Doug Busey Eastern Sierra Fishing Report

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bridgeport Reservoir

by Doug Busey
7-19-2019
Website

Hello fellow anglers. Sorry I have been away for a couple weeks, had to catch up on a few things in order to start fishing again. The fishing is getting good all over our area. Before we get to our fishing report. let us remember that while we are out camping, we have to abide by some simple rules. There are no campfires allowed outside of designated campgrounds. This means a fee area and not a nice clearing on the side of the road or in an open meadow. A simple reminder is the illegal campfire that started in the Indian Creek Reservoir area last week. This ban also prohibits the use of charcoal grills, and fuel campstoves. Smoking is only allowed in a designated camp area. If you are out of that area along the Carson River or hiking up behind Caples Lake and the Woods Creek area, No smoking allowed, period. You may only smoke in your vehicle. These are not my rules, These were put in place by the US Forest Service and BLM. Lets all play safe and keep our forests green.

CAPLES LAKE: The EID boat ramp and day use area is open for use as well as the Caples Lake Resort. The resort has a general store with boat and kayak rentals available. The lake level is up and the fishing has been good for trollers using Rapalas or small flasher blades with a night crawler. Best areas have been by Woods Creek area. The shore fishing has been on and off. Best areas have been off the dam or by Woods Creek. The CDFW planted the lake a couple week ago with catchable rainbows. For more information stop by the Caples Lake Resort.

BLUE LAKES: The road to the lower lake is open. The road to upper Blue Lakes will be closed for the 2019 season due to planned work by PG&E. Fishing has been rated slow.

RED LAKE: Fishing has been slow to fair for rainbows and a few cutthroat trout. Salmon eggs or green powerbait has been most productive. The lake was planted a couple weeks ago by CDFW.

BURNSIDE LAKE; A report from Ted Martell from Gardnerville. he fished with his buddy a few weeks ago and said the fishing was not good. They went to Indian Creek and caught several nice rainbows using mousetails.

CARSON RIVER WEST FORK CALIFORNIA SIDE:  The flows are nice and the fishing has been good from the Blue Lakes Road area to Sorensons Resort. Power eggs  or salmon eggs have been productive. Small spinners have been doing good in the faster waters. Alpine County planted 650 lbs of 12" to 6 lb trout this week. CDFW recently planted the river with catchable trout. For more information stop by the Creekside Lodge.

EAST FORK CARSON RIVER CALIFORNIA SIDE: The water level has come down and the clarity is better. Reports of rainbows in the 2 to 4 lb class have been coming in for the last couple weeks. green or rainbow powerbait  or salmon eggs right off the bottom has been most productive. Alpine County planted the river this week with 650 lb of 12" to 6 lb rainbow trout. For more info stop by Creekside Lodge.

SILVER CREEK: The river flows have calmed down and fishing has picked up. yellow or green powerbait have been most productive. Alpine County planted the river this week with 400 lbs of 12" to 6 lb rainbow trout.

MARKLEEVILLE CREEK: The river has been doing well for those that do not mind a little walk. I fished with Renee a couple weeks ago and she had good success for small rainbows. Alpine County planted 400 lbs of 12" to 6 lb rainbow trout this week.

CARSON RIVER NEVADA SIDE: The NDOW planted the upper part of the river by Ruenstrough bridge with rainbows and good sized brown trout last week. They planted the Carson City area with rainbows this week. David and Karen Fuentes from Carson City had good success last weekend near the broken dam area.

TOPAZ LAKE: The water level is up a little and the fishing is doing good in the morning and tapering off as the day warms. Flashers and a night crawler or Rapalas have had best success. As the day progresses, you need to get your presentation deeper. The shore angler shave been doing well on the south end of the lake with powerbait and floating night crawlers.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR: Fishing has been good for boaters using night crawlers around but not in the weedy areas. Most have been off the rainbow point area. Junior Perez was using corn powerbait and caught a nice 3.6 lb rainbow. Marge Tanaka and Carol Ng caught a nice stringer of rainbows form 2.6 to 4.4 lbs using night crawlers. The lake level is still up and the weeds are getting heavy on the south end of the lake. For more information stop by the Bridgeport Marina and campground.

JUNE LAKE AREA:

JUNE LAKE:

Big Rock Resort (760)648-7717. Lopp and Lopp Inc. (that would be David Lopp and his son Parker) and myself fished June last Sun. in a Big Rock boat and got our limits all on Garlic Pinched Crawlers. We tried other baits but at some point figured why bother and stick with what’s working. In addition to the right bait the other key for me is location and keep moving a little if not getting bit. Don’t sit in one spot for hours and not catch anything. This is true in a boat or on shore.

