Rich Sierra reservoir up by Portola, holding chunky wild rainbows that grow fat on a diet of blood midges and damsels. This is premier stillwater nymphing — a static blood midge fished over the weed beds under an indicator is the classic Davis method, and the trick is varying your depth until you find the band the fish are sitting in. Tube and boat water. Ice-off in spring and the autumn are the prime windows, with damsel and Callibaetis fishing through the summer.
A patient day, if you fancy it
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. A flat lough is a quiet lough — wait for the breeze.
33% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
S 3 km/h
Calm
Wave
Flat calm
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
12°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1018 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for rainbow trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Ice-off spring and autumn; summer damsel/Callibaetis
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Bank
Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
5 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- summer conditions with cloud skies and calm wind.
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
About this water
Lake Davis, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedLake Davis · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
Rich Sierra reservoir up by Portola, holding chunky wild rainbows that grow fat on a diet of blood midges and damsels. This is premier stillwater nymphing — a static blood midge fished over the weed beds under an indicator is the classic Davis method, and the trick is varying your depth until you find the band the fish are sitting in. Tube and boat water. Ice-off in spring and the autumn are the prime windows, with damsel and Callibaetis fishing through the summer.
- Reservoir
- Mixed
Lake Davis · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Lake Davis · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 January → 31 December
Lake Davis · permits
Good to know
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- CDFW regulations — verify.
Lake Davis
Rich Sierra reservoir up by Portola, holding chunky wild rainbows that grow fat on a diet of blood midges and damsels.
Species
A patient day, if you fancy it
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. A flat lough is a quiet lough — wait for the breeze.
33% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
S 3 km/h
Calm
Wave
Flat calm
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
12°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1018 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
54%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp25%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Ice-off spring and autumn; summer damsel/Callibaetis
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
The plan
Plan A
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Bank
Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.
Why this score
- summer conditions with cloud skies and calm wind.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- CDFW regulations — verify.
Directions
About this water
Rich Sierra reservoir up by Portola, holding chunky wild rainbows that grow fat on a diet of blood midges and damsels. This is premier stillwater nymphing — a static blood midge fished over the weed beds under an indicator is the classic Davis method, and the trick is varying your depth until you find the band the fish are sitting in. Tube and boat water. Ice-off in spring and the autumn are the prime windows, with damsel and Callibaetis fishing through the summer.
- Reservoir
- Mixed
Seasons & zones
- Trout1 January → 31 December
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Rich Sierra reservoir up by Portola, holding chunky wild rainbows that grow fat on a diet of blood midges and damsels. This is premier stillwater nymphing — a static blood midge fished over the weed beds under an indicator is the classic Davis method, and the trick is varying your depth until you find the band the fish are sitting in. Tube and boat water. Ice-off in spring and the autumn are the prime windows, with damsel and Callibaetis fishing through the summer.
Fishing better nearby · 5