UPDATE: Make a camping reservations at the Grasshopper Flat Campground soon. There are about 50 campsites, but making your reservation ASAP is probably a good idea.  Go to  the website at  www.reserveusa.com and follow the instructions to make your own reservation.

Lake Davis is home to big trout and great fishing. The first week in June can be cold and windy, just windy, or calm and spring like. Sometime in late May or early June the damselflies will be in full hatch from about 9 am to mid-afternoon and damselfly patterns work well. The fish will probably be going for the nymphs swimming deep or just below the surface even if the weather isn’t warm enough for a full hatch. Also blood midges, small copper johns just below the surface or at intermediate depths will be effective with or without damselfly nymph action. Small (10-14) dark olive (crystal flash or dull) wooly buggers mimic damselflies or snails and fish well at intermediate depths. Snail patterns in green or orange work around weed beds and deep. The best plan is to have 2 rods (5-6 wt) with one rigged with floating line and one with intermediate sink line (clear or camo is best.)

Sometimes you can sight fish to or lead fish as they cruise and porpoise for subsurface nymphs. They can even be in 1 foot of water and you can cast to them from shore. Other times a floating line with foam indicator can be cast where fish are active and you can wait for a cruising fish to take your subsurface fly.

About 9 foot leaders should be fine (shorter if fishing deep with a clear line and want better control.) 4X tippets often work, but if fish are running 20 inches plus then 3X will give you a lot more confidence.

Lake Davis has several beautiful campsites on the lake. As time draws near I will inform everyone where we will be camping. Additionally, there are several motels in Portola that are close to the lake. In the past, we have conducted this as a day trip. It’s a full day, but it is impossible to do.

It is a 3-hour trip to Davis Lake from Granite Bay. If weather is warm you don’t have to be on the water until about 9, but if conditions are colder you will wish you had been there earlier. Late snows this year mean we will have to wait until just before the fishout to decide which access we will choose. When you sign up at the general meeting, please give me your email address so I can communicate with you about plans.  You can also indicate your interest by email to me at fmassey@jps.net