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Thread: Rancho Seco/Lake Amador

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Fair Oaks
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    277

    Default Rancho Seco/Lake Amador

    Feeling trapped and needing exercise I went tubing last week on Rancho Seco Lake and Lake Amador. I didn’t really have expectations since I was targeting some alone time and excercise.

    The two days were beautiful and quite therapeutic I never was close to anyone but the people who took my money with gloves and protective materials on themselves. I cleaned my hands with sanitizer after each encounter. Once in the water I was hundreds of feet at any one time from the closest boat or person.

    So the fishing on Rancho Seco-well I look back on it and it was really good. I scored a slam, catching 10 crappie all over 3/4 of a lb even one at a pound , one smallish bass, post spawn, and one 3 1/2 lb trout. They stocked them that day. I cast and trolled an intermediate clear line with a Denny Richards AP fly. It is becoming my go to fly for all occasions. I even caught a Lahonton Cutthroat trout at Pyramid the last week it was open in shallow water on it.

    Lastly, I fished Amador Lake. It’s a shadow of the fishery it used to be, as the stocking program for various reasons has dwindled into close to 40,000 lbs of fish a year. They used to put in over 250,000# in it's heyday. The one plus of their program is they do put in some great fighting fish and large too. I did manage three trout between using my type three and intermediate lines. I let them sink a bit near the middle of the lake. My biggest about three pounds. It was still a great outdoor exercise and adventure.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Sunnyvale
    Posts
    62

    Default

    What is your favorite fly pattern for crappie at Rancho Seco?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Tejas !!
    Posts
    792

    Default

    jealous- good for you!

  4. #4
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    Aug 2012
    Location
    Truckee
    Posts
    835

    Default

    Would you eat the crappies out of there?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tejas !!
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    792

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by John Sv View Post
    Would you eat the crappies out of there?
    sure- why not?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Sunnyvale
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Jealous? yes

    I have caught other fish a R. Seco, but not crappie. (yet)

    I think I would eat crappie out of the lake. The water was intended as back-up cooling water and is up stream from the plant. I have not come across mercury warnings for this lake.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    Rancho Seco is a beautiful place and a good fishery.


    Warm water species are usually Spring, Summer and Fall....LMB, Red Ear Sunfish and Crappie.


    In the Winter and Spring it has planted Rainbow trout which has been going on for many years now.


    Two of the best fly fishers I know, Mike Monroe and Chuck Campana both spent many years out there.

    They both use small prams to get better access to the fish. The water there is extremely clear, most of the time.

    Mike use to fish for the large Mouth Bass with a large Casual Dress nymph, I believe.

    Chuck told me he would find a school of the large planted trout hold up in certain places along the shoreline.

    He said after locating the pod of fish which can be seen swimming and fining the surface at times.

    I think Chuck used a 9' #4 line rod with a weight forward floating line, 15' leader to 4x and a small olive Woolly Bugger?


    I think evenings in the Spring and Summer would be good for bass and panfish with poppers.

    ______________________________

    I think it would be cool to talk about Crappie which are not as commonly caught by most fly fishers.

    Spring time is the best time for Crappie.....

    Someone in the Davis fly fishing club was talking about a big Crappie bite in Lake Berryessa.

    Clear Lake is the most famous lake for Crappie in Nor Cal.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Fair Oaks
    Posts
    277

    Default

    I used Denny Ricard's AP but if you use a wooly bugger or even a midge under indicator those would work. I think if you place any thing buggy in front of them you will hook up many fish.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Fair Oaks
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    277

    Default

    I definitely would eat them if my wife would let me use the kitchen

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    El Dorado Hills
    Posts
    3,715

    Default

    A Rancho Seco slam involves 4 species: bass, crappie, bluegill and trout.

    The water there is constantly flowing in and out, it has some of the clearest and cleanest water you will fish locally.

    I've been fishing there for close to 20 years and have determined that there is no best color. Depth and retrieve is the secret. I've had an annual pass for a long time and put in many hours there. I've caught crappie to 16", bluegills to 15", my biggest trout was 8.75 pounds and I have caught some big bass, but the big ones are tricky. A slow day is 8 fish.

    For trout, your best bet is back in the coves in super shallow water, less than 2'.
    So long and thanks for all the fish!!!
    `·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

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