Lost Sierra Fishing Report February 2025
Fly Fishing Report Lake Almanor, Middle Fork Feather River and The Lost Sierra Watershed!
A wet month, Epic Lake Fishing, Big Brown Trout, and Fun Floats!
Lots of rain in February created a reset in the lakes and rivers… once the clairity improved it was back on!
The Fly Fishing in February shut down for a bit as we got hammered by 4 atmospheric rivers in 2 weeks. It was time to make some fly rods, tie up custom streamers, and get office work done! The Middle Fork Feather River came up about 5 feet in the storms and blew out for a few weeks. Once the water receded and the clarity improved, we got back to work putting fish in the net and making clients smile!
After the epic rains and about 10 days of waiting for the rivers to come back into shape, the weather pattern became favorable with a high presure system with warm, sunny days and cold nights. The crux was water clarity! But once the water settled we started finding fish again and got back to what we do best!
We have some great client trips, taught a clinic, and did some fishing on our local rivers and Lake Almanor.
The Middle Fork of the Feather
As the water receded and clarity improved, the fishing rebounded. We began by using white and bright-colored streamers, as visibility in most of the system was under two feet. Despite the challenging conditions, we had success and were able to put clients on fish. As the water clarity increased by a few feet, we adjusted our streamer selection to greens and browns with some white, better matching the natural environment.
Last week, we had our first day of catching fish on dry flies. Rising afternoon temperatures prompted fish to feed on hatching insects at the surface, and we reached double digits in the net. In addition, Water temperatures rose from the high 30s to the low 40s. This is the first time I have seen temps out of the 30s in a few months. Overall, the river is shaping up, and with warm temperatures coming this week, we are looking at some amazing days in the next few weeks to be on the river!
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor has been fishing exceptionally well, with the rainbows displaying a pre-spawn feeding attitude. We're experiencing fantastic streamer action, as the big fish have moved in close to shore and are actively feeding. Fishing from float tubes, rafts, and ladders has produced great results.
The fish are taking a variety of flies, with Jay Fair’s Wiggle Tail Nymphs continuing to be a staple in both Plumas and Lassen counties—still the go-to pattern for these waters. With the current weather pattern, we anticipate seeing chironomid hatches within the next couple of weeks! We have had some great fish in the net ranging from 4-8 lbs, right off the shoreline!
Lake Davis and Frenchman Lake
Lake Davis and Frenchman’s are expected to ice off by the third week of March, bringing excellent shore fishing opportunities for big fish. Ice-off at Davis never disappoints, consistently providing exciting action.
The best fly patterns for this period include olive and black balanced leeches, as well as balanced damsel nymphs, both of which are highly effective in these conditions.
Stay tuned!
What’s New - Permits are in Place for Lake Davis, Frenchman, and Lake Almanor!
We are beyond excited to offer walk and wade and float trips on Lake Almanor, Lake Davis, and Frenchman Lake for 2025! We work closely with the US Forest Service and have been granted permits to now guide still waters in Plumas and Lassen Counties!
Lake Almanor, stripping streamers from our raft!
