Bill Kiene semi-retired
06-02-2006, 09:01 AM
I would say that June/July should be good for most of our popular trout lakes that have been snowed in all winter.
I would try Davis, Frenchman, Baum, McCumber, Manzanita, Indian Creek and Fuller now.
There are hundreds more that could also be good.
These mid-elevation (1500-5000') lakes usually fish best around June but this year everything is a little late.
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There is wading in some lakes but a float-tube, pontoon boat, canoe, kayak or small boat is better.
Have a 9' or longer #5-6 line outfit with a weight forward floating line and a clear slow sinking line for getting down some in mid-day.
Just dragging a small #12 leech or woolly bugger around on a clear slow sinking line is pretty deadly in many lakes.
I prefer to fish the insect hatches when possible. Here you need flies that are very close to the exact size, shape and color of the naturals to fool trout on top.
Early and late when thee surface is smooth many fish 'midges' which are generally small (#18 or less) but there are some big ones too like the Blood Midge which is a #12/14.
Mayflies usually hatch in the day time on lakes. The Callibaetis is the moist common one found from here to British Columbia. It can be a 14/16 size bug. You can use a small light #16 nymph on 5x tippet, a Bob Quigley cripple or a paradun dry imitation on 5x-6x tippet. The Adams Paradun worked well but some places have specialize imitations for them.
Damsel fly nymphs swim up to the surface mid-day and try to climb out on something like vegetation to hatch out into an adult. When they are emerging and you see fish working you need a small Damsel nymph on 4x tippet that almost floats and you cast it where the fish are feeding and barely move it. I try to get up wind of the area where fish are working the surface.
Getting out early on lakes while it is smooth is popular and then fish till the wind blows for surface activity. Lakes can fish all day at times.
http://www.kiene.com/gallery/albums/OurBoats/hosmer.jpg
I would try Davis, Frenchman, Baum, McCumber, Manzanita, Indian Creek and Fuller now.
There are hundreds more that could also be good.
These mid-elevation (1500-5000') lakes usually fish best around June but this year everything is a little late.
__________________________________________________ ________
There is wading in some lakes but a float-tube, pontoon boat, canoe, kayak or small boat is better.
Have a 9' or longer #5-6 line outfit with a weight forward floating line and a clear slow sinking line for getting down some in mid-day.
Just dragging a small #12 leech or woolly bugger around on a clear slow sinking line is pretty deadly in many lakes.
I prefer to fish the insect hatches when possible. Here you need flies that are very close to the exact size, shape and color of the naturals to fool trout on top.
Early and late when thee surface is smooth many fish 'midges' which are generally small (#18 or less) but there are some big ones too like the Blood Midge which is a #12/14.
Mayflies usually hatch in the day time on lakes. The Callibaetis is the moist common one found from here to British Columbia. It can be a 14/16 size bug. You can use a small light #16 nymph on 5x tippet, a Bob Quigley cripple or a paradun dry imitation on 5x-6x tippet. The Adams Paradun worked well but some places have specialize imitations for them.
Damsel fly nymphs swim up to the surface mid-day and try to climb out on something like vegetation to hatch out into an adult. When they are emerging and you see fish working you need a small Damsel nymph on 4x tippet that almost floats and you cast it where the fish are feeding and barely move it. I try to get up wind of the area where fish are working the surface.
Getting out early on lakes while it is smooth is popular and then fish till the wind blows for surface activity. Lakes can fish all day at times.
http://www.kiene.com/gallery/albums/OurBoats/hosmer.jpg