Hello fellow anglers. Before any stories or fishing reports. I would like to correct an error on the last report. In regards to the Douglas County Kids Fishing Derby.  For the kids to register for the derby, they need to sign up in person at one of the locations found on the website. They cannot register on the website. To get these locations, go to dcnvkidsfishingderby.org.  You can register to be a volunteer and how to make a donation for the derby also.

Wow, was this a wonderful few days we just had? I loved getting out to do some fishing and yes, a little yard work. But we do not want these high temps to stick around too long this early in the year. We need to keep that snow up on the mountains to feed those rivers, streams and lakes throughout the year. 

Last weekend I went out to Topaz Lake with my good friend Geary Ness. We started about 9am and trolled the whole lake with no bites. Many anglers I saw had given up by noon. But we kept going as we changed tactics, depths and color patterns. We could see the fish in various depths, but could not entice them to evn nibble. About 1pm we changed up and trolled shallow. We went 8 to 12 feet of water and changed our long lines from 120 ft to 150 and 200 ft behind. 

Please note: only use this technique when there are no other anglers trolling your area. It can become very messy. Best attractant was a J5 perch Rapala. Or an F3 perch or orange/blk Rapala weighted down to 7ft of depth. 

In three hours we caught and released almost a dozen trout. We kept two fish for dinner. A 2.5 lb rainbow and a 2lb tiger trout.  When we got the boat out and were preparing for the venture home I met fellow angler Derek Weseen from Carson City.  He was trolling a Super Duper lure trolling and had caught a nice 2.5 lb rainbow. True anglers my friend, do not give up because the early bite was slow. We are there to learn, enjoy the day, and with a little luck and strategy, catch a fish or two. 

Before we get to our local report. 

A reminder of the Reno Rv and Boat Show this weekend. Entry is free for kids 12 and under $15 for adults and $8 for seniors. But you can go online to their website, click on tickets and download a coupon for $5 off. 

Opening day fishing season is coming up in less than 30 days and I will have a full report in two weeks of what's open, where to go, and who's planting fish where.

CAPLES LAKE:  The lake still is frozen and anglers are still out ice fishing. Best areas have been by the spillway and the dam area. I recommend jigging gold Kastmasters or small spoons for rainbow, browns and mackinaw. The report is open for lodging and dining. As the ice starts to come off I will keep you informed. For more information go to capleslakeresort.com.

RED LAKE: The lake is still frozen and I have not fished the lake lately and have had no reports from anglers. As the weather changes, be cautious of the ice conditions.

BLUE LAKES; The road is still closed to the first gate. I will let you know in the next report if the road will be open for opening day.
 

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR: Both roads are open, but with weather coming in, use cation venturing in there. Fishing has been slow. Some anglers have caught a few small rainbows with various colors of powerbait. My favorite way to fish the lake is with a Thomas Buoyant spoon. starting from one side of the dam to the other. Make sure to reel slowly and keep your rod tip up. This spoon takes a special technique to make it swim right.

CARSON RIVER EAST FORK ALPINE COUNTY:  The river is running at 440 CFS and clear. Catch and release with artificial lures or flys with barbless hooks. Few fly anglers have done fair with stoneflies with a copper jon dropper. For more information stop by the Carson River Resort.

WEST CARSON RIVER ALPINE COUNTY: The river is running low at 120 CFS. I have not had any reports from anglers.

TOPAZ LAKE: The lake has not risen over the last  week or so. The boat launch at Douglas Park is open with all three ramps in. The fish cleaning station is open, but the water is not on yet. I counted 26 boats on the water last Sunday at 9am. By 12 pm there were only a handful still fishing. Those anglers reaped the benefits when the bite came on in the mid afternoon.  The Topaz Lake Marina was starting to get in their spring summer mode for launching and camping.  The Topaz RV Park was in full swing of getting their docks in the water.  As a note, when we started fishing the water temp was 47 degrees by afternoon it was at 55 degrees. Which denotes that the smallmouth bass will start to get into a spawning mode.

NDOW RECENT FISH PLANTS: Mitch Pond, Seeman Pond, Baily Pond, Squaw Creek Res, Mountain View Pond, Carson River Douglas County.

JUNE LAKE AREA FISHING REPORT: Many lakes and streams to open on April 26th. Full report in two weeks.

Good luck on your next fishing adventure. As the season progresses. I will expand the fishing areas and reports. If you get a picture of your catch. Send it to sports@recordcourier.com. I hope to see you on the waters soon. Good fishin' and tight lines.