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bc7mm
06-22-2012, 07:58 PM
Been fishing Dragon lk off and on for about 15 + years now, has been good to us over the years. Always can dredge up a couple rainbows, even on the worst day. Haven't been there much over the last couple years, this year I decided to spend a bit more time there, and with absolutely no urging what so ever my daughter who is in between her gade 12 finals offered to come along.

At 6:30 am we put the last of the stuff in the truck and with a stop for fuel ( and Timmy's of course ) we were on our way. The hour and a half drive went by in a flash with all the talk of past trips, fall college courses and numerous other things to fill our time. The boat slid into the water at a little after 9 and we were off to the other end of the lake.

While the boat skimmed over the glassy water she assembled the rods, fished the line through the eyelets and waited patiently until the 50 horse merc cut back to an idle, then silence at last. Now the fly selection, an olive bead headed leach perhaps, and a smallish muddler might work. A quick refresher on knot tying and she flipped the 5 wt sinking line into the clear water beside the boat. A turn of the hand grip and the electric came to life, the sounder read 15 feet, barely had we settled into our seats and my 4 wt bent, the reel buzzed as the first fish hammered the leach.

Both lines back in the water, direction sorted out, just settled back into our seats, I start a slow turn. My daughters reel screams, the fish is out into the backing so quick, the line slack for just a split second and the fish swims free. As she retrieves her line to check the leader my rod whips around as a 19 inch rainbow slams the fly. Hard to believe this has all happened in about 20 minutes.

Today the muddler was king, why, who knows, not the fly I'd have bet on when we left the launch. We spent 6 hours on Dragon today and had 6 double headers, at times we weren't able to get both lines out before we had a fish on. My daughter finally brought her line in and laughed, said it was the only way she'd be able to eat her sandwich. In all the years I've fished I've only had one other day like this, on Brown lake about 10 years ago. Heck, she even caught one with her line hanging 10 feet under the boat while I was landing a fish, should have see the look on her face, rod almost went into the drink.

Fish were all about 2 1/2 pounds or so, some a bit smaller, a few busted 3 lbs, great fun on 4 and 5 wts gear. She did hook a much larger one early in the day, leader snapped after a hard run, it disappeared with the only #8 guarantee I had left in my fly box.

This is my second trip to Dragon this season, both have been outstanding action, but today was one of those days you only get on rare occasions. Sound a bit like a fairy tale, should have been there, it felt like one too. We both look forward to the next time out on the water.

Wood butcher
06-23-2012, 04:58 AM
Sounds like a good time, nice going and thanks for sharing.

springpin
06-23-2012, 08:17 AM
Sounds like an awesome day on the water!!

IronNoggin
06-23-2012, 10:35 AM
Hey & Hi Buddy!

Sounds like you had one of those Most Excellent Days! Gotta Love it when it all comes together! :mrgreen:

Rather good write-up too, but I gotta say...

http://forum.flybc.ca/style_emoticons/default/signworthless.gif

So remember your camera next time!! :twisted:

Cheers,
Nog

huntingmom
06-23-2012, 03:44 PM
Thanks for the info. My husband and I are always looking for good fishing lakes.

pronghorn
06-23-2012, 06:36 PM
I miss fishing dragon as it's a great lake for wetting a fly

bc7mm
06-23-2012, 09:48 PM
Might be my imagination but the fish seem to be a bit smaller than years ago, we do hook the odd lunker but not nearly as often. The numbers are outstanding however, as good as anywhere else around, especially for the catch and release crowd, as they taste a bit muddy. Good boat launch, no pounding down rough gravel roads, an easy day and usually lots of action.

Yes and remember a camera :)

My two largest rainbows were caught ( and released ) in Dragon lk in about 92 or so, they were 26" and 27" on a 5 wt using a small olive shrimp pattern. Didn't have a camera that day either, hmm, bit of a disturbing trend here.

Jagermeister
06-25-2012, 12:45 AM
The original trout stocked in Dragon were the Gerrard rainbow trout strain from Kootenay Lake. These were the mainstay in the lake for many years and were brood stock. These were also the "hogs' that would reach enormous size.
Then about 10 or 12 years ago, Red Sided Shiners started to appear in the lake when the someone left the outflow open a little too long. To keep the shiner population in control, the Blackwater rainbow trout strain were introduced. Blackwater rainbow are proported to be more voracious predator compared to the Gerrard.
Then, not long after that, there was an introduction of rainbow from Tzenzaicut Lake (aka Fish Lake).
I don't know what the impact was as far as brood stock in the lake, but those Gerrard that would haul you around in your belly boat seemed on a decline. Of course the Blackwater and Tzenzaicut fish were more aerial acrobatic and exciting for most than the Gerrard submarines.
Since I moved away, I have no idea how the lake fares.

bc7mm
06-25-2012, 09:00 AM
This supports what I have seen over the years, the fish numbers seem good but the average size has definitely declined. There are still some big guys hauled out but the numbers of larger fish just doesn't seem to be there anymore. That said, even as it is today, it's hard to find this quality of fishery most places in the north.

Suppose the fact that they are rather poor table fair helps this lake out. Forced catch and re-stock.

Fishhound
06-26-2012, 06:34 PM
Sounds like one of those days that you only dream about, lucky man