ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The trout bite has been slow but will pick up as soon as the area gets weather to stir things up. When it does, you can bet that jigging, trolling and bait fishing will also pick up.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): It is snowing (Monday morning) and it was super quiet over the weekend. All we saw were Christmas tree cutters. The Blues Lakes road is now closed, as are Monitor Pass and Ebbett's Pass.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): A little ice has started to form up in the area around Mosquito Slough and the dock at Honker Cove was finally taken out of the water early in the week. Fishing has been pretty good, but fishermen haven't been "knocking them dead." A couple folks landed 7 rainbows from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds trolling Needlefish and cinnamon Jay Fair trolling flies. A 'bow just under 4 pounds down about 20 feet was also caught on a fire-tiger broken-back Rapala.
EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Closes on Dec. 31 but trout abandoned their "light bite" routine in favor of slamming baits. Both the north and south end produced fish on 3-inch orange grubs fished 4 to 5 feet down on downriggers over 6 to 7 feet of water. The grubs were also scented with Pro-Cure's Freshwater Shrimp Oil.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Some nice stripers were caught below Shanghai Rapids last week on Hair Raisers. Steelhead fishing was kind of slow in the Low Flow Section and seemed to be better below the Outlet down to Gridley for some reason.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Peyton Webb of Reno caught three fish, 15-16 inches long, 1.5-2 pounds each, at the dam, using nightcrawlers floating off the bottom. Also, the same four guys from Reno caught their limits this past weekend at Frenchman's Boat landing. Total weight of all their fish was 25 pounds, averaging 14-18 inches long. They were using Panther/Martin lures, red/black and purple/red/silver. Snow is here be sure to call before traveling to find out road conditions.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing continues well here. Boat launching areas have been favorite spots for many fishermen. Corey Davis from Sparks caught 3 rainbows 14-18 inches using nightcrawlers at Lunker Point. Other anglers have been getting limits, as well as catching and releasing more 'bows. Weather has been good, but for latest conditions call Wiggin's at 530-993-4683.
OROVILLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Lake is at 28-percent capacity and the only launching is at the Spillway, 4-wheel drive "at-your-own-risk". Very little traffic on the lake but those getting out are finding good action on bass and coho. Bass anglers are doing well on fish to 3 pounds on drop-shot worms, tubes and jigs at 20 to 25 feet. Coho chasers are trolling 20 to 40 feet deep with dodgers and small Rapalas or Needlefish in the larger coves or soaking anchovies at the buoy line at the dam at 40-60 feet for fish up to 2 pounds. Other anglers have reported good luck on both bass and coho by split shotting a live minnow in the North Fork in 25-30 feet of water. Construction was started on the ramp extension at Bidwell and will continue into next year.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino and Karen of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: We've got about 2-3 inches of snow (Monday morning) with more on the way. There are a few shore fishermen out there this morning. Overall, the fishing has been a little bit better than fair. The shore fishermen have been catching fish and there were a few boats out over the weekend.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Hog Charters in Sparks at 358-5199 (home) or Chris at 221-4014 (cell): We did not go out this weekend, it was too cold, too windy, too wet and too snowy.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): We did not go out because of the rock and rolling waves. The shore guys are catching fish with spoons, the fly guys are just starting to get into them and the boats are trolling Flatfish lures 30 feet deep. There are fish being caught, but I have not heard of anything big.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113): Late Fall salmon fishing has been good for many weeks with very clean, bright king salmon being landed from Red Bluff downriver to Tisdale. Most salmon have been landed on backbounced sardine wrapped Kwikfish and Flatfish lures. Salmon fishing has been good all day long. Small pods of bright late fall salmon in the 15-50 pound class continue to migrate upriver and anglers who wait out or find these small groups of salmon have the best results. The season is limited from the Red Bluff diversion dam downriver to Knights Landing and is open from November 1st to December 31st. This month has produced some huge salmon with the largest reported for Dave Jacobs of professional guides service's clients was a awesome 47 pound king salmon! Salmon fishing was good this past week with better scores of salmon on the week days rather than the weekends. Some Salmon guides have reported some decent results trolling spinners on the lower river. The California state record salmon of 88 pounds was caught this time of year and it is well known that salmon fishing this time of year could produce a true Sacramento river trophy king salmon.
Dave Jacobs Professional guide service will be available for wild rainbow trout trips from both our drift boat and jet boat thru December 2008 on the Sacramento river. Trinity river salmon and Steelhead trips available thru December 2008. Sacramento river Late Fall salmon trips available thru December 31, 2008.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Choose your favorite trout spot, as they are abundant all over the lake. The McCloud is kicking out some nice fat ones. Browns weighed as much as 5 pounds here and a few 3-pound Kamloop also came out of this area by trolling from a few feet down below the surface but no farther than 15 feet down, with a 3-inch Kazi Minnow in a variety of bright colors and Shad patterns, as well as Flee Bitty's, Cripplures in the UV patterns, and Hum Dingers. The bass bite was best with 5 and a few 6-inch Swimbaits in trout or white patterns, on shallows with tapering mud points. Senkos tossed down steep banks or rock walls, as well as brown jigs or crawdad colored dart-headed worms brought in bass averaging from 1 to 2 with a few larger in the mix.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): Fishing has been good to excellent, when I can get out on the lake. Limits for everyone. We are releasing lots of Macks. 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) and a couple of small Mackinaw from shore at the Cave Rock Landing with minnows, nightcrawlers or Power Bait. Trollers getting some Macks at the Cave Rock Shelf at 100-180 feet deep, trolling F-11 Countdown Flatfish lures. Toplining has been good at Logan Shoals, Deadman's Point, Skunk Harbor and Sand Harbor. 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.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): Closed. It will re-open on Jan. 1, 2009.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: It was 12 below last night (Dec. 14). The lake is frozen completely over. No check on the ice depth but we had three days of 2 below before last night. There is 4 inches of snow but all lake access is open.