NORTH COAST RIVERS

North Coast streams and rivers are regulated by low flow closures. Always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed or no reports. The DFG’s Low Flow Closure Hotline for north coast rivers is (707) 822-3164. For the Russian River and counties of Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin, call (707) 944-5533. South Central Coast streams number is (831) 649-2886. Many streams close, and others change to artificial/barbless only on, March 31 and others on April 25. Trouble identifying salmon or steelhead? Go to: http://www.swr.noaa.gov/fmd/identify.htm.

COOS, River, Ore.-Big tides forecast for the coming week should be bringing the first big numbers of king salmon into the system, kicking off the fall salmon fishing here.

COQUILLE RIVER, Ore.-Guide Bill Divens of Salmon King Lodge fished the Coquille River on Sunday, and said that while it’s not “happening” yet, there are some big tides coming up this week, and that might bring the kings in.

ROGUE RIVER, Lower, Ore.-The river temperature has climbed to the 70s, halting the upriver progress of the salmon, so they are staying in the estuary, or moving in and out with the tides. So, trolling the estuary is the best fishing bet now, and until the river waters cool.

ROGUE RIVER, Grant’s Pass-Fisherman and WON contact Greg Glossop fished the middle river Sunday night with a friend and they both caught chromer kings. He said the middle Rogue has been seeing a big push of fall salmon this past week, with one fish of 42 pounds landed on a Kwikfish at Flanagan Slough. Steelhead fishing continues to be good on the upper Rogue.

RUSSIAN RIVER-Smallmouth bass fishing is the only game in town, and that’s limited to early and late in the day before the water sports users hit the kayaks, inner tubes and rafts. Use small, minnow-imitating lures or spinners like Rooster Tails around structure in the dammed up areas, or deeper pools of the river around rocky structure.

UMPQUA RIVER, Reedsport, Ore.— It is the hottest place in southern Oregon for fishing Chinook salmon, according to Won Field Reporter and guide Curtis Palmer of River Secrets Guide Service. “Buoys 18 – 24 is where the most action has been happening, and please leave the downriggers at home, since the water is deep in much of this section of river, but there can be as many as a couple hundred boats on the water when the fishing is this great. Use 6-8 ounces of weight, flashers and plug cut herring.

TRINITY/KLAMATH RIVERS

TRINITY RIVER, Douglas City-Fishing for spring run Chinook salmon slowed last week, and the action is all but over by 8:30 a.m. Anglers are reminded that that flows will be increased from 450 cfs to 2,650 cfs this week for the Hoopa Indian ceremonial “Boat Dance” but will be back down again to 450 cfs by Thursday, September 1. That should spur the movement of more salmon and steelhead into the upper reaches of the Trinity.

TRINITY RIVER, Willow Creek-Fall run Chinook salmon are starting to show at the lower end of the Trinity, but fishing has been generally slow below the North Fork because of warm water. Salmon fishing opens below the South Fork on Sept. 1. Check your regulations.

KLAMATH RIVER, Iron Gate Dam-Water conditions were warming, but some trout and small steelhead were still being caught on nightcrawlers, back-trolled Hot Shots, and streamers swung on fly rods.

KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen-Fishing on the lower end of the Klamath River got even better, if possible! The number of adult salmon is starting to increase and even more larger fish should be in the mix soon as commercial netting ends-which shouldn’t take too long as the quota is getting closer and closer to being met. Virtually every fishable spot downstream of Blue Creek holds fish and is fishable. Nice adult steelhead, mostly wild, continued to be caught and released.

NORTHERN FOOTHILLS

AMERICAN RIVER-The river is running low and clear-you can see the bottom all the way across the channel in most places. There have been a lot of people enjoying the beach and shoreline at the confluence of the North Fork and Middle Fork at Hwy 49, but few anglers according to the Georgetown Ranger Station. In the Georgetown area, hikers can do well fishing the deeper pools with nightcrawlers for rainbows and browns.

BULLARDS BAR-The lake is at 77-percent capacity. Still lots of recreational boaters on the lake, especially for Labor Day weekend. Emerald Cove Marina reported lots of small bass being caught.

