Sometimes It's Not About The Catching...

I relish quiet mornings like these at Lake Davis, it's cold, the air has a sweet smell to it, and you get to see one of the greatest shows on earth - Watching a lake come to life and welcoming a new day.  The fog rises off the lake dancing and swirling as it evaporates into thin air.  The angler above knows these joys, he may have caught a rainbow or two, but right now he takes it all in and sips off his mug of hot coffee, and soaks in the suns beaming rays of warmth.  The next time you are out on your favorite water and are not doing so well in the catching department, take a minute, breathe in the fresh autumn air, and think what it would be like to not be able to have these simple pleasures in life.  Smile and know that mother earth will always be at your side, like any good mother would do for her children.  Respect.

Fishing Report - Lake Davis

I took my Dad and my trout dog Madison up to Lake Davis for some fun with our finned friends.  When we got on the water there was already some chop and a breeze out of the north west, and it was a cold wind.  Fog hovered over the water and was lifting into some magical plumes.  Water temps are 57-60 degrees.  The blood midge hatch that was so profuse last week was almost non existent today.  I think that north wind put them down, a few were seen at around 9:00am emerging.  The lake was quiet and not many anglers on the water.  I'll admit, it was slow today, maybe the full moon had something to do with it.  We C&R 13 fish in 4 hours trolling flies at a depth of 6 feet, and the rainbows measured 16-20 inches.  The north end of the lake proved to have more schools of active feeding fish.  The coolest thing we saw today was the huge flocks of Sand Hill cranes making their migration south to the central valley of California.  You can hear them before you can see them, and they are so high up they only appear as specks against the cobalt blue sky.  Waterfowl of all types are showing up at the lake as of late, and the Coot are really tearing up the weeds in certain bays.  I'll be back up at the lake in the morning and If I hook into a hog I will surely post a picture of it.  Fall is here - Let the games begin!

On a side note I have been featured in the fishing report for our local newspaper by Feather Publishing, The fishing report has been taken over by Michael Condon who is a long time fly fisherman from Plumas County, he is doing a great job and anglers are stoked on his accurate reports!  You can view it here;

http://www.plumasnews.com/index.php/sports/7370-fishing-report-for-the-week-of-9222010 

Fishing Report - Lake Davis - GAME ON!!!

I have not been on the lake since the end of July and with these brisk cold mornings I knew it was any day now that the lake would turn on.  I got on the water at 7:30am and headed to the bays north of Jenkins Point.  My good friend Pete was already fishing and as I anchored he was into a fish.  It was a beautiful morning, flat calm and many fish rising to emerging blood midge.  Water temps were at 59 degrees and rose to 62 when I got off the water at noon.  Int. lines to 4x was the ticket and blood midge pupa, PT's, and Wiggle Tails in brown all produced fish in 8-13 feet of water.  I did not fish that much but rather went all over the lake and tried different areas and scoped out the scene - The bite is definitely on as I hooked 5 fish with minimal effort.  The trout are clean of parasites and just have scars from them.  Rainbows were 16-22" and fought very well.  The lake has turned over as well, meaning the cold water is on top and the warm water is deeper.  There was light fishing pressure on the west side of the lake but many trollers lurked in the deeper water down by the island.  I trolled flies for 25 minutes at a depth of 4-6 feet down using Jay Fair trolling flies in brown and hooked 5 fish - Proof again that the fall gorge has started.  I would rate the lake as good, and a hunch that this fall could be stellar.  Please check back on a weekly basis as I will do my best to inform you all of the changing conditions on the lake.

The Funeral

I was going through some old photos this afternoon and came across this gem.  This is the day before the 1st treatment of Lake Davis to eradicate the Northern Pike problem, and one of the nicest rainbows I have taken from the lake.  This bad boy went 24.5 inches and 5.5 pounds.  My close friends and I had a funeral that day, we placed a headstone marker complete with two pike hanging off it in the Mosquito Slough area.  We prayed, and kissed the lake good bye before heading home with limits of fish - We thought it was best if these fish saw the smoker instead of the rotenone.  The rainbow took a pistol pete, which is a wooly bugger with a gold prop on the front.

