Lake Davis / Frenchman's Res. Presentation 12/11

On December 11th I will be featuring my Lake Davis and Frenchman's Reservoir power point presentation at the Russian River Fly Fishers general meeting. I'll walk you around on my virtual tour and explain access areas, entomology, gear requirements, specialized techniques, tactics, and how the fly angler approaches the different seasons. Vibrant colorful photographs, maps, and diagrams gives the audience clear and useful information for their next trip at Lake Davis and Frenchman's Res.

Insider tips, and current information will also be shared like the new Hexagenia mayfly hatch, and increasing populations of the snails that are making this fishery one of the healthiest still waters in the North state. Attendance is free and visitors are always welcome. For more information go here; Russian River Fly Fishers club meetings

I encourage those fly anglers in the area to come see my presentation if you're seriously interested in learning about these two fine still waters, and the skills need to be successful in fishing them! 

November Love at Lake Davis

How I love those warm early November days in the Northern Sierra on a gorgeous and productive still water. Just being in the realm of it all, living large, and taking in some much needed therapy of an aggressive feeding rainbow trout taking your fly with reckless abandon. It's hard to describe the feeling I get when I watch rookies and novices have an epic day on the water at Lake Davis, There is a rush to it, yet there is also satisfaction in sharing the knowledge to see them be successful. Learning the subtle take and the strip set is vital, it's a feeling that is acquired through countless takes, and fall still water is the perfect time to feel and learn the grab.

The lake has been fishing extremely well, and all the access areas from the middle lake to the extreme North have been productive if you can find the fish. Water temps this last week ran 41-50 degrees. Most anglers are having great success with a wide variety of different presentations. The last two weeks has been excellent for my guests who racked up some pretty big numbers that make us look greedy, but when the catchings good you got to get all you can!

Here are a few more shots of of some seriously stoked still water fly guys; Honest clean happiness.

     

Ray and Tom from Amador Flyfishers were super stoked!

Weather for the upcoming week is looking good after this weak system passes through with a 10-20% chance of of isolated showers, there is colder temperatures coming our way with lows in the mid 20's and highs reaching 45-50 degrees. Be warned, the ice and snow is coming and with it constant changing conditions on how much shore ice we get and which coves will begin to ice up, as well as reliable access. 

The trout will begin to migrate to the southern lake as we enter late November into December. Hot orange wiggle tails can be deadly as the water temps decline. Weather will be the deciding force from now until ice up. There is still plenty of game left at the lake if you can seek out, adjust, and adapt. 

   Late Season Still Water Trips Available Now!

As late falls sets in on Lake Davis there is a point I have to put the boat away. But for those of you who are in good shape and willing to hike to different sections of the lake there can be some prime opportunities and some great fishing; right of the bank. It's a whole different game than my regular trips, we bring packs filled with gear, hot food, and whatever it takes to cast to a willing rainbow. Please email me here for inquiries if you're seriously interested in a still water trout adventure! You know you want it, you want to feel the grab...Here are a few shots from last year's action; 

Flats Fire - Autumn Still Water Trout in Moving Pictures

Here it is, the latest project from Ken Hanley and I. "Flats Fire" captures what Autumn still water fly fishing is really all about!

So Sweet!

  

Pumpkin Trout Insanity

Ghosts, goblins, and witches are the standard when it comes to Halloween, so what is it about this last day of October that has produced the most incredible fishing I have ever experienced? Only those in the afterlife have the answer I suppose. The two significant days that revolve around in my mind and give me flashes of grand display from time to time would be the McCloud River in 98 presenting the October Caddis dry to so many large trout it could never be duplicated. The other was when a close fishing buddy and I found an active feeding pod off Pelican Point at Eagle Lake in 2001, a hundred plus fish gave us game for 3 days and the biggest catch rates I have ever seen on the pond. Days on the water like these may not ever happen again. Days like these are golden memories that will never be forgotten.

It happened again this past Halloween on the pristine waters of Lake Davis. Absolute magic. Myself and a regular guest of mine headed out into the cold air filled with patches of freezing fog to the hunting grounds. Normally I do not fish when on a guide trip but this man insisted I do so. Conditions were perfect, a very warm and windless day and by luck a mega pod of rainbows I had found the previous day was waiting for our offerings. The pod was suspended in 2-6 feet of water in the upper column taking advantage of the most comfortable water temps and weed beds that held a vast amount of aquatic insects. Finding fish in these amounts of numbers do not happen often, in fact it is a rarity.

Mark from San Jose slayed them on Halloween.

The catching was so silly that if one of us did not get a bump or a hook up in 5 minutes we would be shocked. I don't want to say it got boring but after a while we started to tie on flies just to see what they would not take. The trout took them all with no questions asked. It was utterly amazing! When the day was done 97 fish were touched with 48 to the net! My thumb looked like raw hamburger from releasing so many trout. Teeth. It was yet again another day where I question myself and say “Did that just really happen?”  “Really?”

I think Halloween just may be my favorite holiday if this sort of fishing keeps happening. Our good luck had a lot to do with a small snow storm and front that graced the lake. It got the trout’s attention for sure and sparked a feeding frenzy that has kept up since then. With water temps now running 41-49 degrees it won’t be long before the ice takes hold and winter sets in. Only the hardy need apply now so man up and get out there, the grabs are waiting.

Oh, by the way, a few shots from yesterday. Though the clarity of water was very dirty from the previous day’s wind, we did find a few clearings. The trout were still there…

Neil from Reno with his biggest fish ever on a fly rod, way to go buddy!

Ricky from Calistoga stoked on his first Lake Davis rainbow!