| Bullards Bar Reservoir is located 35 miles east of | | | | caught jigging from shore in some areas. |
| Marysville. The closest town with stores, | | | | When I did get the boat is how I found out that |
| restaurants and bars is Camptonville, a few | | | | trolling really slow is not a rule for catching salmon. |
| minutes from the boat ramps. In scenic Tahoe | | | | Two friends and I launched the 1957 15' aluminum |
| National Forest at an elevation of 2,005 feet. | | | | boat and its relatively heavy 35 h.p. engine into |
| Bullards has 55 miles of rugged shoreline with | | | | the lake on a late summer morning. We rig our |
| 4,700 surface acres of water. The lake holds a | | | | spinning gear with the above described flashers |
| wide variety of fish, including, rainbow and brown | | | | and bait but nobody has lead-core line or the |
| trout, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, | | | | down rigging supposedly needed to get deep |
| crappie, bluegill, and kokanee salmon. | | | | enough to these fish. Slow trolling at about |
| Kokanee salmon fishing during the summer is | | | | seventy feet is the normal for the conditions that |
| popular with locals and 'flat landers' as well. The | | | | day. |
| typical rigs to fish for these land-locked salmon | | | | The boat needed carburetor adjustments and a |
| are either lead-core line or down rigged flashers in | | | | small child could water-ski behind us at the |
| front of a small spinner or spoon. Some guys | | | | slowest speed possible. We killed the crap out of |
| swear by a kernel of white corn or two on the | | | | those kokanee while making wide circles around |
| lure. The corn appears to work but not | | | | other fishing boats. At times that I could react |
| yellow,only white corn. Trolled slowly at various | | | | quick enough, I had to jam it in reverse when we |
| depths it is possible to get the limit of five fish | | | | got a hit. Otherwise a fish lip would be all that was |
| quickly and pursue the other things the lake has | | | | reeled in. I don't know who was more amazed, us |
| to offer. | | | | or the other fishermen watching us catch fish and |
| Having lived in the area for years without a boat I | | | | make a wake at the same time. Never have tried |
| often went out with friends or fished from shore | | | | 'fast trolling' again neither can I remember catching |
| when the kokanee spawn in the fall. During the | | | | more salmon so quickly! |
| spawn the fish turn from silver to red and can be | | | | |