A Fish Report for 7/24/14
Capt. Tom Loe
July 25, 2014
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Summer time fly fishing around Mammoth has been very good. Consistently good results are occurring for guided fly fishing trips in locations like the San Joaquin River, Crowley Lake, the Upper Owens River, Hot Creek, & The Middle Owens River near Bishop. Guides are available to put you on quality trout with a fly here in the Sierra.
Quick look fish report 7/24/14
The heat is back on. Temps hitting 90 on Crowley this afternoon. Upper Owens still the best Sierra moving water around. Crowley has fish all over, conditions improving in all areas. Middle Owens drifting remains so-so. Water is too warm for a consistent bite. Hot Creek flows HALF of what they should be for late July, weeds a major issue here. East Walker at 68cfs. conditions remain poor here. West Walker settling down some, will be fine in a day or so. Alpine lakes that have water fishing well. I spoke with the HC hatchery manager, and they are planting heavier early anticipating very low water conditions in many fisheries later this summer & fall.
Drifter's Trophy Pond 7/24/14
It has been nicknamed "Jurassic Pond" because it has monsters living in it, literally. We guide here for special occasions, fly fishing classes, & wounded warriors/healing waters. The largest wild rainbows in the Sierra thrive here, & it is totally private water with Drifters guides having exclusive access. Call or fill out a trip request for availability.
Crowley Lake 7/24/14
Bite remains sporadic in most areas. Water is very clean in the north arm towards Alligator Pt. Sandy Pt. is spotty, the algae is terrible at times. McGee is clicking outside the weed lines & has fished the best recently. Hilton has been moody; but when it goes the brown bite is amazing. I have been hitting Hilton in the morn, moving to Layton for the afternoon snap. The algae situation is improving, late morning southeast winds have been terrible recently. The fry are here, the fry are here! Sacramento perch fry now showing up along the weed lines. Get those punk perch patterns out. Hang a PP and a midge pattern below an Under-cator. Post up along the weed lines in any location-11-13 feet is about right now. The low flows on McGee Creek/Upper Owens channels will not help "channeling" the fish up much this year. You will not find fish "in tight" as in seasons past. These channels are choked with weed right up into the inlet. Weeds are currently out to about 12 feet.The lake level remained high enough to form significant weeds in any of the channel sections. Stay outside the weeds, 12-18 feet, keep those flies clean. Gillies #18/20, crystal emergers & pupa #18/20. (Broken back tiger & zebra midges, broken back gillies) good when you have some texture on the surface. Copper Tigers & zebra midges #14/18 also good choices for the lower or larva imitation. Smaller punk perch & damsel fly nymph patterns are the hot ticket during late morning damsel migrations. My broken back gillie is a dead knock off for large chironomid pupa, or damsel fly nymphs that are emerging. Best used with some texture on the surface, or give your Under-cator a smooth pull, or twitch every minute or so. Streamer fishing damsels can be effective during heavy algae along the weed lines.
Upper Owens River 7/24/14
Excellent. CDFW put 1500 lbs of catchable bows around the campground area. Slam dunk for a while here. River conditions are better above the confluence of Hot Creek. Tandem nymph rigs in the deeper pools are doing the trick. You can also dead drift broken back midges & egg patterns without an Under-cator. Flows consistent at 52 cfs. Short water tactics should be used to fool the wild fish here. Look for the deeper pools and runs during off hatch periods. Caddis (#18 or smaller dark bodies) and mayfly adults are good choices for the open riffle water. Hi-vis para bwo and caddis # 16-18 will get grabs. Use a Stimulator or larger hi-vis pattern with a bead head nymph as the dropper 2 feet beneath the dry for a deadly tanden rig. Nymphing with SJ worms, crystal egg patterns, flashback PT's, Assassin bird's nest, broken back midges, crystal olive caddis & zebra larva patterns near the bottom. I prefer to use a clear or yellow Under-cator on moving water as they are less conspicuous. The pink & orange work better on the still waters like Crowley and Bridgeport. Think about streamers in the stiff afternoon winds. You will have to hunt down pools large; or deep enough to cast a streamer-they are very limited under current conditions. Patterns like Loebergs, Punk Perch, Crystal Leeches, & Agent Orange will get takes when used with a light sinking tip line.
Middle Owens River (Bishop area) 7/24/14
Recent drift trips have been good/fair during cooler periods. I suggest half day floats to avoid the afternoon heat in the Owens Valley. Water is very warm and this is causing the fish to shut down by late mornings. Flows remain wonderful for wading & drifting, currently running between 215-230cfs. Wading (no waders needed this time of year) remains good at this release below the dam at PV Res. Use birds nest patterns like Assassins, flashback PT's, and hares ears for good profiles of a mayfly nymph. Crystal olive caddis larva & olive zebra midges are also good choices for a lower fly imitation of caddis larvae or midge larva. Have some hi-vis caddis adults & hi-vis para mayfly adults for the late morning hatch. The chub and sucker spawn was epic this spring and we are seeing "balls" of these small baitfish in the pillow waster and along the weeds. Streamer fishing is the best way to imitate these small forage fish by using heavy sinking tip lines and Loebergs, Punk Perch, & Crystal leeches, & Spruce-a-bu's.
