October 4, 2005
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to
all for this “Trout tow-ber” fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.
Fall has arrived in the high country and the
colors and contrasts this time of year are spectacular. With the record
amounts of water this season the creeks and rivers are for the most part
in excellent shape for fly fishers and it is going to be a memorable late
season in many areas for sure.
The weather has been very seasonal recently with
periods of windy and cool weather especially in the upper valleys and
alpine lake regions. The first significant dusting of snow has already
put a light cover on the Sierra’s crest to add to the incredible beauty
the area has to offer this time of year. Look for a warming trend this
week and a full blown “Indian Summer” type pattern to set in for a while.
Warm days and cool brisk mornings will be the trend for this week.
The Upper Owens River has a closed area to all
fisher folk as of Sept. 30th. The section downstream from the
Benton Bridge to the fishing monument located about ¼ miles upstream from
Crowley Lake is now closed to assist the “honey mooning” trout. The
section downstream from the monument to the lake and upstream from the
bridge is open until Nov. 15th with angling restrictions that
differ in both areas. Check your DFG regs if you are not sure of the
current restrictions please.
High fives (and fins) to the 280 hard core float
tubers and hard working staffers of WON that participated in the 2005
Western Outdoor News sponsored Double Haul in the Fall catch and release
fly fishing float tube derby. Some tough weather hampered the pre-fishing
the day prior to the event, but the trout gods smiled on the group for the
tourney. Check out the current issue of Western Outdoor News for complete
details on the winner’s names and prizes.
Crowley Lake: Very Good
This is hands down the best fishery going right
now. There will be some slow periods on a daily basis, and you may have
to deal with the wind this time of year but if you want a trophy fish on a
fly get your caboose to Crowley for what is shaping up to be the best big
fish year I have witnessed in many seasons.
McGee Bay and the Green Banks sections are best.
Concentrate your efforts along the creek channels and weed edges. These
areas are most consistent for the slammers. Leighton Springs and
Sometimes Bay are also kicking out some fatties on a less consistent
basis. Sandy Pt. and the Hiltons have been very choked with a late algae
bloom. The bigs are feasting on a mix of perch fry, chironomids, leeches
and callibaetis mayfly nymphs. If the barometer rises you can plan on a
solid midge hatch and a good bite using the stillwater nymphing
technique. Our Gillies #18-22, Drifters Crystal Pupas #18-22 will spank
em’ in short water in the channels and mud flats along the weed lines.
The smaller patterns have been especially deadly recently. Use 5X tippet
in the short water for better presentations and set your drags on the
light side. The rainbows will smoke the color off your fly line in the
shallows and you must have a very light drag setting if you want a “Kodak”
moment.
If you prefer to tug streamers on the hard weed
edges I suggest a medium sink tip with a Loeberg or Punk Perch #10-12.
The Crystal Leech #10-12 has also proved to be deadly for the big browns
this time of year. Get this pattern down deeper and fish it a foot or so
off the mud with a slower stripping cadence.
Check out these incredible digital photos of some
recent fish taken by Sierra Drifters clients. The fall of “aught five” on
Crowley is here - don’t miss this one people!
Big man, big fish. Mark Cirksena from Auburn, CA
would be welcome on any front line in the NFL or NBA for sure. He had a
dream day on Crowley with us recently with numerous fish over 20 inches!
Check out the profiles of the rainbows he bested in the Green banks area a
short while back. It was not a dream Mark, way to stick em’ pal!
Mark Cirkesena
The Holt clan (Jake and Jesse shown here) from
Simi Valley, CA consistently get big fish on Crowley and this year was no
exception. McGee Bay in short water was off the charts for the boys and
they did very well on some chunky rainbows with custom paint jobs. Puff
ball down baby! High fives guys.
Jake Holt
Jesse Holt
Dirk Westfall from Temecula, CA has been on the
fish report several times for good reason. He always seems to get into
large fish! This 22 inch Eagle Lake rainbow was caught the day prior to
the Haul in 40mph winds on a size 20 “Gillie” We were taking spray over
the cap rails when we took the pics. Great job Dirky, see ya soon.
Dirk Westfall
Upper Owens River: Very
Good
There are some additional restrictions here now,
check the DFG regs prior to fishing your favorite area.
