Manzanita Lake (Lassen Park)

im going to be at Manzanita Lake from June 6-10 to do some serious fly fishing!

I was curious if anybody has any experience with this lake and how to fish it.

Here are some of my main questions


1. what are some major hatches

2.Local Fly shops

3."hot spots"  I will have my yak so anywhere is possible

4.Other Lakes near by for fishing

Company is more then welcome...


Thanks for the help


MIKE

hey futhel, manzanita is a great lake for fly fishing, its small so in the yak you can cover it really easy,have spent most of my time there in a float tube or the pontoon, the center deeper water use a indicator with calibaetis, larva and emergers in 16-20, chironomids in 12-18, in the flats on the west side its all about sight casting drys, baetis, midges, hoppers, caddis most of the fish i pick up are in the flats, good browns all day and realy nice rainbows in the shade of the pines along the west shore. water is ultra clear so long soft casts, you can get away with 4x for nymphing but 5x flouracarbon is where i would start and would drop to 6x if it is not showing well. but there is a good amount of grass so you need to play them with a good amount of pressure or they will bury you in the grass and break you off. this lake gets alot of pressure and it is a wild trout fishery so they can get very weary, for drys i pretty much throw 6x in 9ft with 2ft of tippet. have fun there, i love that lake and fish it about a week every year, cameron

Don't forget to bring some "big" stuff. I set my neophyte brother up with a leech pattern and he hooked the biggest fish of the trip, for a minute. He was dragging the drop off by the creek inlet at dusk.
 Lassen has some pretty little brookies in the meadow if you can get in.

Used to fish it with size 20 midges.
Bring a red ant pattern too.
One time I was there and the fishing was slower than slow. All of the sudden red ants began falling on the lake and the fish went crazy. So much so that ANYTHING red was almost a guarenteed fish.
Make sure you check the reg for this lake. Not sure if you can keep anything.

thanks the lake is catch and relese, i wouldnt be keeping anything anyway

He was dragging the drop off by the creek inlet at dusk.

150' around the inlet is a No Fish zone

All of the sudden red ants began falling on the lake and the fish went crazy. So much so that ANYTHING red was almost a guarenteed fish.

Right on Tote.  Never underestimate the power of terrestrials!

Manzanita...  I fished it several times, oh, 20 years ago.  Is it still the same?  We were in a canoe, and the afternoon hatch was huge, like you'd get bugs all over you and on the inside of your glasses.  At the time I used parachute adams which worked fine, but those big browns would dive right down into the vegetation and loose you.  Great fun.

--Lars

Check with the Fly Shop in Redding before you head up. Take ChurnCreek exit off I-5 They will know what's happening for sure. Also check out Lake Mc Cumber on the way up. Known for browns. Calibeitis, leaches and midges. Also watch for the motorboat caddis right at dark they are a blast! It's like fishing in an aquarium. Nice and clear with a weed forest.