Eagle Lake Shrimp Pattern?

[GoldenStone]

I might try Eagle soon... I keep reading about the shrimp pattern for Eagle but cannot locate online.

Does anyone have a pic and/or pattern for that elusive crustacean?

[Troutstalker55B]

GS,

All you need to know about the Gammarus freshwater shrimp at Eagle Lake; http://jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com/2012/04/tying-freshwater-shrimp.html?m=1

[GoldenStone]

THANKS TS55B! very nice...

Next inquiry: Besides Eagle Lake, what other Sierra lakes do you know have these shrimp?

thanks...

[Troutstalker55B]

THANKS TS55B! very nice...

Next inquiry: Besides Eagle Lake, what other Sierra lakes do you know have these shrimp?

thanks...

Eagle Lake has the biggest population, but I have found them in smaller numbers in Lake Davis, Frenchman's reservoir, and many lakes in the Lassen/Modoc area. - J.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Oct/Nov/Dec is the popular timing for Eagle Lake.

Oct is a chance to go early before it gets so cold.

I think Nov is the traditional month for many.

Dec is a nasty weather month but can be very good.

__________________________________________

Jay Fair use to do, on the lake, Eagle Lake seminars for our shop some years ago.

He travels the lake in a boat, beaches it and wades.

Jay likes to wade for fly casting Eagle Lake.


He likes a 9' #6 line rod.

He used mostly 2 fly lines: (1) Weight forward floater for calm days, (2) true Intermediate (0.5 isp) for windy days.

He liked 12' 3x leaders.

He used mostly his small wiggle tailed nymph (mini buggers) with a little weight in them.

Jay did not like blue bird weather. He liked wind and clouds.

He liked to fish very early in the morning.

He almost did not retrieve his fly...ultra, ultra slow retrieve. He actually pulled the rod back for his retrieve, then stripped up the slack.

__________________________________________________ ______


**At our fly shop Terry Thomas is our local Eagle Lake expert if you have any questions.

Terry and friends have had an annual Eagle Lake trip in November for decades.

We usually have a very up to date and serious fly selection for Eagle Lake and for Pyramid Lake.

.

[Troutstalker55B]

Oct/Nov/Dec is the popular timing for Eagle Lake.

Oct is a chance to go early before it gets so cold.

I think Nov is the traditional month for many.

Dec is a nasty weather month but can be very good.

__________________________________________

Jay Fair use to do, on the lake, Eagle Lake seminars for our shop some years ago.

He travels the lake in a boat, beaches it and wades.

Jay likes to wade for fly casting Eagle Lake.


He likes a 9' #6 line rod.

He used mostly 2 fly lines: (1) Weight forward floater for calm days, (2) true Intermediate (0.5 isp) for windy days.

He liked 12' 3x leaders.

He used mostly his small wiggle tailed nymph (mini buggers) with a little weight in them.

Jay did not like blue bird weather. He liked wind and clouds.

He liked to fish very early in the morning.

He almost did not retrieve his fly...ultra, ultra slow retrieve. He actually pulled the rod back for his retrieve, then stripped up the slack.

__________________________________________________ ______


**At our fly shop Terry Thomas is our local Eagle Lake expert if you have any questions.

Terry and friends have had an annual Eagle Lake trip in November for decades.

We usually have a very up to date and serious fly selection for Eagle Lake and for Pyramid Lake.

.

Great advice Bill, and thanks for sharing. I pretty much owe everything to Jay, he helped me out when I started guiding in 1997. He showed me all his buckets at Eagle Lake and Lake Davis, and his way of fishing them, which I continue to share with my guests in his honor. After hundreds of days fishing/instructing at Eagle Lake I quit guiding there a few years ago due to the condition of the fishery and the lower water levels. There is no way one can compare Eagle Lake back in the mid 90's to today, it's very different, and a little sad too. I will still hold onto my USFS Lassen special use permit with a hope that it may come back to its former glory.

Regardless of the fishing, it's still a really cool place to visit with its topography of the land, and its past connection to the great Lake Lahontan, and the ancient trout. For the best source of information at Eagle Lake, click on my good friend Val Aubrey's site; http://eaglelakefishing.net/index.php - J.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Jon

Nice that you were able to spend time with Jay.

Is Jay still alive?

[Troutstalker55B]

Thanks Jon

Nice that you were able to spend time with Jay.

Is Jay still alive?

Bill,

Jay called me in the summer of 2015 just to talk fishing and to catch up, I have not talked with him since. Mutual friends of his have informed me he is not doing well so please keep him in your thoughts. We owe so much to that man, he really helped all of us fly anglers out by sharing his wisdom, and passion of fly fishing. Sharing the knowledge, helping others, and being a good ambassador for fly fishing was the best advice he ever gave me. I wear it on my sleeve daily..... - J.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Jon

I am sure we would have heard if he was gone so God bless him.

He has had a wonderful life.

[GoldenStone]

Thanks T Stalker... Lots of info. Much appreciated.

[GoldenStone]

Thanks Bill... Great info about a legendary CA flyfisher.

[Troutstalker55B]

Thanks Jon

I am sure we would have heard if he was gone so God bless him.

He has had a wonderful life.

You, my Dad, and the rest of you old salts got to experience Northern California in its hey day with a fly rod. All of you are so fortunate, and have led great journeys of
success on holy waters. I envy you, yet at the same time congratulate you for being out there, and experiencing the old school magic. I get it. At least I was able to fish the waters of northern California in the 70's, just hit the water, and fish on! It was special - J.

[Andy]

Jay is an awesome guy.

Fished a guide day with him almost 20 years ago when I was a nor cal newbie. Still vividly remember zooming across Eagle, his face facing the freezing December wind and snow as I shivered in a jacket he loaned me.

Called him to buy some of his custom dyed schlappen hackle after that: he insisted on sending it to me without prepayment "just send me a check when you get it."

Called him a few times after that, he was always glad to b.s. about spots and patterns no strings attached: during one of those conversations he described one his damsel patterns that is a standard in my lake box to this day. Class act for sure!