CAMP FAR WEST-The lake level is dropping fast and the fishing is slow, especially with the heavy recreational boat traffic. Labor Day weekend will be a madhouse, according to North Shore Resort.

COLLINS LAKE-The trout action is slow but steady-some limits, but most catching 2 or 3 fish. Trollers and shore anglers were doing the best at the dam. Trollers were using spoons at 25 to 35 feet deep. Trout fishermen need to get out early and quit by 10 a.m. due to the high daytime temps. Catfish action has been good, particularly at night. Shore anglers using sardines, anchovies, and nightcrawlers at the marina, campgrounds, and Elmer’s Cove caught cats up to 5 1/2 pounds this past week.

ENGLEBRIGHT RESERVOIR-The lake is at 91-percent capacity. High daytime temps and heavy recreational boat traffic has definitely slowed down the fishing. Boaters getting out early in the morning have been catching some nice rainbows on the upper end of the lake drifting worms and Power Bait. There are lots of bass and bluegill on the banks in the marina and Keystone Cove.

FRENCH MEADOWS RESERVOIR-The lake is at 74-percent capacity and scheduled for a DFG trout plant this week. The Foresthill Ranger Station said that campers have had no problems getting a campsite here.

HELL HOLE RESERVOIR-The lake is at 87-percent capacity. The Georgetown Ranger Station reported that the fishing had slowed due to warmer water temps. Crawdad trappers have been doing very well.

LAKE OROVILLE-The lake is at 95-percent capacity. Mike Hanson reported that the Tuesday evening turkey shoot was won with an 18-inch spot taken on a crankbait. Hanson took second place with a 16 1/4-inch bas he caught on a buzzbait. The fish were scattered on the isolated points in the North Fork and in the “slot”. The bass are constantly moving, following the bait. Crank any mud line, no matter how small.

ROLLINS LAKE-Long Ravine Resort will be holding their “Lakeapalooza” this Saturday featuring 15 bands and plenty of food, and fun for all. Fishing has been good for catfish to 15 pounds up in Greenhorn Creek at the sandbar. Rainbow and brown trout were hitting at the dam and the inlet for trollers and bait drifters. Bass boaters have been catching-and-releasing good numbers of fish.

SCOTT’S FLAT LAKE-Smallmouth bass action was good for 10- to 14-inch fish along Cascade Shores on plastic worms, according to the marina. One boater reported picking up 2 limits of 14- to 16-inch rainbows while drifting nightcrawlers at the dam. Trollers using flasher/worm combos have also been doing well at the dam.

SUGAR PINE RESERVOIR-The fishing has been slow according to the Foresthill Ranger Station. Campers need to make reservations for campsites here.

STUMPY MEADOWS RESERVOIR-The Georgetown Ranger Station reported that fishing got tough this past week for both trollers and shore anglers-it’s time for another DFG trout plant!!

THERMOLITO AFTERBAY-The lake is at 84-percent capacity. Ron Gandolfi and Bruce Gibson of the Paradise Tackle Company fished here this past week and caught bass up to 5 1/2 pounds on jigs and Senkos. The smaller fish were coming tight to the tule banks while the bigger fish were holding on the deeper drop-offs on the ends of the points.

NORTH SALTWATER

BERKELEY-Scott Sutherland at Berkeley Sportfishing reported “decent” salmon fishing with about 12 fish per boat on an average day, and 20-plus on the better days. Another option is rockfish at the Farallon Islands, where limits are the rule and lingcod counts average 10 per trip (but often more are caught). On board the Happy Hooker, anglers got treated with a great white shark sighting on Saturday, then they caught their limits of rockfish plus 16 lings. On the California Dawn, Captain James Smith had an excellent week fishing the Marin Coast with limits of rockfish and at times, limits of lingcod.

BODEGA BAY- Great bottomfishing with limits of jumbo rockfish and good lingcod counts that included lings into the 20-pound class. “We had heavy sacks of rockfish and some great lingcod action,” said Captain Rick Powers on the New Sea Angler. He’s been running combo trips that also target salmon, and earlier in the week, those trips paid off. On Monday, 16 anglers caught 9 kings to 15 pounds, limits of rockfish and 6 lings to 14 pounds.

