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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
November 30, 2003
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Turkey Day 2003 Fish Report
November 29, 2003
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Happy belated turkey day with best fishes to you all.
A minor respite from winter like weather has been the key to some very good fishing on the Lower Owens River during the last 2 weeks. Although morning air temperatures have been below freezing most days, the afternoons have been pleasant with light winds for the majority of the time. A series of weak cold fronts will pass the Eastern Sierra the next several days, with an insignificant amount of precipitation in the forecast.
We are happy to announce the addition of another fine guide to the Sierra Drifters family. Brad McClain has been fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra and creating fly patterns for this region for over 20 years. He is a long time tennis instructor and tennis coach for Ventura High School in California. His exceptional people skills and coaching ability will most certainly make him a standout guide in the future. Brad is currently drifting the river and available for guided trips in his customized Willie drift boat and is also highly skilled for walk and wade trips this winter on the Lower Owens River. He will also be guiding with us this summer on Crowley Lake and other Eastern Sierra waters. We consider ourselves fortunate to have Brad on board and willing to share his extensive knowledge of fly-fishing and this region with our clientele. You may book trips with Brad by contacting us directly.
Lower Owens River: Very Good
Flows have been lowered to 150 cfs. The L.A.D.W.P. real time website has been incorrect recently. Walk and wading the wild trout section has been fair to very good especially during the baetis mayfly hatch, (bwo’s #20) coming off around 12:30-1:30 with some cloud cover providing the best scenario. Water temps have lowered to around the 40-degree mark in the mornings the last several days and the fish have been significantly less exuberant in feeding on the surface. You will still find consistent action using midge larva and small PT’s and hares ear flashback nymph patterns #20-22, while fishing under a small strike indicator with a 2 fly rig. 6X tippet will help you get more grabs for sure.
Drifting the river and employing the “dip and strip” method has been great most days, with big fish becoming more frequent each float. We suggest you use streamer patterns #6-10 in olive, white or black, for best results. Red heads or throats incorporated into the design work better. Have a moderate to heavy sinking tip line; we suggest a 150 gr. 24 footer to get you on the fish.
Streamers work very well this time of year on the Lower Owens even though the hatches may be on the decline. Trout will hit the larger patterns out of aggression and habit as opposed to feeding behavior and you will witness a definite increase in the average size of the fish you catch and release while using streamers. Avoid the riffles and short water sections while you are a dippin’ and a strippin’. The fatties will be in the larger pools and associated tail out areas. Brush and tule lined undercut banks are also a likely zone for larger trout and you should target these pieces of water when fishing streamers.
Larry and Lisa Daniels from San Bernardino, CA dipped and stripped their way into lots of trout recently with Larry catch and releasing a chunky rainbow that fell to our spruce-a-bu during the current nice weather we have been experiencing. Nice fish L.D.!
The first words out of Joe Rogers, from Oceanside, CA and brother Scott Rogers from Aurora, Colorado mouths prior to a recent drift as they attempted to open the doors of their car due to a howling, cold west wind was “what do ya think?” A handful of 20-inch plus rainbows and 25 more 12-15 inch fish later made it all very clear. Far out and solid, the fish are on the bite baby! Check out the trio of “two handers” we photographed then released after tugging our spruce-a-bu’s on a guided drift trip with us. You got game boys, fun day!
Check out these wonderful photos and others on our website at: http://www.sierradrifters.com
Pleasant Valley Reservoir: Fair-good
If you hit the inlet section to the reservoir when “they” are not generating, you will find very good conditions and some good-sized Alpers trout and D.F.G. brood stock holding over in the softer water below the riffles. As in the past a dry dropper combo using a Stimulator #14 and a #16-18 crystal tiger midge or gilled chironomid pattern #18-22 will get you into some fish. Streamer patterns like our spruce-a-bu will also whack the larger rainbows when fished in conjunction with a light to moderate sinking tip line in this region of the reservoir. Be cautious when wading along the bank especially during the morning hours while the mud is frozen. Wayne Gretzke has no chance of traction during this condition, and you will most certainly end up on your caboose if you are not cautious!
Freeze tubers willing to layer up and tug streamers in the inlet, launch ramp and dam regions of the reservoir will do good pulling patterns in olive, black and orange. Have a little crystal flash, red and marabou for best results in #6-12. Our punk perch and crystal leeches work well here when used with a full or heavy sinking tip line that gets you down at least 10 feet. A trail fly or “chain” of streamers will also get grabs, but can be difficult to cast or release fish, especially when your hands are frostbitten!
The Gorge: Fair
With the cooling temperatures the wild browns have become less active in this region in regards to surface activity during the colder mornings. The sun will not get above the canyon rim much before 11:00 a.m. so look for any hatches to occur well after noon. Nymphing with #18-20 bead head patterns like crystal zebras, tigers and caddis larva fished below a parachute Adams or Stimulator large enough to suspend the nymph will get you grabs in the deeper pools. The willows have lost most of their foliage and the “evil nettle” is not as potent this time of year on a positive note. No significant snow or ice to complicate matters here yet. You will find good fishing here on the warmer weather cycles, during the cold snaps it may not be worth the effort to hike into this area.
You may purchase our fish tested guide flies at the following fine fly shops:
Malibu Fish’n Tackle in Thousand Oaks. Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego and The Troutfitter located conveniently in Mammoth Lakes. There are links to all shops at www.sierradrifters.com
SIERRA DRIFTERS HATS, SHIRTS AND GIFT CERTIFICATES for full or half-day trips are available and can be mailed before the holidays! Contact us by phone or email.
Upcoming Events:
We will be presenting a Slide Show Program For Downey Fly Fishers on January 13, 2004, 7-9 pm…Apollo Senior Center, 12458 Rives Avenue, Downey, CA. Please contact Zino Nakasuji at [email protected] for more information about the club and attending the slide show. Non-members are welcome.
The slide show will include information on fly-fishing opportunities from a boat in the Eastern Sierra including entomology and fishing techniques used specifically from boats.
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
Email [email protected]
www.sierradrifters.com
Phone 760-935-4250
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