It has been gray and dismal all week folks and it looks like we still have a day or two left before we will see a sunny day. The wind really hasn't quit blowing for several days even though the highest gust reached 17 mph the general speed has been between 4 and 8 mph. That is still enough to keep the lake choppy and stirred up.?Į?ĮSaturday we have a 30% chance that the precipitation will be in the form of snow due in part to cold temperatures. The high is predicted to be 40 while the low is expected to be 23. Winds are expected to be from the north around 10 mph. But, it looks as though there will be some clearing overnight.

Sunday is looking to be sunny with a high of 47 and a low of 24. Winds from the east between 5 and 10 mph are predicted.

At this time, Monday looks sunny with a high of 65, low 27. East winds to 10 mph

Water Temperature

DFG will not have water tests through December this year so the pH is the last reading is from September

As of 10-10-07
South basin: Currently 52 to 54 from 53-55 F, pH 9.39
North basin: 49 to 50 from 51 F pH 9.55;
Middle basin: 49 to 50 and still holding. pH of 9.44.

Lake Conditions

We are starting to see more weeds on the surface but the shifting winds keep pushing them into different areas. The north side of Pelican Point is fairly weedy on the surface in many areas but there has been some clear channels. The north basin also has some nasty weedy areas.

One thing that we have now is that we are seeing a lot more color in the water from the microscopic algae's dying off from cooling water temperatures. This will remain with us for a while. But the shallower north and middle basins are actually a little clearer than the south basin.

Buoys are on the lake. But, this being a natural lake not all the hazards are marked. Lassen County Sheriff Department will probably start removing buoys soon. It's a good idea to GPS the rock piles. I'm working on a few way points to post so folks can plug in the coordinates for caution. One of the buoys marking the long rocky point on the south side of Pelican is missing a buoy (it's sitting in the rocks about a hundred yards east of the Broccoli tree.

Rock piles north of Pelican Point and off the airstrip in Spalding are very close to the surface. The point along the airstrip in Spalding is very shallow, don't attempt to go between the tules this fall, swing the point wide before cutting back towards the tules. There are two rock piles about 200 yards northeast of the Broccoli Tree (North side Pelican Point) that is unmarked and will be a very nasty surprise when a lower unit hits it.

South Basin: There was several bands of algae that is mixed up in the foam north of Eagles Nest and in Miners Bay. Expect the high winds to really stir things up on Tuesday.

Fishing Locations and Depths

The fishing has been steadily picking up this week but be prepared for changes and be ready for some rain for Friday and possible snow showers on Saturday.

We are also seeing increase numbers of trout on the north side of Pelican Point. One day I find them off the buoys on the north side to the tip of P Point and the next day they can be out in the middle of Delta Bay out towards Rocky Point.

The tules off the airstrip in Spalding has had its good and bad days. Expect the colder water temperatures to move those trout out into 10 to 15 feet of water. The Cinder Pit has produced some nice trout but one day can be better than the next. It is very shallow in there this year and the moss beds can hang up your bait if you are too deep. 24 to 30 inches deep is the ticket. Some bonus fish for Project Eagle Lake Trout have been successfully planted this week, our fall allotment will follow soon. The bonus fish were approximately 1 to nearly 2 pounds each but we got thousands of pounds of them and hopefully we will have a good carry over for next year and have plenty of solid respectable fish next season. Your donations are hard at work.

Some fish are still being caught from the Springs to Miners Point on the east side of the south basin but they are very scattered right now. Some people are in the right place at the right time....and that can be just about anywhere and anytime. My best advise is to fish the shallow ledges and drop offs if you are limited to fishing the south basin. We found quite a few respectable trout on Miner's Point ledge last week but we had to deal with several bands of algae mixed in the foam that was created by high winds in the days before. Usually fishing the foam can be very successful but normally it is just foam this time of year. The algae has gotten worse over the last couple years and has been common in several areas all the way through December.

