Davis lake 7/5-7/7 No damsel hatch

[Rick J]

I fished last weekend with Don for 3 days and we did not see many damsels though saw quite few tenerals clinging to vegetation. Even though we did not see many damels, on the last morning we were anchored in the wind and throwing damsel patterns and letting the wind carry the line with a slow retreive and did quite well - so although we did not see many active fish, they did appear to be keying on damsels sub-surface. Don't really like dredging like this but what's a guy to do.....

And if you want to see bloods hatching you really need to be on the water when they come off in numbers and that is right at dark!! We found very large hatches coming off when the wind died down.

[1flyfisher]

Let me correct some of the above inaccuracies.
Hell where do I start?

I don't know what the hillbillies up in graeagle are smoking these days but it's davis Lake. But who really cares?
(53.8 Davis Lake (Plumas Co.) All Year 5 per day
10 in possession
(54) Davis Lake tributaries (Plumas Co.). Saturday preceding Memorial Day through Nov. 15. 5 per day
10 in possession
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/Fr...-ch3-art3.html
ocean....you may want to re-edit...."for accuracy".

Bulldog your world is upside down.
If you actually fish davis you would find the fish @ davis last summer averaged 10-14" and they were covered with parasites. The fish have grown slightly and are averaging 16" and many are still covered with parasites. Fish average in the past on davis ran 17-22" chrome beauties that could get into your backing. Damsels hatches have been well below average the last 3 years and the snails are gone. Fishing and fish quality have been below average. 4 years post rotenone we should be back to normal quality fish and fishing for davis by now.
On the other hand Fishing and fish quality @ Pyramid is beautiful,,, Big Red is looking good these days,,,fishing has never been better. Plenty of BIG Reds 10lb+ fish landed. Epic Spring that ran into june. I would have been on davis 3-5 days a week each week in may and june as I usually am but the fishing was so freakin good on pyramid and the fishing on davis was sketchy(was too cold spring for davis but perfect for pyramid and other select lakes) I spent my days where the fishing was HOT.

My close friends and folks that I know, they want a report on the "damsel" hatch. These people are interested in fishing this particular hatch. Not trolling around, not soaking bugs bobber fishing staring at a bobber, etc ...they want sight fishing to risers fish working the damsels. They know they can come bobber fishing or fish sinkers and catch fish on other bugs. They don't want to. They would rather catch one fish sight fishing to risers stalking the skinny than 10 fish staring at bobbers. I tell them it is not happening. I don't see anything wrong with telling my friends or anyone else that wants to fish the damsels whether it is happening or not.

The above report is the SPECIFICS, of what I and several others experienced 7/5-7/7. This was for the area of cow/freeman/fugawee and what you can experience in these areas as far as damsel activity and fish working. I clearly stated that I did not fish other areas. Was thaT NOT CLEAR enough? Also I think I mentioned that it was for those particular days and that things may change for the better (but that in my opinion I did not expect much improve,ment) I think I said I hope I am wrong but I have to state why I believe what will happen and why(that it is getting late and damsels END around the 4th). Each one of the folks I fished with(they're true regulars, have been for decades) have more years and time on davis then the collective lot of you chiming in here. We fished damsel nymphs and callibaetis nymphs surface to subsurface. There were no dry fly opportunities whatsoever so there was no shot at trying an adult or ephemeral, Not one adult or ephemeral was on the water and few and sporadic risers. MNot exactly dry fly opportunities when it is like that. Surface Water was 76 half way deep into freeman in the afternoon in 8 feet of water. 74 off cowllibeatis island in the afternoon. Water was 71 off cow at 8. The lake(in the areas I stated) was for the most devoid of working fish. I know a few of the guys were fishing callibaetis deep as was I. Not much happening there. That's how these guys did, that's how the folks I spoke to did, that's how I did. I guess some of you don't want to hear that or want that reported to the folks out there but thems the facts, that was the conditions. The folks that have been driving for sub par fishing have asked me to put up what I find and they know they can count on me telling it like it is.


