Upcoming Fishing Outings

Little Panoche Reservoir - Day Trip April 16, 2005
Fishmaster: Brian Bommarito - (831) 656-4429 bommerb@msn.com

General: Free. The reservoir covers about 100 acres lined with bullrush and flooded timber with a large island in the middle. Great looking bass and crappie water. Water was very stained and 64 degrees F as of March 12th. There's a gravel parking lot and a Porta-Jon. There's no campground per se. Float tubing or pontoon boats only (high cover lines the bank) with very limited shore fishing. Access to the water is near the dam face, by walking down a fairly steep hill about 100 yards and putting in from the rip rap at the dam face.
Directions: 152 East (Pacheco Pass) to I-5; South about 24 miles to Little Panoche Rd; turn right (West) about 4.5 miles to the parking lot on the left after the dam. COME EARLY, STAY LATE AND LET'S HAVE A MID-DAY BBQ! Useful website with map: www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/wa/region4/littlepanochereservoir.html.
Rods/Lines/Flies/etc: Largemouth bass and crappie are what you will mainly be fishing for. Size 2/0-12 Clouser minnows, V-worms, small streamers/buggers and top water flies will do the trick. Use small (size 6-14) flashy beadhead flies for crappie.
(Note Brian's e-mail address change.)

Sign-up for this fishout was in March. Anyone who has not signed up but would like to go should call or email the fishmaster, Cecilia, to be put on the waiting list. (Note Cecilia's e-mail address change.)

General: The drive from Santa Cruz to the Reservoir takes about 1 1/2 hours. I will gladly arrange for a meeting place the morning of the trip.
Camping: there's a combination RV park and campground right on Carmel Valley Road about 15-20 minutes below Los Padres Reservoir. It is Saddle Mountain RV Park and Campground. It can be reached at (831) 624-1617 and www.saddlemountain.com. Rates for tent sites are $30/night for two persons, each additional person is $5. RV rates are $45 per night for two persons - that includes full hook-up. Pets on leash are OK but a call to Saddle Mountain RV Park concerning pets would be useful. You can be there for the entire weekend or just one day.
Fly Shop: Central Coast Fly Fishing is on the route to Los Padres Reservoir at 7172 Carmel Valley Road (831) 626-6586.
Essentials:
1. Float tube or lightweight pontoon boat.
2. A means of transporting the above to the reservoir, either carry straps for the float tube or a wheeled cart of some kind to haul in the pontoon. It's a good 1/2 to 3/4 mile hike from the parking lot to the reservoir with a couple of hills in between to test your fitness.
3. A way to lock up your cart safely at the launch site. (I had mine "borrowed" two years ago and luckily left back in the parking lot.)
4. A 5 weight rod is plenty. Bring both floating and sink-tip lines. I bring along two or three different lengths of lead core to search various depths. 5. Flies Ð both dry and wet: size 14-18 elk hair caddis; same for gnat and mosquito patterns; beadhead woolly buggers in olive or black also in sizes 14-18. You may also try the Hornberg and Loehberg patterns used at Crowley. Just bring any flies that you usually use for a stillwater fishery. AND CRIMP THE BARBS ON ALL HOOKS. The Fish and Game Warden, while friendly, has a job to do.
6. Wear a Coast Guard approved flotation device.
7. Wear a hat, polarized sunglasses and lots of sunscreen and lip balm.
8. And don't forget the following: drinking water; lunch; two-way radio if you have one.
Please call or email me if you are interested and if you plan to attend.

Shortly after this newsletter comes out, the call-in for the Green River take place, but if there are still places left afterward, you can call John and sign up. If all the places at the fly fishing lodge, Trout Creek Flies, are taken, there are still options for lodging in the area. There is Flaming Gorge Lodge, phone number (435) 880-3773, and Red Canyon Lodge, phone number (435) 889-3759. Everyone is responsible for their own lodging and travel arrangements, unless they sign up in time to join those staying at Trout Creek Flies.

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, 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, and there are motels in nearby Portola, five 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 for the evening meals Friday and Saturday and general gathering. The fishmaster will be staying there. It's a nice campground with tables, fire rings and lighted bathrooms with flush toilets. Most sites can accommodate two cars, and cost $14 per night for the first vehicle and $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 on the site of someone arriving Thursday or Friday. Reservations can be made at www.reserveusa.com or by calling toll free 1-877-444-6777. Each person attending is responsible for making his own camping arrangements.

Lake Davis Resort: This resort has motel-type rooms and four cabins. Visit their website: www.lakedavisresort.com. ThereÕs lots of information 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), and operate a hamburger and ice cream joint.
Motels in Portola: There are two that are decent: Sleepy Pines Motel (530) 832-4291 and 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 and 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 < A HREF="http://www.flyfishwithdon.com" #Articles_tags TARGET="_blank">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 information on this. 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 hareÕs 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, thatÕs when we will want our intermediate sinking lines.
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. WeÕll 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 advance planning.

The fishout will be over two one-week periods, September 17th -24th and September 24th -October 2nd.
Location: Mammoth Lakes is on the Eastern side of the Sierras, six to seven hours' drive from Santa Cruz. There are many lakes and streams in the area for us to fish. We will be staying at the Fireside Condominiums in the town of Mammoth lakes. Two units are reserved for each of the one week periods. Each unit will accommodate eight to nine people. The condominium complex also has a Jacuzzi and an indoor heated pool.
Cost: $215 per person for one week. This covers seven nights' lodging with three meals per day. You can sign up for either week for $215 per person or both weeks for $430 per person.
Meal Preparation: Each person will be assigned to a group for a Kitchen Day. The group will set out breakfast and lunch foods, store unused food, prepare the evening meal, and clean up on the day designated.
Sign-Up: John Cook will take calls at 688-1561 starting at 7 PM on May 17th and not before. Please leave your name, phone number, and which week you would like to reserve, or if you with to reserve both weeks. You may call in for yourself and one other person.
There is room for only 16 persons each week, and these 16 places will be filled on a first-come, first served basis. To hold your place, the fishmasters must receive your $215 or $430 check before the June 2nd club meeting. Mail your check, made out to John Cook, to him at 215 Treasure Island Ave., Aptos, CA 95003. This payment is non-refundable.
The fishmasters will maintain a waiting list for each week, and if by the June 2nd club meeting places are available, you will be notified at the meeting or by phone. The $215 or $430 cost must be paid on or before July 1st to hold your place.
Unused Funds: Any funds received but not spent on the fishout will be turned over to the club's Treasurer as club income.

Back to Table of Contents