Fly Fishing at Manzanita Lake is fair at best

Manzanita Lake - CA (Madera County)


by The Fly Shop
10-8-2011
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Current Lake Conditions:
The anglers who get out early are doing best suspending or retrieving #18-22 midge patterns. The kayak hatch has gone away, so we can comfortably fish in the afternoons. The days are beautiful at this time of year on Manzanita! Fall colors are out! It's not a numbers game on Manzanita. Getting a fish or two to chase your fly is the reward, not to mention you just might have the place to yourself!

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
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.

Flies:

Dries:

• Royal Wulff #8-10
• Scum Dun Callibaetis #14
• Quill Body Trico #22
• Elk Hair Caddis #14-16
• D&D Cripple Callibaetis #16
• Carpenter Ant
• Foam Beetle
• Deer Hair Parachute Ant

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• CB Frostbite #18
• Hogan's S&M Olive #16-18
• Zebra Midge Black #18-20
• GB Half Flashback PT #16-20
• Fox's Callibeeotis #14

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




Good dry fly fishing in the mornings! Productive nymphing up until about 5:00 PM on the Fall River.
Fall River

10-7-2011
Current River Conditions: Good hatches of BWO's, Mahogany Duns and a few PMDs are driving the quality of the...... Read More