Feather River, Horseshoe Lake

It’s Spring Break!

by Matt
Nice Average Horseshoe Lake Bass

One of the perks of working in education is that you get days off. It is officially spring break and the fishing has just gotten better. I have a few places planned to fish so I will be updating as I go. These places are the Yuba Goldfields, Yuba River, Ellis Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and possibly Butte Creek. The fishing will be great with warm sunny days like the ones we’ve been seeing for the past few weeks. I’m looking forward to it but until then I’ve been fishing the Feather River for steelhead and Horseshoe Lake for bass and catfish.

Feather River
There have been reports that the spring-run steelhead are in the system and from my own personal experience the days I went out I did see them but I did not catch them. I have been fishing in the morning and my guess is that the fish become more active mid-day when the water is warmer. I swung flies and nymphed but did not get any takes. The steelheading has been pretty tough this year and although the numbers are low the quality of fish is good. I would like to spend more time figuring out what works and what doesn’t but my focus this year was to get better at still-water fishing. I will have to put the Feather on hold.

Horseshoe Lake
I’ve changed and experimented with new techniques and figured out a system that works pretty well on the lake. It’s still tough but my success rate went from zero to one take to about three. Although certain flies work I want to tie flies that have an even better success rate.
I landed a nice 16” largemouth and lost another fish that was either a catfish or bass. This pond has some quality fish. I recall in late spring fishing the lake and hooking a fish that literally broke me off it was so strong.
I found some carp clooping but they were right literally underneath a tree. Tough casting. They were later spotted clooping in an area I could cast easier but I spooked them after the third cast. Tough fish. My guess is that they were clooping pollen. Looks like I’m going to experiment and tie some flies that look like pollen.

Ellis Lake, Horseshoe Lake

Another Personal Best

by Matt
Lucky Horseshoe Trophy

Horseshoe Lake
When I woke up this morning I did not expect I’d be fishing today let alone catch a new personal best. What an awesome surprise.
My girlfriend needed me to drop her off at the hair saloon at around 11am so I had about an hour to go out and wet my line before I had to go back and pick her up. I thought maybe I’d give Horseshoe Lake a shot. It should be warm enough today and maybe I could entice something to bite. I picked up a few flies that I had tied for the lake and set off.

As the days grow longer and warmer more people are starting to head outdoors. Upper Bidwell was pretty crowded and busy. This migration of people can often lead to owners letting their dogs splash around in the water and spooking the fish. Not good for me. There were a lot of people out today, but they were all very considerate and respectful.

I set up my rod, tied on a fly, and headed out to the bank. My second cast out I get a take. It’s a big fish probably a catfish the way its fighting. After a few seconds it jumps and then I realize, its a not a catfish, its a big ass bass. I fought her like a pro keeping my line tight and letting her run until I finally landed her and gripped her by the jaw. Admiring this fish in my hand reality finally hit me, holy crap this is a big fish. She was probably around 5-6 pounds. I have always heard rumors about there being 10 pounders in the lake but I never believed it was a possibility until now. My shoes and pants were wet from getting into the water to pick her up and let her go but wow was it worth it. A new personal best and achievement completed for the year.
A trophy bass.

Ellis Lake
I went home to Marysville and had the chance to fish Ellis Lake. After catching a trophy the previous day and the following today I wanted to keep trying my luck. Unfortunately it ran out. I did not get a single take but a skunk on a fly rod is always a lesson learned.

There is a full moon coming March 5th. With the unusual warm weather this year the bass will start migrating on to their beds a little earlier than usual. This move should turn on the fishing and give me another shot for a personal best breaker.

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Keep Calm and Fly Fish™