The LC Ranch has over 30 manmade fly fishing lakes and ponds (technically all reservoirs) scattered throughout the property. You can view a Google Map snapshot of the property to see all of them. We regularly stock rainbow trout, brown trout and tiger trout to maintain populations in 15 core ponds on the property. In addition, another half dozen or so have small fish populations from migration or limited natural reproduction. The lakes range in size from small “potholes” that you can easily cast across to large reservoirs that are best fished from a boat. These lakes and ponds offer a wide range of opportunities and provide a diverse fly fishing environment that can foster a lifetime of exploration. You can read more about some of the lakes and ponds below.
Dog Dam Pond aka “The Dog”
The “Dog” as we call, it is the largest stillwater lake on the ranch and one of the most popular. At close to 30 acres it is actually much bigger than a pond, but we call all of our bodies of water ponds. The “Dog” has a variety of structure for the trophy trout that live there, from shallow weed beds where huge fish cruise after damselflies to the deep trench along the dam where the trophies attack baitfish, this pond has it all!
Fisher Creek Pond aka “Windmill”
Fisher Creek Pond is one of the medium sized ponds on the ranch. It is also referred to as “Windmill” since there is an old water circulation windmill located on the eastern side of the pond within the dam. This pond is very close to Dog Dam Pond and you can easily walk between the two. Fisher Creek has produced many trophy trout with its abundant weedbeds creating a large food base. There is a large weedbed on the northern end with dropoffs that draw some large cruising trout. The south end is pretty deep on the dam side and has a channel that runs west to a finger near the inlet. Fisher Creek is a great pond to sight fish cruising trout from the bank or sneak up on from a pontoon boat.
Upper Fisher
Upper Fisher Creek is the lake immediately above Fisher Creek. This pond frequently produces some of the biggest fish on the ranch from its cool depths. There is a lot of downed timber in the upper end which makes it a little difficult and the shoreline is fairly choked with vegetation, but hop in a pontoon boat and the trophy trout are at your finger tips!
Honeymoon Cabin Pond aka “Cabin”
The Honeymoon cabin sits on the edge of this picturesque pond. This pond is a fly fishing paradise with an entire half almost entirely composed of shallow weed beds where the trophy trout cruise. Great sight fishing opportunities on the “flats” of this pond.
Island Pond
Island Pond is always a favorite among ranch fly fishers. It is one of the most popular ponds and very easy access directly along the main road in the middle of the ranch. This fly fishing lake is in the middle of the ranch between Elmer’s Pond and Fisher Creek Pond. Island has a small island in the middle, thus the name. Canadian Geese have nested on this island so you can watch them during the nesting period. This pond is an easy one to fish from shore all the way around. There is a deep trench along the dam and the road runs along it so you can just hop out and cast. On the other side there is a large weedbed that gradually drops off into the depths. The giant Brown Trout, Rainbows and Tiger Trout often cruise along this weedbed and you can sight fish to them as they sip your dry fly or crush your streamer. Hop in a pontoon boat or float tube and you can sneak up from a different angle.
House Pond
House Pond is named because it is a short walk up the hill from the main house. This pond is pretty deep with a weedbed along the far southwestern edge. The remainder of the pond is best suited for sinking flies and lines although plenty of fish are caught here on dries. There are some true monsters in this pond, but usually it doesn’t produce a lot of fish.
Lodge Pond
The “Lodge Pond”, where the main L.C. Lodge is located, is one of the oldest ponds on the ranch. This pond was built by Leo Hansen in 1938 along with 10 others. His Goal was to build a fly fishing heaven and he succeeded with this fantastic spring fed trout paradise! This pond is fed by springs so remains very cool throughout the year and as a result fishes well late into the year. The pond has some good weedbeds in the upper end near the inlet that taper into deeper water toward the dam. The large trout in this pond frequently cruise the shoreline looking for an easy meal, so keep your eyes peeled!
Upper Lodge
Upper Lodge pond is the pond directly above the Lodge pond and the second one in the main lodge chain. This pond also has a large amount of springwater flowing through it like all of the lodge ponds as a result of the large spring at the headwaters. As a result, it has very consistent temperatures and prolific food sources so grows very large fish. It is convenient to walk between all of the lodge ponds and fish back and forth between them.
Upper, Upper Lodge aka “2 Ponds Up”
Upper Upper Lodge pond is the uppermost pond in the lodge pond chain. This pond is the first to get the large volume of spring water like the other two lodge ponds. Because of this, it also has conistent temperatures and prolific food sources and grows very large fish. The largest fish ever caught was on this pond and it consistently produces serious trophies. They are not easy to catch though, so you have to know what you are doing to fool these monsters.
Lizard Pond
Lizard Pond is one of the smaller, “sleeper” ponds. Some years it fishes well and other years it can be tough, but it is always worth a shot. Lizard produces some very large fish and you can spot them cruising the abundant shallow weedbeds on the western edge. You can also throw a sinking line on the eastern shore near the dam and tie into some monsters!Edit
Upper Lizard Pond
Upper Lizard is one of the small ponds at the upper end of the drainage of House Pond and Lizard. This pond is one of those that you stop and make a few casts and hope for one of the elusive giants that patrol the depths to smash your fly. Watch out though, there is a lot of downed timber here and the big boys know how to break you off!
Steelhead Pond
Steelhead Pond gets its name from all of the trophy landlocked steelhead that have been caught here. It was one of the first ponds to be stocked with a strain known as “Donaldson Steelhead” many years ago and they did quite well. This is a smaller pond above Dog Dam and is known to produce some true giants with the abundant weedbeds. Watch out for the timber in the upper end though or you will get broken right off!
Wolf Pond
Wolf is directly below Fisher Creek Pond and also below the Dog. Wolf is a small to medium sized pond with a large shallow weedbed on the west side with a small island. It has a deep channel running the length of the dam and the fish move in and out of here to feed. You can see the pond from the road above and often spot rising fish or others cruising the shallows. It can be fished on foot along the dam or is suited to one or two pontoon boats or float tubes.
Tree Hollows Ponds
There are two ponds referred to as the “Tree Hollows”. Both contain a lot of submerged timber and trees, thus the name. Those trees and timber provide good cover for larger browns and tigers but they are also prone to flies snagging so you have to be strategic fishing here. Both of the ponds are small and fished best on foot. The bigger fish can spook easily, so look before you leap.
Road Pond
Road Pond is right along the main road as you drive into the ranch which it derives the name from. It is a small pond that has no visible inlet or outlet and, but it does have water moving through it and like all of our ponds does not winter kill. The pond is susceptible to water fluctuation and can be quite low during lower water years. It has produced some very large browns over the years, but they are not easy to catch.