It's funny how some fisherman can ignore good fishing waters so close to home, myself included. We drive past good waters in the quest to get to waters we've read or heard about in the local paper, fly fishing magazine, or the internet, forget about the abundance in our own backyard. Consider Millerton Lake. Myself included, whenever lineside fever struck, I'd make the hour and a half drive from Fresno to the fabled waters of the San Luis or the O'Neill Forebay where a number of world records have been set, never taking Millerton Lake seriously. That would change.
Early one morning a few years ago , desperate to cast my new Sage Eight wt and try out a new fly, I drove the twenty miles from Fresno to Friant Dam. I parked in the parking lot below the old courthouse at Mariner's Point, which is located on the south side of lake right by the dam; it's the first of many coves the lake has to offer. I tied on a size 8 beadhead white wooly bugger with a peacock herl for a back (it didn't have a name at the time) and hiked the hill to the lake. The lake itself rose up from the San Joaquin River 57 years ago, when Friant Dam was built across the river canyon wall. So beneath the waters of the reservoir is a canyon that stretches from Friant Dam to the Squaw Leap area where the lakes headwaters begin, some fifteen miles away. Some of the hills around the lake are steeper than others . You walk down some of them and roll down the others, if you don¹t watch your step. I had check the water below from the parking lot for any surface action. There was definitely something going on, so I hiked down the hill. My observations were rewarded. To my right there was a commotion going on about ten feet out on the water, a school of bass was having breakfast, most likely thread fin shad-- the dominant forage fish at Millerton.
It was most definitely an exciting situation, splashing water, fish in the air, bass and breakfast! I could not have picked a better position if I had planned it. Watching my back cast, I cast my line to the edge of the feeding free for all.A split second after the fly hit the water it was part of the menu.
The strike sent a jolt to my rod, on impulse I jerked back on the line, setting the hook. It was a short fight, and the loser was a twelve inch stripe bass, my first striper on a fly!
After many hour an a half drives to the San Luis Reservoir and the O'Neill Forebay without any success, with the exception of a few tugs and break offs, I'd taken my first fly--caught striper twenty minutes from my door step. That twelve inch striper didn't know how big he was, nether did I, till I'd lipped him and was holding him up out of the water-not a bad fight for a little guy.
I put that foot long linesides back in the water. and once again cast my line alongside the feeding school. Another strike ,another twelve incher! Within an hour I lost track of how many pint sized stripers I'd caught, nor do I recollect making a cast without catching one. Although they were small in size, they were gigantic in fun, and for me that will always be what fly fishing is about.
When I hook my first striper on the fly and myself on the pursuit of them with florid in hand, that morning was about six years ago. Since then I've had several run-ins with big stripers two feet and up; these guys usually come calling when I'm fishing for something else.

About two months ago, late August to be exact , I broke the tip of that favorite Sage Eight Wt. about a foot and a half below the tip. Fishing for spotted bass from my kayak, I had hooked a twelve incher. After unhooking the bass, I put him back in the water to revive him and placed my rod in its holder. He stayed where I placed him for a moment after I took my hands away. I then noticed my fly was floating just a few inches behind the spotty. Reaching for the fly I got the scare of a lifetime-- about three feet of Mr. Linesides Striped Bass doing it's imitation of a locomotive shot past just inches from my kayak, inhaling the spotty and my fly in one enormous gulp.
By the time I'd recovered and my heart had starting beating again, the striper had taken a whole of lot of line putting a definite bend in the rod. However, that rod was stilI in the holder and I fumbled to get it out, not an easy feat with several pounds of striper on the other end. Rod in hand I stripset the hook--Mr. linesides and I were connected, though not for long. I heard the crack, and glanced down in horror at my two piece rod that was now a three piece and a limp line empty of the striper that broke it.