EMERYVILLE-Solid week of bottomfishing and salmon fishing, and sometime a combination of both. Rockfish limits were the rule all week, and on Wednesday, the New Huck Finn had near limits of lingcod with 46 lings for 25 anglers. There’s an advantage of being on the smaller boats sometimes, like Wednesday’s trip on the Talisman when six anglers caught rockfish limits, 9 lingcod and 3 salmon. High salmon only trip was on the Captain Hook on Wednesday, when 10 anglers caught 11 salmon.

EUREKA-The summer frenzy of fishing has started to slow, but there are still reports of Pacific halibut and salmon. A 45-pound ‘but was boated on Saturday. The salmon boats had one around to limits. On the Shellback, Captain Phil Glenn ended up with 6 kings, while Captain Tim Klassen on Reel Steel had limits for 3, biggest 12 pounds. Ocean salmon season closes Sept. 5, but bottomfish are fair game until Oct. 31.

FORT BRAGG-Some great tuna action at times, mostly for the private boaters. Salmon fishing was slow, and rockfish season for boaters closed on Aug. 16. Captain Randy Thornton on the Telstar reported a tuna trip that scored 9 fish for 10 anglers, their fish coming just 13 miles from the harbor. Captain Bob Monckton on the Reel-lentless trailered his six-pack boat up and managed 13 albacore to 35 pounds. The last couple salmon trips on the Telstar found slow action, but anglers landed kings to 20 pounds. On one trip trolling at 10 Mile Beach, one lucky angler caught a 10-pound California halibut. Ocean salmon is open until Oct. 30.

HALF MOON BAY-On the Queen Of Hearts, the crew is targeting rockfish most trips, with salmon efforts a couple days per week. The salmon counts have been under one per rod, but the rockfish trips are limit out affairs, with bonus lingcod. “Rockfishing is excellent very close to port,” said Captain Tom Mattusch on the Huli Cat. “School fish are really biting and we’re seeing hitchhiking lingcod every trip!”

OYSTER POINT-Captain Jack Chapman took out the Lovely Linda Too on a family and friends trip up the Marin Coast with great ocean conditions that lead to great action on rockfish and lingcod. The group took home 47 jumbo rockfish from 4 to 6 pounds, and 12 lingcod to 15 pounds.

SAN FRANCISCO-The Bass Tub’s first albacore try was thwarted by heavy winds about 20 miles out, so the crew turned the boat around and went to the Farallon Islands for limits of rockfish and lingcod, then a stop at Seal Rocks for a halibut. Captain Jacky Douglas on the Wacky Jacky said the salmon trips have been producing about 10 fish per boat, sometimes more, with whoppers in the 20-pound class.

SAUSALITO-Salmon trips are producing about 10 to 15 fish per boat, depending on the number of anglers up to one around, and sometimes limits. The action dropped off a little, most sources feeling we’re seeing a lull between big waves of kings heading inland.

SHELTER COVE-Great action on Pacific halibut, bottomfish and at times, albacore, but the mid week forecast is calling for big wind, so count on little activity until after the high pressure conflict moves out.

SACRAMENTO VALLEY

AMERICAN RIVER-Numbers of salmon appear to be increasing, and more catches are being reported from Harrington Access to Nimbus Basin. While some are being caught backtrolling Kwikfish and on spinners, others are being caught on long leaders with a beaded single hook, a fishing method derisively called “flossing” since the leader slides through the salmon’s mouth and the hook point penetrates from the outside in. Salmon caught in this manner are to be released unharmed according to DFG regulations, as they have not willingly taken the lure, and technically have been snagged. Striped bass are still banging topwater lures, minnows, sardines and crawdads throughout the length of the river.

FEATHER RIVER, Yuba City- Flows-warm flows–have gone up again. The water is warm and salmon holding in the High Flow Section below the Outlet have raced into the Low Flow Section of the Feather where no fishing is allowed. Steelhead fishing has slowed as well.

