July 29, 2004
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to
you all for this late July fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.
We have some significant changes in several of the
more popular fisheries to inform you of with the “catching” being pretty
darn good for most of the areas mentioned.
The weather has settled into a mid-summer pattern
with hot daytime temps in the Owens Valley and very warm afternoons with
no morning frost in the upper valleys and even into the elevations above
10,000 feet this week. Look for continuing warm summer like weather with
an increasing chance of T-storm activity by the weekend.
The mosquito situation is becoming less of an
issue in most regions here, but bring repellant along to be on the safe
side.
Fire danger is severe in many areas due to the
prolonged drought here in the Eastern Sierra. Please use extra caution
when camping or smoking and keep those vehicles on the approved roads and
trails.
Lower Owens River: Go
elsewhere
Flows have been increased to 360 cfs this week and
at this release fly fishers will have a tough time getting those nymphs
down to the wild trout. You may have some surface opportunities in the
late afternoons when the air temperature gets tolerable in the Owens
Valley. Caddis flies will be the bug de’jour #16-18 dark bodies.
Crowley Lake:
Excellent-good
The fishing regulations will change as of 8-1-04
on Crowley. Bait is NOT allowed to be used and only BARBLESS artificial
lures or flies are permitted as terminal gear. The bag limit for trout is
also reduced to 2 fish in POSSESION with an 18 inch minimum. Please help
out the DFG wardens and true sportsman by reporting poachers if you
witness any violations.
McGee Bay has been the most consistent area with
the Hiltons a good choice if you do not want to kick 30 minutes from the
launch area of McGee. Hilton has been very crowded this week and if you
are not here early you will be a spectator as opposed to a player in the
game of stillwater nymphing. The chironomid hatches have been huge with
the best bites coming from 9-11 a.m. The wind is always a factor on
Crowley and it will shut down a good snap if it starts to white cap from
the south or west.
The tubers stripping streamers along the
diminishing weed lines in McGee, Hiltons, Sandy Pt. and Green Banks are
all getting some low light action on the larger model trout looking for
damsel fly nymphs and very small perch fry (our punk perch #12 is kicking
trout caboose) seeking refuge in the weeds.
We have found the most consistent “catching” to be
in at least 10 feet of water. Emerger patterns like our gray and black
crystal emergers and gilled chironomid or “gillies” #18-20 have proven to
be deadly this week. Drifter’s crystal tiger and zebra midges and pupa
patterns #16-20 have been hot fished 8-12 inches off the bottom during the
mornings and evenings.
The algae situation is still upon us at times and
it can shut down a bite. Keep your fly clean and if you are stillwater
nymphing clean your rig every 3-4 minutes if the goo is present.
Kyle Daniels from San Bernardino, CA got bragging
rights over his dad recently when the father and son team got into some
big fish while stillwater nymphing with us recently. Look this one up on
our website for sure!
Kyle Daniels
The browns and cutts are showing up to feast on
the small perch fry and chironomid pupa in the deeper water on the flats
in McGee and Hilton Bays recently and Decker Warner from Thousand Oaks, CA
was here to greet them.
Decker Warner
Hot Creek: Good, but
getting tougher
As water levels decrease the weeds will begin to
protrude above the surface making longer drifts more difficult here. The
trout have become skeptical to many flies and weak presentations and have
received their PhD’s in “snobbism” recently. Those who have issues
casting or dead drifting a small caddis emerger or may fly should avoid
this area if you are not with an experienced “hottie” or a local guide.
The caddis fly is a staple food source as an adult
and nymph during the summer months for the trout that inhabit Hot Creek
and many other spring fed, freestone or tailwaters in the Eastern Sierra.
Splashy takes are customary for trout feeding on adult or emerging caddis
as they swim to the surface. Look for the best caddis activity to be in
the very late afternoons when the shadows are long or gone. You will also
see plenty of grasshoppers this time of year here and in other fisheries.
Use a hopper or stimulator pattern as a lead fly in assisting you in
seeing your smaller primary dry or emerger pattern fished in back of or
below the big dry. Hopper and a dropper is the nick name given to this
type of rig.
West Walker: Very good
The flows are ideal in this freestone river right
now and there are a plethora of aquatic insects that you may choose to
imitate as a pattern to fool these trout. The above mentioned hopper and
dropper is spanking them in the Pikel Meadow section of the river. Hang a
Drifters crystal tiger or olive zebra #16-18 under the dry 2-3 feet and
you may end up with a trout on both flies! Fish here can be on the small
side but are eager to take well presented surface patterns. There are
numerous planted fish here also in the area just downstream of the parking
lot and along the many campgrounds located close to Hwy 395.
