APRIL MEANS
THE OPENING OF THE
lowland lakes in the area. This year our
lowland lake opener is April 23rd. The last
grip of winter for the most part has slipped
away. The hills are greening up with new
growth and hungry trout are ready to give
the angler a wakeup call. At the top of the
list of the Fly Fishing only lakes is a gem
tucked away in the north county.
Chopaka Lake is located northeast of
Loomis. The lake elevation is a little over
2900 ft. This is a moderate size lake of
about 150 surface acers and its deepest
point is around 70 ft. The lake contains
rainbow trout up to 18"+. Fishing at the
lake can be a stillwater anglers dream, with
a steady hook-up of fish all day, but like
fishing sometimes can go, it can be just the
opposite of that. The lake is surrounded by
grassed and treed hills that will be green
with new springtime growth, making it
quite picturesque. Since this is a Fly Fishing
only lake, no motors are allowed, they
cannot even be on your boat. Most anglers
use a pontoon boat, float tube or a small
pram. Weather at this time of year can
change very quickly. In the morning, you
can have blue bird skies, only to have it
change to rain and or snow with winds. So
make sure to keep an eye on the weather.
Like most spring time weather, you want to
make sure you dress properly.
I would recommend a 4 wheel or all-wheel
drive vehicle to get you to the lake. The
road can be a little fickle getting to the
lake. At the time of this writing, the road
on top leading to the lake is still not clear
of snow.