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Ramp Inspections: Coming to a lake near you?

July 2, 2011 By JD 10 Comments

Without proper planning, you could be locked out of your favorite lake...watching the sunrise from the parking lot!


Invasive species like Quagga and Zebra mussels and New Zealand Mud Snails are spreading at a rapid clip to lakes and streams throughout the West, and because of the threat these non-native critters pose to our water ways, you may soon find launching at your favorite lake more of a logistical hassle than ever before.

Local authorities are taking the threat very seriously, as these invaders are a really bad deal. In short, they are filter feeders which can completely alter entire ecosystems by removing phytoplankton from waterways — the stuff from which all other life begins. Also, they clear up the water, allowing sunlight to penetrate deeper, causing a proliferation of aquatic plants that can change species dominance.

To battle these guys, some lakes have completely banned all outside watercraft, while many others are requiring increasingly thorough inspections before you launch. Take one of my favorite fishing spots for example, Lake Tahoe. There, you have to pay for a complete inspection prior to launch (it was $30 for my little 14-foot skiff). Click here to read more…

Filed Under: uncategorized Tagged With: lake tahoe, New Zealand Mud Snails, Quagga mussels, Zebra mussels

Mikey Does it Again: A new Lake Tahoe record Brown Trout!

April 26, 2011 By JD 5 Comments

Marvin Child with his record brown!

Mike Nielsen of Tahoe Topliners is a very dangerous man…if you’re a brown trout, that is. This morning, he guided client Marvin Child to a new Lake Tahoe record brown trout. The fish weighed 15 pounds, 15 ounces and beats the previous mark of 15 pounds, 2 ounces, which was a fish that Nielsen guided a client to in 2008, which beat the previous record fish that…yep, you guessed it he guided yet another client to. Like I said, he’s a bad, bad man!

The latest record catch (which measured 36 inches), sucked down an F11 silver and black Rapala doused in Pautzke’s Liquid Krill.

Filed Under: Trophy Room Tagged With: brown trout, lake tahoe, mike nielsen, record, tahoe topliners

Nor Cal: Water & Snow everywhere!

March 24, 2011 By JD 4 Comments

The Howe Ave. parking lot on the American River underwater


Tthe calendar says “spring” but Northern California has been getting hammered by a series of huge winter storms all week which have delivered serious amounts of rain to the lower elevations and many feet of snow to the high country…the likes of which we haven’t seen since I was a kid.

Of course, all that weather isn’t without complications. Most NorCal rivers are raging and the reservoirs are full. The Sacramento River is currently running around 100,000 CFS and getting very close to flood stage. With all the snow in the high country, let’s keep our fingers crossed that there are no Pineapple Express-style warm storms heading this way! On a positive note, we should have plenty of water this year!Click here to read more…

Filed Under: uncategorized Tagged With: american river, flood, lake tahoe, sacramento river, snow

Mike’s Mid-Day Mondo Mackinaw Madness!

August 11, 2010 By JD 2 Comments

A quick pic and then the fish went back into the lake!

Lake Tahoe big fish guru Mike Nielsen of Tahoe Topliners has struck again! Just a little over a year ago, Mike guided an angler to the lake record brown trout and now he checks in with a jumbo mack just ounces shy of 30 pounds.

The best part of this story (besides the fact that he released the fish) is how it was caught. We’ll let Mike tell the story…Click here to read more…

Filed Under: Trophy Room Tagged With: lake tahoe, mackinaw, mike nielsen

Photo Essay: The Amazing Places Fish Live

January 20, 2010 By JD 9 Comments

Unnamed coho creek, Cordova, AK


Why do we fish? One of the big reasons for me is to have the opportunity to visit some of the amazing places that fish call home. Here’s a look at some of my favorites…Click here to read more…

Filed Under: Cool Photos Tagged With: alaska, california delta, klamath river, lake tahoe, rivers, scenics, trinity river

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