Hello fellow anglers. We had 2 days of winter, then spring started last week and it feels like fall this week. But no worries, summer will be back next week. The weather around here is just like fishing. You never know what you're gonna get, you just hope it's good.

Well, it is now official. As of April 1st. You can sign your kids up for the 33rd Annual Kids Fishing Derby Dates: Sat June 6th & Sun June 7th Open to all kiddos ages 3 to 12, with a reserved 4th Session on Saturday for anglers with Special Needs. Children will be allowed a 2 fish limit and will be provided everything they need to have a fun and rewarding Fishing experience.

There are 7 sessions. Saturday Session 1: 8AM to 930AM Session 2: 10:00AM to 11:30AM Session 3: 12:30 PM to 2 PM Session 4: 2:30 to 4PM Sunday Session 5: 8AM to 9:30AM Session 6: 10:00AM to 11:30AM Session 7: 12:30AM to 2PM

Registration is required to receive your FREE session ticket.  Registration will begin on Wed. APRIL 1 and continue until 4PM on Friday JUNE 5.

In Person Registration will take place Mon thru Fri 9AM to 5PM at AJs Stoves (1267 Highway 395 N, Gardnerville) as well as on every Saturday in April and May from 10AM to 1PM in the Raley's West Side entrance parking lot. (Gardnerville location ONLY - 1363 Highway 395 N)

We will also have pop-up Registration at the Lampe Park Egg Hunt (Sunday, April 5th)Young At Hearts Swap Meet (Sat. April 11th) As well as Big Mama's Car Show, and Hot Air for Hope in May. Registration forms can also be downloaded from our website and mailed by way of postal service to PO Box 626 Gardnerville NV 89410.

Volunteer Sign-Ups will take place at both Registration locations, but is also available online at dcnvkidsfishingderby.org/volunteersignup. 300 volunteers are needed annually to make the Derby a success. From Set Up to Tear Down and everything in between, there is a job for everyone! Volunteers ages 13 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult sponsor, and community service hours are awarded to those in need.

Those interested in volunteering may contact Danny Lozano at [email protected] or follow along on Facebook at Kids Fishing Derby Volunteer Community. Raffle tickets will be on sale for $2 or 6 tickets for $10. Grand Raffle Prizes to include: (X1) One Night, One Boat Rental at Lower Twin Lakes (X1) Chartered Trip for 4 - Tahoe Sportfishing (X1) One Night, One Boat Rental at Caples Lake Resort. Winners need not be present to win. Over 180 Raffle Prizes will be awarded Derby weekend. All it takes is 1 ticket! All proceeds from the Raffle benefit our child anglers in the form of purchased fish, bait and tackle, gate prizes and more.

Local sponsors interested in supporting the Derby may contact Tom Zogorski at [email protected]. Special Event Buttons will also be on sale for $2 each. Exclusive event T-shirts will be available at the event Retail Table in both kid and adult sizes, and will feature a local child's artwork. Food will be provided by new coming Derby sponsor Wienerschnitzel and will feature Hot Dog and Hamburger or Cheeseburger meals with a drink, chips and cookies. Derby goers are encouraged to bring CASH for special Event merch and concessions.

For more information, visit our website at Dcnvkidsfishingderby.org, Instagram : @dcnvkidsfishingderby, Contact us: [email protected]. This event has been labeled as the largest organized kids free fishing derby on the west coast. I personally have been proud to be a part of this great event for many years. This event could not happen without the support from our local community. Each raffle ticket or meal ticket goes right back into the next year's derby.

This event is not just a kids fishing derby, but this is a family event. When you see one of the many volunteers around town with a derby hat or T-shirt on, Please, say thank you. Now after all the tents are taken down and put away for the next year's derby. Most of the volunteers and committee members may take a couple weeks off to themselves. But by mid June, they will start planning for next year. I hope to see you there. I may be the one with the big net or the big mouth, we do whatever it takes for the kids.

LAKE TAHOE: When the wind isn't making white caps. The mac fishing has been fair for anglers fishing deep off the Tahoe shoal and Dollar Point. The rainbow and brown action has been fair to good along the west side in the rocky areas. Most have been trolling F7 or F9 Rapalas in Black/silver or tossing tube jigs right along the top of the rocks. For more information go to rubyjeancharters.com or call 775-233-5055.

