BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): The road is open and you can still drive to the lakes. Four guys on Sunday morning caught 19 rainbows from shore, mostly on worms, at Lower Blue Lake. The biggest was 23 inches.
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported there are a few fishermen. One fisherman caught a couple of rainbows, nothing big.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing here is rated fair to good, depending on weather. Water temps cooling and experienced fly fishermen have been getting 5-8 fish per outing on good days. Shore anglers have reported success at Fairview. Correcting last week's report, Jerry Dollard at Dollard's Sierra Market in Portola said the boat dock at Honker Cove has NOT been moved, as reported. The dock will remain in the water until the first big storm or the lake begins to ice over. Four-wheel-drive vehicles recommended for launching boats.
EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The season may be winding down and will close on Dec. 31 but the fishing hasn't. Boats can still launch at the Spalding Ramp, just trim your motor high, stay in the center of the channel, use caution and you'll be fine. Use a No. 10 or 12 crystal buggers or J-Fair wiggle tails in rust and olive, off the rocky points of the eastern shore or troll 3-inch brown or orange grub, in open water in the middle basin near Pelican Point, in 4-6 feet over 7 to 10 feet of water, adding Trophy Trout or Freshwater Shrimp Oil to the grubs.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Anglers experienced the best Steelheading of the season last week, with fresh Steelies to 10 pounds being caught throughout the Low Flow Section, the Outlet, and all the way down to Gridley. Drifting nightcrawlers probably attracted the most bites, but king mealworms, Glo-Bugs, spoons and spinners also hooked their fair share. Fly fishers used May Fly Nymph-imitations such as a small beadhead flashback Pheasant Tail, or dark brown and black Rubberlegs.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Fishing has been good. The boat landings seem to be the favorite spots. Fishermen have reported catching limits, as well as catching and releasing rainbow trout. The weather has been cool but sunny. Saturday, Corey Davis from Sparks caught three rainbow trout, 14-18 inches long, 1.5-2 pounds. He was at Lunker Point and used nightcrawlers.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Lunker Point and Turkey Point have continued to produce for shore anglers. Chartreuse Power Bait and/or nightcrawlers have been the go-to bait choices.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): Fishing has been fair. Some fish being caught, but no limits. It was planted about 10 days ago with the last of the county plants for the year.
OROVILLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Only launching at the Spillway with 4-wheel drive, at-your-own-risk. Boaters getting out are doing very well on bass and coho. Main body and Middle Fork at 25-35 feet kicking out 15 fish days on drop-shot worms, tubes, jigs and live bait for bass to 4 3/4 pounds. Coho trollers are reporting good action in the Middle Fork at 50-60 feet on Dodger/Koko-nut combos; one couple reported catching 9 silvers. Another angler used a minnow/bobber rig for 4 coho to 2 pounds in the main body at 15-20 feet. Little pressure on the lake with the launching situation. Ramp extension at Bidwell supposed to start soon.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: We had a pretty good week. Our biggest fish was 9-pounds, 14-ounces. It was caught by Terry Shackleford of Reno, jigging from a boat at the Pyramid. We also had two 8-pounders, one 7-pounder, three 6-pounders and one 5-pounder. They were all caught from boats at Hell's Kitchen, Popcorn and Spider Point.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino and Karen of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: The weather has been good and the fishing has been good. We had a lot of fishermen and they caught fish, but I would have liked to have seen more fish caught per fisherman. Our biggest was 9-pounds, 3-ounces caught by Jeremy Rials of Reno from a boat at Blockhouse. There were boats everywhere and most caught fish.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): We all (the commercial sport fishing boats) had a great Friday-Saturday-Sunday. On Friday, the four boats caught 6-20 fish. On Saturday, we all caught 10-20 fish. On Sunday, Chris (Hog Charters) and I fished Blockhouse, the Pyramid and the Marina. We caught 12 fish, 28-35 feet deep, on Apex lures and Tui Chub colored Flatfish lures.
RED LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby: Has been good from shore with worms.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The McCloud arm continues to produce trout but fish are everywhere. Feeding on the surface. Cripplures in florescent colors as well as the UV ones seemed to work the best, run 200 feet behind the boat. An excellent bass bite is picking up in 5-15 feet of water for anglers using Mother's Finest in the Osprey color.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): Same as last week: The weather is drop dead beautiful. It's beautiful, warm, no wind and bright sunshine. Fishing has been very good to excellent. Limits for everyone with almost non-stop action. I've been fishing at Dollar Point, Cal-Neva Point and Sugar Pine Point. Trolling 90-240 feet deep, going deeper as the sun comes up, with large Dodger blades and minnows or Trophy Sticks. Catching Macks 1-9 pounds.
LAKE TAHOE " East Shore: Gene St. Denis: Same as last week: Shore fishing at Cave Rock Landing is picking up a little with some rainbows from shore, now and then. The Landing now has a locked gate, which is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day until May 1. When the gate is open, there is an inspector who inspects you boat to make sure that no mussels or snails are going into the lake. The boat launch at Sand Harbor is open only to car top boats, canoes and kayaks due to the low water level.