Tying The "Never Sink" Hex Cripple

The Hex hatch is a must experience for any fly angler. These Mayflies are the largest to hatch in North America, and in Northern California we are lucky to have a few hot spots to find them - Lake Almanor, and the Fall River. I came up with this pattern after many store bought patterns failed to float for hours, this fly will never sink and holds up well after many fish have chewed on it. I chose the cripple because for whatever reason trout know that a cripple is helpless and easy prey. With so many natural adults on the water after the emergence at sunset, it helps to offer the fish something different, yet something they are accustomed to seeing.

The key to this bug is the hard marine foam that is glued on the back of the fly after it is done. I use super glue gel. Another thing a tier can do is painting the foam with some glow in the dark paint. Even in the dark the fish are still chomping away but with the help of your head lamp, this fly glows and gives the fly angler a huge advantage of seeing their bug and hearing the take, when the glow is gone it's time to set the hook and hang on! I use this foam for smaller dries, floating snails, and indicators - Use your imagination and see what you can do with this highly buoyant foam.

RECIPE:

-#6-8 dry fly hook, I like the mustad stinger.

-Camel 6/0 thread.

-Brown marabou for the trailing shuck.

-Yellow stretchy foam cross ribbed with thread for durability.

-Grizzly and yellow dry fly hackle for the legs.

-Yellow deer hair for the wing.

-Hard marine foam, shaped and cut flat on the bottom.

Fishing Report - Lake Davis

I took my Dad out for a few hours to troll the shallows and drop offs. It was a cloudy day with a few threatening clouds and a couple drops of rain. Not too much wind as well, just enough to put a ripple on the water. There are many rising fish off Jenkins in deeper water midging on the blood midge and the little green midge. Long leaders and a zebra midge with no indicator worked well for a few anglers I saw.

There are some damsels out, but I would rate the hatch as very light. Fish are starting to work the skinny water next to the shore, but again not the amount of players I would like to see. So we have 5-6 feet of "new" water and this makes the shallows now not very fertile. I know there are damsels in the deeper water's weed beds - But they still have to come to shore to hatch! I would like to think that the coming weeks will show more damsels - Only time will tell.

We trolled 3 feet down with full dressed damsels, 11 fish to the boat "14-18". We missed many more. I would rate the lake right now as good and improving. It's just great to be out on Lake Davis. The sheer beauty of the place, the birding, and the bugging makes this lake so intriguing! Until next time..........

Using The Wind As Your Friend

It has been a windy, blustery Spring (if you can call it that...) to this very day. I fished Lake Davis last Tuesday, the 15th of June. After a delightful launch at Camp 5 with a single pram guy in the whole facility, I went north to the bays and buckets between Jenkins and Cow Creek. As I settled in for a perfect morning of fishing for risers I knew the damn wind was gonna blow at 15-24mph - But When? NOAA does a great job with local wind forecasts, but even they can't give it a game time. This is often the guessing game at Lake Davis, but it depends on the game you play if the wind will help, or hurt you. The wind can help ripple a lake with a very slight breeze to give the fish more security and feed more actively. It can also help distribute food like blood midge, and snails. There was a time from 1998-2,000 when I would anchor my jonboat sideways to the wind with an anchor on the stern, and one on the bow, and the wind to my back. This would create a "soft window" in the water in front of the boat that entices fish to come up and feed. All I fished was a brown Jay Fair snail that takes under a minute to tie. Just cast out to rising fish, feed the line out, and hang on!. Times have changed, and things are not good with the local snail population ( I could rant on this for a good three days...).

I fished hard for about 15 minutes when out of the west - BAM! Big Wind (again...). I fumbled a bit then made a good decision to harness the wind to my favor. I set my rod up with a camo int. line and a full dressed damsel. I then motored up a cove to the very west edge shallows I could go, cutting the motor I steered the boat sideways to the wind and let out the Drift Sock! If you make a good drift you can cover so much water that it makes this technique highly effective. Once the boat is in drift I cast sideways to the wind so that the line is off to my right , and let it rip. Once the line settles in the water I let it sink and feed out additional line, sometimes up to 20 feet. As you drift your fly it will settle in to the port or starbird side of the boat beyond the wind sock at x amount of feet. You can strip and cast, or twitch/pause your fly. The wind can effect your depth of line as well with the speed of the drift - The heavier the wind the faster sinking line you need to keep your fly in the strike zone. It is a great way to fish and worry free, the wind is your team mate and powers your drift. This technique brought 5 fish to the boat when all other hope was lost. When it comes to wind on a productive trout lake, it pays to adjust, and adapt.

