Clayman Country: Lake Almanor 2/2/13

Many of you folks, like me, have been drooling over Chris's Almanor brown trout mastery. I can't take it anymore!!!
I'll be staying the night with my brother in Chico tonight with the intention of heading up to Almanors iced over West shore in time for sun up. Chris scouted the area for me and says the parking may be difficult but launching from a jetty looks promising... If not I will b breaking ice! Company welcome, can carpool if u have the yak rack. The weak of heart and constitution need not apply, this could wind up being a pretty hardcore outing. Cheers!

I look forward to seeing you OTW Evan!  It's supposed to be a beautiful day tomorrow.  Bright sun overhead and flat water aren't the most conducive conditions for fishing, but I'm certain we'll stick at least a few.  Could be a chilly morning--they're calling for a low of 15 tonight.  But I know you'll be prepared!

Looking forward to another epic adventure !!!, bring on the fish porn !!!

Get em, Guys!   

  major bummer. I got all the way here toted the yak out to the jetty and in about 500 yard ran IMO an impenetrable ice sheet, guess I won't be fishing rec 2 today 
Maybe I'll pull out and relaunch in the east basin at the Dam. Sigh...

Ugh, the ICE!!  Rec 2 was completely covered.  I ended up putting in at Rec 1, but even then I was basically encased in ice.  However, the fishing was actually pretty good.  Did you find ice-free waters on the east shore?

I did find some open water near the Dam, not much but some. The sad part is I dropped my car keys into the lake and wound up having a pretty terrible weekend... I will post the full story this evening but needless to say it was a somewhat disappointing trip north 

Ah hell man, keys in the lake??  That's always one of my worst fears.  Sorry your trip didn't pan out well.  The ice was totally an "out of left field" thing, because most of the lake was open water only two days before you arrived.  Then BOOM: ice everywhere.  I hope you intend to make another trip for redemption this spring!

i think a littel redemption may be just what the doctor ordered! see you in April

Motherload, sorry about your trip not working out so well.  How long of a drive was it for you?  I am not too far from you and from where I am it looks like about a 4 hour drive.
Clayman, is the fishing as good in the spring when the ice is gone?  How about the crowds? 

Clayman, is the fishing as good in the spring when the ice is gone?  How about the crowds?

I think March and April provide the best fishing up here.  And normally, there's no ice to contend with that time of year (although it can still be verrry cold!).  As for the crowds: you'll start to see more powerboats in the south end of the lake around April if the weather's nice.  Most of the powerboats launch from the south end of the lake, near the dam.  Then by late April, the bass tournament guys start showing up to harass the spawning bass in the northwestern part of the lake.  March, however, is usually deserted and you'll have the lake to yourself.

The only times I see this lake crowded are during the holiday weekends after Memorial Day, in the mid-summer when everyone's fishing the Hex Hatch, and when those lame bass tournaments are being held practically every weekend from late April through May.

Motherload, sorry about your trip not working out so well.  How long of a drive was it for you?  I am not too far from you and from where I am it looks like about a 4 hour drive.

If one where to drive straight from the east bay (like Brentwood for instance) then the total drive time to lake shore would be approx. 4 hours with me...4.5-5 hours with your average driver. i take hwy 70 north out of sacramento because it just feels faster and the difference is marginal..from chico just head up 32 to 36 on into Chester...i would be happy to try and arrainge a carpool for an April trip, someone else would need to supply a way to load more than one yak on my car...i just cartop mine with tie-downs. Ideally i will have some time in the spring, all depends on job interviews i will hopefully have in April for a new school district closer to home.