FOLSOM LAKE-Bass fishing continued to be in the doldrums. Slowly fish plastics over and through structure such as submerged trees and over rock piles where concentrations of bait fish were present as detected on electronics.

MCCLOUD RIVER– The upper McCloud above the lake continued to see lots of pressure but continued to produce fish. Smaller trout were being caught on nymphs on the Lower McCloud.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento-Salmon fishing continued to be pretty good some days, not so good on others-at the mouths of the American and Feather rivers. Persistence in trolling Kwikfish, FlatFish, and Silvertron Spinners, plus jigging with Gibbs Minnows pay off when you intercept a pod moving through.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Red Bluff-Salmon fishing continued to get better and better, and some anglers are limiting every day from Red Bluff to Woodson’s Bridge. Backtrolling sardine-wrapped plugs early in the morning while the sun is below the tree line is best, then switch to backbouncing and side-drifting roe when the sun hits the water. Most of the fish continue to be smaller adults weighing 9 to 12 pounds with larger adults weighing 20 to 30 pounds mixed in.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, Redding-Trout fishing continued to be good, and rainbows from 12 inches to 3 pounds were being caught on drifted Glo-Bugs and nightcrawlers, as well as dead drifting caddis- and Mayfly imitating nymphs under floats on the long rod.

UPPER SACRAMENTO RIVER-Fishing continued to be excellent in the Dunsmuir area of the Sac with lots of 12 to 15 inchers being caught plus whoppers weighing 3- to 10-pounds in the immediate Dunsmuir area of the river. A 13-pound rainbow was in the last release! Rainbows to 21 inches were being caught below Gibson on nymphs dead-drifted under indicators. These are native trout coming out of Lake Shasta.

YUBA RIVER-Trout fishing on the Yuba River continued to be very good, with anglers scoring on caddis and Mayfly nymphs under indicators, as well as dry flies.

NORTH COAST LAKES

CLEAR LAKE- Both the bite and conditions improved, but just in time for the fall tournaments. The algae is clearing and your best bet will include hanging around the middle section of the lake, dragging Brush Hogs on Carolina rigs or Texas rigged. Jigs and crankbaits are good choices as well, stick with craw colors.

LAKE BERRYESSA- The kokanee and king salmon fishing continues to be outstanding, with a good grade of fish to 19 inches now found on the edge of the channel at Skiers Cove and off deep points just south of Skiers Cove. Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass have been on the points, where anglers are using drop-shot rigs with Robo worms or Basstrix minnows out to 30 feet.

NORTHEASTERN AREA

LAKE ALMANOR- Water clarity is good to 15 feet, fish can just see things better, they are feeding less at night with no moon; and the bite was good. Trolling red and gold Speedy Shiners from the Dorado Inn into Lake Cove, mooching anchovies at the A-Frame and pulling threaded nightcrawlers real slow from Big Cove to the Hamilton Branch have all produced limits and mixed bags.

BATTLE CREEK RESERVOIR-Pressure remains very light and the fishing has improved. Some nice rainbows are coming in off of the dam and north shore. Lures have been doing well as have grasshopper patterns behind a bubble.

BAUM LAKE- Vaughn’s Sporting Goods in Burney reports PMD’s and callibaetis doing the job for trout. Nightcrawlers and Power Baits are also doing well, as are two-toned Kastmasters. Vaughn’s nymphs of choice have been copper Johns in red or pt’s.

BRITTON LAKE-According to Vaughn’s Sporting Goods, the crappie bite is still on, with some nice stringers reported. Try crappie jigs or mealworms for best results around structure. The smallmouth bass also continue to bite.

BURNEY CREEK–Vaughn’s Sporting Goods reports good nymphing at the base of the falls still with green copper Johns. Bait and lure fishermen are still catching trout above the falls.

CASSEL FOREBAY-Rim Rock Ranch reported fishing in the forebay continues to be very good right now and very consistent as well. Floating bait and eggs have been taking the most fish and with fishing pressure easing up, things couldn’t be much better. Fly fishing has been consistent as well as late evening hatches are still coming off. Nymphing PMD’s and Rickard’s callibaetis have also been very successful.

