By Don Quilici

BISHOP AREA, CALIF:
The fishing season for the Bishop area is closed.
 
BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR, CALIF:
The fishing season for Bridgeport Reservoir is closed.

CARSON RIVER, CALIF:
East Carson River:
The fishing season for the East Carson River is closed upstream from Hangman’s Bridge.
West Carson River:
The fishing season for the West Carson River is closed.

CHETCO RIVER, ORE:
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (800-720-ODWF) (www.dfw.state.or.us.com) reports:
The river is low and clear. Chinook are spread throughout the river, but most of the Chinook dark.  Anglers may want to wait for the next freshet to bring in some bright Chinook or troll the estuary.  

COMINS LAKE, WHITE PINE COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
A few bass have been showing up, but no trout due to the pike infestation.
Pike fishing has also been poor.
There are few if any trout left in the lake also due to the pike infestation.

CONVICT LAKE, CALIF:
The fishing season for Convict Lake is closed.

CROWLEY LAKE, CALIF:
The fishing season for Crowley Lake is closed.

EL DORADO DAM FOREBAY, CALIF:
It will be planted this week by the California Department of Fish and Game.

FALL RIVER, CALIF:
The fishing season for Fall River is closed.

FREMONT LAKE, CALIF:
The fishing season for Fremont Lake is closed.

FRENCHMAN RESERVOIR, CALIF:
Wiggin’s Trading Post at Chilcoot (530-993-4683) reports:
Fishing has been good despite the snow and cold weather. The road up to Frenchman’s is good, but there are some spots on the road that are icy. Be careful and watch for those icy patches.
Misti Mecca of Reno caught her limit at Lunker’s Point using the Wiggin’s famous nightcrawlers on Saturday. The rainbow trout were approximately 18 inches long, weighing 1 to 2 pounds. She was shore fishing.
We’ve had good reports of shore fishing near Big Cove, Turkey Point, and east of the dam. Most fishermen are using nightcrawlers and marshmallows, or Power Bait (Rainbow, Sherbet, and White).
Christmas Tree permits are available, share the road and look out for others.

FT. CHURCHILL COOLING PONDS, LYON COUNTY, NEV:
The fishing season for the Ft. Churchill Cooling Ponds is closed.

HAT CREEK, CALIF:
The fishing season for Hat Creek is closed.

HEENAN LAKE, CALIF:
The fishing season for Heenan Lake is closed.

HINKSON SLOUGH, LYON COUNTY, NEV:
The fishing season for Hinkson Slough is closed.

HOBART RESERVOIR, WASHOE COUNTY, NEV:
The fishing season for Hobart Reservoir is closed.

HOOVER WILDERNESS AREA, CALIF:
The fishing season for the Hoover Wilderness Area is closed.

HOT CREEK, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
Water flow at 12 CFS. Nymph fishing is the best bet right now. Try small WD-40’s Miracle Nymphs and Pheasant Tails.
Some surface action mid-day with BWO’s.

HOT CREEK, CALIF:
Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
It has been good for those who like fishing the tiny Trico Mayfly hatch. Not everyone’s cup o’ tea as these little critters are # 20-24 and are difficult to see and keep drag off during a drift.
Nymphing with micro Mayflies and small Midges have also been good in the deeper channels and pools. Attractors like SJ Worms and eggs also get their share for the staged up fish.
When flows are at winter time rates it can be tough to get extended accurate drifts over and around the protruding weed beds.
If we get some warmer weather flows come up some on Mammoth Creek and this makes conditions better.
Hot Creek is not well known for its streamer fishing but I assure you it can be excellent in the right piece of water especially this time of year.
Don’t show up with a type 5 or heavy sink tip and expect to get anything but the bottom. Have a slime line or Midge tip and you can do pretty good particularly if the water gets off color and comes up some.

HOT CREEK, CALIF:
Kent of The Trout Fly and Troutfitter (760-934-2517) (www.thetroutfitter.com) reports:
Water Conditions:
Great. Flows at 29 CFS as of 11/17.
Fishing Conditions:
Good. Another weekend of unsettled weather coming up. If you’re brave enough to go down there and brave the wind/snow/cold, fish mainly Baetis, BWO, and Midge patterns. Almost entirely subsurface. Mid-day is fishing best, from about 10am-2pm.

JUNE LAKE LOOP, CALIF:
The fishing season for the June Lake Loop is closed.

KIRMAN LAKE, CALIF:
The fishing season for Kirman Lake is closed.

MAMMOTH LAKES BASIN, CALIF:
The fishing season for the Mammoth Lakes Basin is closed.

MARKLEEVILLE CREEK CALIF:
The fishing season for Markleeville Creek is closed.

MARLETTE LAKE, CARSON CITY & WASHOE COUNTIES, NEV:
The fishing season for Marlette Lake is closed.

MASON VALLEY W.M.A., LYON COUNTY, NEV:
The fishing season for the Mason Valley W.M.A. is closed.

OREGON PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES, ORE:
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (800-720-ODWF) (www.dfw.state.or.us.com) reports:
The reopening of recreational crabbing in the ocean has been delayed until December 15. Recreational crabbing inside the estuaries remains open year round. Fishing for bottomfish is open at all depths.
Anglers are reporting that bottomfishing has been spotty.
Anglers fishing from boats may no longer retain Cabezon because the quota of 15.8 metric tons will have been met.

