Don Q's Nevada and Northern California fishing report for week of Jan. 1-7

Here is this week's fishing report of rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Jan. 1-7, 2014. Wednesday, Jan. 1 is opening day at Topaz Lake. More than 50,000 fish have been stocked by Nevada in advance of the opener.

ADOBE POND, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

ANGEL LAKE, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
This lake is frozen and the road is snow covered. Travel isn’t recommended and there will not be a report on this lake until next spring.

BISHOP CREEK AREA, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

BLUE LAKES, CALIF:
Road closed.

BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

BURNSIDE LAKE, CALIF:
Road closed.

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF:
Kathleen Flanagan of Douglas County reported:
"Hi Don, Its Friday 12/27/13. Just got back from Caples Lake. Weather was great, about 12 to 14" of ice on the lake.
Fished about 20 yards from the first dam.
Fishing was slow 2 hours and only 1 fish, BUT WHAT A FISH!!! It was a 28" MAC. through the ice. Took a good 15 minutes to land it.
Picture on my Facebook page. Michael Flanagan, PS using worms."

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF:
Doug Busey of Douglas County reported that Slade Conboy and his dad Doug of Modesto, California caught a 10-pound Mackinaw while fishing through the ice last week.

CARSON RIVER, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
ICE and very low flows.

CARSON RIVERS, CALIF:
Carson River East:
Upstream from Hangman's Bridge, closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.
Carson River West:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

CONVICT LAKE AND CONVICT CREEK, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

FALL RIVER, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

FORT CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS, LYON COUNTY, NEV:
Closed until the second Saturday in February, 2014.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF:
Wiggin’s Trading Post at Chilcoot (530-993-4683) reports:
The ice at Frenchman Lake is about 6 inches thick at the dam and at Lunker Point. However, as temperatures warm up during the afternoon hours, open water is visible at the dam out past the ice. Please use extreme caution if you decide to go out onto the ice. Most people are venturing out no more than 30 or 40 feet from shore.
The road around the lake is in good shape - no ice or snow.
On December 26th, 9 year old Alexa Lappin from Sparks, NV and her dad went ice fishing at the dam. She caught 5 nice sized rainbows weighing about 10 lbs total. She was fishing with nightcrawlers.
Call us for current lake conditions and well as updates on the fishing - Wiggin’s Trading Post (530) 993-4683.

HAT CREEK CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

HEENAN LAKE, CALIF:
Closed until the Friday before Labor Day, 2014.

HOBART RESERVOIR, WASHOE COUNTY, NEV:
Closed until May 01, 2014.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR, CALIF:
Frozen, the thickness of the ice is unknown.

JACKSON MEADOWS RESERVOIR, CALIF:
Mountain Hardware and Sports of Truckee (530-587-4844) (mountainhardwareandsports@gmail.com) reports:
Snowmobile only now.

JIGGS / ZUNINO RESERVOIR, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Unfortunately, Jiggs has dried up.

JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

KIRMAN LAKE, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

LAHONTAN RESERVOIR, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
ICE

LUNDY LAKE, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

MAMMOTH LAKES BASIN, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

MARLETTE LAKE, CARSON CITY & WASHOE COUNTIES, NEV:
Closed until July 15, 2014.

