Bridgeport Reservoir Fishing Report

Friday 05/10/19 – 05/16/19

By: Shelley Johnston

We started off this week with just a bit more paradise than usual. One of our visitors summed it up like this: we don’t come here to fish, we come here to decompress, enjoy the scenery, chill out, and we have had a great time! (Writer’s note: despite the disclaimer on the fish, I noted he had several fat rainbows on his stringer.) But really folks, there is so much more to the Bridgeport Reservoir than the spectacular fishing. Gorgeous scenery. Balmy temperatures. Clear air. Boating just for the heck of it. Kayaking. Hikes. Bird watching some of the beautiful species of birds that pass through here on migratory paths, such as Bullock Orioles, with their mandarin orange heads and deep lemon chests. Male Cassin finches discernable by their bright ruby heads perched above paler salmon colored breasts, their more subdued missus flaunting white bellies with beige racing stripes. Yellow Breasted Blackbirds. Teal blue and white Magpies. Ducks of every variety abound, some in mated pairs, others in small flocks of kaleidoscope shapes and colors.

Ah, but some of you ARE in it for the fishing, huh! Well, we have THAT too! Dan Hill caught two good-sized rainbows hanging out by the dam on Friday. Josh, Wyatt, Scott, and DC reported catching “a bunch” of fish but kept only one rainbow and a couple of perch to eat. Ron Allen, one of the staff members here at Bridgeport Reservoir Marina and Campground, used a customized chartreuse streamer to net five fat perch, and not to be outdone, Jack – another staff member – snagged a 2.75 lb. perch just a few days later on Sunday! (Fish tacos, anyone??). The balmy weather on Sunday treated the Lewis family pretty well too, with Jenavicia, Mallerie, and Michael bringing in 9 robust rainbows, the largest tipping the scales at 3.46 lbs. They’ll be baaaaccccccck. Postmaster Bill, another Bridgeport Reservoir regular (you think these folks know something??) made his day Sunday by nabbing a 5.4 lb rainbow, which we could all agree is nice enough, but it turns out this one is TAGGED. Whoopee! That will get him a FREE entry into the Bridgeport Trout Festival on June 22nd! (Worth $75 #itsaverygoodday!). Another regular, Gail Whisnand, ventured out Tuesday just before the winds stirred up and hooked a tagged 3 lb. rainbow – her SECOND tagged fish for the season. Bob Aldridge, of Dana Point, CA. didn’t find himself a tagged fish but DID manage to pull out a 4.25 lb rainbow for his efforts.

Well turns out a “sierra slammer” is more than a lure. Starting around Tuesday afternoon Mother Nature sent her own slammer to the sierras with hefty winds, rain, and would you believe it, some really beautiful snow in the mountains. Looks like weather should stabilize more over the weekend (you just never know, sunshine could be just around the corner) but like I said, the beauty here just does not stop!