Sardine and Snag Lakes, California:

 

If you venture near  Downieville, California you’ll have plenty of places to choose from for great fly fishing.  I’ve mentioned the Yuba River, but there are dozens of lakes as well.

Gold lake is the biggest, but there is Salmon, Big Bear, Goose and Haven lakes, just to name a few.

I camped at lower Sardine lake. I had been there a few months earlier, in the late spring. It was still partially frozen. The snow covered Sierra Buttes behind the lake were stunning.

A fisherman was just coming off the lake. He had been out in a small row boat, and had a stringer of trout. I vowed I’d come back in the summer, and I did.

I will include a few photos, but a wildfire was burning nearby – so my pictures are not as clear as they could be. I recommend you search images for Sardine lake. It is a wonderful place.

As for the fishing – I didn’t do too well. But that’s because I was fly fishing from the bank. I was limited due to trees and bushes.  There is a small, rustic “resort”

(http://www.sardinelakeresort.com/index.html) where you can rent row boats. Most have electric motors. I needed to rent one in order to get to the fish and to be able to cast better. I’ll try that next time.  But we had a great stay, and a great camp spot.

The next morning we took a short drive down Old Gold Lake road to Snag lake. The fishing was great. We got there around 7am. Since it was summer, the sun had been up – but the hatch was on. There were mayflies all over the lake – just sitting on the surface of the water. There was no wind. The water was like glass. The trout had good visibility, but with a little stealth you could get them to hit.

The lake is failry shallow and wadeable in many spots, plus there wasn't as much brush, so fishing from the bank was more feasable.  

Snag lake’s name speaks for itself. There are underwater trees and logs all over the lake bed. A few stick up around the lake. But they have very few branches, and since you are fishing dries on top – you're fine.

We saw an Osprey feeding on the rising trout. It was sensational to watch. He’d dive and splash – and come up with a trout in his talons. He’d fly off to a good spot to consume his meal.

 

I have since purchased a canoe and I think it would be perfect for Snag lake, so I hope to go back some day.