Wind LOL.... On davis the afternoons when the wind comes up and the hatches shut off.... Well if you know the lake you would know that the fish shut off 9 out of 10 times this time of year in these current hot water and light hatch conditions. Can you scrape up a few more fish subsurface? yes you might, but most likely you will not. This would be for this time of year/conditions and these small fish and how they have been behaving. When you have the usual davis hogs prowling the shoreline and weed beds in the fall and the wind screams it can be damn good. So let me be perfectly clear before one of you once again twists things or miscomprehend. Also when you have a raging damsel hatch and nymphs are swimming en masse, Sometimes when the wind comes up the fish will continue to working them and will continue to eat into the afternoon till 4 ish. OFTEN when the wind comes up the fish simply stop eating as they are already satiated and have no need to continue to feed. You might scrape up a few under those conditions. Sorry but the wind is not your friend on davis when the water and hatch conditions are like they were 7/5-7/7. You can spend the afternoon sweltering in the sun flailing away or soaking bugs and have little to show for the effort and sun burn, I know because I actually stay out to 4/5 sometimes 8am to sun down when the wind is screaming kicking back just sitting and waiting for a riser behind cowllibaetis island or deep in fugawee after all you have packed it in. Also when the wind starts screaming in the afternoon and blows till dark(which it does most days) it does not allow an evening hatch(AND catching) to go off. Come on out this week and prove me wrong.
....so when I am planning to leave on a particular day @ 1 and the wind starts howling @ 12:30 and the water is 74+ degrees and the fish aren't working and the bugs aren't coming off and I have bands to go see, beer to drink, and hot babes roaming @ farmers market on a thu.....I'm out of there.

I'll be out this week sometime. I have a rod/reel coming in the USPS, I'd like to get it before I fish again. Come show me ALL the Thousands of damsels flying and swimming around cow/freeman. When the wind comes up screaming and shuts it down and it is sweltering I want to watch all you all afternoon sweltering till dark not catching squat. I'll be laying in the shade sucking on a Sierra Nevada pale ale laughing.

[1flyfisher]

I did not see any blood midges(saw like one) during the day from fugawee. BUT there are tons in the lake. I saw plenty last year.
I didn't get to fish the evenings as the wind didn't lay down. It is tough to catch davis without wind in the evening but if you can I highly recommend anyone to try jenkins area. High water years it has historically done well for blood midge in the evening and callibaetis during the day deep in the cove between camp 5 and jenkins. A few cars were at jenkins but I never made it down there.

If the wind lays down in the evening I will be on the blood midge hatch.

Also did n not see any caddis 7/5-7/7, forgot to mention that.

I fished last weekend with Don for 3 days and we did not see many damsels though saw quite few tenerals clinging to vegetation. Even though we did not see many damels, on the last morning we were anchored in the wind and throwing damsel patterns and letting the wind carry the line with a slow retreive and did quite well - so although we did not see many active fish, they did appear to be keying on damsels sub-surface. Don't really like dredging like this but what's a guy to do.....

And if you want to see bloods hatching you really need to be on the water when they come off in numbers and that is right at dark!! We found very large hatches coming off when the wind died down.

[1flyfisher]

I wasn't able to get out since the above report but here is the latest and it reflects what I stated above. Damsels are just not happening this year and fishing has been pretty sketchy.
I saw plenty of blood midges last year so that may still happen(and I believe it will), I didn't think the damsels would get going after what I saw on the 5/6/7th. Like I said it is past their time. If you haven't been to the lake in a few years you may be quite disappointed to find the fish size averaging below past average so if you come up don't be expecting to find what you experienced in the past.
I would tell my friends to stay home/fish elsewhere. Wait till fall,,,,they will stock some brood stock.

Lake Davis -July 18th - Wow, I hope you were not one of the very few anglers who fished Davis this weekend based upon my last report. We fished the lake Saturday and Sunday and were quite dissapointed. After last weekend's improved hope because of seeing and casting to fish working on migrating damsels and knowing how well everyone was doing using midge imitations, I had some very high hopes for this last weekend. The lake was dead, we covered water from south of Eagle all the way up to deep in Freeman channel and never saw even an adult damsel and maybe only a handful of midges. We could not even see indications of midge hatches in the evenings because there were no shucks on the water in the usual scum lines where some oportunistic fish sometimes work in the morning. Dead, dead, dead, we saw only 3 or 4 fish work the entire morning both days. Water temps were around 66 to 68 degrees and it was clear and sunny following our cooling down trend we had last week. Things are definately NOT on track with damsels, midges, caddis, and callibaetis at the lake. In fact, this was the first couple of days in serveral weekds that we did not even see a lot of callibaetis spinners. Don't know what to say, the long winter, high water, and cool temps are effecting fishing all over the west from late summer steelhead runs to unexplainable late hatches and high water conditions on all snow and moutain fed rivers and streams. There were a few guys tubing right near the bank on upper Cow Creek, but I did not stop to ask how they were doing. I made slow runs into every north west bay and marked only a fraction of the fish we normal see on the radar. I did not fish the east side of the lake, but my senses tell me it was not any better, if you fished it with some success, let me know so Heidi the fish dog won't be so depressed. Don

http://www.flyfishwithdon.com/fishreport.htm

[Bull_Dog]