MARTIS LAKE, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

MASON VALLEY WILDLIFE MANGEMENT AREA, NEV:
Hinkson Slough - North Pond - West Walker River - Crappie Pond:
Closed until the second Saturday in February, 2014.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF:
Tom Loe of the Sierra Drifters Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
Upper Owens River:
I continue to be amazed at how good it can be on this small spring creek.
Another EPIC day on the UO, this time with a new client Chris Finch. 
We nymphed one pool for nearly three hours using a Drifters crystal leech #14 and a glow bug egg pattern. I took nearly 40 pictures of Chris holding big rainbows with a few browns in the mix.  My net was never dry! 
FOUR below zero when we started, FIFTY when we quit.
Middle Owens River:
The north wind picked up early today and made it tough for fly casters. 
It put down a decent mayfly hatch and blew the midge clusters away as well.
We did well on a drift trip using the streamer patterns Loebergs and Spruce-A-Bu’s before the wind, and struggled for a few hours until the wind backed off and it warmed up. 
Numbers picked up in the afternoon with a couple of large rainbows coming out to play, they “flipped” us the proverbial fin & avoided a picture. 
This has been the best winter I have EVER seen for consistent trophy fish on the “mighty MO”.
High pressure setting in the next couple days, look for a warming trend and the bite to go back on. 
I suggest using Assassin birds nest, flashback PT’s, olive zebra/midge larva, & broken back tiger midges while nymphing the tail water below Pleasant Valley Dam.
Been crowded here- but you should be able to get some open water if you are willing to wade the brushy sections. 
Flows remain very low and wading is easy currently.
The Lower Owens River is now being designated as the “Middle Owens” due to some re-watering of the section below Tinemaha Reservoir down to the Owens dry lake several years ago. This has been deemed the LORP, or Lower Owens River Project.  The mid-Owens is around Bishop Ca.

PINE FOREST COMPLEX, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Onion Valley Reservoir:
Has dried up.
Blue Lakes:
Closed.
Knott Creek Reservoir:
Closed.

PLEASANT VALLEY RESERVOIR/THE GORGE, CALIF:
Tom Loe of the Sierra Drifters Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
Pleasant Valley Reservoir:
This is the only year around still water open in Inyo or Mono Counties. 
The transition area is choked with heavy weed beds-more than I have ever seen.  The level is very high and you will find only limited access near the inlet section.  It pretty much sucks here right now in this section.
The short creek section is fishing so-so in the deeper pools.
Midge patterns and smaller mayflies are good choices for nymphing or dry/dropper combos in both areas. 
FREEZE tubing has been the most consistent currently. The cold weather has really slowed all sections down and no hatches to focus on.
Still water nymphing can be productive along the drop-offs on the west side in 9-12 feet. Tiger midges, gillies, crystal pupa and emergers are hard to beat here fished below an Under-cator.
If the wind picks up use a broken back tiger as the lower. 
Small Assassin birds nest work well for imitating the mayfly nymphs, use these under a stimulator or hi-vis para Bwo as your indicator.
Streamer tuggers have a full sinking or heavy sink tip line.
Loebergs, Agent Orange, & Spruce-A-Bu’s will get you grabs near the inlet and launch ramp areas.
The Gorge:
The Gorge has been bumped up to 50 CFS below middle powerhouse.
There is still a bunch of major work being done on the hydroelectric facility and flows are being bypassed through the Gorge. 
Dry/dry, or dry dropper bead head rigs using small mayfly and crystal olive caddis nymphs are good choices. 
The brush has really thinned out making it just difficult in some places to cast. This is not a place to practice false casting friends!

RED LAKE, CALIF:
Frozen, but the thickness of the ice is unknown.

ROCK CREEK, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

RUSH CREEK, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

RYE PATCH RESERVOIR, PERSHING COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
ICE

SACRAMENTO RIVER (LOWER), CALIF:
Kirk and Lisa Portocarrero at outdooradventures@sacriverguide.com and www.sacriverguide.com (1-800-670-4448) report:
Fly fishing:
As of  December 29, 2013, water flow is currently 3,750 CFS.
Lower Sacramento River fly fishing report, fly fishing is excellent.
Posse Grounds area- Redding, fishing well. Trout fishing is awesome.
Using Prince nymphs, Iron Sallies, Pheasant Tails, Poxyback PMD's, Black Rubber Legs and Green Gidgets. 
Call or email us today. We offer daily guided fishing trips, 7 days a week.  Drift  boats or Jet boats available. 
We cater to all methods of fishing. Daily drifting Redding, California and Anderson, California.
Groups and Clubs welcome, we can accommodate ANY size group.