Millerton Lake's present day striper population is going strong, along with the rest of the fishery, which is what I refer to as a fishing smorgasbord. Here's a rundown of what's on the menu.
Stripers Stripe Bass were planted in Millerton Lake by the California Stripe Bass Association in1958. During the last several years they have planted 2500 fingerlings at different times. The striper population is strong and so is it's future. There are lots of double digit stripers that swim in these waters . The lake record is held by Roger George who hooked a 50-- pounder in May of 1998, topping the record his father-- Warren George had made previously at 48 pounds. Roger is the Millerton Lake expert and local ESPN radio fishing show host, and he has put his time in on the water. So far Roger is only using conventional gear but I'm working on that.
Largemouth and Small Mouth swam in the San Joaquin long before the Friant Dam was finished in 1947, along with salmon and sturgeon. The San Joaquin salmon run was considered to be one of the best in the country. The dam's completion was the swan song of the salmon runs . Alas the price of progress. The sturgeon could still be there, but they would be very deep. With the planting of Florida strain largemouth through the years The largemouth population is somewhat stable. The Fresno and Clovis Bass clubs have planted Christmas trees at various locations around the lake,which has proven beneficial for largemouth and spotted bass. However, the real determining factor is the amount of water the reservoir receives from year to year. The lake had a good small mouth population. But some years ago-- one of the upper reservoirs was drained. The water flowed through the San Joaquin River and so did the sand from the bottom, taking a heavy toll on the small mouth. They're making a comeback, slow but sure. If you want to catch them you¹ll need to go upriver or fish the headwaters where the San Joaquin flows into Millerton, a place which incidentally can be good fishing for a lot of other fish species that swim in Millerton.
American Shad. Another fish that starts moving in May is the American Shad planted several years ago. They have thrived into today what is an excellent fishery . These cousins to the tarpon , start moving upriver from the lake. About late May to August, you'll find them around the Fine Gold Day Use Area, where the San Joaquin flows into Millerton all the way upriver to the Squaw Leap area, where I've seen them in schools of at least a hundred fish or more. The Kerkoff Power House is located on this part of the San Joaquin River. When the power house starts pumping water, it provides power to a large part of the San Joaquin Valley population , and some really good fishing as well . When the plant isn't on , however, neither is the fishing. Spotted Bass were planted sometime in the sixties, taking a firm hold as a resident population within a matter of years. The Kentucky bass can spawn at a much lower depth than small or largemouth bass, and can therefor be able to deal with the constant rising and lowering of the lake's water level. Due to this fact they have done well in this reservoir.
While there's a whole lot of little guys, there are quite a few big guys. They are great fish on the fly rod. When hooked at twenty ft or lower, they can come up without too much of a fight that is until they see your boat, and then the fight is on!! Spotted Bass are rather like stripers in this respect and have provided me with some good fishing, when the stripers would not. there's a potential for a world record. According to a couple of the lake rangers who're also divers. They have seen a lot of really big spotted bass swimming in Millerton. There is, in fact, a world record pending now that came from nearby Pine Flat Lake.

Tackle, Rods, Line and Fly: If you could only have one rod on Millerton, an eight wt would do the trick. This lake is a bass lake, and I can tell you from my own experience-- even a twelve incher-- be it striper, or spotted, can bend an eight wt! I would love to carry an assortment of rods with lines that cover the spectrum of the depths and fish from top water to bottom. However, that would be a lot of rods and a lot of money. Also I do the majority of my fishing from a kayak . After about a year of organizing and reorganizing there's just enough room for a tackle bag, boga grip,net,cold box, Producers milk crate, bugie cords (for holding all of the above) and two rigged rods.
The system that I've come up with is an 8 wt and a 10 wt.
On the lighter rod-- I have a slow sinking intermediate (the courtland camo is the best I've found) with which I can tie on a popper or a gurgler and work the top water. I've learned from past experience surface action can end just as quickly as it begins, so I like to follow the fish on down; the intermediate line is the answer as it will float long enough for you to work your flie on top and sink, quickly enough to work fish the first several feet below the surface.
The heavier rod has a shooting head set up on it, for getting down deeply quick. This setup is made up of 27 feet of Courtland leadcore for shooting head attached to 200 feet of 30 lb test Amnesia running line. As far as Leaders go, between seven foot and nine foot length is just fine. I use an 8 lb test, 9 ft leader on the 8 wt, with 2 ft of fluorocarbon tippet on the end--same weight,and seven ft 12 lb test, on the ten with two and half ft of fluorocarbon on the end.
If you're not used to a shooting head-- a fast full sinking line will work too. During warmer weather a floating line can provide fun and excitement. Work submerged bushes and big boulders in the coves around the lake in the early morning and late evening.
Flies : As I stated earlier-- Thread fin shad are Millerton Lake's main forage fish. Any time I catch a bass and they disgorge what they Œve eating it's always been Tread fin shad, which can be imitated by Clousers and Deceivers, definitely with flashtails, sizes 8 to 3/0. The best working color for me is white, with a little olive on top- (preferably peacock herl) along with some flashabou, and krystal flash. Other good colors are chartreuse, red/white and black or white. Thread fin are not the only shad on the menu. When schools of American shad start showing in the lake and the river that flows into it, so do big stripers. It's a good idea to have a big shad pattern, because big stripers dine on shad and every other fish that swims in the lake, big and small. I've heard more than one story of fishermen catching a good sized spotted bass, only to lose it to a better sized striper! For those reasons , my flybox carries flies with names like The Panocher, Damsel Gurgler, and the Millerton Shad , along with Dan Blanton's Whistlers, Texas Tier George Glazner's spinster in sizes 8 to 3/0.
Fish Finder: This is one piece of equipment you should have, as it will save you a lot of fishing time on the water. I depend on a Humming Bird 200DX installed on my kayak to help me find drop offs, to show me the water temperature,where the fish are,and how deep they are.
Technique: The first technique I begin a day's fishing with, is the kayak troll. Once I'm on the water sitting in my kayak ( I use sit on top kayaks) I'll cast several feet of line out and then lean my rod against my shoulder. I then start paddling, trolling the line behind me . Keeping an eye on my fish finder as I paddle along. I've installed the transducer to my fish finder inside the hull of my 16 ft kayak, 4ft from the bow where it scopes fish,structure ,etc, directly below the kayak.
As I paddle quietly over the water--fly line trolling usually at least 20 ft behind me, I wait for the fish finder to start scoping fish. When it does-- without moving my rod, I will gently give my fly line a few short strips, which will give the trolling fly jigging action. I.G.F.A might not accept this technique, but the fish do! Results from this technique have been everything from informative to comical. I've learned to determine my retrieving speed from the speed that I paddle. Many times while paddling along at a decent speed, I've looked back after feeling my fly rod jerk to see a small spotted or stripe bass shooting across the surface looking like someone on jet skies for the first time.
It's a different story when a big fish bites; I'm then reminded of the reasons I cast my flies from a kayak. A fish of just a few pounds has pulled my sixty pound, sixteen foot kayak around in circles more than just a few times. When fishing from a kayak the situation between fishermen and fish is definitely a more equaled situation. Bigger fish have caused some humorous results, not necessarily for me...... but for anyone watching.
On the rare occasions that I have approached a school of stripers busting shad. in a boat, the action didn't last long. At the sound or vibration of the motor, the linesides head downtown. An electric motor will cause this even quicker than a gas motor will. As I said before, Millerton's a popular lake for Bass and Striped Bass tournaments.
From my own personal experiences, stalking Mr. Linesides in a kayak on Millerton Lake has provided me with successful, hilarious and heart-stopping results. I can paddle right up to a school of stripers busting shad and start casting. However, after witnessing this scene numerous times, I've learned when such afree-for-all is going on, if not disturbed by motored boats, this commotion will draw fish from all over the lake, causing the whole scene to erupt into a giant melee of fish eating fish.
At risk of being over-dramatic... this scene is breathtaking!!

