collection of fine stillwaters: Buffalo, Rebecca and McGinnis lakes. The first two feature some of the best bass and rainbow fishing in the state; the last is the most valuable for fly-fishers.
Not only is McGinnis primed for fishing on the fly, but the lake features brook trout exclusively— the only lake boasting this species that makes our list. McGinnis’ brookies are wonderful fish. They’ re strong, take flies willingly, and in the fall, during the spawn, they are as colorful as any fish in the state. These brookies also enjoy a healthy ecosystem and grow to sizable proportions, with an average fish measuring about 14 inches, and the toads to 18-inches plus.
At 2,400 feet in elevation, and 118 acres in size, McGinnis starts a little slow early in its season, which begins mid-April and lasts through October. But by May, McGinnis is in full swing and its brook trout hit attractor dries, such as Royal Coachmans and orange Humpies. Later in the season, fish go deeper. That’ s when booby-eyed leeches, suspended off the bottom, take feeding fish.
As fall settles onto the reservation, male brook trout become even more colorful as they move into shallow water, heeding the urge to spawn. This is a great time to fish a scud or a water boatman. These and other nymphs, slowly retrieved along the shoals at the north end of the lake, take colorful fall fish.
Dry Falls Lake