Eagle Lake

I was wondering if any one out there has fished Eagle Lake in late October, I did fish it last year in November in my boat but never in a kayak, I am new to this wonderfull sport and was thinking about leaving my boat behind this year and trying it in my new kayak or would that be a mistake. thanks for your comments

Pat

Welcome to the board Pat.
I fished Eagle Lake over Labor Day weekend, and although it is a huge lake, a kayak can be very productive, especially when the weather cools and the trout move to feed in the tules.  We stayed in Spalding, and paddled across the lake to fish the Youth Camp, where I landed a 3.3 lber, lost another, and had several nice hits.  The pattern has changed since then, and the fish are spreading out.  Find the tules between Spalding and Pelican Point, and throw grubs/very small swimbaits.

Nice fish, we are also going to stay at Spalding next month last year that area was to shallow to fish we cough most are fish fly-fishing with woolybugers brown or green. I might try it this year in my kayak thanks for the post.

Pat

I used to fish the lake in  late November as well when the fish were in the shallows... also fished out of Spalding.  I'm unsure of the tactics in October.  The only way I've fished it is leadcore trolling with J-fair trolling flies.  Olive and Cinammon were the best colors, but each year it seemed the preferred one particular color, once you found it, you had it made. 

I have to think that if you can locate the depth that the fish are holding, the same tactics should work, just adjust the depth. 

I Look forward to a report if you go.

Erik

Going the third week in Oct. I will post a report if I don't FREEZE.

Pat

Here's a good report from Coastside that might be of some help to you.  Sounds like the lake has started to turn over already.

http://www.coastsidefishingclub.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/380939/an/0/page/0#380939

I fished there two years ago in the last week of October. the lake had turned over and teh fish were scattered in the tules in 3-4 feet of water (or even less). We fly-fished from floats tubes with floating lines and Rust- of Olive-colored Woolly Buggers. the key, whcih took a bit to figure out was to retrieve v-e-r-y slowly. It was cold--water and air temp and we got whie-out conditions and white during a stomr one day. Fishing was very good though.

Beautiful bows    I think an NCKA trip to Eagle Lake would be fun

If someone puts a trip together, I have a place where everyone can camp. I have 7,000 acres of property that is 15 miles north of Eagle Lake Rd.
I am booked up for October but November is still wide open.

I'm down for an eagle lake trip....1 open seat from lodi.   Will need a heavier sleeping bag, I think.

-Brian G

You can rent cabins right in spaulding across from the boat launch pretty inexpensively as well.

Afternoon and morning entertainment provided by the crazy tame herd of Mule deer that live in town.  You can walk right upand grab them by the antlers... they'd come into the cabin with you if you let them.  It's nuts.  I have pictures hand feeding deer with them sticking their head into the cabin with the door cracked open. 

I'd LOVE to go, but not sure about the WAF issue.

EK

Thanks for the link it was helpful. If the fish are in the shallow then a kayak might be the way to go. Hear it another Link to Eagle lake.

http://eaglelakefishing.info/

Pat

If you camp in Nov, better be prepared for Winter camping--real Winter with snow flurries, overnight freezing, and some whiteo nteh ground after a storm. It was 22 degrees at dawn when I was there in late October 2 years ago and the shallow edges of hte lake wre glazed over with thin ice that melted by mid-day. What Eric says about the Deer is true--a group of us rented a cabin in Spalding (slept and we feed them Apples next to the porch.

The rainbows are big and beuatiful there and they fight better than any Trout I have caught anywhere. The average size is 2-3 pounds--they are big hardy fish that theDFG uses as brood stock for inter-breeding  all over California. It is a unique strain of Rainbow Trout that can thrive in the highly alkaline lake that has no outlet and loses volume through evaporation.

You can walk right upand grab them by the antlers...

Erik, I hope my fellow Flips (Filipinos) don't get word of this.....you might just half of Daly City move up there with their rice cookers ready at hand  

Let's get a date going for Eagle!!! I've never been there but always heard stories about it.  

I had reservations for last year but a storm threw a wrench in things. Sat, Sunday, Monday trip? Mondays are better days than fridays for me to get off. Only weekend that will not work is the 11th and 12th. Maybe do it the first weekend in November?

-Brian G