Upcoming Fishing Outings

Lake Amador - March 10, 2005
Fishmaster: Don Wilcox

The trout fishing is good till well past May and that the bass fisherman don't start racing around the lake till late May. At the March meeting I will be glad to supply maps and driving directions. The link to the Lake Amador website with fishing prices is: www.lakeamador.com.
Camping: For those wishing to stay overnight, the link with the Lake Amador overnight RV camping costs is: www.lakeamador.com/pricing.htm.
Lodging: My favorite B&B in Sutter Creek is: /www.eurekastreetinn.com. It's owned by Chuck & Sandy Anderson formerly of Santa Cruz. A great place to stay! If you have questions, call Don Wilcox at (408) 559-3454.

This is the first fishout of the year, and is always a lot of fun. The fishing has gotten better every year, with bigger fish and bigger numbers. You need to call Crosby Lodge at (775) 476-0400 to reserve your cabin. You will be on your own for food so plan on cooking your meals. Call ASAP!
Rooms at Pyramid may be available at Crosby's during the week and in Reno on the weekends if you don't mind driving in from Reno on the weekends.
Plan to dress for cold or warm weather, conditions are variable and change rapidly, as anyone who has been on this fishout can tell you.
Equipment: 7, 8, or 9 weight rods with hi-speed, hi-D shooting heads (but don't forget the floating and intermediate sink lines), you never know. Also, step-ladder, rain coat, float tube, waders and fins.
Flies: Woolly worms in black, white, purple, olive, or any color you feel like trying (and don't forget the beetle fly).
How to get there: Take Hwy 80 to Reno-Sparks, take the Pyramid Blvd. off ramp and go north about 35 miles. Crosby Lodge is at Suttcliff, near the Ranger Station.
If you have any questions, you can call Jim at 786-8983, or John Steele at 476-0648. We will be glad to help. Hope to see you there. Jim will be demonstrating how to put together a deluxe "Pyramid Lake Fishing Ladder" at the Confab on February 12. You can also see how to tie some of the Pyramid winner flies such as the Y2K Beetle and the Midnight Cowboy.

Fishing Opportunities: Trout in tailwater, river and lake. Bass in ponds (limited and dependent on how warm this spring is early in the season).

Climate: Sunny and warm to snow. Strong winds are commonly encountered.
Lodging: Camping at Pleasant Valley Campground. RV or trailer recommended due to possibility of extended periods of cold and wind. Cost will be $10/night. Reservations not needed.
Motels in Bishop: Cost is $50/night and up. Reservations recommended.
General Plan: Fishmasters will stay at campground which is very basic, with picnic tables and outhouses. We intend to gather at the campground each morning. Breakfast, groceries, newspapers, showers and fly shops are in Bishop, ten minutes' drive from the campground. Fishing is from mid-morning on. We will have a pot luck barbecue dinner each evening at the campground.
Bring: Box of wood for campfire; small bag of charcoal briquets for barbecues; food and beverages; camping chair; your own tableware (cups/dishes/flatware) and cooking gear (camp stove, cutting board, basic cooking utensils, grill and dishpan will be provided).
Bring a camera to take pictures to share at next year's slide show.
Fishing Gear:
Rods: 2-6 wt.
Lines: floating and sinking
Flies: standard trout dry flies, including: blue winged olive 16-18, Mr Bill 14-16, elk hair caddis 16-18, Griffith's gnat 14-18, and standard trout sinking flies including: tiger midge 18-20, pheasant tail nymph 14 & 18, Hornberg or Loeberg 12-14, Prince nymph 12-16, Scintilla bubble nymph 20, dark lord 12-16, Bass and bluegill poppers, small and medium.
Waders: neoprene with fleece underlayers for float tubing; breathables over fleece for river & streams.
Float tube and accessories
Personal: Gloves; warm cap (cover ears) and hat; rain gear; warm coat; insect repellent; sunscreen.
Driving Directions: Sierra passes will be closed. Southern route to Hwy 395 via Bakersfield is recommended. Allow 8-9 hours' driving time. A map will be part of the fishout handout.
Sign Up: Not needed, but the fishmasters would like to know that you are coming.

