Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The Black Gnat Saga

Tuesday arrived with sunshine and blue skies as promised. I headed out to Rancho Seco Lake to try the Black Gnat that Bill Trussell (Fishing Through Life) sent me. Got out there at about 0830, wadered up, and launched the Float Tube Cumberland. A couple of guys launching a boat said that there were a couple of Largemouth Bass, next to the boat launch, that looked like they were making a nest. By the time I got over there, they were gone.


I started out on the left side of the lake with a spinning rod rigged with a mini-crawler under a bobber and just let it trail behind. I wanted to use it as a kind of “fish indicator”. I put the black gnat on my fly rod with the intermediate sinking line, the one I use in lakes. I fished it with a “let it drop” style along the weed by the shore and when it hit bottom, I gave it a couple of strips to pick it back up and let it drop again. I was targeting Crappie since there is supposed to be trophy sized ones in this lake.


About 50 feet from the dock, I got a good tug on the crawler, but by the time I picked up the rod, whatever it was, was gone. I continued around the left side through a good sized cove and back out to a point. From there I changed to a Tungsten Bead head Thinmint size 8 and flippered across the lake to the dam. I wanted to take a shot at some of the trout and maybe the deep water across the lake would produce something. They had a derby on April 2nd & 3rd so they stocked it pretty heavy.


Once I got to the dam side, I changed back to the black gnat. I wanted to give it a good try on this lake. I worked my way around what I think is the drain for the lake. It was at that moment that I found out I forgot to bring the camera.


Let me see if I can explain this drain thing. It’s about 15 feet square, sits on 4 posts about 10 feet above the water. It has steel rods running from the bottom of the platform into the water. Like something to keep debris out of the drain. OK, in amongst the bars and under the platform are a bazillion dirt bird nests. I think they are swallows of some type. The birds were feeding on some type of bug on the shore, but the closer I got to the drain, the more birds started flying back to the nests. Protection, I’m sure. I don’t know what the bug was because I only got a fleeting glimpse of one going by and you know, I’m no entomology expert by any means. The thing I did notice is that there were no fish feeding on the surface.


So I did a 405 around the drain. That’s a 360 plus another 45 to make sure I got all the way around (you know that fish hang out near structures like this) and then made my way toward the shore. I fished part of the dam and then across the weed beds on the side, back toward the launch ramp. I’m still fishless, although I did get another bump on the crawler, but again, I was too slow.


By that time, it was about Noon 30 and I threw in the towel. I gave the black gnat a good 4 hours or so and my analysis is that, since they are still stocking trout in this lake, it might be a bit too cold for Crappie to get excited about a black gnat. So I’ll wait for some warmer weather, some warmer water, and give it a shot later in the year. Maybe dabble in Bass, who knows. Crap, I’d have to change the name of this blog.


As always, thanks for stopping by. Till next time.


Mark

12 comments:

  1. Skunked maybe, but, an A+ for effort. Those trout should also be looking for black nymph type bugs. Hope you can catch some slab Crappie when the water warms up.

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  2. Ive had most luck for crappies in marinas...oh yeah...and through the ice. Keep trying Mark, you'll find them.

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  3. Send the black gnat to Colorado. I know it works there for trout.

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  4. Mark
    I still have faith in you and the Gnat. I use the Gnat with a floating line and a long leader, at least 9 ft. ---5x---by using the floating line and the extra long leader it gives the Gant a slower fall, there by keeping it in the strike zone longer. Next time you use it give the above set-up a try. As told you in my email to you, I have never used it in a cold water stream, for trout. I will be trying it on the Caney when I make my first trout fising trip in May. I really beleive in this little fly.

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  5. Sounds like a good time out on lake fish or no fish. I cant wait to catch me a few Large Mouth Bass....Better luck next time..

    Tight Lines.

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  7. I will be anxious to try that Black Gnat on my waters in UT. when I get back from a little fishing adventure this weekend...It will be fun to get the 'toon out again!

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  8. I thought black gnats were dry flies??? If so, why the sinking line?

    Anyway, too bad you didn't catch anything. We all have those days.

    Try out ultralight fishing. I can personally guarantee that thinner lines and smaller lures will make a difference with just about any fish species in North America.

    William @ AnglerWise

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  9. I hate to hear that you struck out. Better luck next time! I have no idea about the black gnats , but it sounds like it would be a good pattern under the right conditions. I'm hoping to get into some Crappie soon myself.

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  10. Thanks guys. I'll keep trying until I score.

    AnglerWise, everything I read about this fly said to fish it as I described it in the post. The one I got from Bill was not the one you usually find on the Internet. If you put it in the water, it naturally sank. That's why the sinking line to get it down faster.

    Mark

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  11. Can't wait to get back out on the lakes as well this Summer. Nice blog!

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  12. Mark- Rancho Seco is very clear. Keep your line very far from the boat, tube etc. and you will get bit more often. Use your legs and strip out lots of fly line. Let er drift and start hooking fish. The fish are pressurred heavily and with the clear water it's a tough lake until you get your offering away from your water craft. Wanna do bass, hit Amador from the plant point, into the Carson Arm, or the dam area. Use a robo worm or something similiar. Black or purple will work. Light weight.

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