Hello, fellow anglers!

Yes, I’ve been away for a while, but my excuse is a good one—I’ve been fishing from here to Oregon. I recently fished the Rogue River with my nephew, and we were very successful on the salmon front. Let me tell you, reeling in a salmon in whitewater is like hooking your line to the front of your truck, putting it in neutral, and then trying to reel it in. I was using 120-pound nylon braid, casting a 2-ounce weight with beads, and there were still a few fish I simply couldn’t land. In fact, one even broke my line. That kind of power is incredible and provides quite a rush.

When I got home, I ventured out into our local waters and had a great time, as you'll read in this report. It was also nice to get back to cooler temperatures. When we left Oregon, it was 104 degrees with 39% humidity.

One thing very dear to my heart is rattlesnake safety. Some people may say, “It’s just a young snake; it can’t hurt you.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. Younger rattlesnakes have not yet learned to control their venom sacs, and when they bite, they often deliver a full dose of venom. I know from experience. While fishing at Lake Havasu, Arizona, I was bitten by a Mohave Green rattlesnake. Fortunately, I was rushed to the hospital and treated with four vials of antivenom. To this day, I still have very limited use of one of my fingers. Also remember: not all rattlesnakes rattle.

Another thing I’ve noticed while driving around is that many people do not know how to properly secure their trailer safety chains. I’ve seen several dragging on the ground. With fire season now in full swing, we need to correct that. Simply giving each chain a 180-degree twist will shorten it enough to prevent dragging and sparking while still providing the safety needed to tow your RV or boat trailer.

Speaking of trailers, while fishing the West Fork of the Carson River this week, I met a family on their first RV trip with a brand-new trailer. They were dry camping, but later in the day I watched the owner dump his gray-water tank directly onto the ground near the river. To me, that is unacceptable. There are plenty of places to properly dispose of wastewater. Just five miles down the road is the Carson River Resort, where you can dump your tanks for a small fee. Please do not dump wastewater on the ground. It is hazardous to the environment and local waterways and could result in a hefty fine.

It’s great to be back, and I have a lot of catching up to do as I fish as many local waters as possible. I’m already off to a good start.

LAKE TAHOE:
The mackinaw have been scattered throughout the water column. One day they’re deep, and the next they’re suspended. Keep an eye on your sonar to ensure your presentation is in the right area and depth. Cave Rock, particularly along the southwest side near the rocks and knolls, has been producing good fish. The Camp Richardson area offers an early-morning bite with jigs or by trolling a dodger and live minnow. Personally, I like using a 3/4-ounce weight with an 18- to 24-inch leader and drifting through large schools with a live minnow on medium tackle. For more information, visit rubyjeancharters.com or call 775-233-5055.

CAPLES LAKE:
Renee and I ventured up for a day this week. There was a lot of pine pollen on the lake. We trolled deep with F5 and F7 Rapalas for mackinaw but had no action. We also top-lined Kastmasters and various Rapala colors without success. I spoke with a few anglers who had started before us, and they said they were heading to Silver Lake.

I did see one lucky angler hook into a nice brown trout while trolling a Kastmaster along the far shoreline. I attempted to fish Purgatory Cove with top-lines, but the boat-eating rocks quickly changed my mind.

After trolling for a few hours, we anchored and tried jigging spoons and a gold Kastmaster without a single hit. My sonar showed plenty of large and small schools of fish, but none seemed interested in biting. By 1:00 p.m., we got off the lake and headed to Hope Valley.

As a note, the public launch ramp is open and charges a $20 launch fee. Caples Lake Resort is also open and charges $25. For more information, call 209-258-8888.

WOODS LAKE:
The entrance is open for day use. I have not received any recent fishing reports from the lake.

RED LAKE:
The lake is open, and fishing has been reported as fair for rainbow and brook trout. Spinners or small gold Kastmasters are productive from shore, as are salmon eggs fished on the bottom. Parking and maneuvering space at the entrance is limited, so avoid bringing large trailers, as turning around can be difficult.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR:
Our last trip was uneventful. We tried various methods and only managed a few small hits. As a reminder, a couple hundred cutthroat trout from Heenan Reservoir were stocked there a few weeks ago.

