October 7, 2007

Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters.  Best fishes to all for this Autumn Equinox fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.

The upper elevations and high valleys received some significant rain and snow recently and this precipitation is most welcome this fall.  These early storms packed a bunch of wind and severe temperature swings and really slowed the “catching” down for several days in most areas. The forecast is calling for a major warming trend with no storms in the picture for some time. 

 The Sierra historically fishes very well in the fall during normal precipitation years.  This season will be an exception in some areas and I suggest you avoid the smaller freestone creeks and rivers as they will have very low water flows.  Look forward to some great fishing on the Lower and Upper Owens Rivers and East Walker River.  Crowley Lake will also be in great shape this fall due to its size and depth. 

SQUEAKY WHEELS GET THE OIL!

If you support the year round openings of the Upper Owens River, East Walker River, and Hot Creek which the DFG passed into law last March you should write the DFG Commissioners and voice your support as soon as possible. Click on the DFG tab on the Nav. Bar above for the Commissioners email and regular mail addresses.  The Commission will meet in Sacramento on November first and hopefully cast this much needed improvement to this area into stone.  Please take the time to review my letter to the Commission in support of the new regulations by Clicking Here.

Still Water Classic Update

Over a ton of browns got planted in Crowley last week thanks to IAG and the participants and sponsors of the Classic!  The fish averaged ¾ pound and were in excellent condition.  We can all look forward to an increased amount of quality browns being landed next year.

And speaking of fisheries enhancement programs…The Bridgeport Trout Tournament is going to be held on October 7^th.  The event has two divisions, one on the East Walker River’s miracle mile; the other is a float tube category on Bridgeport Reservoir.  They have great prizes and a fantastic awards ceremony planned complete with a steak dinner!  It is being sponsored by the Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce Fisheries Enhancement Committee.  The hosts of this event are some mighty fine people who have donated a whole bunch of time and money growing browns for the area to insure a quality fishing experience on these great fisheries.  The BTT is a good time event for a very worthy cause and it takes place during the best part of the season for both fisheries.  Information is available online at: www.bridgeportcalifornia.com or www.bigmeadowlodge.com.  You may also call Ray Robles at 760-932-7525.  

Crowley Lake: Very good 

The lake will be open for fishing until November 15th...but the marina and all boat facilities will close as of the end of October...We will still be able to offer wade, float tube & drift boat access to the lake for the first two weeks of November.

Report courtesy of “Fill” Therrien:

Mickey Baron of Sierra Drifters fame reports good to great action on Crowley as of late. North Arm, Green Banks, and on occasion, 6 Bays kicking out numerous feisty fish. Seems the 8 ½ to 10 ‘depths have been the most productive. Mickey, the “Turtle” Baron reports he subdued a 25” brown recently at Crowley. It was reported the Turtle needed an IV and a meatball sandwich from the Crowley Lake Store to restore his energy after his epic battle with the beast! Gillies and tiger midges the flies desired by our finny friends at the moment. Frost appearing regularly in the a.m. at Crowley so be sure to bring some layers and maybe forego short pants unless being “colder than a mother-in-laws kiss” your thing.

Larry Matsui with a beast of a brown caught while fishing with Mickey Baron on “the turtles” fish magnet.

Alyssa Trebil from Calabasas on Crowley Lake with SD guide Doug-err

The” Mighty Osprey” Bill Stroud owner of Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego with T Loe and Willie’s

annual trophy brown.

Jim Reeg designated brown hunter for the San Diego Fly Fishers-almost got the Mighty Osprey this year!

The Western Outdoor News hosted Double Haul in the Fall took place on Saturday September 15^th on Crowley Lake. Here are the stats: This years first place award for most total points went to Ernie Gulley with 102 points! Nice Job! Second place went to Ryan McDonald with 73 points and third place went to Josh Koch with 44 points. Great Numbers! Now, for the Team category...First place team went to Team Hardcore which consisted of Russ Smith and Ernie Gulley who had a combined score of 102 points. Second place went to Team Shocker which consisted of Ashley Puzone and Ryan McDonald who had a combined score of 78 points. Third place went the The Koch's "Josh & John" who had a combined score of 66 total points. Nice job everyone and we look forward to seeing all of you next year! D-Haul stats courtesy of Crowley Lake Fish Camp website.

Lower Owens River: Very Good 

Report courtesy of “Fill” Therrien:

Happy to report the catching has been darn good lately on recent Drift Boat trips. The numbers have been good, very good, and WOW with one angler, Jeff Wenger from Rancho Cucamonga, flying solo, picking up 30 fish on his latest trip with us recently. The biggest of which was a robust 18” ‘bow. Indeed the fish have been plentiful but we have yet to see any of the Frankenbows we have seen in the past. This being said, who knows what lurks behind the next bend?!?! Darker flies, Olive Spruce-A-Bu’s and Loeberg’s in low light working best with blond Kelly Bundy’s in brighter light attracting fish like moths. Have seen numerous caddis and midges but haven’t seen any of the rascals rising to the occasion.

Oct. 6^th  ... the flow is now 325 cfs and Bishop Creek 65cfs. Beginning to drop! Fill

Jeff Wenger and a chunky drift boat bow! .  

Upper Owens River: Excellent

Report courtesy of Doug-err Rodricks:

This is by far your best bet for getting into numbers of fish right now, with the occasional big fish in the mix from Crowley Lake.  Nymphs, dry flies, streamers, take your pic, as they are all working right now.  Fish the deeper pools along the river, as the fish are concentrating there while working their way through the skinnier water. Don't overlook the shallow sections of water with the short drop offs. They are holding small pods of fish as well.   

