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. Fishermen at catching some limits at Lower Blue, mostly on worms, but nothing big. The biggest was 1.5 pounds.
BLUE LAKES, CALIF: Gene St. Denis of South Lake Tahoe reported he and his son took a ride there last Saturday. The road is open and there were shore and boat fishermen at both lakes. Lower Blue Lake water level is down and there was some ice on the edge. Upper Blue looked full with no ice.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fairview has been producing some limits of rainbows for shore fishermen, while fly fishermen have been scoring with Nymphs and Woolly Buggers. Trolling has been best using cinnamon-colored trolling flies or fire-tiger Needlefish.
EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Closes on Dec. 31 but 3 and 4-pound trout are still on tap. Fish Traveler Guide Service said trolling water between 6-11 feet deep with baits set from just below the surface to 2 feet off the bottom with a Sep's No. 3 orange grub did well, closely followed by either an Arctic Fox or Jay Fair Trolling Fly. The best trolling areas are still at the north end. Anchor up along the Youth Camp shoreline or Rocky Point in 8-12 feet of water and set your threaded nightcrawlers at 4-6 feet deep for bobber fishing.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): It's not fast fishing for Steelheading, even when good, it isn't like it should be. However, anglers were hooking up fairly steadily in the Low Flow Section, as well as in the Outlet and even below on riffles all the way to Gridley. Spin fishermen drifted nightcrawlers king meal worms, Glo-Bugs, spoons and spinners, while fly fishers dead-drifted May Fly Nymph-imitations such as a small beadhead flashback Pheasant Tail, or dark brown and black Rubberlegs under an indicator.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): We heard very encouraging reports of the bank fishing this week. On Dec. 2, three fishermen from Reno caught 13 fish, weighing 1-1.5 pounds at the boat launch. They were using Power Bait, Chartreuse and rainbow. The boat launches, both Frenchman's and Lunker's, seem to be the best fishing places at the lake.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Lunker Point and Frenchman's boat launch area have been two of the better spots for bank anglers. Limits of rainbows 1-2 pounds being reported. Terri Stancil at Wiggin's Trading Post in Chilcoot reports that floating nightcrawlers or rainbow glitter Power Bait off the bottom has been working.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): If you fish deep, you will catch fish. The fly fishermen in float tubes are doing very well with Woolly Bugger flies.
OROVILLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Lake is down to 28-percent capacity with launching only available at the Spillway on a "launch-at-your-own-risk" with 4-wheel drive mandatory basis. Bass and Coho anglers getting on the water are doing very well. Bass anglers are working the Middle Fork and North Fork in 25-35 feet of water with drop-shot worms, tubes and split-shot minnows for 15-20 spots from 2 to 4 pounds. Coho trollers are working any cove with water running into it on the main body and the North Fork with Sling Blades or dodgers with small silver/blue Rapalas or Needlefish at 20-40 feet for silver weighing up to 4 pounds. Others are reporting success tying up to the buoy line at the dam and mooching anchovies at 50-60 feet for fish to 3 pounds.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: It is cold and windy today (Monday) and looks like snow weather. Our biggest fish of the week were: 10-pounds, 4-ounces (30 inches) caught by Jeff Morris of Reno while fly fishing at the South Nets. 10-pounds (29.5 inches) caught by Kevin Cann of Reno from a boat with a black Flatfish lure. We also had one 9-pounder, two 8-pounders, one 7-pounder and two 5- pounders.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino and Karen of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: I've not had a charter for about a week. No one wants to spend any money right now. The fishing has been pretty good. It was good on Friday, slow on Saturday and good again on Sunday. I would say that fishing ranges from fair to good, but not real good. There was a 5-pound, 15-ounce e Cutt caught by a fly fisherman.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Hog Charters in Sparks at 358-5199 (home) or Chris at 221-4014 (cell): We did pretty good this last weekend. We were trolling at Warrior Point, 38 feet deep in 60 feet of water. We caught and released 25 fish (18-19-20 inches) on Tui-colored Flatfish lures.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Same as last week: The Upper Sac is fishing fair. There are still a few October Caddis hatching in the afternoons and evenings, but not a lot of fish rising too them. The most productive methods for catching fish have been drifting big rubber leg Stones, Copper Johns, and PT's under indicators in the deeper pools and runs. The best fishing has been from late morning into early evening, when the temperatures are a little warmer and the fish more active.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The main body from Bridge Bay to the Dam is finding numbers of trout, while the McCloud Arm continues to produce the larger fish. 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. The UV Sling Blade and UV Pee Wee Hoochies worked best for the salmon, according to Shasta Tackle. For trout run a Cripplure Glow Shad, Brass Crushed Fire, or Fire Tiger. A good bass bite is picking up in 5 to 15 feet of water for anglers using Mothers Finest in the osprey color.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): Fishing has been very good to excellent. Almost non-stop action when we locate a school of Mackinaw trout. I've been fishing at Dollar Point, Tahoe City Shelf 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.
LAKE TAHOE " East Shore: Gene St. Denis: Getting small rainbows (1-3 pounds) from shore at the Cave Rock Landing with nightcrawlers or Power Bait. Trollers getting some Macks at the Cave Rock Shelf at 100-180 feet deep, trolling F-11 Countdown Flatfish lures. Last Friday, at Deadman's Point, I had a huge Mack on a Trophy Stick lure and fought it for 30 minutes before it got off. 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.