Middle Fork Feather River Fishing Report

The Middle Fork Feather river is shifting into the great fall fishing it is known for.  Water temps are 55 degrees in the morning and rising to 64 degrees by evening.  There is a huge Blue Wing Olive spinner fall from 9 - 11am.  Spent patterns in a size 16 casted to rising fish will get results.  For mid day fishing, a hopper with a bead head flashback pheasant tail dropper is the ticket.  Wild rainbows 6-14" will take either fly.  The evening fishing is the best from 6pm till dark.  Pale Evening Duns in a size 14 is the fly to have on the end of your tippet.  There are also some fresh BWO duns, and Yellow Sallie stoneflies thrown in the mix as well.  Make sure you fish the last hour of light - It is the magic hour and many fish are coming to the surface, especially the tail outs of large pools.

I had the pleasure of sharing the river with Diane and Sig of the Bay Area last Wednesday and Thursday. The girls had a great time learning new tactics, and exploring the secluded runs and riffles the Middle Fork has to offer.  They also had good things to say about their stay at the 20 Mile House Bed and Breakfast http://thetwentymilehouse.com/ - Check it out!  The Isonychia mayfly has yet to appear but it should be any day now, A hatch I really look forward to.  Now is a great time to get out on the MFFR and experience some dry fly heaven!

Fly Tying Article In Sierra Fisherman Magazine

I'm proud to announce that I've been published in Sierra Fisherman magazine featuring my quick and easy Isonychia mayfly nymph, and a great piece of info regarding "reading the water" in the "Pro Tips" column.  I received a hard copy in the mail and what a great magazine!  Excellent photos, interviews, and a great article on stillwaters by Bill Forward.  I'm so impressed with the magazine I have a hard time putting it down!  You can view the fall issue here at Sierra Fisherman http://www.sierrafisherman.com/ or you can buy a subscription for $19.95 and get 4 issues a year and all those great pictures we love to drool over.  I would personally like to thank publisher Bob Leonard, and the editor at large - Frank Pisciotta (http://www.cyberfly.com/) for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this fine magazine.  Of all the fly fishing magazines out there, this one should be checked out!

Bug Of The Month - Hoppers!

Grasshoppers (Order Orthoptera) include over 1,000 species in North America and over 23,000 species worldwide. Here in the northern Sierras we have a good variety of short horned grasshoppers (Family Acrididae) that include the Pallid-winged hopper above. This is the most common hopper next to a freestone creek or river, they love to soak in the warmth of a granite rock. They are so well camouflaged against these gray polished boulders that many predators overlook them, then at the first chance they have to escape, they hop on out of there with their powerfully muscled hind legs. Windy days prove to be an advantage when hopper fishing, naturals fall victim to the gusty winds that hammer the stream side foliage and fall into the water. For a trout there is nothing like a hopper to eat, It's about as close a trout gets to a BBQ porterhouse steak that you and I enjoy.



The Madison River in Montana gave me a PHD in hopper skills and tying the right pattern, We use to chum up some very large fish with captured naturals to study the takes. The really big fish did not even break the water's surface, they just sucked it down in a little whirlpool. It took me three years of trying different hopper patterns and getting refusals from trout before I came up with my own foam hopper, "The Simple Sandwich". The results that summer on the Madison was one of dreams, one day consisted of 19 fish over 20"! For a day like that you need to cover many miles of productive holding areas next to the bank, carefully plan your attack, and have the right fly. I now tie this pattern from a size 14 - 8 in many different colors and combos, for myself I like the tan/brown/tan sandwich with brown legs, and cahill colored 6/0 Uni thread. This pattern sits flush in the surface film, is very buoyant, and bombproof.

Now is the season to fish Hoppers and other terrestrials that sit waiting for action in your fly box. Go Now!

