Tunkwa/Leighton?

[Ruger]

how do Tunkwa and Leighton fish in this kind of heat? they are pretty shallow lakes and i would guess they heat up pretty quick, thus leading to slow fishing? or is this not the case?

[24_7Fisherman]

Tunkwa will most likely be starting its big algae bloom now especially after that heat wave. this doesnt mean you wont catch fish just slower fishing. Leighton however gets a hatch of big bomber chironomids (size8,10 which are big for those) and it has been good for like a week or so and should continue for awhile in August. It should also fish decently for leeches and stuff before and into the dark of night.



remember in this heat to fight your fish fast if you plan to C&R because they can be tough to revive at this time of year.

[johnk]

In most cases you would think, yes of course but because the majority of bomber chironomids are on two year life cycles and they don't emerge until the surface temperature is in the mid to high 60's August is traditionally the best fishing on Leighton.

Because Leighton gets regular flushing due largely to ranchers drawing it down for irrigation and the weir from Tunkwa being opened to refill her, the oxygenated water stays fairly healthy but with that said flyfishermen unknowingly kill hundreds of quality 'bows there every August just because of the more extreme water temps. it takes much less stress on the fish to build up lactic acid during the fight and most fishers are more interested in hooking the next fish than actually reviving a fish sufficiently enough to ensure survival.

With Tunkwa's mean depth being shallower than Leighton the bomber bonanza is usually a much shorter period and happens a couple weeks earlier. It varies from year to year and usually last anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks and is usually over by the first week of August.

For the above reasons it would be nice if everyone (especially this summer) used a minimum of 6 wt. rods and 7 lb. fluorocarbon to muscle them in and released with little stress exerted upon the fish.

[Ruger]

thanks for the info guys. i'd like to get up there sometime next month. sounds like it'll be Leighton then. i've heard of people fishing leeches well after dark, but have never tried it. do you just fish them by casting randomly over a shoal? or troll along a drop off?

[24_7Fisherman]

I think the best way to fish leeches in the dark is actually from shore as the fish come in very close during nightfall looking for food. I have done this with success but mostly because i didnt want to be in a boat in the dark LOL

[Ruger]

I think the best way to fish leeches in the dark is actually from shore as the fish come in very close during nightfall looking for food. I have done this with success but mostly because i didnt want to be in a boat in the dark LOL

hey, that could work! i could see Leighton and Tunkwa being perfect for that with the large shoals and open land around them. maybe wading out in to the water a bit? i'll have to give it a shot when i go up there.

[scoopy]

I just returned from a 4 day stay at Tunkwa and the fishing was very slow. Most of the fellas I talked to said the same. I fished the usual assortment of chironies and managed 1 fish. However, the mayfly hatch in the evening was one of the most prolific I have ever seen!