Red Lake and East Carson good for Beginner?

[kokaneejr]

So it looks like I need to find another spot to fish as the lassen area is now off. I was wondering what you guys thought of the west carson and Red Lake area @ Sept 11. I have never been in the area and I have always fished streams and never lakes for trout. Would this be a good place to try. I have an inflaetable kayak and a float tube I use for bass but have never fly fished in a lake before. I picked up the flyfishing frogwater book and have an idea. I also have floating and type 3 lines on a reel. What do you guys think. I figured it might be a good spot because if I get frustrated I can always fish the Carson river.

Second choice would be maybe the Gold lakes region and Sardine lakes near sierra city.

Thanks again...Craig.

p.s. Car Camping.

[SHigSpeed]

Red is small enough to tube and can be very good around then for Brookies and Cutts, but if you're out there on the weekend, go to Heenan unless you want something for the barbeque.

_SHig

[robdog]

I think any body of water is good for a beginner. You need to get out there & practice technique. Learn to read water & figure out where the fish are. The more you go, the better flycaster you will become. The W Carson is awesome. The E Carson is better. Red Lake can be challenging, cause it does get a lot of pressure & you have to find the fish. Get out there & provide a report.

[kokaneejr]

Thanks guys for the quick response. Looks as if the carson River region is the place to go. Never even heard of Heenan before so thanks for that!! I am always a catch and release guy so that is not a problem. Anyone have any good campsites to recommend. Looks as if I have a few choices up there:).

Robdog I am pretty confident in streams and rivers I just need to learn stillwaters. I have had pretty good success at Hat, wild Burney section and the upper Sac so I think I will be fine with the West Carson but I will research the East Carson per your advice. It looks like a selection of woolly buggers might be a good idea. Heenen might be the ticket as I need to build confidence. Although I still enjoy myself whether I catch anything or not.

Back to the trout bums guide and to the bench till September I can't wait. Wish the sierra was closer to Petaluma:(

[Ned Morris]

I am partial to the area up Hwy 4 outside of Markleeville. There are a handful of day hike lakes that offer excellent fishing for Cutthroat, Brookies, and Rainbows and a float tube can be easily packed in. There are some developed campgrounds at Silver Creek, Noble Creek, and undeveloped (Free) campsites near the pass and by the upper NF Mokelumne (Highland Lakes Rd.) One of my favorite areas.

[robdog]

Robdog I am pretty confident in streams and rivers I just need to learn stillwaters. I have had pretty good success at Hat, wild Burney section and the upper Sac so I think I will be fine with the West Carson but I will research the East Carson per your advice. It looks like a selection of woolly buggers might be a good idea.


Also try damselfly nymph imitations. You get some success w/ those as well. I fished the E Carson a couple of weeks ago. Had the same about of success as I did on the W Carson. Just keep your fly low in the food column. It worked for me. Your basic nymph patterns you help you get into fish.

[ted1]

If you decide to go to red, fish the far end of the lake with the type 3, and wooly buggers: gold, chart., grizzly, change them up. Strip very small and very fast and they will come.

[kokaneejr]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the info again!! The decision has been made. It is the East and West Carson and maybe Heenan or another lake in the area. We enjoy hiking a bit so we shall see. Anybody know if those small creeks around the area contain fish. I have a new fly fisher and I think that might be a fun way to start out. We will be going around Sept 10 - 13 and it looks as if it is Wolf Creek camp to start.
I am hoping for some good fish and some grea scenery....Craig.

Now to ty a few flies for the trip:)

[Ed Wahl]

Craig, all those small creeks in the area have fish. I think it's an Alpine County ordinance.

Wolf creek has 'em too, but you'll have to work for them. Low,skinny water means really spooky fish. Sneak upstream staying as low as you can, and put a fly (any fly, doesn't matter) over any deeper hole you come to.
Deeper is a relative term here, anything deeper than the surrounding area will probably have a fish in it, it could be only 5 inches deep.

I'm with Troutdog on the Ebbetts pass suggestion. Funny I haven't run into him before, he's fished almost all of my favorite little spots.

Ed

[kokaneejr]

Thanks Ed,

We will definately be exploring all 4 days. Don't know exactly where or how yet but it will be fun.

Ed I was wondering, without giving to much away, what the best strategy was for the smaller creeks. Do I try a nymph or do I go with the dry fly. My first experience with dries and no hatch or risers was in the upper sac this year. Kind of a create your own hatch. I was skeptical but it sure worked.

Craig.

[Ed Wahl]

For the small creeks you'll rarely have to resort to nymphs. Pick almost any dry, in sizes 14 and 16, and you'll be pretty well covered.
This is very intimate fishing. You'll be spotting and stalking.
The biggest bugaboos are drag on the fly and spooking the fish. It will amaze you just how well they can see. A camo hat and shirt would not be out of line.
I've found a pair of binoculars to be pretty handy for both sizing up fish and just observing them doing their thing without disturbing them.

Man, this threads really making me want to get back up there.

Ed

[kokaneejr]

Hey guys Thanks again for all the info. I ended up just fishing the Carson as wind, pressure, as I heard Heenan had 35 pontoons on Friday, and weather kept us local. I had fun had a close call with some lightning and a rattler but all in all enjoyed it. As this is a post for Stillwater I will post in the rivers section later. I still want to learn to fish a lake and after finding out that area is only @4 hours from Petaluma I now have some interesting choices. I wish I had known Indian Creek was good as I almost camped there. Oh well next time.

Thanks again for all the info Craig.

[troutbm]

Wolf creek is about as easy as it gets ! East carson has been very good to me this summer.

[kokaneejr]

hey troutbm,

Wolf Creek may be easy for you but not us. I camped at the end of Wolf Creek Meadow and fished my way to the Carson the first morning and thought that the creek had no fish as I didn't see anything all morning.Guess I was too clumsy and spooked them all. Either that or it being 90 degrees for the first 2 days I was there put them down. It was beautiful though and I wouldn't change that first camping spot anyways.

I will have to try again and keep learning the areas secrets...:)