Skip to main content

FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR

SO—season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes). C—clear water; D—water dirty or roily; M-water muddy. N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling. WT50—water temperature 50°. FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor. OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor.

TROUT: WISCONSIN: Most Brule River rainbows have dropped back into Lake Superior; stream L, C, FP except for brookies in evening. OP.

COLORADO: Almost all streams in state H, D but FF/G with bait and spin-lures. Last week's leading lunkers were 10¾-pound brown from Seaman Reservoir (on wobbler spoon), 9 pound rainbow from Roaring Fork River (on worm) and 8¾-pound brown from Blue River (on wobbler spoon).

IDAHO: General SO June 4 and FG on all trout waters in eastern Idaho's Island Park area; streams are clearing and fly-fishing excellent on North Fork of Snake; hot spot is Henry Lake around Staley Springs (but back roads are muddy). In western state, North and South Forks and main Payette FG with bait and spinners but main Salmon and all tribs H, D, OP. In northern state, Bear, Priest, Hayden and Coeur d'Alene lakes in fine shape and productive, but area streams H, D.

OREGON: High-country lakes SO May 28 but best areas still under 4-8 feet of snow. Crane Prairie Reservoir getting big play but FP/F as snow runoff clouds and chills water. In general, season is very late, weather unsettled and OF/G.

MASSACHUSETTS: Deerfield River spy says L, C, FF, with dries and nymphs but even experts going fishless between dawn and dusk; OF through June 15.

WASHINGTON: On eastern side of state, Curlew Lake FG, OG with occasional lunkers reported; Pierre Lake excellent but fish are smaller; FG, OG in Buffalo, McGinnis, Sage, Wapalo, Spectacle, Parrygin and Bumping lakes, Methow and Naches rivers. On west side, Cushman is top producer for silver trout; Big Beardslee giving up occasional 10-pounders on spoons or plugs fished deep; Skamania County lakes and streams FG, OG.

CALIFORNIA: Despite snowpack runoff that roiled most streams an estimated ‚Öì-million anglers turned out for Memorial Day weekend and many took limits on bait and spinners. SO May 28 for Del Norte and Humboldt counties and Eel River drainage, with streams murky but FF and OG. With Tioga and Sonora passes open, fishermen flocked to high lakes and creeks in Yosemite Park and Leavitt Meadows country (where hikers got best waters and easy limits); OG for this area, with peak of fishing June 15, barring storms. Most streams in north of state H, D. Bucks Lake is hot, with browns and rainbows to 9 pounds; Boca. Donner and Bear River reservoirs spotty but OF/G. Best lakes on east slope are Crowley and June, Bridgeport Reservoir; best stream is Owens River at Birchim Canyon and Chalk Bluffs.

NEW MEXICO: Red and Cimarron rivers H, D, FP, OG. Rio Grande River H, FF/G with woolly worm flies, OG.

PENNSYLVANIA: All streams in Allegheny Forest and northern-tier counties still L, C, in need of rain. Tionesta Creek from Kellettville to Warren County line was producing on wets and dries last week (including 20-inch rainbow on marabou streamer, near Truman), and new rainfall should perk up this area; Oil Creek above Titusville had fine Light Cahill hatches last week, and outlook is good. Although Pine Creek's gorge produced some heavy browns last week, most "tier" streams are critically low and warm, with trout moving into spring holes and up tribs. FP except early morning and OP. In central state your best bets are Big Spring and Letort in Cumberland County, Lost Creek in Juniata County (but this is "chalk-stream" fishing, with bonus trout for expert nymphers).

MICHIGAN: Heavy rains last week raised and roiled most streams in northern state but OG as rivers return to normal height and color.

ATLANTIC SALMON: MAINE: Lobster fisherman Charles Joy of Winter Harbor took state's heaviest salmon of season from Narraguagus River last week on home-made bear-hair fly; OG in all of Maine's restored rivers through mid-June.

NEW BRUNSWICK: SO June 5 with most rivers SH and fresh runs reported in most rivers; good runs of heavy sea trout are in the Miramichi and Tabusintac, with some in the Cains and Renous.

TARPON: FLORIDA: Boca Grande Pass was still hottest spot for tarpon on sizzling west coast last week and should incandesce through June 15-30; Mr. and Mrs. Gwynne Evans of St. Louis and Mr. and Mrs. George Westfeldt of New Orleans fished one tide a day for six days last week, jumped 55 fish, boated 22; all guide-boats averaged 8-10 strikes daily.

LANDLOCKED SALMON: MAINE: As warm sun upped WT several degrees in most lakes old-timers expected Fish River Chain to bust wide open (as it may have by now); Tunk Pond (near Cherryfield) continues to outproduce many better-known ponds, and OG, but fastest action is at the Rangeleys, with Kennebago top spot for fly-fishers and OG through June.

BLACK BASS: MAINE: Spednic Lake (on New Brunswick border) producing smallmouths to 5 pounds on bait and spin-lures; OG for fine sport with fly-rod and popper bugs through June.

FLORIDA: FG in central state despite low water, with Lake Tarpon (S of Tarpon Springs) and Lake Hatchineha in Kissimmee River basin producing large and frequent bigmouths on top-water lures. Headwaters of Withlacoochee River in NW Polk County, Kissimmee River E of Lake Wales and drainage canals W of Vero Beach are also moderately hot, and OG. In NW Florida rainstorms improved outlook for freshwater fishing, kept most fishermen at home mowing fast-growing grass.

MISSOURI: Current River N, SD but clearing and OG as SO May 28 in streams; Jacks Fork L, C, OF/P; most other streams N, C, OG.

TENNESSEE: Center Hill Lake agent says FG with deep-running lures, slow-trolled or live bait close to bottom. New TVA lake, Fort Patrick Henry, 2½ miles SE of Kingsport, opened last week and spies report FF/G.

CALIFORNIA: All lakes of the lower Colorado are still hot, with plug-fishermen getting best results and OG next two weeks.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Heavy rains muddied reservoirs last week and best spots are near mouths of clear streams, with plugs and bucktails.

BLUEFISH: LOUISIANA: Strong southerly winds kept charter boats in port at Grand Isle last week but skippers predict bonanza in blues as soon as they can get back to oil rigs.

NORTH CAROLINA: Fishing at peak in Nags Head-Oregon Inlet area south to Hatteras and Diamond Shoals. Oregon Inlet charter boats boating up to 375 blues per trip, mostly under 2 pounds, but Diamond Shoals fish are running larger.

STRIPED BASS: MASSACHUSETTS: Big schools of bull bass spotted by air from Provincetown down outer Cape shore to Nauset Beach and Chatham; weren't hitting at press time but may be now. At Phinneys Harbor on Buzzards Bay school fish were molesting plugs; at mouths of Weweantic and Wareham rivers small popping plugs and tin squids were picking up school bass. First fish of year came from Cape Cod Canal last week on live herring bait and rejoiced hearts of regulars.

CALIFORNIA: Big schools of spawners in San Joaquin River near Antioch offer limits of bass to 20 pounds, OG.