Rancho Seco Fishout
WINTER FLY FISHING AT RANCHO SECO LAKE
by Joe Bania
Midges are readily available and abundant throughout the lake. Getting a fish to come up to the surface for a bi-visible (midge imitation) can be quite challenging. I prefer to go dredging for larger fish and will use an intermediate or type II sinking tip/line. Five to seven weight rods, 8-10 feet, will do nicely at this lake. However, if you hook a monster bass you’ll probably wish you had an eight or nine weight rod. The record largemouth bass caught at this location is well over 16 pounds. I’ve caught several in the 12-14 pound range and had several unique experiences on this lake with larger fish. Once, a bass took a size 6 woolly bugger on the north side of the lake near the dock. It came up and hit the fly and stopped like it was stunned; for several seconds it did not budge but then it began to move off slowly and deliberately as if unaffected by the pressure of the 12 lb. tippet. A momentary glimpse as it swam farther away from me confirmed it was a very large bass. I decided to get it in before it wrapped around several of the submerged logs near by. As I applied pressure the bass applied pressure back and kept swimming; I had this awful feeling that, as the rod bent and the singing of the line in the guides got louder, I was in for a fight that I possibly would not win. The six weight RPLXI salt water rod is a great rod by Sage but no match for this brute as he swam off finally breaking the leader and leaving me in disbelief. One for the Bass, 0 for Joe.
The water here is quite clear so fishing with fluorocarbon tippet is recommended. You should start with 4X or 5X and go up in strength if you get broken off. Various size bead headed olive woolly buggers with lots of sparkle (#14 to #4) has been the most consistent fly for me. Both purple and black buggers with sparkle are also good. Crayfish abound in the back of the lake so don’t rule out leeches, matukas, burnt orange crayfish. Mice, small minnow/trout patterns, prince nymphs, AP, CDC, and scuds have caught fish here as well. Trout even take flies off the surface in the evening so don’t be afraid to experiment with a brassy hung under a small elk hair caddis or hopper. One evening, I was fishing near the inlet by the dam working a small mouse pattern when several swirls occurred. I missed something large that was trying to get to the weed-covered mouse. As I cast the fly again, right up on the shore, I thought to myself “slow down and don’t be so anxious”. Presentation is everything. I remembered as the previous swirl occurred I had stopped stripping and the fish turned his back on the mouse because it was moving in an unnatural motion. This time I would keep the mouse moving through the water and hope I could hook up with a big old bass. Well, as I went to pick up the mouse, a violent strike occurred, catching me somewhat by surprise; it turned out to be one of the planted trout well over 31 inches! So expect anything at anytime.
Planted trout here are always on the move in a large group and normally swim close to shore. This is typical of the hatchery trout that were raised in races to adulthood. This activity is not the case for wild trout, which are suspicious of predators from above and below, including each other. So, as you fish, you’ll see schools of trout swimming by, just like in the hatchery. Cast in front of the school about 15 to 20 feet and let the fly settle to the bottom. Then impart some action by slowly stripping the fly off the bottom causing a plume of dirt to rise. This action will attract them into thinking this is something good to eat and go for the fly. As you bring the trout toward the tube/boat, you’ll notice that others will follow him trying to steal the fly out of his mouth. This action by fish is universal in all waters. Sometimes your buddy can catch the fish that is following yours in; many times that fish is larger.
As for bass and crappie, they relate to structure and will be positioned over the two dams that were flooded to make up this 160 acre lake. Drop offs and shallows are also where you will find these fish suspended. Retrieve your line in short strips; remember, insects move only centimeters or less per second. No matter what species you are targeting, change your technique if you are not getting any strikes. Try a variety of patterns; many unusual flies work at this lake. Experiment by selecting about a dozen different patterns to start your fishing experience. See what works and what doesn’t; do not be afraid to change to a different fly or a different stripping rate. One thing to remember, catching fish is a challenge at this lake -- be patient and strip very slowly. Take your time and observe what is happening around you, hone your casting skills, and always keep your hooks sharp for successful hook-ups.
Cold weather is the norm during this time of the year so dress warmly, be prepared for rain, and be sure to bring a windbreaker because it is usually breezy in the afternoon. Water surface temperatures are usually in the high 40’s to low 50’s with a few hatches coming off in the late morning or early afternoon.
Safety should be your first concern while on or in the water. Wear the proper clothing and fish with a buddy. Cold water can sap your strength and leave you in a precarious situation so be sure to have somebody nearby to help if needed. If you get chilled, it is time to get out and get some warm soup or tea in your body. Don’t be afraid to start your vehicle and turn on the heater to get warm.
TIGHT LINES!
Joe
Fishout Report Rancho Seco Dec 9 – 10, 2005
What a wonderful weekend to have a fishout; I even got a sunburn on my face and the top of my head – that will teach me to wear my hat while I am outside.
Barb and I started out for Rancho Seco on Friday shortly after 8 AM. The sun was shining when we left Shingle Springs and I thought we would only hit a little fog but, to my surprise, shortly after turning south from Highway 50 onto Prairie City Road there was the fog, a huge gray curtain. As we made our way to Sloughhouse it got worse; sometimes it was impossible to see the centerline. Barb was following me in her truck loaded with firewood for the campfire and all I could see were her headlights when I looked in my rear view mirror. I had worked at Rancho Seco over 30 years ago and carpooled daily, so this was normal but it was still an experience. We finally arrived around 9:30. The fog had started to lift but it was still a bit cold.
