ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The east side has been better by going east from Rec. 1 to the A- Frame, Big Springs, the mouth of the Branch and continuing on down to the dam area. A No. 4 nickel Sling Blade with a long leader (3 to 4 feet) and a No. 8 hook, with a 1 ?-inch garden worm, rigged Texas style worked well for limits of mostly rainbow trout from 30 to 40 feet down.
BISHOP, CALIF. AREA:
Sabrina Lake: Rick and Patti Apted of the Lake Sabrina Boat Landing (760-873-7425): Fall is undeniably in the air as more and more yellows, oranges, reds and golds continue to appear in Bishop Creek Canyon. And if that wasn't enough to let you know the seasons are a-changing, the temperatures might help a bit, too. That nip or crispness that makes you think autumn is near is sure making it seem more like winter especially with the snow flurries at South Lake and North Lake on Wednesday.
A HUGE THANK YOU to future Eagle Scout, Daniel Johnson, who along with family and friends took on the job of clearing the Dingleberry Inlet trail over the past two weekends. Those on the clean-up crew were Mary Ward (mom), Stephen Johnson (dad), Diane Nicholson (grandma), Sierra Sam Glacier, Dennis Wagoner, Arden Wagoner, Ben Ono, Jessie Wood, Trevor Taylor, Brad Hooker, Kyle Hiroyasu, and Wyatt Walsh. Lake Sabrina Boat Landing provided lunch the 3 days it took them on the clean-up.
Joseph Perat of Big Bear City nailed a huge 6-1/3 pounder back at that inlet - free-lining a nightcrawler into the current and wham-bam thank you ma'am! Leif Arntsen of Bishop nabbed a 5-1/4 pound Alpers on a Thomas Buoyant, while Bob Severson of Glendora landed a 3-1/4 pounder on Power Bait. Fred Crespin of Rialto pulled in a 4-1/2 pounder on Power Bait. Pat Edgerton from Dana Point has been fishing for a big one here at Lake Sabrina for 32 years, his son Tom, caught a Big fish a couple of months ago at the lake, well finally, Pat caught his BIG fish a 5-1/2 pound Alpers on a nightcrawler - a 1/2 pound bigger than his son Tom's fish.
With all those BIG fish being caught, you guessed it, fishing is slowly getting better or maybe I should say the catching is getting better. The best catching is drift fishing with nightcrawlers, Power Bait or Gulp (had one group limit-out in an hour and a-half using Chunky Cheese Gulp). Fishing the Dingleberry Inlet using nightcrawlers, Power Bait or Eggs (the normal stuff) caught quite a few. The trollers using flashers and a nightcrawler or Rapala hooked-up some fish. Shore anglers were using nightcrawlers, Power Bait and Gulp.
Temperatures are in the low 70s (although it never got above 50 last Wednesday) and in the low to mid 40s at the Lake.
BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): The two lakes had a fair weekend, but not too many humans up there. Both lakes fished well from float tubes or boats. One angler trolled small lures at Upper Blue on Saturday and limited out on small rainbows.
BURNSIDE LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby: The road is now open, since the fire, but no fishing reports.
CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Steve Hamilton and his brother Mark, both of Gardnerville, reported that last Thursday morning, they caught ten 6-pound Mackinaw trout, while trolling from Steve's small boat. For the non-fisherman, that translates into "they got skunked."
CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
East Carson River: Todd Sodaro and Chad Machado of the Carson River Resort (877-694-2229): The water is the same as it has been for the last five weeks. The fishing has been spectacular. The county planted big fish from the Susanville hatchery last week. Jim Santo of Stockton used a Panther Martin lure to catch five rainbows: 9-pounds, 11-ounces; 7-pounds, 15-ounces; 7-pounds, 10-ounces; 5-pounds, 5-ounces; and 4-pounds, 5-ounces. That's 35 pounds of fish.
West Carson River: Dave Kirby reported: The water is extremely low and very clear. Lot of fish in the water.
DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Big "Hoo-Raw" up here the 27th, free fishing day, with the DFG and all kinds of free fun things to do, and the fishing is getting better and better as the water cools down and fish plants kick up. Trollers and bankies are doing better each week. Bait dunkers work the area outside the "no fishing" buoys at the dam and at Mallard Cove. Trollers are doing better, and finding they don't have to go as deep now. Fly guys are still getting some morning action on dries.
EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing took a turn, as fish appear to be transitioning from the deeper south end to the north as they follow the bait. You'll catch them at one depth one day and the next at a completely different area and depth but they have been from the surface down to 7 feet, in water no deeper than 20 feet. Bobber fishing slowed with fish on the move but should readjust quickly. Bank fishing picked up at Youth Camp, Bucks Bay, and Rocky Point.
FEATHER RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Fishing was so-so last week. A few striped bass were caught around Boyd's Pump and Shanghai Rapids, with the bigger fish taking big jigs and topwater lures, and the small bait-stealers, well, stealing bait. A few small Steelhead were caught in the Low Flow Section, on nightcrawlers and Nymphs fishing under indications.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Bank fishing has been good on the north and east side of the lake. Catching them with nightcrawlers and lures. Trolling has been good all around the lake. Using various lures and nightcrawlers.
FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): This higher elevation lake is cooling down quickly and the bite continues to improve on rainbows and browns. Trollers at the dam are using a variety of lures at a variety of depths depending on time of day " shallow early and deeper when the sun's on the water. Bait dunkers are using crawlers under a slip bobber or holding off the bottom with Power Bait.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930): Same as last week: It still has the algae bloom. The water is fairly dirty looking. Great camping but not much fishing.
RED LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby: The water is still murky looking.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): The Upper Sac is just waiting to pop off right now, and should turn on into full fall swing any day now. The nights have been cool in spite of warm daytime temperatures, and the hatches are improving daily both early and late in the day. As hot as it's been, midday fishing has still been slow, but as soon as daytime temperatures drop into the mid 80s to lower 90s, the Upper Sac is really going to turn on. There are literally millions of giant October Caddis larvae crawling around on the rocks, predicting a huge October Caddis hatch this fall/winter.
SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500): Bass are still suspended, according to Phil's Props, and drop- shotting out to 40 or even 50 feet was suggested for these suspended fish, mostly in the main body, as there aren't really any "arms" now due to low water conditions. Anglers willing to motor up into the Squaw and the Pitt "fingers" found better success where the fresh water was still entering and some found limits. A 5 pounder came off a worm in the McCloud "arm." The main body of the lake from Bridge Bay to up by the dam continues to be good areas to target for trout. Dry Creek continues to also provide for both salmon and trout, while the west side of Toupee Island produced quality trout. Fish deeper as the trout and salmon are feeding on shad in the Thermocline. Trout were holding between 36 to 100 feet, though the best bite continued to be between 50 and 75 feet.
LAKE TAHOE - North Shore: Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552): Fishing has picked up. We have been trolling 100-300 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 trolling at Dollar Point and Cal/Neva Point. We fish early and have caught several limits. The Macks are running 5-10 pounds.
LAKE TAHOE " East Shore: Gene St. Denis reported: Shore fishing is slow. The jiggers are jigging at depths of 150-250 feet with white Crippled Herring jigs.
TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck and Linda Fields at the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550): Same as last week: Just water skiers and jet skiers. Water is still dropping. Our boat launch is closed for the season due to the low water. There are no fishermen and there is no catching. The lake will close to fishing on Sept. 30.
UPPER TWIN LAKE, CALIF: Annett's Mono Village (760-932-7071): New record for catch of the season by James Palmer from San Bernardino for a 7.25 pound rainbow caught with a bead-head Nymph. John Barbaccia of Santa Clara used a Chartreuse Kastmaster for his 6-pound, 5-ounce rainbow. Michael Palmer from Rim Forest total catch of three rainbows equaling 15 pounds on Woolly Buggers and Nymphs. Pam LaTragna from Minden used a nightcrawler for her 5-pound, 10-ounce rainbow.