Creekin Report - Gray Eagle Creek

After a short steep climb out of the town of Graeagle the truck and I came to our parking spot before entering the canyon section of Gray Eagle Creek. I opened the door and this roar came spilling in, it was not the creek, but the wind was going ballistic. NOAA was right on the money today issuing a Red Flag Warning for most of northern California and western Nevada - Breezy with a S/W wind 20-25mph, gust up to 40mph. Cedars and firs swayed in the wind, dropping an arsenal of branches, cones, and needles. I was wise to keep a keen ear and my senses on high alert from falling debris above. I put the hiking soles on my Korkers, loaded up the pack, grabbed the rod, and disappeared into the thick foliage on my mission for wild trout.

Your typical Gray Eagle Creek rainbow - Love those orange fins! The creek is beyond low, just a trickle. The high demands for water in the town of Graeagle, and golf courses take water away from the creek, but the fish are just now more concentrated in the deeper pools. Water temps were at 58 degrees and clear, these trout at least have that, shade, and a decent aquatic bug population. It also appears that this spring was a big water flow and the streambed got a good flushing, many new trees have come down across the creek providing even more habitat.

My "simple sandwich" hopper pattern fooled dozens of fish. Inspired by Jay Fair's simple sandwich - Two slices of white bread, mayo and two slices of American cheese: Simple yet effective. The fish really liked green today even though I never found a green hopper. Puppeteering the fly and twitching it was very important today as well as key placements.

The larger trout were found in the deeper frog water areas below plunge pools with no current, most were tight to a big rock wall in the shade. They took the hopper with such confidence, coming up ever so slowly before sucking it down.

There are Brown trout in Gray Eagle Creek as well, in the next few months browns will be making their way upstream to spawn. These browns turn colors into one strange looking fish, by Halloween it appears they are ready to go to the costume ball. Their backs turn black, body appears more golden, and purple hues come off their cheeks down to the mid body - It's a work of art!

It was great to get out today, deep in a rugged forest canyon dotted with mammoth granite boulders who separate the flows of the creek. There were no caddis fluttering about today, not even a cranefly. Though I was blessed to share the river for twenty minutes with a water ouzel as he hunted for mayfly nymphs. We both fished, sang our songs, and smiled. Simple pleasures abound......

Hydration Solutions

No matter if your fishing a freestone river or a big stillwater, stalking trout can be tough on the body and the mind. Just being in the elements; rain, big wind, blistering sun, to snow all effect the human body's water reserves. Keeping hydrated is mandatory to keep your senses sharp, mind alert, and your muscles from cramping up. I tried a camel back at first, and while it was nice on long hikes, it was just another thing to put around my shoulders while working a freestone river. I now carry a filter bottle in my back pocket. Light and easy to use, just dunk it in any creek, river, or lake and the filter removes 99.9% of the bad stuff. The cool thing about is you can carry it empty and not have to lug around the weight - As long as your near a water source. The filter is good for 200 uses and can be replaced. I also like to have a few packs of Cliff Bar's Shot Bloks on me. These are gummy bear like electrolyte chews that keep you going when your ready to hit the wall. Get the most out of your fishing experience - stay hydrated and stay strong!

North Fork Yuba Report

The phone rang on Friday evening, I answered and it was my good friend George from Loomis. "Hey Jon... Adam, Brian, and I are camping and quading in your area, would you like to fish with us on Saturday evening?". "For Sure!" was my my quick come back. Now both boys can get bored with slow fishing, they are not like thier dad who has done countless trips to Montana and beyond in search of trout. There was one river I knew darn well these boys would not get bored, The North Fork of the Yuba. So we fished a stretch near Sierra City, and the weather was perfect except for a downstream wind.