Between Wildcat Point and Shrimp Island (Lake of the Woods): the rocky ledges on the west side has picked up nicely. Several reports of fish to 4 pounds have been reported. The deeper water still has fish but they are in small pods and scattered. Once the north and middle basins water temperatures drop into the high 30's to low 40's, many trout and a lot of minnows move back down towards the Youth Camp (where they typically remain until it ices over or the season ends) but larger numbers head back to depths of 45 to 65 feet and deeper. Generally our toplines at 5 to 10 feet deep as well as our leadcores set much deeper at 21 to 24 feet deep catch the same amount of fish.

Trolling

NOTE TO TROLLERS: SOME COMPLAINTS FROM SHORE FISHERMEN AND ANCHORED BAIT FISHERMEN REGARDING TROLLING OVER THEIR LINES. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE.

Some trollers are doing better than others but limits are still being caught. We still have quite a bit of color in the water but it has gotten a little better in some locations. Generally, chartreuse (all or part of) starts working when the water is in this condition so don't be afraid to tie one on. Fish are spooky in the shallows and on the shallow rock ledges. Let out at least 100 to 125 feet of line out behind the boat.

Orange and brown leech pattern trolling flies have been the best for us north of Pelican Point this week and continues to out fish the nightcrawler for us (however we are still catching fish on nightcrawlers)

Note: the minnows that were along the docks in Spalding have moved out to deeper water.

How trollers can avoid catching tui chub: If you are trolling too slow you can catch the heck out of them. The key is to bump up your trolling speed by 50 to 75 RPM's and avoid catching them. That's all it takes and stay in the zone of the trout. The more chubs your are catching the less time you are fishing for trout. Please release these special fish safely, they are of great importance to the ecology of the lake. Tui chubs also show up as a massive school of fish stacked up on your depth finder. If you observe the adult chub when they come into the north and middle basins to spawn, you will see that the entire school moves in unison (note the minnows at the docks). Seldom do they separate. Trout show up as more singles farther apart.

Hot Lures, Flies and Grubs

Lures: Large "Red Dog" Double Jointed Sure Catch lure is doing well and medium "Goldie locks" (florescent orange and brass) has been working well too. But the best Sure Catch has been a new pattern called "Zebra". I also like the German Brown Medium Sure Catch this time of year. Needlefish and Rainbow Runners have also been known to work well up here. Often, what is hot in one area is not in another. The red dot frog and crocodile patterns in size 2 and 3 have also been productive lures. It is near the time when minnow imitations from rapala's to rubber wigglers will be real effective (time to try ???em now) However, they work best where the minnows are the food of choice. Note: Many of the minnows that had been seen along the docks in Spalding have moved out into deeper water.

Trolling plain nightcrawlers is also a favorite and was indeed a very affective method for many anglers. But, if I am only catching trout on small brown flies I would suggest worm trollers use mini crawlers (on smaller #8 or #10 straight eye bait hooks) over large ones and don't leave a long tail. Use of flashers can be more productive in late summer and fall. The clarity of the lake decreases as the water temperatures drop in fall. Flashers really help during that time and best where schools of tui chub minnows are the food of choice. (Flasher tip for Eagle Lake: shorten leaders up to 14 to 15 inches from the flashers. These fish often come from behind so quickly that they can miss your bait and hit your flashers. If you are getting lots of strikes without hooking up, your leader is too long.)

Grubs: Brown, Black, orange, amber watermelon, white and root-beer have been catching a few fish this week. Some folks prefer to run wiggle or action discs ahead of the grub.

Trolling Flies: The plain Jane brown and florescent orange are catching fish, but the brown leech (a very passive rather than aggressive fly) has gotten more attention on flat water. The tui-chub pattern works better in some areas (this time of year) than in others but it is starting to get attention. I prefer a smaller hook than what is commercially available this time of year...later in September and October size doesn't matter. The ones I tie have more white than olive on them. Olive leeches are starting to pick up a few fish here and there but in general olive works better down by Pikes Point and the jetty...brown has been the most affective for us at every location, however the orange is catching fish for us as long as there is a ripple but once the pond goes flat, the brown has been the best.

