Jacko Lake-Nature's Fair-April 10, 2010

by Mr BFSH
(Kamloops)

I was the first one at Jacko Lake on Saturday morning. It was 7am and the sun was shining. As I crawled up the access road there was a small herd of deer making their way up from the water, heading back into the hills. The lake was almost like glass with a small ripple here and there. Ducks and geese could be spotted in the vicinity and ... it was -4C... damn it was cold.

I took my time gearing up as I was waiting for a little warmth. I finally got on the water about 8 am and just after I left the launch, 2 more trucks showed up... on with a boat and another who was going to shore fish.

My first target was going to be the SW corner. I meandered along the north shore of the lake, dragging a booby on my deep sinking line. Although the fish were not biting the wildlife show continued. As I rounded the first point I could see a flock of swans on the lake, something that has eluded me for a long time (we are used to seeing them winter in the river valley but it's rare to see them on the lakes in this area). Also, right at the water line, was another mule deer. It had it's back to me and I was downwind so it took quite a while for it to detect me but when it did it scampered up the hillside for some much needed cover. When I got to the SW corner there was a bit of a northerly breeze. The bay was full of ducks and Canadian geese and of course, the swans too. There were a pair of geese enjoying this huge nest on a dead yellow pine and I was wondering how long they would stay there... because it has traditionally been and eagles nest.

The fishing was dead slow and the wind was shifting regularly. Nothing happening and I think I may have seen the same fish rise twice out in the deeper water. However, the action in the air was heating up.

A couple of loud and obnoxious seagulls moved into the bay and they were acting agitated... the geese left the nest after about an hour. Then, as expected, the bald eagles started circling... it created a quite a nervous stir... with all the birds. The eagles landed on separate trees, surrounding nest in the yellow pine. The geese kept their distance, squawking and honking in the bay and the sea gulls were landing in the water beside the boat like they knew that they were protected there. After about 20 minutes of landing, the eagles moved over to the nest and stayed there the rest of the time that I was at that end of the lake... They seemed busy inside the next but I don't know if there were any eggs there for them to be feasting on.

Back to fishing... the breeze was very cool and it was coming from the SW so I decided to head over to mine bay where the wind seem to be lighter. I anchored on the east side flats with another boat and spent the rest of the day in the area. The one boat caught 2 fish while I was there and then they left. I moved into shallower water and anchored... all for not as I didn't have a touch. Another boat came around and anchored where I was at first... and started catching fish. Nothing big but he was using a dry line/strike indicator/micro-leech set-up and fishing close to shore in about 4-5ft of water.

After a while, I moved closer to him and had a couple of bites but didn't land anything... same for most of the people on the lake that day. It was slow.
I ended up going home empty handed with only 3 bites all day.

I tried micro-leech, green and red blood worms, chromies and a few other chironomids. When I was going from one area to another I used the booby fly and had no luck there.

After 8 hours, I had had enough and packed it in. Maybe next time... Jacko Lake has not been good to me the last couple of years so perhaps with some persistence I can find the right recipe for success.

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Hardy Quality Rod Blanks, 9.5ft or 10ft
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