Fishing Report - Middle Fork Feather River

Today I took a few hours to fish and evaluate the current condition of the MFFR. A bright sunny day with a bit of a breeze and air temps around 75. The surrounding land is SO green, and wild flowers have just started their dance. Water temps are still hovering around 55, slightly warmer in skinny slow areas of the river. I high sticked with a baetis flashback nymph in a #16, a golden stone nymph #8, and two splitshot. The river is high, but very fishable, it took much effort to land a few bows from 8-11". I saw BWO's, and PMD's hatching, but even then it was very light. I have not seen one riser so far this year, which is a disappointment - When you see a head it can give you hope, and there was none of that here today. Though the fishing was off the birding on the banks of the MFFR have been off the Richter scale! I have never seen so many warblers in the thickets, many times you can't see them but their calls are so loud and charming that you can't help but not to notice.

CARP! Yes, there were many carp in the slow skinny tailouts of major runs! I put on a Burk's bottom roller in brown with a bunch of lead 8 inches in front of the fly and sight fished to numerous cruisers. It took a while but I finally put my fly in front of a 23" golden ghost, and later a 18 incher. Carp are smarter than trout and hard to catch, and they do have a great fight in the beginning of the battle often stripping your spool out - That was the beauty of it all today - a total surprise of hungry carp. I would rate the fishing right now as fair and improving. It will not be long before things "pop" and fishing will be on fire. I now know that yes indeed we will have a great evening dry fly game that may go until mid August.

Carpenter Ants Have Emerged!!!

The Carpenter Ants are out as of yesterday and this means the fish will be looking up for them. The Middle Fork Feather is still high and cold, I fished it yesterday and though there were Carpenter Ants and adult Golden Stones on the water I could not get a fish to rise to my flies. Lake Davis is another story as fish are already rising to Blood Midges and Calibaetis Mayflies. The Carpenter hatch will be out for the next week and as the fish key in on them they will be the preferred meal of the day. After the hatch is done the fish will still be looking for them so by all means fish these patterns. A great rig for Lake Davis is fishing a winged version in a size 10 with a sunken/spent ant as a dropper 18" below your first fly - Cast to rising fish. The first visitor of the "Big Bugs of June" are here, just what we have been waiting for!

Fishing Report - Lake Davis

I fished the lake on Sunday, it was my first time with the boat out and all the new water has made launching at Honker Cove a breeze. I managed to catch 6 fish on a dark fiery bugger while trolling flies. Water temps were at 53 degrees and the water clarity is not good, muddy at best. There are some rising fish taking Blood Midge emergers and adults.



My trout dog Madison is back on his Lake Davis A game, he really understands the entire game of fishing! This time of year trolling is my searching tool to find out where the fish are holding in the water column, locations, and current hatches. My fish finder is another tool in the belt, I keep a close eye on it and take notes. It's not black magic but it can give an angler the edge it takes to be successful. I found concentrations of fish at Fairview Point and Freeman Creek. The west side road looks to be open as I saw 5 vehicles at Jenkins Point. The lake is fishing fair and will only get better as the weeks pass by.

Baiocchi's Troutfitters Donates Trip to SYRCL Auction

SYRCL's 22nd annual auction and river celebration will be held June 5th, 5-10:30pm at the Miners Foundry - 325 Spring St. Nevada City. This is Nevada County's largest auction! Over 500 fantastic items in the silent and live auction including art, fine dining, massages, raft trips, outdoor equipment, entertainment, classes, fine wines, fishing trips, and much more! I am donating a half day at Lake Davis aboard my custom tracker boat that includes everything you need to have a chance at catching some trophy trout. For tickets and more information, please go to http://yubariver.org/ - You can also preview all the items there that will be auctioned off for a great cause.

Lake Davis Report 4-26

With a storm fast approaching with low temps, snow, and rain for the next 5 days I decided to get my first day on the lake. Grasshopper was packed with 5 cars, and Coot bay had 4 anglers. I went to Mallard and with the wind coming out of the west/south/west, I fished a small cove to the north and put the wind on my left shoulder. This was a good move as I could cast and use the wind to my advantage. I would make a few casts and take five steps down, then make some more -Repeat. I felt like I was steelheading on the currents of a river.


Within five minutes I had my first fish, an 18"er in really good shape and girth. I used a camo Int. line with a 9 foot leader to 3x, and a root beer glimmer bead head wiggle tail, with a dark cinnamon tail in a size 12. I got three more bumps in the next half hour, but the wind was really turning on. A hint on where to find the fish right now? Look for packs of pelicans chasing rainbows and trying to gulp them down whole!