My best advise for trolling flies is to keep your rod in your hand and set the hook at the slightest difference in your line. If you miss the fish, slap the slack back into the water, if the fish didn't quite feel the hook it will still be following the fly and it will take it again when it stops dead in the water. Dangle it in front of the fish as if you were playing with a cat and a piece of yarn, if the fish wasn't right there once your line straightened out, give it a few seconds longer. Yeah, that's a real tease, but is also very affective. The fish take flies differently than they hit lures. They basically "hold" it in their mouth rather than attack it like a lure (especially the passive flies in brown or olive). You have to sink the barb of the hook in order to land the fish. And, I mean you have to set it hard, and hold your line so the drag doesn't defeat the purpose. Quite often I use the motor to assist keeping pressure on the fish if I run out of hook setting room (rod over 90 degrees), but, don't keep your boat in gear after the hook set. You will lose them every time. Some fish hit harder on the more aggressive flies (orange, gold & etc.) but you still have to set the hook. You can run discs a few inches above the fly but it's not a replacement for holding your rod. Every fish hits a little different...some hammer you, others tease you, some just slap you around others slurp and spit. Knowing when to set the hook has a lot to do with "sticking" the fish.

Bait Fishing

Depending on location fish 2 to 3 feet deep in 4 to 5 feet of water, 8 to 11 feet deep in 10 to 12 feet of water and 12 feet deep in 20 to 28 feet of water has been our depths and have been successful.

The tui chub have had a good spawn this year and the minnows are prevalent in all the basins. More and more trout are moving into the tules along the airstrip near Spalding. But the best trolling has been out in 7 to 12 feet of water. The water temperature is holding in the middle and north basin...the reason I tell you this as often when the water temperature drops below 45 degrees many fish move back to warmer temperatures.

The use of commercial attractants has been working well the last few years. Krill and Garlic Trout Gravy are the most effective. Don't under-estimate the garlic gravy, it works.

It is illegal to use minnows as bait on this lake, however many different imitations start working now. Nightcrawlers are the most effective bait used but some folks use insects too. NOTE: It is also illegal to keep live trout in a "live well" for any purpose including resuscitation.

Shore Fishing

The biology station and the Youth Camp have been fishing fairly good but on stormy windy days the waves break right in on the rocks. The jetty and the Circus Grounds will be picking up before too long too but fishing has only been fair from shore. Generally the first hour is the best, but some days the trout wait until the breeze comes up before they move in. There is a lot of color in the water right now so if your plain worm doesn't cut the mustard, don't be afraid to add some powerbait or garlic gravy to it.

Fly Fishing

Osprey Management Area is open for foot traffic only or boating in. Boaters be careful there are some quick depth changes getting your boat into shore in this area.

No motorized vehicles are allowed below the road. Watch out for mountain lions in this area.

It has been getting much better for the fly fisherman in general, however, timing is everything. The early morning bite is pretty good in 2 to 4 feet of water however, it can shut down quickly. Some days have been unfishable due to high winds. (Cast parallel to the winds rather than with the wind) Brown was the color they wanted today and is the best color to start with on this lake. Water temperatures should remain fairly stable now. It is advisable to have a float tube or boat so you can reach those trout when they move out. Have a sink tip available.

My favorite flies are basic. #10 and #12 wooly buggers. I prefer brown along Pelican Point and the west side of the south basin. (I have found that the darker the brown, the better it works)

I like olive, gold, orange or black in the tules depending on the time of year. However, the orange is extremely effective when the water temperature drops below 48 degrees F. The shrimp turn orange when the water temperature drops below that temperature.

Bob and Jon Baiocchi have caught some nice fish on brown wiggle tail flies working Lake of the Woods. Fish caught up to a little over 4 pounds. Same as the shore fishing is that timing is everything. One day can be better than the next and anyone who regularly fishes from shore or wades here surely knows that.