Fish'n Conditions Opener Update 2010
Capt. Tom Loe
April 28, 2010
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for the 2010 Sierra trout season.
It is blowing a steady 35 knots- with one gust recorded at 97 as I write this report at Drifters HQ on McGee Creek. Some large tree tops have snapped off, the portable restroom facility on our trophy pond was blown 50 feet into a rock wall like a paper bag (it had 25 gallons of water in the tank!) The boat covers on our fleet of "fish magnets" are precariously holding for the time being and are billowing like a storm jib in a gale force wind. The drift boats have been blown off their stands like empty beer cans and have spun broadside to the wind. Crowley Lake looks like the "potato patch" (a notoriously bad weather spot near Santa Rosa Island.) There is a big snow flake on my weather forecasting computer. The weather Guru's are saying it's gonna get better soon. I REALLY hope they are correct-I am way over with winter friends!
Lower Owens River and my politically incorrect opinion on the Pac of rats Rivers Council and The Insane-a-tution for Bio Diversity quest to stop sport fishing
I spoke directly to a Hot Creek Hatchery manager and he has informed me that the planting of the Lower Owens is once again being allowed at this time. The DFG finally planted the LO Friday afternoon before the opener in the Bishop area. Some other regions of the Sierra will have to go through this debacle in the future. There had been a significant lapse of planting this spring here due to the well publicized issue with the endangered willow fly catcher and these two environmental groups that are hell bent on stopping the planting of trout all over the state, for whatever reasons they can conjure up. Hopefully common sense and sound science will prevail in this region and others, as the DFG clears these waters for stocking. I hope these people will join hands, sing Kum-ba-ya, eat their bird seed flavored granola bars and go away! Jeeesh- I have nothing against the willow fly catcher and hope it once again prospers, but Jeepers Crow let's be realistic! Hatchery or wild trout do not affect terrestrial or shore birds in a significantly competitive manner- and as a matter of fact I believe it to be quite the contrary. The giant blue herons, green herons, egrets, kingfishers, ospreys, eagles, cormorants, mergansers, white pelicans, California gulls, and other fish eating predators including some mammals mind you- that have relied on hatchery fish or wild trout for a long period of time in this and other subsidized fisheries would take exception to those attempting to take away their primary food source. Some of these avian species are protected or have been endangered also. Do they not classify as an important part of the ecosystems? Is it possible these people overlooked this fact, or do they just not like fishing in general? I apologize for the opinionated editorial, but not all that humanity does in its interaction with nature is wrong, or detrimental. And in this instance, I believe the enhancement and introduction of trout into a region that do not otherwise interfere with native fish species is a damn good thing! Surely the embattled DFG could use the money and energy supported by our license sales and tax dollars to enhance and protect our precious resources instead of wasting energy and money on what is truly a quest by persons who do not like fisherman, or fishing. I can assure you I will be looking at legislators, supervisors, and judges who do some fishing and hunting come election time friends!
Anyway; fishing has picked up down here as the flows are backing off to a more seasonal release rate. Still on the high side for wading some of the more hard to reach holes in the wild trout section, but drift boat trips have been doing pretty good. We have a real time flow link to the LADWP listed at the top of the fish'N conditions page of our website. The outflow from Pleasant Valley Reservoir is what you need to look at, but I suggest you click on that number and it will take you to another real time graph, which has been accurate. The current outflow number is NOT correct-it shows 541cfs. The release at PV is around 390cfs and has been 400 and change for well over two weeks. It continues to trend downward and should continue this way into June I am told.
Good caddis activity on the warm days. Some yellow stones, lot's of midges, and the first PMD's (pale morning duns) emerging. If the flows get below 275cfs in the near future, I would drop what you are doing, grab a 4-5wt and get up here asap!
East Walker:
Finest kind. The flows are down below 120cfs and despite heavy pressure in the miracle mile it remains pretty good here most of the time. Fish midge patterns in the mornings and pay attention to the soft back eddies next to the current rips. You will have some excellent opportunities to fish tiny midge adults and pick up the wily rascals that seldom bite nymphs due to pressure. The sweet spot has been the baetis hatch (BWO's) during the middle of the day. The current generations are smaller than in early spring so use a quill or para post wing in the #18-20 range for an accurate profile of the naturals. Keep them riding high with a coat of "dry shake" every ten casts, or if you get a grab or fish for sure. Nymphing has been good using a San Juan Worm as an attractor #12-16. A smaller midge or may fly nymph as the dropper is a good choice #16-22. Take that "Under-Cator" off and fish the tandem rigs without an indicator. You will get more grabs once you master this method. You will also observe a decent early black stone fly emergence. Camp out on a big dark pool and tie on a #6-8 black SF nymph pattern solo. Keep it right on the bottom as the nymphs are benthic, very much the bottom dweller. The insanely aggressive splashes you will see or hear this time of year are probably from one of the adult stones meeting its maker!