The wind grew more and with it huge mats of grass and weeds so big, it would please a pair of Dorado looking for cover. The weeds became a problem so I went down to Honker and viewed

the plowing progress and the famous stuck vehicle.

I walked through the woods to Grasshopper and approached from the backside,

Alpine Buttercups were abundant on Sunny moist slopes. Gulls and Ravens did pace lines back and forth on the shore and forest, they were having fun in the big wind. There was the most impressive display of flight as I saw two Golden Eagles so high up they were just dots - And that's a big bird! Only the eyes through the binoculars could get the ID.

I fished the bathtub bucket for an hour and picked up another trout at "16 on the same fly and set up. There were 4 fly anglers at the mouth of the creek who were just hammering fish - It was evident there was a pod of spawning rainbows in front of them. Been there, and done that.

I had such a great time today just walking around and taking it all in for my first day wetting a line here. What beautiful place to fish. I will let you all know how things are on the lake after the storms clear out.

Product Review: Gary Lafontaine's Stealth Rod Series

When I sit down to write a product review, it is about gear that I own and feel very strongly about. Gary Lafontaine's Stealth rods are the best rods I have ever casted and fished. I first learned about them while searching the Internet for a new rod. These are the only rods in the world that will not cost you a fish on the lake or stream. They are beautifully finished rods, but don't shine like a warning beacon that your waving around. The Stealth has a black matte finish, black Fuji double foot guides, and an anodized reel seat with ebony insert. I'm known to dress in full camo when fishing and these rods compliment my attitude of blending in and being stealth. I own the 2 piece "P Taper" in a 6wt. and use it for lakes and rivers. The P stands for power, and this rod can out cast any other rod out there with minimal effort. I also own the 3 piece "H Taper" 6wt. which is very similar to the P Taper but has much more lifting power for very big fish - Like those brutes at Eagle Lake. The rods come with an extra tip, and the customer service that Lafontaine Private Label provides is peerless in the fly fishing industry. I simply love my Stealth rods and plan on fishing them the rest of my life, It's as if Gary is right there with me when I'm stalking trout - That will give an angler some serious confidence. For more information on the rods, or to purchase them, go to http://www.thebookmailer.com/ and click on the "Gear" tab.

Of Mice And Men

Fly fishing with a mouse pattern goes beyond the norm, it's not just your average fly - It's a living creature on the end of your line. My first introduction to the game was by my friend Don. Don had exclusive rights to some ponds next to the Blue river outside of Silverthorne, CO. After seeing a picture of him holding a 32" brown trout while fishing a mouse in the middle of the night I was all ears. We went to the ponds after the sun had set and rigged our rods with deer hair mouse patterns he had tied and tippets to 0x. I asked Don "When do you know when to set hook"? "It's as black as sin out"! His reply was "When you hear the suck of the take and the gulp of the swallow". That night I managed 3 browns 17-22", not the monster I was looking for but the game was so much fun I could have cared less.

When tying mouse patterns I have chosen Gary Lafontaine's creature pattern exclusively. It will never sink, and has plenty of movement that looks "alive"! To tie this small mammal I start with a #6 Mustad Stinger hook and epoxy on a foam cylinder that is made for popper patterns. Now I take a cross cut zonker strip in a natural color and tie it to the rear of the hook, leaving a tail behind the bend, clipping of all the hair from the tail. Next I coat the cylinder foam body with Barge cement and let it sit until tacky - once this occurs I now wind the zonker strip towards the head. I let it dry, paint the head, add eyes, and clear coat it with some Loons hard head formula. The result is the most realistic and buoyant mouse pattern out there. Though I have come up short in Northern California with results, It is dynamite In the Patagonia region of Chile, the Madison River in Montana, and all of Alaska! If you dare fish the mouse you must keep cool, keep a keen ear, and a steady hand when the "gulp" happens.

Below is a trailer from the DVD "Once in a Blue Moon". The infamous mouse run that results in a monstrous brown trout feeding frenzy in southern New Zealand. You can purchase the DVD from www.thebookmailer.com

Fly Fishing - Once in a Blue Moon 60sec promo from On the Fly on Vimeo.

