Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Happy New Year
and best fishes to all in 2006.
The mild winter that had tippy toed through
November and December tripped up big time with the mother of all storms
dropping ten feet of snow on Mammoth Mountain on January 2nd. The Owens
Valley and Bishop, CA got punished with over a foot of snow that still
blankets the valley floor and is causing considerable access problems for
all that want to get to the river. Check out the photos of the current
conditions along the Owens River...
Alaska? Siberia?
Nope...The Owens Valley Snow Shots 1-4-06
The forecast is calling for a slow warming trend
that will strengthen towards the end of next week. We could use a break
from any major storms up here for sure! The dirt roads along the Owens
River are a total mess and anything but a four wheel drive or Snow Cat is
not recommended at this time. Even with a 4x4 you should walk your path
before entering as most are a “tow job” in the making. The valley floor
will be very cold in the mornings (mid-teens) and the ice will thaw some
in the late afternoons making the once firm tracks a quagmire that will
cost you a bunch to get pulled out. Trust me on this one, the place is a
mess right now.
Lower Owens River: Slow
Fishing has slowed a bunch after the deluge with
the cooler weather being the primary culprit. Water temps have dipped
into the upper thirties making the fish very lethargic during the
mornings. The substantial snow and rain recently dropped on the valley
floor has also affected water color leaving the river very stained and
tannin colored. Flows remain low and are being released at 125cfs below
Pleasant Valley.
The wild trout section was fishing well prior to
the “big one” but has since slowed considerably. The roads are a mess
here and we suggest you check them out for yourself before you drive off
the improved dirt or paved roads leading down to the Owens. There have
been some midge hatches and sporadic baetis (bwo) emergences this week but
overall much slower fishing due to the extreme circumstances. The
conditions will improve next week and you will see increasing midge
activity as the sun warms the water. Olive and black crystal zebra
midge’s #20-22, as well as some gray bodied pupa and hares ear patterns
#20 will work best. Have some bwo adult patterns #18 in your quiver as
there may be a few snouts poking up around noon. Redundant drifts in the
deeper pools are a must. Keep those bugs “tickling” the bottom. Your
strike indicator should twitch or wiggle occasionally letting you know you
have sufficient weight to get down to the fish.
We had a major winter event last week and the
catching reflects the current conditions-cold! It will improve slowly
kids as the weather moderates and the water temps increase.
Brock and Carmela Arstill from Cardiff, CA rang in
the New Year with a guided drift boat trip on the Lower Owens River on New
Years Day. Brock is credited with what may be the first trout caught in
the Eastern Sierra for 2006. Carmela got big fish honors that day...
Carmela & Brock
Arstill - first trout of 2006
The larger fish are on the grab in the drift boat
sections and we are very optimistic about an increased run of bigs in the
near future. Check out first time Sierra Drifter Dwayne Horii from Los
Angeles, CA and his chunky rainbow he caught and released on a Spruce-A-Bu
pattern during the late afternoon. Way to fan that reel buddy!
Dwayne Horii -
"Chunky Rainbow"
Veteran Sierra Drifters Ryan Schoenbaum and father
Karl from Calabasas, CA took a Xmas fly fishing trip with us catch and
releasing almost thirty trout with Ryan fooling a beautiful brown on a
Loeberg. Way to go Ryan!
Ryan Schoenbaum -
fooled a beautiful brown
Streamers are the way to go right now as the
hatches are few and far between. Opportunistic winter trout will often hit
streamer patterns out of aggression as opposed to feeding. Loebergs and
Spruce-A-Bu’s are my favorite patterns right now, but we have been hitting
some nice fish on our Crystal Leeches #10-12 during the cloudy days. Use
a moderate sink tip and the dip and strip method for the most grabs.
Pleasant Valley
Reservoir: Good
Watch the walk along the banks in the mornings
with all the snow and ice around. Nymphing in the river section near the
transition with our Crystal Tiger Midges suspended below an indicator or
large dry like a stimulator will get you takes in the late mornings.
Streamer fishing from a freeze tube or from the shore will also produce
well using Punk Perch #10-12, Loebergs #10, and Crystal Leeches #10-12.
Long, dead drifts are important to success in the
inlet section and one must keep your fly line upstream of the leader for a
killer presentation. “Reach” mends during the final stages of the cast
are a potent skill to hone in this area for consistent results.
The Gorge: Slippery…
Since the heavy snowfall I have no current
information in this area. I can say from experience that this can be a
tricky spot to get into with substantial ice and snow on the canyon walls
and prudence is a must until the area melts out. It looks like a movie
set here from the Sly Stallone film Cliff Hanger. Historically during
conditions such as these one will find slower fishing here with the
majority of grabs coming on nymph patterns #16-20 with midge imitations
being the best bet.
The Fisherman’s Spot in Van Nuys is hosting a
freshwater seminar on January 28, 29 of the New Year. This fly fishing
only store has a reputation for having some of the most knowledgeable
people in the industry. We are ecstatic to have this fly shop as one of
our premier carriers of the flies and products we offer. Chris and other
Sierra Drifters guides will be available for questions and “fish talk”
during the weekend of the Fisherman’s Spot seminar. Stop by the shop and
get the latest scoop and free guide tips during the seminar. Click here to
go to their website
http://www.fsflyfishing.com. Their current Newsletter is available at
the this link. Check it out.
http://www.fsflyfishing.com/Spot%20Newsletter%20winter.pdf
You can pick up our guide flies this time of year
at the following stand out locations: The Troutfitter/Trout Fly in
Mammoth Lakes, Malibu Fish’n Tackle in Thousand Oaks, The San Diego Fly
Shop and Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego and the Fishermen’s Spot in Van
Nuys. There are links to these locations at the resources tab above.
The snow is falling and it looks like another wet
year for us in the Eastern High Sierra. This is great for the many
fisheries that depend on the runoff during the summer. The future looks
so bright we gotta wear shades in 2006 and sincerely hope we can fish with
you this season. Thanks a bunch for all the great memories and support in
2005.