Hot Creek:
It has been a great spring here. The BWO emergence continues to be the main attraction. However, we are actually doing very well in the mornings fishing midge adults #22 with a high vis para bwo #16-18 as the beacon, or spot fly. The fish are spread out nicely due to better than normal flows for this time of year and even though it can be very crowded there is enough water to go around during the afternoon hatch. The road is open to all the parking locations.
Crowley Lake:
Great weather the first few days of the season however the fishing was very slow for fly fishers. Still water nymphing will improve greatly in two weeks or so. The Mother's Day hatch of chironomids is well documented in many of my log books over the years so keep this in mind for your first visit to Crowley. The north arm river channel and Sandy/Alligator Pts. are good locations to hit if you want to fish streamers below 15 feet right now. Big Hilton can also hold fish along the west shoreline this time of year as well. Try slow trolling a blood sucking Vanderleech, or Agent Orange #10-12 with a full sink around these locations.
Bridgeport Reservoir:
Pretty much the same story here for fly fishers, look for the fish to be holding deeper due to the colder surface water temps. Streamers would be my first choice used with a full/fast sink. Check out the area in front of the marina, and just north of the public launch ramp. Bridgeport has a large population of Sacramento Perch. A Hornberg pattern or matuka is a good profile for this baitfish. The guinea Loeberg and olive Punk Perch patterns have been designed with the Bridge and Crowley as specific areas to target. This area is cleared for planting and should be very good this season especially in late June/July. Although Jeffery at the marina is extremely "sheep" friendly-I would not approach him with a sales pitch to sell bird feeders or enviro safe granola bars at his establishment!
Crowley Tributaries,
The numbers are good near the monument section of the Upper Owens, and there are more big fish moving upstream since my last report. Try nymphing with zebra or copper tigers and FB PT's #16-20. If you don't mind the smaller water, Big Springs is a fun place this time of year. McGee has some big fish, but it is looking like a late migration here as well. SD's Two Bug Doug said it was not worth another walk down here quite yet. Hopefully the run-off will not begin before this migration occurs. Hilton and Convict are also the same-a few big fish but low on volume. If you are not opposed to fishing egg and worm patterns in these locations, make sure you have some. Streamers will also entice the love struck critters in the right holes. You will need a sinking tip on the UO, the other locations can be fished with your floating line.
The Gorge:
Good. If you do not mind the rock hopping and are a decent caster with good 30 foot accuracy, this is your huckleberry for smaller wild browns and a place to get away from the opening crowds. Dries can be fished all day beginning with midges and ending with caddis. The Mays will emerge around lunchtime. Hang a dropper bead head off a larger dry 2-3 feet in the deep holes and you can do well if the sun is straight overhead.
PV Reservoir:
This location has been well stocked and can be a real sleeper after the opener if you like to tube. I would suggest you look here if you want more numbers and warmer weather for the next couple of weeks. The upper lakes are frozen or really cold for fly fishers. Still water nymphing along the drop-offs on the west side shore with the same rig you use on Crowley will produce here. Hang those broken back gillies, zebras, or tigers below an Under-Cator in 10-13 feet and will get grabs. Streamer fishing here will also spank the stockers as well as the wild browns near the inlet. A moderate to heavy sink tip works best to get them down 10 feet or so.
Freestone Creeks:
I know most of the popular ones have been cleared for planting and the conditions are very good except for a low snow level at this time. We have not been guiding in these locations, nor have reliable info on these. Will post it when I get the scoop.
Alpine Lakes:
Some will be locked in ice until late May early June, and the ones that are ice free still have very low water temps. We will keep you posted as we get info. Convict, Lundy, Lower Twin Bridgeport, June and Grant I know are ice free. These lakes were planted last fall and have holdovers.
Be the fly…Tom Loe, Sierra Drifters Guide Service
www.sierradrifters.com
760-935-4250
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