River typically will have the most water, the longest into the fall before filling again.  Water rights are owned by the irrigation company and the lake levels get extremely low during the summer. However, this year Bunch Reservoir still has a good amount of water in it and received an extra 3,000 catchable rainbow trout in late July due to the suitable water quality. When the lakes begin filling again in the fall, fish near the inflows where the water is the most fresh. Try insect and crayfish mimic flies and lures flowing in with the fresh water.

Trolling flies, such as brown or black wooly buggers, or spinners is likely to work well in River Reservoir. Fly fishermen should try the upper end of River Reservoir where the river comes in and the lake is shallower. Sometimes there’s good surface action in the evenings; try hoppers or nymphs under a hopper in the early fall when insects are active. As fall progresses, be careful of spawning brown trout upstream of the lake. Try not to target fish on redds or step on redds in the stream. This lake has a great population of wild browns. Protecting spawning fish will allow these populations to thrive.