OWENS RIVER GORGE, CALIF:
Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
Every time I fish here after an extended absence I always tell myself that I need to come back more often. It requires some effort -the wild browns are not going to bend hooks out or anything; however they are all wild and as pretty as you will ever see. They aggressively take dries all year and you can have multiple hook ups in any pool that has three feet of water or more. Accurate, upstream casts are mandatory with a four weight rod or less. They are not especially choosey-use Caddis, Mayfly or attractor patterns # 14-18, bead head Nymphs in the # 16-20 range will be fine.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
Upper Owens River: 
Fishing is closed below the Benton Crossing Bridge.
The river upstream is open to fishing all year.
Barbless artificials only. Zero limit.
Fishing is slow with winter now upon us.
Nymphing is the best bet.
Try standard Nymph patterns like Pheasant Tails or Hares Ears.
Lower Owens River:
Water flow 376 CFS.
Flows are beginning to lower and fishing should pick up soon.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF:
Kent of The Trout Fly and Troutfitter (760-934-2517) (www.thetroutfitter.com) reports:
Upper Owens:
Water conditions:
Good. As of 11/17 flows stable at 78 CFS above the Hot Creek confluence.
Fishing conditions:
Good. Small midge dries around mid day, with bigger midges subsurface. Try dead drifting a perch pattern under the indicator as well.
Try swinging a big streamer and hold on tight. Make sure your nymphs are weighted enough to get down to those fish stacked up on the bottom. Also, sneak up on them, hearing they’re awfully spooky.
Owens River Gorge:
Water conditions:
Great. Flow: 45 CFS.
This is a permanent flow required to be maintained by LADWP
Fishing conditions:
Excellent.
Lower Owens:
Water conditions:
Poor. Flows still raging at 553 cfs as of 11/16.
Fishing conditions:
Fair. Don’t expect the flows to drop anytime soon. But when they do, the fishing should be excellent! Fishing is challenging at best…Try to fish slower water on the inside of bends, high sticking whenever possible.

PINE VALLEY COMPLEX, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NEV: The
The fishing season for the Pine Valley Complex is closed.

PLEASANT VALLEY RESERVOIR, CALIF:
Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
Power generation is finally slowing down and means excellent conditions on the inlet river to PV which just happens to be one of the best fly fishing areas in the Sierra and is very much under-rated and not well known.
I like to use a Stimulator # 16-12 as the dry or indicator while suspending a bead head Midge or Mayfly Nymph pattern # 16-18 tied off the eye of the Stimmie 2-4 feet. This rig is flat out deadly here and you can have a blast if you locate feeding pods of trout.
The reservoir is also a great place to tube using a combination of still water Nymphing and streamer tactics. The weather can get nice even in winter and tubing is a great way to get into big numbers. I have affectionately called it “freeze tubing”, but it really is not that bad on the nicer days. Most streamer patterns work well here # 8-12 as the bulk of the fish are DFG plants and very opportunistic. I suggest you concentrate your efforts from the launch ramp towards the inlet from the powerhouse this time of year. Work the drop-offs on the west side opposite the access road to avoid bank fisherman and pick up the afternoon shadow emanating from the canyon wall.

POORE AND SECRET LAKES, CALIF:
The fishing season for Poore and Secret Lakes is closed.

ROOSEVELT AND LANE LAKES, CALIF:
The fishing season for Roosevelt and Lane Lakes is closed.

SAN JOAQUIN/RED’S MEADOW, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
Road is closed.

SILVER CREEK, CALIF:
The fishing season for Silver Creek is closed.

SMITH RIVER, ORE:
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (800-720-ODWF) (www.dfw.state.or.us.com) reports:
The Smith is open to striped bass year-round, two fish per 24 hours, 24-inch minimum size. The Smith is now closed for trout fishing.
However, fall Chinook are present and should provide some good fishing opportunity. Adipose fin clipped Coho can be harvested in the Smith.

LAKE TAHOE:
Gene St. Denis of Blue Ribbons Charters (530-544-6552) (www.blueribbonfishing.com) reports:
Mackinaw trout fishing has been very good, especially the early mornings.
I’ve been trolling with Dodgers and minnows at the north end of the lake.
The Macks are running up to the 10-pound class.

TOPAZ LAKE:
The fishing season for Topaz Lake is closed.

TWIN LAKES, CALIF:
The fishing season for Twin Lakes is closed.

VIRGINIA LAKES, CALIF:
The fishing season for Virginia Lakes is closed.

WALKER LAKE, MINERAL COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
No fish have been reported or seen at Walker Lake so far this fishing season.
Mineral County Road Dept. has done some work on the State Parks Launch. Launching is improved but you still need four wheel drive.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service (760-935-4250) (www.sierradrifters.com) reports:
East Walker River:
If you have a serious Jones for the EW I suggest you look at the Nevada section until the flows come up over 50 CFS. Tributary Sweetwater Creek adds more water to the EW on the old Rosachi Ranch section and I have found NV to fish much better than the Cal section under these conditions.
Add to the fact that it is lower in elevation, hence warmer and with far less snow as a rule and you have a better experience during the winter. Bridgeport Reservoir is once again filling, and pretty quickly according to owner Jeffery at Bridgeport Marina (local sheep enthusiast as well) so I expect flows to come up some if we keep getting early snow. This may really bring on some great winter opportunities depending on an extended warm period after the fronts.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
Kent of The Trout Fly and Troutfitter (760-934-2517) (www.thetroutfitter.com) reports:
East Walker River:
Water Conditions:  
Poor. Flows steady for a week at 26 CFS as of 11/17.
Fishing Conditions:
Poor. Probably not the best time to fish here. Still hearing the water isn’t all too clean yet. Still fishing mostly small Midges and Baetis.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
East Walker River:
Most recent flow 25 CFS. Water is low and cold and fishing is tough.
Try red or gray Midge pupa.