Lake Almanor

Current Report September 20, 2007 - Thursday

Had a Lake Almanor regular in yesterday who said it was fishing extremely well last weekend. He said it should be very good till it get's too cold to go. He was fishing from a float tube at the mouth of the Hamilton Branch with small olive Wooly Buggers. Go now....

October is good in 90% of the mountain lakes in Nor Cal.

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Lake Almanor Info

Lake Almanor is one of our states larger bodies of fresh water at about 16 miles long and 6 miles across and sitting at about 4500 foot elevation. The lake is a very popular destination for fun of all kinds. Water skiing, swimming, sailing, trolling and just about any other water sport can be seen there.

There are many other great fly fishing lakes and streams within a hour of there too. You have Butt Valley Reservoir, McCoy Flat Reservoir, Long Lake and Hog Flat Reservoir to name just a few smaller fly fishing lakes. Yellow Creek and the North fork of the Feather River are fairly close as well. Popular spots on the lake are where the North Fork and the Hamilton Branch of the Feather flow into the lake. There are springs scattered throughout the lake as well. The southwest shore is popular for the evening Hexagenia mayfly hatch. There are land-locked King Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Smallmouth Bass in the lake.

The fishing is good early and late in the year with the Smallmouth in the shallows and the trout and land locked salmon at the tributary mouths. The famous Hexagenia mayfly hatch is normally from mid-June to mid-July and is in the evenings. After that it really warms up and the fish gather at the springs and the tributary mouths. Many fish in and around the Hamilton Branch inflow for the rest of the summer as many fish gather there for the cool water.

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Tackle

On the lake most use 9' or longer #5/6 line rods for fishing the open water. You need a good weight forward floating line for on or near the surface. You need a clear slow sinking line for medium depths and a fast sinking line for getting deeper in mid-summer.

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Flies

You should have some Hex nymphs, cripples and adults. Have some blood midge lava and cripples. Then an assortment of wooly buggers, seal buggers and leeches in black, brown and olive in sizes 10/12. Popular smaller nymphs are the olive Birds Nest, Black AP and Prince nymph in #14 & 16.

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Private Water

• Goodrich Creek

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Lake Almanor Map

• Courtesy Fish Sniffer site.
• Google map

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