We left Vancouver at 00:30 and drove through the night. We arrived at the base of the logging road to camp at about 0630. Someone had forgotten to purchase their license so we had to wait for the gas station to open so that we could buy one
After that we got up top camp at about 0930, and got settled in, and started fishing. I got out on the nearest lake, and one of the guys was spincasting a spin 'n glow. He was hitting fish almost every cast. I was concerned that me and my fly gear would get skunked. After I got out of the lilly pad section, I was surprised that "Yes, I can catch fish on the fly!" I caught quite a few! I skipped breakfast, and missed lunch, and only came back in when it poured so hard that the rain was bouncing off the lake, and back into the boat
I got drenched. The excuse to come back in was good, as I took a 1 hour nap to refresh, since I'd only had 30 minutes of sleep the night before in the truck. After that, it was right back out again. I was getting fish on a floating line with 9ft leader, and red Doc Spratleys. Fish were averaging about 10-12" with some in the 16's. It wa great. After dinner I went back out, and fished until after sunset, and since I was alone in the boat, I just put a worm down on a hook hanging 6' below the boat. The worm outfished the fly 4 to 0 in the evening - Proabably because as it got darker it was harder to aim my casts to avoid lilly pads with the fly.
The next morning, I was out on the lake at 0500, and had 8 nice fish to the boat by breakfast. the biggest probably 16". What was really exciting was when I saw a few mayflies around I figured I'd try a mayfly on the surface, and 3 casts produced 3 strikes on the surface instantly on contact! Wow!!! That is FUN!
Since there was another lake that apparently was producing nicer - more chrome - fish, just 10 minutes walk away, I figured I'd give that a try on Saturday. "Troll a full sink type VI with a black leach or red Carey VERY slowly" they told me. The other two boats were catching nice 16-18" footballs, but me - nada. I caught one little 6" fish and ended up with sunburnt knees from sitting in the boat trying to row either against the brutal wind, or slow it down when I was going WITH the wind. Obviously my rowing speed was not what the fish wanted
This fish had now earned the nickname "No Fish Lake" from me. The others had some VERY nice fish, but nothing for me.
I went back to to the lake by the lodge at about 1400, and armed with sunscreen and long pants, figured I had to do better on the this lake. One of our fishing partners told me there was one spot where he could hardly keep them off his hook, and that I should try there. "OK". Well, 5 casts: 5 fish. I say "I can probably get 50 fish today before dinner, just fishing here." Sure enough, I managed to hook and release the 50th fish, just one cast before the dinner bell! Wow! tired arms. These fish were hitting ANYTHING. My black leach was down to being just a bare hook with a couple strands of wool, and they were STILL smashing it! This lake got the nickname "Stupid Fish Lake". No fishing for me after dinner. I had certainly had my highest catch day of fish in my trout fishing life.
Sunday morning was the last morning, and I figured, I'd do a bit of photography as well, since we had seen a loon around the lake all the time, and every morning a moose or two would stroll in the marsh at the edge of the lake. I wasn't dissapointed - Moose and Loon. Great stuff. Morning fishing was OK. About 10 fish to the boat before breakfast. After breakfast, one of the successful fishermen from "No Fish Lake" offered to row for me, and help me out over there. We went, and in 3 hours ended up with 12 fish on between the two of us. Wow! There WERE fish in this lake after all. What a great end to the trip!
Stupid Fish Lake: Stream fed lake, tea colour water, with approx 80% lilly cover. Channels of clear surface, limited where you could fish. Lake was 18' deep at the deepest. Mostly 8' feet deep.
No Fish Lake: Spring fed lake, crystal clear water - could see fish on hook approx 25' below. No vegetation cover. Used be an old volcanic vent. Deepest part was unsounded apparently. 40' deep just 5-10 ft off the shore.
The lakes are surrounded by the lodge property, and hence are, for the most part private. There may be some public access, but the shores are inaccessible due to brush on the public side.
pics to follow after I filter them down a bit.
Here's the lodge:
http://www.moosecampfishingresort.com/
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Topic: Clearwater Fishing June 3-6 (Read 3717 times)