June 29-July 5, 2017
WEBBER LAKE STORY & PHOTOS BY BRUCE AJARI
op ens to the publ i c
Fishing Licenses are required in California and Nevada for 16 years and older. Temporary licenses are available. California (916) 928-5822 or dfg.ca.gov; Nevada (866) 703-4605 or ndow.org. Licenses are available at most hardware stores. California Department of Fish and Game holds Free Fishing Days on July 1 and Sept. 2, with Nevada’s Free Fishing Day on June 10. LAKE TAHOE
W
ebber Lake located in Sierra County is about 45 minutes northwest of Truckee. It is located on Henness Pass Road that goes to Jackson Meadows Reservoir off Highway 89. It used to be a small private lake. Campers and fly-fishers would purchase memberships to use it. Large fish were planted by the membership each year. Generally these were rainbows and there are additional naturally reproducing brook and brown trout. The lake had been in private ownership since 1854. The Truckee Donner Land Trust purchased this outstanding property in November 2012 from Clifton and Barbara Johnson. The Land Trust continued to lease the lakeshore to the private fishing group for an additional five years, an arrangement that ended in 2016. The lake will open to a limited amount of public camping starting on Aug. 1 and the California Department of Wildlife is responsible for the fishery. This means that it will take over planting fish. Check the current regulations to see what the updated ones will be. A grand opening is planned when the extensive improvements are done in 2018. Tahoe Truckee Flyfishers has had the good fortune to fish this lake for several seasons as guests of a couple of members and the caretakers, Ken and Joan Bretthaurer. The Bretthauer’s have agreed to stay on to manage the property. Fishing this lake requires some kind of watercraft. Most fly-fishers tend to use tubes, pontoon boats or small prams. Conventional fly-fishers use boats and most seem to be trolling for the large rainbows. We have seen more people fly-fishing during our days on the water out there. This is due to the fact that this method seems to work well. While it is a small lake, it is best fished with a small boat. We have used float tubes and pontoon boats but it is work to get from one end to the other, particularly if the wind comes up. A boat or pram that is motorized is a much better option. The lake has lots of established weed beds and as a result, good hatches of insects. The usual midges, mayflies, caddis and terrestrials are available to the fish. Baitfish is also in the mix. Typically, most fly-fishers fish 4- to 6-weight rods with floating lines, 9- to 15-foot leaders tapered to 3x or 4x. The floating line is used for surface feeding fish and for nymphs under an indicator. A clear intermediate line for stripping nymphs and a type III line is great for stripping streamers when the fish are deeper. This is a great opportunity for anglers and campers to experience another recreational location right in our back yard. For more information, visit tdlandtrust.org. Bruce Ajari is a long-time area fly-fisherman and past president of Tahoe Truckee Fly Fishers. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to read more columns. Click on Fishing under the Out & About tab.
FISHING REPORT (See Sightseeing in this issue of Tahoe Weekly for current water levels.) Boca Reservoir | The road over the dam is closed until further notice. Inflow is at 531 cfs and the outflow is 441 cfs. Powerbait, nightcrawlers and lures are all working. Fly-fishers have been catching some fish near the inlet with nymphs, streamers and dries.
Donner Lake | Fishing has been fair to good.
Kokanee fishing has been fair to good. Nightcrawlers and Powerbait seem to be the main bait. Mackinaw fishing has been good. Flyfishers are catching some fish with streamers.
Lake Tahoe | All tributaries are closed to all
fishing until July 1. Fishing has been fair to good for mackinaw. A guide is highly recommended if you are fishing for mackinaw for the first time. Toplining and shore fishing is fair. Most shore anglers use inflated nightcrawlers.
Little Truckee River | The flow is at 558 cfs. The
Fishing is closed in Lake Tahoe within 300 feet of its tributaries and upstream to the first lake from Oct. 1 to June 30. Lake Tahoe is open year-round from 1 hour before sunrise to 2 hours after sunset. No fishing is allowed within 300 feet of the mouth of any stream. Most Sierra lakes are open all year. No fish may be used for bait or possessed for use as bait in Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake or Donner Lake, unless taken from that lake. Live bait in these lakes is limited to: Lahontan redside shiner, Tui chub, Tahoe sucker, Lahontan mountain sucker, Piute sculpin and Lahontan speckled dace. Chumming is illegal. There is a two-fish limit on Mackinaws, and a limit of five fish on Lake Tahoe. Fishing for Rainbows from the shore is best May through July. If you’re on the North Shore, the Kings Beach and Lake Forest areas are planted throughout the summer. Cave Rock on the East Shore of the lake is a good location for Rainbow and Brown. TAHOE REGION
SPOONER LAKE Spooner Lake is managed as a trophy fishery at Spooner Lake State Park on the East Shore. It is open all year for catch and keep, with a limit of five trout. Rowboats, inflatable rafts and float tubes may be used, but no motorized boats.
