Trout-Tuna-For.Me
07-29-2009, 06:13 PM
Just returned from fishing the Mt Lassen/Old Station and Burney lakes and streams fishing trip.
We fished Hat Creek, Power Stations 1 and 2, Baum Lake, and Battle Creek Resevoir. Fishing Hat Creek was fun wading through and catching lots of small planted rainbows using nightcrawlers and salmon eggs. Both Power Stations both above and below them produced many fish mostly in the 1.25 lb range except for a 4.25 lb brown in the Forebay above Station 1 on a nightcrawler. It was the first time I've been to Battle Creek Res, but we float tubed it and only caught a couple small 10" browns using nightcrawlers. I've heard stories of big fish being caught there so I had to try it.
The best fishing spot of the trip was at Baum Lake. It didn't matter what time of day it was, and since daytime temps got up to over 100 degrees, those fish were on the chew all day long! Using waders or going out in a float tube we were catching up to 25 rainbows in 2 hours of fishing using anything! Since it was so hot out and not much shade to rest in, we fished on and off 2 hours at a time. Lures, baits, or flies, you just couldn't miss. Most of the rainbows were 1.5 to 2 lbs each, great eating fish since they were the holdovers of the Eagle Lake strain of hatchery fish from they year before. The DGF still plants that strain of rainbows at Baum Lake and many other lakes/streams in the area.
The wife and I make this trip every year at the end of July. Having a place to stay for free helps and the last Saturday of July there's a fund raising chicken bbq lunch put on by the Old Station Fire Dept. Small town hospitality at it's best and great food also ! If planning a trip up that way, you've got to try JJ's in Old Station.....Great home style cooking with the best pies you'll ever eat !
All in all another great trip to northern Calif. Hopefully will be returning in October to fish the Pit River.
TTFM
We fished Hat Creek, Power Stations 1 and 2, Baum Lake, and Battle Creek Resevoir. Fishing Hat Creek was fun wading through and catching lots of small planted rainbows using nightcrawlers and salmon eggs. Both Power Stations both above and below them produced many fish mostly in the 1.25 lb range except for a 4.25 lb brown in the Forebay above Station 1 on a nightcrawler. It was the first time I've been to Battle Creek Res, but we float tubed it and only caught a couple small 10" browns using nightcrawlers. I've heard stories of big fish being caught there so I had to try it.
The best fishing spot of the trip was at Baum Lake. It didn't matter what time of day it was, and since daytime temps got up to over 100 degrees, those fish were on the chew all day long! Using waders or going out in a float tube we were catching up to 25 rainbows in 2 hours of fishing using anything! Since it was so hot out and not much shade to rest in, we fished on and off 2 hours at a time. Lures, baits, or flies, you just couldn't miss. Most of the rainbows were 1.5 to 2 lbs each, great eating fish since they were the holdovers of the Eagle Lake strain of hatchery fish from they year before. The DGF still plants that strain of rainbows at Baum Lake and many other lakes/streams in the area.
The wife and I make this trip every year at the end of July. Having a place to stay for free helps and the last Saturday of July there's a fund raising chicken bbq lunch put on by the Old Station Fire Dept. Small town hospitality at it's best and great food also ! If planning a trip up that way, you've got to try JJ's in Old Station.....Great home style cooking with the best pies you'll ever eat !
All in all another great trip to northern Calif. Hopefully will be returning in October to fish the Pit River.
TTFM