I got a call last night

Some of the people I know have been calling and asking about fishing Chopaka lake. and what to take up there.

Well June is my favorite time of year to hit Chopaka, for two reasons.

    First the weather is more predicable. many of the spring storms have come and gone, and so have the crowds. Its much easier to get a good campsite.
               
   Second the Hatches:  Callibaetis Dry Flies. in all stages.

      Dries: Ext. body, Crippled, and Duns.  a good basic pattern is Parachute Adams sizes 12-18.
Nymphs: Pheasant Tails, Flashbacks sizes 14 & 16 work then along the reeds on a slow intermittent line with a slow retrieve.
Damsel Flies The dries can be tuff some time the fish only want to take them just off the surface just before they hit the water. I tend to side arm cast more to keep my fly moving longer along the surface. Most everybody have blue but don't forget to bring some light yellow or tan.  If you can't get them to hit the blue put on a different color and twitch it a few times
                              I use a long leader of 12 to 14 ft. for all my dry fly fishing.

    Nymphs size 12 maribou work best for me. I tye mine skinny and put eyes on them. Pitch them rite into the reeds.The nymphs are headed there to climb up and get out of the water to dry themselves off. Many time you can see the reeds moving when there is no wind or wakes on the water. That's the fish swimming thru knocking the nymphs off.

The evening Hatches of either Northern or Longhorn Caddis can be fanomable at times. Just about a hour before it gets dark and into the night. I go big with these flies. 8 to 12s and shortly after hitting the water I twich them back slowly. Last year fishing with my buddy Gord just as it was getting dark I heard a splash and yell I thought he had fallen in. No he was hooked into a tank that smacked his #10 tan Stimulator, it took him into his backing more than once. and played it until I could see him on the water anymore.   He later told me it was the biggest fish he had caught up there in the last three years.

I don't go out into the water without at least three rods rigged up :

•  Dry floating line, some times two.
• Intermittent to fish just sub-surface
• and the rod that i use the least my deep 6  

                             I love this time of year just for the Dry Fly Fishing.
    I'll be up there when I get back from BC and Camping from the 17th to the 21 the longest day of the year.Hope to see many of you up there.