I got out on Lewiston Lake yesterday as my friend, Don, wanted to come over after Benson Kanemoto once again showed that fish are active at Lewiston Lake. The lake has only been stocked once since March, when usually there are 4 or 5 by now, including some non-documented plantings when other waters are too warm for fish. Lewiston Lake is always around 50 degrees or lower as the water comes from the bottom of Trinity Lake.
Surprisingly, Carrville Pond, an old mining pit located just above Trinity Lake, has been planted 13 times since March. What I’ve heard is that there is a new head of trout planting and he is not familiar with the historical plantings at Lewiston Lake. Unfortunately, I’ve also heard that locals have called up his office calling him an idiot. Only idiots would do that and I understand the human response to not want to plant fish in an area where strangers call you up and insult you. AARRGGHH #1
The days of 20 to 40 fish in half a day are gone. The planters are gone. But, there are still fish in the lake. Native and surviving planters from the past now own the lake. These are hot fish. I landed 5 of 7 hookups in 3.5 hours. They were 14, 15, 15, 15, and 18-20 inches in length. I lost a large fish, bigger than my net, when after many runs I thought is was tired and tried to haul it in, resulting in it breaking off. As my friend Don stated, “it evidently wasn’t tired”. The entire time we fished just around the island above the marina.
The fish above jumped 3 times quickly to remove a lamprey (speculation). Twenty minutes later I moved to the area where “it” jumped early. One cast and the fish was soon into the net, with an attached lamprey being released. I’m confused by the notch in it’s tail. I don’t think the caged fish at Lewiston Lake are tail-notched. Natural consequences of life in the wild? Regardless, the fish were hot and released unharmed.
For the record, the first fish were caught 7 feet under an indicator using a size 16 bead body PT nymph. The last two, and the lost two, were caught with a size 16 black zebra midge/ silver bead, with air tubules at the top attached under the PT nymph. I don’t know what hook the fish took as they each shook it out of their mouth when in the net, before I could check.
Regardless, even though planters are not on the menu, there are active, hot fish in Lewiston Lake, right by the marina. Good times. I would be out right now, today, except it is raining….darn.
Tight Lines!