Bailey Creek Lodge
During the first week in June this year, Pat and I ventured to Bailey Creek Lodge in Manton, California. We had seen their brochure several times and both of us had decided that it looked like a nice place for a cozy weekend.
Bailey Creek Lodge
The lodge has two freestone streams available (Bailey Creek and Rock Creek) and two lakes on the property. One lake ,requiring a short hike has bass the other smaller lake (near the lodge) has trout. We talked to Peter Mitchell, the owner and host, received some fly pattern recommendations and were ready to go.
On the way up, we made a small detour to the Fly Shop in Redding to pick up some miscellaneous gear. The fishing conditions board had an entry about Bailey Creek lodge. The only comment were the words “Jurassic Trout”. Great!
When we arrived at the lodge, we were disappointed to see that, due to rain in the mountains the previous two days and the heat (nineties) that day that Bailey and Rock Creeks were completely blown out. Not only that, but the water level on Bailey Creek was so high, the bass lake couldn’t be reached. Ah, the trials and tribulations of the traveling angler!
Rainbow
We wound up fishing the smaller lake near the lodge during the trip. The Fly Shop wasn’t kidding about the trout! We didn’t land anything less than 16 inches and there weren’t many of those. The first couple of days the fish were on a good damselfly hatch and by using both nymphs and dries, we took trout up to 24 to 25 inches. The last day there was a flying carpenter ant fall and the fish switched from a great damselfly hatch to the big ants. Fish would come from 5 to 8 feet to grab an imitation.
The food was great and the beds and rooms were comfortable. We wouldn’t hesitate to return and we probably will, so we can sample the rest of the fishing we missed.
The only Brown in the lake?