid Lake Marina and RV Park at (775) 476-1156: It blew hard yesterday. Today (Monday) is fairly nice and it looks like it is going to hold. The fishing is about the same as last week. A few being caught. Jigging might be a good alternative: Go down a ways (30-50 feet) to get the big ones (3-4 pounders).
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Sparks of Hog Charters (358-5199): Chris and I went out yesterday (Sunday) for a few hours and we caught 3 fish. It was breezy at first and then the wind and waves got brutal, so we came home.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): Fishing is still low. I did not go out over the weekend due to the wind.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448):
Salmon: Fishing is still slow this week. Salmon fishing has been tough this year, not a normal year by any means. Kirk and clients are fishing for salmon and trout/steelhead, combo trips now due to the tough salmon fishing. Trout fishing good, picking up quite a few trout everyday. For salmon fishing, Using Worden's Flatfish lures and bouncing roe.
Rainbow: Fly fishing is fair to good. Drifting from Redding to Anderson, late afternoons, evenings best bet. Nice size trout. Flies that are working well Fox's Poopahs, Prince Nymphs and Pheasant Tails. Trout fishing open all year on this river.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): As of Oct. 19: The Flee Bitty was the hot lure on the surface, followed by the Paddle Tail at 12 feet down. No Name Island, Backbone, Dry Creek, Digger Bay and the Dam were good areas to target this fish as they return to the surface to feed.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): The fishing has been very good to excellent. 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 and Camp Richardson. Trolling with silver Herring Dodger flasher blades and minnows. Bouncing off the bottom in a serpentine pattern. Macks are small, 2-7 pounds.
LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: Trolling for Mackinaw 60-150 feet deep with flashers and minnows at the Cave Rock Shelf. Some fishermen are toplining along the shore.
UPPER TWIN LAKE, CALIF: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 4-pound, 3-ounce rainbow on a Woolly Bugger fly, a 3-pounder on a red/gold Thomas Buoyant lure and a 2.5 pounder on the same kind of lure. A total of 125 rainbows and 125 browns (3-5 pounds each) were released from the Village's private ponds.
UPPER TWIN LAKE, CALIF: Don Linch of Dayton caught 3-pound brown and a 6-pound rainbow, while fishing from shore with a red/gold Thomas/Buoyant lure.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn, Mark, Rocket and Scott at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: Several limits of 2.5-4.5 pound rainbows have come in to the resort. The browns have not started hitting yet. We have had 11 bucks come in with racks of more than 28 inches.