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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
September 3, 2004
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Labor Day 2004 Fish Report
September 1, 2004
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for this Labor Day fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.
Not a heck of lot of change to give you since our last update in most areas with the exceptions being Crowley Lake, the Upper and Lower Owens Rivers. Fishing is fair to good in most of the popular fisheries. Look for decreasing water levels in the freestone creeks as the snow pack disappears.
The weather has been unseasonably cool for late August and this trend is forecast to continue throughout the holiday weekend with gusty winds making an appearance. The Owens Valley will continue to remain toasty in the afternoons, but not the scalding heat that is typical this time of year. Look for cool mornings with a good chance of some ice forming in the mornings especially in the upper valleys and elevations above 8500 feet. Fall is making an early appearance this season as the aspens and cottonwoods here in Long Valley are already taking on a slight yellow tint.
Crowley Lake: Good
Late August has traditionally been the one of the best periods for fly casters to get into the large predator browns and cutts that hunt the weed lines looking for larger sources of protein like the Sacramento Perch Fry (1/2 inch-1 inch in length) that are abundant this time of year. The right guy and the right fly came together several times this week. Check out the pics of these awesome fish by visiting our website at http://www.sierradrifters.com
Brian and Matt Smith from San Diego, CA are veteran Sierra Drifters and have seen numerous great days on Crowley Lake. The father and son team hit the jackpot with an “epic” brown trout day on the fly with 17 of the elusive critters coming to net. Check out the monster Matt “the night stalker” got to the net. (You should have seen the one that got away, this rascal had choppers like a weed whacker!)
Wally Sinner from Rancho Cucamonga, CA has been on the fish report before. He did not believe that Crowley had any browns. Alien vs. Predator…Predator wins! Check out the nuclear “Predator” brown Waldo bested on a Drifters crystal tiger for his first fish of the day. Later that same afternoon Wally whacked his next “brownie” victim on a Loeberg streamer pattern. If you want a big brown, get your caboose up here a.s.a.p.
Tubers are having excellent results trolling perch fry imitations along the weed lines and in the “sinks” especially in the North Arm around Green Banks. The Loeberg #10 is an excellent small baitfish imitation and will get you into the larger trout looking to gobble up the perch fry. We are also hanging chironomid patterns like our Drifters crystal #16-18 tigers with a Drifters punk perch #16-12 above for the morning snap, then switching to Drifters emergers, pupa, and gillies #18-20 in the late mornings and afternoons.
The DFG has not begun the planting of the lake with next years models as of yet. Look for this to change within the next 2 weeks.
The algae continues to be a factor this season in regards to stillwater nymphing. Clean your flies every cast if you want to hang some fish. The weed beds will hang in here for a couple of weeks more and this should set the stage for some excellent streamer fishing. After that….?
We are also including in this report a photo of the “Loeberg” fly pattern which will absolutely get you into large trout when used in conjunction with a moderate sink tip line. Gary Gillingham won the D-Haul float tube event last year when using this fly in the fall. My observations of the perch movement here show short 3-6 inch bursts with prolonged pauses. They will often times make a long 2 foot move that you can imitate with a medium fast long strip, while tugging your sink tip line. Tubers that can kick hard and “jerk” those imitations whilst trolling will go bendo far more than those who saunter around and burn fewer calories.
The annual Western Outdoor News sponsored mega float tube event known as the Double Haul in the Fall will be once again be held on Crowley Lake on Sept. 18th. Sierra Drifters Guide Tom Loe will be giving a free seminar and slide show on still water nymphing and streamer techniques for interested participants and the general public. The Crowley Lake Fish Camp will host a BBQ dinner ($15.00 for dinner and a beverage) after the seminar which will start at 5:30 Friday Sept.17th. Please contact the Fish Camp at 760-935-4301 for BBQ reservations and sign ups for the seminar.
Lower Owens River: Very Good-afternoons
The release rates have been reduced to 75 cfs below Pleasant Valley Reservoir. This flow is rare indeed this time of year and you can have some excellent catching due to the access the low flows allow at this time. This is due to some repairs being done on the aqueduct downstream. We have been informed that the flows will increase to 300 cfs by next weekend. If you are in the area this week I suggest you hit the wild trout section in the early mornings and late afternoons. Caddis imitations both above and below the waterline will get you grabs. Our olive crystal zebras #16-20 are excellent choices for nymphing, look for the “gulpy” surface takes when the shadows slip over the banks and switch to a caddis dry imitation at that time.
We will be begin drifting the secluded sections earlier than normal due to the lower flows this fall and are expecting an excellent “dip and strip” season this winter. You want a trophy trout on the fly, this is the trip my friends.
Upper Owens River: Good
The inlet section from the monument upstream to almost abeam of the small chalk bluffs are holding a lot of DFG stockers and some early fall spawning fish to 18 inches. The free floating weed is still an issue here, however it is decreasing in presence and you may be able to tug streamers here in short order. Dry/dropper combos using our olive crystal zebras and crystal tiger midge’s #16-22, our chironomid pupa #18-22 in gray and black as the nymphs are the hot ticket in this area. Large elk hair caddis and stimulators #12-16 are a solid choice for your dry. Loebergs #10 fished with a medium rate sink tip and the “dip and strip” method will pull some of the larger trout out from the cuts if you find weed free conditions. Good dry fly activity on the calm evenings using caddis imitations.
