LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): With the public ramp usable now, anglers can launch and work the east side with a black/silver No. 13 Rapala or a nightcrawler fished just off the bottom. Watch for chunks of rotting ice, though. The north end of the lake is still frozen from Chester to about a half mile north of Prattville, though it is still about 4 inches thick, it is pretty soft and should clear rapidly now.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): First decent weather weekend in quite a while and it was nice.
CROWLEY LAKE AREA, CALIF: Steve Osterman of Performance Anglers of Mammoth Lakes (760) 924-2181:
Hot Creek: Water flow is 6 CFS. I wish I had something new to add here, but things continue as they have been. The only thing new is that the Caddis are beginning to show in some significant numbers. Best fishing continues to be during the mid-day hours. Some good dry fly action with Adams or any BWO patterns in size 18 or 20. Nymph fishing is also good with small Pheasant Tails, gray or black Midge Pupa and Brassies.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Lake picked up something like another couple feet of snow from storms over the weekend, making the hike in from the east-side road a bit more of a struggle. Anglers who have fished the ice report a fair amount of success. Jerry Dollard at Dollard's Sierra Market in Portola said the 6 Dillard brothers caught 14 rainbows fishing water 9 feet deep with worms and Power Bait. Other anglers have averaged 2 or 3 fish per day. All fish have been small, in the half-pound range.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): A few small Steelhead continued to be caught in the Low Flow Section, mostly on nightcrawlers and spinners, and a few striped bass around Shanghai Bend. However, fishing was slow.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): There is not much encouraging information to report on the conditions this past week. Open water is slowly appearing along the shoreline at the dam, but there is not enough to fish from. The ice is softening and ice fishing is no longer considered safe. The road around the lake remains covered with snow.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing has been slow this past week. The ice is beginning to soften and crack in several places, but there is no open water visible yet. Ice fishing is not recommended at this time. The ice at the dam is no longer safe and the road around the lake is not yet accessible.
FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull of Yerington reported the bass fishing is doing pretty well as is the catfishing.
HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV: Elmer Bull reported that fishing is picking up for the bass. A shore fisherman caught some bass, up to 4 pounds, with a plastic worm.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) reported The reservoir is now free of ice, and both the paved road and the dirt road are now open. The reservoir was planted with 1,000 pounds of fish on Wednesday and there were quite a few fishermen over the weekend. Not a lot of limits, but they caught some nice fish including a 5-pounder. The fishermen were using mostly worms and Power Bait. The wind blew on Saturday but Sunday was very nice.
MASON VALLEY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA, NEV: Elmer Bull reported the bass fishing is picking up at Bass Pond. There were a couple of "Keepers" caught with a broken back Rapala lure.
OROVILLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Coho fishing still wide open. Shore anglers are using Power Bait and live minnows. Boaters are trolling small spoons and Rapalas or mooching with Anchovy tails and minnows. Some of the fish are running 14-16 inches. Bass fishermen are working worms, jigs, spoons, and tubes down 25 to 30 feet for the majority of the bass. There are some pre-spawn fish in the shallows responding to crankbaits, depending on the water temperature.
OWENS RIVER, CALIF: Steven Osterman:
Upper Owens: Water flow is 73 CFS. Fishing is good with Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, WD-40's and most standard Nymph patterns. The snow is melting down and is very solid so walking is a bit easier. Same BWO patterns as Hot Creek. Also try a small black caddis on the surface.
Lower Owens: Water flow is currently 83 CFS. Last Sunday a fire burned through most of the wild trout section, leaving a stark, barren scene. It has not seemed to effect the fishing which remains good. Try nymph fishing with BWO Emergers, Pheasant Tails and black WD-40's. Adams, BWO's and Caddis on the surface.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: Fishing has slowed down a little but they are still catching a lot in the slot limit, both from shore and boats. The biggest fish of the week was 12-pounds, 9-ounces. It was caught by Stephen Piscotty of Pleasanton, Calif. at Pelican Point with a green spoon. We also had two 11-pounders, two 10-pounders and a 6-pounder turned in.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: Good weather and good fishing. A lot of fish being caught both from shore and from boats. George (Cutthroat Charters) has been doing really good. They have been catching and releasing 20-25 fish per trip, with some 7-8 pounders being turned loose. The customers are happy. The fly fishermen have moved to Pelican and Wino Beach and we are now selling a lot of "Woolies" and Beetles at the store.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Sparks of Hog Charters (358-5199): Went out in the new fishing boat. Chris and Jim Hartfiel did "pretty fair": They caught and released 20 fish in 4 hours of trolling.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): I was out with Chris in his new boat yesterday (Sunday). We did our best on frog-pattern or white/red nose Apex lures. We trolled 30-37 feet deep in 60 feet of water. The fly fishermen were doing well at Pelican Beach with Woolly Bugger flies. Quite a few 9-10 pounders were caught by both shore and boat fishermen. The water temp was 47 degrees.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Trout fishing continued to be excellent, and the Caddis hatch is beginning, so just about any small Caddis-imitating Nymph fished under an indicator has been good. However, some bigger Stonefly Nymphs have been effective, too. Waders have been having their best opportunity in years to catch the Sac's big rainbows because of the low flows. Spinfishermen have been throwing spinners.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Same as last week: Check out the Backbone Arm for salmon with Sling Blades and Matrix Paddle Tails or Koke-A-Nuts in 24-75 feet of water. For trout, head back to the Holiday Harbor area or try Squaw Creek, with Cripplures and Hum Dingers in brass reds or orange patterns from the surface down to 30 feet. The bass action held steady on ripbait fish or just off the bottom.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): We are catching limits or close to limits on every trip. We have been trolling 60-220 feet deep. We locate the fish on the fish finder and then troll Dodgers and a live minnow in a "Figure Eight" pattern, bouncing the bottom. I've been fishing at Cal Neva and Dollar Points.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): We have one boat out on the lake today (Tuesday) and it is breezy. We saw some nice fish (1-1.5 pounds) over the weekend, all from boats. They have been trolling Rapalas, Needlefish and flashers with nightcrawlers. One boat caught 8 fish in one hour on the east side with Needlefish lures.
WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Steve Osterman:
East Walker River (From Bridgeport Dam to the Nevada Stateline): The West Walker River, from the Bridgeport Dam downstream to the Nevada stateline, is now open, year round, with special restrictions. The water flow is up to 97 CFS. Fishing is picking up. Prince Nymphs, WD-40's, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Sparkle Caddis Pupa, Stimulators and E/C Caddis. Some decent reports from anglers fishing on the Nevada side. Warmer weather should improve fishing here.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: We still have 2 feet of ice on the reservoir, 2 feet of snow on the ground and it is raining (Tuesday).