I fished last weekend with Don for 3 days and we did not see many damsels though saw quite few tenerals clinging to vegetation. Even though we did not see many damels, on the last morning we were anchored in the wind and throwing damsel patterns and letting the wind carry the line with a slow retreive and did quite well - so although we did not see many active fish, they did appear to be keying on damsels sub-surface. Don't really like dredging like this but what's a guy to do.....

And if you want to see bloods hatching you really need to be on the water when they come off in numbers and that is right at dark!! We found very large hatches coming off when the wind died down.

Rick,

Nice report. THe thing that most anglers do not understand is that everything that was less that 8 feet was dry last year. No food unless there was a migration. the fish are hanging out in cooler deeper water where the bugs from last year were hatched. Doug and i do a great job explaning that in our stillwater clinic. We are helping anglers understand rising and falling water levels. Not getting all butt hurt and accusing anglers of not fishing a certain lake like 1flyfisher. You are on the right track and should do better than most. Fish deep this year and it will pay off. P.S. Frenchman's is going off.

Good Luck and thanks for the support

Rob

[1flyfisher]

...So sad.

There's NO aquatic food in 8 feet and less @ Davis? Holy Cow Creek..... LOL, WRONG AGAIN.

I have fished MANY High water years on Davis where the water levels rise and drop yearly and come up like they have done this year. That is how DAVIS is. It Fills up and they DRAIN it down, that's A regular occurrence and if you actually fish the lake you might understand what is going on. This isn't the first time the lake has been at this level. I have fished it at this level (where cowllibaetis island is an actual island etc) many years. And in a couple months they will start moving water out of it and draining it and making room for next winter and you will have a nice 20-30_ feet of muddy shoreline to get your boots stuck in or to have to drag a kayak or pram through. Water level goes up. Water level goes down. Not particularly a good thing for a lake when water levels do this but that's the way it is,,, davis is for water storage and the powers that be fluctuate the water levels wildly. Davis is a resilient lake it actually handles it all quite well.

An observant angler will easily see and understand how each particular bugs/aquatic food source reacts to rising and falling water levels on davis. Just because the water level has risen doesn't mean food sources have not immediately moved into the new water. Some bugs will and some bugs won't(you just have to know which ones) and there is more than just bugs in the lake as a food source. There are crustaceans and minnows. And it certainly doesn't mean that fish won't prowl the banks and new shoreline.

Let me help you out a bit and explain a little about DAVIS and what is going on.
Callibaetis were popping off in 4-6 feet of water off cowllibaetis island on the 5th&6th of this month in HUGE numbers 15-20 feet from the banks.
There are tons of water boatmen, back swimmers, beetles, crayfish, tadpoles, dragonflies(side note,,,it has been a good year for dragons and they crawl out on the banks and willows in shallow water,,,ie no weed beds) and what few damsels there are left in the lake are crawling to shore in water 8 feet and less and in the willows there are minnows(green,bluegill,redear,baby catfish,baby trout, etc) in water 8 feet and less right now.
Although we currently have the weakest damsel hatch in decades taking place on DAVIS there will still be damsels crawling up the banks in limited numbers. But they are having to crawl long distances to get to shore.
When the water levels rise on DAVIS the callibaetis quickly reestablish themselves into the new water. Bloodmidges also will move into the new water. That is how it plays out whenever we have the water levels come up on Davis.
The ODD thing is that damsels DO NOT reestablish themselves quickly into the new water.
You would think that as they are such good strong swimmers that they would quickly move into the new water.
Well they don't. They are much more dependant on the weed beds and when the weed beds reestablish themselves closer in then the damsels will move into water where ever there are weed beds. Happens all the time with the water levels going up and down on davis.
They (damsels) remain at prior water levels until they kick into gear and start migrating.
Damsels need the WEED BEDS which on DAVIS run out hundreds of yards from shore on normal years.
When those weed beds don't break through the surface the damsels just don't get going strong.
As goes the weed beds so goes the damsels.

