Lake Davis Fly Fishing Report

              UV2 Sheep Creek Special 

Jon Baiocchi, Baiocchi Troutfitters

Change is in the air with cooler nights, and Lake Davis is starting to wake up. Water temperatures two weeks ago were 61-66 degrees, this week 63-69. Water levels are not as bad as you think, capacity right now is 57%, I’ve fished the lake much lower than this and it fished really well back then in 07. Weed growth is super prolific at this time, which translates to an abundant food source of aquatic insects.  Current conditions are such; rising fish in the mornings from 7-10am eating chironomids, blood midges, and sparse callibaetis mayflies. Shortly after the fish are moving to 14-22 feet of water, the thermocline right now is about 16 feet down, and you should see how many fish are stacked up at this depth on the sonar - Amazing! Using a deep indicator system with midges, snails, and damsels will catch these large rainbows in the heat of the day.

The fall bite has not kicked in yet, but every week the fishing will get better until the peak around the 2nd or 3rd week of October. I had a good talk with Jay and Glenn Fair last week and we all agreed on three colors of flies that are must haves for Lake Davis in autumn. Burnt orange, rust, and cinnamon are key no matter the pattern. Go to flies right now would include Wiggle tails, leeches, and buggers in the colors mentioned above in sizes #10-14, fiery brown is another productive and favorite color of mine. Rickards still water nymphs #12-16, Albino Winos #12-16, Blood Midge ermergers #12-14, Sheep Creek Specials #10-14, and small damsels #12-14.

My fall dates are quickly filling up, if you have yet to experience the best still water in Northern California, or looking for that inside knowledge to help you reach the next level, than it’s time to spend a day with me. Give me call, let’s chat, I love to share Lake Davis and to see others enjoy this magnificent place! 530.228.0487

Jay Clark, Jay Clark Fly Fishing

Mornings here in the Northern Sierra have been cool to almost cold for the past few weeks really making it feel like fall and helping with the water temperature issues that we have been facing. The water temps have started to come down at Lake Davis after a long summer and the fish are fat and healthy! Today I scouted the lake from my float tube and was pleasantly surprised not only by the water conditions but by the fish as well. I put in at Fairview Point and was delighted by the chance to be fishing from my tube instead of stumbling around pocket water on the Truckee where I have been guiding for most of the summer.

I kicked around a bit casting and retrieving a snail pattern on a Rio Camolux line but the fish didn’t seem too interested. My solution was to anchor up in 7 feet of water and cast an indicator rig into deeper water. I pegged my bobber at 9’ and cast it into 11’ of water. I had on a blood midge on top and a Pretty in Pink (PiP) nymph on the bottom. The PiP is a fly I have been fishing on the Truckee all summer with great success and it has its origin in the old standard pheasant tail but is tied on a jig hook and has a tungsten bead and a pink ice dub collar. Almost immediately after the flies sink the indicator plunges and I set on what turns out to be a 22” rainbow! For the next 2 hours I land 5 more between 18 and 22” and missed a few other takedowns all on the PiP. Since I was just out scouting, I called it a day and kicked back to shore.

The Lake is in good shape all things considered with levels at 57% of capacity and has a greenish tint caused by a slight algae bloom that is par for the course for this time of year while water temps were 66-68 degrees while I was there from 11am to 2 pm. The fish are very healthy and clean except for one that was absolutely covered in copapods. They all fought very hard and the two biggest ones were hot hot hot!! It’s looking to be a great fall at Davis!! I am offering two one day float tubing clinics this fall. September 28 and October 11. Contact me at jay@jayclarkflyfishing.com or call me at 530 414 1655 for more information and to book your spot!