Shaver Lake / Huntington Lake
Kokanee 2; Trout 2
Shaver continues to be a challenge, with guides struggling for slightly more than a limit of kokanee and rainbow trout per day. A trout plant from the Department of Fish and Wildlife this week should help, but with the lake level higher than normal, the rainbows are loading up on insects washed down from the inlets. Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters said, “It’s about the same every day with the kokanee biting before the sun rises before the bite slows to a fish here and there. We are averaging around a limit plus per day with a few yearling trout in the mix. The fish are still deep from 27-42 feet in the same locations around the point, the Sierra Marina and Road 2 point with Dick’s Koke Busters or orange Apex lures behind a CJ Dodger on the downrigger. We really need this plant as the water level has increased, and there is an abundance of insects for the season trout. There have been reports of trophy trout up the river arm near Tunnel Creek.” Steve Santoro of Fish Box Charters confirmed the challenging action, stating, “We did manage 11 kokanee for John Finley Sr. and Jr. along with Todd Cogdill of Madera, but the soft-mouthed kokanee had a different game plan for limits as several fish came off at the boat. It was tough fishing the following day with Julio Garcia, Tabita Aramubula, and Kevin Arias of Firebaugh managing to boat three kokanee including two large fish at 1.74 and 1.63 pounds along with three rainbow trout using either an orange Apex or white hoochies at 35 feet. Tabita landed the big fish.” Kokanee Power will be holding its final derby of the season at Shaver Lake on Sept. 9 with a three-fish weigh-in for teams and one fish for juniors. Registration is $45 for members and $55 for non-members. Information and registration is available through Frank Bernard 871-3270. Shaver has risen once again to 90 percent. At Huntington, Trolling is improving for rainbow trout with blade/’crawler combinations or Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger at depths from 4-6 colors of leadcore. Bank anglers continue to catch rainbows near the inlets trout dough bait or inflated nightcrawlers. Huntington is at 98 percent capacity
Call: Dick’s Fishing Charters 841-2740; Rancheria Marina 893-3234; Shaver Lake Sports Inc. 841-2740; Todd Wittwer 288-8100; Fish Box Charters 871-3937
Edison/Florence/
Mammoth Pool
Brown trout 2; Trout 3
Edison remains the best trout lake in the Kaiser Pass area with Power Bait or inflated nightcrawlers from the banks. Vermilion Valley Resort is back in operation, but plenty of snow remains at the highest elevations. The lakes are starting to recede, with Edison at 89 percent capacity, Florence at 67 percent and Mammoth Pool at 99 percent..
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 3
After a slow week, Wishon Reservoir turned back on for trollers while higher elevation Courtright Reservoir has slowed to a crawl – essentially changing places from the previous week. Both lakes remain full, but water releases are starting. Chuck Crane of Wishon Village RV Park and Store said, “Wishon has improved for trollers running 3-5 colors of leadcore in the upper end of the lake. Tom and George Sheets were pulling blade/’crawler combinations, and they put in limits of rainbows including five tagged fish from the recent Kiwanis Special Olympics Trout Derby, releasing several additional brown trout. They were in the upper end of the lake at 3-5 colors. Ed and Jeannie Tarolani scored nine rainbow trout, releasing a brown using Tasmanian Devil spoons in the upper end of the lake. They were getting hits all day long. Some trollers are struggling at Wishon, but those who are in the know are doing much better. Shore fishing continues to be slow, and the lake is starting to trickle down with water releases to generate power.” Tagged fish No. 1006 remains in Wishon, and this fish is worth $1,000 if landed by a derby participant by the end of August. At Courtright, Crane reported trollers are working all day long without even a hit, saying, “They are trolling at all different depths and locations within the lake, but there have only been a few fish caught. Shore fishermen are heading to the upper end of the lake where the creek inlets are, and they are anchoring on or just off of the shore with trout dough bait or inflated nightcrawlers, and they are doing well for up to limits. The best fishing is where there is moving water at the inlets.” The upper Kings is fishable after months of high water, and fly fishermen are catching and releasing native rainbows and browns with mosquito or ant patterns.
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