ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The good bite found around the Rec. 2 area should return this week on a No. 7 Rapala, or gold and florescent red color patterned lures in the top 15 feet. This past week saw the lake recovering from rain, strong winds, and few areas were accessible to get out of the wind.
BISHOP, CALIF. AREA:
Sabrina Lake: Rick and Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425): We've got more 'fowl' fishing going on at the lake. Two different kinds of Grebes - the pied-billed Grebe is a small bird (about the size of a Robin) and the western Grebe (which is about the size of a Crow) dive underwater to get their fish and they can stay under for quite a while. Haven't seen the Osprey or Bald Eagle lately (I think they got out of Dodge when that Arctic air hit last weekend).
After last weekend, the temperatures picked up and we had some awesome Indian summer weather during the week. A bit of snow flurries on Saturday and then another beautiful Sunday less the colors around the lake as the oranges, yellows, golds and reds turned the freeze-dried brown color that comes from a hard freeze. All we need is a bit of a wind for it really to look like winter with no leaves on the trees.
Salmon Eggs and nightcrawlers are the current ticket to the fish, especially when fishing around the rock piles and back at the Little George or Dingleberry Inlets. Saw quite a few limits come out Saturday. Not many out trolling lately. DFG stocked the lake on Friday.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): The road is still open, and fishing has been fair. Two guys caught their limits with worms from shore, buy it took most of the day to do so.
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): The water level is still holding up, and they are definitely catching fish. About 4-5 days ago, five fly fishermen from South Lake Tahoe caught and released 50 rainbows.
East Carson River: Doug and Renee Busey of Douglas County reported they caught and released over 75 fish averaging 10-16 inches in the area of the Carson River Resort in just a few hours of fishing. Doug said the fish were bank to bank and they saw fish up to 3 pounds. They were using Woolly Bugger flies in olive and gray colors and a white Elk hair Caddis.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported Diego Santoyo, age 9, of Carson City caught a 4.5 pound rainbow with a nightcrawler on Sunday near the Crystal Springs Campground in Woodfords Canyon.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing good, if place and presentation are good. North end of lake good for trollers running lures shallow, at 8 feet deep. Nightcrawlers and Power Bait work for bank fishers. Dark Nymphs and Midge patterns work along weed-bed edges at north end of lake.
EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Trout continue to be scattered but moving into the shallower waters on the north end where they are feeding on baitfish. There are some recently planted smaller trout being caught in the area, but the majority of them are 3-6 pounders up here. Fishing inside the bay at Pelican Island in 8 feet of water, with flies in brown or other dark colors did the trick. Dragging worms was also productive, but the larger fish all seemed to prefer flies.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Quite a few big stripers were caught below Shanghai Rapids last week, including a 37 pounder. They were caught on Pencil Poppers, Hair Raiser Jigs, and shallow running jerk baits. Steelhead fishing continued to improve, too, from Gridley up into the Low Flow Section. While small Nymphs and egg patterns were catching a few, nightcrawlers seemed to be a better bet.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): The lake is down but the fishing is good off shore, using nightcrawlers or Power Bait (rainbow or Chartreuse). The docks are out of the water now, but Frenchman's campground is still open for dry camping. Lunker Point has been good for off shore fishing as well as Turkey Point.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Shore fishermen still doing good at Lunker Point and at the dam, floating nightcrawlers just off bottom. Trolling through the Narrows with crawler/flasher rigs also producing fish. Campgrounds closed, with Frenchman Campground the only one still open. Day camping allowed in unlocked areas.
PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: Jim Hartfiel of Just Rite Fishing at Pyramid Lake at (775) 575-7850 (home) or (775) 813-3411 (Cell): The water still has a lot of moss at the north end. I went out three straight days over the weekend. The fishing guides are fishing south, except Chris (Hog Charters, who went over to Hell's Kitchen yesterday (Sunday). He caught limits for his three clients but nothing big. On the south end, they are catching a couple of average-sized fish in about 4 hours of fishing. We have been trolling Apex lures at a depth of 30 feet in 60 feet of water.
