Fun and Relaxing Manzanita Outing!    

Twenty folks attended the first NBTU outing of the year on June 18th at Manzanita Lake in the Mt. Lassen National Park.  The weather cooperated nicely although there were still bits of snow in some of the campgrounds.  It was a great chicken, tri-tip, coleslaw, potato salad, etc. BBQ and there were many introductions among fellow members who had never met one another.  A dozen of the participants were first timers, so ……….. plan to come to the next outing at Burney State Park on October 8.  There is plenty of lodging nearby for you non-campers, as well as cabins in the park.

Things I Learned About Manzanita Lake After 25 Years of Fishing ………

In addition to the late June flying ant hatch about 10:30 AM, the Callibaetis arrival anytime from 11 AM - 2:30 PM, the sporadic, all day appearance of #18 chironomids (midges) and the phantom Alderfly under the brush, I was surprised by the appearance of a fluorescent green beetle on which the fish keyed at about 3 PM as well as an orange bodied termite, falling in the water and being slammed, near the boat ramp at about 8:30 PM - just before the legendary motor boat caddis - which never seem to appear- but the fish seem to think they do at 9:30 PM along with the nighthawks and bats!