Biologists with NDOW help stock 3,000 trout into the Sparks Marina
Fisheries biologists with the Nevada Department of Wildlife help stock 3,000 rainbow trout into the Sparks Marina on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Jim Krajewski, Reno Gazette Journal
The warm temperatures to kick off spring mean fishing is picking up this week around Northern Nevada and California.
Couple that with the Nevada Department of Wildlife increasing fish stocking around the area, and this should provide good opportunities for anglers to land a fish this spring season.
In California the salmon season is expected to open in mid-July on the Sacramento River, although fishing for striped bass is already in progress.
Related: Reno-area temperatures could hit 80 this week
Here is this week’s fishing report, as compiled from various sources:
LAKE DAVIS: The lake is starting to thaw. The ice is moving; last week all along the shore line of Mallard Cove was open. Information from J&J’s Grizzly Store and Camping Resort in Portola, 530-832-0270.
TRUCKEE RIVER: There has been good dry fly-fishing, which is not the norm for this river. Thick hatches of midges have been coming off throughout the day on an almost-daily basis, and mixed in with them have been BWOs and an increasing number of Skwalas as well. Using a dry dropper set up with a Skwala adult and a BWO or midge dropper will be a fun way to fish the river at this time. If you’re seeing fish sipping midges, using a Griffith’s Gnat to imitate a midge cluster or other adult midge patterns can be a fun and often technical way to pick off these fish, and dropping your tippet diameter down to 6x will greatly help your odds. When no hatches are present or if probing the deeper pools in the canyon section, resort to the failsafe indicator rig using heavy flies with additional weight and setting that indicator deep to find the fish feeding subsurface. We are right around the corner from a number of spring hatches to show including March browns, PMDs, Caddis and a local favorite, the carpenter ant. Information from Miles and crew at Trout Creek Outfitters in Truckee, 530-563-5119.
LITTLE TRUCKEE RIVER: There are still patches of snow on the road out to the Little Truckee and a 4-wheel-drive vehicle will still be required to access this area. The flows are still fluctuating on a daily basis and have been anywhere from 55 cfs down to 35 cfs over the last week, but no matter how to shake it, this is too low and at this time we encourage you to not fish out here until we see flows come up to at least the 60s, ideally in the 100s. Information from Miles and crew at Trout Creek Outfitters in Truckee, 530-563-5119.
More: Sparks Marina gets first of frequent fish stockings for spring season
PYRAMID LAKE: Pyramid continues to kick out some incredible fish. There have been some reports about anglers becoming aggressive about holding spots, often getting up at the early hours of the morning and putting gear out in an attempt to secure their spot for the day, and a number of fights ensuing among fisherman because of this. To help avoid any confrontation and to find some less pressured water, try to spread out. Information from Trout Creek Outfitters in Truckee, 530-563-5119.
LAKE ALMANOR: The warm weather this week should lead to a significant increase in water temperatures and some insect hatches. The trout remain scattered. Fishermen will need to cover water and adjust speeds, depths and baits. Try fast trolling hardware, in water to 30 feet deep, go down 15-25 feet deep on the wire with red/gold spoons. Shore anglers are targeting fish around the dam and at Hamilton Branch. As the lake rises, a small stream on the north side of the causeway has turned into a little pond. Shore anglers will begin targeting fish on the south side of the causeway as water levels/temperatures rise. There is a lot of debris and navigational hazards on the water. As lake level rises, there will be an increase in debris, most of which is unmarked. The Almanor Fishing Report is compiled from info received from a group of local hardcore fishermen and Lake Almanor’s resident guides; Almanor Fishing Association, 530-284-0861.
TOPAZ LAKE: Topaz has been stocked well this season and is fishing great. Shore and boat anglers are reporting trout averaging 12-14 inches with a few bigger than that mixed in. Bait fisherman using worms and bright dough baits near or off the bottom have done well in deeper water. Spin fisherman using spoons and diving plugs are finding aggressive fish. Information provided by NDOW.
EAST WALKER RIVER: Flows are prime now and should stay ideal until the summer heat sets in and the water demand increases downstream. Until then, anglers willing to search a little are finding some good productive water. Overall, fish seem to be holding low in the deeper pools, but as insect life picks up and spring creeps in, there should be a few rising fish to cast at soon. Flows will play a big part in how well the EW will fish over the next month. Nice weather matched with prime flows can make for a really good time. The river has been and will continue to be stocked this season as flows allow for it. Spin fisherman should focus on deeper water with bright spinners and small spoons. Fly fishing has been good with nymphs under small indicators or high-sticked in deeper runs. Light leaders and tippets can turn a good day into a great one with lower flows. Information provided by NDOW.
SPARKS MARINA: Fishing should be good here, especially at dusk. The lake was stocked with 3,000 rainbow trout on March 11 and will be stocked every few weeks this spring and summer. Try worms and Powerbait from shore. Some anglers are trolling from kayaks with Rapalas and spoons and doing OK. Information provided by NDOW.
SACRAMENTO RIVER: The Pacific Fishery Management Council is currently planning the salmon fishing season. Indications are there will be a full season on the Sacramento River from July 16 to December 31. There should be a definitive season made public in mid-April. Anglers are fishing for striped bass on the Sacramento and Feather rivers through early June. The striped bass run is loading up and staging in the California Delta near Rio Vista, Calif. Information from Dave Jacobs Professional Guide Service, 530- 646-9110, sacramentofishing.com.
MASON VALLEY WILDLIFE AREA, Hinkson Slough: Fishing well for recently stocked trout in addition to carryovers. Fly-fisherman using the typical midge pupa or larva retrieved near the bottom, or under the indicator have done well. Small leech patterns retrieved on intermediate lines are also a good bet here through spring. As we warm up and the bass at Hinkson start to wake up, larger streamers and surface plugs near the vegetation should become productive. Spin-fishermen continue to do well on small bright rooster tails and Panther Martins with single barbless hooks. Information provided by NDOW.
WILDHORSE RESERVOIR: The ice edges have softened up and as the day warms up there are a few inches of slush. The north end of the lake has gray porous ice, the mouth of both Hendricks and Penrod Arms have weak spots from pressure ridges and anglers need to proceed with extreme caution. No ATVs or UTVs should be on the ice and this is probably the last week that anglers should be venturing upon the ice. With the warmer forecast, expect ice conditions to deteriorate quickly over the next week and open water will start to appear. Be prepared to test the ice and if it is questionable then stay off. Other than the ice conditions, fishing conditions are similar to last few weeks. Fishing for trout continues to be good using PowerBait or worms fished about 4-6-feet below the ice though a few are being caught throughout the depths. Trout have been averaging 15-20 inches with a few in the 20-inch-plus range. Perch fishing continues to be good for numbers, but most are smaller and it takes a lot of catching to get a few keepers. Great fishing for kids who don’t seem to care as much about size as adults. For perch, fish within a foot of the bottom in 25-35 feet of water using small plastic jigs tipped with a piece of worm. A slight jigging action occasionally helps. That being said, perch have been caught in all depths of water using just about any bait or presentation. If you are catching mostly small ones, move as they generally school by size. However, don’t venture too far from the State Park due to deteriorating ice conditions. The State Park Campground is open on a first come first served, with the loop closest to the boat ramp open for campers. Conditions as of March 18.Information provided by NDOW.
Jim Krajewski covers high school and youth sports for the Reno Gazette Journal. Follow him on Twitter @RGJPreps. Support his work by subscribing to RGJ.com.
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