Mac the Naw fishing report for Sierra and Lake Tahoe: Kokanee salmon festival at South Shore

Hello fellow anglers, I can tell you where there will be plenty of fish this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1-2, is the Kokanee Salmon festival at Taylor Creek located on Highway 89, a half mile north of Camp Richardson on the south end of Lake Tahoe.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Leave your fishing pole at home and bring the camera to watch the kokanee salmon start there fall run up Taylor Creek. Personally I like to view the river profile chamber at the Taylor Creek Visitors Center and the beautiful fall colors surrounding the creek. Reason i sat to leave the poles at home. All rivers that run into Lake Tahoe will be closed to fishing on Oct. 1.

This includes the Upper Truckee River, Trout Creek and Taylor Creek. For those that want to fish, here is your local report.

LAKE TAHOE: Fishing has been good for mackinaw. Best action has been off the Tahoe shelf out of Tahoe City or Carnelian Bay to Cal/Neva Point. Star out early morning in 120 feet and move out to 180 feet as the sun comes up. By 9:30 a.m. the bite will dropped off dramatically.

Blades or flashers with a live minnow has been most productive. Many limits have come in for mac's in the 2-7 pound class with a few in the 8-18 pound class.

The kokanee action has been hit and miss. Most anglers have been fishing off Camp Richardson in 300 to 400 feet of water. The kokanee have been suspended 60 to 100 feet down. The Cave Rock boat launch is scheduled to open Oct. 15 if construction goes well.

Water temperature on the lake have been 58 to 63 degrees depending on the time of day. As temperatures go down, the top line bite should pick up for rainbows and browns. For more information or need to hook up with a Lake Tahoe guide. Call Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters at 530-544-6552.

SILVER LAKE: The water level is down and the boat launch is still open. I would not recommend large boats using the launch facility. Be aware of prop eating rocks when the water level is this low. Mackinaw action is good this time of year off the points and drop offs with Rapalas or Kastmasters.

CAPLES LAKE: Fishing has been fair for trollers. Rapalas in the deeper waters or flashers and a night crawler closer to shore. Shore anglers have had better luck off the dam with inflated night crawlers. The public EID boat ramp will stay open until the weather changes.

The Caples Lake Resort will close down for the season on Oct. 15. They will reopen in spring of 2017. For those that would like to pay their respects, there will be a celebration of life for John Voss at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Red Cliffs Lodge in Kirkwood. John Voss owner of the Caples Lake Resort passed away on August 10 2016. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations in John's memory can be made to the Stanford Cancer Institute.

BLUE LAKES: The lake level is down and the fishing has been fair for small rainbows. Salmon eggs or small spinners in the morning and evening have produced a few trout. Beware of the yellow jackets this time of year.

RED LAKE: A few reports of small rainbows have come in for anglers using salmon eggs by the dam area.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR: The lake level is lower and the weeds are still abundant. The fishing has been fair to slow. If you have a float tube or small boat, fish out past the weed line and just off the bottom with a night crawler or Powerbait.

Shore anglers have had been doing fair if you get between or over the weed line. Powerbaiters use a longer lead line from your weight to get more action. Fly anglers have had best luck in the evening on the northwest side of the lake with wooly buggers right over the tops and between the weed beds. The campground is shcheduled to stay open towards the end of October, weather pending. For more information stop by the Creekside Lodge.

CARSON RIVER WEST FORK CALIFORNIA: Fishing has been very slow and the water levels are very low. Anglers fishing the harder to reach walk in pools have caught a few rainbows with salmon eggs. Due to water levels the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Alpine County will not be planting the river for the remainder of the 2016 season. For more information stop by the Carson River Resort.

EAST FORK CALIFORNIA: The river is flowing great. Fishing has been very good the last couple weeks. This is due to the recent fish plants by Alpine County. I talked to Geary and Deanna Ness from Minden, Nev. They fished last weekend and caught eight nice trout between them with the biggest at 2.5 pounds.
They were using a small split shot with Powerbait. Renee and I fished the river a couple weeks ago. We kept 3 fish and released 12 others. Largest fish was 25 inches long and was caught on a small Panther Martin spinners. Many other anglers have checked in with many limits of nice rainbow trout. For more information stop by The Creekside Lodge.

TOPAZ LAKE: A sad day for many anglers because Topaz Lake closes to fishing on Oct. 1. If you can get out on the last day, I would suggest to fish the south end with Rapalas or a No. 2 Needle fish lure. I fished last week with a friend and we worked hard and caught 3 fish each with the largest coming in a t 18.5 inches long. Topaz lake will reopen for fishing on January 1, 2017.

HEENAN LAKE: Located on top of Monitor pass on Highway 89. Open Friday, Saturday and Sundays now through the end of October. This is a no kill lake, catch and release, artificial lures or flies only with barbless hooks. Fishing has been good in the early morning and evening for anglers using yellow silver bladed Panther martin spinners. No motors allowed on the lake, but you may use electric trolling motors on small carry down boats. Float tubes are a favorite way of angling on this lake, it some times looks like a bowl of Cheerios when the fishing is hot.

NEVADA RECENT FISH PLANTS: Baily Pond, Wilson Common, Squaw Creek.

ROAD INFORMATION: Highway 88 west of Caples Lake will be down to one lane due to paving Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. They will be doing some stripping from Red Lake to the state line this week also.

Good luck on your next fishing adventure. If you get a photo of your catch, send it to jeff@carsonnow.org. If you have a question or a report in our local fishing area call the Naw Line at 775-267-9722. Good fishin' and tight lines.