General: There's a big flat parking lot, but no camping per se. The reservoir covers about 100 acres with plenty of little bays and an island in the middle. Great looking bass water. Useful website: www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/wa/region4/littlepanochereservoir.html
When: Best during a warm spell but not too late in spring when afternoon winds become a problem.
Directions: 152 east(Pacheco Pass) to I-5 South about 30 mins to Little Panoche Rd west about 10 miles.
Rods/Lines/Flies/etc: Large mouth bass and crappie are target species. Size 2-12 Clouser minnows, V-worms, small streamers, top water flies will do the trick. There is one hell of a large (size 12-14) chironomid hatch in the spring and a variety of stillwater mayflies but the larger bass seem to mostly ignore them. Various types of 5-8wt lines would work...bring what you got, I'll be using a 7 wt, 200 gr Teeny line and 6 ft leader. There are some 5 lb. plus fish in amongst the flooded timber near the island. Nice parking lot, float tubing or pontoons only (cattails line the bank). No boat ramp. Access to water is near dam face by walking down the hill approx. 100 yards.
Information: Call me with any questions about the place. Brian Bommarito (831) 656-4429

General: Depending on the kind of spring we have, we should be right in the middle or beginning of the damsel hatch at Lake Davis. Lake Davis is a beautiful lake, filled with some large, aggressive trout, and is located near the town of Portola on Hwy 70. It has nice campgrounds right on the lake, and a resort with a motel and cabins, or there are motels in nearby Portola (5 miles away). If the damsels are happening, you can fish from shore, but most people either float tube or fish from boats. YOU MUST WEAR A PFD, by law, on this lake.
Camping: We will use Grasshopper Flats campground. Nice campground with tables, fire rings, lighted bathrooms with flush toilets. Most sites can accommodate two cars, and cost $14 per night for the first vehicle, and about $5-6 for an extra car. Those arriving on Wednesday or Thursday should have no problem finding a site. If you plan to arrive Friday or Saturday, you will need to make a reservation or be the second car in the site of someone arriving Thurs or Fri. Reservations can be made at www.reserveusa.com or by calling toll free 1-877-444-6777. Everyone is responsible for making his own camping arrangements.

Lake Davis Resort: This resort has motel rooms and four cabins. Visit their website: www.lakedavisresort.com. There's lots of info about the lake, a map, etc. Their phone # is 530-832-1060. Also on this site is info about the Grizzly Store. Phone# 530-832-0270. The store has basic supplies, ice, beer, etc. and FLIES that you can purchase. They also have a public shower ($4), a hamburger and ice cream joint.
Motels in Portola: There are two that are decent: Sleepy Pines Motel 530-832-4291; Sierra Motel 530-832-4223
Food: Bring your own-everything. However, on Friday and Saturday nights, we will do a group dinner/barbecue. So, bring something to barbecue for yourself, plus something (salad, side dish, dessert, bread/butter, etc) to share each night. We will use one of the campsites as a central location for dinner----to be determined.
Good Information: One of the local guides, Don Rotsma, has a great website filled with good advice on fishing the lake. Check out www.flyfishwithdon.com. Especially check out the sections on "Strategies" and "Entomology and Flies." A good map of lake is there also.
Rods/Lines/Flies: Don's website has good info on this. But basically you should bring a 5-6wt rod, a floating and an intermediate sink line, and some indicators. Basic flies: damsels (dark olive to brown), tied thin. Green stillwater nymphs (size 10-12), wooly buggers, especially olive in size 10-12, blood midge pupas and emergers in size 10-12 (they are big at this lake!), and some basic callibaetis nymphs such as pheasant tails, flashback pheasant tails, hareÕs ears and flashback hare's ears, Prince nymphs, dark lords, hairy princes, etc. in sizes 12, 14, 16. If the damsels are happening, you will see splashes all over the lake, especially in the bays near shore, and will want to fish near the surface. If we miss the damsel hatch, that's when you will want your intermediate sink line.
Directions: Hwy 80 to Truckee. North on Hwy 89. In Sierraville, left on Hwy 49 for about 2-3 miles. At Sattley, right onto A23. At Hwy 70, go left for about 4-5 miles to Grizzly Road. Turn left, and lake is 7 miles. Stay on Grizzly Road all the way to the second campground, Grasshopper Flat.
Signup: We will do a sign up at the April and May meetings. We'll need to know who's camping or motelling it, and when you plan to arrive.
For more info, call Betty Rentz (427-9875).

General: We will take a ferry to the inlet end of the lake (opposite the dam) and camp there. No hiking, riding or backpacking will be involved. We will float tube Edison Lake and fish Mono Creek, Bear Creek Diversion and other waters we can hike to.
Climate: This area is at about the same elevation as the San Joaquin River pack trips and the climate will have about the same variety.
Gear: We will use the same kind of gear we have used on other High Sierra pack trips except that there will be more relaxed weight limitations. Specific personal and fishing gear recommendations will be about the same. More detailed information will be made available later.
Cost: A rough cost will be less than $300 per person. Actual cost is dependent on the number signed up. A small number of participants will cost more per person than a larger number (i.e., 10-15).
Signup: Signup will be required because supplies purchases will have to be tailored to group size. If you are interested, please call or email Mary Breckinridge (661) 333-3110, mbrecken@lightspeed.net to enable.

Back to Table of Contents