New brown record for Truckee River

BISHOP, CALIF. AREA:

Sabrina Lake: Rick and Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425): The back of the lake has no ice! That ice went off in less than a 24 hour period. Tuesday afternoon about 5, the back lake was still totally iced over. Wednesday afternoon about 2:00, three-quarters of the lake was ice-free and by late afternoon, the entire back lake was without ice.

There is quite a bit of open water showing about the shore, so it's getting a bit easier to fish without having to make the trek to the back of the lake.

Quite a few limits were brought out off the back of the big island.

No big fish caught this week that we saw. Those we did see, were caught using Nightcrawlers, Power Bait and the usual assorted lures: Kastmaster, Buoyants, etc. The fish are still hungry from the winter. Remember your sunscreen, that ice glare is brutal, and believe it or not we have a few of those pesky skeeters making an appearance.

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): The road is still closed to travel.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, AREA: Jim Reid of Ken's Sporting Goods Store (760-932-7707) (www.kenssports.com): Has been pretty darn good for bait fishing from boats in Buckeye Bay or in front of the Marina.

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Some open water showing around the edges.

CARSON RIVERS, CALIF: West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported lots of fishermen but not much success. The river has been clear one day and murky the next.

CROWLEY LAKE AREA, CALIF: Steve Osterman of Performance Anglers of Mammoth Lakes (760) 924-2181:

Crowley Lake: Mc Gee Bay near the mouth of McGee Creek and Pelican Point have been productive with gray or black Stevie's Wonders under an indicator or dark Woolly Buggers, fished slowly on full sink lines.

Hot Creek: Water flow is 10 CFS. Still fishing well. Small Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Nori's Caddis Pupa and WD-40's. BWO's and E/C Caddis on the surface.

DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Don Reasons of Carson City got skunked fishing with two poles from shore on Saturday, while watching a pelican catch a fish and a bald eagle catch a fish. Score: Birds: 2, Don: 0.

DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Ed Dillard (Dillard Guided Fishing) (530-832-6394): I fished Sunday from 8:30 till 11, and landed 18 fish, 12-14 inches, The best lure was the copper red head. We were fishing down six feet. The water temp was 52.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Fishing continues to be good from shore at Lunker Point and at the dam. Float nightcrawlers off the bottom with bobbers or green glitter marshmallows. Various lures such as Panther Martins, spinners and small frog lures are also producing.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) said fishing has been fairly good. Not a lot of limits. One angler caught a 4-pound rainbow.

JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF: Steven Osterman: Some decent fishing at Silver Lake with black/silver Stevie's Wonder under an indicator or try black Doc's Twin Lake's Special on a sink tip or full sink line. Fish along the ledge on the west side or all the way across along the east shore. Flow in Rush Creek is 42 CFS. Try the section between U.S. 395 and Mono Lake with Madam X, Royal Wulff's, stimulators and black ants.

KIRMAN (AKA CARMEN) LAKE, CALIF: Jim Reid: Good reports from over the weekend. No brookies were caught. The cutthroat are being taken on small streamers or Midges under an indicator.

MAMMOTH LAKES BASIN, CALIF: Steven Osterman: Mammoth Lakes Basin: Twin Lakes is open but water temps are extremely cold and fishing is very slow. Road still closed to the upper lakes.

NORTH POND (on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Elmer Bull: Last week, a man and his granddaughter used worms to catch trout (13-14 inches) and blue gills (10 inches). Those blue gills are huge for that type of water.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF: Steven Osterman:

Upper Owens: Water flow is 64 CFS. Fishing is good above the Benton Crossing Bridge. Remember the river is closed from the bridge to the monument. Some good Caddis activity on the surface. Try elk hair or E/C Caddis on top and Cased Caddis or Z Wing Caddis down deep. Some larger, spawning fish in the section of river below the monument. Please watch for Redds and don't wade those areas.

Lower Owens: Water flow is currently 452 CFS. Forget it!

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Valerie at Crosby's Lodge at (775) 476-0400: Peter Thompson of Reno caught a 10-pound, 10-ounce (29 inches) Cutt on May 2 at the south end. The fishing is beginning to quiet down now that it is getting warm. The Nets will re-open to fishing on May 17.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George and Carla Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store at (775) 476-0555: Fishing has been pretty good from shore. The boats are having to work a little harder. They are consistently catching 7-10 pounders at Pelican. George (Cutthroat Charters) has been doing OK. He is catching enough to keep the customers happy.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Chris and Jeri Grellman of Hog Charters in Sparks at 358-5199 (home) or Chris at 221-4014 (cell): Saturday, we were stillfishing from the boat in front of Pelican. We caught 6 fish. Monday, we caught a 7-pounder and 7 in the "Slot" right in front of all the fly fishermen at Pelican. We were 14 feet deep in 22 feet of water with Apex lures.

PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): The Cutts are still schooling and spawning at Pelican. The trolling has been best 35 feet deep in 100 feet of water with either Apex or Kwikfish lures. Sunday, we caught 8 and released 5. We caught 4 at Anderson Bay and 4 at Spider Point.

RED LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby reported here is open water showing and enough for some shore fishing. A skim of ice in the mornings.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113):

Rainbow Trout: Fishing for wild rainbow trout from Redding downstream below Anderson has been good with multiple hook-ups for anglers, both on conventional spin and fly gear. River releases from Keswick dam near Redding have increased to 8,250 CFS. Boats can pass the Cypress Bridge construction in Redding, from 7,000 CFS and up. Trout fishing is improving with the increased Spring flows and really will improve in the next couple of months. Side drifting small Glo Bugs in various egg pattern color combos and/or live cricket or nightcrawlers with a Quickie Puffball have worked well. Back trolling small Hot Shot 50's or small K-4/K-5 Kwikfish lures in various color combos can also be very effective for wild rainbow trout one to three pounds.

Striper: Reports of better striper fishing have come in for guides who find the schools of stripers in and around the Colusa/ Grimes area. This past week started off slow early in the week and really heated up by Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Big fish of the week for Dave Jacobs guide service was Andy Jones' 19 pound striper caught on a minnow while anchored in 12 foot of water on Saturday May 3rd. Best striper action has been spread out with most activity near Grimes/Tisdale area. Some days reports of limits come in with a couple of days where guides are reporting working hard to bring in their limits of stripers. Sardine/Anchovies cut bait fishing from anchor has worked as well as backbouncing minnows or pile worms producing nice stripers to 19 pounds. Trolling Rebel style lures in various color combos has also brought in nice stripers.

Sturgeon: Reports of good numbers of sturgeon have still come in with fish being found from Colusa downstream around the Tisdale area of the Sacramento or Sac River. Angler's soaking pile worms, ghost shrimp or store-bought eel from anchor have produced most sturgeon bites.

SILVER LAKE, CALIF: Some open water showing around the edges.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): Fishing has been good for Mackinaw, up to 10 pounds. We have been trolling 150-300 feet deep, going deeper later in the day. 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 trolling at Sugar Pine Point and at Dollar Point.

LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis: Fishing at the Ski Run Mound, 150-250 feet deep, with a Thunderstruck lure for Macks, 1-8 pounds. There are clumps of algae all over the water, and the Truckee River, flowing into the lake, is a dark color. On Saturday, a 9-pound rainbow (29 inches) at Reagan Beach.

LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis: Has been slow with 1-3 fish per trip. Toplining 20-40 feet deep, using Trophy Sticks and A/C plugs. The shore fishermen are catching 1-4 pound rainbows. They are using worms or minnows. We caught an 8-pound (29 inches) brown off Logan Shoals, trolling an A/C Real Trout plug in 20-25 feet of water. On Saturday, we caught a 4-pound brown on a baby rainbow pattern Trophy Stick lure.

TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): Some nice fish were caught over the weekend by boats that were trolling with flashers and worms or Needlefish lures. Not a lot of limits, but lots of fishermen with 2-3 fish that were over 2 pounds. They are trolling all over the lake, with no one place being the best.

TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: Jim Hartfiel reported: Scott Berge of Reno caught and landed the new Truckee River record brown trout on Sunday. It was 15-pounds (30.5 inches in length and 18.5 inches in girth) and was caught on worms in the Patrick area.

TRUCKEE RIVER, NEV: A report of a 6.5 pound brown caught on a No. 9, black/gold Countdown Rapala lure.

UPPER TWIN LAKE, CALIF: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 4-pound, 12-ounce rainbow on green Power Bait, a 4-pound, 11-ounce rainbow on a nightcrawler, a 3-pound, 2-ounce rainbow and a 3-pound rainbow, both on olive Woolly Bugger flies. Jordan Jesse (age 8.5) of Carson City caught a 3-pound rainbow on corn Power Bait.

VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Jim Reid: They are still ice fishing. Last week, there was 28 inches of ice on the lakes.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Jim Reid:

East Walker: Fished well, but it was crowded. The fly fishermen were using small Caddis patterns for rainbows up to 22 inches. The average fish was 16-17 inches.

West Walker: Has been all right. It is not dirty yet from the runoff. Good fishing drifting Salmon eggs or with small spinners.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF: Steve Osterman:

East Walker River (From Bridgeport Dam to the Nevada Stateline): The water flow is 93 CFS. The increase in water flow should improve fishing here. Water temps are still low so try fishing in the mid-day hours. Red Serendipitys, flashy Prince Nymphs, Z-Wing Caddis and Brassies.