Sight Fishing Season Is Open At Lake Davis!

The fishing at Lake Davis is getting ready to peak, and with this cherry weather we've been having it does not get any better!  It's so good that in the last week the fish are foraging in ankle deep water as they hunt the shoreline for an unlucky crawdad.  You can actually "see" the fish move right in front of you, and your fly has got to hit on the head as their vision is so short and narrow in 6" of water.   Keys to successful sight fishing is keeping the sun at your back, staying low, and as little movement as possible.  The fall sun is so productive for this kind of fishing, it is lower in the sky and illuminates the side of the fish like a neon sign.

Quiet coves like this one above have been the most productive, it pays to watch the shoreline closely for rising fish.  The trout are now getting active in the middle of the day, I saw my first riser at 10:30am.  I C&R 5 trout today, and 4 of them were sight fished to - To see the take 10 feet in front of you is such a rush!

The color of the fish this fall are the best I've seen in a number of years!  Today they liked the Sheep Creek special in a #10.

I love driving up to the lake in fall and being greeted by this old growth stand of aspens.  The glow they radiate is awesome.  The leaves are starting to fall and these colors will be gone soon - Get it while you can!

Another rare find on the banks of Grizzly Creek, a beautiful little member of the harebell family, called Calico Flower, or Downingia.

 

Lake Davis Fishing Report - Big Changes!

I went up to the lake yesterday to check conditions after last weeks snow storm, I was greeted by 26 degree temps and freezing fog on the water.  The roads are fine and all the snow is gone.  I fished Cow south and got to my favorite point.  Water temps at 8:30am were 50.3 degrees rising to 55.6 by 1pm.  No bug activity, and very few risers.  The pods of rainbows I had been fishing to using the dry, are gone.  Fished a Sheep Creek special in a size 10 for an hour and not a bump.



Madison soaked in the warmth of the sun but was not pleased by my lack of catching.  He reminded me that after the first rain the fish smell that new sweet water and like to gang up in the north end of the lake - We were gone!

I did more scouting today than fishing, and the fish are on the move after the storm.  I C&R 4 rainbows in 25 minutes on the Sheep Creek special.  fish ranged from 16-17 inches and were clean - No parasites.  Give the fish a week or so to adapt to the new water temps and the fishing will only improve.  I was going to fish today but this surprise rain storm halted my trip, but there are many days left to get out there and touch a few fish.

Lake Davis News Flash! The Fall Bite Is On!

After getting two good reports from my friend Pete, I headed up to the lake to find out for myself.  It's been a while since I've taken my heeler Madison up for some fun.  He loves this lake more than anything else (except beef), so without him knowing I loaded the truck up and we were gone.  After the first cattle guard crossing he knew all to damn well where we were going!  I fished the Cow Creek area and there was not a soul in sight, bliss silence, and not a puff of wind - Complete glass.  I just walked the bank and looked for risers, and there was plenty of targets.  The rainbows would be in pods and singles just cruising around in 3-8 feet of water down the shoreline.  The surface water temps at 10am were 61.2 and by noon were at 65.5.  Calibaetis mayflies #16 were present in both duns and spinners.  Blood midge #14 were hatching as was a #18 tan midge.

 I fished the dry today, a #14 blood midge emerger that floats well, yet sits flush in the film.  I hooked 6 fish, and missed 2.  It was fun fishing today, working to a single fish until you got a take.  All my fish were clean today with lots of color ranging from 16-19".  They are red hot torpedo's when hooked, blistering runs like days of old!  I'm finding cleaner fish in the skinny water and fish with parasites out in deeper open water - ?  From here on out till the lake ices over there will be some incredible fishing!  Look for the peak to be around the last week of Oct.  I hope many of you can get out and take advantage of the fall fishing here at Lake Davis - It's special.