June Lake Marina (760)648-7726. Randy at the Marina said those Garlic Pinched Crawlers (what a surprise) and Chartreuse Garlic Powerbait are working best. Apparently trout like garlic - go figure. Get this: Little big man 6 yr. old Milo from Chico literally dragged in a 3-1/2lb Cutthroat onshore near the boat ramp using a mini jig. I’d say that qualifies as this report’s Sierra Moment. The Marina brought in their own load of Oregon Rainbows this past week to their trout pens to be released through the rest of the season. Keep in mind they have recently fitted some of their rental boats with Bimini tops. We like shade! As usual trolling has been good for those deeper and larger Cutts, Bows, and Browns dragging Taz Devils, Trolling Tube Flies, Needlefish, and Tommy Boys (Thomas Buoyants). According to Dan and Kitty who are on the lake daily it’s time to go a bit deeper say 7 to 8 colors lead core. This may increase up to 10 as the Summer goes on.

GULL LAKE: Gull Lake Marina (760)648-7539. As Emma at the Marina would say it’s not quite “ On like Donkey Kong” but I think it’s close and this is before the Mono Co. plant this week. My buddy Dave “The Pretzel” Wetzel and I will be on the lake this Fri. to test the waters. According to Emma trolling has been working 5 to 6 colors with Red and Gold Tommie's and GFR Rapalas. Marci from Bakersfield landed a nice 2 plus pound, 21-1/2” Cutty with Salmon Peach Glitter Powerbait.

GRANT LAKE: Grant Lake Marina and Campground. No phone so ya gotta stop by. Doug the Marina operator plans on adding a 600 lb load of Oregons soon. Harold and Dan who work the Marina tell me folks are getting limits of Rainbows and Browns mainly up from the Narrows into the inlet of Rush Creek. They pointed out that while trolling lead core one needs to factor in the “belly” in the line when calculating your depth. The “Three Men in a Tub” Randy, Nick, and Kenny (they’re actually in separate boats) trolling early early one morning this week got a bunch of Browns, Bows, and a few Kamloops most in the 2lb plus range. They’ve been running 6 colors with Speedy Shiners and Taz Devils. Dan of

Dan’s Guide Service: (661)478-0036, who hits the evening bite near the inlet has been kill’n it drifting and casting mainly Rapalas for up to 5-1/2lb Rainbows and Browns. So this early morning and evening thing works well with the Marina’s two day discounted boat rental by which you can stay out late and start early the next morning.

RUSH CREEK: Rush is still a bit wild and woolly due to the Spring run-off but should stabilize soon. Those that are targeting the more fishable zones are doing well with salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Tommy Boys, Panther Martins, Rapalas, etc.

SILVER LAKE: Silver Lake Resort (760)648-7625. As Andrew says finally the catching is better than the fishing as the water temp has come up. I see in their fish log Rainbows from 1lb plus to over 7lbs are being hauled in. When fishing Silver or Rush Creek stop in at the store in the Resort to take a look at their log. It’ll give you some insight as to what’s being caught where and using what. After years of meticulous restoration they have opened up Parker House for vacation rentals, weddings, and events. Stop in and check out this historically rich jewel of The Loop.

FLY FISHING: Briefly, whether fly casting or employing a fly and bubble rig in the lakes it’s best to be in a boat, tube, or kayak to reach the fish. Early and late chuck some dries going deeper during the day with streamers, buggers, wets, and nymphs. This is when I’d be heading to the local back country lakes and creeks accessible on a day hike. There’s oodles of small Brooks up there hungry as can be after a long Winter. For more information call Ernies Tackle and Ski spphop at 760-648-7756.

I hope to see you on the waters, If you get a picture of your catch, send it to sports@nevadaappeal.com. Good fishin' and tight lines.



Good luck on your next fishing adventure. If you have a question. a report in our local fishing area or have a photo of your catch, send it to nevada@fishreports.com. Hope to see you on the waters. Good fishin' and tight lines.




Carson Now Reports
for Friday, June 28th, 2019
: Eastern Sierra Fishing Report
Lake Tahoe: Mackinaw Fishing Has Been Good
Silver Lake: Silver Lake Fishing Report
Caples Lake: Lake Has Thawed and Resort is Open
Woods Lake: Woods Lake Update
Blue Lake Lower: Blue Lakes Update
Burnside Lake: Road is Open
West Carson River (CA): Excellent Fishing Right Now
East Carson River (CA): River is High But Fishable
Indian Creek Reservoir: Indian Creek Reservoir Report
Topaz Lake: Powerbait Working Good For Shore Anglers
Bridgeport Reservoir: Bridgeport Reservoir Fishing Report
June Lake: June Lake Fishing Report
Grant Lake: Lake is Full and Spilling
Silver Lake: Silver Lake Fishing Report
Rush Creek: Rush Creek is Flowing High