Lake Davis Report

I took a short drive up to the lake today to get some first hand accounts of the status of the lake before another round of snow and rain comes upon us. The west side road is still a snowmobile trail and usually the last to thaw. It will be another month I'm guessing before you can safely drive a standard car in there. Ice is covering the lake viewing from the dam as far as the eye can see. There are some patches of ground, more than I thought there would be, but there is also still snow drifts 2-4 feet deep. Since it was cold this morning I could walk on the snow without snow shoes with no fear of punching through and experiencing the dreaded "post hole". My first stop was Grasshopper cove, the creek is still a trickle and there was some open water. No visible signs of trout to be had. As I passed snow creek which feeds Honker Cove I noticed more water than the other creeks. Next stop was Coot Bay and there was more open water here but no signs of trout life. Mallard Cove had the most open water and I talked to a few bait chuckers that had limits of rainbows 17-21" the day before. Rainbow glitter powerbait was their weapon of choice (LOL!).

Water temps were in the high 30's on my thermometer, and I still think it will be at least 3 weeks before a hungry trout will take a fly. What we need now is warm temps and big wind to bust the lake up, and heat the water. The wildlife were very happy as they have the place to themselves. Both adult and juvenile bald eagles strafed Canadian geese, but with no luck. I did hear the mtn chickadees singing their mating call which I interpret as "cheeseburger". I will keep all of you posted as things change, but all I can think about is warm summer temps and damselflies - That's when Lake Davis really lets her colors fly!

Book Review - The Bug Book

If the fly fishing enthusiast wants to take their insect ID skills to the next level...I suggest you consider the newly published The Bug Book, written by The Friends of Deer Creek and illustrated by Christine Elder.While there are other fine examples of insect identification guides in print for fly anglers, written from the fly fisherman's perspective, The Bug Book, is written from the biologist's perspective, with a focus on the scientific identification of 76 aquatic insect families common throughout western waters. In this 100 + page book you'll find all the familiar bugs trout love to gulp, but you'll learn about them from an entomologists' perspective. Thus the blue-winged olive becomes Ephemerellid, the Green sedge a Rhyacophilid, the Salmonfly a Pteronarcyid...you get the idea. Besides identification,The Bug Book also covers the species' habitats, behaviors, and life cycles.
All the jargon is defined in an excellent glossary. With the fisherman in mind, the book also comes with a water repellant laminated field chart with the classification and identification of all the major groups (9 orders plus some non-insect bugs too!) Detailed illustrations are peppered throughout, by my bug-loving river partner, Christine Elder(http://www.christineelder.com/) , an accomplished entomological illustrator.
To make the very most of this book, you'd do well to have a magnifying glass handy, or even a microscope, since some of a bug's physical characteristics neccessary for identifying the critter down to the family level are best viewed magnified. But the books illustrations and photographs are so clear, that lack of one shouldn't pose much of a handicap. In my opinion, this book is a must-have for ultra-serious fly fisherman who really want to know their bugs. To learn more about the book and ordering visit: http://www.friendsofdeercreek.org/bugbook.html

April/May Prognosis for the Middle Fork Feather River

The fishing forecast for the MFFR depends on a number of factors, runoff, rain, snow, and water temps. Let's start out with the runoff of snow. There is a good snow pack in the Lakes Basin, and Jamison creek watersheds. In fact there is another month at least of good spring skiing. If the melt off is gradual fishing will be good well into July. If we get some warm rain storms and it all goes at once it will definitely have an impact on the whole season. The river this year has not been too high due to the very cold temps we have had. This is a good thing as there will be very little flushing that can effect aquatic bugs.

















Water temps is the determining factor for the MFFR, right now they are at 43-45 degrees - not good fishing for these rainbows and browns. Good fishing starts at about 55 degrees to 65 degrees. The native fish here have adapted to warmer temps then most trout in other rivers. Why may you ask? They have to in order to survive and reproduce offspring. When water temps are cold, fish will be in the slower deeper stretches of the river, and if some early hatches come out they may be found in skinny water that is heated quickly by the sun. Come summer time the trout will be found tight to the heads of riffles, runs, and pools where the well oxygenated water is found. I have caught trout in 70 degree water in such places during the dog days of summer. Yep, they are well adapted to this river.

Strategies for April/May would be to czech nymph or high stick the deeper runs, side sloughs, and eddies. Productive flies will be Burk's Bottom Rollers in burnt orange, and olive size 8-12, Golden Stones size 6-10, Bead head pheasant tails size 10-14, and Caddis Pupa in olive size 10-16. You may be able to find some rising trout during the warmest period of the day, hatches will include the Blue Wing Olive, Gray Drake, Golden Stones, and a few caddis thrown in. I think fishing will be good for these months but keep in mind that June, July, September, and October are the banner months for flinging a fly on the MFFR.

More Snow!

