During the summer months, there is no doubt that the fish bite is during the last hour of daylight, including after the sun dips below the horizon.  Conveniently, the fish are very active from 600 feet to the west of the Goodwin Rental to all the way east to Tulloch Dam.  It is worthwhile fishing until completely dark.

The bite becomes evident when the fish start feeding on the surface; and if you want to participate, it is essential that you be positioned ready to fish at least 1 hour before sunset.  When the bite starts, it can last up to 1 hour, but it averages 30 minutes.  On 9/13, it lasted only 5 minutes, probably because a low pressure front came in during the day.  On 9/13, I had no hits for 90 minutes until 7:45 p.m., then hooked 2 fish within that short window.

Since the fish are more likely to feed near the surface, I like to have a rod in my float tube rigged with a floating line to a 9-foot leader with the first fly a weighted nymph like a Copper John and then a 3-foot to 4-foot dropper to an unweighted nymph like a grey Calibaetis.  Toss the flies where the trout are rising, then twitch the line in slowly with 1-inch strips.  This technique can also be used during the day in the shallower areas of the lake.

Roy Gunter, Owner

I fished my favorite 6 wt. Sage rod with a full sink line. Fished from a Scadden Pontoon. Caught 30 fish and missed a couple. All seems easy? Timing is key. Your line needs to be on the bottom, but not dragging through the weeds. Keeping the fly clean is also important. Tough to present a bug with a green mossy tail dragging behind it.

Looking forward, as always, to the next time on this lake. This water is a jewel, hidden from the speed boats and jet skies. Who couldn't see Lake Goodwin as a Trophy Trout destination?

Michael & Tally S., Riverbank

There are places where you can catch 20" trout in other parts of California, but when you add the fact that the trout are wild, well that's another story. Let's inform you on this water that I am are talking about. It's hard to believe it is so close to Sonora and located in Tuolumne County. In 1912, two districts began construction of Goodwin Diversion Dam - named for Benjamin Goodwin, then President of the SSJID Board. The dam was constructed at a cost of $325,000 and was a double concrete arch dam, 80' in height above the riverbed and 500' long on the crest. Water was first delivered in 1913 when Goodwin Dam was completed. From this dam, each district constructed main canals extending to their respective lands. The dam and the canals are present today and form the tail water fishery on the lower Stanislaus.

This history lesson tells us that this particular water has been isolated since then. Fish have not been planted here and you can find wild rainbows that differ in colors from Crimson Red to Steelhead Silver. You can find some of these crimson reds down below Goodwin on occasion, but their numbers are small compared to the silver trout. Trout in Goodwin are truly native on the most part. I'm sure some trout come down the line from Lake Tulloch above. Roy Gunter, the owner of Goodwin Lake Vacation Rental, has caught a few Kokanee although not many in this water. The real prize is the large rainbows that lurk in the deep dark water. Every once in a while one will rise and give you a reminder of their massive size. The thing about this fishery is that there are many fish in this body of water that make the 20" mark.

I had the opportunity to fish with Roy this weekend. It's a beautiful setting and the weather down on the water is a real treat from the hot temperatures above the Reservoir. The water stays at a fairly steady temperature being it's coming out of the bottom of Tulloch Lake. The fish key in on small emergence patterns as well as baitfish which Roy and myself fished for the most part.

Roy really stresses using a heavy sink line such as a T-11 through 14. That is like an anchor for still water! I had the misfortune of breaking my 8-wt rod the very first cast which had the T-14 on it. The only line I had close to it was a 250-grain shooting head. Roy started ahead of me with a Black Seal Bugger and Brown Seal Bugger and immediately started hooking into fish. I had to redo my backup rod with 250 grain and knew I was going to be limited to shallower water.

So I threw my Black Seal Bugger into the shores hoping to ambush a feeding trout off the shelves. Well, it worked, but I must say Roy's rig worked better being he was down deeper. I figured the ratio to be about one fish to his three. The fish were on the bite and we didn't even fish, but maybe 60 yards of productive waters by his house. This was not the first time fishing with Roy; he definitely has this place figured out. My biggest fish was a healthy 21" and several that went the 17" range that day.

On the way back towards his house I decided to fish with an indicator rig, something to do when you want to rest your arm after casting for hours. I tied on my tried and true Black Zebra Midge and a Copper John of my own making and landed 2 more on the way in-- both taking the size 14 Copper John. The end of a perfect fishing day!  Good fishing!

Cary Westbrook, President
Mother Lode Fly Fishing Club