Hot Creek 7/24/14
Flows are dropping & weeds are becoming an issue in some sections. The manager at the HC Hatchery told me flows out of the springs are only HALF of what they should be for late July. NOT GOOD. Decent caddis & mayfly activity occurring daily during warm spells & calmer days. The small dark caddis are like candy to these wild fish and you will enjoy the best snap during this hatch. #18/20 hi-vis elk hair imitations will suffice, try some crystal olive caddis larva patterns for nymphs. San Juan Worms and egg patterns are good choices for spring conditions on the crick. Dry dropper rigs using para midge or hi-vis para BWO or blue wing olive adult patterns #14-18 as an upper, while dropping a broken back zebra or tiger midge, assassin bird's nest, or crystal olive caddis/zebra larva pattern will get you into fish in the slots between the weeds. Lengthen your leaders to ten feet here, 5X is a good tippet size. The deeper pools can be fished with weighted attractors like SJ worms and egg patterns hung beneath an Under-cator. A hot rig is an olive or light Punk Perch as your upper fly with an assassin or PT as a dropper. You may also "swing cast" a Punk perch or crystal leech across the deeper slots and pools for a shot at one of the bigs that hunker along the weed lines or in the gut of the larger holes. Use the yellow, or clear for short water nymphing. Midge cluster, or para midge adults in the #20-24 range are hot flies for surface action. BWO adults fished high in the suds #16/18 also good calls afternoon when the baetis/PMD's start to emerge. Dead drift some crystal scuds with a tiny, or no indicator at all in the deeper slots.
*Tom Loe is under permit from the Inyo National Forest Service to guide Hot Creek.
San Joaquin River 7/24/14
Flows are at historical late summer/fall levels, the wading is very easy in all sections. Fly fishing has become more difficult due to very low flows. The fish are holding in the limited pools and deeper slots. Attractor dry patterns like Stimulators, hi-vis para bwo's & caddis are good choices that are easier to see in the plentiful pocket water that defines the SJR. Use a bead head flashback PT or assassin birds nest as a dropper in the deeper pools and runs.
*Tom Loe is under permit from the Inyo National Forest Service to guide the San Joaquin.
East Walker River 7/24/14
Flows at 69cfs. Water is filled with algae and weeds, tough to get a clean drift currently. Yuck. Water temps into the 70′s, this will make the fish lethargic. Better oxygen levels further you go downstream towards NV.
The issue on the EW is not just the weeds attached to the bottom, note the free floating weeds coming down from the die off on the lake. Tough conditions currently here for fly fishers.
Bridgeport Reservoir 7/24/14
The RV Park is in full operation & in tip top shape. Fishing remains good/fair for planted rainbows with a few nicer browns showing up for conventional anglers/trollers. Algae/weeds are an issue in some areas.
West Walker River 7/24/14
Snow run-off has decreased and conditions are good except when we get significant T-storms. This fishery is very prone to flash flooding & quickly changing water conditions. Hit the canyon and Pikel meadows sections. Dry/dropper bead head nymphs like crystal olive caddis, tiger midges, broken back tigers, assassin birds nest, & flashback PT's are all good calls fished below a Stimulator or hi vis caddis or BWO adult as your indicator.
Alpine Lakes 7/24/14
Mammoth Lakes basin got a good jag of planters, easy picking for tubers trolling streamers near the inlets and drop-offs. Great way to get out of the heat. Try dry/dropper bead head combos with flashback PT's as the nymph & hi-vis para BWO's as the dry on the calm sun down bite days. Some of the hike too lakes are fishing really well for early summer. Still water nymphing with scuds, assassin bird's nest, flashback PT's, & broken back midge patterns will work near inlets and along tulles or drop-offs. Kirman, Laurel, & Parker are fun locations to pack, or bring a tube in. Streamers like Spruce-A-Bu's, Agent Orange, Loebergs, & Crystal Leeches used with a heavy sinking tip, or full sinking line will get you into them. Fish deeper than normal 15-20 feet, and work the steep ledges or deeper sections near the inlets.
Best wishes to Drifters stand out guide "Two Bug" Doug Dolan who incurred a serious injury recently, and will be out of action for a while. Two Bug made it out of extensive surgery and is receiving PT for a while. He is finally out of the hospital and really improving! Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We gave him a pet fish to hold while he recovers!
Two Bug has helped out many people including Wounded Warriors, Handicapped Anglers, & special youth groups. He needs some financial help to get him through this tough period.
If you would like to make a check donation that goes DIRECTLY INTO DOUG'S ACCOUNT ONLY – make payable to: FBO Doug Dolan (FBO stands for "For Benefit Of") And mail it to: Eastern Sierra Community Bank PO Box 5069 Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
We will have a fully stocked fly box and Under-cators in Reagan's Sporting Goods in Bishop. The Drifters fly box will carry all the guide tested patterns you see on the fish report including patterns for Pyramid Lake, Eagle Lake, Lake Almanor, & other great trout fisheries in the west. This is a great shop with knowledgeable and super friendly people that is open 7 days a week. They open early, so you can get flies and tackle and still be on the water for the hatch! They are located on Main St. with easy access and parking. This store has everything you need for fishing, hunting, camping. They sell licenses too!
I have added a picture gallery to the website this year. You can click on it at the top of any page of this website. My apologies to any of our wonderful clients who have been with Sierra Drifters for the last seventeen seasons and do not have a picture posted. I just can't post the 30,000 pics we have taken! I will make an effort over time to post what I have. Click on the "gallery" button and do a search for your name, or scroll through the pages. You can double click on the picture to enlarge it once it is located.
Thanks for reading my report.
be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
www.sierradrifters.com
760-935-4250
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