Lake Davis Fly Fishing Report

Jon Baiocchi / Baiocchi’s Troutfitters Reports 6.23.2016

Lake Davis Report

Well, I’m back in action since tweaking my back on the 1st of June, It took about 11 days to be able to work again and I’m being very careful with every move. For 2 weeks we had big wind up at the lake, and colder than normal temperatures blanketed the region. The most brutal day was last Wednesday when we saw 40 mile an hour gusts, and snow squalls. We had to motor in from the mid lake back to Honker Cove boat ramp at 5 miles an hour with three foot swells, yeah we got soaked on that ride, and my guests and I were on edge. Water temps dropped again down to 57 to 60 degrees from the low that blew through. Currently they are at 61 to 65 degrees with the warmer weather of this week. Fishing pressure has increased as well, both anglers in tubes, boats, and others roaming the shore.

The damsel hatch is in full swing, and the resident rainbows are starting to wise up to artificials. For better success, go with a smaller hook that is 3 times heavy, and make sure the pattern is the same size, slender, and the right color of the natural. The key to success is to watch for boiling rises, figure out what direction they are heading, and lead them by 5 feet so they intercept your fly. Being quick to cast to a location, with a little luck on your side sure does help. The Hexagenia mayfly has been out but with the colder temperatures very few hatched, in fact they had a hard time lifting off the water. All that changed last Saturday night when the fricken wind finally laid down combined with warmer air temps, and we saw many duns emerging. The fish are not keyed in on them yet, but it’s only a matter of time. Callibaetis spinners are out in the afternoon and I have not seen any fish take them due to the fact they are stuffed with damsel nymphs. Blood midges have not been active during the day until the last hour of light, make sure to have a few emerger patterns if you plan to fish in the evening.

Overall fishing is good, just not big numbers of fish. There have been some real toads hooked by my guests including five 5 pound fish, and one at 6 pounds. One observation that a friend shared with me is that there are not very many California gulls, usually they line the banks pecking away at damsel nymphs like chickens on the ranch. Very strange. The cooler weather may extend the fly fishing at Lake Davis into the first week of July. I’ll be guiding at the lake until the end of the month then switching locations to the North Fork Yuba River. If you’re interested in booking a trip where the wild things are, contact me at baiocchistroutfitters@yahoo.com, or give me a ring at 530.228.0487

Jon Baiocchi