May 14, 2007
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Patrick- QNET
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to
all for the brand spanking new moon in May fish report from the Eastern
High Sierra.
There are excellent short term advantages to
having below average precipitation winters such as this one. The
tailwater fisheries of the East Walker River and Lower Owens River which
have been blown out with water releases the last few spring seasons are
running at fall discharges and are in great shape and fishing well. Some
of the freestone creeks are beginning to swell a little depending on the
weather, but overall it has been very predictable with gradual increases
in flows over most of the prime watersheds in the region. The warming
weather this week had water temps climbing and the trout becoming
increasingly more active. The bugs are a bumping and the spring hatches
awesome! The Eastern Sierra fisheries are reaping the benefits of the
abundant precipitation we have experienced over the last several seasons
and the stage is set for a stellar summer. Heavy snow and rain would be
welcome next winter however!
No major weather changes forecast for this week,
but I must say we have had more than our share of those obnoxious diurnal
winds recently in the upper and lower valleys. You tubers need to keep a
close eye on the late morning easterly winds on Crowley and the gusty
westerly gales barreling down from the Sawtooths on Bridgeport Reservoir
around noon.
Tioga and Sonora Passes are currently open as is
the road into the Mammoth Lakes Basin. The road into Reds Meadow and the
San Joaquin River will open before Memorial Day we are told, but it is
currently closed.
Lower Owens River: Very
Good
It has been many moons since we have had fishable
flows on the Lower “O” this time of year and it has been great! The LADWP
will not commit as to when they shall begin releasing the hounds, but I
expect it to be shortly after Memorial Day. We have been told that they
are not planning a long term flushing flow summer either. 400-500 tops?
We are licking our chops with thoughts of moderate and stable flows during
September. Next fall and early winter will log some epic days. Mark my
words.
Pmd mayflies and olive bodied caddis #16-18 are
the bug de’jour on top, with consistent midges coming off if you
experience a cooler day or low barometer during your trip. The fish are
in the riffle water and tailouts during the hatches and moving into the
pools, undercuts and deeper runs during the mid-days. WD-40’s, flashback
Pt’s and crystal zebras and tigers in the #16-22 range will get it done.
Floating the river from our drift boats has been
very consistent and we are fooling them on streamer patterns with moderate
sinking tip lines most days. Loebergs….be that fly and you will get the
grabs! Have the dark heads for the low light and cloudy days; use the
lighter hackles for the remainder.
Randy Burnett from Newbury Park, CA and a long
time key employee with Abel Reels received a gift certificate from his
mother Barbara to float with us recently. Randy’s goal was to get a trout
over twenty inches. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Check out his
aerobatic 21” bow that he caught and released on the Lower Owens. Hope
you win the club prize Randy.
Randy Burnett with
an aerobatic rainbow...
Upper Owens River,
Crowley tributaries: Good-fair
The quality fish are scattered in the river above
the Benton Crossing Bridge. A significant amount of larger fish showed up
much later than was forecast in this area and if you do some walking and
scouting it will pay dividends. The inlet section below the monument has
better numbers of fish…and fishers, but is your best bet for this area as
conditions are good as of this report. A San Juan Worm as the upper and a
crystal tiger or zebra #16-18 or a PT with some flash as the dropper will
get you bendo in this section. Don’t get crazy and use less than 5X
tippet on these rascals. You will be in the penalty box after a break off
for sure! The dip and strip method with a streamer is also effective here
but you must check your fly EVERY cast. The free floating weed will
become increasingly more of an issue as the water flows increase. Work
the deeper sides of the river and larger pools if you choose to tug a
streamer.
McGee, Convict and Hilton
are not nearly as jugged with fish this season as was the case
last year but you can still find some small pods of larger rainbows if you
do some scouting. Roe patterns, San Juan Worms, as the upper or in
tandem. Hang a crystal tiger or zebra below the SJ and you will have a
lethal combo. The water in these freestone creeks is prone to snowmelt
and you will find some high and off colored water during periods of warm
weather.
East Walker River: Very
Good
Flows are just a tad over 110 cfs. Pinch me
please, I am dreaming. Have you ever witnessed the “sound” of a fly line
slicing upstream at warp speed after a grab here? There is nothing quite
like it. It reminds me of the sound 150psi makes as it rushes out of an
air compressor relief valve after opening! The trout of the EW are
freaks -I am totally convinced. Further more I am prone to believe they
are taking steroids in addition to the plethora of aquatic bugs.
Flashback Pt’s, WD-40’s and my go to fly here… the ever consistent
Drifters crystal copper tiger midge #16-20. Veteran Drifters client
“Steve-O” Newman, from Oxnard, CA will attest, many times over. At this
release rate the fish will “pod” up in the prime holes. It is good
people, if you are not getting grabs you need to move or re-think your
rig.
Hot Creek: Very Good
No “Sungicator” Blasphemy! No Stimulator- dry
dropper, you are mad! Old school NO indicator baby. High stick, “Ninja”
nymphing produced an epic day for “Steve-O” Newman on the Crick.
Flashback Pt’s, WD-40’s, and our olive crystal zebras #18-20. Check out
Steve-O’s trophies!
"Steve-O"
Newman...Trophy Bows @ Hot Creek...
