Fishing report through Jan. 17

Here is the fishing report through Jan. 17 for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California, the Sierra and Southern Oregon.

ALMANOR LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:

Surface temps on Lake Almanor are about 40 degrees and clarity is at 6 ft. on the west basin, and 7.5 ft. on the east basin. Lake levels at 4485.98, feet.
Due to the excellent spring-like sunshine, there are some insect hatches popping off. 
Recommended bait this week includes eggs and suspending crawlers about 3 to 5 ft. up off the bottom (add some Pro-Cure Garlic scent for a special kick), 1/6 oz. nickel Speedy Shiners W/hammer finish, and the red and gold Speedy Shiner.
Don’t forget to add a healthy application of Pro-Cure “Trophy Trout Super Gel” on whatever you’re trolling and sit back to enjoy the show. 
— Courtesy of Almanor Fishing Adventures

AMADOR LAKE, CALIF:
It will be planted this week by the California Department of Fish and Game.

ANGEL LAKE, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports: The road to Angel Lake is now closed for the winter.

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

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF:
Doug Busey of Douglas County and Don Quilici of Carson City tried to fish at Caples Lake last Thursday but did not venture out onto the ice as it was too thin. They strongly recommend staying off the ice until the weather gets much colder and the ice thickens.

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.

CAVE LAKE, WHITE PINE COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Cave has about eight to 10 inches of good ice. Fishing for 8 to 10 inch fish has been fair to good through the ice using worms or Power Bait suspended about three feet below a bobber. 

CHETCO RIVER, ORE:
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (800-720-ODWF) (www.dfw.state.or.us.com) reports:
Steelhead fishing really improved with the recent rains.
Plunkers were the first to pick up fish, but with near perfect flows for the drifting the river, boat anglers should fair the best this week.
Anglers can expect a lot of fishing pressure from boat and bank anglers.     
ODFW is conducting a Steelhead angler creel on the Chetco this year, along with Chinook salmon scale collection, and winter Steelhead broodstock collection.  At times, these projects may interfere with an anglers fishing.  Please be courteous to all ODFW personnel and volunteers.

COMINS LAKE, WHITE PINE COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Comins has about 10 inches of ice, though on warm afternoons the edges are soft.  Fishing is poor due to the introduction and overpopulation of pike.

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

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

DAVIS LAKE, CALIF:
Gary Clayburg of Portola reported that he fished from shore at Mallard Cove on Saturday with lots of open water in front of him. He was unsuccessful.

EAGLE LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
Due to the cold weather, fishing is pretty much over at Eagle Lake for the season. Warmer days might liven the fish up for those who want to try their luck though.
— Courtesy of Big Daddy Fishing

EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR, LINCOLN COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Ice is present and reported to be only around 7 inches thick.
NDOW reminds anglers to check conditions before venturing onto ice and select an alternative approach if conditions are not optimal.

ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR, LINCOLN COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
No reports of Ice at this reservoir however there may be thin layers around the shore.  The fish are taking a bobber or just about any bass lure. Rainbow trout are still taking Power Bait and night crawlers, but the action is slow due to the holiday time of year.
Best action is found in the morning or evening hours.

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 is great at the lake.
There is some ice around the edges, especially early morning, and at the dam, but there is open water beyond the ice.
The open water is to the left, at Ship’s Cove, and to the right, just past the turn, near the island, just out from the dam.
Today, Gary Palmer, Chad Musulin, and Pete DeSantis, all of Susanville, caught their limits near Big Cove, using nightcrawlers and marshmallows. Average weight was 1 1/4 pounds, and they were 15 to 18 inches in length. All were rainbow trout.
The east side of the lake seems to be the better for fishing since the ice is forming on the lake.
All the roads around the lake are passable, their might be some ice on the road in the early morning, but fishing seems to be good at about midday.

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. 


