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[pnKroK]

howdy all...

I was up in the Merritt area this weekend.  I frequent this area atleast twice a year for decent trout fishing.  Typically we stayed at the Pimainus fishing lodge, but since that's been bought out we've camped at Calling Lake and enjoyed the good fishing there.

This past weekend, a friend and I decided to camp out at Dot lake for some fishing and hunting in the region.

I've never fished Dot before and was just wondering if anyone can shed some light on the lake.  I've fished Gypsum which is right close to Dot numerous times with varied success.  I got a couple of hits at Dot, but nothing really substantial.  My friend was able to hook in to a pretty small one when we first got there, but it seemed pretty dead after that for the rest of the weekend.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

-rob C

[HOOK]

I fished Gypsum this summer and we had pretty decent fishing  the person that told me about Gypsum also mentioned Dot to me. he did however say that Dot is a very tough lake to fish but does hold some big fish once you can figure out the lake. When we hit Gypsum my new fishfinder really saved the trip because the fish were all between 25-28 feet deep.


What are the fish like in Calling lake ?? I have thought about going that way and camping/fishing for a few days

[fishnjim]

dot lake has larger fish than gypsum typically..and is harder to fish.  calling lake some years is also better than both..but not for me in the last little while..maybe as the fish are surving the spawn channell??  who knows for sure?  i believe they may have put the triploids or what not in dot..but i know they put diploids..spawn capable ready fish into calling.

any how,, fishing in all 3 lakes is good.  i prefer gypsum as it is no  gas motors and gets less pressure.  early and late i prefer calling..and in mid summer i prefer dot.  even though it is a bit lower than calling in elevation..but that is where i caught more.

as for hunt fish combo..all 3 are good for moose and mule deer..just depends where we are logging.

[poper]

Been there a few times! And its been slow but the fish are are big.I havent been there and not caught any thing under 3LBS exept the the small schools near the weed beds,but what works best for me was slow and deep as posable and not a big patern,suck as small leechs and scuds.

[pnKroK]

WOW!

Thanks so much for replying!  I didn't think I'd get a reply on this thread.

I started fishing this area about 5 or 6 years ago.  A good friend of mine is family friends with the people that own Chataway...we stayed there a few times and then we discovered Pimainus.  In the first few years we fished Gypsum, Antler and Billy, I was taught to fish with a spincaster/monofilament and a handful of flies...not really knowing what I was doing of course.  So...we stayed at Pimainus for the next few years fishing that lake, 2nd and 3rd lake, always getting fish but nothing too big which is fine by me, i just like the action.  Getting the big ones is fun of course, but I don't mind catching slightly smaller ones.  Regardless...Pimainus got bought out and we started to stay at Calling because the camp site there is nice and the few times we fished that lake we did well and the fish in that lake seemed bigger then at Pimainus.  So, for the past 3 years we've camped at Calling and mainly fished that lake.  I've ventured back to Gypsum only to get a few nibbles and small ones.  So..this year we decided to hit Dot and see what the deal is.  Like I said, I got a few nibbles and my friend brought in one small guy.

Oh yeah...this might bring a chuckle.  The first 2 years I just used flies because thats what I thought you were supposed to use...I didn't know what flies I was using, I just used what was given to me.  After a year or two of frustration, I talked to a guy staying at Pimainus and he told me about the benefits of hardware.  So for a year...I only used hardware and did ok.  Got old really quick.  The next year I got my first fly rod and decided to give the flies another chance.  I bought the Gilley and decided I was a pro.  For some reason, that year the green scuds/shrimp seemed to work REALLY well.  Ever since then i stocked my flybox with green shrimp and i ALWAYS did well no matter what lake we went to in that region.  I was the green shrimp killer!  I guess the fish have caught on, or fishing has slowed down, or whatever...but the green shrimp killer ain't so hot anymore.  I've only fly fished by trolling around the lake with my superfast sinking line and I also have a trolling reel with leaded line and flies.  This seems to work and I just don't really have the patience to sit at one spot and cast.  Plus the people that typically come with me are not really fishermen and they just want to troll around the lake...fine by me.

SO...I guess I'm up for the new challenges of finding that hole and working it by casting or whatever is next.

Thanks so much for the info and this gives me new hope for dot.  I guess I just need to figure that lake out.  I guess one of the biggest lessons i've also learned from my friends dad is to talk to the locals and see whats working.  I typically stopped at the powderkeg, but the old guy there wasn't really too talkative.   Apparently its under new ownership.

Regardless...thanks for the info.

Any ideas what works this time of year at dot?

OH yeah, i like fishing gypsum because of the no motors...but i bought an electric motor a few years back.  I got frustrated because of my battery dieing so quickly..its an old motor and it doesn't have that battery saving option or whatever that is.  So...i just bring my canoe with me when i fish gypsum.

thanks again,

-rob C

[fishnjim]

this time of year..even dot that is slow can catch the trout on either hardware or flys.  get there before the ice..now til about mid nov..sometimes a bit longer..weather dependant.

lots of logging on the main road right now and until next year..but safe with a radio or after hours and on weekends.

[pnKroK]

When we hit Gypsum my new fishfinder really saved the trip because the fish were all between 25-28 feet deep.

What type of fish finder do you have?

How are you fishing?  Trolling or casting?  What were you using?

I looked in to a fish finder a while back but just got turned off from the whole idea.  I wouldn't really rule it out, but I've always seemed to do ok without one.  I'm sure it would have come in handy this weekend tho!

[pnKroK]

lots of logging on the main road right now and until next year..but safe with a radio or after hours and on weekends.

What are the roads like up there at this time of year?

We're thinking of heading back up there for more hunting, possibly in November.  My buddy has a Toyota 4x4.  We had a bit of snow last weekend, but nothing that really stopped us.  Do they get big dumps of snow there in November, or do the big dumps come in the new year?

We've got chains, but if theres a ton of snow, i think we'd probably be stuck for a good amount of time.

thanks,

-rob C

[fishnjim]

you will be fine in november.

[HOOK]

the fish finder i have is called a Fishin Buddy and is made by Humminbird. its a completely portable unit. i got this because it can be strapped to my pontoon but also goes on the boat in seconds. its good to over 200' as well but i mean what fly fisherman fishes lakes deeper then say 60 or so feet maw depth ?? not many. Trust me a fish finder can save trips for you because you can find what depth the fish are cruising at, by finding this out you can set your flies close to that depth and will get strikes.

I would suggest you learn to chironomid fish because almost half a trouts diet is chironies. this is sit and cast and stare at a strike indicator fishing LOL or without indicator. This fishing is personally my favourite way to catch trout because you will catch fish even when they are lazy and not really biting.

Have any of you gotten anything big out of Gypsum ?? our biggest ones were around 4lbs. my dad lost one that was pushing 6lbs once the loon starting chasing it  Oh ya the loon there is very aggressive and is teaching her to babies the same tactics  she almost took a fish right out of my hand and 2of3 of us lost a fish to her 

[drock31]

I fshed gypsum about a couple weeks ago with my girlfriend and we only had a couple bites in 2 days. We also fished billy and gypsum with the same outcome. I have always found these lakes to be a little slow. It really enjoy the area and the free camping. When talking to and older gentleman who had been going there for 25 years or so he mentioned that the fishing had become much slower in the last few years. I think next time I will try calling lake