GREAT NEWS ??? NO SNOW and the FISH are BITING! BAD NEWS ??? Still getting rain showers. You know the saying about the weather in the mountains ??? just wait 10 minutes and it will change ??? well this week you only had to wait about 5 minutes. We had it all ??? snow flurries (nothing stuck at the lake this time), hail (boy did it come down a couple of times) and rain and least I forget ??? scattered sunshine.

The derby is still going on with lots of $100 and $300 tags still swimming in the Bishop Creek Canyon Drainage ??? check out the details below:

2ndBishop Creek Canyon ??? Summer Classic Trout Derby
June 1 to June 30, 2009
$5.00

?? Tagged fish to be placed in Lake Sabrina, North Lake, South Lake, Intake II, Weir Pond and streams in the Bishop Creek Canyon area
?? Tagged trout correspond to predetermined cash prizes worth $30 to $300 each
?? Contestant must bring tag and proof of registration to Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce to claim prize. Opened daily 10am to 4pm. Prizes maybe be claimed any time in June, but all prizes must be claimed by 12:00 NOON on July 1st.
?? All registered participants, regardless of catching a tagged fish, will be entered in a raffle for additional prizes
?? In addition to the tagged fish, all area lakes will receive an extra plant of ALPERS TROPHY RAINBOWS for this event.

And on to the report ??? the rain hasn't deterred the fish from being caught only some of the fishermen trying to catch those fish. Trolling flashers and a NightCrawler or using lead-core line (about 3 colors) with a Thomas Buoyant (Red and Gold seems to be the favorite) put quite a few fish on stringers as did just floatin' across the lake with a NightCrawler. What was working at the inlets ??? what's in your tackle box ??? get my drift ??? just about everything was working back there ??? especially the usual ??? NightCrawlers, Salmon Eggs, and PowerBait. Fishing from shore with a bubble and fly such as an olive wooly-bugger or red-throated olive matuka or just using a NightCrawler or PowerBait produced results. The Department of Fish and Game stocked Lake Sabrina with pan-size fish Thursday.

On June 16-21, 2008, Bishop will welcome the California State High School Rodeo contestants and their family and friends. It is always a pleasure to be around the kids participating in the rodeo ??? always so polite. If you're in town this week and already caught your limit, stop by the Tri-County Fairgrounds and support these GREAT kids and their families. Check out the schedule at www.chsra.com

Like I said earlier, we had it all this week in terms of the weather ??? Howard (our local weather-guesser) has gone on vacation again ??? so check his Dweeb report at www.MAMMOTHWEATHER.com or try www.weather.gov enter ASPENDELL, CALIFORNIA, in the search area and that will give you information about the weather in the small community you pass just before getting to Lake Sabrina. With the cool temperatures ??? highs in the high 50's to low 60 (WHEN THE SUN IS OUT ??? brrrrr cold when it's not) and lows in the mid 30's with afternoon showers ??? same expected for next week, the skeeters haven't been out much (well neither have I).

When the warmer weather returns, alas, so shall the skeeter, so remember the bug juice and COMMIT TO MEMORY, IF YOU PUT ON BUG JUICE, SUN SCREEN OR FOO FOO JUICE, WASH YOUR HANDS! THEN RUB THEM IN WORM GOO, TROUT ATTRACTANT OR POWERBAIT - GET THE OTHER SCENT OFF!

Also, don't forget your sunscreen and dark glasses, the glare on the water is soooo bright, they just might blind your eyeballs. PONCHOS or COATS MAY ALSO BE NEEDED - YOU NEVER KNOW!

ALWAYS PACK A JACKET! ! ! !