Crowley Lake: Fair-very
good
Crowley sucked early on for fly fishers. Even
those anglers who choose to fish by means of “the dark side” struggled
most days early on. Numbers of fish were well below average considering
the excellent conditions and mild winter. Catching was very slow in the
initial stages of the season but has come on strong recently. Go figure;
I was totally wrong on the pre-season forecast here. The more I
experience, the more I don’t know. The Mamma’s Day hatch of chironomids
has proved to be excellent once again. We are going to see some sore arms
in the near future if you are planning a trip to Crowley soon. The fish
are in deeper water this week. Look on the flats and drop-offs in 11-14
feet. Throat pumps are indicating fish plugged with chironomid larva and
daphnia specimens. Copper and dark headed tigers in the #16-18 range
fished as close to the bottom as you can set on will do a number in the
Sandy Pt., Leighton Springs and Hilton Bays areas. Local high liner Don
McPherson of Mammoth Lakes has had good results stripping a Punk Perch
pattern in Big Hilton before the hatch this week. Don got into some
noteworthy browns and cutts. Fish this area in a southerly or westerly
wind condition.
The bite starts slowly around nine am and peaks
just as the wretched east wind begins just before noon. Gillies and
crystal emerger’s #18-20 rule during the emergence. 5X tippet will get
you more takedowns while stillwater nymphing.
Mr. Mike Casey from Lakewood, CA and Mr. Craig
Holmes from Hawthorne, CA went rod to rod for the Super Bowl of stillwater
nymphing. “Case” had the points and pretty much spanked “Homey” in the
“more” column, but we all know…size matters. Homey got the cutt that gave
him MVP for the series. HOMEY!!!
Guide, Tom Loe &
Craig "The Heron" Holmes with his big Cutthroat...
Bridgeport Reservoir:
Good
Good reports from streamer fisherman trolling and
casting right out in front of the marina. The only problem with this is
you may hear Jeffery belly aching from time to time! Loebergs, Agent
Oranges and Blood Sucking Vanderleeches, #10, 12. Switch to stillwater
nymphing after mid morning with PT’s or callibaetis patterns #12, 14 as
the upper and tie a Gillie or tiger midge as the dropper. The drop-off
between the marina and Rainbow Pt. in 12-14 feet is a good place to
begin.
West Walker: Fair
Conditions here will continue to disintegrate as
the snow melts off and the water swells with run-off. It will not be a
prolonged melt such as we experienced last season and conditions will
improve by Junes end. The canyon section will be excellent this summer
and we should see some terrific dry fly events.
Rock Creek: Good
The lake is fishable around its edges and I hear
good reports from those who do not mind the cooler weather. The creek is
beginning to rise but is still fishing well in the slower meadow
sections. Streamers in the lake, dry dropper bead head combos on the
creek.
San Joaquin River:
No reports yet. The road will open before
Memorial Day and we expect moderate flows and cold water. The fish will
not be picky if you are amongst the first to cast a dry here.
Stimulators, Para Adams, large caddis, and #14 attractors like Trudes,
Royal Coachman’s will get you looks.
Guide tip: Reading your
Sonar
Not for all, but with the increasing number of
tubers and “yachters” looking for trout with fixed and portable sonar’s we
would like to give you some advice.
Stop looking exclusively for fish! Especially in
depths of 15 feet or less with conventional transducers. This does not
mean that if you are marking steady readings of fish you should ignore
them. Your sonar will only mark or interpet fish images below the
location of your transducer. This is the device that transmits high
frequency sound pulses (most SHALLOW water ducers emit 200KHz) in an
arrayed beam that is somewhat shaped like an upside down ice cream cone.
Pointy end typically located at the bottom or stern of your boat/ base of
your tube’s portable sonar. It is essential you know exactly where your
transducer is located and what the viewing beam angle in this cone is to
have an accurate assessment of what the bottom looks like and what or
where, any TroutZilla’s lie beneath your sonar unit.
The shallower the water, the less area will be
covered by the sonar even with a wide angle beam. A narrower beam will
give you more accurate depth readings and higher definition of fish
signals directly under your cone, but less area will be covered. This is
the reason many people locate fish in local water depths of over 20 feet,
but do not meter fish in shorter water. You are looking at substantially
less area and the fish are alerted by boat noise or shadows and spook
before they pass under your sonar’s beam. Look primarily for structure
and transition of the bottoms contour. Ledges, depressions or channels,
drop-offs and different bottom densities. These transition zones beneath
the surface are the keys to locating areas of a stillwater where fish
migrate and frequent. We can’t always make them grab that fly, but if you
put the bugs in an area where they are always visiting; it will be only a
matter of time baby!
Mammoth Lakes
Condominiums:
www.MammothLakes.com
Many of you don’t know of the incredible deals you
can get on fully equipped condos in Mammoth during the “shoulder” seasons…
Spring bargain rates are in effect now through mid June and range from $80
(slps 2) to $185 (slps 8-10). Tired of sleeping on the cold wet ground?
Hard to justify the fuel cost and hassle of towing or driving your RV up
for a couple of days or long weekend? Have we got a deal for you! Mention
Sierra Drifters and get the booking fee waived (a $40.00 discount) on a
condominium in Mammoth Lakes by contacting Central Reservations at
1-800-321-3261! Spend your precious time fishing and enjoying the alpine
atmosphere of Mammoth Lakes instead of setting up camp. This is a limited
time offer so get on it baby!
Be the fly friends…
Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
760-935-4250
Driftfish@qnet.com
