Trophy trout are the big story at Shaver, with Dick Gomez of Young's Sporting Goods reporting several fish over 4 pounds landed in the past week by trollers and shore anglers. Dick Nichols of Dick's Fishing Charters has put his clients onto eight of the trophies on his past eight trips. Chris, Devin, and Ryan Fiorentino of Fresno fished recently with Nichols and kept nine kokanee to 14 inches and three rainbows to 3 pounds, releasing five smaller fish. The area from the Island to Black Rock has produced the larger trout with Trout Busters tipped with a night crawler and corn behind a Mountain Flasher at depths from 15-17 feet. Bank anglers are picking up planters and trophies with various colors of Power Bait or night crawlers. The kokanee have been scattered, so anglers are advised to search the lake to find the fish while also changing depths or lures. Nichols touted Stevenson Cove and Tunnel Creek with Captain Jack's pink Super Hootchies or pink Apex lures behind the Captain Jack's Dodger at depths from 35-45 feet. Nichols added that anglers have to wade through a number of second-year kokanee, which should be released to grow for next year. Smallmouth bass are starting to get active in the rocky areas of the lake with crickets, and the mountain catfish are located in Dorabella Cove. Boaters are advised to be aware of floating debris with the high water levels. Dick Gomez said Huntington has been producing some large rainbows and browns to 2.5 pounds for trollers, and bank action remains decent for 12- to 13-inch fish in Rancheria Creek or Dam 2 with Power Bait or night crawlers. Shaver has risen to 90% of capacity, and Huntington is rising quickly to 93%.
Wishon/Courtright
Trout ***
Chuck Crane of the Wishon Village RV Park reported Courtright and Wishon on full, but access to Courtright is a few weeks off with snow still blocking the road. The trout bite at Wishon has improved, with Crane landing four fish within an hour using Speedy Shiners in solid copper or copper/red. Crane added that the best bite has been taking place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again in the late afternoon. Blade/crawler combinations have been effective near the surface. Dick Gomez said, "There have been some decent fish out of Wishon." Shore fishing continues to be best at the inlet at Short Hair Creek, the headwaters of the lake, or the inlet across from the dam with salmon eggs, rainbow Power Bait or inflated night crawlers. The creeks are still difficult and potentially dangerous to fish with the high water levels, but the snowmelt is starting to wane. The best creek action has been in the deeper pools in Dinkey Creek.
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool/Redinger
Brown trout *** Trout ***
Edison has been picking up for rainbows and browns to 19 inches with a variety of techniques, including trolling Rapalas or casting Power Bait or night crawlers from the shoreline. Dick Gomez at Young's Sporting Goods said the bite for planted trout is "on fire" at Portal Forebay. Edison is at 78%, Florence at 96%, Mammoth Pool at 102%, and Redinger at 92%.
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