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| A Layman's Guide to Lake Fishing |
 It's
about time....June 10th and finally some of our valley and mountain
lakes are finally becoming accessible, though not all. (See
our current report for accessibility) With the current state
of our rivers one of our best options in OR and SE Wash. will
be lake fishing. I'm no expert on lake fishing though I grew
up a pond fisherman. Sometimes ignorance is bliss as far as
fishing goes and I like just getting out and figuring things
out. I enjoy the puzzle that stillwaters present. I've put together
a small list of items that can help you to have some success
on lakes without completely jumping into the world of lake fishing.
Unless you want to, of course!ou get prepped for the 2008 Summer
Steelhead season. We'll predict and forecast the rivers closest
to the Metro Area. |
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 A
float tube, pontoon boat, pram, or drift boat is pretty essential
on most lakes for fly casters. Don't get me wrong it can certainly
be done without, but there's really nothing more irritating
than not having room to cast on a stillwater. If you can't get
a hold on a floating device, make sure you check out a map or
photo of the lake and decide whether it's fishable from the
bank. In most cases, if you give us a call at the shop, we can
tell you how best to fish the particular water. Additionally,
books like; Fishing in Oregon or A Complete Guide to Oregon's
Lakes and Rivers can be indispensible to the angler for familiarizing
yourself with foreign waters.
A little bit about rods...Most lakes are fine to fish with any
rod ranging from a 4 to a 6. Serious lake anglers typically
prefer longer rods for more reach and in most cases a rod that
has decent lifting power and casting ability in the wind. For
beginners and laypeople such as myself, I suggest rigging whatever
you've got and then finding out the deficiencies of said rod
on the water. You can always get into a more specialized rod.
Like most trout related waters, I like a 5 as an all-around
weight, but a 6 can be key on some lakes to combat adverse conditions.
As far as everything else goes, your tippets and riggings should
all be similar to what you use on moving water. As fly lines
go, most folks who fish lakes like to have a slow sinking full
intermediate fly line like Rio's Aqualux for good presentations.
This would be one of my first purchases if you enjoy fishing
stillwater. Unlike most full sink lines, it's relatively easy
to pull out of the water and casts fairly efficiently. If you
don't want to get into a new line however, try picking up an
intermediate polyleader, and using it to achieve a similar result.
Finally, if all else fails....tie on a weighted bugger and trail
it with the fly of choice and double your chances on a slow
retrieve. Floating lines will certainly have their place for
all your surface fishing. |
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 A
word of caution....make sure you check out the water temperature.
Most stillwater hatches and fish activity coincide with changes
in water temperature. Beyond that however...if you're in a float
tube and the pond temperature is 55 degrees, you're going to
need to break out the woolies. Cold water magnifies everything
in the body, especially if you're in it. Staying warm is integral
to a successful excursion out fishing in my opinion.
When approaching a new stillwater, I always take a long look
at the structure and depth of the lake. A good general rule
is to assume the understructure is shaped like a bowl....its
going to be deepest in the middle and shallowest at the edges.
If the water is warm, chances are the fish are in the deeper
areas and vice versa; if the water is cool, the fish will be
more in the shallows. Time of day can be a factor as well...fish
typically don't like high light and will seek the depths....if
you like fishing shallower water as I do, the mornings and evenings
are typically more productive. Additionally, the spring and
fall seasons will have fish lurking in shallower water. Look
for structure in the lake...by that I mean anything resembling
the following: stumps, downed trees, grass banks, rock promontories,
and grass beds. All of these places afford cover, as well as
food sources for fish....they like them and you should too.
I follow one simple rule with trout fishing in lakes....if
the fish aren't rising, fish subsurface till something
starts to happen on top. I don't think there's a
whole lot of point flipping a callibaetis adult around until,
at the very least, you see some actual flies in the air. There's
a reason woolly buggers are deadly lake patterns. |
 Like
anything else in fly fishing you can go crazy with fly selection,
but don't outthink yourself...most stillwaters have very common
sources of food. At a bare minimum, get a selection of the following
flies and fish them hard. They'll work.
Adults (Dries): Callibaetis / Damsels / Caddis / Dragonflies
/ Midges / Ants
Nymphs (Wets & Emergent): Callibaetis / Attractor Mayflies
(PT's & Prince's) / Chronomids / Scuds / Damsels
/ Dragonflies
Streamers: Woolly Buggers / Seal Buggers & More Woolly Buggers |
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 Good
luck on the lakes, there's some great fishing to be had if you
so choose. Stop by or call the shop anytime you have questions...fishing
lakes can be a great way to see some beautiful spots, get in
a hike, and catch some fish that possibly aren't as educated
as your friends on the Metolius or Lower Deschutes.
MH |
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