As I drove across the dam, I visually scouted the lake and saw lots of people. There were people along the dam face, in boats, and people fishing from the docks. Individuals were chucking their power bait, and bubbles with woolly buggers, at the fish that had been dropped in for the previous weekend’s derby.
When we pulled into the campsite, Gary Slade was already there patiently waiting for us. We apologized for being late!
I thought the best place to start fishing would be in a back cove where there were no people. The fish like these areas because many channels exist in the weeds for them to hide and ambush their prey. Gary and I went over there while Barb stayed in camp to get the chili going, start the campfire, and to let people know where I was. She could also give them information about various places on the lake to fish since she usually accompanies me when I come out here.
I wanted to spend some time observing rises and get an understanding what was happening since it had been some time since I had fished here. I saw several rises and swirls indicating that the fish were active. The water was gin clear with a light breeze producing occasional ripples on the surface. Water temperature was 53 degrees; quite comfortable for this time of year. [Air temperature would get into the mid-60’s during the day. Pretty warm for December 9th !] Larry Shaw and Don Mittelsteadt were there already pumping up their tubes; I talked to Don later and he hadn’t had a single bite there.
I started fishing with an intermediate line on a six weight using one of my trusted #6 bead-head olive crystal flash woolly buggers with a small white minnow pattern tied to the curve in the hook. I was out to catch a big bass; Gary was going for trout. Several casts parallel to shore produced nary a response from the risers I had seen previously. As I moved to get in the channel, a boat came around the corner and proceeded past me to the back of the channel. I was foiled from a good spot.
Gary left to try his luck up front near the boat launch area, and I headed across the channel trying to intercept a few of the earlier risers. I got a few bumps that felt more like blue gill than trout or bass. I checked my setup including testing the sharpness of my hooks, everything was good. After several dozen casts, I changed to my Teeny line to dredge the bottom. As I proceeded around the bend toward the back of the lake I kept catching weeds; this area in the past had been fairly weed-free. Several more minutes went by without any takes. I tied on a weighted black leech and counted down, stripping rather slowly. There were a couple of grabs for 2-3 seconds each then nothing. The day was turning out to be quite challenging. After fishing for about an hour and a half with nothing but bumps I got out. I was getting hungry and looking forward to some hot chili and tortilla chips.
Back at camp Barb told me Larry Shaw and Don Mittelsteadt had stopped by and had relocated to the boat launch area as well. After lunch I carried my gear down to the opposite side of the channel from the boat dock and asked the two Russian fishermen on shore if they would allow me to access with my pontoon boat there. They were very pleasant and showed me the nice trout they caught on spinning gear using brown artificial worms. This area in the past has been a gold mine because it is weedy, very shallow and the water is warmer. Most of the time people are wading or fishing from shore in this area. I saw Don and Larry in the middle of the cove; they hadn’t had a single bite. Meanwhile, Gary had gone to our camp and was having some chili while he talked with Barb.
For the next hour and a half, I tried several set-ups including just drifting an unweighted fly; no grabs, but lots of weeds. It was getting late and chilly so I decided tomorrow would be a great day to catch the big one. The sun was getting low in the sky and ultimately resulted in a spectacular sunset.
Unfortunately, I wrenched my back somehow carrying my gear to camp and by Saturday morning I could hardly move. Dustin Rocksvold and Frank Verardi showed up but all I could do was tell them about the most reliable locations on the lake, and also about our experiences the day before. There was no breeze on Saturday and the surface of the lake was like glass. I did not check on the success of the spin fishermen but trout usually do not take flies well under those conditions. Neither Frank nor Dustin brought any fish to hand that day. Dustin came to our campsite at lunch and we spent some time talking about future activities for the club. Barb and I left about mid-afternoon because we had some errands to run before we went home.
I was disappointed that Frank, Dustin and Gary did not get more action. Larry and Don had not stopped in to say good-bye on Friday so I was still hopeful that they had brought some fish in. However, after phoning Larry to find out, I remained disappointed – they had a couple of hookups but weren’t able to bring the fish in either. Usually the fish are pretty well disbursed out of the area in which they were dropped more than a week earlier, and ready to eat because they were no longer being fed like they had been at the hatchery. Maybe it was the flat water surface, maybe they were hiding from the bass, ???! Whatever the reason, some days are like that, yeah they are. I still feel that the worst day fishing is better than almost anything else I could have been doing.
Thank you to those who came out to try Rancho Seco; it encourages me to plan for other fishouts later this year, especially Jenkinson Lake which has a greater variety of fish and fishing access (i.e., shore, wading, float tubes, boats with electric or gas motors). It is also a great place to bring the non-fishers in your family for picnics, swimming, interpretive walking paths, hiking, bird watching, or just plain lounging around with a good book. And, we can’t let the fish get the better of us so let’s go back to Rancho Seco again later!
Tight lines, and happy fishing in 2006.
Joe Bania
To see some photos from the Rancho Seco Outing click on the following link:
