I hadn’t planned on fishing this week until Saturday. Saturday I have a friend from South Africa arrive and we are going hard for four days. But then my business partner Mark Kuhn, emailed, “You need to meet me at Quake Lake”.
Mark was right. We’ve been planning to meet at Quake for couple years and haven’t done it yet. I’d been wanting to get up there for my annual visit but simply haven’t. So after pondering the idea over a sleep Sunday night I woke up Monday and told Mark I’d meet him at the Quake Lake boat ramp at 4:30 PM.
I embraced the Quake idea by the time I was half way through my Monday working on stuff at home. I left at 1 PM for the 2 hour drive just so I could get there early and chill. Good thing I did because I hit a half hour construction delay on Heck of a Hill near Ashton. I was so glad when I finally arrived at the peaceful fishery.
When I pulled in Mark had the boat ready to rock. I made the quick jump in the boat with my gear. For me the ideal rigs for Quake are two dry fly rods: My 4-weight Winston Pure with a Mahogany Dun Thorax (a great spent Pale Morning Dun pattern) and my 5-weight with a big dry fly. Today I had a Cicada pattern on it. Then my 6-weight with my Scientific Anglers Intermediate Stillwater line with three leech patterns. And of course my new Yeti Hopper M30 with a few beers!
The wind was moderate from the west like it is 99% of the time on a late summer afternoon. We fought our way up the lake. The waves gradually calm as you go due to the protection of the slide mountain. After a 20 minute run I tied us off to one of the many protruding dead trees and our work began. We waited only a few minutes for the first fish rise.
We banged little rainbows up good as the evening set in. We didn’t see any longer than 14” but lake fishing with dry flies is challenging and every fish that eats your fly is rewarding. And never underestimate these scrappy little trout. With all the trees with their intertwining branches spider-webbing underneath the water, the trout win the battle often!
Typically, as the evening moves along, the rainbow trout catching is replaced by brown trout. Tonight was no different. In fact, I always notice as soon as I need my jacket is when the switch occurs. At this point tonight I relaxed behind the oars and rowed Mark around the trees.
We didn’t destroy the brown trout like I have in nights past. That being said we caught a half dozen. Like the rainbows they were small but feisty. I hardly ever get big trout up this end of the lake. They seem to be where the Madison River enters. Nonetheless it was fun and we were the only boat up where we were.
We pulled off the lake in darkness. No doubt a typical Quake Lake night for me. The near full moon was rising by the time I fired up my grill making it for the perfect evening. We had a small feast of chicken and steak. Now it’s in the back of the Exploder. We plan to be back on the lake at sunrise only this time it will be for the big fish. . . .
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