Middle Fork Feather River Report

Today I had the pleasure of guiding Jack and Rich, high school buddies who are now retired and love to fish.  Our original plan was to fish the Camp Layman area but as I crossed the bridge I was shocked to see coffee colored water!  The insane thunderstorms last evening must have caused a land slide in the Jamison creek watershed as the water was clear above the confluence.  So we drove back to Graeagle and just fished in town.  There was a good BWO spinerfall, tons of midge, and a few caddis thrown in the mix.  No sign of the Isonychia mayfly yet.  Water temps ran 60 - 62.5 degrees from 9am to 1:30pm.  With lower water temps the fishing has improved drastically with many rising trout in all types of water.

Jack with a nice MF Cuttbow, yes that's right, a hybrid Rainbow/Cutthroat trout!  This is the first one I have ever seen here on this river.  Effective flies today were BWO egg laying soft hackle #16, bead head PT flashback #16, and club sandwich hoppers #8 in tan and grey.  The fish are really keyed in on the hoppers right now, we saw plenty of aggressive takes!



This was a rare find, the velvety stickseed wild flower.  So minute your average bear would just walk on by, but up close they show you their glory.  Fall is gaining strength here in the Sierras, and for the fly angler it is the best time of year.  Enjoy!

Tying The Loop Wing BWO Dry Fly

Scientific Names for the BWO include; Family Baetidae, genera Baetis, Diphetor, Acentrella, Plauditus; Family Ephemerellidae, genus Attenella.  Common Names: Blue-winged olive, tiny olive, BWO, and pseudo cleon.  These tiny mayflies are rarely absent from the river. Fishable hatches can begin as early as February and continue through June, then start up again in September and last until really cold weather sets in.  This year because of our unusual spring and summer I saw hatches all season long here on the MFFR.

Nymphs live in almost all types of running water, but slow to moderate runs hold the largest populations. Nymphs have a habit of purposefully drifting short distances in the current to find a new home (behavioral drift); sunrise and sunset are the prime times for this activity.  In the far West, the best hatches occur on overcast or drizzly days. While slow runs can be good places to fish, some of the best fishing is in back eddies, where little duns are helpless caught in the swirling waters and sticky foam.

Emerger patterns are especially useful during the hatch. When fishing a massive hatch, you might try a dun or cripple pattern that is slightly darker or of different size than the natural.  Spinner falls are important, so you should always carry a few patterns during the blue-winged olive season. Some spinners actually swim or crawl below the water to lay their eggs, so swinging sub-surface soft hackles is a smart choice.  The BWO is your friend no matter how small the hatch is!

A few notes when tying this fly.  Place a very small ball of dubbing before you tie in the tails, this will allow them to "perk up".  Keep the body slender and dub with tight wraps.  For the wing, form it by twisting it slightly and tie it in like a parachute wing.  Then take your bodkin and pull the loop into the correct size and shape - then tie off with tighter wraps.  A very small drop of glue at the base of the wing after the hackle is tied in makes it bomb proof.

RECIPE:

Hook:  Tiemco 101 #16-22.
Thread:  Olive 8/0 uni thread.
Tail:  Two micro fibbets in olive.
Body:  Super fine olive or brown/olive dubbing.
Wing:  Dun colored Z-lon.
Hackle:  Grizzly, wrapped parachute style.

Middle Fork Feather River Report

The MFFR is fishing well but the river is in it's Summer time flows, water temps are in the low 60's in the morning and nearing 70 degrees in the heat of the day.  Fishing early in the morning and late in the evening is your best bet.  Also find shady areas of the river, and fish below feeder creeks that are still providing cold water.  Many fish can be found on the bottom of deep holes keeping cool as well.  There is a decent blue wing olive spinner fall in the am and swinging egg laying adult soft hackles in the riffles has been very productive.  In the evening you can expect caddis in sizes 12-18, and there is a good hatch of pale evening duns size 12.



Steve from Danville, CA enjoyed a secluded part of the Middle Fork this past Saturday, he was all smiles watching his son Eric get into a few. All types of rigs are working now, swinging, high stick nymphing, dry flies, and a hopper with a dropper. Small flies are producing better than the bigger patterns. The hoppers are out and the fish are just starting to key in on them, and don't forget about ant patterns! In the coming months we have two special hatches to look forward to the Isonychia mayfly, and the Oct. Caddis.  Look for a creekin report later this week and best of luck to you out there!

