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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
November 13, 2005
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Trout Season Finale Fish Report 2005
November 11, 2005
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for this general trout season finale from the Eastern High Sierra. The guide team at Sierra Drifters would like to sincerely thank all of the wonderful people we had the pleasure to fish with this past season and are looking forward to spending some time with you again soon.
The general trout season will close on Nov. 15th for this season. You still have a few days to get in those last casts in a number of fine fisheries here in the Eastern Sierra before the bulk of the fisheries close until next April. Please note that the waters of the Lower Owens River, Pleasant Valley Reservoir and the small but fertile tailwater of the Gorge remain open to fishing year round. We provide year round guiding of all these locations with the “flagship” program being our drift boat float trips down the Lower Owens River.
The weather looks to be great for the remainder of the season and it has been warmer than usual for this time of year. We have had some periods of rain in the valleys and moderate snow in the elevations above 8500 feet which may hamper some alpine lakes and creeks. Many upper resorts are closed including Crowley Lake and Bridgeport Reservoir Marinas. Tioga and Sonora Passes are closed as of this report. The road into The San Joaquin River is also gated.
Looking back and reflecting upon this last season brings back some wonderful memories and some unforgettable fish caught by special Sierra Drifters clients. The tremendous snowfall of last season paved the way for above average opportunities in many fisheries this summer and fall. The heavy and extended runoff did make for some tough fishing early on, but the high water revitalized some areas that needed shot of high water to purge out silt deposits and gouge out those “hog” holes.
The DFG lives. AB 7 passed and was signed by Governor “Terminator” Yippee!!! There is much work to be done in regards to getting our fisheries back to normal; however the passing of this bill will insure the Heritage, wild trout and hatchery programs have new energy and the financial resources to back them.
We witnessed the rebirth of the Sierra’s “sleeping giant” BRIDGEPORT RESERVOIR. This fishery came on like gangbusters in June and July with excellent fishing in Buckeye Bay using both stillwater nymphing and streamers. We had a blast running guided trips up here when other fisheries were not fishing well during the same time. The new owner at the Bridgeport Marina is a great goat, I mean guy… and he is fly fishing friendly! The lake remains at a good level for this time of year and the expectations of an even better season next year are high in my opinion. A solid fishery enhancement program has been implemented here by some thoughtful and hardworking local businessman and this will boost the potential of this fishery immensely.
The tailwater to Bridgeport Reservoir, the EAST WALKER RIVER bounced back much quicker than hoped for from several years of drought. The EW fished fantastic this spring and fall for large browns and rainbows. By the fall numbers really started to pick up. This fishery can be hailed as the premier trophy trout river in this region. It has the aquatic foundations in good water years to grow huge trout rapidly that resemble footballs with tails! I look back at the quality time we spent on the water here and the memorable fish caught and released during the early and later parts of the season. “LDR” Mamer I still see that behemoth rainbow giving us the fin after a lengthy battle and NBA style slam dunk jump. Author, Jefferson Parker, it is no mystery and not a dream you did get all those hogs in one day! First Light Geiger, call me if you ever want a job as a guide. That was a jewel of a trout. Flows have been recently dropped to winter releases and at 20cfs only the deepest pools will hold fish.
If asked to sum up this season in a single sentence “We spanked the browns” this season everywhere. Please click on www.sierradrifters.com to view the great pictures summarizing this season….
Ironically, I say this because the DFG has not planted, nor has any near future plans to stock brown trout anywhere. This was the best brown trout year I can recall in the last decade. CROWLEY LAKE had browns on the bite for most of the entire season with a slow period for fly fishers taking place during the turnover in June. The mid-summer high water provided prolonged cover by way of huge weed beds that remained well into September sheltering the Sacramento Perch fry to some degree…I would not have wanted to be a perch fry on several days we witnessed this September in McGee Bay and the North Arm near the inlets. It looked like tuna boiling at times as the larger browns, cutts and rainbows crashed through the balls of fry. By far the best streamer fishing tubers and “chuck and duckers” have seen in many seasons here. The brownies were on the grab by mid- May and the snap seemed to peak around the Double Haul float tube event in late Sept. We had not one, but two epic cycles this season and I do not use that term loosely. 30 fish 18-25 inches to the net during both epic snaps, (late July and again in mid Sept.) 3-5 days each bite. Alaska, Montana, please-please get outta here, we got game!!! The rainbows and cutts were about an inch or two larger this season overall with lots of 22-23 inch models and a handful over the two foot mark being caught and released by Drifters Guides and fly fishers.
The F.A.T.I.T. trout tourney folks bought some browns from the Conway Ranch hatchery and put them into Crowley. These are the only browns planted this year in the lake and my hats are off to these guys as they are the only “catch and keep” event to put in more than they extract. Hopefully this type of management will rub off on some of other derbies. Love em’ and leave em’ folks!
CROWLEY LAKE has slowed the last couple of weeks as the fish migrate towards deeper water. The lake level is dropping rapidly and this will not change by seasons end. Six Bays and the North Arm in 12 feet or deeper are your best bet. Streamers like our Crystal Leech, Punk Perch or Loebergs are best right now. Stillwater nymphing is slow, use larva patterns like tigers and zebras fished close to the mud and along the drop-offs in 10 feet or more.
The flow rates continue to remain above average on the LOWER OWENS RIVER but this has not been a problem recently for us on the drift boat. The release rates will lower to 500cfs by Sunday according to DWP sources. Wading the wild trout section will still be tough but there is ample opportunity to fish the trico and baetis hatches each day. The warmer than usual fall has also prolonged the caddis emergence and you will see enough of these critters to justify tossing an elk hair caddis #16-18 at the gulpy grabbers along the eddies in the larger pools.