San Joaquin River: Good
Do not get discouraged if you do not get into fish within 20 minutes walking of the campgrounds here. The fish in this area have been hit pretty hard all summer and with the water flows becoming low and gin clear it will be tough to get into aggressive fish in the pounded sections. Plan on doing some hiking and you will find eager wild trout that take most dry fly imitations #16-20. I like a #18 elk hair caddis trailed 16 inches behind a #16 stimulator this time of year. Use 5x or lighter tippet for best results and make upstream presentations whenever possible.
West Walker River: Good
The water flows are getting pretty skinny here as well but conditions are still very good in the Pikel Meadow section of the river. DFG is planting the campgrounds and the “parking lot” section of this area. Dry dropper combos with our #16 crystal tigers and zebras under a stimulator or caddis will get you grabs here. Get away from the more trafficked areas and you can get into some larger hold over and wild trout in the 14-16 inch range. With the flows low this river is easy to wade, but I do suggest studded boots or at least felt soles if you wish to wet wade here.
Hot Creek: Fair-good
The fish are still here, they are just more educated this time of year and with the weeds protruding above the water, it makes conditions more challenging on this spring creek. Small mayfly spinner imitations in the morning look for afternoon caddis action always this time of year. There are also plenty of hoppers around and you can survey the channels BEFORE you make a cast and drop that big ole fly just upstream of the brown you spotted holding next to the thick weed line.
East Walker River/Bridgeport Reservoir: Poor
It is a tough go on the lake for fly casters this time of year due to thick weed and heavy algae. The flows are very fishable on the river but due to the high water temps and poor water quality the last couple of seasons we are not fishing here to prevent further stressing the trout in the tailwater section of the EW.
Rock Creek area: Good
I like to walk below the lakes outlet on Rock Creek about ˝ mile to the natural small ponds that hold some really fun to catch wild trout. Use a dry dropper combo with our crystal olive zebra #18-20 as the nymph. The wild browns nail this fly here and you may even get into some brookies as well in this section.
The lake is well stocked with DFG and Alpers fish and this is a great time of year to tube the inlet and along the south shore near the ledge or drop-off. Look for the color change in the water (it will go from light green to darker shades of blue and green) and this will tell you where the transition area is. When you get into fish, concentrate your efforts in that location. Do not leave fish to find fish! Streamers like our crystal leech, Loebergs and Spruce-a-bu’s whack the stockers here when used in conjunction with a full or heavy sinking tip line.
Mammoth Lakes/June Lake Loop/South Lake, Sabrina/Lundy Lake/Virginia Lakes/Convict Lake: Fair-good
2004 Alpers Trout and Mono County Dept. of Fish and Game fish stocking schedules http://www.visitmammoth.com
Depending on which lakes got planted the week of your trip will usually dictate the “catching” as always in these put and take dependant fisheries. Tubers can fool those big hold over Alpers with streamer patterns #6-12. Our light Spruce-a-bu pattern we have nick-named the “dumb blonde” or “Kelly Bundy” has proven to be deadly on Alpers fish and large DFG rainbows. These alpine lakes are best fished with a full or heavy sinking tip line and don’t worry about these rascals being leader shy. 3X tippet is the rule as they have not usually played the game before and it is a matter of locating the school instead of exact and skilled presentations.
Guide tip…
The still summer evenings can be the time these locations take on a different complexion. There are wild trout (not to be confused with “native trout”) in most of these fisheries and on the warm and calm summer evenings one can see many little snouts sipping the emerging midges and may flies that support the appetites of these less opportunistic trout. Long leaders and light tippets fished with a dry fly and small emerger patterns will get you into these beauties with a well placed cast. Do not “line” the rise form. Cast off to the sides of the ring, or if you observe a fish that is “pattern” feeding try to lead him by casting in front of his direction of movement. Our #22 pupa and crystal emerger patterns work well for the “magic” hour on these lakes. Parachute Adams #16 can be seen well enough to use as an indicator and will often times get grabs with aggressively feeding fish.
You can pick up our guide flies at the following stand out locations:
The Crowley Lake Fish Camp, The San Diego Fly Shop, The Troutfitter in Mammoth Lakes, Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego, Malibu Fish’N Tackle in Thousand Oaks and…
We are excited to announce the addition of the Crowley Lake Store and Deli to the list of fine shops that carry our flies and merchandise. We have exclusively used the services of this fine family run operation to furnish the outstanding deli style lunches we provide for our clients on full day trips. (The pizzas and pastries here should be made illegal they are so good!) Stop by the store and say hello to Dan and Cleo the next time you need local flies, get hungry and need gas or groceries while in the vicinity of Crowley Lake. They are located 1/4 south on the Crowley Lake/Hilton Creek exit off Hwy 395.
There are links to these locations at www.sierradrifters.com
The Crowley Lake Store can be reached at 760-935-4666.
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
Email [email protected]
www.sierradrifters.com
Phone 760-935-4250
If you visit these links be sure to tell them Sierra Drifters sent you…
Mammoth Lakes Real Estate: http://www.mammothrealestateonline.com
Mammoth Lakes Lodging: http://www.mammothlakes.com/ml2/Lodgingx.html
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