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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
November 21, 2004
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Thanksgiving 2004 Fish Report
November 21, 2004
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for this Thanksgiving 2004 fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.
The general trout season closed on November 15th and many of the waters in the Eastern Sierra are now closed until April 30th 2005. Overall it was a solid season despite some low water conditions and an early onset of winter that hampered fly fishers in the fall on some waters. The DFG stocking program had some “band aids” applied recently to keep the hatcheries in operation for the next couple of seasons. We will keep you informed on this crucial issue with updates and direct links to the DFG. The good news is that the fisheries of the Lower Owens River and Pleasant Valley Reservoir remain open year round and it looks like business as usual down here this winter. Please go to http://www.dfg.ca.gov for complete information on the current DFG regulations.
The weather is always a major factor in the equation with respect to how the fishing is and will be. The prior two weeks have been very seasonable and this has attributed to some excellent “catching” especially on the Lower Owens River. The early string of winter storms that paraded through the west and deposited a substantial amount of early winter snow pack have ceased for the time being. The forecast through the holiday is calling for a slow warming trend after a breezy and cold start of the week. Look for temperatures to be in the low twenties along the river in the mornings, with the afternoons getting into the fifties. There are weather links to both Mammoth and Bishop at www.sierradrifters.com
Lower Owens River: Excellent
Stability equals good fishing. Water releases at Pleasant Valley Reservoir outlet are holding at 110 cfs and the weather has moderated greatly since October. The fly fishing has been nothing short of excellent in the wild trout section and along the drift boat areas of the river. The noon baetis mayfly (blue winged olive or BWO) emergence has peaked and is in its last significant hatch cycles, but was superb during its peak this season. The wild trout are keying on the #20 bwo’s and you can enjoy an hour or more of aggressive surface action especially on the overcast mid-days. Position yourself below a long or substantial riffle or in the tail out section of a large pool or bend. The hatch will begin about noon and last until 1-1:30pm. I suggest you stick to indicator nymphing with #20 or smaller midge larva or emerger imitations the remainder of the time. Midges are the dietary staple for the trout during the winter months and they will become the primary food source as the winter rolls on. Dry/dropper bead head combos are deadly with the flows this low and they are fun to cast and easy to rig. Our Drifters Crystal Tiger and Olive Zebra Midges are a sure bet with a decent presentation right now.
As we forecast earlier this year the drift boat action has become fantastic the last couple of weeks with some 70 and 80 plus fish days being logged. The big fish are starting to show on a regular basis including some nice sized browns being fooled on dries and streamers. Most days start out with good action pulling streamers and by lunchtime we are sight fishing to rising trout with bwo’s for an hour or so. The bite gets better on the streamers after the water warms up and the shadows get longer in the afternoon.
The dip and strip method using our Loebergs, Punk Perch, and Spruce-a-bu’s #8-12 have been doing a number on the rainbows who seem to be on a feeding rampage at times. Make sure you have a moderate to heavy sinking tip line handy if you plan on pulling a streamer in the lower sections of the Owens. Even at low flows the deep channels that this river is famous for are not easily fished without a substantially weighted line to get your fly down quickly and effectively. We use 24 foot sink tips weighted at 150 grains. Rio and Scientific Anglers make this line and they can be used in the lakes and many other fisheries throughout the Eastern Sierra.
Sierra Drifters veterans Evan Aldrich from Newhall, CA and Robert Newman of Santa Clarita, CA always seem to have big days on the river. Their last guided drift trip proved to be no exception as the sharpshooters caught and released over 80 rainbows and browns with Robert sticking a beast of a rainbow on one of the final bends. Check out Roberts’s fish and others by visiting our website at http://www.sierradrifters.com
First time Sierra Drifter David Korty from Los Angeles got into over 30 trout single handedly and achieved the tri-vecta by using the “dip and strip”, nymphing with a dry dropper combo and hooking up on the surface with a bwo. Using a streamer of his own creation we nicknamed the “Ork” he nailed a gorgeous brown. You gotta see the colorful paint job this fish is displaying!