I woke up to 12" of new snow here at the house! Just when all of the snow melted from this winter a new batch is upon us. I'm stoked to see it though, we need more water in Lake Davis - With more water there is more fertile shallows for the trout to feed in. Right now the lake is in a tomb of snow and ice. I'm jonesing to get out there but it will be while. The Middle Fork Feather river will be opening this coming Saturday from the A23 bridge down to the Mohawk bridge. Though water temps will be too cold for good fishing there is a good chance you can hook some big browns, I like to use a fast sink tip with zonkers in olive/white. Concentrate your casts in the slower deeper water and pools. Well, it's time to plow once again.......

Fly Fish Plumas County and the Northern Sierra

I'm pleased to announce that I have reopened my fly fishing guide service for 2010. After taking a long break I realized that I miss guiding anglers and helping them with their skills on the water. I offer trips to Lake Davis, Middle Fork Feather River, Eagle Lake, Frenchman's reservoir, North Fork of the Yuba River, and many small creeks in eastern Plumas County. Trips can be custom tailored for any angler, beginner to expert. I also offer trolling trips for those non fly anglers who still want to hook up on light tackle and flies. Please check out my new website where you will find all the info you need to book a trip! http://www.baiocchistroutfitters.com/ This year should fish very well as we have received close to 13 inches of rain, and with some more wet months ahead it all adds up to more water - Bigger fish, and bigger numbers. So please come Join me in the gorgeous Northern Sierra for a great day on the water!

Product Review - Korkers Boots

When it comes to wading boots, I'm the greatest abuser. There is no other destructive force that even comes close. If a boot last the entire fishing season I consider it a victory. I used Danner boots for many years with great success until the workmanship went downhill in 98, after that the boots would blow up in under a year. Then I tried Patagonia's boot and that lasted only months, Then Orvis, and had a little bit better results with them lasting one season. I become a master at gluing welds, stitching with kevlar thread, and replacing rivets. After much research I decided to go with the Korkers boots. This time I filled out the warranty card, and kept the box with the receipt inside. No more repairs I said to myself, if they fail, I want a new pair of boots or have the manufacturer fix them. These boots feature the interchangeable soles and one boot can be used in many different applications depending on your fishing needs. I bought the felt studded soles, the steel spike soles, and the hiking soles. It's nice to be able to hike long distances with the hiking sole, then switch to the felt once you arrive at your destination. Your felt soles last so much longer! My boots have two seasons on them and are in great shape. There is some minor cosmetic scuffs and that's about it. If you own a pair of these boots, or are thinking of buying them, I have a few tips. The slot that holds the soles in the bottom of the boot should be clean and debris free when changing soles, this will add life to the interchangeable system. The hiking soles are not good for muddy banked lakes like Lake Davis. The mud clings to them like glue. If you fish rivers with huge polished granite boulders like the North Fork Yuba, be very careful with the studded felt soles on dry boulders - You will slide! They are great once you in the water though.

The Korker Guide boots for 2010 look so bad ass, and now feature a BOA lacing system which I love on my snowboard boots. It's quicker and you can get the right amount of tightness, and flexibility. The Omnitrax system is improved as well and so easy to use. These boots are so advanced I may just give my current boots to a new aspiring fly angler and pick up a pair - No wait, for sure I'm getting them!

Tying Flies - A Serious Sickness

A fly angler reaches a point in their life where they need to tie his or her own flies for a great number of reasons. It certainly is not about saving money, because once the addiction or "sickness" sets in you find yourself with so many different materials and hooks that it all adds up to some coin. Sure, one can simply do it by only tying a few different patterns, but again your brain starts buzzing with ideas for new patterns or copying that "hot" fly your buddy had when he kicked your ass at Lake Davis last spring. Many tying junkies simply do it to show the fish what they interpret in their own mind what an artificial should look like. With feathers, fur, foam, and other natural and synthetic materials we try to copy the great creators own creations, and fooling our finned friends into thinking it's the real thing. For myself it is an art that I find so fascinating that it consumes my every thought while living and breathing on this big blue marble. I am sick. So sick that when I get a package in the mail I look at the packaging materials and think what pattern I could use this for instead of the merchandise itself. Sicko!

As winter draws in and the sun arcs lower in the sky, I find myself energized by the light of the tying vice. This is the time to tie. I love nothing more than cranking out patterns and looking out the window as the clouds release huge amounts of swirling snow bouncing of my bedroom window. It is during these times I think about next years trips and the flies that will join me on those adventures. Then the fever follows you on those adventures as you must tie "on site" to be exact with that days hatch, and it never ends. The whole realm of tying is like slow dancing with my sweetheart, it moves me....and I never want it to end. H1N1 has got nothing on this sickness. It can last a lifetime with no cure in sight, and that's just fine with me.