When I cast right in the middle of the free-for-all of fish eating fish, I tend to catch the smaller fish in the school, who nail the fly before it can go deeper. When this happens I'll start working the edges of the school, about three or so feet away from all the commotion; success can be a jolt in my rod that moves my whole kayak. There are times when this technique proves unsuccessful. When it does I go back to working the school. I'd rather have a good time than get skunked.
As I mentioned earlier, this lake is in a canyon, so you might want do what I like to call wall fishing, which is to locate yourself against one of the rock walls that surround the lake providing fish with a thousand ambush spots, and do a long cast along the wall, and a long steady retrieve back. This technique is one that I've developed while paddling and casting my line in the waters of California's tenth biggest reservoir.
It's been an adventure for me...exploring these waters . From the first time years ago I launched a foldable Porta boat and caught my first spotted bass on a spinning rod with a green weenie, to the present time where I pursue spotted and striped bass with florid and kayak.
Millerton Lake isn't San Luis Reservoir or the O'Neill Forebay. It's a reservoir with a personality all it's own and the adventure is there for anyone willing to explore its waters.
Seasons: The striper bite starts getting hot in late May, dropping off a bit with the really hot weather in the middle of August. You can deal with the heat by getting on the water early morning or late evening. (Millerton's summer hours are 6:00 am to10:00 pm) The bite picks up again in September and stays hot until the winter cools it.
Water craft: Millerton Lake is a popular spot for Bass Tournaments , and a motorized boat can cover a of lot water quickly but watch out for rocks-- better yet, boulders. The lower the lake level the more boulders you see. In one of the boat shops here in Fresno, I've heard there's a repairman who makes most of his income repairing propellers of boatmen who did not watch out.
In search of the perfect platform to cast a fly line from, I have truly paddled a gauntlet of floating objects. Having paddled or rowed Porta-Boats, floatubes and pontoons. for a few years, kayaks are my final choice, with canoes a close second, unless somebody invents something else. When it comes to stalking fish I prefer kayaks over float tubes, and pontoons; I like seeing where I'm going, not where I've been, on any waters.
If you go: Millerton Lake is about as central California as you can be, It's just twenty miles northeast of Fresno and it's easy to find, coming down Highway 99 from San Francisco area or traveling up 99 from the L.A. area. As the thriving metropolis of Fresno starts coming into view, look for the Yosemite 41 exit going north. After about a thirty minute drive depending on traffic, you¹ll come to the Friant and Millerton Lake exit. There is also the 145 exit from highway 99 between Madera and Fresno, It's a beautiful drive in the foothills from 99 to Millerton Lake, and I highly recommend it if you're coming from Northern California.
Once at the lake there are a few choices. There's the Madera side of the lake with beautiful camping grounds, and a boat launch that's centrally located on the lake, with easy excess to some good fishing on the water or from shore. On the Fresno side there's nice picnic areas, but no camping . There are two boat launches, one near the dam area, and a large one by the entrance. There's a lot of area for fishing from shore also. The time you can be on the water varies throughout the year. Millerton Lake's schedule is as follows,

November 1, to February 28, 7:00 to 6:00 PM
February 28, to March 30, 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM
April 1, to October 31 , 6:00 AM to10:00 PM
Gate fee $3.00 Yearly Pass $35.00.

 

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