A Fisherman’s Winter Musings
By Capt. Bryan Roccucci / Big Daddy’s Guide Service
Well, winter seems to be off to a pretty good start so far here in the northern Sierras. Recent storms have brought much needed precipitation in the form of both rain and snow. To some, winter can be annoying, troublesome, and down right a pain in the butt, however, I have a much more optimistic outlook. This water is vital to replenish all of our watersheds including creeks, streams, rivers and our lakes. Increases in flows and lake levels can only help our fisheries, and after several years of below average precipitation, I welcome it.
Winter can be a great time to catch up on projects and take care of maintenance and up keep of boats as well as gear. When is the last time your boat engine’s water impeller was replaced? Most service manuals say it should be done every year or two depending on the amount of use. How about those boat batteries? Old batteries should be replaced, and if you are storing you boat for a long period during the winter, it is a good idea to occasionally charge them or use a battery maintainer to keep them up and maximize their life and performance. Maybe your favorite reel needs some attention? A good clean and lube will make it feel as smooth as the day you bought it.
Winter is also the sport show season. These outdoor trade shows are a great place to see and experience all of the new products available for the outdoors, as well as to score some great deals on new purchases. The shows are also great places to get ideas about new destinations you might like to fish or meet up with guides and outfitters to book a trip. If you are in the boat market, a sport show is a great place to see a lot of boats all in the same place and meet manufactures and representatives from the companies.
Lake Almanor is a good choice to get in a little winter time trout fishing; with the proper clothing and equipment, as I mentioned in a recent article about layering your clothing, winter fishing can not only be exciting, but comfortable as well. While many destinations in the mountains may have plenty of trout ready to bite, most are un-fishable due to lack of access or regular season closures. Lake Almanor is somewhat special in that regard. The waters of Lake Almanor are open to fishing year round and the lake generally has some open water to wet your line. The last few years the lake has seen some pretty big ice events that have reduced the number of open areas but this is diffidently not the norm. The “powers that be” do a good job of keeping both the boat ramp and parking lot at Canyon Dam open and useable, providing a great point of access for both boat and shore based anglers. There are also quite a few spots on the East shore that are easily accessed by a short walk from the road to the water’s edge. While access is generally good I caution and remind you that Almanor is at 4500 feet above sea level and is located in an area known to get heavy amounts of snow. With that in mind you need to be prepared for it.
Go out, stay in, catch up on some projects, be safe and enjoy winter. Fingers crossed it will be a good one.
About the author: Capt. Bryan Roccucci is a full time professional fishing guide and operator of Big Daddy’s Guide Service. Bryan specializes in year round trophy trout fishing while emphasizing light tackle fishing techniques on Lake Almanor (Jan.-May), Lake Davis (May – June), Bucks Lake (June – Sept.), Eagle Lake (Sept. – Dec.) To book a Spring trip on Lake Davis or any of the other waters fished by Bryan or for more information please visit www.bigdaddyfishing.com or call (530) 283-4103.
Copyright © 2008 Bryan Roccucci All Rights Reserved