The "Blazing Star" wildflower on the banks of the MFFR.



"What?" "You didn't bring your fly rod!"

That was the response from a few friends when I told them I went to the North Yuba River and the Lakes Basin area without bringing any fishing gear.  I've been guiding and fishing so much that sometimes I need to get away spend some quality time with my sweetie the biologist.  I have so much fun with her identifying bugs, flowers, trees, and so much more.

By not fishing and seeing all this juicy water around me I get the "stoke" back, salivating like a rabid dog looking to kill.  The North Yuba is a real gem and if you have never fished it - Just do it!

I've visited many mountain ranges in North America but the Sierras are some of my favorites with their sharp sawtooth silhouettes.  The Sierra Buttes are breath taking and oh so beautiful!

As I get older I've come to appreciate the finer things in life, like wildflowers.  Each one is so unique requiring different habitats, soils, and the right amount of sunlight.  With all the water we had over last winter and spring there is still so many flowers to see.



If you have never been to the Mills Peak Lookout it's a must do!  The view is out of this world.  From the tower one can see Mt. Lassen, Graeagle, Mohawk Valley, the Sierra Valley, the Sierra Buttes, the Nevada border peaks, and Gold Lake just to name a few landmarks.  Located off the Gold Lake highway it is a 3 mile drive up a good gravel road to the summit, and while your in the area check out the "Red Fir nature trail" - A very impressive old growth stand of "Snow Trees".

"Yep, I didn't bring my rod, but I had so much fun just being out there in the thick of it!"

Pro Guide Direct

I am sharing this gear list with you as it has products that I recommend and you might find useful and fun to have on your future trips. Having lived and fished in the Northern California area for the last 38 years, I feel very confident in these products and I know you will, too.

http://gearlist.proguidedirect.com/RegistryDisplay.cfm?cid=602&id=16142

I also want you to know that Pro Guide Direct helps support me by giving back a percentage of every sale to my business. By purchasing products through Pro Guide Direct you are helping support my guide service, so that I can continue to guide you, your friends and family, and keeping the dream alive. Thank you for your support!

If you have any questions please let me know baiocchistroutfitters@yahoo.com. I look forward to sharing some quality time with you on the water!

Jon Baiocchi.

Where Magic Lives

As you approach your favorite cove on a special stillwater time stops.  Your the only person there, nobody on shore, and no other boats on the horizon.  The lake has turned to glass and as the evening fades colors of light shine like a mirror back at you.  The hatches have started, blood midge, caddis, and the white winged sulfur mayflies.  Pods of rainbows are beginning to rise now.  There are so many fish you don't even know where to cast.  The bugs become thicker, in your eyes, nose, and mouth.  The only sounds are the hum of wings, and splashy rises from fish taking emergers.  Now the fish are rising right next to the boat completely oblivious to you.  They could care less.  You've hooked several rainbows on the dry fly and keep casting until it's so dark, you can't see the fly anymore.  The moon rises above the mountains, glowing, and as you look around still hearing the fish rise you say to yourself, "This is where magic lives..."

Website Updated!

I've updated my website and added a few special pages that offer even more services to the fly fishing community: http://www.baiocchistroutfitters.com/.  When a person or business treats me right and goes the extra distance I like to share that with other people so they can receive the same benefits as I did.  My web designer Christine Elder http://christineelder.com/ is one of those.  Christine created all of my business marketing materials including my website, logo, business cards, brochure, and car door magnets.  She also walked me through the process of promoting my business through a blog so I could update it on my own, anytime.  Her attention to detail and savvy advice are priceless!  If your're looking to increase sales and exposure for your own business I highly recommend Christine - She takes it to the next level and beyond!  For more information on her services and to contact her please use the link above.

