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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
April 28, 2003
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Jangles Lives!...2003 Trout Opener Fish Report
April 28, 2003
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. We hope all is well with you and yours for this 2003 Eastern Sierra trout opener fish report.
The story has been told for many a moon. All around the campfires, the fly shops and the marinas, those who have encountered the legendary fish tell their tale to those hopeful anglers that have not yet had a battle with “JANGLES”
Jangles is the elusive monster brown trout that haunts Crowley Lake or is it Bridgeport Reservoir? I have heard reliable sources tell me Jangles has been hooked in the East Walker River just below the dam; he then streaked madly in a defiant run right back up the outlet pipe into the lake! I myself have seen Jangles devastate a finely made large arbor reel by turning the drag mechanism into mush on a secluded section of the Lower Owens River. Jangles is so large that pods of 16 inch rainbows have been witnessed jumping like porpoise upstream to escape its wrath in the Upper Owens River during the fall spawn.
Jangles the mythical brown, has never been brought to net. This gargantuan, elusive fish has broken off so many lures and flies, scores of them hanging from its massive hook jawed mouth, that on a quiet evening while sitting by the waters edge you may hear a strange metallic clattering or “jangling” emanating from beneath the waters surface. It is Jangles on the prowl!
Does Jangles truly exist? Or is this beast of a fish just an exaggeration. I must include myself in the honorary group of fly fishers whose absolute integrity is sacred in regards to estimates of the size of the “one that got away!”
Does it really matter? Jangles is the reason we all cast a line onto or beneath the water. We as sport fisherman start each new season with the hope of hooking a legendary fish. Sierra Drifters Guide Service hopes you all get a shot at landing a Jangler this season. Best Fishes.
Opening weekend in the Eastern High Sierra was a classic display of how quickly the weather can change in this region. Horrific winds raced down the canyons most of Friday evening, only to subside at daybreak and bring a pleasant, calm opener on Crowley Lake and Bridgeport Reservoir. Some of the resorts and fisheries located at the upper elevations had gusty winds and snow flurries most of the day on Saturday with conditions greatly improving by Sunday. The weather forecast is calling for a continued series of cold fronts to pass through the Central Eastern Sierra with a chance of snow and rain through the upcoming weekend.
Fishing was good in most locations with crowds being reported as “normal” for opening weekend.
Water levels are very low in Crowley Lake, Bridgeport Reservoir, Grant Lake, and South Lake. Some of these conditions can be attributed in preparation for the run-off; others are due to the continuing lack of snowfall over the last three winters. April is proving to be a wet month, especially in the upper elevations and this will most certainly help out the water situation.
On a sad note, there was a major forest fire last week that torched the canyon below Lundy Lake and burned down to the Conway Ranch destroying 700 acres. The fire was started from a downed power line and dry/windy conditions. Besides the trees and vegetation decimated by the blaze, the ash and foam retardants used to combat the fire washed into the spring fed creek that was home to the Sierra Trout Foundations hatchery. The caretaker reported most of the fish perished from the contaminated water. These fish were slated to be planted in many of the local fisheries this summer.
Crowley Lake: Fair
Fly fishers found tough conditions for opening weekend as most of the concentrations of trout were holding in deeper water, 20 feet or more. Streamer fisherman had the best success using full, fast sinking lines with leech patterns and perch fry imitations #8-14.
Stillwater nymphers will do best fishing over 10 feet using larva patterns like our crystal zebra and tiger midges. The north arm of the lake near Green Banks or Leighton Springs would be my choice for a starting location. The lake level is very low for this time of year; it is about 70 percent full.
Fish and Game statistics are not yet available, but the opinion from the management at the Crowley Lake Fish Camp have the fish smaller on average than last seasons opening. The good weather on the lake all weekend provided plenty of time for most anglers to get their “limits.”
If you have not heard the news, we are exited to announce Mickey Baron the assistant manager for the Crowley Lake Fish Camp and seasoned fly fisher, has joined our Sierra Drifters Guide team and will be assisting clients on his 21’ Champion flats boat for trips on this premier trout fishery.
Bridgeport Reservoir: Very Good
This location is an early diamond in the rough. The marina has dredged out its channel insuring easy launching access when the lake level falls. As of this report the lake is about 50 % full, with the level sure to rise when spring run-off begins. Limited pressure the last couple of seasons, occurring again this opener and a good jag of planted fish should make this area a for sure destination especially during the early part of the season.
Management at the Bridgeport Recreation Area inform us that trollers have weighed in many browns up to 7 lbs., and that the opinion from the locals here is very positive regarding the huge amount of fish in the lake. The lake is moderately weed and algae free this time of year and we suggest you troll streamers with fast sinking lines near the dam and launch ramp area in over 15 feet of water. Perch fry patterns work well here, as do leeches and attractors #6-14.
We suggest you fly fishers put this area on your trip schedule for the initial part of the season.