There are a lot of factors in play this year. And the last 2 years are having a serious impact on this year.
3 years of COLD LONG winter/Late Spring/ and now this years High Water. The "Perfect Storm" has hit if I could use this metaphor to describe the current status of the lake. Combine all that with a crummy batch of parasite covered fish and it all doesn't make for what one has come to expect from davis.
Combine all that with the batch of small fish we have and you will not get good game off the banks as we normally would have with larger 19/20" fish cruising (Porpoising) the banks.
Last year this small batch of parasite covered fish that were 10-14"(this is the largest population of fish currently in the lake) and are now averaging a tad bigger at around 16",,,,,,these smaller fish simply do not cruise the banks and ~porpoise~ the shoreline like the bigger fish traditionally do on Davis. Different size fish simply behave differently and work the lake differently. Especially so on Davis.
Also Different strains of trout in davis have historically behaved differently,,,,.. Kamloops, Colemans, Eagles, etc have occupied different niches in the lake. Information explaining this is available from CADFG,,,, they explain why they have stocked different strains and how they inhabit the lake in different areas/depths/etc...some fish being more active and available to anglers in the spring and summer where other strains will disappear and not be readily catchable during certain time periods.
There have always been various sizes of fish in davis over the years past. They stock fingerlings to brood stock size fish.
The smaller fish ALWAYS seem to hang in DEEPER water in 10 feet+ or so.
The FACT that we don't have many LARGER hold over fish 17-22"+ surviving and remaining is the reason there aren't as many fish busting the banks like in years past.
It has nothing to do with your incorrect assumption that there is no food close to shore.
There is Plenty of crawfish/waterboatmen/beetles/backswimmers/damsels/minnows/callibaetis etc in 8 feet of water and less. Hell Just go look at the shoreline @ cow in 1-12" of water. Packed with backswimmers/boatmen/beetles.....the damn cove is shallow and it is packed with crawdads.

Despite the fact that the WEATHER was 4-6 weeks behind does not equate to what the bugs/lake/fish will do. The <Weather> was 4-6 weeks behind. It was a cold spring. That doesn't necessarily translate to bug hatches(damsels) simply shifting 4-6 weeks.
We have caught up weather wise,,,,,,It's July, it's hot.....July is just historically a SLOW month for DAVIS.
I have put on the dive gear and I often free dive the lake. The fish feed for a little bit, they might work for just an hour or less at around 9 am and then go hunker down on the bottom and on top of weed beds. You can go see this as I have. You can drag a bug past their nose, they don't care, they go into siesta mode for most of the day.

Bulldog I am going to have to start charging you $$$ for the stillwater education I am giving you. Your Davis FF I.Q> just rose 20+ points with all the above tidbits and gems of info.


...p.s......Pyramid is going to be ROCKIN and ROLLIN in OCT.....I will give you some tips to help you out.

[1flyfisher]

Go to Walmart.
Buy yourself a Little Miss Daisy kiddie dive mask, snorkel and flippers and get your sorry butt up to the lake for a change, stick your head in the water and actually see what is going on.

AND Don't forget the water wings.
I'm sure you'll need them and I wouldn't want you to sink to the bottom and get eaten by the crawdads.
The lakes in bad enough shape and I wouldn't want your decaying rotting body fouling water quality and washing up at lightning tree or mallard.

[Reno Flytyer]

Sheesh 1flyfisher...why all the anger? Someone piss in your Cheerios?
RFT

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." <--------hint4u
- Oscar Wilde

[1flyfisher]

There's no anger in my above responses to bulldog.
I find Bulldogs trolling my fishing reports amusing.
Especially when he gets everything a$$ backwArds and wrong.
The pyramid trolls were the best.

Sheesh 1flyfisher...why all the anger? Someone piss in your Cheerios?
RFT

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." <--------hint4u
- Oscar Wilde

[Reno Flytyer]

Right...this is right out of the "How to win friends and influence enemies" playlist: "I wouldn't want your decaying rotting body fouling water quality and washing up at lightning tree or mallard." Maybe I'm reading that wrong, but I fail to see lack of anger and suspect it might just be otherwise...

How nice.

RFT