MFFR Fishing Report



The Middle Fork Feather River is in great shape for trout fishing from Clio all the way down to the wild zone.  I guided Matthew in the Graeagle area yesterday and the water temps ranged from 63-66 degrees from 9am to 1pm.  The upper section of the river above Two Rivers is stabilizing into the normal summer time flows but as the weeks progress we will see warmer water temps.  The fish will seek out feeder creeks, and shady areas traveling many miles to seek out cooler water temps and the perfect home.  There are so many bugs out right from dawn until dusk.  Mornings are showing a BWO spinnerfall (size 18), mixed in with caddis (sizes 12-18), and my favorite summer time hatch the little green stonefly.  This stoner should not be confused with the yellow sally stonefly, it is a special stonefly in that it hatches mid stream and does not crawl on a rock to split it's exoskeleton.  They are a size 12 with a lime green body and clear wings, the most effective way to fish this hatch is with the nymph.  Evenings are producing hatches of yellow sallies (size 16), caddis as mentioned above, and a few golden stone adults (size 6) ovipositing.

Matthew displaying a typical wild rainbow from the MFFR, this was his first time fishing a river and learning the varied methods that catch trout.  He's a real troutstalker when it comes to stillwaters as he caught and released a 4 pound brown out of the Graeagle mill pond on Sunday!  He did well yesterday with a hopper and a caddis emerger dropper, stripping a black wooley bugger, and high stick nymphing with the little green stonefly.  The river is going to fish well mornings and evenings all the way to the fall season.  Summer is fading fast so come on up and enjoy a beautiful day on the MFFR! 

Fly Rods For Sale

-Walton Powell 2pc. 8’5” glass rod, lines 5, 6, 7, fair condition: $150.

-Shakespeare “spring brook” 3pc. 8’6” bamboo rod #1362, mint condition: $200.

-Fenwick 2pc. 8’ 7wt. glass rod, fair condition: $50.

-True Flex 2pc 8’ glass rod, good condition: $75.

-Scott 2pc. 10’ 7wt. graphite rod w/ Fuji titanium guides & fighting butt, good condition: $250.

-G-Loomis 9’ 5wt. graphite rod, fair condition: $100.


Please email me at (baiocchistroutfitters@yahoo.com) for photos – Jon.

Middle Fork Feather River Alert!!!

Fellow guide Jay Clark (http://www.jayclarkflyfishing.com/) sent me this disturbing picture of trash along the banks of the MFFR near Two Rivers.  The Wild & Scenic Middle Fork was one of the first rivers to be designated in 1968 and considered the most beautiful river in the state of California.  But with trash like this left behind by some inconsiderate fools, it does not go over well with our visitors who come to fish and enjoy the beauty.  What can you do?  If you can pack it in, you can pack it out.  Bring a trash bag along with you and when your done fishing pick some trash up - You'll feel good knowing that you left the river a little cleaner than before.  Larger messes can be reported to the Forest Service at their Mohawk/Beckworth station.  Through education in schools and reaching out to the youngsters we can change the mind set of "just chuck it".  Thanks in advance for helping out.

Tying The Yellow Sally Stonefly

The Yellow Sally Stonefly is from the family Perlodidae and measure about a quarter inch in size.  The nymphs live in the fast water of riffles and are aquatic predators.  The adults live on foliage near streams and feed on pollen.  Though very small in size the trout really love these little stoneflies.  I come from the Gary LaFontaine school of tying where size, profile, and movement of materials used are key factors - Not color.  But this little stonefly is a bright neon yellow with wings that shimmer and shine.  I'm not a trout but often think like one and I truly believe they key in on this bug for the color.  My dad used to do well back in the day with an old school pattern; The Yellow Palmer - Now I know why!  They are hard to see for the average fly angler, but if you find one then they are out and should be fished.  The Yellow Sally is in my fly box and it should be in yours too!

RECIPE:


Hook: Tiemco 101 #16.
Thread: Yellow 8/0.
Body: Yellow closed cell foam.
Wing: Elk Hair
Wing addition:  A few strands of pearl glister.
Hackle: Grizzly.