FALL RIVER-According to Vaughn’s Sporting Goods in Burney, anglers have been mainly nymphing, but there has been some dry activity, especially with the sun. There has also been some good dry fly action on PMD’s and a few tricos starting to show.

IRON CANYON RESERVOIR-No changes here, according to The Fly Shop, the fly fishing has been good here using a boat, float tube or pontoon boat to get out. Insect hatches have tapered off, but rainbows and browns will chase clouser minnows and Lite Bright Buggers. Suspending nymphs like zebra midges, no.16 black micro Mays, or no.’s 16-18 flashback PT nymphs were good for rainbows, browns and the occasional brook trout.

UPPER HAT CREEK-Rim Rock Ranch reports the fishing was outstanding, with some great fish in the 3- to 5-pound range coming in all week, typical fish are in the 12- to 14-inch range. DFG has been very good this year on changing up the plant schedule so that more fish are available throughout the week and in more holes throughout the system. Pressure will probably be a bit higher for the Labor Day Weekend but the fishing should be awesome regardless. Worms and lures were the top producers but salmon eggs aren’t far behind. Fly fishermen have been doing great on copper Johns and stone flies. Bees are very active this time of year so wasp patterns also do well.

HAT CREEK (wild trout section)-Vaughn’s Sporting Goods in Burney reported nymphing was still okay on the stretch just below the Powerhouse. There were also good results with pt’s and copper Johns. Callibaetis cripples were working, along with a few PMD’s picking up fish.

KESWICK RESERVOIR-The Fly Shop said the reports out of Keswick have been slow, but their guess was that it’s fishing well, as it usually does at this time of year. A motorized boat is needed to reach the fish here.

MANZANITA LAKE–Rim Rock Ranch said few reports are coming in but motorboat caddis activity has been popping up off and on. Early to mid-morning has been good with off and on great activity in the evening hours. Zebra midges, boatman and pheasant tail nymphs have all been working. The winds have died down a bit so fishing hasn’t been quite as tough as earlier in the season. Remember to check the special regulations on this catch and release lake.

McCLOUD RIVER-Reports from The Fly Shop in Redding are that fishing is great, with light crowds but hot; it’s a good time to be fishing here. The best dry fly fishing seems to be around 10:00 a.m. and near sunset. Indicator nymphing with Mercer’s brown or black micro mayflies in no. 16 has been working well.

PIT RIVER-Fishermen are doing best with black stones, copper Johns in red and birds nest in larger sizes fished on the bottom. There have been good reports from the few fishermen braving the increased flows. Be extremely careful of slippery rocks here. Beginning in September, there will again be road work and improvements along the Pit River. Road closures of 2 plus hours are possible between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

SHASTA LAKE-Mike Elster reports trout are in the shad bait balls and once found just keep going through them. Trout are holding between 40 to 65 feet, and the salmon below them at 80 and 100 feet but the bite has been slow. Give the salmon another month, when the water begins to cool down. Digger and Packers bays will be better bets in terms of traffic, with the busy holiday coming up. Apexs and white Wiggle Hoochies produced limits. Stay above the “no ski” zone in the arms for bass early and late in the day.

TRINITY LAKE–Apexs and white Wiggle Hoochies trolled on downriggers between 40 to 65 feet also produced limits of kokes between 11 and 13 inches, and 16 and 17-inch kings.

SIERRA LAKES/RIVERS

BLUE LAKES-Upper and Lower Blue are scheduled for DFG trout plants this week. Caltrans road closures and lane restrictions on Hwy 88 through the end of September will make getting here problematic-use Hwy 50 or Hwy 395.

BOCA LAKE-The lake is at 95-percent capacity. There’s good shore fishing along the west side on the points for rainbows running 12 to 16 inches using Power Bait. Early mornings are best due to day-time boat traffic.