Things started off slow and I was surprised, I just told myself the fish are taking a break and getting ready for the profuse caddis hatches that were to follow. Sure enough after an hour had passed things heated up with the dry fly. I coached both boys on the proper drifts, and dried their flies for them as we marched up the polished granite staircases looking for productive plunge pools and runs. Then things got crazy, almost every cast was a rise to a fly! George was so stoked to see his kids hammer fish left and right, if your a dad then you know what I mean. They missed at least 60 fish combined and landed a dozen and a half each. Every time I hold a NFYR rainbow I'm in awe, like a movie star going gaga over a ring of jewels - They shimmer and shine, and are so full of life! Though I did not take any temp readings, the water is still so cold for this time of year and good reason why these rainbows thrive here.

Smiles were seen from ear to ear with the whole crew, Adam and Brian were hooked! George just may have himself some new fishing buddies, and a chance to able to pass down the art and science of fly fishing to. It's trips like these that are the most rewarding to me. To see two boys enjoying themselves so much with such a simple game - And the rest....is only a dream.

These Eyes............

I took a hike to Deer Lake in the Lakes Basin Area and took this most amazing shot of a Dragonfly. These are the eyes of a predator, and how they glow! While the fishing was sub par the bug life was off the charts. Upper Tamarack Lake had a damsel hatch in full swing, it is a tiny lake but the hatch is far bigger than Lake Davis had this year - Who would have guessed! Now is the time to get out and explore the upper elevations before the snow flies.

My Adventures On The North Yuba

For the last few weeks of my life I have been deep in the North Yuba watershed exploring new areas to camp and fish. Haypress Creek (above) is a little gem and it flows through the Wild Plum Campground, which is a very nice campground - But make a reservation during peak times. We witnessed the biggest Golden Stone hatch I've ever seen! At a glance down the creek there was anywhere from 1 to 2 dozen adults flying at any given time! We started seeing fliers around 7:30pm and things just went crazy, and the fish responded by leaping high out of the water after them.


Butterflies of all types are flying through right now like these Pale Swallow Tails, which can be found by the dozens next to the water on a wet gravel bar keeping hydrated.


I love finding pocket water like this piece above while working my way upstream. This one has depth, several inflows, and plenty of cover for the native rainbows here.


Getting as close as I can without being detected by trout is a real challenge and a great game. High sticking dry flies all day long and keeping cool in that gin clear water is beyond fun - It's the best. As you can see I choose camo clothing, keep low, and no flashy items on the vest. Take your watch off as well.


I stuck with a few patterns and had great fishing, these trout are very eager and will hit just about anything. For me I choose the hopper in a variety of colors and sizes. You can't argue with a fly that does not need floatant and rides high, fish after fish. The hot fly was Gary LaFontaines Airhead in red and yellow, size#14.


The North Yuba is a fascinating river with a surprise around every corner. I really love this place, it reminds me of learning to fly fish on the West Branch Feather and the North Fork Feather when I was a boy. It's a rough and tumble kind of a river with a fast pace, and the roar of the white water echos off the canyon walls. Where Robins stuff their bellies full of Stoneflies, and take retreat on a low branch of a pine next to the river. They eat their meal, gaze about, and take in the sights and sounds of this most impressive watershed.

Bug Of The Month - Pteronarcys Californica

The Madison River in South Western Montana is my favorite trout river, and home of Pteronarcys Californica - The Salmonfly. The Madison is basically a 50 mile riffle and ideal habitat for this big bug, I have taken some of my biggest trout in my life using the nymph here. But the love of the hatch, as almost always, is fishing the big dry. To see a 24" brown lazily nose over to your fly and suck it down with so much authority, that you know in your heart that these fish want this bug for the large size and its nutritional value! In fact the Native Americans that once roamed the shores of Hat Creek in California hunted these bugs to eat. They would wait on the banks near a willow and when they saw a Salmon fly hatch at the right time, they gulped it down! It was best this way as the bug was still soft and buttery, right out of the shuck.

