Manzanita Lake - Lassen Park

[Cmcculloch]

Heading up to Manzanita Lake at the end of August with CFFU. Haven't fished there since I was a kid and am looking forward to it. Any suggestions for techniques and especially flies to use would be appreciated. Our club may have a 2 fly contest, so please tell me your top two choices. Win or loose I'm looking forward to fishing in the shadow of Lassen!

Thanks, Craig

[booneshaya]

Fished Manzanita this weekend. Good action with a black zebra midge and a red zebra midge. Fish just above the submerged weedbeds.

[SHigSpeed]

Fished Manzanita this weekend. Good action with a black zebra midge and a red zebra midge. Fish just above the submerged weedbeds.

Only been there once but man do I love that place! Have to get back again some time this year...

_SHig

[Lincoln Gray]

Fished it two weekends ago. I concur, fishing Zebra, Tiger midges or small mayflies are key. Fish them right above or between weed beds. Be aware however, that the fish are smart and once hooked they head straight into weeds. Good luck. I hope this helps!

[steveg137]

Yes love it. Not easy though, concur with above plus lighter tippets and small indicator if one needed. I've always favored slow or no retrieve this time year.

Good luck.

[Cmcculloch]

Thanks to all for the suggestions and tips on fishing Manzanita Lake.

[dickwhite]

If you get bored fishing small flies. Try a suggestion that Doc Nichols gave me years ago. Tie on a mouse right around dark. Bounce if off one of the logs on the side and wait for the rings to go away. Slowly twitch it back. If that doesn't work try a new log. Make sure you have min of 3x tippet. Good luck. Caught my biggest Manzanita brown ever that way. Plus you get everyone on the lakes attention, thinking "What in the hell is that yoyo doing" That is until you hook a big one.

Dick W.
Tahoma Meadows CA

[rider haggard]

Craig,

If you like to fish on top, you should see a Callibaetis hatch starting around 2 p.m., maybe a bit earlier or later. Have dries and an emerger. Quigley cripples with a CDC wing post can work well.

Also, ants always work, but one late August I ran into both a fall of size 20 winged black ants (tough fishing, but I had one tiny ant that worked.) And the next day; a big fall of winged termites. I needed a size 16 orange or rust-colored ant, but didn't have it. Anything with a bit of orange in it worked quite well (a chewed up Humpy, an orange Lafontaine emerger)

Tie all of these to 5x tippet (yes, even the size 20 ants!) I know, some fish will turn their noses up, but many won't, and with 5x you can hang on really hard when you hook them and keep them out of the weeds. I hate breaking fish off in weeds, because I'm never 100% sure they're not tied up in a noose down there. -Maybe it's just me tho!

Good fishing, and remember to look up at the mountain occasionally, the slow bits will still seem perfect.

[Morgan]

DOes manzanita have a closure date? Or is it open year round? My in laws live right down the road and I need to keep the niece thinkin fly rod instead of that spin rod. And her mom is too lazy to fish. She loves fishin w/ uncle tho :)

[Morgan]

anyone....?

[Cmcculloch]

Signs were posted about the special regs at Manzanita. Must use artificials only, with single barbless hooks. No motorized boats are allowed. The park is open all year, subject to snow conditions. Campgrounds, museums etc close 10/1 (as I recall).

On a quick Google search I wasn't able to find info about season closures at Manzanita Lake. The lake freezes during winter, with ice-out usually Mid May. I think I heard about ice fishing there but wasn't interested, so didn't pay close attention.

If you do Internet searches be aware there are two Manzanita Lakes in California. The other is closer to Fresno.

For a good quick answer I suggest a call to The Fly Shop in Redding. It's my second favorite fly shop (after Kiene's, of course).

[Morgan]

Anyone been out there lately?
Or how about mccumber?
I will be out fishing sunday up in the area.