Dan Fallon's ONovember 2009 Fly Fishing Column
By Dan Fallon

California’s Premier Trophy Trout Nursery Eagle lake!

“ A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of
The King, and eat of the fish that fed of the that
Worm... “

Willy Shakespeare, Hamlet,Immortal.

Strong biting winds and at times serious cold welcome those sportsmen seeking 15-20 inch trophy trout at perhaps California’s number one big trout breeding Lake located at 5,100 feet Eagle Lake is unique! Lake record is 11lbs 4oz with daily catches in the four to six pound range. Of course a high price can paid for those willing to endure high winds and at times serious cold weather. Eagle lake located in northeastern California is not known as an ideal fly fisher venue. Trolling deep waters as the summer heats the surface water is standard operation. Though big trout can be caught in the shallows very early and late with wolly buggers, leeches and various needlfish patterns, fly fishing is not the big attraction. I ‘m not a fan of any kind of trolling, its boring dull work. No thinking needed, just watch for a bump and yank the rod?. Not a fly fisher kind of angling for sure.

On the positive side this good size natural lake created by two highly alkaline glaciers with 100 miles of shoreline is breath taking as the sun comes up one can find great fly rod action on the many jetties and shallows only early and late. 5 weight rods or better with medium to light tippits working leeches work well. The clear water will take you to school and you will only have an hour or so of action just after the sun rises and before it sets. Fresh water shrimp, leeches, red sided sucker fish are natural food. One would be wise to hire a guide to fine tune any fly work and learn the local techniques. I used wolly buggers and leeches with some success.

Trophy Trout Survive High Alkalini Habitat !

How exactly have trout adapted, thrived in inhospitable extremely high alkaline waters? A true mystery indeed in as much as studies have been done where trout from other areas introduced to high alkaline habitat die quickly? Eagle lake trophy trout have over time developed metabolic, oxygen processing systems that somehow ( we don’t know exactly? ) filter out this high alkaline cocktail and experience incredible rapid growth rates in a magical mix of abundant natural food and cold clear highly oxygenated waters flowing from many natural springs. This lake up high is an example of natural order adaptation at its finest.

Contacts

Eagle lake RV ParknIn town f Spaulding: ( 530) 825-3133

John Godwin : (530 ) 825- 3251




Click Here for this month's story line of

“ ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL “

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