CAPLES LAKE-The lake is still full and scheduled for a DFG trout plant this week. The fishing this past week was very slow to terrible! Dale Daneman at Dale’s Foothill Guide Service said he talked to 4 different guys who fished the lake this past week and never got a bite, so this DFG plant will be a Godsend.

CARSON RIVER (East, West)-Todd Sodaro at the East Carson Resort reported that the river was in perfect shape at 200 cfs. Alpine County planted 1800 pounds of 3- to 4-pound average rainbows in the West and East Carson and anglers were coming in with limits of the big fish-imagine a 15- to 20- pound limit of rainbows! Biggest fish Sodaro weighed this past week was a 7-pound, 7-ounce rainbow taken by Cordell Meidinger of Lodi near the upper bridge on the East Carson on a Rapala-the rest of his limit were all 3 1/2 to 4 pounders. The West Fork is fishing very well near all the bridges.

DAVIS LAKE-The lake is at 82-percent capacity. Ed Dillard at Dillard’s Guided Fishing reported steady trolling action for rainbows. The fish were hitting a Wee Dick Nite at 18 feet deep from Honker Point to the dam. Mornings were best to avoid the weed mats that blow across from the west side of the lake in the afternoons. Dillard has been catching 10 to 15 fish on his 4-hour trips on fish running 15 to 16 inches. Shore fishing has been fair at the dam-ANGLERS NEED TO WALK PAST THE BUOY LINE TO FISH TO AVOID A CITATION FROM THE SHERIFF’S DEPT. The area inside the buoys is off-limits to fishing and there have been some misinformed anglers getting cited!!

DONNER LAKE-Kokanee trolling has been the best bet for limits of nice salmon, 14 to 15 1/2 inches, at 60 to 90 feet deep on purple, pink, glow, and white kokanee bugs. The mack fishing has been slow. No DFG trout plant for over a month, so the rainbow bite is tough!

FEATHER RIVER CANYON-Fishing on the North Fork above Hwy 70 has been slow without a recent DFG plant. Some native rainbows to 17 inches were caught this past week near the Caribou Crossroads Resort. The Caribou Powerhouse has been producing some smallmouth bass to 1 1/2 pounds and rainbows to 14 inches for float tubers.

FRENCHMAN LAKE-The lake is at 87-percent capacity. Wiggins Trading Post reported good shore action at Lunker’s Point, Crystal Point, Nightcrawler Bay and either side of the dam away from the rip-rap on Power Bait, marshmallows, salmon eggs, and nightcrawlers. Trolling has been slow at Big Cove and along the east side of the lake for boaters using a copper/red head Dick Nite-five fish is a good day.

GOLD LAKES BASIN-Gold Lake, Lower Sardine, and Packer were all planted this past week and fishing was very good at all the lakes on worms, according to Bassetts Station.

ICE HOUSE RESERVOIR-The lake is at 79-percent capacity. The warm weather has slowed the bite, according to Kyle Neeser at Crystal Basin Tackle-early morning is the best bet with a dodger/grub.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR-Evening fly fishing has been good for those using dry flies, streamers, and wooly buggers according to Todd Sodaro at the East Carson Resort.

JACKSON MEADOW RESERVOIR-With a DFG trout plant made this past week, the rainbow bite was good for shore anglers using nightcrawlers on the east end of the dam for fish to 18 inches. Trollers were doing well using a Jointed Rapala in the Yuba arm and along the dam.

JENKINSON LAKE (Sly Park)-Sly Park Resort reported that trollers were still catching limits of planter rainbows on flasher/worm combos at the entrance to the Narrows. Shore anglers were doing fair at the first dam for rainbows using Power Bait and worms. Smallmouth bass, some running 2 to 3 pounds, have been hitting inflated nightcrawlers in the Narrows.

