Virginia Lakes Resort Fishing Report

Fishing Report

October 1-15, 2023 -- Virginia Lakes Resort Fish Report - Last one of the season so I'll see you in May if the weather cooperates.

Weather: - 7am Temp Sunrise/Sunset - FM Full Moon October 27th, the Hunter's Moon, and it's big-very white-and-bright as it raises from the east.

Sunday	32º	6:51/6:41	Snowed all day and the day before.
Monday	28º	6:52/6:39	6" of snow at LV and it melted in a few hours. Lodge phone failed to connect as did the Internet.
Tuesday	30º	6:53/6:38	Clear, light breeze and beautiful, but a bit warmer.
Wednesday	31º	6:54/6:36	Clear, light breeze.
Thursday	32º	6:55/6:35	Clear and cool.
Friday	34º	6:56/6:33	Clear and still cool, but warmed up early afternoon to 75 degrees.
Saturday	36º	6:57/6:32	Red sky this am, more weather, nothing happened and Very warm.

Sunday	38º	6:58/6:30	Mostly clear but warmed up then clouded over late morning.
Monday	41º	6:59/6:29	Clear, calm, light breeze by 9:30am with gusts that blew in cloud cover and blue sky pushing in, but the wind continued to gust all day into late afternoon.
Tuesday	42º	7:00/6:27	Clear and cooler. Lots of people, good breakfast and closed at 10:30am. Carson supplies and wind was howling when we returned to the Lodge at 8pm.
Wednesday	34º	7:01/6:26	Wind blew until around 8am, but occasional gusts but it's cool.
Thursday	18º	7:02/6:24	Oooo that's cold, the sun is peeking atop Black Mountain at 7:50am.
Friday	32º	7:03/6:23	Warmer this am, aspens are gone along the VL road. Conway is spectacular and a week late. But everything is late this year.
Saturday	34º	7:04/6:21	Cool with wind which will drop the temp again. Clouds, no clouds, it was the eclipse.
Sunday	38º	7:05/6:20	Cool, flat lake, breezy most of the day.

August-September Monsoon was finally over and we had wonderful weather until the snow arrived and it lasted 2 days (snowed all day both days) and was gone the next. Cold mornings with beautiful afternoons, plenty of bugs were here to keep the fly fishers in trout heaven but snow confused them. Regardless since trout couldn't tell the difference a snow flake hitting the surface or a "real" bug. NO problem if they pay attention to the rises. The aspen leaves have turned over early September, meaning they are showing their lighter shade of green and the next process will go to light yellow and a few of very small patches are peeking out of the most protected areas. Aspens are starting to go yellow in small patches, and will probably go earlier than normal to full yellow, but of course that's "Mother's" job to predict and I'm just going by what I see daily. Wednesday produced even more yellow, so if you're looking for some great color give it about 5 more days. Conway Summit is showing light lime and a bit of color which is visible as you drive south. Yep, aspens are in full gold and some rust, but with the wind 2 days ago, they may not last. Mono County keeps pumping tourism with the color and they are behind schedule. The colors were magnificent and peaked around the 10th of October and lasted about 7 days. The event was later than normal probably due to the amount of water that hit the Eastern Sierra last winter. Flowers were also magnificent and for a longer than normal time stayed around. It's the 27th and it's much colder since we've been getting wind about every other day which continually drops the temperature a few degrees daily. I'm still waiting for my indicators to show up so I can see what this winter may have in store for us but it's too early to predict. Wind is still plaguing the mountains either with light breeze or heavy gusting. I'm hoping to hit a nice day and flail the water with a few bugs. DFW did an exemplary job at stocking and it kept the anglers happy and coming back for more. Little Virginia might be frozen as of now, but it will thaw and freeze up again a couple times before it shuts off all fishing for the winter.

BAIT: Worms were number one with some power worms, garlic powerbait and micetails and pinched crawlers also doing the job. Haven't been stocked since the 11th, but everyone tells me there are hundreds of fish swimming around the lake, and I believe it.

LURES: 1/6 oz Red/gold Buoyant, silver/blue Kastmaster, Rooster tails, Silver Super Duper 501, "O" gold Mepps, bleeding frog Buoyant and Taz Devil and any small gold spoons will do the job if you know the secret to each and how they work and how you need to retrieve them.

FLY AND BUBBLE: Para Adams, Olive elk hair caddis, X-Caddis, tentwing caddis, Adams parachute, grey hackle yellow and Griffith's Gnat and any small dark flies.

FLY RODS: Early in the week streamers, some hoppers are getting hits so pick your favorite and tie it on, prince nymph, and emergers. Great hatches early this week as the temp is perfect, and dark mayflies (duns). Matuka's, black crystal buggers produced well after the rain and no one tried midges. Midges, midges, midges are working great but put on your specs as they are size 20 and 22's. Lots of different flies have been working and getting the info out of the "fly" guys is tough.

BACKCOUNTRY: Still not much news from the back country all summer, it's rather odd that no one is fishing back there or they just don't want to share any information. Lots of people on the trail mostly hiking or packing in.

NOTE: If the trout bleeds don’t throw it back into the lake, it will die. If you care about the resource please be careful when releasing fish back into the water and IT ATTRACKS BEARS. More bears are NOT what we need.