Fishing Report - Middle Fork Feather River

At last, the river is finally in shape, so green, and so beautiful!  Perfect flows from Clio down to Two Rivers and the bugs are poppin.  From Two Rivers down the flows remain a bit high due to the inflow of Jamison Creek but very fishable.  There is the start of a BWO hatch in the morning and we can expect a spinner fall to happen in the late mornings for the next few weeks.  PMD's are out though sparse, and I saw my first golden stone adult today.  There is also a mix of caddis out - I have yet to fish the late evening but will report when I do.   Water temps are running 58-63 degrees in the Graeagle reach, expect just a few degrees cooler below Jamison.

I'd like to point out how a patch of foam is "home" to the trout in the river.  This foam gives stellar coverage for the fish and pulls in and traps all types of aquatic insects.  I had fun with this patch draggin caddis patterns across the top, 7 small rainbows came out of here.  Effective flies for high sticking today was a #6 Golden Stone nymph with a #16 BH pheasant tail flash back.  The most effective dry today was a #12 X-Caddis with a cream shuck and a brown body.  Fishing pressure is on the light side and if you don't like company just walk upstream or downstream of the access areas.  Come on up, It's time to fish the Wild & Scenic Middle Fork Feather River!

Feather River Chapter Trout Unlimited Presentation

 Feather River Chapter of Trout Unlimited Presents:

Fly Fishing the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River

Fly fishing guide Jon Baiocchi will take you on a journey of the Middle Fork of the Feather River explaining different reaches of the river, techniques, and showing the varied flies that will make your next outing a success.

Where:  Mohawk Valley Resource Center, next to the barn at the corner of Highway's 89/70

When:  July 21st, 2011 @ 5:30pm

Free to the public!



Lake Davis Report - Guess Who Showed Up To The Party After All!

Friends and fans of Lake Davis, The damsels have kicked it into high gear as I experienced a fantastic damsel hatch today with my long time clients Don, Gary, and Craig!  We were in the north part of the lake, and at first there were no damsels to be seen so a polliwog pattern (good ol Jay Fair wiggle tail) was the answer to some fish.  I have been observing the rainbows eating them in 2-3 feet of water - The takes are fierce!  I started to see fresh flyer's (damsels) at around 9am.

Stillborns and cripples enticed a few fish that came into a foot of water, it was a bone fishing/sight fishing kind of day.  Because of the high water the damsels can hatch anywhere, we the found the best hatch on a large bed of floating weeds, pollen, and bird feathers.  And then the mighty one flipped the switch off, the bugs stopped, and fish went on their way.  We had a smile from ear to ear as this was an encouraging day after trying to learn a new lake all over again from 35" of precip that hammered the land this winter and spring.  Surface water temps ran 62-69 with the latter being in 1-2 feet of water.

Who knows how long the hatch will last ...But I'm going to get my share of it until it becomes to hot for the fish to be released safely.  I can't fricken believe today - It was so good to see our friend the damsel make an appearance at our favorite party.

News Flash! Termites Have Hatched!!!

I saw the first major wave of termites this evening during the last hour of light.  The body is a size 14 and burnt orange in color, long furnace colored wings that are twice the body length, and a fat dark colored head.  It may take a few days but the trout will key in on them in the Middle Fork, Lake Davis, and other surrounding waters.  A small stimulator should get their attention during the evening.

Corkies Indicator Mod - Later Toothpick!

I've made my own home grown indicators for the last 12 years, and while they have their high points there is a flaw in the design - And I'll be the first to admit it.  The attachment method is of the first indicators that were available on the market where a loop of rubber comes out and your leader is doubled up and wrapped around it.  It works great and does not slip until you need to change the distance down to your fly.  Being able to change the distance between your fly and bobber is everything whether it is fishing a river or a lake!  It allows you, the angler, to pin point at what depth the fish are feeding by trying different distances.  Being able to quickly do this without any hassles is what you want and you'll spend more time fishing!