The Winegar brothers Mike and Greg did their annual fall drift with us again this year and Greg got his largest rainbow ever! Mike followed up with another good sized bow later on in the morning. Almost 40 to the net by lunch time on streamers before we got blown off by a freak, X-Files type windstorm we attributed to their beloved recently deceased father and one of my dear friends and long time client Tom. Guess we had to much fun guys!
The father and son teams have been spanking the fish as the veteran Sierra Drifters duo of Rich and Richard Crook from Sierra Madre, CA can attest. The Crooks skillfully caught and released over 70 browns and bows on a mild November day on the Owens. Way to “be the fly” guys!
Please remember that this area is NZMS positive and rotten with the critters. Walk and wade in the streambed as little as possible, do your moving on dry ground. For more information on the snail go to http://www.flyline.com
We have slots open this winter including time available in December for guided drift boat excursions down the Lower Owens. We can also supply customized gift certificates that can be used at any time for friends or loved ones you want to give a guided fishing trip for this holiday season.
Pleasant Valley Reservoir: Good
The “rez” is fishing well with the inlet and river sections kicking out good numbers of wild browns and DFG rainbows. Tubers are doing well trolling perch fry imitations and crystal buggers #8-12. Use a full sinking or heavy sinking tip to get those flies down around the 10 foot depth quickly. Layer up under those waders as the water temps are falling and it can get quite cold in the shadows this time of year. I call it “freeze tubing” here for a good reason. The rewards can be great if you come prepared and this is the optimum time of year to tube this fishery.
The river section offers a variety of moving water challenges including my favorite area located in the transition water from the “rez” to the riffle water at the northwest end of the reservoir. A dry dropper combo with our Crystal Tiger Midge’s #16-18 can be nothing short of a massacre to the trout in this piece of water. The rainbows pod up here in significant numbers. Look for the deep pockets behind the big rocks that are mid-stream and fish the slip streams they provide. Long “dead” drifts in the slower water are my favorite and if you can mend 20-50 feet here it will really pay-off with big numbers. Practice your roll and steeple casts for this area, they are essential as you will encounter thick brush and trees that will put you in the “penalty box” for an errant back cast!
The riffle water upstream will get you away from the sometimes crowded inlet area. There is substantially more water here than you may first observe and you can wade upstream almost all the way to the powerhouse. The fish tend to be a tad smaller here but more eager to hit dry flies for sure. Parachute mayfly patterns #16-20 work well. Use a large dry for a point fly as it may be difficult to see the small target dry in the mixed light and quick water in this section. Fish the pockets behind ANY decent sized rock and you will get grabs. The flows are low this time of year and power generation has for the most part ceased. Keep a close eye on the water level and if you notice any rising levels retreat to the east or service road side of the river immediately or you are in for a long walk back to the parking lot.
The Gorge: Good
The surface action is starting to fall off in this area as the water cools and the hatch is coming off afternoon only. Have a selection of bead head or weighted nymphs #16-22 and a few stimulators to use as indicators. We have best results casting upstream after scouting out a juicy looking run. The fish are plentiful here but will damn near jump out of their skins if you make a noisy approach. The willows have lost most of their foliage but the “evil” nettle is still a formidable foe to deal with. No snow down here at all and the morning frost melts off quickly as of this report. This is a great place to drop into on a crowded weekend.
The weather has most people thinking snow as well they should and the skiing and boarding is fantastic for this time of year at Mammoth Mountain. The Mammoth Mountain Ski area www.mammothmountain.com currently has a 4-6’ base with the earliest opening in many years! Many take advantage of combining a ski trip with some excellent winter fishing!
You can pick up our guide flies at the following stand out locations:
The San Diego Fly Shop, The Troutfitter/Trout Fly in Mammoth Lakes, Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego, Malibu Fish’N Tackle in Thousand Oaks. There are links to these locations at www.sierradrifters.com
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
www.sierradrifters.com
[email protected]
760-935-4250
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