Tying The Blue Wing Olive Cripple

Legendary fly inovator Bob Quigley came up with the Mayfly cripple to imitate a struggling mayfly trying to escape it's nymphal shuck and getting stuck. This also happens when mayflies hatch and get fried in the hot sun thus being "still born", as often seen on Hat Creek in the summer months. Selective and wise trout seek out these crippled mayflies as they are an easy meal. I have had great results with this fly but be warned, the fish take this fly with such confidence that they take it deep! A barbless hook is a must when using it. One fine Autumn day on the McCloud River a few years ago a nice BWO hatch was happening in a tail out of a large pool. There were a large number of rising trout and of course they were being picky. I put on a cripple and that solved the problem, but the fish were taking it so deep I felt guilty as I may end up killing such a beautiful creature. I put the dun back on and settled for a few more fish before the hatch waned in the orange haze of the afternoon light.

I tie my cripple using other materials than Mr. Quigley does, It's just my own way of doing things. For the thorax I use closed cell foam to keep the head up, and the forward wing is of antron to better cast the reflection of light. This fly can be tied in various sizes and colors depending on what species is hatching.

RECIPE:

-Tiemco 101 size 16.

-8/0 Uni thread in camel.

-Tail; webby fibers of a brown schlappen hackle.

-Body; dubbed webby fibers of a brown schlappen hackle.

-Ribbing; fine gold wire.

-Thorax; closed cell foam.

-Hackle; grizzly or cree.

-Wing; Antron.

How To Smoke Trout

Fall is my favorite time of year as fishing for trout in lakes is red hot! I’m a catch and release guy most of the time, but now is the time to keep a few fish from stocked lakes and fire up the smoker. I just finished up a smoke out yesterday and thought it would be nice to share my thoughts on just how to smoke trout.

Right after you land your fish, gut the gills and bleed them out, keep em cool in an ice chest until you get home. Now gut the fish, clean, and rinse in cold water. There are many ways to smoke the fish, whole, chunks, or fillets – I prefer fillets. Once your fish is prepped it’s time to soak them in the brine. My recipe for brine:

-64 ounces of water.
-Half cup salt.
-Half cup brown sugar.
-3 tablespoons of red raspberry jam.
-3 tablespoons of crushed garlic.
-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.

Mix ingredients well in a glass, stainless, or crockery container (not aluminum!). Immerse fish. Chunks and fillets let soak for 4-7 hours, whole fish 8-12 hours in the refrigerator. After soaking rinse the fish with cold water, for more flavor do not rinse. Pat dry and let sit for 1 hour. You will notice a tacky glaze on the surface of the fish, this is called the “pellicle”. Your fish is now ready for the smoker. Smokers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. I own a “Big Chief” smoker and it has never let me down. Pre heat you smoker and add your smoking chips. I use three pans of chips on the hour, alternating alder and apple. Check the meat periodically for the degree of doneness you desire. Your fish should be nicely colored, and flaky to the touch. Now, enjoy the reward! You will want to smoke a number of fish at the same time as they are so delicious, and they don’t last long!

Fishing Report - Lake Davis

My good friend Feather River Sam and I fished the lake today, not a puff of wind in the morning, but very cold. As I backed the boat down the ramp I began sliding due to the thin layer of ice that formed from other boats being launched. I kept my cool and managed to get the boat in safely - Whew! We headed up to the north end of the lake and anchored of slaughter house point. There were many fishing rising around us, but they appeared to be on the small side. We fished both floating and sinking lines using olive and brown wiggle tails. We hooked 4 fish but they were very small. We moved down to Jenkins to find bigger fish, which we did! The wind came up big though with huge gust and white caps that had us finding shelter at Jon's cove. We hooked into another 11 fish from 17-21", I kept four rainbows for the smoker. Water temps were right around 50 degrees. Stomach contents showed midges and crayfish. For November it was a nice, warm day - even the wind was warm - Go figure. The lakes in great shape and with no snow on the ground it should be fishable for a while.

Fishing Report - Middle Fork Feather River

I ventured below Camp Laymans to fish the MFFR for the last time of the season last Monday. It was a beautiful sunny day with the fall colors in full effect. The water levels were up for this time of year due to a few storms that have rolled through in the past month, and water temps were cold at 50 degrees. The wild trout of the MFFR prefer temps from 58-62 degrees, and with the cold water temps there were no risers to be found. A small BWO hatch was coming off, no big numbers but enough to put on a #16 emerger. I high sticked fishy looking holding water and did well as I C&R 12 fish 12"-16". It was strange though, no small fish. The fish were not as hot due to the cold water temps, sluggish at best. Besides the BWO's there were a few different caddis out from size 12- 16, laying eggs and fluttering about. No Oct. Caddis were out as well and that was a bummer, this river used to have a huge hatch until the flood of the late nineties flushed them away. It was a great day to close out the MFFR, not another angler to be seen, plenty of eye candy, and a bent rod here and there.

