Rock Lake Report for July 26

[SNAPFisher]

Took my dad to Rock Lake on Saturday. Stayed at Hinton over night and made it to the lake by about 8 a.m. Not too bad a road but a dust bowl for sure.

Thinking of the species and depth in the lake, I decided to bring it all - down riggers, spinning gear, and fly rods with both sinking and floating lines.

After getting out on the deeper launch we quickly set-up using the downriggers in 80 FOW. After a half-hour I gave that up because all I could see was splash after splash at shore. Moved in closer to see a nice caddis hatch going on with lots of jumping fish. I figured maybe rainbows....

So, I tied on my best caddis immitation and fired it out there. About the 4th cast I decided to strip it quick rather than let it sit there. 3rd strip and wammo!! The fish took the fly with a 2 foot air bound follow-up. nice!!! Didn't look like a rainbow so I started thinking a Bull Trout...nope....after a good tug of war it turned out to be my first laker! I've been trying to get the buggers since ice season. The last thing I expected was a laker on a floating fly set-up.

Pic of the laker. Sorry about the goofy pose but I was pretty happy about checking one off the list.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/APetesky/RockLake0726002.jpg

The leap fest continued. The water was so clear that I could see the fish swimming around. By 1 p.m. all I managed were some close runs at the fly and one other that got on and then off within seconds. My dad was skunked so far.

We went in for a break for a quick storm to blow by and headed back out at 1 p.m. Since floating flies were working but just barely, I decided to switch up to dark wolly buggers on sinking line in 20 FOW. Wasn't long before I had my first hit and miss. Then I landed my 2nd:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/APetesky/RockLake0726003.jpg

This one was likely our biggest at 45 cm. Pretty small lakers in general. To cut it short I managed another 6 in the afternoon and my dad got a couple as well.

We saw about an 8 lb pike swimming in the shallows but didn't even bother to try for it. Also, I parked the boat at the in-flowing creek and caught about a half dozen small rocky whites.

It was not a spectacular day but certainly a lot of fun in great scenary, weather and one of the clearest lakes I have ever fished.

Any day here is better than most.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/APetesky/RockLake0726007.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a117/APetesky/RockLake0726008.jpg

Cheers!

[scott_edmonton]

really nice pictures, thanks for sharing the fishing story.

[turbo mulcher]

Nice fish and great story. I have ridden by Rock Lake many times ,either Grizz hunting or sheep but never fished it. Next time sheep hunting will stay a night at the lake and give it a try. Thanks :)

[troutpirate]

you are definetly honest snapfisher. the lakers r small in rock l. i have been fishing there for along time. in my time there about 1 in 100 was over 50cm(not that i kill them anyway). italked to a biologist there last fall, who was test netting the lake and he said only 1 in 300 was over 50cm with the average being 40cm. pretty small by laker standards. i have never seen a athab. rainbow or grayling in that lake. ihave seen some medium bull trout, big pike, and huge R M whitefish there(my R M whitefish from rock won the province AFGA in 96)
i always enjoy the snapfisher trout lake reports and pictures:):)
PS dont let the wardens catch u camping in the maligne lake parking lot

[FisherPotch]

Awsome job SNAP!! It is a gorgeous lake, I too caught my first laker there last summer. Great report, I can't wait for the next one!!

[hunter30]

Nice pictures Snap, I was just wandering , what kind of camera(brand) you were using?
Thank you,

Hunter30:)