UPPER TRUCKEE RIVER The Upper Truckee is fed from the waters of Meiss Country south of Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe. Fishing is good in the deep pools during the early part of fishing season. TRUCKEE REGION
BOCA RESERVOIR Boca is good for early and late shore fishing and is popular for trolling for Rainbow, Brown and Brook.
DONNER LAKE Brown and Rainbow can be expected when shore fishing with good spots at the boat ramp or the west end of the beach. Mackinaws can be found in the shallows during the early season.
MARTIS CREEK RESERVOIR Rainbow, Brown and Lahontan cutthroat trout. Catch and release only using artificial lures with barbless hooks and no bait. No motorized boats.
PROSSER CREEK RESERVOIR
ECHO LAKES Just a short drive off of Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe, try both boat and shore fishing here. Shore fishing is usually good from the dam. Please respect the rights of private property and homeowners around the lake.
FALLEN LEAF LAKE The best fishing is from a boat, but occasionally fish can be taken from the shore with a good cast. The lake is a short walk from Fallen Leaf Lake Road or Fallen Leaf Campground. Fishing within 250 feet of the dam is illegal.
SAWMILL POND A stocked pond for children 15 years of age and younger. Adults are allowed to help children fish, but not allowed to fish themselves. The pond is located 1 mile south of South Lake Tahoe along Lake Tahoe Boulevard.
Among the best trout fishing in California, especially for Rainbow and Brown.
STAMPEDE RESERVOIR Holds a large number of trophy class Rainbow and Brown trout. Shore fishing nets Browns and Rainbow, with Kokanee when trolling. TRUCKEE RIVER At Lake Tahoe’s only outlet in Tahoe City, fishing is closed year-round from the dam in Tahoe City to 1,000 feet downstream. Certain other sections of the Truckee are closed year-round. Check fishing regulations. Fish the deep pools during the early part of the season. Best bets are to fish the section of the river between Tahoe City and River Ranch (Hwy. 89 and Alpine Meadows Road).
For more information, contact U.S. Forest Service | fs.usda.gov
flows have gone up. Fishing at this level can be a bit of a challenge. Nymphing is your best bet at these flows. Hatches are similar to the main Truckee.
Martis Lake | Zero kill. Catch and release only with barbless artificial lures or flies. Fishing is best early in the season and the fall. Smallmouth bass are part of the fishery.
Prosser Reservoir | Fishing has been fair.
Anglers using bait, lures and flies have all caught fish. Fly-fishers have done well near the inlet areas. Bass fishing has been fair.
Stampede Reservoir | The road will be closed
over the dam for construction this season and next. Access to the boat ramp will be through the Hobart Mills side. Fishing has been fair from shore. Nightcrawlers, Powerbait and lures have all produced from shore. Fly fishermen have been doing well near the inlets with nymphs and streamers. The kokanee fishing has been fair to good. Smallmouth bass fishing has been fair.
OUT & ABOUT
MICKEY’S
BIG MACK CHARTERS • YEAR-ROUND SPORTFISHING • ALL GEAR PROVIDED • 43’ SPORTFISHER
$90* $850 FULL BOAT
*Discount for Cash
(large cabin w/ restroom)
(530) 546-4444 or (800) 877-1462
(up to 13 people)
S����� B��� C�., C�������� B��, N���� L��� T����
MickeysBigMack.com
Truckee River | The flow out of the dam in Tahoe City is at 1,210 cfs. The flows through Truckee are at 1,560 cfs. While it has come down some, the flow remains high. Fishing has been good for those working hard. Most anglers are using San Juan worms, egg patterns and large stonefly imitations. Baetis, March Brown, Caddis imitations and streamers are also good this time of year. This water is special regulation, artificial only with barbless hook. Catch-and-release fishing is encouraged, but an angler may keep two fish with a minimum size of 14 inches during the regular trout season.
Davis and Frenchman lakes | Both are
full and spilling. Boat, shore and fly anglers are catching fish. Reports from Davis are only fair. Blood midge, callibaetis and small midges are the main insects to imitate subsurface. Frenchman fishing has been fair. Damsels are now on the menu at both lakes, as well.
Lake Tahoe in natural Diamonds
Steve Schmier’s Jewelry SteveSchmiersJewelry.com • Boatworks Mall • Tahoe City • 530.583.5709 25