Tracy Chimenti
11-06-2010, 11:17 AM
A long time buddy of mine and I fished Davis Thursday, and after a tenous ride (Blew uni-belt going up D. Summit and played hell finding a working hose in Truckee after replacing it), got on the lake at 9:30AM.
Fished Lightning Tree cove with crappie jigs-- water was flat calm and the crappie jigs seem to do well in these conditions. First fish I caught was a sunken-gutted, emaciated rainbow of about 17-inches, covered with bugs. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, most fish caught were nothing over 16-inches, most 12- to 14. Some were clean and pretty, but the fish are definitely not the ones I caught here 17-years ago. I also noticed the lack of snails. In fact, the bug life was pretty non-descript. In the evening there were schools of catchables midging and we caught them with abandon in and around Cow Creek on prince nymphs. Also caught a few to 16-inches on streamers while wading. Two biggest fish I saw were a couple of 17- to 18-inchers cruising the flats near Freeman. The lake is definitely still in the recovery mode and I think I've about had it for this year. I really hope DFG doesn't flood the lake with catchables next year. It's my guess this may be the reason for the general skinnyness and copepods on the fish. Floating line and 20-foot leaders.
Fished Lightning Tree cove with crappie jigs-- water was flat calm and the crappie jigs seem to do well in these conditions. First fish I caught was a sunken-gutted, emaciated rainbow of about 17-inches, covered with bugs. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, most fish caught were nothing over 16-inches, most 12- to 14. Some were clean and pretty, but the fish are definitely not the ones I caught here 17-years ago. I also noticed the lack of snails. In fact, the bug life was pretty non-descript. In the evening there were schools of catchables midging and we caught them with abandon in and around Cow Creek on prince nymphs. Also caught a few to 16-inches on streamers while wading. Two biggest fish I saw were a couple of 17- to 18-inchers cruising the flats near Freeman. The lake is definitely still in the recovery mode and I think I've about had it for this year. I really hope DFG doesn't flood the lake with catchables next year. It's my guess this may be the reason for the general skinnyness and copepods on the fish. Floating line and 20-foot leaders.