LAKE TAHOE-Mike Nielsen at Tahoe Top Liners was picking up 6 to 10 macks running 3 to 7 pounds on his trips then filling the limits out with 12- to 13-inch kokanee. The macks were hitting blue or black/silver ThunderSticks at 160 to 180 feet deep; the kokes were taken on silver flasher/Apex rigs tipped with Pautzke’s Natural Corn. Mickey Daniels at Big Mack Charters did well on Sunday picking up 7 macks, 3 to 6 pounds, from 80 to 280 feet deep on Sling Blade/Koke-a-nut combos by 7:30 a.m. Chuck Self at Chuck’s Charter fishing was picking up limits of macks, 8 to 12 fish running 4 to 8 pounds, trolling “everything in the tackle box” at 165 to 220 feet deep off Crystal Bay Point, Tahoe Vista, and Dollar Point. Self has been switching over to kokanee and rainbows after getting the macks. 14- to 16-inch kokanee were hitting from the top down to 75 feet deep depending on the sunlight. The trout were in 45 feet water or less at Lake Forest and Tahoe City.

LOON LAKE-The lake is at 74-percent capacity. The trolling is still wide-open for mostly rainbows toplining a Sep’s Strike Master dodger trailing a Sep’s 2-inch brown grub on a 10-inch leader all over the lake.

PROSSER LAKE-The lake is at 91-percent capacity. The trout bite for shore anglers and trollers has been slow, but smallmouth bass action was good. Anglers throwing spinners and brown or green pumpkin tubes baits have been doing well. Fly fishermen swinging caddis nymphs in the current at the inlet have experienced some good action for rainbows in the evenings.

PYRAMID LAKE-A lack of guide trips kept Joe Mendes of Eagle Eye Charters off the lake this past week, but cutthroats taken incidental to perch fishing should be all over the tufa structures at Hell’s Kitchen, the Needles, and the Pyramid in 60 feet of water or less depending on the position of the tui chub schools that the perch and trout are feeding on.

RED LAKE-Access to this lake has been severely hampered by Caltrans work on Hwy 88. There will a road closure in effect from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for blasting and then delays up to 2 hours the rest of the day until the end of September. Be prepared to take an alternative route from the Sac Valley to the East Sierras for the next few weeks.

SILVER LAKE-The lake is scheduled for a DFG trout plant this week. Dale Daneman reported that a friend fished the lake this past week and caught and released 31 fish in three hours of trolling along the shoreline with a Sep’s Side Kick dodger trailing a Sep’s 2-inch brown grub.

STAMPEDE RESERVOIR-The lake is at 93-percent capacity. There has been a sporadic bite for male kokanee at 60 to 70 feet deep in front of the two inlet arms. The kokes are starting to “turn”-changing color and starting to develop the hooked jaws typical of spawning fish. Trollers have to move around and find a school of fish willing to bite. Some 5- to 8-pound macks have been caught by kokanee trollers. With a DFG trout plant made this past week, shore fishing was good on either side of the boat ramp on the windy points for rainbows.

TOPAZ LAKE-The fishing has been dead!!! Lots of recreational boaters have been enjoying the beautiful hot weather. Wait until the boat traffic subsides and fall is in the air for the fishing to improve.

TRUCKEE RIVER-According to Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters, the bite on the main river has been good on caddis nymphs and midges in the early morning from 7 to 11 a.m. By afternoon the bite slows due to warmer water temps. Mostly rainbows and a few browns run 12 to 16 inches with a few over 20 inches. Bigger fish have been falling for crayfish patterns since the craws are molting. The Little Truckee saw some good dry fly action lasting later into the day due to the colder water coming out of Stampede Reservoir. Trout here have been running 15 to 18 inches with a few over 20 inches. Try PMD’s, caddis, yellow and green sallies, or gnats.

UNION VALLEY RESERVOIR-The lake is at 82-percent capacity. Kyle Neeser of Crystal Basin Tackle and Guide Service reported that trollers were still catching limits of nice kokanee at the dam at 60 to 70 feet deep on a Wild Thing dodger with a pink/purple hoochie. The kokes all ran 13 to 15 inches and were bright, fat fish in good shape.

WEST WALKER RIVER-The Little Walker and West Walker are both scheduled for DFG trout plants this week. Mono County will plant Alpers trout this week. Fishing has been excellent with everyone catching limits that want them. The river is in perfect condition for fly fishing with flows ranging from 250 cfs to 290 cfs.