If you’re a fly angler with a float tube, I recommend fishing a Woolly Bugger or Copper John along the flats opposite the campground area.

WEST CARSON RIVER – ALPINE COUNTY:
I fished with Geary and Deanna Ness of Minden this week. We each caught and released more than a dozen pan-sized trout. The county stocked the river a few weeks ago with trout ranging from 1 to 3 pounds, though we weren’t lucky enough to connect with one of those.

The river has dropped to very fishable levels. If you’re planning a Fourth of July outing, the Carson River Resort is the place to be next week. They’ll be hosting a fishing contest, live bands, and a large barbecue throughout Saturday and Sunday. The entire town of Markleeville will also be celebrating. For more information, call 530-694-2229.

EAST FORK CARSON RIVER – ALPINE COUNTY:
Water flows have dropped, and fish are holding in deeper pools. You’ll need to do some walking in Hope Valley to find these areas, but move slowly as you approach the water. The fish spook very easily.

When I fish there, I take wide approaches away from the bank to sneak up on them. If you simply walk the shoreline, your success rate can drop dramatically.

TOPAZ LAKE:
Fishing has improved slightly during the early morning hours. Once the jet skiers and recreational boaters arrive, the bite tends to slow down.

Remember the rules of boating: reduce your speed to a no-wake zone when within 100 to 200 feet of a swimming area, beach, or moored vessel. If your wake causes damage, you can be held liable. Let’s all stay safe on the water.

BLUE LAKES:
The road is open to Lower Blue Lake. The road to Upper Blue Lake remains closed.

HIGHLAND LAKE / BURNSIDE LAKE:
The roads remain closed as of this week.

NDOW FISH PLANTS:
Brown trout have been planted in the East Walker River at The Elbow and in the East Carson River near the Ruenstroth Bridge.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR:
The reservoir has been producing some very good days and some slower ones. Most successful anglers are fishing from boats; however, a 7-pound, 7-ounce rainbow was landed from shore this week near the Bathtub.

Many fish in the 3- to 5-pound range are being caught. Anglers are finding success trolling Thomas Buoyants, Rapalas, and crawlers. Bait fishing has also improved in Buckeye Bay using inflated crawlers, Mice Tails, pinched crawlers, and PowerBait.

Bridgeport Marina is open for RV and tent camping, boat launching, rentals, and mooring.

UPPER OWENS RIVER ABOVE BENTON CROSSING:
The cutthroat trout have largely moved on, and we’re now seeing some nice-sized brown trout taking their place. The past few years have produced a good run of larger browns in July, so these may be early arrivals.

So far, anglers have landed fish up to 18 inches using Yellow Spot nymphs, Olive Woolly Buggers, and size 12 EC Caddis flies fished similarly to the Buggers. There have also been some grabs on a stonefly pattern called “Trina’s Dog Puke” (you’ve got to love that name), and hoppers remain a good option for targeting browns.

Flows are currently around 120 CFS and remain cool enough that the hot weather should not impact fishing for the time being.

Since the winter of 2023, hopper populations have been noticeably absent during the summer, and it appears that trend will continue this year. Even so, hopper patterns remain productive for both browns and rainbows.

Depending on how hot July and August become and what happens with flow levels, fishing could remain productive or slow into the summer doldrums before picking back up in mid-September. Time will tell.

GULL AND JUNE LAKES:
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife trout stocking schedule, both lakes have only been stocked twice since opening day. Fishing has been good, but not exceptional.

If stocking returns to an every-other-week schedule, both lakes should hit their stride by July. Gull Lake Marina plans to bring in Oregon rainbows more frequently this summer, and combined with the June Lake Loop Monster Trout Fund and Mono County stockings before the Fourth of July weekend, fishing opportunities should continue to improve.

Good luck on your next fishing adventure. I hope to see you on the water soon. If you have a photo of your catch, send it to editor@recordcourier.com.

Good fishing 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.