Fishing
Alpine County has been a fishing destination for generations. With more than 700 square miles of public lands and some of the most pristine lakes and streams you'll ever see, there is something for every level of angler to enjoy. Keep scrolling to learn more about our fishing waters.
CAPLES LAKE: The lake has about 4-6 inches of ice underneath a little snow. A few anglers have been getting out to enjoy some ice fishing. Best areas are by the dam or spillway. You can use a nightcrawler or you can be a little more active (which keeps you a little warmer) and jig a gold Kastmaster or a small spoon. The Caples Lake Resort is open all year if you wanted to make a weekend out of it. They have lodging with a lounging area that serves dinner at 5pm. For more information go to capleslakeresort.com.
RED LAKE: The lake last reported was 5-8 inches thick with some snow on top. The parking area behind the dam is usually accessible thanks to Cal/Trans. Small Kastmasters or a half a nightcrawler has been most productive. I will be having an ice fishing get together with friends in early February. All are invited to come and see we ice fish. If you need a hole drilled, we can do that as well.
MONITOR PASS-EBBETTS PASS: Closed
BURNSIDE LAKE-WOODS LAKE- BLUE LAKES ROAD: Closed for the season.
INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR: The lake is low and the fishing has been fair. When the lake is not frozen. Inflated nightcrawlers and powerbait have been successful. A few anglers have ventured out along the dam with Thomas Buoyant spoons. I would recommend the paved road right now. The dirt road is mainly frozen in the morning and muddy in the afternoon. Be careful of the ice areas on the paved area. Some spots will not see the sun until may.
EAST CARSON RIVER ALPINE COUNTY: I ventured up this week to find the river running very fishable at 90 CFM. Talked with an angler that did good with a black Panther Martin. The county planted the river a few weeks ago with 1800 lbs of rainbows ranging 2-5 lbs. It is catch and release with artificial lures or flys with barbless hooks until the last Saturday in April. If you decide to make a weekend out of your next trip. The Carson River Resort and the Creekside Lodge are open all year. If you need a break from fishing all morning, the hot springs are open to warm you up. They also have a general store for all those things you forgot to bring. For more info contact the Carson River Resort.
TOPAZ LAKE: This was the first time in 30 years, I could not attend the New Years celebration. I did talk with a couple anglers that enjoyed the day. They told me the water level was down about 10 feet from last year. Which is nice because it gave them some real estate on the east side to camp on. They caught 7 nice rainbows all about 12 to 16 inches trolling blk/gld or blk/slvr Rapalas on the west side of the lake. They saw a few shore anglers catching a few on the north end and the south end just past the bug station. Now if you are a big Topaz angler. You can get a yearly pass at the Douglas County Parks Department in Gardnerville NV. The pass is valid for the 2025 year for day use and boat launching, It does not cover camping.
Good luck on your next fishing adventure, and remember to tell someone where you are going and when you should return. I hope to see you on the water soon. If you get a photo of your catch.
Send it to sports@recordcourier.com.
Good Fishin' and tight lines.
Winter Fishing in Alpine County
January 2025 Report from Doug Busey
Hello, fellow anglers.
A very Happy "NAW" year to you all. This time of year, we are a little limited on where we can fish in the sierras. Right now we have some viable options, without cutting a hole in the ice. The East Carson River In Alpine County, The West Walker In Mono County and Topaz Lake off highway 395 at the CA/NV stateline. Topaz Lake, as many know, is open all year long to fishing. Many still celebrate it on January 1st as the opener. I personally love to fish the lake this time of year. Mainly because the fishing is usually hot in the winter. You can do a little more toplinning, instead of dragging hardware deep in the lake. Now the rivers I mentioned are catch and release this time of year, but fishing can be exciting and sometimes fast and furious. But wherever you venture out to. remember to always be aware of your surroundings and water temps. You do not want to fall in the water when it's 40 degrees outside and the water is the same temp. Hypothermia is when you fall in the water, cold shock hits within seconds and loss of muscle control in 10 minutes or less. Boaters, make sure you have all the safety equipment on board in case of an emergency. But it is also the law to have the right safety equipment for the size of the vessel you have. I would also advise to leave the beer on the shore. It would be very embarrassing to get a BWI ( boating while intoxicated) on your record. Not to mention a free trip to the local jail. Last year I saw a couple people that their fishing trip did not end so well. It also helps to be alert in case another boater is in need. Let's just have fun, catch some fish, brag a little and get home safe to fish another day. I would rather read about you in the paper holding your catch, then to hear about an accident that occured.
Alpine County Fishing Waters
Through grants from the County of Alpine and the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, the Alpine County Fish and Game Commission stock some of the rivers throughout the year. In addition, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) also conduct stocking activities. Click the link below to find out when and where the CDFW stocks take place.
See our latest blog post on fishing regulations, and view the CDFW Official Regulations Handbook.
Fishing licenses can be purchased at the following nearby locations:
MARKLEEVILLE GENERAL STORE: 14799 CA-89, Markleeville, CA 96120 (530) 694-2448
TAHOE FLY FISHING OUTFITTERS: 2705 LAKE TAHOE BLVD SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA 96150 (530) 541-8208
TOPAZ LODGE: 1979 US HWY 395 S GARDNERVILLE, NV 89410 (775) 355-8887
BIG 5 SPORTING GOODS: #360 1770 HIGHWAY 395 SPACE A-2 MINDEN, NV 89423 (775) 782-3412
SPORTSMANS WAREHOUSE: #229 1443 South Carson Street CARSON CITY, NV 89701 (775) 884-2100
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Fish Plants 2024
April 12, 2024 1800lbs total:
West Fork Carson 900 lbs
East Fork Carson 500 lbs
Markleeville Creek 250 lbs
Silver Creek 150 lbs
California State Fish & Game
Lake Alpine May 13, 2024
Indian Creek May 19 2024
East Slope
LAKES & RESERVOIRS
Bull Lake
Burnside Lake
Crater Lake
Fourth of July Lake
Granite Lake
Heenan Lake
Indian Creek Reservoir Caution: dangerous algae blooms >>
Poison Lake
Raymond Lake
Summit Lake
Sunset Lake (Lower & Upper)
Tamarack Lake
Twin Lake
Winnemucca Lake
Woods Lake
RIVERS & STREAMS
Carson River (East & West Fork)
Forestdale Creek
Horsethief Creek
Markleeville Creek
Red Lake Creek
Silver Creek
Wolf Creek
West Slope
Mokelumne River
Pacific Valley Creek
Highland Lake
Kinney Lakes
Utica Reservoir
Union Reservoir