FISHING
Beautiful rainbows like this 5-plus-pound, 25-inch trout are a reality at Eagle Lake during the fall. This month and next are a great time to head to this remote mountain water near Susanville for big, hungry fish. (CAL KELLOGG)
BRAVE FALL COLD FOR BIG EAGLE ’BOWS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LAKE IS A FALL HOTSPOT FOR HUNGRY FISH By Cal Kellogg
T
he Lassen County cold was bone-chilling – 22 degrees when I launched the kayak. Now, three hours later it was still below freezing. I knew because the forward hatch of my Hobie was dotted with splotches of ice, formed almost instantly from water flung off the landing net.
The adrenaline of landing trout after trout to about 4 pounds made me immune to the cold. I was pulling a small orange trolling fly 12 feet deep on a hybrid leadcore rig at 2 mph. The trout were holding 15 to 18 feet down close to shore. As I peddled out of deep water directly at the shoreline, I turned hard to port when I saw the bottom coming up and eased into the zone. Pedal, pedal,
pedal; it wouldn’t be long. The first arch appeared on the sonar screen, then two more and another. The tip on the yellow leadcore rod dipped violently and instantly snapped back straight. Swing and a miss. A nanosecond later the trout was back and this time the hook sunk home. The rod drew down into a hard arch and vibrated with the trout’s staccato headshakes.
calsportsmanmag.com | OCTOBER 2022 California Sportsman
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