Current Lake Conditions: Fishing has been fair to good. Not known for big rainbows, McCumber does have a population of aggressive rainbows and browns that key on emerging mayflies. With the wet weather in the forecast this week, expect callibaetis to pop off the top. Better fishing on McCumber starts in March and continues through June.

Lake McCumber is surrounded with tall conifers, enveloped in clean crisp air and watched over by soaring eagles with sharp talons. A medium sized impoundment, the lake is considered "just right" for tubers, prams and Goldilocks.

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: Fish the deep water! Finding the right water temperature is easy with a thermometer! Suspend your thermometer with an old fly line. Check depths from 5 ft to 20 ft. Avoid fishing depths colder than 55??. Stripping a #14 Pheasant Tail Nymph on a floating line connected to a 9' 5X tapered leader in the mornings has been working great! A variation of this technique calls for a Damsel fly nymph, like one of Zack's leech patterns found in the Streamers/Leeches section on the right.

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 leeches, damsel nymphs and streamers. Use a floating line and leader tapered to 4x 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.

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:
• Parachute Adams - #16-18
• Black Flying Ants

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Skip Nymph
• BK Laser Midge - #18-16
• Mercer's Midgeling - #18
• Zallibaetis
• PT Nymph - #16-18
• Hogan's S&M - Brown #16-18
• GB Half-Flashback PT #16-20
• Fox's Callibeeotis - #14

Streamers/Leeches:
• Freshwater Clouser - Olive/White #6
• Zonkers - #4
• Beaded Mini Leech - Any
• Beaded Micro Buggers - Any
• Zack's Zugger - Yellow/Brown

Fly Fishing Gear:
• Outcast?? Fish Cat 9-IR
• Outcast?? Fish Cat 4 LCS
• Redington?? Crosswater Breathable Waders
• TFS H2O & L2a Rod/Reel/Line
• The Fly Shop's?? Tapered Nylon Leaders
• The Fly Shop's?? Tough Nylon Tippet
• Fishpond?? Swift Current Thermometer