Fishing Report

[Phil Lilley]

Seems like the Corp is settling into a pattern of generation this week of running water early in the mornings till about 10 am, then shutting it down till 5 pm and running it a bit into the night. This is a pretty typical pattern- they are generating power during peak power demand times of the day/night. On colder nights/mornings, people are kicking their heaters on to warm up the house or office, then cutting them back during the day. Makes sense I guess. The water they're running in the mornings isn't that much and it doesn't take long for it to drop out once they shut it down.

These darker days seem to make the trout bite a bit better. Today, the wind has laid down though so the fish are going to be a little hard to fool and easier to spook. If there's just a little breeze, our trout get active and start looking for stuff to eat. That's why I tell people to seek out choppy surfaces along the lake.

Up below the dam, wade fishing was been great. There's alot of rainbows up there for the catching. Stripping leeches and buggers in earth colors (brown, olive, black, purple, dark red) #10's to #6's in deeper pools (from the cable half way down to outlet #2, between #2 to the top of rebar, the big hole area down thru the KOA).

Stripping soft hackles in red, olive, black or yellow #14's and #16's where there's a little current and/or where there's a chop on the surface of the water; stripping a crackle back in lighter colors (white hackle/red, yellow, orange body) #14 in same areas and conditions as soft hackles.

Dry flies #8 stimulator in yellow or orange, #12 olive elk hair caddis, #14 renegades, #14 black ants worked against the banks, especially a bluff or high bank.

Midge larva and pupa fished where rainbows are feeding on midges, either on the surface or under the surface- #20's to #24's thread midge or emergers in cream, brown, olive or red. Either grease the line or use a small indicator but it must be small and light like a palsa not to spook the trout that are feeding. They tend to be either in shallow water or close to the surface when feeding on midges to the line or indicator will scare them easily.

Zebra Midge #14's to #20's in red, black, olive, rust, pearl using a variety of heads, mainly tungsten, fished below an indicator targeting feeding rainbows. Depth of fly depends on trout activity. If they're feeding close to the surface, set the indicator about 10 inches. If not, set it at 2-4 feet.

Scuds and sow bugs #12's to #20's but mainly #16's and #18's in olive, varied shades of gray, tan and brown. Some have been tying a bit of orange in the dubbing imitating a pregnant or dead scud. Either use weighted flies or use a small split shot. Areas- anywhere from the cable down to Fall Creek.

Tippet - 5x-6x for most nymphs (scuds, sow bugs), 4x for most woolies and leeches, 6x for most zebras, and some midges but when using the smallest midges, use 7x, dries- depends on the size of the fly.

Micro jigs, mainly in olive, black and brown. Set the indicator about 4-5 feet deep and seek out choppy water. Marabou jigs will work too. one-eighth to 1/125th oz in sculpin, sculpin/orange, sculpin/ginger, black/yellow, olive, sculpin/olive have been good colors. Areas- anywhere on the lake basically but the best areas have been from Lookout down thru Fall Creek, Fall Creek thru Cooper Creek and even further down to the Landing.

Marabou jigs worked straight-lined without a float, sizes from 1/32nd oz to 1/8th oz, depending on tackle (line size and rod size) and conditions of water and weather. If it's windy, it's hard to work a small jig. Four pound line is standard but some use 2 pound. Six pound it way too big.

Cranks baits like rapalas, pointers and rogues have been working fair. Work them against bluff banks around fallen trees and structure for browns and open water for rainbows. Windy conditions or during generation is best.

Live bait- air injected night crawlers are best. Either drift them on the bottom when water is running or anchor and use them still fishing. Best to anchor close to the banks and off the channel and throw into the channel or up off the channel on the sides. Don't anchor and block channels- will just cause frustration to you and other boaters. Best areas are from Fall Creek to Short Creek.

Gulp Power Eggs are working good too. Use one white and one other color- pink, orange or yellow. Use 4 pound line, preferably green or clear. Use a small split shot to get the bait to the bottom.

[DD'sMC]

[snagged in outlet 3]

Now that's a good report!!! Thanks Phil.

SIO3