Last chance to fish Manzanita before the snow flies!

Manzanita Lake - CA (Madera County)


by The Fly Shop
10-1-2024
Website

The highway is open through the park and this will be your last chance to fish Manzanita before the snow flies. Fish should be chasing Damselfly & Dragonfly nymphs. Fishing Balanced Damsels under an indicator is a good tactic when there is chop, slowly stripping them on a floating or intermediate sinking line on glassy-surfaced areas usually works best. Look for Callibaetis spinner fall in the mid mornings and the hatching insects to happen later on. Mahogany Duns are also hatching, so bring your Adams in smaller sizes, #18 - 20, to match these smaller insects. The Purple Para Wolf in smaller sizes can work for the Mahoganies. A lot of midges are happening now too, so it never hurts to tie on a #16 or 18 black Zebra Midge. A full sinking line can be useful to probe the depths of this lake with black Leeches if you are looking for large Browns. 

Hot Flies: 

Dry Flies:
• Harrop's Last Chance - #16-20
• Adams - #14-18
• Mayfly Cripple - #18
• Last Chance Cripple - Callibaetis or Baetis
• Mercer's Missing Link - #14-16
• Mercer's Parachute Profile Spinner

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Zack's Attack Damsel
• Burk's Sierra Damsel
• Zack's Bomb Squad. - #14-16
• Hogan's S&M - Olive #16-18
• Beaded Zebra Midge - Black #18-20
• Mercer's Gidgets

Streamers & Leeches:
• Beaded Micro Bugger - Black
• Zonkers - #4
• Beaded Micro Buggers - Any