HOT CREEK, CALIF:
Kent of The Trout Fly and Troutfitter (760-934-2517) (www.thetroutfitter.com) reports:
Water Conditions: Great. Flows at 24 CFS as of 1/5.
Actually the water is slightly off color due to increased runoff from, yes, melting snow, what little is left on Mammoth Mountain.
ZERO SNOW AND GATE IS OPEN SO YOU CAN DRIVE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PARKING LOTS ABOVE THE CANYON SECTION.
Fishing Conditions: Excellent above the ranch and Good in the canyon.
'Only change is the fish in the canyon are getting wise to big and buggy, so go a little smaller like 18's and 20's
With the warm temps the fish are biting earlier, like 9:30am.
Start with Midges, then go to Baetis Nymphs and dries if they start sipping on the surface.

ILLIPAH RESERVOIR, WHITE PINE, COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Illipah has 8 inches of good ice. No word on how fishing has been though this time of year it can be good.  Many anglers like to use a black jig tipped with a worm through the ice, fishing just off of the bottom.

JAKE'S CREEK (BOISE) RESERVOIR, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Jakes Creek has safe ice, but like the other Elko County waters, it is very slick on top due to a lack of snow and the warmer afternoons melting the surface of the ice.  No report on fishing conditions.

JIGGS / ZUNINO RESERVOIR, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Unfortunately, Jiggs has dried up.

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.

KLAMATH RIVER, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
If you are looking for an excellent Steelhead trip this week, look no farther than the Klameth River!
Productive flies include Red Copper Johns, Rubber Legs, Champagne Redd Reapers, Clown Eggs, Shrimp Pink Micro Spawns!  
— Courtesy of The Fly Shop

LAUGHLIN, CLARK COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Colorado River: Action for striped and smallmouth bass has slowed down along the river below Davis Dam. Rainbow trout action is also slow.

LEWISTON LAKE, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
The fishing has been great on Lewiston Lake! 
The fish are really hankering for baits like # 18-20 Midge patterns, # 4-6 leeches in black or olive, and don’t forget to bring a few # 16 Pheasant Tail Nymphs since BWOs are coming off the water almost daily!
It is recommended to have a selection of fly lines when fishing this lake; floating line for indicators and dry flies, RIO's AquaLux Intermediate Sink Fly Line for swinging and stripping flies at middle depths, and RIO's Deep 7 Full Sink Line for fishing streamers and leeches deep and fast.
— Courtesy of The Fly Shop

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.

MATHER LAKE, CALIF:
It will be planted this week by the California Department of Fish and Game.

LAKE MEAD, CLARK COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Catfish anglers are finding occasional hits in both the upper and lower basins with cut anchovies or commercial baits as the day warms up.
Reports show striped bass are boiling in shallow water very early in the morning and are producing decent sized stripers.
Anglers are catching a few largemouth and smallmouth bass in areas with newly flooded brush as temperatures warm up in the day.

LAKE MOHAVE, CLARK COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Anglers are finding good action for stripers in the five to 20 pound range. Large trout imitations, like the AC Plug and SPRO swimbaits, continue to catch double-digit striped bass south of Willow Beach.
According to reports, one lucky angler caught a 19.5 pound fish last week.
Trout in the 11 to 12 inch range remains constant around the harbor. The Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery plants rainbow trout every Friday. Anglers are catching stocked bows on common trout baits such as Power Bait, nightcrawlers and a variety of lures or spinners.

OREGON PACIFIC OCEAN AND BEACHES, ORE:
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (800-720-ODWF) (www.dfw.state.or.us.com) reports:
Recreational crabbing re-opened in the ocean on Dec. 15.
Fishing for bottom fish is open at all depths.
Rough ocean conditions are keeping anglers from fishing in the ocean. 
Anglers may not retain Cabezon between Jan. 1 and March 31.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
Upper Owens River: Current water flow is 76 CFS.
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.
Cover lots of water.
Lower Owens River: 
Water flow is 201 CFS. Flows are steady. Water temp is up slightly due to warmer day time temperatures and fishing has improved a bit. 
Olive WD-40's, Caddis larva and small Pheasant Tails.