For streamer patterns, I'd go with Sierra Drifters Agent Orange’s, Spruce-A-Bu’s, and Loeberg’s fished on a sink tip line with about 8 feet of 3x. Position yourself upstream from the pool, cast downstream to the deep section, dip, strip, and get ready! All you nymph-a-holics can use Hare's Ears, Pheasant Tails, Midges, Princes, WD-40's, Serendipity's, etc. the list goes on. If it's in your box and #16-22 you should be in good shape. For dries, try a #10-12 Hopper or Stimulator, and Elk Caddis and PMD's #18-20. Dry/Droppers can be very effective also. 

The crowds have definitely thinned out during the week, but I'd recommend getting there early to beat the weekend warriors. It's been quite chilly in the morning, but been warming up as the sun gets higher.  Find a good pool or two, and you can probably stick it out until the fish stop biting. 

Catherine Hollinger from Ladera Ranch and Pat McGrath from Orange

on Upper Owens with the "Hunter Group"

Dan Andrus from La Crescenta (left) and Jason Strauss from Chatsworth (right)

on Upper Owens with the "Hunter Group"

The flows are low but not severe, this being a spring fed creek with some additional water coming in from the diversions at Mono Lake sometimes.  The section upstream from the Benton Crossing Bridge and confluence of Hot Creek (referred to as Long Years) is fishing very well with several types of rigs doing the job.  Dry/dry rigs with a hopper and caddis or mayfly #18 is deadly during the morning and afternoon hatches.  Dry dropper bead head rigs are always a good choice and bead head nymphs like PT’s, WD 40’s, Tiger and zebra midges will all work if presented well.  There are some large resident fish in this area and as the summer rolls on streamer patterns like the Loeberg used with the “dip and strip” method will be very effective at times.  Early mornings and windy late afternoons are optimum times for the reel wreckers here.  Get those streamers down along the cut banks.  You are going to be donating flies if you use less than 2X tippet!  The section downstream from the campground is well stocked and has additional fish migrating up from Crowley to spice up the pit in this section.  The river is larger in this area and you will have better success fishing under a Sungicator (strike indicator) and using more weight to get those nymphs down into the deeper pools.  Drifters copper tigers and flashback PT’s #16-18 spank the planters here and you will get the occasional large wild fish working their way up from Crowley to keep you honest! 

Bridgeport Reservoir:.

The Bridge has really suffered from the lack of water this season and you will see substantially less surface area than in current prior seasons.  Water temps are lowering and those few tubers fishing the center of the lake trolling streamer patterns are beginning to find some feeding fish in ten feet of water.  Conditions will improve as surface temps continue to fall and the fish become more active.  There is very good access for tubers along most of the eastern shoreline in the public areas.  You will need to fish north of Rainbow Pt. in the middle of the lake to locate fish.

East Walker River: Fair 

The cooler weather has lowered water temps and improved conditions here.  Flows remain very low and you will find the fish concentrated in the larger pools and deeper runs.  Good caddis activity in the afternoons with some hoppers still present on the warmer days.  Nymphing is still the best method of getting consistent grabs.  Midge and mayfly nymph imitations #18-22 are good choices.  Dry dropper combos are also effective in the short water sections.

Hot Creek: Fair 

Not too bad.  This is a great time of year to fish caddis dries especially in the afternoons.  Dry dropper rigs are also a good choice for the current conditions.  The flows are low and the protruding surface weeds will make some challenging presentation problems.  Look for decreased pressure especially during the weekdays.

San Joaquin: Fair

Flows are way too low for my liking here.  Leave the wild fish alone until we get more water next year. 

West Walker River: Fair

Check out the pics of how low the water is here.  This substantial drainage is but a mere trickle currently.  There are limited pools that will have planted fish near the campgrounds and Pikel Meadows if you are in the area and these are your best bet to get into some fish.  Dry dropper rigs will work the best. 

West Walker River in the “canyon”. Just a trickle for this time of year.

Alpine Lake Regions: Good 

Lakes are always your best bet during high or low water years in this area.  They offer a more stable habitat and are not as influenced by the current conditions we are experiencing.  In addition to the stability and beautiful settings these areas offer there has been a great effort by the County and local businessman to supply an above average amount of planted quality fish in all of the drive to local Alpine lakes. 

My favorite fly for streamer fishing these gorgeous fisheries…the Drifter’s Spruce-A-Bu.  We have two versions of this pattern (light and dark) that I created and I must say I am partial to the “Kelley Bundy” or blonde style.  Although the “Mary Ann” dark olive style gets more grabs when it is cloudy or if the sun is low.   I can’t say if the trout love this pattern or hate it, all I know is it gets bit.  Use it with a full sink or heavy sinking tip line and troll along transition zones like drop-offs, creek inlets, and “corners” of Alpine lakes.    

Sierra Drifters flies and “Sungicator” strike indicators are only available at the following great fly shops and stores (don’t be fooled by any of the imitations out there!): Crowley Lake Fish Camp at Lake Crowley, Crowley Lake General Store in Crowley,  Kittredge Sports in Mammoth Lakes, Malibu Fish’n Tackle in Thousand Oaks, Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego, The San Diego Fly Shop in San Diego,  The Fishermen’s Spot in Van Nuys, Bob Marriott’s in Fullerton, Buz's Fly Shop Too in Bakersfield and online at www.bigfishhappen.com. There are links to these locations at the resources tab above.

We pride our Guide Service & Products on Innovation not Imitation!

Be the fly friends…Tom Loe

Sierra Drifters Guide Service    

760-935-4250

Driftfish@qnet.com 

and Michele Loe Michele@MammothLakes.com