There is a new indicator on the market and these "Quick Set" bobbers do just that.  So with a bunch of Corkies and a few miscellaneous items around the cabin I copied them and came up with this;

All one has to do is thread a fresh rubber band through the hole on the Corkie and your ready to go.  To load it with the rubber band I take a 20" length of 3x tippet and put both tag ends through the hole.  Then      pull both ends so a loop is formed by the 3x, load the strip of rubber band through the loop and pull it all the way through to the other side.  Trim the tag end of the rubber band to your desired specs.  To use the improved Corkie slide your leader through the loop of rubber band, set your distance, and pull the tag ends of the rubber band - This will tighten the rubber loop and will "set" the indicator.  To move the Corkie just pull the rubber loop and move it to where you want and re tighten.  The rubber bands will wear out from use and UV rays, but a bag of rubbers is a cheap date.

It's ideas like this I love to share with my readers and the entire fly fishing world, the sport is what it is today due to some innovative anglers that thought outside the box and did not care about making a quick buck but rather just shared a little info.....



Lake Davis Fishing Report - 6/20

What a gorgeous day at the lake today, warm temps, sunshine, and just a ripple of wind on the water.  Surface water temps ran 62.5 to 66.8 and this is a big spike since a few weeks ago when water temps were much colder.  The north end of the lake is still a bit off color from runoff.  rainbows are adjusting to water temps and surface area/habitat and are still spread out through the entire lake.  Some pods of rainbows are rising in 19-22 feet of water for blood midge adults and emergers.  I also sight fished to active trout in 1-3 feet of water hunting tadpoles.  There is many ways to fly fish the lake right now but fishing midge and calibaetis patterns under an indicator in deeper water is having the best results.  I only saw a few damsels nymphs today, and there is not many adults flying around at all, this seems to tell me that the hatch still could happen, or be a complete bust.  Skeeters were out and these small dark and fast flying bugs were bad!    Effective patterns are Blood Migde pupa, emerger, and adult size 10-12  Pheasant Tail bead head flash back size 14-16 - Chocolate Snowcone Midge pupa 12-18 - Wiggle Tails in Black, Brown, Olive, and Burnt Orange size 10.  Use floating lines for the skinny water and clear Int. lines for stripping in the deeper water.

With the full moon phase passing expect the fishing to improve on a daily basis with having productive evenings just around the corner! 

Eagle Lake Article Featured In Sierra Fisherman

The new Summer issue of Sierra Fisherman magazine features an article on Eagle Lake I wrote. It's a piece that touches the basics of this grand stillwater and to get you, the reader, so pumped on the pond your leaving in the morning!  There is so much more to Eagle Lake than a 1,000 words can say, and in the near future I plan on writing a book on this great treasure.  Besides my article there is a great piece that Frank Pisciotta did on "The Big Truckee River", Lance Gray's "Fly Fishing Is Easier Than You Think", and Bill Forward's "On Trout Vision" plus a slough of other interesting articles.  Sometimes the pen or keyboard I should say, is mightier than the rod.

Sierra Fisherman

Frank Pisciotta

Lance Gray

Bill Forward

Product Review, Korkers "Darkness" Boot

I've been using Korkers older boot, the Eco model for a few years now.  I was impressed with the overall durability and the option of running different soles for different conditions.  There were a few things I did not like about boot though, like the Velcro tab on the rear of the boot that held on the interchangeable soles.  The tag end of the tab would catch my fly line at the most inconvenient moment.  But then came their flag ship fishing boot - "Chrome" and fishing footwear changed forever, and the the few bugs the previous boot had was addressed and fixed.  The "Darkness" boot is basically the same boot but in another color, bad ass black.  This boot was offered as a limited edition to industry friends of Korkers and I was lucky enough to be able to get a pair.

