Butt Valley Res. 7/25-26/08

Been hard to get to any fishing time so far this summer due to work, home projects, etc......best catch so far has been the critter I CPR'd (catch, photo, rehabbed from my attic (pic #1))!!!

Headed up to Butt Lake to catch the end of the Hex hatch and try for a few trout.  Met friends from Quincy and Chester at the lake.  One just bought a Caper and the other is looking for a boat - new recruits! Arrived at Butt Lake about 1730 on Friday, wind was just calming down and the lake was settling down.  Fished the north end from the kayaks - skunked didn't see any Hex hatch at that end (pic #2).  Camped at the north PGE campground.  Smoke settled back in over night from the fires that have been burning for a month (Pic #3).  Fished the north end again on Saturday morning - skunked again - might have been the competition! (pic #4).  Wind picked-up at 1100 and knocked us off the water, moved down to the dam at the south end and hung-out swimming and relaxing (pic #5) until the wind died at around 1730.  Fished near the dam until dark - caught one 6" SMB and one 8" catfish, no trout this time.  Nice Hexagenia hatch just at dark (pic #6 - sorry for blur). 

Not alot of fish but a great relaxing couple of days and some great paddling.  Saturday evening was dead still and quiet on the water - great just kicking back on the water taking it all in. The Hex nymphs start to rise in the late afternoon with adults emerging just at dark. The adults are about 2 inches and it turns on a feeding frenzy of fish agressively feeding on the surface, with bats and nighthawks swooping in from above - real cool to experience while floating in the kayak. Could be a good spot for a NCKA gathering some time.   

Take care - Bird

Thanks for the report.
Nice pics, all of 'em, including your evicted tenant. 

Thanks for the report.

Great pics

Jack

Nice report & pics!

A few months back I had a raccoon get under the house and that S.O.B. went nuts it tore all kinds of SH$T up. Ours was the size of a medium dog there was no way I was pulling him out.

Excellent recant of detail...and that cute lil'coon's butt-hole is inflamed.
Thanks for the pics of such a nice place to camp&fish!
SETitUP,andTHEYwillCOME!

I love that lake in the fall I go every year.I have caught some nice trout out of them waters.

Thanks.
Mudshark - yeah, lots of nice trout in that Lake, and its a beautiful spot.  Maybe a late-October (post-BAM) NCKA trip if interested?

FH- might be inflamed from the insulation-diet, gotta be a little tough on the system!!!!! 

Abdiver - had the adult female move in with young.  Tried a bunch of non-lethal options, ended-up buying a medium-size mammal live trap. Hoped to trap and relocate the adult and pull the young. Didn't get the adult but caught the last juvenile that she abandonded or was left behind if she moved the rest of them. They screwed-up some of my insulation but doesn't appear to be any additional damage so far that I have seen.  Lemme know if you ever need to borrow the trap!

Bird