North of the I 80
There are actually more good spots for fishing north from the Interstate 80 than many people realize. Unfortunately, all of these fishing spots are going to require some driving on dirt roads for access. Locals generally use trucks and 4 wheel drive vehicles to get around, but with careful two wheel driving you should be able to get around as well. If you have any doubts, just park and hoof it, because you do not want to end up getting stuck.
Summit
Summit Lake is not far from the Westbound Rest Station which is at the top of Donner Pass right off of Interstate 80. There is an easy hike in that can produce solid fishing for brook trout on nearly anything that you care to throw as long as the snow has cleared. If you enjoy skiing, it might be fun to ski in and enjoy some ice fishing during the winter months. During the summer, patient fishermen can come in, learn to backpack and spend some time catching fish from this unique spot.
There are a number of nearby lakes and creeks as well, including four that are small and just to the south of this area between the Sugar Bowl Ski Area and the I-80. You can catch brook trout and Bullhead catfish using bait. Keep in mind that access could potentially be a problem because the lakes are located on private property.
Lola Montez Lakes
These are small and pretty lakes that offer good action for brook trout ranging between 10 inches and 14 inches. The action peaks around the late fall, here. Upper Lola is shaded by trees and is found just off of the logging load past Stirling Lake and the Cisco Grove. Lower Lola is more scenic and is reached by way of a scramble down a slope from Upper Lola, or a walking trail beginning at the Soda Springs Firehouse which is located just off of the Interstate 80. Keep in mind that the Towle Estate Road is now closed and gated so you will potentially need to find another way in.
Since the Upper Lola is now getting most of the fishing pressure, you should try deep trolling using worms and flashers during the day. At dawn and at dusk you should switch to the Lower Lola, bait bank fishing using worms and stump grubs when fishing off of the large rocky point that is not far from the campground site. Lure fishing is definitely fair in the Lower Lola though it is relatively unproductive in the Upper Lola.
If you end up catching any chubs in the Lower Lola, keep them rather than returning them as they often crowd the trout and are better left out of the water.
Stirling Lake
This lake offers fair action for brook trout all throughout the summer months. If you do not mind a busy access road and noisy visitors, you may enjoy visiting this lake, which has an elevation of 7000 feet. There are steep wooded banks that limit easy casting to a section that is approximately 400 yards long. It might be best for you to come prepared with a boat or with a float tube for the best results, especially if trolling is your thing.
First light action in the summer is typical by the submerged trees which are all along the north side of the lake. The evenings are calm and will typically allow you to find a hatch as well as plenty of small fish just as dark begins to settle. If there is a breeze, move slightly offshore at the downwind side of the lake for better results. There are five shaded campsites here that are excellent choices for weekends that are crowded.
Spaulding Lake
This lake peaks quite early during the spring. You can haul a canoe in over the snow and collect weight limits worth of trout, including both rainbows and browns in general. You can take this fish by fast trolling using silver plugs in nearly any area of the lake and reservoir. After the snow melts in the late spring, however, the lake begins to fill with floating wood and this makes fishing a lot more difficult.
Once the road has opened to the newly paved ramp, the fishing is best done by drowning worms beneath bobbers as well as casting silver colored Kastmasters between the dam and the boat ramp. Bait can take a few planted trout from the area of the ramp all throughout the summer. The best bank fishing can be found at the Fordyce Creek mouth and the mouth of the South Fork of the Yuba River. Most of these places are reached easily by way of boat.
In the spring and in the fast, lure or bait fishing and fast trolling will bring out the most trout, especially when the water is at its optimum temperature level. The warm water during the spring and the cool water during the fall dumped into Spaulding from Fuller Lake is going to provide a good temperature range all throughout the year. During the summer months, deep trolling is capable of being productive, especially along the islands and the bank.
The most productive replicas here are pond smelt, and a god way to go are silver and blue Kastmasters, silver Rapalas, chrome and blue Speedy Shiners, crappie jugs, white wooly buggers and other similar lures. The best size is going to vary between a single inch long and four inches long.
The rainbows and the browns you'll find at the Fordyce Reservoir are not as large as they used to be, but they are still good and worth checking out. The best shore fishing is going to be on either side of the dam. Park at the dam, or try getting dropped off at the dam and then fishing the creek down to Spaulding Lake instead. Boaters tend to find that Fordyce Lake is excellent for top line trolling, especially off of the rocks on the north side of the bank.
