Lake Tahoe How to fish

Lake Tahoe fishing for lake trout. Using down riggers and live minnows. This is how to do it. ‪@fairplayfishing‬

[@Petesworkshop2225]

Used to fish Tahoe in the 80s. Same thing, cat food to catch minnows, minnows to catch fish. Other than river fishing that was my favorite. Recently july of 2023, I inquired about the 2 pole liscene. NDOW told me all I needed was the one fishing liscene and I was all good...?

[@fairplayfishing]

I’m out of California so I’m not sure on the licensing for Nevada. Tahoe is still a beautiful place to fish and the patterns haven’t changed much since the 80s. They are planting Lahontan Cutthroat’s in the lake now and using the Pilot Peek strain so it will be exciting to see that fishery develop. I’ll be fishing Pyramid for October it’s been good so far. Tight lines

[@peggytowers552]

Back in about 1969 my dad and my uncle were the the first fishermen to use down riggers on Lake Tahoe. Before down riggers they used led-core line to get the bait/lures down low. There weren't many down riggers commercially available so my uncle made the first one they used. There was at that time a big outdoor shop in South Shore called the Outdoorsman (if I remember the name correctly) and they took their boat with the down rigger there one day to show the owner. Word got out quickly and within about a year there were lots of down riggers on Lake Tahoe.

[@fairplayfishing]

I bet they got some monsters out of Tahoe. Great to hear they were not only innovative but willing to share the knowledge. Were their names Cannon and Scotty by any chance?

[@peggytowers552]

@@fairplayfishing Their names were Roy Towers (my dad) and Don Polastri. Don was a machinist at the San Leandro Caterpillar Plant and did most of the work on their down rigger. Down riggers were used in the Great Lakes region only made it to the west in the 1960s. They didn't catch many big fish (6 pounds or more). They caught some decent fish (me too) but never anything over 8 pounds. I much prefer fishing Pyramid Lake in Nevada. It is part of the Tahoe/Truckee system. There are some very big Cutthroats in Pyramid lake. I've gone several times and have caught good fish of 5 lbs, 9 lbs, and 11lbs. The lake record is 41 lbs (yes - a cutthroat trout!) caught in 1925. They fight much better than the Lake Trout in Tahoe. I've fished both lakes over the years and this is my opinion. The Pilot Peak lahontan cutthroat was the only native trout in Lake Tahoe, and they would exchange between Tahoe and Pyramid via the Truckee River. These fish went extinct in both lakes. The Paiute tribe (Pyramid Lake is in the Paiute Reservation) replaced the fish with another strain of Lahontan Cutthroat and Fish in the 15-pound class were not uncommon. Then the original strain of Lahontan that used to be in Pyramid were discovered in a small mountain creek in Utah, For some years they have been stocking the Pilot Peak fish in Pyramid with great success. They grow faster than the other Lahontans and get bigger. The biggest trout caught in Pyramid last year was 31 lbs. It's a great story and I encourage everyone to read about it or watch KZbin documentaries about this subject. Here's a good one: www.utahcutthroatslam.org/other-cutthroat-in-utah/ Sorry I was so long winded and a bit off-tract, but this subject is of great interest to me.

[@fairplayfishing]

Great information and spot on. I was born in Northern Michigan an Upper fish Lake Superior for lake trout and silver salmon. Steel line and funky reels that were like down riggers without a base or motor. Fun times. Pyramid lake is my go to as well. Heading up there on the 6th we monitor channel 18 mostly say hi if you’re on the water. I’ve got several videos on my channel fishing the lake. My buddy had a twenty four pounder that I got to net. Thanks for the chat Tight lines.

[@fairplayfishing]

Pyramid Lake Nv Solo trip with multiple doubles of large Lahontan trout on. @fairplayfishing kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnfKaayih993irM

[@JUNationFishing]

Amazing underwater footage!!! 👍👍👍

[@fairplayfishing]

Thanks, Tahoe’s clarity really helps.

[@troutwardbound]

Nice one! Let’s go!!

[@fairplayfishing]

Thanks, yes I’ve been thinking about getting back to Tahoe soon. I’ve been crabbing lately but it’s not the same as a tight line on a big trout.

[@jayrobertson232]

As a retired Great Lakes Charter Captain, I’d like to share some down-rigger techniques, specifically with the release & cable. For starters, substitute a 24-30” release cable, tipped with a large single point hook (smashed barb and dull point). Set your bait back the normal distance, then wrap a light rubber band 6-8 times around the line, keeping the end loops open. Run the rubber band loops onto the release cable’s end hook, being careful to avoid hooking the line too. Then go ahead and lower this setup as you would normally, except when you reach your desired depth setting, engage the reel and set the clicker to ON. Now tighten the drag temporarily and reel up the excess line until there is a deep C bend in the rod. To finish, back off on the drag until it almost slips. All you need to do now is watch the rod tips; there will always be a drop in the tip when the fish grabs the bait because the cable is at a 45 and running above the ball. 90% of the fish will break the rubber band and keep pulling, negating the necessity of setting the hook. Your rigger rods and reels look ideal for this slight modification, and once you get used to it, you’ll love the higher ratio of hookups vs false releases. Good luck. My brother owns a condo in Incline Village, so I need to get out there some time and fish that lake! Thanks for the video, you are blessed to have this fishery and natural beauty on your doorstep.

[@fairplayfishing]

Thanks for the tip. I was born on the upper peninsula of Michigan my family had a resort at Jacob’sville on the portage entry to Lake Superior did a lot of Lake Trout fishing there. In my youth. You’ll have to get to Pyramid Lake in Nevada about the size of Tahoe and the fishery is phenomenal. Thanks again for the tips Tight lines.

[@fairplayfishing]

I’m assuming you have a boat? There is an underwater ridge that runs to the North from the South Shore if you line up “Ski run boulevard” it gun sites directly to that ridge. Good place to start. Let me know if you have a lake map on your finder I can send you a screenshot and some coordinates

[@mattoxboutin]

what section of the lake are you fishing on

[@fairplayfishing]

Typically launching from Cave Rock fishing North East to Sand Harbor or South West to Camp Richardson’s or Emerald Bay

[@fairplayfishing]

This video I was fishing “Dead Man Point”

[@mattoxboutin]

i’m going up to lake tahoe in a couple days, i have never fished there, i am staying in south lake tahoe

[@mattoxboutin]

any good spots in south lake tahoe?

[@fairplayfishing]

If the wind is out of the West the shelf that is in front of Camp Richardson’s is sheltered from the wind and lake trout travel out of the deep water to feed along the edge, play the drop off they are ambush predators. Also good Kokanee fishing there not big fish but lots of them

[@23bossmatic]

Have you caught crappie yet?

[@fairplayfishing]

Not in Tahoe