The high flows have been with us since an untimely increase last March. The fish have adjusted to the levels over the summer and the clarity is good except in the lower sections of the river below Bishop. On a recent float trip with us two outstanding fly fishers from the Long Beach Casting Club, Sam and Peggy Hirasawa “dip and stripped” their way to a 50 fish catch and release day with grabs or fish to the net coming on every stop. Way to stick em’ kids!
The hot fly that day was #8 Spruce-a-bu. This is a deadly pattern during the fall and winter months and I strongly suggest you have this in your quiver if you plan on tugging streamers in the near future. I created this pattern especially for the dip and strip method but it works well being slow trolled from a float tube as well. They are only available at the shops that sell our custom guide flies. Put lengthy pauses in your presentations when fished in moving water. This fly fishes well on the hesitations and you will find your takes to come then, and just after you begin the retrieve.
I am anticipating perhaps the best season in recent memory as the higher water levels will open up sections of the river we have been unable to float in past seasons. It is only going to improve kids, get your spots soon.
I am often asked which is my favorite area to fish, or where do I go on my days off.
THE UPPER OWENS RIVER holds a special place in my heart. For it is here that I have had some of the most memorable late season flurries anywhere. It is tradition for me to spend at least a few hours here before the close of every season. The extended season gives us two additional weeks in which we can hit the migrating Crowley browns and fall spawn rainbows head on. The solitude and quiet of Long Valley is also an added bonus to fishing here. It is seldom crowded and requires an easy hike to the more productive water in the Long Years section. You will see a baetis hatch and some lingering caddis during years such as this.
This past season saw some excellent fishing in the spring for the “silver bullet Kamloops Rainbow migration” then again in late September through most of October for huge numbers of medium sized rainbows working up from the lake. The bigs have been showing up more frequently and it is here you may encounter that elusive huge brown you have been seeking for years. I like streamers during the low light periods using the dip and strip method on the deep cuts and pools. Switch to indicator nymphing or dries during hatches and mid-day hours. Midges and mayfly imitations in the #16-20 range will get it done. The key here has always been a stealthy approach. This spring creek is very clear and there is no cover save the undercut banks and depth of the pools for the fish to hide.
The SAN JOAQUIN was once again planted this season by the DFG and the conditions for the wild trout here coupled with the high water made an immediate positive impact for trout and fly fishers in the valley. By late summer flows were ideal and the “catching” was pretty much off the charts with just about any dry fly in your box in the #14-18 range getting grabs. The road has closed down to Reds Meadow for the season but if you want to hike in you will find some excellent fishing and the flows still very good for this time of year.
Perhaps one of the few down sides to this season was the DFG shocking of HOT CREEK this spring and its disturbingly low fish counts as opposed to previous tests. What is the cause of the declining numbers? Low water for numerous seasons and a less than jolly forecast when you look at the exploding growth the town of Mammoth Lakes is experiencing. Increased usage of Mammoth Creek and additional ground water pumping of the aquifers that feed Hot Creek and the springs that feed the Upper Owens River are in the works. Focus in on what is happening in this region. Laws and planning codes are being altered to allow the increased use of water. Cal Trout is paying close attention and lobbying on behalf of fly fishers and conservationists in this area. They have recently established an Eastern Sierra office headed by Rob Lusardi. Please link on to their website and support efforts for responsible water management in this region.
http://www.caltrout.org
Another key reason Hot Creek’s numbers are down is the DFG has not been subsidizing the trout population here in recent years. Yes, the DFG managed this area as a put and grow resource in the past. The fish here are not all wild. Many of them were once planted and have become essentially wild. The severe angling pressure this area receives puts tremendous burdens on its population even though it is designated as a catch and release area only. Natural reproduction can not keep up with mortality from natural and angling pressure here it appears. No big news flash here folks.
Hot Creek still remains a great resource and a fun area to fish. There were some excellent periods during late summer and early fall when the trout hit caddis emergers with reckless abandon. The right guy with the right fly will turn many heads even though the numbers have slipped a bit on this beautiful spring creek. The last few days of the season are traditionally good here on Hot Creek with small mayflies taking the most fish. The levels are low and the water crystal clear with the fish very wise this time of year so if you are a rookie you may want to look at other areas before casting your fly here. Longer 6X and 7X leaders, #20-24 emergers and nymphs, high stick and indicator free nymphing will get you into some veteran Hot Creek trout.
Another highlight this season was MCGEE CREEK. The spring run had incredible numbers of Kamloops and Eagle Lake rainbows holding in the more prominent gravel beds all the way into Convict Creek. Crowley’s high water levels during the summer paved the way for the fish to work well upstream right up into September and you could find solid numbers of fish all the way to the confluence of Convict Creek. We had a blast fishing both the lake and the creek from basically the same spot! Sticking a 20 inch rainbow in 3 feet near the inlet is a true test of your reels drag. They can’t go deep so the rascals run and run and run. You will see your backing for sure. I still chuckle when recalling a tuber that kicked over and asked if I carried a spare fly line. “Damn fish just took all my fly line and I never even saw it!” He had just been ripped to the bone and did not anticipate a lake fish to pull all his fly line off the arbor so quickly.
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 at www.sierradrifters.com
Looking forward to fishing with you soon…
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
760-935-4250
[email protected]
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