Rivers in spring are filled with melting snow that has accumulated on peaks during the winter, as these flows recede Salmonflies stage up underneath rocks that are close to shore, the bigger the rock the better. This can occur from May through July depending on the snow pack. The hatch is often a hit or miss for mega stone hatches that happen on rivers like the Madison, the hatch starts at the lower river and works its way upstream - Sometimes the pace is often very fast and the bugs can cover miles in a day. One thing I have learned is that I let the crowds of anglers chase that dream, and when they are gone I set up camp, and fish the Salmonfly exclusively. The fish remember that bug for weeks after it has flown through, and you can bet on that!

Illustration by Christine Elder
http://www.christineelder.com/

Nymphs occupy the faster oxygenated riffles and pocket water and live 2- 4 years before emerging as adults. Nymphs are terrible swimmers and are subject to being washed away into the currents and finding its new home in a trout's belly. Feeding on stream debris, and leaf matter the Salmonfly measures 1.75-2.50 inches. The emergence usually occurs after Sunset into the night or early morning when it is still dark out. They crawl out of their exoskeleton and dry their wings before taking flight and finding a secluded area to adapt to their new world, many times mating between male and females occurs right away. I have seen freshly hatched males wait for a female to shed her shuck and start mating!

Adult Salmonflies live 1-2 weeks, and just like their swimming, they are clumsy fliers at best. The female lays her eggs by dabbing the water with her abdomen, dozens of times. She is most vulnerable at this point as her wings can get sucked down into the water where she is a helpless, struggling, prime rib dinner for Mr. Rainbow Trout. There are many fly patterns out there one can choose for this hatch. For the nymph I like a pattern that has rubber legs, tail and antennae, a big juicy and succulent body, and not too heavy so it can seek out the natural feeding lanes when high sticked. For the adult I like a foam bodied Stimulator in a size 6 (females are bigger) with a burnt orange body, a dark hackle in front, and moose for the wing. I have always caught my biggest fish on the dry right at dark. You see the take, and set the hook, the large trout turns and puts on the after burners downstream! Your hands tremble, and your short of breath! You dig deep and keep your cool and there it is at your feet after a long battle.....A two foot long trout at 5 pounds, and a great way to end the day on the Madison River.........

Creekin Report - Frazier Creek

Creekin......Is a state of mind, an adventure of solitude and ravenous wild rainbow trout. I live for this time of year. When all other waters warm up, crowds of float tubes dot my lakes, and hoards of the general public litter my middle fork - A small creek can make all the difference, and keeps my sanity. The only down side at this point in my life is my fishing partner Madison (my blue heeler) is getting too old to jump from rock to rock and fish were the wild things are. But he knows where I have been by the smell of my wading shoes and the fish slime on my quick dry shorts. He wags his tail, gives me a smile, and I promise to take him to the lake in the boat. Satisfied he heads for his corner on the deck and takes up his post as sentry at Fort Baiocchi - And all is good with him.

So yesterday before the T-storms hit I fished Frazier creek. After I demolished my right side running board on my truck over a big boulder (they are both removed now, no more worries.) I rigged up my 4wt. 6 foot rod and walked downstream. No people around, not even a foot print. I stepped in the water and the coolness soaked deep into my legs and feet. The type of water a trout craves. The kind were oxygen rich plunge pools and aquatic insects become their salvation. I could not believe the bugs, so profuse it would make an entomologist cross eyed and dumb founded. There were the little black caddis, the larger gray speckled wing caddis, yellow sallies, the little green stone, golden stones, salmonflies, PMD's, green drakes and 3 different sizes of craneflies - All adults! Fish came so readily that there was no need to count. The game for me was to find that 9" trophy, and a few were found in the deepest pools. I used a gray x-caddis #12 and targeted the holding water, leaping from rock to rock, and staying low. I felt like the prince of pocket water.

I had had enough, and was quite embarrassed at the onslaught of my actions, how dare I harass these beautiful creatures who seek refuge under the pines, cottonwoods, and willows. I searched for bugs and realized that I have never seen so many on this creek before. With that I headed back to the truck and smiled. There is gonna be 4 more months of this pure bliss!

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!