Plenty of migrating fish pointed upstream and
headed towards the Long Years section of the river. I like to tug
streamers using the our patented “dip and strip” method along the deeper
cut bank areas and larger pools for a shot at one of the big browns or
lunker rainbows that frequent this spring creek this time of year. You
will also find ample opportunity to toss BWO patterns #18-20 at rising
fish in the slower pools in all areas of the river after late mornings.
There are still a few hoppers around especially showing on the warmer
days.
The section downstream of the monument is
currently open and has the same regulations as Crowley Lake right now. It
is also heavy with medium and smaller sized rainbows that will hit both
nymphs and streamers. Look for the mayflies in this section also.
San Joaquin River: Good
Fly fishing continues to be good here as the flows
are sweet in most sections of the river. Dry dropper bead head nymph
combos are a sure bet in the deeper pools and runs, with the wild trout
still active on the warmer afternoons on surface imitations such as caddis
and mayflies #16-20. Get away from the campgrounds 20 minutes hike or so
for better quantities of wild fish and a shot at the “Sierra grand slam”!
East Walker River: Good
Flows are down to 160cfs. Most excellent my
friends. Wading is good at these release rates and with the water cooling
down you will find an ever increasing amount of eager rainbows and browns
eager to take that strike indicator down while fishing small Drifters
Crystal Tiger or zebra nymph’s #16-22 on a tandem rig. The water is still
a tad on the green side but this will help you out on the more cautious
fish as it has been this way for a while. Look for clarity to improve in
the near future.
West Walker: Good
Fall conditions here. The scenery along the way
itself is worth the drive alone. I like a dry/dropper bead head for the
deeper water here as well as the cut bank areas in the meadow sections.
Still some good opportunities for dry fly action in the canyon “pocket
water” and riffles as the flows are just right.
Bridgeport Reservoir:
Good
The trout are beginning to get more aggressive
especially on streamer patterns like our Loebergs and Punk Perch #10-12
fished along the drop-off from Buckeye Bay towards rainbow Pt. The launch
ramp area in 10-15 feet will also be holding some larger rainbows this
time of year. You will also find cruising fatties looking for perch fry
along the diminishing weed lines in Buckeye.
Good reports from a few locals using a new type of
fly that is found or sold only at the Bridgeport Lake Marina. Its primary
material is a rare strain of goat or sheep hair found only in the
Bridgeport area. For those of you needing flies, information and this
rare strain of sheep and goat hair for fly tying materials (looks like the
color of Jeff’s fur- I mean hair, for some unknown reason) go see Jeffery
aka the “Dali Lamb-A” for the area.There are links on the resources tab
above or click on
http://www.bridgeportreservoir.com/photogallery.htm
Hot Creek: Good
Low and clear water requiring precise
presentations with smaller flies necessary for good results. The wind in
the afternoons have been a factor this week in the overall “catching” but
with the forecast being favorable to fly fishers in the future look for
better overall conditions here and more consistent fishing. Baetis and
trico mayflies, with a few lingering hoppers hanging around for the windy
afternoons.
Lower Owens: Poor
Still at 600cfs and flooding in some areas. The
good news is with the light pressure this tailwater has received this
season I look for excellent opportunities this later fall and winter when
the river stabilizes and drops a bit. Book your drift trips now; they
will go pronto when the river begins to recede. I am looking forward to
this late fall and winter here as the area has been untouched since last
April when the flows came up out of cycle.
The river is very high for those who are not
familiar with the flows and in some areas it is over the banks making
access impossible or difficult at best. Check out the dirt roads near the
river BEFORE you drive down, they are very soft and wet right now. There
are links to the DWP water flows above.
Alpine Lakes: Good
When the weather gets nice you will see very good
fishing on some of the upper lakes as the fish are experiencing cooling
water and shorter durations of daylight that is triggering a biological
instinct that makes them feed more aggressively at times during this time
of year. Streamer patterns with red or some flash and blue in them will
get grabs on most of these lakes when used with a full of heavy sinking
tip line. Late mornings and afternoons are best in these areas as the
fish get more active with the rise in surface water temperatures.
Spruce-a-bu’s #10, Drifters crystal leeches
#10-12, and the always reliable Loeberg #10 will get you into fish in
these areas right now if you are willing to troll from a float tube.
You can pick up our guide flies at the following
stand out locations: The Bridgeport Lake Marina in Bridgeport, The Crowley
Lake Fish Camp and the Crowley Lake General Store and Deli in Crowley, 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 on the
resources tab above.
