Weekend fishing was excellentfor trollers at Topaz Lake

By Don Quilici

LAKE ALMANOR, CALIF: No report.

LAKE ALPINE, CALIF: No report.

- BIG SPRINGS RESERVOIR, NEV: Will open May 8.

BISHOP CREEK AREA, CALIF: Closed.

BLUE LAKES, CALIF. AREA: No report.

- BLUE LAKES, NEV: Will open June 12.

BOCA RESERVOIR, CALIF: No report.

BOULDER RESERVOIR IN NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY: No report.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF: Closed.

BURNSIDE LAKE, CALIF: No report.

- CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) said, "I'll be gone next week. I'll be at baseball's Spring Training in Arizona.

It was a quiet weekend with more skiers than fishermen.

On Sunday, David Neisess, age 9, of Minden, caught a very nice 4.5 pound Mackinaw trout, while fishing with his dad. He caught the Mack on a yellow Crappie jig. They also caught a couple of nice brookies."

CARSON RIVERS, CALIF: Closed.

CARSON RIVERS, NEV: No report.

- CATNIP RESERVOIR IN NORTHERN WASHOE COUNTY: Will open Sept. 1.

CONVICT LAKE, CALIF: Closed.

CRATER LAKE, CALIF. (Near Kit Carson Pass): No report.

CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF: Closed.

DAVIS CREEK POND AT DAVIS CREEK PARK IN WASHOE VALLEY: No report.

DAVIS LAKE, CALIF: No report.

DONNER LAKE, CALIF: No report.

EAGLE LAKE, CALIF: No report.

FEATHER RIVER AT ORVILLE, CALIF: Closed.

FORT CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS, NEV: No report.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: No report.

FROG LAKE, CALIF. (On the hiking trail into Winnemucca Lake): No report.

GREEN LAKE, CALIF: Closed.

HEENAN LAKE, CALIF: Closed.

HINKSON SLOUGH, NEV. (On the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): No report.

- HOBART RESERVOIR, NEV: Will open May 1.

HOOVER WILDERNESS AREA, CALIF: Closed.

- INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR. CALIF: Dave Kirby reported that there is a little bit more open water showing.

Anyone wanting to fish there, should plan to do so in the afternoons.

Summit Lake (above Indian Creek Reservoir): No report.

JUNE LAKE LOOP AREA, CALIF: Closed.

KINNEY RESERVOIR, CALIF: No report.

- KNOTT CREEK RESERVOIR, NEV: Will open June 12.

LOWER KINNEY LAKE: No report.

KIRMAN (CARMEN) LAKE: Closed.

- LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Troy at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750) said, "The reservoir currently has over 150,000 acres feet of water.

There were not that many fishermen over the weekend, but we did have a report of some Walleye being caught at the dam. The fishermen were using either worms or minnows that they caught, right there.

We don't have any minnows here at the store at this time."

LEAVITT LAKE, CALIF: Closed.

LIBERTY POND IN CHURCHILL COUNTY: No report.

LUNDY LAKE, CALIF: Closed.

MAMMOTH LAKES AREA, CALIF: Closed.

MARKLEEVILLE CREEK, CALIF: Closed.

MT. VIEW PARK POND IN YERINGTON: No report.

- NORTH POND, NEV. (On the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area): Has been drained almost dry and is unfishable.

- ONION VALLEY RESERVOIR, NEV: Will open June 12.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF: Closed.

PARADISE PONDS ON NORTH EDGE OF RENO/SPARKS: No report.

- PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: George Molino of the Pyramid Lake Store (775-476-0555) said, "Fishing has been kind of up and down.

Over the weekend, it was really packed with fly fishermen at "The Nets."

On the 27th, Richard Ratcliff caught an 8-pound, 3-ounce Cutt with a fly rod.

I had a charter out on Saturday (Pyramid Lake Charters) and we caught and released 15 fish, up to 21 inches. We were trolling between Pelican Point and Warrior Point with Apex lures."

RAYMOND LAKE, CALIF: No report.

RANCHO SAN RAFAEL POND IN RENO: No report.

RED LAKE, CALIF: No report.

ROOSEVELT-LANE LAKES, CALIF: Closed.

- SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing in Redding (800-670-4448) said: "The water release is 50,000 CFS.

Water high and muddy from the recent storms.

River blown out. Not able to fish at this time.

Prior to storms, fishing for rainbow trout was good from Redding to Anderson, with 8-15 fish days."

SCOTT'S LAKE: No report.

SILVER LAKE, CALIF: No report.

SHASTA LAKE, CALIF: No report.