Fishing the October Caddis

The October Caddis (Dicosmoecus) is by far my favorite aquatic insect as well as my colleges, we have done an in depth study of this insect for the last 10 years and have learned so much. Great hatches of this bug occur on the McCloud, Upper Sac, the Pit, and Truckee rivers. There are many other rivers and streams that hold the Oct. Caddis as it is a very prolific insect. The larvae builds a case out of small pebbles and spends 1-2 years in the river before it seals the case up and begins pupation, This transformation takes about two months. When ready to hatch, they chew their way out of their case and hatch mid stream or on rocks that are in slow skinny water between noon and evening. Known as the "Big Bug" these insects are 30mm long, and thick! Pupa imitations should be tied on a #6 or #8 3xl hook with a burnt orange body, burnt orange front hackle, black ostrich collar and a black bead. I prefer Gary LaFontaine's deep sparkle pupa as it holds many air bubbles that shimmer and shine. Short line high sticking pocket water will get good results.

Fishing the adult is my true love for this bug, after all, fishing a big dry is simply the best game in town. Many anglers fail to catch large numbers of trout on the Oct. Caddis due to the fact that they simply cast and watch the bug drift. There is so much more to it than that. First, the fly should be of the right size, shape, and profile. You would think that color is of high importance but it is not, which was proved by a college of mine who used a blue bodied pattern on the McCloud and caught fish. Your pattern should sit low in the water, be able to float in all types of water, and be very durable. The color of the wing is important though, on the natural the color of the wing is of pine bark - this is how it camouflages itself from the birds. Also note that the Oct. Caddis loves sunny sections of the river, so find a good bend in the river that gets all day sun.

I tie the Oct. Caddis on 3x, this way when I get hung up in a tree or on an elephant ear I can get my prized fly back. Using a short line I dab the pocket water keeping most of the leader off the water. Here is the key to your success, you must twitch the fly like a natural, even bringing it off the water and back down several times. When a longer drift is needed, cast downstream and drift it fly first so the fish do not see your leader - much like a Fall River drift. The Oct. Caddis lives quite a long time for an aquatic bug, but the cold weather usually gets the best of them. Snow - Some of the best days fishing this bug has been on snowy days when the insects fall from their perch, whether it is a tree or stream side foliage and are helpless drifting down the lanes into a hungry mouth of a trout.

Best game in town folks, so get out there and experience this fascinating hatch!

Fishing Report - Lake Davis

I Woke up this morning with a need to prowl the banks of Lake Davis from Jenkins to Fugawi north in search of large rainbows in the shallows. Water temps were at 62 degrees, and not a puff of wind to be had, it was hot today and will be through the weekend. This only stalls things on the lake as far as the fall gorge is concerned. Around 9am fish began to enter the shallow water, by shallow I mean 1-2 feet of water. The tiny lime green midge was out in full force, and the fish were coming up for them. I fished a floating line with a 12 foot leader to 4X using my searching fly, the brown wiggle tail. Large trout are loners and tend to be in the shallows while the "dinks", trout from 12-14 inches are podded up and rising in deeper water. I caught and released 9 fish in 3 hours, but the game I chose was quality over quantity. I sight fished every rainbow I hooked, so many were in ankle deep water that is was just amazing! You could see the large trout as clear as day just cruising for food. They did not spook when casted to, and often it took several casts to hook into one. The trout then switched to blood midges around 10:30am and the wind came slightly up from the south east at 5 mph, I adjusted and hooked more. Overall , fishing is good to very good. Once we get some freezing temps at night, followed by cool temps during the day the fishing will turn to "red hot". It is such a pleasure to be able to cast to fish that are not freaked out by some 30" pike, but instead feed like cattle in the fertile shallows of Lake Davis. If your a still water fan, this lake has it all!

Fishing Report - Lake Davis

I took my Dad up to the lake yesterday and trolled flies using the Jay Fair system, which is the most effective way to bring in big numbers of fish. It's a great game for Dad in his old age as he is not able to cast a fly rod at 70 feet to rising trout anymore. Fly anglers in general put down trolling as they think it's all about bait and flashers, when in reality, a fly angler in a float tube or pontoon boat is trolling between casts by pulling the fly through the water by means of fins or oars.

