Hello fellow anglers,

I think winter finally found us. I was enjoying 70-degree weather fishing in November, but if we don’t get any precipitation soon, there will be no fishing next year.

Before we get into your fishing report, I want to tell you about a show I watched last week. It seems that a family of four rented a canoe and ventured out on a lake. It was a clear and calm day. Later that day, the marina owner contacted authorities to report that the family had not returned at their designated time. Fish and Game officers ventured out on their boat to locate the family. What they found was heartbreaking. It seemed that the canoe had capsized and all four family members had drowned. They did find life jackets floating around the area where the incident happened, but no one was wearing one.

I feel that the marina operator should have given strict instructions that all life jackets must be worn when renting one of their vessels and given proper instructions on how to wear them. I may be wrong—the family may have had proper instructions but decided to take them off, being that it was a calm day. I cannot stress how important it is to wear a life jacket while on the water—in a canoe, motorized boat, jet ski, or even a float tube.

I will also agree that the orange and yellow life jackets are not comfortable to wear, but if you do not have any other choice, wear them. I personally have an inflatable life preserver that I wear each time I go out. My fishing partner wears an inflatable vest. They are not intrusive and work with a CO₂ cartridge. If you fall from your vessel, all you need to do is pull the rope to inflate them. These also require a little training to use properly.

Another point of interest: if you were born after January 1, 1983, in Nevada, it is a requirement to take a boating safety course before operating a watercraft. I took the Nevada Boating Safety Class online in 1997. I am not required to do so, but I highly recommend it to all boaters.

In California, as of January 1, 2025, all boaters—regardless of age—must complete a boater safety course. You can also do this online. A word to the wise: if you’re caught boating in California without your boater safety certificate, you can receive a fine—first offense is $100, second offense is $250, and third offense is $500. It takes only a short time online to complete your course, and you will receive a boater’s card to carry with you. And yes, I completed my course a few years ago.

Let’s all just be safe on the water so we can live to tell all of our fish stories.

Fishing Report

TOPAZ LAKE:
The lake is still producing fish when you can get out. Jointed Rapalas in black and silver have been most productive. If you’re using lead core line, use an F5 or F6 black/silver or perch pattern. Shore anglers have done fair off the north end of the lake with PowerBait or inflated nightcrawlers.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR:
Fishing has slowed a little. PowerBait has still been most productive. Some anglers have been tossing gold Kastmasters off the dam area. After this week’s rains, I would not recommend using the dirt road off Diamond Valley Road—it can be a little nasty.

BLUE LAKES: The road is closed for the season.
WOLF CREEK ROAD: Closed for the season.
BURNSIDE RD – TAMARACK AND SUNSET LAKE: Closed for the season.
SCHNEIDER COW CAMP AND POOR BOY RD: Closed for the season.
FORESTDALE AND HIGHLAND LAKES RD: Still open at this time, but will close at any time due to weather.

CAPLES LAKE:
Fishing has been fair. Not many people are up fishing due to both ramps being closed for the season. Some anglers are fishing on the west side of the lake by the road and doing fair using inflated crawlers or PowerBait. The Caples Lake Resort will open on December 18th.

RED LAKE:
Fishing has been slow, but some anglers have been catching brookies using salmon eggs by the dam, while others have been using spinners or gold Kastmasters.

CARSON RIVER EAST FORK (ALPINE COUNTY):
Fishing has been fair for anglers throwing spinners or red Power Eggs. Average fish have been in the 1–2.5 lb. range.
Special note: As of November 15th, the rivers convert to artificial lures or flies only, with barbless hooks and zero limit. For more information, stop by the Carson River Resort—they are open all year for camping and cabin rentals.

CARSON RIVER WEST FORK (ALPINE COUNTY):
The river is running very low. Fishing has been slow, and if you want to find fish, you will have to take a long walk through Hope Valley. There are some areas in Woodfords Canyon that still hold fish, but prepare for a steep climb. As of November 15th, catch and release only with artificial lures or flies with barbless hooks.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR:
The resort launch is closed. They are still taking reservations for camping. Fishing has been good when you can get out. Boat launching is only by the dam at the bathtub. Shore anglers have had fair luck using inflated crawlers, PowerBait, or eggs. For more information, stop by the Bridgeport Marina.

UPPER OWENS RIVER:
Above Benton Crossing—barbless flies and lures only, catch and release, open all year. Since September, there have been three runs of big Browns and Rainbows coming and going from Lake Crowley. During the latest run, fish were concentrated in some of the deepest bends, making them easy targets and resulting in up to six 18–24” fish caught most days using Yellow Spot and Flashback Pheasant Tail nymphs under an indicator about 6’ deep.

During the past week, those fish have spread out into deeper (3’–4’) runs for spawning activity. The nymphs are now working only for an occasional straggler, so Bacon and Eggs (Egg Pattern with a San Juan Worm under an indicator) are on the menu, along with casting black or olive Woolly Buggers downstream. In past years, these fish have moved back into the bends for some R&R before heading back to Crowley—so we’ll see if that’s the case this year.

There’s also been some decent Caddis and Mayfly activity, creating good topwater action for mostly smaller fish using those dry fly patterns.

LOWER OWENS RIVER (Wild Trout Section):
Below Pleasant Valley Campground—barbless flies and lures only, catch and release, open all year.

When wind, temps, and snow affect the Upper, the Lower becomes our winter fishing ground, mainly for lure fishing and sometimes fly fishing. We made one trip there in mid-October, getting a good amount of Browns and Rainbows up to 18”. The brush and reeds are thick in some areas, cutting off access, but that should improve as they go dormant.

Lure-wise, we’re using Panther Martins, Thomas Buoyants, and Rapalas with the belly hooks removed. When fly fishing, it’s much the same as at the Upper. Even in winter, due to warmer temps, there’s a consistent mid-day Mayfly hatch—perfect for BWOs and Caddis patterns.

Smaller Creeks:
Most, if not all, of the smaller local creeks are either open all year or switch to barbless flies and lures only, catch and release, after the general season closes.

HOT CREEK: Barbless flies only, catch and release, open all year.
RUSH CREEK (below Grant Lake): Barbless flies and lures only, catch and release, open all year.
Others open: Parker, Walker, Lee Vining, and Green Creeks also switch to barbless flies and lures only, catch and release, until the general season reopens the last Saturday in April.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must check the alphabetical listing of waters in the CDFG Regulations to confirm what sections are open and when.

Good luck on your next fishing adventure! Hopefully, it will start getting cold enough to begin ice fishing by December. Hope to see you on the water soon.

Until then — good fishin’ and tight lines!