Rancho Seco is good for big planted Rainbow trout now.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If you are looking for a place to fish this is it.

Chuck Campana said to use a floating line and long leader (15' 4x) with a #12 wet fly or nymph.

You can edge wade some of it but a float tube, Vboat, pontoon boat, kayak, canoe or small boat with oars or electric motor will get you more action.

Great place to take the family too.

Link to Rancho Seco info:

http://www.kiene.com/reports/ponds/ranchoseco.htm

[SuperFlyGuy]

Went out to Seco for the afternoon. You're right bill, there are a bunch of lunkers cruising around. I would say I saw at least 4 20 inchers from the small doc I was casting from. Couldn't get them to bite a thing!!!

I tried a floating line with 12 foot leader.

woolly buggers, pupahs, pts, black ap's, zwing's wd40's emergers, chironomids, and just about every other fly I don't know the name of in my box. Not a lick! I mean I would literally cast to their face cause its like a big aquarium.

I did manage to land 1 very fat bluegill that stuck the zwing, and another LDR, probably a bass by the way he hit it and swam under a weed bed.

but no trout... Any idea's? I could see them swim right up to my feet in schools, but they wouldn't take a thing.. hmm....

[jbird]

It may have been a tippet size/visibility issue. In aquarium clear water, you have to walk the line of too light of tippet. And flourocarbon makes a huge difference. During my "adventure" to klamath lake, I had fish lunge from 50' away in the crystal clear water to examine my fly, just to reject it. I had 6# seaguar flouro, and I think the fish saw it. I think I may have needed to go to 4#.

Jay

[SuperFlyGuy]

6x flouro!! I doubt they saw it.. but I did see them swim up to all of the flies and reject it last minute.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

All I could say is to try a 15' leader to 6x GrandMax with a #16 PT maybe?

Or maybe lead them with a #18 chironomid on an indicator?

Or try early and late or an overcast day?

I guess the barometer was falling today?

Who knows.......that's why they call it "fishing" and not "catching".

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Chuck Campana was out there again this week and did well.

He said they are in small boats with electric motors so they can stand and see the pods of cruising fish in the clear water.

He said they don't seem to bite all day long either. Randomly they seem to get aggressive.

He is using a WF6F, 20 feet of leader to 4x Grand Max FC tippet with a #10/12 wet fly. He said a Jay Fair Wiggle Nymph would work or a BH Prince nymph.

During the week Chuck said they were the only tow boats on the lake.

Chuck said these planted Rainbow trout are very hot and large.

I am going to try to get out there this weekend.

I will post the day and time I will be there.

If you have a 10' to 14' boat on a trailer with oars that will work too.

No gas motors, just electrics and/or oars.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I will be out at Rancho Seco this Saturday around 2:00pm till sunset in my white Columbia 12' fiberglass boat with a friend who I am exposing to fly fishing.

Hope to see some of you out there.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Drag out that canoe, kayak, small boat, float tube or pontoon boat and join us out at "Rancho Nuclearous" today.

I'll be the old short fat guy in the white boat.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We went out to Rancho Seco yesterday and had some action even though it was a little windy.

There are some nice big Rainbows out there plus lots of black bass.

I had not been there in over 30 years so it was good to spend some time checking it out.

It is a pretty large lake that is great for fly fishing with very clear water.

Right off I think one thing to do is have a very long leader, like 15 to 20 feet with lighter fluorocarbon tippet.

The hot setup out there is a small boat, 8' to 16', with a really good electric motor and big battery fully charged.

With polarized glasses you can stand while moving and spot fish cruising.

For a quick shot in the evening you can wade quit a bit of the shoreline.

It is a very nice place to go with tons of room for only $5 per car and $3 more if you want to launch a boat.

The planted trout should slow as the water warms but April/may should be great for LMB.