East Walker River: Fair
Flows have been and continue to be low for this fine tail water. A good number of fly fishers turned out to cast the first imitations of the year to the big browns holding here, and many were rewarded with 16-18 inch average fish according to sources at Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport.
A #12-14 San Juan worm with a #16-20 bead head or disco midge pattern is a good call for this time of year. Fish this rig under a strike indicator or dry fly in the shorter water for best results. Have some baetis patterns (B.W.O.’s) #16-20 ready in the event you see some heads poking up in the foam lines.
There has been a better snow pack in the mountains this season that feed Bridgeport Reservoir and the Walker Rivers. We still anticipate some tougher conditions during the summer months so our advice is to hit this area early. Hopefully the increased flows will give the resident trout here a better habitat during the dog days of summer.
Upper Owens River, McGee Creek, Hilton Creek, Big Springs: Fair
The spawn peaked during late March in the tributaries to the lake but there are still enough stragglers to keep you interested. The fish are smaller for sure this season, most of them Kamloops rainbows in the 10-12 inch class, but there are some 18-inch fish holding in the big bends and deep pools at Big Springs and the Long Years section of the Upper Owens. San Juan worms, roe patterns like a “glow bug” and flashback hares ear or crystal midges will work well fished deep under a strike indicator. I like to use our “dip and strip” method while tugging streamers this time of year on the Upper Owens. Have a moderate sink tip line to help get the streamer down to the trout holding under the cut banks.
Hot Creek: Very Good
The winds messed things up from time to time, but all in all fishing was very good for those who got themselves in a deeper pool or run. # 18-22 nymph patterns including midges, caddis, and mayfly imitations all got grabs. You will find that casting a streamer here with a light sink tip or floating line can be deadly in the big holes. Not a lot of folks incorporate this method here and it works well this time of year. Try to line yourself upstream of a channel along the weed beds, and pull the streamer through this lane. I have found the larger browns to be a sucker for this presentation here.
Lower Owens River: Good
This area is a year round fishery and will fish well until the L.A.D.W.P begins releasing water. We have had very good fishing most days pulling streamers. The best bite has been in the morning with a slow down mid-day as the sun gets high and the trout head under the banks for cover.
Nymphing continues to provide the most consistent action with a hatch of baetis coming off about 2 p.m. The latter generations of aquatic insects tend to be smaller as the cycle progresses, and we are finding this to hold true, as the correct imitation will be in the #20-22 range. If you have some cloud cover be poised for this short but sweet hatch.
Kevin Purcell and Jon Pennock took a spring drift boat trip with us and netted 70 rainbows and browns on both streamers and dry flies. The dynamic duo can be seen with “dual bendo” on our website. Way to spank em’ guys!
Scott and Chris Linkletter are no strangers to the Sierra Drifters website as they seem to always land large trout. Check out the gorgeous fish Chris fooled with help from Scott at the net. Our thoughts are with you Scott, for a full and speedy recovery. See you both soon.
Ken Pulskamp and Robert Newman booked back-to-back floats with us recently and ripped lips on close to 100 trout. The veteran drifters landed both rainbows and browns up to the 3 lb. range. “Jangles” may have been one of the L.D.R’s (long distance releases) that occurred one of the drifts. Fun times guys.
Jim Jarboe and son Dan took their first drift with us with Dan catch and releasing a nice rainbow that hit on the first bend. Way to start the day Jim!
You may see pictures of these folks and others by visiting our website at http://www.sierradrifters.com
June Lake Loop/Rush Creek: Good
The ice has been off these lakes most of the winter and although the levels are low on Grant this area fished well for those who got on the water after the winds abated. Silver kicked out steady fish near the inlet to Rush for those using streamers and full sinking lines. Rush Creek had good numbers of planted fish being caught in the popular areas and some wild browns hit those fly fishers using bead head nymphs like tigers and zebras. The creek is easy to wade at current flows.
Rock Creek Lake/Rock Creek: Good
It was cold and windy early on in the opener but when the conditions improved the fishing proved to be good for the planted and holdover fish in both areas. No reports from tubers on the lake but the creek fished well in the campground areas for those using nymphs with some red in the pattern. San Juan worms and tiger midges are a good choice here. The water will be cold in the lake if you plan on tubing this area. Have a full, fast sinking line to get your streamer or soft hackle down to the trout.
Mammoth Lakes: Iced up
San Joaquin: Closed until sometime in June
Apologies if we did not include an area you are interested in. We will do our best to get you accurate information as the season unfolds.
You may purchase our guide flies at the following fine fly shops:
Crowley Lake Fish Camp, The Troutfitter in Mammoth Lakes, Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego, Malibu Fish’n Tackle in Thousand Oaks. There are links to all these shops on the bottom of the home page at www.sierradrifters.com
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
Email [email protected]
www.sierradrifters.com
Phone 760-935-4250
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