South Yuba River
The best part of the South Yuba River is a two mile stretch that goes from the Indian Springs Campground to the Spaulding Reservoir. You can reach the river downstream with a 4 WD vehicle along the power line and all you have to do is cut downhill in the direction of the river where there are five good holes above and a number more below worth taking advantage of.
Fishing at the South Yuba River begins just below the Spaulding Dam and runs past a number of riffles that are fair to good during the early season. You will find pools that alternate with whitewater all the way down the stream until you reach the upper end of the northern bank. The country here tends to be extremely rugged and so the trip back uphill after traveling here is a bit of a workout, so it might be a good idea to arrange to have someone pick you up after your trip to the bottom.
The trout here are wild, and they are scattered all throughout a number of easily accessible stretches of river, and they seem relatively easy to catch if you fish the harder to reach places. Worms and stump grubs are especially suitable for fishing in the early season, and then later on you may want to switch to flies for greater productivity. In pocket water you will find that spoons work better than spinners.
In small and steep tributaries in the South Tuba you will find pan sized trout if you are willing to scramble over and across granite boulders. Rucker, Canyon, Fall Creeks and Trap are all worth checking out for this purpose. Fishing in the middle section of the river is generally a good way to go. You can either hike down the hill on the trail or you can drive in following a logging road that stems from Highway 20.
As always when it comes to streams and rivers, make sure that you understand that your results are reliant on the temperature of the water, the water clarity and the water flow with the Fuller Lake and nearby waters being a good choice whenever the river is cold, high or muddy.
South of the I 80
There is a lot of fishing South of the I 80 that is overlooked despite being better than most people would expect, and so there are plenty of area campgrounds that are deserted, allowing you to camp and fish while avoiding the crowds that you would normally find in the Tahoe Basin. Lake Valley Reservoir offers a great choice in the early season, and you may also want to consider the small drive in camps for Cascade Lakes. If you want to camp near pavement instead, there are some PG&E campgrounds on the north side of where Lake Van Norden used to be, before the dam was brought down. Rainbow Lodge has some excellent food here an there are some markets in the area as well.
Lake Valley Reservoir
At an elevation of 5,800 feet, Lake Valley peaks much earlier than most of the other trout lakes in North Tahoe. It has a few big fish such as chunky rainbow trout that range from 12 inches to 17 inches. What is best of all is that this reservoir is easy to reach and only two miles away from the Interstate 80.
During the spring and the early summer you should be fishing from rocks between Sky Mountain and the dam. Hike to the south cove during the beginning of the year or to the northeast inlet in the spring months to find rainbows in the spring, or return to the same place in the fall to find browns. The inlet is a wooded hike of a mile or so from the ramp, but it is easy to reach. Bring a 12 Light Cahill Parachute or a small spoon at dusk for the best results. Make sure that you have a flashlight because the trout do not typically rise up until the sun has gone down.
Cascade and Long Lakes
Upper Cascade and Lower Cascade are separated by a dam that is crossed by an open mesh metal bridge that brings you to Long Lake and the devil's peak which is a series of potholes. With a 4 WD vehicle you can usually try out the campgrounds here. If the lake is dried out, you'll find biting bugs instead of fish.
You should try shore fishing the lower cascade using bait or spinners during the spring months or the fall months. In the summer you should be fishing the upper Cascade as well from the dam or the arm that is nearest to Long Lake. You can travel to Long Lake by way of a Canoe if you like, especially if you came packing size 18 black ants and Adams flies, which bring in nice limits of brook trout and rainbow trout whenever you see risers.
The level of Long Lake tends to remain stable, offering a scenic shoreline just beneath the devil's peak. You can expect to bring up some very nice rainbow trout from this point, especially along the side of the lake where devil's peak is. Later in the year you will find rainbows about 15 inches to 18 inches in length but they are deep in the water. Most bank fisherman can bring in 8 inch to 12 inch fish. Most typical methods will work here for this purpose.
Photo Credits: GeorgeMcNamara, larry&flo, rickz
Originally posted 2009-09-10 03:44:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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