SAN JOAQUIN RIVER, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

SHASTA LAKE, CALIF:
Kirk and Lisa Portocarrero at outdooradventures@sacriverguide.com and www.sacriverguide.com (1-800-670-4448) report:
December 24,  2013 Shasta Lake guided fishing - Northern California fishing Lake Shasta. 
We offer daily guided fishing on 
Lake Shasta. Lake Shasta fishing has been great ! 
Catching salmon and trout now,  Rainbow trout  on the surface and salmon, 100 plus  feet deep.
The Dry Creek area, using Cripp Lures and Wiggle Hoochies. 
Seeing smaller fish now, really working for the bigger fish.
Lake Shasta is place to be for lots of action and great trout & salmon fishing.
Bass fishing is fair.

SILVER LAKE, CALIF:
Frozen, but the thickness of the ice is unknown.

SPOONER LAKE, DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEV:
Frozen, but the thickness of the ice is unknown.

STAMPEDE RESERVOIR, CALIF:
A report of a 10-pound brown trout caught while trolling on Dec. 23.

LAKE TAHOE:
A report of average sized Mackinaw trout caught while trolling with flasher blades and minnows in front of Homewood on the west side of the lake.

TOPAZ LAKE:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Opens on January 1.
Over 50,000 fish have been stocked by Nevada in advance of the opener.

TRINITY RIVER, CALIF:
Kirk and Lisa Portocarrero at outdooradventures@sacriverguide.com and www.sacriverguide.com (1-800-670-4448) report:
December 24, 2013 Fishing report
Currently, Water is at 300 CFS. Trinity River steelhead fishing is red hot.  We got the rain we needed, steelhead fishing on the Trinity River is awesome now. 5 to 8 fish hooked and landed, a day, on average.
8 steelhead day yesterday. 
Fishing daily, now is time for steelhead fishing.
We are fly fishing and spin fishing the river, fishing from Lewiston to Junction City. 
Fly fisherman are using eggs patterns and doing very well.
Please give us a call to reserve your day on the water.
Trinity River fishing is conveniently located 40 minutes West of Redding, CA  fishing from the town of Weaverville, California.

TRUCKEE RIVER, LITTLE, CALIF:
Mountain Hardware and Sports of Truckee (530-587-4844) (mountainhardwareandsports@gmail.com) reports:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

TWIN LAKES, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF:
Closed until Saturday, April 26, 2014.

WALKER LAKE, MINERAL COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
No new updates. No Lahontan cutthroat have been reported or seen at Walker Lakes since 2009.
Launching is not possible right now.

WALKER RIVER, EAST, CALIF:
Jim Reid of Ken’s Sporting Goods Store in Bridgeport (760- 932-7707) (www.kenssport.com) reports:
Hunewill Pond:
The pond if frozen now, we'll start checking in March or so and let you know when it thaws!

WALKER RIVER, EAST, CALIF:
Tom Loe of the Sierra Drifters Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
Snow is gone along the banks- flows continue to be pretty good considering the low snow pack. 
There are a few deeper pools that are holding 80% of the fish. 
If you don’t mind fishing one area for a few hours it can be pretty good using SJ worms, egg patterns, punk perch & crystal leeches.
Below zero temps in the morn, keep them in the water during a release at this time please.

WALKER RIVER, WEST, CALIF:
A report that on November 6, 2013, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife announced that the West Walker River has been designated for winter fishing, from the confluence with the Little Walker River (Hwy. 395 Bridge at mile marker 96), north to the inlet of Topaz Lake, from November 16 through the Friday preceding the last Saturday in April.
These new regulations go into effect on March 1st, 2014.
Along with these new dates, the winter fishing regulations are as follows: Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used for catch and release only, zero daily bag and possession limit.

— Don Quilici is the Outdoor editor for Carson Now. He can be reached at donquilici@hotmail.com.