OWENS RIVER, CALIF:
Kent of The Trout Fly and Troutfitter (760-934-2517) (www.thetroutfitter.com) reports:
Upper Owens water conditions: Good. As of 1/5 flows have been stable at 76 CFS for a couple of weeks.
You can still drive all the way up to Long Ears as zero snow anywhere.
Fishing conditions: Good to Excellent.
Small Midge dries around mid day, with bigger Midges subsurface.
Big fish are being reported from Benton Crossing to Long Ears.
Do keep moving if you aren't getting grabs anytime after 10 am.
Owens River Gorge water conditions: Great. Flow: 45 CFS.
This is a permanent flow required to be maintained by LADWP
Fishing conditions: Excellent and nice and warm on cool sunny days this time of year.
Lower Owens: Water conditions:
Excellent. The flows are staying down around 125 CFS for last three weeks as of 1/5. Wading is excellent.
Fishing conditions: Good. The hatches have slowed some with the warmer weather, go figure.
You might stay with Midges all day and work the slooooow water.
Summer tactics are just not doing it.
Streamers are producing, drifting is excellent to get to unaccessible pools.
Fish are feeding earlier and later but not all at once during 3 hours midday.

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

PIT RIVER, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
The Pit is fishing just fine for the few who venture out. Rainbows have been reported favoring # 14-16 pheasant tail nymphs, # 12 Little Olive Sloan and Zack's Thurmanator dark stone and brown stone.
— Courtesy of the Fly Shop

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

PYRAMID LAKE, WASHOE COUNTY, NEV:
The Truckee River Outfitters (775-853-7368) (email to info@renoflyshop.com):
The fishing report here has been pretty bad. One to Two fish days are common right now. We have gone through a 2 to 3 year lull concerning numbers of fish at Pyramid. Some of this may be due to the decision to re-stock the lake with much smaller fish a few years back. The lake has been producing bigger fish over the past few years but numbers are down. Hopefully this will not be a long term issue at Pyramid Lake.
The biggest reason the fishing has been slow at the lake is due to lack of storms. Thermo clines of warmer water build up in the deeper parts of the lake and the bait and fish will hang out in these warmer pockets until a weather event breaks them up. The shoreline temperatures are colder and have no food to speak of. This makes fishing around the beaches really tough. Look for some storms to change this up in weeks to come.

RED LAKE, CALIF:
Doug Busey of Douglas County and Don Quilici of Carson City tried to fish at Red Lake last Thursday but did not venture out onto the ice as it was too thin. They strongly recommend staying off the ice until the weather gets much colder and the ice thickens.

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

RUBY LAKE N.W.R., WHITE PINE COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
Harrison Pass is free of snow. That may change if the 30 percent chance of precipitation comes through and actually drops some snow. 
The main body of the lake is ice covered and some of the ponds are also icing up depending upon the spring flows, but the ice isn’t safe. 
The collection ditch is open, and while fishing has been slow for numbers, a few anglers report catching fish between three and ten pounds using very small Midge and Baetis Nymphs in combination with a larger copper John. 
The copper John is used to get the smaller (size 18 to 22) Nymphs down to the bottom. Olive, brown and white bead head Crystal Buggers are also working early in the morning for larger fish.
Smaller trout (15 inches) have been caught along the brown dike near where it enters the south marsh with # 14 Copper Johns fished under an indicator.  The water is very murky here.

SACRAMENTO RIVER, CALIF:
J.D. Richey of www.fishingwithjd.com (916-388-1956) reports:
PRETTY QUIET!
The epic salmon season of last fall is now a distant memory and now, we’re kinda in-between things.
Mostly, guys are dunking shrimp, eel and roe for sturgeon down around Courtland and Merritt’s Landing with marginal success.
Inside the Port of Sacramento, there are stripers around but the water temps are so chilly that the action has been tough for spooners of late.