- SMITH RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero reported, "We are hooking gorgeous chrome, trophy Steelhead trout with 4-8 fish days.

Bouncing roe, drifting from Hiouchi to J.S. Park, a 12-mile stretch with fantatic scenery and fishing.

Rain is common, so pack your raingear."

SOUTH FORK RESERVOIR, NEV: No report.

SPARKS MARINA (in Sparks): No report.

SPOONER LAKE, NEV: No report.

SQUAW CREEK RESERVOIR (north of Gerlach in Washoe County): No report.

STAMPEDE RESERVOIR, CALIF: No report.

LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462) said: "Fishing has been up and down from day to day. One day it's great, the next day it is slow.

We've been catching our Mackinaw trout early in the morning. I've been tagging and releasing the smaller ones.

Catching average size fish, with nothing big.

I troll 250-550 feet deep in the deep-water area in front of Carnelian Bay and King's Beach.

We are using silver, Herring Dodger flasher blades with live minnows or large Apex lures."

- LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552) said, "Trolling has been pretty good at 250-300 feet deep at Agate Bay with Dodgers and minnows.We're catching 5-9 Mackinaw per trip with the largest being 9 pounds, last week."

- LAKE TAHOE - South Shore:

Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552) said: "It's still pretty good in front of the usual places, Camp Richardson, Edgewood, Ski Run Blvd. and Tahoe Keys.

Troll at a depth of 220 feet with a short leader and Dodgers and live minnows.

Our largest here was also 9 pounds, last week.

Jigging has been best on the Ski Run Mound.

Toplining has been good in the shallow water. Use a No. 5-11 Rapala lure in either rainbow or black/gold color. And, watch out for the rocks when you're in that shallow water."

- LAKE TAHOE - East Shore:

Gene St. Denis said, "The boat ramp at Cave Rock is still the best place on the entire lake to launch your boat at the present time.

Make sure that you have 4WD with snow tires when launching your boat because of icy conditions on that ramp.

The Cave Rock Shelf and between Skyland Point and Logan Shoals has been producing Macks at 180-260 feet. They are smaller and average 2-5 pounds.

Toplining has been good between Deadman Point and Zephyr Point. Use a Sepps flasher with either a minnow or small Rapala lures. Troll slow in 20-30 feet of water, so the flashers just barely flutter. Watch out for the rocks."

- TOPAZ LAKE: Chuck Fields of the Topaz Lake Marina (775-266-3550) said, "Fishing was excellent over the weekend, with boaters catching more than their limits, and practicing catch and release.

The fish were being caught on Rapala or Needlefish lures, behind silver flasher blades.

The boaters were trolling in the top 10-20 feet of water, out toward the center of the lake.

Most of the trollers were limiting out in about 4 hours.

A group of four fishermen from Reno caught and released 20 trout in 3 hours with Needlefish lures. Those fishermen were down one color with leadcore line.

The largest fish last week was a 2-pound, 12-ounce Eagle Lake strain rainbow that was caught with a Rapala lure by a fisherman from Coleville, Calif.

Shore fishing is still slow as the fish are out toward the center of the lake."

TRUCKEE RIVER:

Little Truckee River, Calif: Closed.

Truckee River, Calif: Closed.

Truckee River, Nev: No report.

Truckee Canal, Nev: No report.

TWIN LAKES, CALIF. AREA: Closed.

VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF. AREA: Closed.

VIRGINIA LAKE IN RENO: No report.

WALKER LAKE, NEV: No report.

WALKER RIVERS:

East Walker (Calif.): Closed.

West Walker (Calif.): Closed.

East Walker (Nev.): No report.

West Walker (Nev.): No report.

Little Walker (Calif.): Closed.

WASHOE LAKE, NEV: No report.

WEBER RESERVOIR, NEV: No report.

- WILDHORSE RESERVOIR NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775-758-6472) said, "our weather is beautiful, up here (Monday morning).

We've got about 2 feet of hard ice out on the reservoir and the fishing has been great.

In fact, the trout fishing was red hot over the weekend.

The ice fishermen were fishing with no weight and a little mealworms or worm, about 3 feet under the ice, and catching rainbows up to 20 inches long.

The best trout fishing was in front of the State Park, at Hendrick's Creek or across from the Native American campground.

They are also catching lots of Perch, up to 12 inches.

Most fishermen have been jigging with white, yellow or Chartreuse, plastic jigs with the hook tipped with either a piece of mealworm or worm or a piece of corn.

We've got your rooms reserved and are waiting for your group to show up on Wednesday."