When we arrived at the lake we were surprised to see the fog. You could only see about 50 feet so we opted to troll right out of Honker Cove. Once the fog lifted we buzzed over to Jenkins Point. There are a ton of fish in this area right now. Water temps were at 63 degrees, and the rainbows were rising to the tiny lime green midge (#18). The most exciting news is that the trout are hitting bigger flies! We used a #6 3xl Jay Fair Trolling fly in dark fiery Cinnamon and hooked 23 fish in 3.5 hours of fishing. 6 of those fish were 18-22". The parasites on the fish are going away as well with the cooler water temps. Stomach samples were filled with small midges, blood midges, and crayfish. One fish had 4 crayfish in his belly! The lake turned over a few weeks ago and the water clarity is getting better, and the floating weeds are less of a problem as well.

Get your chores and honey do's done and head up to Lake Davis, the fall gorge has started!

Fishing Report - Deer Creek, Tehama Co.

Deer Creek holds a special place for me as it is one of the many places I learned the art of flyfishing in the early 70's. Back then I fished with my Dad, Dick Nelson, and many members of the Chico fly fishing club. We fished the meadows back in it's hey day, but with so many fences now I turn to the canyon for a good time. It has been at least 15 years since I last laid down a good presentation on this gem of a creek. Coming home from a hiking trip in the Lassen Volcanic National Park, I opted to fish for a few hours while Christine painted the starting of the fall colors. Water temps were at 61 degrees and there were no bugs in sight. I chose my searching dry, the foam hopper and within the first cast I had my first rainbow. I C&R 23 fish in a rather short time, fish ranged from 5-11". I flipped rocks and found a ton of Hydropsyche, some were huge. It was late in the day and the light fell upon the elephant ears and cast the most beautiful green glow, one that only mother nature could paint - it was breathtaking! Today on Deer Creek brings back some good memories fishing with Dad long ago, when we could go to Potato Patch campground and be the only ones there. Times may have changed, but those warm fuzzy childhood dreams are only a cast away.

Lake Davis Improvements

The west side road / chip seal project is completed and they did an outstanding job! Deep culverts, and drainage piping was also added to the new road which will help when we get the spring thaw. Even better the “new” Camp 5 puts Honker Cove to shame. There are now benches, picnic tables, more bathrooms, more parking, and a better boat ramp. They also put in a solar powered light/beacon for boats that launch early, or come in after dark. It is also ADA compliant for the handicap. They really took it to the next level! I would like to thank Bob Baiocchi of the California Salmon and Steelhead Association for his relentless work to give the public what they deserve with the improvements on Lake Davis, and I quote him “I’m not done yet!” It will be so sweet once the lake fills up a bit and the docks are put in at Camp 5, once that happens I will only use Camp 5.

Fishing Report - Grizzly Creek

Today I fished Grizzly Creek below the dam of Lake Davis in the canyon section. Warning! This section is sketchy at best. Steep walls with rock fall, loose unpredictable footing, mountain lions, and deep holes in the creek will claim a victim. It's spooky and remote down here. With that in the back of mind but ever so present, I scanned the water before casting my fly. Water temps were 59 degrees, and the water here is very dark - Not muddy, just dark and very far from being gin clear. I have fished here many other times and from those trips knew that dry flies were not the answer. I rigged up with a san juan worm with a #14 orange atomic worm with a good amount of weight and high sticked. This creek for the most part is tangled in high grass and willows, an angler must choose the open spots to cast to likely holding water. If you set your hook late your line and fly will find itself a home amongst the many branches, and you will be bushwhacking just to get your prized fly back. I C&R 21 bows from 9-15", and take note these fish are very strong fighters. As I made my way down to the last pool in a series of three, I took a deep breathe for this is the pool I C&R a 5 pound brown 4 years ago. I fished the pool and took 2 bows rather quickly. I then concentrated on the few foam patches and back eddies. I felt a tug and set the hook and my rod nearly came out of my hand - It was a brute! Fishing 4x I quickly got on the fish and muscled it back to the bank, and there it was, a 22" 4.5 pound brown! as I bent over to take a picture (mistake) The brownie screamed back into the pool and tangled me on a submerged snag - Game over, I just got my ass handed to me. Not the first time and it won't be the last. As I made my way out of the canyon one of my favorite birds came to check on me, a Clark's Nutcracker said hi, gave me a few calls and returned to his job of stashing pine nuts for the upcoming winter. Though this creek is beautiful, it is gnarly as well, and I would never recommend fishing it to anyone.