CAPLES LAKE: The lake is now ice free and there is plenty of room to shore fish. The public boat ramp usually opens in mid May, but they may open sooner. I will keep you informed. The Caples lake Resort will be putting in their docks and offer boat rentals on Memorial weekend. I have not received any reports and I have not been up there for a couple weeks now, so I am sorry that I don't have an actual report this week. But if you do go up to try your luck. On Sunday they will be having an Easter Brunch from 10am to 2pm. I would recommend calling for reservations as Chef Peter is in the kitchen. They will be accepting walkins. For more information go to capleslake.comor call 209-258-8888.

WOODS LAKE, BLUE LAKES, TAMARACK LAKE, SUNSET LAKE, BURNSIDE LAKE, WOLFE CREEK ROAD: The roads are still closed.

RED LAKE: The lake has thawed and the fishing has been hot and cold. Anglers have been using salmon eggs or inflated crawlers and catching some nice rainbows and a few brookies.

INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR: The main road off of highway 89 is still closed. But you can use the back entrance from diamond valley. It is a dirt road and very nasty at times. 2 wheel drive accessible. Just drive slow, or you might be missing some teeth. Fishing has been slow to fair. Some fly anglers had done fair on the west end of the lake. Bait anglers have done a little better on the south side.

TOPAZ LAKE: The lake is to the top. The water is cloudy with a little grassy debris on it. The bass fishing is doing very well. As for trout fishing. I fished with my friend Arnie Phelan from Carson City last weekend. We trolled deep and shallow. I must have tried every size and color of Rapalas in my box. Along with a couple secrets that I have. I received one good slam , but was not able to get it to the boat. Arnie got a good hit, but that was it. We fished from 8am to 2pm. Talked to many anglers with the same luck we had. I spoke with the NDOW that was there at the park. He said it has been really tough for trout anglers the last few weeks. But I did pass by one angler Dan Paya from Gardnerville Nv that was in his small boat on the south side of the lake. He was anchored up and bait fishing. As we drove by he was reeling in a line and got slammed half way in by a 4lb rainbow trout. A very nice looking rainbow indeed. He said he had caught another small rainbow earlier in the day. I will keep going back to topaz. because when the bite comes on, it comes on fast and strong. Plus it's a nice lake to relax and just have fun. and close to home.

OWENS VALLEY AREA: Since early March we’ve been fishing the snow-free Upper Owens only and will continue doing so until the General Fishing Season Opener (Merry Fishmas) on the last Saturday in April. All of March has seen beautiful Spring conditions out there getting into the 80s at times and now, for the next few days, we’re getting some rain and snow mix and wind but should get back to that Spring weather by the weekend.

UPPER OWENS RIVER AND BENTON CROSSING: Barbless flies and lures only, catch and release, open all year. Like mentioned in the previous report, earlier in the month we were getting a good amount of 18” to 20” mostly Rainbows and a few Browns along with some smaller of both species. Gradually, the bigger fish have thinned out heading back to Lake Crowley. There’s actually quite a bit of 4” to 12” Rainbows and Browns about along with a few bigger ones remaining. For those larger fish we’ve been mostly nymphing the deeper bends and cut banks with (or a combination of) Yellow Spot, Flashback Pheasant Tail, and Zebra Midge nymphs along with San Juan Worms and Egg Patterns. At times we’re swinging and stripping streamers like #6 Olive and Black Wooly Buggers. There’s been a good amount of surface feeding by the smaller fish usually peaking about 1:00 or 2:00. Caddis flies, Mayflies, Black Gnats, and Griffiths Gnats are all working well. I’m thinking the weather (after this week) and fishing will continue to be about the same until the May spawning run of big Cutthroats. There’s always something to look forward to at the Upper Owens.

NDOW FISH PLANTS FOR THE LAST MONTH: Mtn View pond, Seeman Pond, Baily Pond, Wilson Common Pond, Davis Creek , East Walker river, Fort Churchill Pond, North Pond, Paradise Pond.

I wish you good luck on your next fishing adventure. I hope to see you on the waters soon. If you get a photo of your catch. Send it to [email protected]. Good fishin' and tight lines.