Rock Creek Lake: Good
Head to the inlet and along the south shore if you
tube the lake. Get your streamers like our Loebergs #10 and crystal leech
#10-12 down 10 feet with a full or heavy sink tip and you should have no
trouble getting into some stockers. Be courteous to the shore anglers and
give them some room. You do not want to get tangled up with their bait
rigs and “ring their rod tip bell alarms” inadvertently.
San Joaquin: Good
Flows are excellent here for wading and the wild
trout are eager to hit most dry fly presentations most mornings and then
after the shadows get long. You will not find good fishing near the
campgrounds as the stocking program has been cancelled this summer due to
lack of funds by the DFG. Plan on hiking 20 minutes from the campgrounds
and you can find fish in all the larger pocket water and larger pools.
Dry/dropper combos with tigers and zebras are deadly #16-20, as are
dry/dry rigs with a stimulator and caddis or Adams pattern as the trail
fly.
East Walker
River/Bridgeport Reservoir: Poor/Fair
The flows are up to 215 cfs right now. This is
well below average for this time of year and once again the river will be
faced with the potential of a fish kill due to high temps and low oxygen.
The reservoir is very low also and is choked with weed and algae in most
areas especially along the dam. The reservoir is not a great place for
tubers right now and if you wish to check this area out look for the best
location to be straight across from the first marina towards Rainbow Pt.
There will be a narrow path cut in the thick weeds to get into open
water. Damsel flies work well here and if you do find some clean water a
big brown is not out of the equation.
The river fishes best early in the day and then
again very late afternoons. Small tiger and zebra midge’s #18-22 always
work here and you will see plenty of afternoon caddis as well.
Upper Owens River: Fair
We get a lot of weed and not a lot of larger trout
here this time of year especially in the water below the confluence of Hot
Creek. If the wind is not hooting in the late afternoon, put on a caddis
imitation and look for a larger pool in the Long Years section or the
corals and you can have fun with the smaller wild browns after the shadows
get long. These fish are spooky here so keep the “ninja” attitude when
approaching!
Bishop South Lake/Intake
2: Very Good
Reports here have some guys wearing out our
Loebergs#10 and still getting bit on just some thread and a little flash!
Veteran Sierra Drifter Larry Daniels showed me the fly to prove it. Keep
those bugs down to the 10 foot depth for best results. Find the “green
wave” of stocked fish and you will have some fun.
Convict Lake: Very Good
You will not get many wild trout here but if you
are just looking for some “bendo” and a cool place to spend the late
mornings in a tube this is the hot ticket. I am told the seagulls are
having a feast picking up the unsuspecting hatchery rainbows that
circulate around the lakes edge. The birds will tell you where the school
is located. Find the “green wave” and stay within casting range with just
about any streamer #8-14 and you will have some fun with these stockers.
Our Loebergs #10 and crystal leeches #10-14 whack the greenbacks here
while using a moderate to light sinking tip. Thanks to Sierra Drifters
veteran Joe Mallinger for the tip here.
Mammoth Lakes Basin: Good
Very good reports coming from Lake Mamie & Lake
Mary from those trolling with a full sinking line using a streamer and a
bead head midge or hares ear as a trail fly. If you want to get into some
of the big Alpers trout that are planted on a regular basis in the lakes
basin area, locate the submerged trees stumps along the shorelines and
inlets and concentrate here. 2004 Alpers Trout and Mono County Dept. of
Fish and Game fish stocking schedules
http://www.visitmammoth.com/stockschedule/stockschedule.html
June Lake/Rush Creek:
Good
Do some walking with your polarized glasses and
locate the “pods” of stockers that have held over from the heavy plantings
over the 4th weekend and you can have some fun with these
planters on Rush. Silver and Gull continue to be the best for tubers
using full sink lines and a tandem rig with a streamer and dropper nymph
at least 2 sizes down from the point fly.
Kirman Lake: Good
The weed and algae are becoming a factor and the
fish get “attitudes” after mid-morning but stillwater nymphers using scud
patterns #18-20 and hares ear imitations #18-20 are fooling some nice
cutts and chunky brookies along the tulles during the low light periods
and cloudy days. You will have company on the weekends here.
You may purchase our time tested guide flies at
the following fine fly shops near you: Look for the “osprey” Bill Stroud
of Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego, see Peter Piconi at the San Diego Fly
Shop, ask for trout master Jimmy Toy at Malibu Fish’N Tackle in Thousand
Oaks, Talk to Lane “I never get to fish” Garrett at the Crowley Lake Fish
Camp, and any of the top notch personnel at the Troutfitter/Trout Fly in
Mammoth Lakes.
There are links to all shops at the resources tab
above.
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters
Guide Service
driftfish@qnet.com
