Hello fellow anglers. I was a little under the weather and not getting out to fish much. Which made it feel worse. Fishing is the best medicine in my book. Speaking of weather, it seems we are getting into the semi fall mode. The leaves are starting to turn and finally it will get a little cooler.

I was able to get out last week and try some waters and check out a few others. Many of the rivers in our area are getting very low as you will see in this report. But I have to tell you, the east fork of the Carson River up past Markleeville is running good. I ran into a couple fellow anglers that did some serious hiking down into those deep holes. Not the ones you park and fish right off the road. It paid off very well for Jerimiah Payne from Angels Camp Ca with a nice  6.52lb rainbow. Jeramiah was drifting a Gulp egg. His fishing partner in crime, Andrew Hatfield from Arnold CA caught a nice 7.28lb rainbow on a Panther Martin spinner. This my fellow anglers is what you get when you get away from the road and do a little walking and hiking.

I cannot claim to have caught anything like Jeramiah and Andrew. But Renee and I did catch a couple dozen in the 8-13 inch class. We kept a couple for the bbq and released the rest unharmed. The reason I say unharmed. We saw too many floaters in the river. This is from anglers that do not know how to catch and release properly. The majority of the fish caught are plant fish. They are weaker and take longer to revive. Another option is a barbless hook or using lures. If  your catch does not survive,  clean it and take it home. A true angler will not throw back a dying fish, just to keep their limit of  five fish open to try for the big one.

The Carson River Resort has come up with an option for you. If you are not able to release a fish. Bring it into the resort. You can clean it or leave it whole. They will freeze them and drive them up to donate them to the Tahoe Wildlife Care Center each month. Or, if you live in the Tahoe area, drop off your fish uncleaned at the Tahoe Wildlife Care Center. They use them to feed the different wildlife they take care of. Try never to waste a fish if you can.

LAKE TAHOE: Kokanee fishing is picking up down in the south. Mackinaw has been fair with minnows and blades. Fishing the rock piles. Cal Neva is loaded with mackinaw but they won’t eat. Maybe more interested in spawning?  There have been a lot of eggs in the fish that have been filleted. Early morning is the best chance at catching anything big. As soon as the sun's up you have had to work the rock piles to get some small mackinaws.  For more info, go to Rubyjeancharters.com

CAPLES LAKE: The water level has been going down, but still has plenty of water to fish the shore or launch your boat at the marina. As a note, the Caples lake Marina does rent pontoons and small fishing boats. When out on the lake, use cation and look for the safety buoys. Right out in front of the lodge/marina is a very large rock structure you do not want to find the wrong way.. The lake was planted by CDFW a couple weeks ago and the fishing is still hot. Best areas have been by the dam and over by woods creek. Flashers and a half crawler or small Rapalas.  Shore fishing in those areas have also produced good fish. For more info, call the Caples lake Resort at 209-258-8888

WOODS LAKE: The fishing has been good. May be due to CDFW planting rainbows last week. They offer tent sites and a public bathroom. No gasoline motorized boats on the lake, electric trolling motors are permitted. I personally like to use my float tube. It's a small lake.
BLUE LAKES: The fishing has been good to fair. The CDFW planted the lake with catchable rainbows a couple weeks ago. Most anglers have had best luck with spinners in the morning or evening., or with powerbait or inflated nightcrawlers The lake offers rural camping on a first come first taken basis.  

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR: The lake level is getting very low. I spoke with Chase from the Bridgeport Marina this week. He told me they would be taking out their docks and rental boats within a week or so. When the launch closes, you can still launch down by the Dam at the bathtub. It is a dirt road and shore launch. Fishing has been slow, not many anglers out recently. Most anglers have been fishing the  river channels and catching some fish. The resort will still be open for Rv and tent camping. If you like hiking or off-roading? This is a full service area to get out and play. For more info call the Bridgeport Rv park and Marina at 760-932-7001.

TOPAZ LAKE: The lake lavel is going down and the boat launch is getting low. Keep an eye on your depth finder so as not to bottom out. On the far south end you will see some wills in the lake. Stay to the north as much as possible. Fishing has still been productive for those early morning risers. When the sun does come up, that is when you need to get your presentation down deeper. Small blades and a half a crawler, Thomas Buoyant spoons or Rapalas have been most productive. The Douglas County campground offers RV and Tent camping right on the lake. With a bathroom and showers.

CARSON RIVER WEST FORK ALPINE COUNTY CA: The river is running low but still fishable in areas. I would try the Woodfords Canyon area by the old highway bridge and downstream. Or get up into Hope Valley and walk the river from highway 88 through the meadow to the highway 89 bridge. But be sneaky as you do it, the fish are really spooked easily in that area.

CARSON RIVER EAST FORK ALPINE COUNTY:  The fishing has been good. As you may see from the pictures. Jerimaiah and Andrew had good luck. Renee and I ventured up for a day or so. We did not catch any large fish, but we caught plenty of fish. Talked with a few anglers and they were doing well also. Orange power eggs from those fishing on the bottom. I used a yellow and silver Panther Martin spinner. I fished in the flat waters as well as the faster waters and we both caught fish. One other thing that was working very well was salmon peach Powerbait. Just a small amount to cover your hook with 16 inches between your pinch weight and the hook. Note: do not use too heavy of a weight or you will get stuck a lot.  For the fly anglers, copper johns with a trailer were working well. The Carson River resort is open for RV and tent camping. They alot have log cabins for rent and a fully stocked bait-tackle and grocery store. For more info call 209-258-8888.

Gull and June lakes: CDFW stocked both lakes last week and the week before. That’s the first time they’ve stocked two weeks in a row this season. At Gull we’re getting up to forty fish up to 3 lbs using the methods described in the Ways and Means below. We have not fished June Lake since early July but fishing has been good there too. If the State continues on a steady schedule (at least every other week) and what with the pre-Labor Day stockings of larger Rainbows from Oregon fishing at both lakes should be great well into September and October.

Backcountry: Our two go to spots, Mine Creek along the Bennettville Trail and Rock Creek above Mosquito Flats, have been mid-Summer excellent with 35 to 45 small Brooks each time out. We mostly fly fish with Caddis patterns and Black Ants but small lures or a fly and bubble rig work well too. A recent trip to Lake Gardisky produced up to 12” Brooks using all three methods

Upper Owens river: We got back to fishing here about the 3rd week of July and it was good for some nice Browns from 16” to 20” along with smaller Rainbows and Browns using nymphs and Caddis patterns. It slowed as we got into August and with no hoppers about it could remain slow until September so I think we’ll stick to lake and backcountry fishing with an occasional trip to the Owens to check it out.

Good luck on your next fishing adventure. If you get a picture of your catch or have a question in our local fishing area. Send it to editor@recordcourier.com. Good fishin' and tight lines.