Their patented Omni-Trax Interchangeable Outsoles adapt your traction needs to meet changing terrain and river conditions. The Darkness and Chrome models includes Kling-On Rubber AND Studded Felt outsoles. The sleek, raft-like waterproof material reduces water absorption thus reducing drying time. These features contribute to Darkness' ability to help prevent the spread of invasive species. The low profile BOA speed lacing system easily adjusts with a turn of the dial both in and out of the water.  In my opinion BOA should be on all quality footwear, you can micro adjust the fit for any conditions.  Need more ankle support over a loose wobbly garden of granite polished boulders?  Just turn the the dial a few clicks and your there.  Feet tired at lunch time?  Just pull the dial and loosen the boot to let those toes wiggle and be free over their synthetic sarcophagus.

This is an extremely lightweight wading boot with integrated midsole drainage providing the most comfortable wading boot on the market.  I'm so pumped on this boot, only time will tell if it can take the abuse that Jonny B. will provide.  Be sure and check out the Korkers "Chrome" at your favorite family owned fly shop, try a pair on, and I'll bet good money you'll look no further.  For more info on Korkers products visit them at;   http://www.korkers.com/

Lake Davis Report 5/22

The west side road is open!  Patches of snow, mud, and fallen timber mat be encountered on access roads to the lake.

The ramp is in the water at Camp 5 boat ramp,  It is amazing how much water has come into the lake this  year.  The handicap fishing area is under water!

Run off from snow melt is still going strong, Dan Blough creek is fed from the Smith Peak water shed where there is still a large amount of snow.

Water temps are running 56- 59 degrees, water clarity is an issue and some areas of the lake are far clearer than others.  Fish are scattered due to the increase of the lake level searching for food.  Concentrations of fish have been found at the north end of the lake, Freeman Creek, and the first and second ledge off Cow Creek.  If you see rising fish by all means approach them slowly and quietly, present your fly to these active pods of feeding fish for best results.  Hatches are sparse but will be increasing as long as we get some warm weather in multiple days.  Hot flies at the moment are Blood Midge pupa #10-12, Coco Midge pupa #18, Sheeps creek #10, and Jay Fair wiggle tails in Brown and Olive #10.  Both floating and Int. lines have been effective as the levels of fish holding is from the top to the bottom of the column.   

Lake Davis / MFFR Update

Not much has changed since my last report at Lake Davis and with these new snow storms and cold weather it will only delay the much anticipated hatches.  Water temps are still hovering in the high 50's and pods of fish are rising to midges when the weather is warm.  Blood midge pupa #10 and the small chocolate midge pupa #18 under a bobber is producing.  Jay Fair trolling flies in rust and brown, along with standard buggers #6-8 have been fishing well with a int. line over known established weed beds.  Let's all hope for much warmer temps, we need the bugs to pop and the weeds to grow!

The Middle Fork Feather river is still high and cold but if you put in your time in the right water you can get a few fish.  Runoff through the end of June can be the best time to catch a trophy.  High sticking with plenty of lead using golden stones and brown rubber leg stones in slow slack water is your best bet.  Also try swinging streamers in slow deep tail outs of runs using minnow and crawdad patterns with a sinking line - You just may find your trophy.

My favorite small creeks are out of the question, large volumes of snow melt consume them now.  But these little gems will be prime July through Sept!

Bring on the sun, the warmth, and the hatches!

Fishing Report: Lake Davis

The lake just keeps on filling up! Check out the Lighting Tree boat ramp above, it will be usable once the snow goes.

The fish are in post spawn mode now and hungry. The creeks at Mallard and Lighting Tree had no fish in or in front of them. Water temps ranged from 48-51 degrees. I found a decent pod of rainbows near the dam and in a hour and a half I hooked 8 landing 4, 17-20" - all clean. Used a bobber with a #10 blood midge pupa that was hanging 7 feet under. Today was the first day I have seen some decent hatches, blood midge (huge - size 10) and a pale creamy olive midge size 18. There were fish rising for these bugs. Lots of fly anglers out and the guys I talked to all caught some fish, but they were way more stoked on the water levels!

