Doug 'Mac the Naw' Busey's Lake Tahoe and Sierra fishing report for week of July 24

Hello fellow anglers, we are having some definite strange weather this year. Just a recommendation, if you plan to go into the back lakes that require driving on a dirt road, that road is now wet and muddy and will be for awhile.

Especially when the road has many trees that shade parts of the roadway. Those shaded areas may still have some standing water over the road, and may only look a few inches deep. But, there may be six inches to a foot of mud under that water that will get you in trouble. Use caution on all road ways both dirt and paved, avoid the wet areas. With our weather getting back on track the fishing should pick up in our local area. I do not have a lot to report at this time, due to our recent weather.

LAKE TAHOE: 
When the wind is not blowing, the fishing has been very good for mackinaw. Gene St Denis told me he has been getting limits of average mac's from 3 to 8 pounds, with a few in the 10 to 15 pound class. Gene has been fishing along the Tahoe City shelf in 120 to 220 feet of water.
Best action has been with a flasher with a live minnow.
The NDOW has planted Cave Rock with small rainbows over the last few weeks. For more info call Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters at 530-544-6552 .

SILVER LAKE:  
The water level is still up and the boat ramp is open.
This week John Endter from Minden caught a nice 17 pound 10-ounce mackinaw and measured 38 inches long. According to the park ranger, this was the largest recorded mackinaw for the lake. John caught this mac on his first cast with a 2-ounce jig and he was fishing in 40 feet of water.

CAPLES LAKE:
The water level is still up and both ramps are open. With the weather settling down the fishing has picked back up.
Jennifer Donnelly was drifting power eggs from a boat near the Woods Creek area and caught a 2 pound rainbow. Ethan Sides was trolling deep with a Rapala by the spillway area last week, and caught a 5 pound rainbow.
The marina and general store are open for boat rentals and launching.
There are plenty of fish in this lake with the plants of 15,000 rainbows by the CDFW, and the Eldorado Irrigation Dist. with their plant of 1800 lbs of trophy sized rainbows.
For more information call the Caples Lake Resort at 209-258-8888.

RED LAKE: 
Also referred to as green lake, due to the extensive algae growth in the summer months, has been rated as very slow for shore anglers.

BLUE LAKES: 
The road to the lake is paved, but the road then turns to dirt. So there again, be careful of standing water on roadways.
I have had a few reports of some anglers catching a couple fish on the lower lake and no report from the upper lake.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR:
The campground is open and very damp. Bring a tarp with you if you plan to tent camp. Remember to put all food, coolers, bbq's in the bear containers at night. This time of year they do have bears problems in the area.

Some suggestions are to spray your camp area before turning in with ammonia, and keep a can of wasp spray nearby. The wasp spray was  a trick I got from a former camp host in California. He told me that can will shoot up to 25 feet away and will deter most intruders.
The fishing has been rated as good at times and then just turns off. I would plan an early day of fishing because the wind usually comes up by the mid afternoon.

CARSON RIVERS ALPINE COUNTY:  
Due to run offs from our recent rains the east fork is full of sediment and silt, but as of last Wednesday it was starting to clean up a little. The west fork has cleared up much better. Not many reports over the last week. I talked with Dayne at Todd's Bait and Supplies this week. Dayne suggested to wait until after this weekend to come up to fish.

For more info call Todd's Bait and Supplies at 530-694-1900. I will have a couple days off next weekand will plan to fish as many bodies of water in the Alpine County area as I can.

I will have a more complete report for you then. If you get a picture of your catch, send it to Don Quilici at donquilici@hotmail.com. If you have a question in our fishing area call the NAW-Line at 775-267-9722.
Good Fishin and tight lines.