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[Spawn Sack]

Roche Report!

So we were there from the 25th-28th. Fished a 1/2 day on the 25 and 28th, all day on the 26th and 27th.

I didn't know the BCFROA fly fishing championships were being held the day before we arrived. When we were checking in (we stayed in the chalets as we don't have an RV) I was chatting with the front desk lady abouthow the fishing has been. She said over 70 fish were pulled out yesterday during the championship! Were were super stoked to get out on the lake.

Sunday tried a bunch of various attractor leeches. Nothing. Tried a few other annoying flies like the UK boobie etc. Not a sniff. Chatted with some other fly fishermen on the dock that day and later in the lodge over a few beers and they said they had caught zip over the past couple days.

Monday we hit the lake hard all day. I tried various chronomids and the wife fished mostly random leeches. We got nothing all day! Talking with guys later that day on the dock and in the lodge almost all had similar stories and like us were pretty frustrated.

Tuesday we decided what the hell let's bust out the gear and show these fish something different! We trolled wedding bands, flat fish, etc. Even tipped with worm! Not a nibble.

Wednesday morning I was determined to get into fish and was on the lake at 545am. I anchored up in a few spots that consistently produce fish and tried a selection of chronomids and some random annoying flies like boobies etc. Nothing!!

Some other observations: the water was about 56-57 degrees which should be prime. The lake had millions of little scud looking creatures swimming everywhere. I tied on simialr looking scud flies with no results. WTF??!! Do you guys think the fish were stuffed on these things and uninterested in feeding?

I'm curious to know why the heck we couldn't get into a single fish and most other guys I talked to were having the same experience. I was hoping to be able to throat pump at least one and see what they were chowing down on but I didn't get a single one to the boat. Sigh!

Can anyone reccomend other decent spring lakes in this area? Stump etc look too windy for our little 12 foot dinky boat. WE prefer smallerish lakes like Roche or smaller. My favorite lakes are in the 70mile area but all are too mucky to 4x4 into right now. Gotta wait until things dry out more.

[Old Blue]

Usually after a good size winter kill the scud population explodes as there's less fish feeding voraciously on them.

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks Old Blue, I didn't know that. I figure if we didn't catch any fish at least I can learn something from the experience to improve my ability as an angler. These little scud looking creatures were literally EVERYWHERE in the lake. Perhaps not out in the deeper water. But everywhere in 15ish or less feet of water you could see them everywhere chasing each other around, some were locked together (mating I assume?), some looked pregnant, some were playing tag, etc.

Like I mentioned before, much to my annoyance I didn't get a single fish to the boat to throat pump and see what the heck they were feeding on. If they were feasting on these scuds they must have been full as I tried several flies that were a close imitation of what I was seeing in the water.

I am by no means a top rod flyfisherman, but in most lakes most of the time we doing reasonably well. Still puzzled...

[FishMachine]

Sorry to hear about your trip SS
The winter kill might be a lots more than the conservative estimated of 10-15%.

We generally have our annual trip booked there but have since cancelled and try camping in one of other lakes. Sure will missed the comfort of those magnificent chalets in Roche.