Manzanita Lake is a little cold for the fishing to really turn on

Manzanita Lake - CA (Madera County)


by The Fly Shop
5-14-2012
Website

Manzanita Lake is popular with fly fishermen, maintains a catch-and-release policy, and non-motorized boating is permitted.

Current Lake Conditions:
Still snowy, but good access exists. The lake is still cold and not much is hatching, but the fish are eating small black Zebra Midges suspended under small indicators.

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
Taper your leaders to 5x or 6x. Using a float tube or a pontoon boat, paddle out into the lake and look along the edges for cruising rainbows and browns. RIOs Aqualux Intermediate Sink Tip is a perfect line for retrieving and stripping Pheasant tail nymphs and Callibeeotis. Use a floating line and leader tapered to 6x with a bead head PT with a very, very, very slow retrieve. Fish will find your nymph and take it, but don't set the hook! Just lift and let line out until you can bend the rod without first breaking the fish off. Use a thermometer to find that 55-65 ?

Lake Fact:
Lassen Nat'l park is a living museum of vulcanism. But you won't find Spock hanging here giving out nerve pinches. The Volcano, known as Lassen Peak, is the centerpiece of the park, standing at 10,456'. Last erupted in a series of events dated from 1914-1917. The most powerful occurred May 22nd, 1915 raining volcanic ash up to 200 miles away. May you live well and prosper.

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:

• Scum Dun - Callibaetis #14
• Quill Body - Trico #22
• Elk Hair Caddis - #14-16
• D&D Cripple - Callibaetis #16
• Carpenter Ant - #12
• Foam Beetles

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• CB Frostbite - #18
• Hogan's S&M - Olive #16-18
• Zebra Midge - Black #18-20
• Mercer's Gidgets

Streamers/Leeches:
• Beaded Micro Bugger - Black
• Zonkers - #4
• Zack's Zugger - Yellow/Brown

Fly Fishing Gear:
• Outcast ? Super Fat Cat-LCS Float Tube
• Scientific Anglers™ Wet Tip Clear Fly Line
• Whizz Lube
• Simms ? WaderWick™
• TFS H2O & L2a Rod/Reel/Line