Tying The Damsel Nymph

The damsel fly migration at our top still waters like Lake Davis is a hatch that brings out fly anglers from all over.  The migration itself is a miracle, how these fragile nymphs swim great distances to land, a willow, or some aquatic weeds that are above the water to hatch into an adult.  This fishing is some of the best all year, trout show themselves in the shallows and sight fishing opportunities await the observant trout stalker.  They call this the "Gentleman's Hatch" as the nymphs get active in the mid morning until early afternoon, there is no need to be out there at o'dark thirty!  Warm, windless days provide the best conditions for the hatch.

When tying damsel imitations a few key points should be made.  The fly should have movement, the right size and profile (think slender), and the right buoyancy to keep the fly in the strike zone.  The foam keeps this fly right under the surface in that 1-2 foot water column.  You can also just let this fly sit and rest just like the natural does without fear your fly is going to drop like a rock to the bottom.  When it comes to color these nymphs change as the aquatic vegetation does to camouflage themselves from predators.  Early in the season the weeds are dark so damsels will be a light coco brown or a brown olive.  Mid season more olive and green tones.  Late season pale olive to tan works well. 

This damsel nymph will never leave you in distress!

RECIPE:

Hook: Tiemco 2457 #12.
Tail:  Jay Fair marabou.
Body:  Jay Fair marabou dubbed on thread.
Head:  Closed cell foam.
Eyes:  Larva Lace body material.

Wetting A Line For The First Time - Lake Davis 4/16/11

Finally after waiting 5 months through snow infested freezing nightmares, I was walking down to the lake full of hope and happiness.  The rhythm of my snowshoes going clickity clack was a welcoming sound as was the silence when I stopped to gaze about.  It was such a warm and beautiful day with expanding cumulus clouds, and not a puff of wind.  The birds are back, my friends, the ones who answer my calls like the osprey.  Cormorants, bald eagles, loons, and California gulls were joyous about their return.  They were back to their summer home as was I.  I fished off Mallard Cove and the first thing I noticed was my line drifting from right to left extremely fast, yet there was no north wind.  I had learned later from a local I know from town that both gates were wide open on the dam creating a current in the Grizzly channel through the lake.  After fishing I hiked down to see the release and it was a loud and thunderous noise.  DWR expects rain Sunday night into Monday as there is still so much snow to melt up in the Grizzly watershed.

Prior to hiking down to fish I got to meet a fan from my business page on FaceBook, Ken B.  From Reno, Ken is a "trout a holic" like the rest of us.   I guess you could call it "social fly fish networking".  I made my way out to the super spine, water temps were 46 - 49 in the shallows from 11am - 3pm.  Pods of fish cruised by thinking one thing - SEX!  But there were fish to be caught that wanted to eat.  I got into a nice 17" fish that was dark, heavy spotting, and blood red sides.  I was stoked to say the least.

I focused my presentations on the spine in about 5 feet of water, I was getting hits and they were light.  At last a hook up, and this one had some weight to it.  I was a bit shocked at first as it's been a long time since I've felt something like this here at the lake.  Cradled in my hands was a 4+ pound 22" rainbow with good color and big wall meat.  It was a handful just taking the picture above, I need a camera/angler buddy this year - That's for damn sure!  I put Ken out on the spine, and just scouted around the many snow melt creeks in the area for trout, and did some birding.  There was a good crowd at the lake, bankers, boaters, fly anglers, and folks just out for a nice ride with the windows down enjoying the mild breeze.

I'm so elated over the the amount of water the lake is getting, look already how the willows have provided habitat for the bugs, the birds, and the fish.  Lake Davis is going to flourish and bloom in the years to come!

THE SKINNY - Hooked 4 fish, 17-22", all clean and colorful.  Ken went 3 for 3, and this really cool older gentleman in a fatcat fishing an indicator with a Hare's Ear flash back C&R at least 10, but he said most were small.  Effective flies included; Brown Jay Fair Wiggle Tail #10, and Floro Hot Orange Jay Far simple snail all fished on the floater.  Fishing is a bit spotty, some areas produce and some do not.  The majority of the fish will be on the east side for the next 3 - 4 weeks during the spawn.  The only bugs out were #24 black midge, and midge emergers.  Fishing will improve on a weekly basis all the way into July.

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