RED LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby: Fishing is OK and the lake is still a bit murky. Fish being caught are all brookies.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing continued to be good from Dunsmuir all the way to Shasta Lake for rainbows. Most fish are 10-12 inches, but some occasionally are in the 18-20 inch class. Fish a short line with Prince Nymphs and Foxes Poopahs were producing rainbows to 18 inches.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Dave Jacobs (Professional Guide Service) (800-355-3113):
Rainbow Trout: Fishing for wild rainbow trout on the lower Sacramento from Redding downstream below Anderson has really improved this week with a great trout bite and a few Fall Steelhead mixed in on conventional spin gear. River releases are dropping now as they do every year at this time. Sacramento river trout guides are reporting better fishing for wild rainbow trout 1-3 pounds with the occasional big trout of 4 plus pounds from Redding downstream near Red Bluff. Both hatchery and wild Steelhead have been hooked from Redding downriver below Red Bluff. Most rainbow trout have been over 16 inches with some in the twenty plus inch class. Fall salmon are spawning making for multiple rainbow trout hook-ups a day are a real possibility this time of year while trout fishing with a few larger adult Steelhead mixed in per day. 20-30 wild rainbows hooked per day can be expected in October. More Fall salmon are moving upstream and trout fishing will only improve through October and November. Trout fishing has been best side drifting small Glo Bugs in various egg color combos and/or live cricket or crawlers with a Quickie Puffball have worked well. Trout fishing has also been good by back trolling small Hot Shot 50's or small K-4/K-5 Kwikfish in various color combos.
Salmon Season Update:
All Central Valley rivers are now closed to salmon fishing to protect the Sacramento River Fall Chinook Salmon. The Salmon season will re-open on November 1st and remain open until December 31st, 2008. Angler's will be allowed one salmon per person and Salmon fishing will be allowed from the Red Bluff Diversion Dam downstream to Knight's Landing. Very large Fall Salmon have been seen this year and very large Salmon could be returning for the late Fall fishing season as reported by Sacramento river salmon guides.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Toupee Island had a lot of bait and active fish, working shad on the surface anglers picked up trout to 19 inches. Some of the better producing lures included Cripplures and Hum Dingers in shad patterns. Other good color choices for lures included nickel/silver, silver/blue, or silver with black.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): No report. St. Denis is currently on his annual backpack trip in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Bishop. He will return Oct. 24.
UPPER TWIN LAKE, CALIF: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): A 6-pound, 5-ounce brown on a trolled brown trout Rapala, a 4.75 pound rainbow on a brown trout Rapala and a husband and wife caught a 3-pound, 6-ounce rainbow and a 3-pound, 11-ounce rainbow on Captain America and rainbow Power Bait.
VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF: Carolyn Webb of the Virginia Lakes Resort: The week closed out with DFG stocking for the last time this season enticing the die-hard anglers for one last shot for 2008 season. Weather turned sour last weekend and Little Virginia froze over, Kevin and Bob Hunter made a good attempt to break up the ice and it took them 45 minutes in a row boat to get 45 feet. The weather changed again and it got into the low 70's for 2 days and it was beautiful most of the week.
Big Fish: Ella Schugt of Irvine, caught a nice 3 lb 3 oz Alpers on a fly from her tube. Zeke Escalon of Corona SNAGGED a 6 lb 13 oz Brown in the tail with a lure and 2 float tubers were willing to verify this information and said he had a hard time getting it to shore, so I'm posting a photo on my web site for ONE week only and not sending it into Western Outdoor News. It was a beautiful brown trout in full spawning colors, and he didn't even have enough respect to kill the fish. Anglers are entitled to do what they want regards to catch and release or keeping the fish, all we ask is that they are humane.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472: The fishing is still good and you need to get up here to catch some nice rainbows. My cook fished from shore with worms and caught three fish that weighed a total of 12.5 pounds. Yesterday (Sunday), a guy caught 5 rainbows that averaged 4-pounds, the biggest were 24-25 inches long. He fished from shore worms. The water is not that far down, and the State and Native American boat ramps are both open.