Contact: Margaret Skillicorn
Weidinger Public Relations
775-588-2412

BAIT A HOOK, CAST A LINE AND REEL’EM IN

(South Shore, Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev.) – “Poets talk about ‘spots of time,’ but it is really fishermen who experience eternity compressed in a moment,” Norman Maclean, “A River Runs Through It.”

Fishing has become the most popular way in America to spend a day outside. So it is no wonder that Lake Tahoe, an outdoor adventure mecca, offers a continuum of options for today’s fishermen.

Fishing charters are plentiful around Tahoe’s South Shore and can be booked year round. Tahoe’s experienced captains’ point out the best spots to catch Mackinaw, Rainbow and Brown trout. Many charters offer half day, full day or private cruises and include all necessary equipment and licenses, a continental breakfast, bag lunch and afternoon refreshments, making it easy for families to arrange a day of fun on the lake. Some of the charter companies around the lake include Mile High Fishing Charters, Tahoe Sport Fishing Company, Don Sheetz Fishing Charters, and Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters.

Visitors can also rent boats from Ski Run Marina or Zephyr Cove Marina to venture onto the lake and drop a line.

Norman Maclean and his brother Paul believed that all first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen. Lake Tahoe, where many rivers flow in its basin, offers fly fishermen ample opportunities to cast flies. The American River, which flows westward out of the Tahoe basin along Highway 50 heading toward Sacramento, is one of the most picturesque rivers in the area and is accessible by pulling off the Highway. The East and West Carson Rivers just south of South Shore are also prime land to cast a fly. Several smaller lakes in the area, including Spooner Lake on Highway 50 and Martis Creek Reservoir, are also top fly-fishing areas. There are many guide services that can provide tackle, bait, instruction and a guide for those wishing to explore Tahoe’s fishing spots. Fly fishing guides include Alpine Fly Fishing Service and Tahoe Fly Fishing Guides.

Victor Babbitt, long-time Tahoe fisherman, suggests that Cave Rock State Park, on Highway 50 three miles south of Glenbrook, is one of the best places on the lake to fish with children because of the accessibility to the Lake. Babbitt is the owner of Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters and says, “The Park has restrooms, picnic sites and easy access to the lake.” The steep shores at Cave Rock make this beach a good area to fish for Rainbow Trout.

Young fisherpersons ages 14 and under can also cast a line at the trout-stocked Tahoe Trout Farm, just west of the Y intersection of Highway 50 and Lake Tahoe Blvd. No license is required.

The Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Center, just four miles north of the Y on Highway 89, features a Stream Profile Chamber to view fish below the stream’s surface. Visitors go below the ground line to observe Kokanee Salmon and Rainbow and Cutthroat Tout in their natural habitat. The interpretive Rainbow Trail follows the stream to teach guests about the meadows and wildlife along the way. Parents and children can stay for the campfire program if visiting in August. All are free and open to the public.

To purchase a fishing license visit any fishing outlet or Tahoe area Raley’s stores or Long’s Drugs.

About the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Set high in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, South Shore Lake Tahoe offers one of the World’s most unique destinations, combining spectacular natural beauty and a plethora of outdoor activities along with 24-hour nightclubs, fine dining, gaming and superstar entertainment. The region’s naturally beautiful white-capped granite peaks reaching nearly 10,000 feet, emerald green forests, and indigo blue waters draw vacationers year-round from around the world to experience the best in outdoor recreation, including world-class skiing and riding, boating, fishing, golfing, hiking, and mountain biking as well as to enjoy the dynamic nightlife. For information about lodging, recreation and family packages at South Shore Lake Tahoe, call the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, 1-800-AT-TAHOE (1-800-288-2463) or log onto www.bluelaketahoe.com.

Access to Blue Lake Tahoe
The Reno/Tahoe International Airport provides 180 daily flights with nonstop service to 20 destinations, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and Salt Lake City. An additional 24 destinations are serviced via direct, one-stop flights from RTIA. The airport is just 55 miles from South Lake Tahoe and is accessible via the South Tahoe Express, a luxury shuttle service. The Lake Tahoe Airport is a year-round all-weather facility with professional services located in South Lake Tahoe, CA for the general aviation and corporate executive traveler.