SACRAMENTO RIVER (LOWER), CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
River flows remain at 5,000 CFS and fly fishing has been good the past few days! Anglers have been successful using a variety of fly patterns; some of the better flies include; RK Flatulator BWO, # 16 Eng Thing, # 6-8 Brown Pat's Rubber Legs, Pseudo Nymph in brown or olive, and don’t forget to pack a few Alvin patterns with you! 
— Courtesy of the Fly Shop

SACRAMENTO RIVER (UPPER), CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
Water conditions are ideal and Beautiful on the Upper Sacramento River.
Insect hatches of BWOs, Baetis and a few Caddis are dominant.
The primary flies and Baits being used are: small olive and/or brown flies in # 16-20, and Midge patterns in black, red, green.
The best flies to throw are Zack's Thurmanator Dark Stone and Skwalla Stone, Pat's Brown Rubber Legs in # 6-8. Bring a few # 16-18 Pheasant Tails, a selection of Midges and a couple olive Micro-Mayflies.
— Courtesy of the Fly Shop

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AND OCEAN, CALIF:
J.D. Richey of www.fishingwithjd.com (916-388-1956) reports:
WINTER SLOWDOWN TIME
Rockfish season closed on Jan. 1 so now there’s not a whole lot cooking outside the Gate…crabs are still a viable option and some boats are sniffing around for squid and sandabs too.
Inside the Bay, sturgeon are available at Dumbarton on eel and roe and they’re also seeing fish in the shallows up around Sonoma Creek. A few bass are showing around the East Bay shore and perch fishing is decent too.

SAN JOAQUIN/RED’S MEADOW, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
Road 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.
Steelhead will start entering the Smith as more rain occurs in the area. Most of the angling opportunity will be catch and release of wild fish; however, adipose fin clipped Coho and Steelhead can be harvested in the Smith.

SOUTH FORK RESERVOIR, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife www.ndow.org) reports:
South Fork has lost a bit of thickness as it is covered with five to eight inches of good hard clear ice. South facing shorelines are getting soft in the afternoon and even showing some open water as the record high temperatures are warming up the bare shores.
The ice at this reservoir is very fickle and can be five inches in one spot and only two in another so caution is recommended as anglers head out onto the ice. Anglers should check ice thickness before venturing onto the ice until we get cold weather back.
Trout fishing is just fair. Most anglers are only catching one or two fish for a morning or afternoon’s worth of work, but they are running from two to four pounds on average. Jet Ski Beach, Tomera Cove, and the main boat ramp cove are providing a few fish. The south end of the lake along the east shore is also producing a few fish. 
The surface is extremely slick and anglers should use some form of traction on their feet such as crampons. 
Worms and Power Bait are the most popular presentations, though jigging a brightly colored lure tipped with a worm is worth a try.

LAKE TABEAUD, CALIF:
It will be planted this week by the California Department of Fish and Game.

TRINITY RIVER, CALIF:
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association (530-365-7500) (www.shastacascade.com) reports:
Steelhead continue to move through the Trinity River, but it requires some serious skills and stealth to catch one of these famous fish!
So if you are looking for an adventure, grab you gear and take a gamble fishing the Trinity River.
— Courtesy of the Fly Shop

TRUCKEE RIVER:
The Truckee River Outfitters (775-853-7368) (email info@renoflyshop.com):
The Truckee has been in really good shape for fishing over the past 8 months or so. Flows have been very consistent and remain in great shape.
There was a time a couple of weeks ago that the cold air temps made shoreline wading kinda tough due to ice forming in the slower moving water. Over the past week this has not been an issue at all. Normally by now the California side of the river is hard to get to due to snow pack. That is not the case so far this winter. We have even had some short sleeve shirt days on the Nevada side.
Midges and Baetis have been hatching on warmer afternoons on just about the entire river. Nymphing with smaller bugs in sizes 16-20 has been the way to go.
Fish are in the slower pools and runs and will not move as much for food so good drifts and covering water slowly and methodically is a must.
Late morning to mid afternoon has been the best time of day when the air and water has a chance to warm up.
Flows are: Town of Truckee 301 CFS, Boca Bridge 385 CFS, Farad 402 CFS, Mogul 361 CFS and Reno 404 CFS. Great flows for any time of year!

