Lake Davis Report 7/2 - Guess Who Showed Up To The Party After All!

[Troutstalker55B]

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Friends and fans of Lake Davis, The damsels have kicked it into high gear as I experienced a fantastic damsel hatch today with my long time clients Don, Gary, and Craig! We were in the north part of the lake, and at first there were no damsels to be seen so a polliwog pattern (good ol Jay Fair wiggle tail) was the answer to some fish. I have been observing the rainbows eating them in 2-3 feet of water - The takes are fierce! I started to see fresh flyer's (damsels) at around 9am.

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Stillborns and cripples enticed a few fish that came into a foot of water, it was a bone fishing/sight fishing kind of day. Because of the high water the damsels can hatch anywhere, we the found the best hatch on a large bed of floating weeds, pollen, and bird feathers. And then the mighty one flipped the switch off, the bugs stopped, and fish went on their way. We had a smile from ear to ear as this was an encouraging day after trying to learn a new lake all over again from 35" of precip that hammered the land this winter and spring. Surface water temps ran 62-69 with the latter being in 1-2 feet of water.

Who knows how long the hatch will last ...But I'm going to get my share of it until it becomes too hot for the fish to be released safely. I can't fricken believe today - It was so good to see our friend the damsel make an appearance at our favorite party.

Jon.

[Reno Flytyer]

Oh my...and just 55 miles away! Thanks Jon! I AM fishin' tomorrow!
RFT

[Troutstalker55B]

RFT,

I'll be out there, hope to see ya! BTW - the blank shallows that we had last month are now filled with backswimmers, and minnows. Now I could not identify the minnows but I found a dead one on the shore and it looked like a bass? Fish are still a bit scattered, if you see rising fish in deep or skinny water by all means spend some time with them. But then again you are a master of the Int. line and fish what you know....

Jon.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Good to hear that you got into some fish. Sounds like one of those real memorable fishing days. 8-) Obviously you did a lot better than I did or the other flotilla of morose 'tooners and tubers that was out on Davis on Tuesday of last week.

Cheers!

--Fly Guy Dave

[gene goss]

I going to be fashionable late...and be there Friday....hope the water doesn't get to warm by that date. See you on the lake.

[Troutstalker55B]

FlyGuy (Dave),

Love your profile pic, I used to wear that shirt when I climbed back in the day. The hatch was much lighter today but still a few players out there. BTW - I can't stress this enough; Pay attention to the birds and you will find the bugs and the fish. Gulls key in on the damsels, and the pelicans will tell you where the fish are.

Jon.

[Troutstalker55B]

Gene,

I have a trolling client on Friday, but give me the "X" wave - Would love to chat with you. If temps do rise go to the Int. line and fish deep, those fish gotta eat like the rest of us. I was out early today and there were fishing rising to a wide seltion of midges, get out there as early as possible right now. Look for concentrations of rising trout and good luck!.

Liked your pics of your Frenchmans trip!

Jon.

[Fly Guy Dave]

Yeah, I STILL have a shirt with that design on it, a relic from my climbing days as well. Climbing and surfing are pretty much in my past. Now its all about the fly rod, flies and trout.

I did see a few gulls and pelicans, but none in any concentrations. Plenty of Canada Geese, but they were just huddled along the shore, staying out of the gusty wind. They were certainly smarter than I was! I'll try and get back up there again before the summer doldrums set in.

Thanks for the advice.

Cheers!

--Fly Guy Dave

[Rick J]

fished with Don for three days and we did not find major damsel migrations occurring - ie did not see many swimming and did not get many crawling on the anchor ropes- Saturday we found a few and same on Sunday and more on Monday - although they are certainly coming off in some numbers as much of the brush out in the water had good numbers of tenerals clinging to them. And the fish do seem to be keying on damsels in certain locations

What was much more exciting to me was the midge hatches - after sporadic blood midge hatches last year, they are out in mass - both the big bloods and tan midges came off especially Saturday night - massive hatches with fish working everywhere, I was worried last year that the blood midges got whacked but it was like the old days!!!

[Troutstalker55B]

Rick J,

Thanks for the input! Since the lake is so full, hatches are so scattered that the fish are just lost and do not where to dine for thier favorite fast food. Your right on about the midge scene, I saw size 10 blood midge in full force in Late May and they continue in a size 12 now. Crawdads rule the stomach sampling - Adjust and cast.......

I can't beleive how you did not chime in on the weather and conditions - To die for Rick!, when the lake is like that - It's the best!

Jon.

[EricW]

I was up on Sunday morning as well, up in the slough. Similar temps in the upper 60's. Damsel nymphs and hare's spider, and as above getting hard takes and bust two spiders off on the set which I haven't had happen in a while. Catching was great up until about 11am when it slowed for us, so we took the opportunity to cool our heads in the shade and have some lunch. Afterward for grins we paddled up to grizzly creek to see the bird life. The creek's barely flowing now, but the water was high enough that we were able to cut over to the other side where the fenceline is without leaving the canoe. In the shallow end of that arm, I stood up and saw two fair bass in about 2 feet of water. Not sure what kind (black tail with the checks on the lateral line, about 12"-13 long. They were spooked and we didn't get a cast to them. Nice day out for sure. For the afternoon, we went and found a very fishable and clearing river in the area to cool off.