California;s running waters and Inyo and Mono Counties closed

By Don Quilici

• Special Note No. 1: All applicable streams, creeks and rivers in the State of California are closed until the last Saturday in April.

• Special Note No. 2: All applicable waters in Inyo County of California are closed until the last Saturday in April.

• Special Note No. 3: All applicable waters in Mono County of California are closed until the last Saturday in April.

• BLUE LAKES, CALIF. AREA: Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (530-694-2930) said, "It is pretty quiet, now that the running waters are closed for the year.

A snowmobiler told me that there is some open water still showing at Lower Blue Lake.

The Forest Service will not let snowmibles go into Blue Lakes on the Blue Lakes Road, they have to use the Forestdale Road from Red Lake."

• CAPLES LAKE, CALIF: Dave Kirby said that the lake is getting more ice along the edges.

• FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF: Wiggin's Trading Post at Chilcoot, Calif. (530-993-4683): Bank fishermen are still doing best with nightcrawlers at the Dam, Big Cove and Turkey Point.

People are less plentiful, so we have less to report.

• INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR. CALIF: Dave Kirby reported: "The last fish plant of the year was last week.

The plant was a mix of catchable and trophy size, including a couple of female rainbows that weighed 9 pounds.

The two 15 pounders that were planted earlier this year have still not been caught.

It's been pretty quiet but some fish are being caught.

I would rate the fishing as pretty good even though there are few fishermen."

Summit Lake (above Indian Creek): No report.

• LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV: Shirley at Burke's Market at Silver Springs (775-577-2750) reported that fishermen are catching Walleye, up to 18 inches and some white channel catfish at Fisherman's Point.

She also said that the fishing has been good by the Spillway at the Dam.

• PYRAMID LAKE, NEV: See today's column by Don Quilici.

In addition, Andy Moore of Carson City reported that trolling was good on Sunday until he had to quit for the day when he accidently buried the hook of a Flatfish lure in his forearm. It was successfully removed at Crosby's Lodge.

• RED LAKE CALIF: Dave Kirby said that the lake is getting more ice along the edges.

• SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF: Kirk Portocarrero of Outdoor Adventures Sport Fishing, Redding, Calif. (800-670-4448) said:

Redding to Anderson: Water flow is 4,000 CFS.

Fly fishing for rainbow trout is on hold for now as winter weather approaches.

Picking up a few fish spincasting.

Practicing catch and release.

Red Bluff: Fishing for Kings is now, up and down.

Still catching a few nice King Salmon, 8-12 pounds.

Occasional 30-40 pound Salmon.

Fishing has been slow this week and getting tough.

Brought in a 56.5 pound Salmon on Friday (Stephen Giossi of Nevada was the luck angler).

Flatfish (T-50's & T-55's) and bouncing roe are best bet, both producing King Salmon.

Watch for December to produce even larger Kings.

Any rain will be welcomed and bring more fish into the area.

King salmon season will remain open until January 14, 2005.

• LAKE TAHOE - North Shore:

Mickey Daniels of Mickey's Big Mack Charters (800-877-1462) said: "We've been catching our Mackinaw trout early in the morning and I've been tagging and releasing the smaller ones.

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."

Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbon Charters and Tahoe Trophy Trout at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (530-544-6552) said he is trollinng at Cal Neva Point, Agate Bay and Dollar Point.

He trolls 120-250 feet deep with a short leader, Herring Dodger flasher blades and live minnows.

• LAKE TAHOE - South Shore: Gene St. Denis reported that the best fishing is off Ski Run Shelf and in front of Camp Richardson.

Trolling 130-280 feet deep with Herring Dodger flasher blades with live minnows.

• LAKE TAHOE - East Shore: Gene St. Denis reported that the Mackinaw trout are smaller in this area (2-5 pounds).

Trolling 160-220 feet deep with silver flasher blades and minnows.

• WALKER LAKE, NEV: Norm Budden of Carson City reported that he caught his limit of Lahontan cutthroat trout, while spincasting with TOR-P-DO lures, south of Sportsman's Beach. His fishing partner, Marty Martinez, also of Carson City, caught one fish for the day.

• WILDHORSE RESERVOIR NEV: Dennis Dunn at the Wild Horse Resort (775) 758-6472 said, "We got a little bit of sunshine on top of the mountain this morning (Monday), and some fog down here.

The weather has been on the warm side, by Wildhorse standards.

We've got ice all around the edges of the reservoir.

Your best fishing is to just flip a shrimp or garlic-flavored marshmallow (Mike's Marshmallows) over the edge of the ice and that is right where the trout are located.

We had a 4.5 pound and a 6 pound German brown trout taken last week.

We had about 12-18 fishermen on Saturday and they all got fish.

The bird hunters are all over the area, and if you come up here, bird hunting, be advised that all of the back roads are muddy."