Martis Creek Res Report

[SHigSpeed]

Well, it was a dark and stormy night... Oh, wait...

Blueracer and I were to have hit Davis for a hog-bow fest today, but things didn't QUITE work out. I'll give Bryan some time to confes... er, explain, before I elaborate. ;-)

At any rate, instead of getting to Davis, we ended up at Martis instead. I've wanted to fish it for some time, and I'm glad I did. It definitely has the potential for some good fishin'.

Though we left Rocklin around 4:45, this is what the lake looked like when we finally got there. Should've been an hour-point-five drive at worst right?:

Launch time:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2646/4020705585_0a9b6e3eba.jpg

So, within minutes of launching, I managed a brownie to kill the skunk. Things were looking up.

The fog eventually lifted:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/4020706421_9862384490.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2524/4020706021_49ecfcd10c.jpg

It was pretty calm until later in the day than I'd've expected. Fishing was fair, and there was some size to be had. I broke off a head-shaking beast, and had a couple other respectable pulls come free. Wind kicked up around noon and wind drifting and kick-trolling upwind was the method that worked for me.

Did I mention it was Bryan and his 'toon's maiden voyage? Yeah, he needs to learn some boat management skills. Would've been a LONG wait and equally long walk to collect this if he had to wait until the wind picked up...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/4021468014_81ca06a2fc.jpg

Which brings us to some fish pics. Let's play "one of these things doesn't belong"! :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4021468456_8c2be8d5bb.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2618/4021468876_b44eb49eab.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2776/4021469272_ee5cf4856e.jpg

Unfortunately because Bryan hogged all the rainbows, I didn't get the Martis Hat-Trick. He OTOH didn't get any brownies. Next time...

All in all, a great day on the water. Had a blast learning this new water. Anyone care to chime in on if this lake has a "window" or does it fish well throughout the year?

Now, the rest of the day OFF the water, that was a WHOLE different adventure...

_SHig

[SHigSpeed]

BTW, Martis is barbless artificial C&R only.

_SHig

[Scott V]

Too cool Shig, looks like I might have to go there real soon.

[Hairstacker]

Nice! Pretty cutt. :cool:

[michaeln]

Loads of those yellow sunfish in Martis (illegal plant years ago, and they have thrived). I think that's what the biggest trout eat, and it's why big green or yellow streamers are productive there.

[Dave E.]

Those photo's bring back some memories. Nice job.

Re: Anyone care to chime in on if this lake has a "window" or does it fish well throughout the year?


Unless there's been a change in the regulations I've missed ( and that's entirely possible ), both Martis and Milton are open from the last Saturday in April until November 15th.

Best, Dave

[SHigSpeed]

Unless there's been a change in the regulations I've missed ( and that's entirely possible ), both Martis and Milton are open from the last Saturday in April until November 15th.

Best, Dave

Ah, of course. I meant throughout the available season. :)

I did get the opportunity to talk to some Army Corps folks there yesterday doing dam core surveys who said their goal was to restore the lake level to 100 year pool, significantly increasing the size of the lake. Apparently they discovered the dam leaked the first time they filled up the lake!

_SHig

[jigger]

Nice report. Enjoyed the pics
For me, martis fishes best from the opener till june, especially close to the opener. Then suffers the typical summer woes of a small shallow lake, warm and WEEDY. The dam's integrity is in question (fault underneath?) so they only store minimal water. Doing away with it and returning the whole martis drainage to a free tributary of the truckee would be cool in my lifetime.

[SHigSpeed]

Thanks for that. BTW, water went from 49 to 52 through the day. Surface weeds are mostly gone with a few remaining clumps.

_SHig

[SHigSpeed]

Just saw this amazing photo of Martis full!:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Martis_Creek_Lake_and_Dam_winter.jpg/800px-Martis_Creek_Lake_and_Dam_winter.jpg

Crazy...

_SHig

[SHigSpeed]

Also...

"[4] Martis Creek Reservoir—The Martis Creek Dam was constructed by the COE in 1971 and was intended to store waters from a 40 square mile drainage area to include not only Martis Creek, by the East, West, and Central Martis Creeks as well. In accordance with COE requirements, this reservoir, with a total storage capacity of 20,400 acre-feet, serves only flood control purposes. While legislation allows for other uses, only temporary storage is currently permitted due to an unsafe, leaking dam. Except during flood storage, reservoir outflows equal inflows."

_SHig

[jigger]

SHig, that picture is sweet. Full all the way to 267 and beyond. I'm looking at the traffic jam on the highway and thinking new years 1997. Awesome weather. First, it snowed like it rarely snows. It was one of those where your car is just a white bump in the driveway. And then it rained and rained and rained. Did not stop for three days. Awesome. That dam came in handy then for the folks in reno and sparks.

[markem8]

I fished Martis regularly back when it was full to the highway. The channel by the highway had some great fish in it. Unfortunately Martis is not nearly as good as it used to be. Those are a couple of nice trout SHigSpeed.

[Blueracer]

We were half way there when.....well, I wish I had a photo because they do say a thousand words now don't they.

SHig and I inspect a tire that has decided to shred its tread like snakeskin. The tire had obviously got some critical damage to it when I smashed over some planks of wood in the middle of the road a few weeks earlier.

So donut is on and we go to air it up solid and I just had to check the front tire we had moved from the back to the front. This is when the valve stem gives up its life and releases almost as much air as we did with our corresponding sighs of disbelief. On goes the bad tire. This is about the time Martis started looking good.

It was quite foggy and we miss the turn off for the lake. As we roll on through the fog the "Gate Ahead" signs go unnoticed. We notice a parking lot/pull off to our left that doesn't go unnoticed as we look for a sign or arrow indicating LAKE. The next glance at the road in front of me my headlights reveal a very large gate. By the time we stop I am 2 feet passed it. Needless to say, I could hardly believe this just happened.

CHP stops in and does a report and eventually we make it to the other world (so it seemed after our day off the water up to then)

Visuals:

Fence
Bye-bye '95 Grand Prix SE
The trout that refused to complete SHig's hatrick even though I willed them to.

[SHigSpeed]

You failed to mention how you pissed off the gods of fish mojo by failing to deal with your jammed seatbelt mechanism, misplaced wallet, and low fuel level!

We might as well have worn banana underpants for the trip.

Seems like me fixing the seatbelt soon after the friendly law enforcement officer left turned the day around - that is until you let your boat go 'a wandering.

_SHig

[Scott V]

You gotta love an adventue.

[SHigSpeed]

You gotta love an adventue.

No doubt! 'Twas a fishing trip that I'll never forget - for all the wrong reasons...

BTW, it's probably more correctly a "Triple Crown", as a "Hat Trick" would be 3 of the same species. My bad... I hate sports.

_SHig

[Blueracer]

Well put SHig.

[Fochetti]

Well....At least you guys caught fish. That kind of makes up for the other stuff. It could have been a very bad day if you got skunked.

[inclinejj]

Just saw this amazing photo of Martis full!:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Martis_Creek_Lake_and_Dam_winter.jpg/800px-Martis_Creek_Lake_and_Dam_winter.jpg

Crazy...

_SHig

That could have been 1997.. That year it snowed like 3 feet on Reno-Sparks and then rained and melted all the snow..The last big flood of the Truckee River..

Martis filled up almost to Highway 267 in 2005-2006 Winters but not like 1997.