Carolyn

Trophy Trout for the week (*pix attached)
Little Virginia/LV, Big Virginia/BV, Trumbull/T*

Austin Purdy Mt, 4lb 9 tag 1049, 3lb6 tag 1344 Jig 10-2-23 LV
Nolan Purdy Laguna Niguel 5lb5 tag 1047 jig, 10-2 LV
Terry Herman corona 3lb9 tag 1022 Orange Pworm 10-4 LV
Christine Zaiser LA 4lb5 tag 1100 PB 10-7-23 Trumbull
Patrick Parish LA 5lb6 tag 1281 Garlic Rbow PB 10-8 BV
Mark Mosley Yucaipa 3lb12 tag 1311 MT Pink/white 10-9 BV
Ted Sato La Habra 4lb7 tag 1338 Garlic PB 10-10 LV
Brianne & Don Vogel Villa Pk 5lb14 tag 833 crawler 10-12 LV
Leo Delacruz Corona 5lb9 tag 976 crawler 10/13 LV

BrianneDon Vogel Villa Park 5lb14 tag 833 crawler 10-12 LV

Christine Zaiser LA 4lb5 tag 1100 PB 10-7 Trumbull

Leo Delacruz Corona 5lb9 tag 976 crawler 10-13 LV

Mark Moxley Yucaipa 3lb12 tag 1311 MiceTail 10-9 BV

Mark Verchick Santa Clarita 5lb2 tag 1259 Rain PB 10-5 BV

Nolan Purdy Laguna Niguel 5lb5 tag 1047 Jig 10-2 LV

Patrick Parish LA 5lb6 tag 1281 Garlic rainbow PB 10-8 BV

Ted Sato La Habra 4lb7 tag 1338 Garlic PB 10-10 LV

Terry Herman Corona 3lb9 tag 1022 Org PW 10-4 LV

Judy French Escondido 6lb8 tag 993 Crawler 8-28 LV

Christy & Jack Topmbalkian
Christy & Jack Tombalkian Rocklin 3lb 11 tag 1122, 4lb4 tag 866 8-27 Trumbull

Josh French
Evan Murphy San Diego 4lb6 tag 1031 Worm 8-28 LV

Jurt Mortensen
Kurt Mortensen Santa Cruz 4lb3 PB 8-26 BV

Kurt Winter Woodland Hills 6lb4 tag 1076 GR PB 8-28 LV

Steve Coulter Apple Valley 4lb4 tag 1111 Pink PB 9-2 Trumbull

Ty Jensen Upland 4lb7 tag 1005 jig 8-24 LV

Sam Rameeta
Sam Rameetta Costa mesa 5lb Lure 8-24 LV

Reese Herron age 8 Temecula 4lb3 tag 987 MT 8-24 LV

Peter Walker
Peter Walcker La Habra 4lb12, 3lb6 tag 1139 Gold Lure 8-24 LV

Pam Romaga
Pam Romagna Vegas 4lb6 tag 01074 MT 8-24 LV

Mike Boze 1000 Oaks 4lb1 tag 959 Sal Pch PB 8-25 LV

Mark Willardson Encino 4lb5 Fly 8-25 BV

Mark Willardson Encino 3lb6 Midge 8-12 BV

Mark Sanchez Chula Vista 4lb7 tag 921 Buoyant 8-25 LV

Mark Sanchez Chula Vista 4lb tag 880 MT 8-25 LV

Kristine Arustamyan Northridge 5lb4 tag 0081 PB 8-23 BV

Jennifer Ikeva La Habra 3lb5 tag 1149 PB 8-24 LV

Jean rodgers Fall River Mills 5lb7 tag 742 Lure 8-24 BV

Henfred Brard Northridge 3lb3, 6lb7 tag 561 PB 8-26 BV

Doug Yeh San Marino 5lb1 Lure 8-25 LV

Mike Braun Murrieta 2lb11 Garlic PB 8-16 BV

Jeff Paggi Three Rivers 2lb8 Fly 8-17 LV

Carl White Santa Barbara 3lb7 tag 0766 Gulp 8-16 BV

Bryce Northridge 3lb3 Marshmallow 8-17 LV

Alex Samala R S Margarita 3lb6 Fly 8-16 LV

Andrew Hwang Orange 7lb2 Jig 7-20 BV

Anna Rodriguez Crestline 4lb3 Garlic PB 7-30 LV

Austin Covell Escondido 5lb16 jig 8-12 LV

Bob & Scott Henderen
Bob & Scott Hendren Oceanside 4lb3, 4lb Power B LV

Bob Ulfers
13_Bob Ulters Blacksburg VA 3lb crawler 7-20 LV

Bug Gaicalone
Bug Giacalone 1000 Oaks 4lb1 Hookup 7-22 BV

Cameron Barber
Cameron Baber Menifee 3lb6 PB 7-31 LV

Cis Kawahara San Diego 5lb grn powerworm 7-16 LV

Colion Kazai
Colin Kozai Torrance 4lb6 each MT 7-28 LV

Cooper Wilson 14 LA 1lb6 PB 7-26 LV

Cory Contreas & Ralph Coronado
Cory Contreras, Ralph Coronado Hunt Bch 4lb8, 4lb7 PB 7-28 LV

David Martinez San Fern VLy 4lb7 MT 7-29 LV

Dominic Tavarez age 11 Temecula 5lb3 crawler 7-27 LV

Dylan Suzuki Torrance 5lb4 MT 8-12

Ed Stoll Norco 3lb7 PB LV 7-28

Gary Walters Citrus Hgts 5lb1 Garlic PB 7-20 LV

Spencer Kubler
Spencer Kubler San Jose 7lb7 jig 7-17 BV

Spencer Kubler 5lb8 jig 7-19 BV

Spencer Kubler San Jose 5lb9 jig 7-18 BV

Walter Bordeoux & Omar Rodriguez
Walter Bordeoux Omar rodriguez Reno 4lb5 wormsgrn PB 7-16 LV