LITTLE TRUCKEE RIVER:
The Truckee River Outfitters (775-853-7368) (email info@renoflyshop.com):
The road to the Little Truckee is open with no controls. This is not too common for this time of year.
The flows are 44 cfs which is on the low side and the fish are really spooky due to the pressure it has been seeing over the past few weeks.
The combination of no snow for the skiers and not much work for the ski resort employees has put a real strain on the L.T.
Record number of fishermen have been walking the banks of the Little Truckee as of late. Look for this to remain the case until we get some real winter weather.

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, NEV:
The Truckee River Outfitters (775-853-7368) (info@renoflyshop.com):
East Walker River:
Flows are down to 25 CFS. This coupled with cold air and water temperatures this time of year really makes the East Walker hard to fish.
Anchor ice forms around the banks and makes wading really tough.
The California side is not as bad due to its proximity to a little warmer water in Bridgeport Reservoir.
When the water gets down to 25 CFS it really puts a lot of stress on the fish, especially when the water is this cold.
Keep an eye on the flows and the daytime highs in the Bridgeport area before heading down to the East Walker.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
Jim Reid of Ken’s Sporting Goods Store in Bridgeport (760- 932-7707) (www.kenssport.com) reports:
East Walker – West Walker – Sceirine Ranch - Hunewill Pond:
East Walker River: Hope everyone is having a great new year so far!
The fishing has been pretty good down on the river lately, the flows are bouncing from 25 to 35 CFS most days.
Yesterday was a little cold during the day but most days have been pretty nice, though I'm sure winter will get here sooner or later!
Most of the action has been with either Nymphs or small dries.
For dries there's been good action with Blue Duns, blue wing olives, Parachute Adams and Drowned Tricos.
There's lots of small Nymphs and Midges that have been producing including Zebra Midge, WD-40, Pheasant Tail, Prince, Hare's Ear, Rainbow Warrior, Tailwater Tiny, Disco Midge etc.
Best time of day to be down there would probably be from about 10 am to 4 pm right now.
West Walker River: Closed.
Sceirine Ranch: We haven't had any clients on the Sceirine lately but it should be fishing excellent as well. If you want some solitude this could be a great opportunity for you!
Hunewill Pond: Closed.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
Kent of The Trout Fly and Troutfitter (760-934-2517) (www.thetroutfitter.com) reports:
East Walker River Water Conditions: Good. Flows have been flat at 25 CFS forever as of 1/5.
Fishing Conditions: Good to Excellent. Big numbers being reported more and more.
Good dry action midday with shirt sleeve weather. Water is still cold but midday bite is strong.

WALKER RIVERS, CALIF:
Steve Osterman of Performance Guide Service (760-934-6101) (www.performanceanglers.com) reports:
East Walker River: Most recent flow 25 CFS. No change here. Water is low and cold and fishing is tough. Try red or gray Midge pupa.

WILDHORSE RESERVOIR, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
The lake is covered in very clear, very slick ice making it difficult to drill holes with a hand auger, as anglers spin around the auger as much as they turn the auger. There were 11 inches of ice off of the state park boat ramp as of Thursday, Jan. 5, and due to the clarity of the ice, anglers may want to stand back from the holes, to keep from spooking the fish. 
The ice is expanding and contracting a lot making lots of noise and producing some weak areas along pressure ridges. Anglers should avoid these areas especially as the warmer weather may cause even more weakening of these areas. 
Fishing has been good with anglers catching fish 16 to 20 inch trout close to shore in less than 15 feet of water. Most of the fish are being caught high in the water column within two feet of the bottom of the ice. 
Anglers are having the best luck using brightly colored jigs tipped with a piece of worm or wax worm. Many of the trout are being caught off of the state park boat ramp in front of the rock face to the south and along the shore near the BLM campground. No report of any perch being taken recently.     

WILLOW HILL RESERVOIR, CALIF:
It will be planted this week by the California Department of Fish and Game.

WILSON RESERVOIR, ELKO COUNTY, NEV:
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (www.ndow.org) reports:
The road is good, but the ice here is very unsafe. There is only two inches of ice with soft edges and even open water as of Thursday, January 5, 2012.  No indications of any angler use.

— Don Quilici is the Outdoor editor for South Tahoe Now and www.CarsonNow.org.