The wind was blowing, the snow was falling and icy cold pierced through our parkas. From the south came three foot rollers topped with white caps. The boat pitched from side to side as we slow-trolled our offerings, anticipating the inevitable strike. As the line broke free of the downrigger's grasp, six pound monofilament ripped from the reel at a stunning rate. A sparkling spray of water exploded one hundred feet behind the boat as a five to six pound brilliantly colored rainbow trout broke the surface and burst glistening through the air. One prolonged run and five minutes later...the fish slid grudgingly to the net.

It is the lure of the Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout that brings outdoorsmen to this northeastern region of California. Known for it's exceptionally fast growth rate, trophy proportions, acrobatic drag-testing battles and excellent table fare, the Eagle Lake Trout is a highly sought after game fish.

From Eagle Lake's Memorial Day weekend opener until the seasonal closure at year's end, anglers will discover exceptional opportunities for this rare species of rainbow trout. Anglers can expect to find trout ranging in size from recent planters of 14-16 inches, to the large holdover population of fish in the three to six pound range. There are even larger trout prowling the depths of the lake and each year 'bows from five to eight pounds are caught by lucky anglers fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. The current lake record is an 11 1/4 pound rainbow taken in 1988. Native only to this prehistoric lake, this strain of rainbow trout has adapted to the highly alkaline waters.

During Spring and early Summer, anglers find the bow's feeding actively in the shallow, early season feeding ground, of the lake's north end where waters average only 15 feet in depth. As summer temperatures warm the shallows fish move to the deeper, cooler, spring-fed waters at the southern end of the lake. Downriggers or leadcore line are almost a necessity for trollers to get offerings to the required depths this time of year. During fall and early winter periods some of the largest fish of the year are intercepted by anglers as trout begin to drop their defenses. Cooler temperatures alert the bows that winter is coming and they begin to feed heavily to store the needed reserves of fat to sustain them through the cold months ahead. They scatter to all areas of the lake concentrating off points and rocky areas where they can gorge themselves on the lake's population of natural food sources. Ideal water temperatures at this time of year give these fish a distinct advantage of extraordinary endurance which often testing the anglers skill, dedication and tackle.

Eagle Lake trout fight like no other trout. They are bright, colorful, alert, acrobatic and possess steelhead-like fighting qualities. Whatever technique an angler prefers to subdue one of these trophy fish, proper presentation and tackle are vital. Rods of six to seven feet in length designed for fish from 2-8 pounds are just right for the task. Whether your choice is spinning or casting reels, it is a good idea to use light line in the 4-8 pound test range. The water is very clear and fish become leader shy. For the first time angler, it would be prudent to hire a guide. These experienced individuals who can teach a beginner more in a couple of hours what it might take years to learn on your own. The lake takes awhile to learn because of it's size and of course, wind, weather and moon cycles play important roles.

Eagle Lake was created by the melting of glaciers during the last ice age and it is the second largest natural lake in California. It covers 22,000 acres with over 100 miles of shoreline. Located at an elevation of 5,100 feet, it is surrounded by dense towering evergreen forests of pine and cedars at the south end and rugged, high elevation desert