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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
July 22, 2005
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Crowley is Back! July 2005 Fish Report
July 20, 2005
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for this July fish report update.
The extremely warm weather pattern that has settled on the Eastern Sierra over the last two weeks has melted off the snow pack immensely and the conditions have improved rapidly the last several days. The freestone creeks are still running very high; however you will notice a huge improvement in water clarity in most areas. The summer and fall fly fishing in the Sierra is shaping up to be a memorable one after a medium to slow start.
The Cogdill Inland Fisheries Bill (AB 7) has passed another hurdle by making it through the Senate uncontested. It is looking good for the continuation of the hatcheries fiscal budget and wild trout funding by mandating one third of fishing license revenue to these sections of the DFG.
Click these links for DFG news and how to help out the Hot Creek Hatchery Foundation.
http://www.sierradrifters.com
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/
www.FriendsofCaliforniaHatcheries.org
Crowley Lake: Like the Phoenix-rising from the ashes!
Conditions have improved greatly here and you can bank on them to get only better in the near future. McGee Bay is a tad late this year in the flood of rainbows that migrate to the cooler more oxygenated water, but they have arrived in solid numbers over the last few days. This is perhaps my favorite time of year to “catch” big rainbows on this lake as they stack up near the inlet and feed with what appears to be an almost reckless abandon. Check out your drags and your backing as you will need both of them here.
Be the trout… Do you want to feed on an almost microscopic aquatic snack like daphnia (fresh water fleas)? Or would you prefer to feast on a more substantial protein source. The rascals are moving into shallow water from the deeps in waves to feed.
The damsel fly and perch fry arrival into the bay have added all the components for a sensational day of fly fishing. Couple this with the ever increasing numbers of chironomids hatching in the late mornings and you have a snap that is ever changing. Have a diverse selection of bugs to keep those “Drifters Sunjicators” going down while stillwater nymphing.
#18-22 Drifters Gilled Chironomids (gillies). Are a must pattern. Punk Perch #14-16-have them for sure. Crystal Tiger and Zebras #16-18 are always deadly. Use these as a bottom fly on a tandem rig.
Sierra Drifters guides Mickey the “turtle” Baron and Fill “Bu” Therrien took a rare day off guiding today to go--- fly fishing! Check out the average sized bows these guys caught and released while goofing around recently. These fish are trophies elsewhere. Crowley is coming on strong folks, book a trip or get up here soon.
Check out their pictures at www.sierradrifters.com
Bridgeport Reservoir: A sure thing!
I do not recall a fishery that has remained so consistent in “catching” in quite a while. The conditions remain excellent and if you want to explore different water this is your huckleberry. I urge you to take the extra hour to drive up here from So-Cal. Streamer patterns like our Crystal Leech, Punk Perch, and Loebergs #10-12 will get grabs while trolling with a medium sinking tip line in Buckeye Bay along the weed lines. You will also find an incredible amount of chironomids here. Gillies and larva patterns like zebras and tigers will get takes during the off hatch periods #16-18.
You may experience some slow periods here from late morning until the breeze picks up around noonish. Stick with it, the fly fishing gets better as the day rolls on. The sundown bite is the best and if you have your own boat or means to travel into Buckeye Bay this is an excellent choice for the late snap.
Use sheep or goat fur patterns (inside joke). Baaaaah!
Seriously. The Drifters Crystal Leech #10-14 or Loebergs #10 are sticking some huge fish while trolling from a tube with a light to moderate sinking tip line. Our most consistent fishing comes while stillwater nymphing with a tandem rig setup using a #18 gillie and a #18 copper crystal tiger as the lower. Switch to twin gillies #18-20 around noon or when the wind picks up.
Bridgeport Marina owner Jeffery “GB” (inside joke) Wenger and the awesome team of friendly folks will be happy to point you in the right direction and set you up with the hot flies. They also offer an excellent custom shuttle service and reliable rental boats for tubers not wishing to kick out to Buckeye.
Check out the hog rainbow Sierra Drifters veteran Larry Matsui from Yorba Linda, CA caught and released a while back on the “Bridge” while stillwater nymphing with a dual “gillie” setup. Nice fish pal!
Bill Amans from Lakewood, CA has punished a lot of fish on Bridgeport Reservoir the last couple of weeks. Pictured is a good sized Eagle Lake strain of rainbow you will hook in Buckeye Bay while stillwater nymphing.
Check out their pictures at www.sierradrifters.com
We are pleased to announce the addition of the Bridgeport Lake Marina as a new location to purchase our time tested guide flies and merchandise. Stop by the marina and talk to the super friendly staff here headed by “fearless leader” Jeffery Wenger. You can get the accurate scoop on the lake and East Walker by speaking with the folks here. Click on http://www.bridgeportreservoir.com for their contact numbers.
If you need a place to stay there are some excellent choices and some real nice folk’s to help you out here. Click on one of these links for info. All of these businesses are involved in the fisheries enhancement program for the lake and the EW.
www.bigmeadowlodge.com
www.calparadise.com
The air temps on the lake are warmer than Crowley as it is situated at a lower elevation (6480’). Bring plenty of fluids and warm weather clothes. Jeeesh, I never thought I would say this after the winter we had! Check this place out; we are having a blast here.
Virginia Lakes: Hot!
Great reports from this area. Both still water fly fishers and tubers trolling sinking tips or full sinks with streamer patterns are doing well here. You can escape the heat of the valleys in the afternoons and stay into some solid action by moving up two-four thousand feet or so in elevation this time of year.
East Walker River: High
Flows are between 600-700cfs. Tough to koo-koo wading at these releases. Hit the big slow pools if you must fish here. Streamers on a moderate sink tip and nymphing with a semi-truck tire rim for weight will get you down.
Lower Owens River: Good
The catching has been good in the wild trout section with the release rates being unseasonably low-250cfs this week. This will change in the near future and the flows will be up well into fall I dare say. There is a noticeable lack of caddis here and this may be attributed to the high populations of NZMS. The midges and smaller mayflies are still present and these will be your go to patterns. The weather is very hot in the afternoons here and you can plan on several offensive assaults from the blood suckers so put the deet on thick if you are wet wading.
The drift boat sections are not fairing as well as they are for the most part downstream of numerous springs and the confluence of the Bishop Creek which is flowing high. Late fall will be the time to begin the “dip and strip” here.
Upper Owens River: Fair
There are still a few lake holdovers hanging around in the Long Years section which has better conditions and much less water than the area below the Benton Crossing Bridge and the confluence of Hot Creek. Nymphing dry/dropper style here with Crystal Olive Zebra’s #18-20 below a stimulator as the indicator is a solid rig here. You will find no lack of weed as the flows are high in both areas making clean presentations difficult. The section downstream of the bridge is well planted with DFG and Alpers fish and reports are good from the streamer fishers here. Loebergs and Spruce-a-bus will get em’.
Hot Creek: Fair-good
The creek is running high as the flows from Mammoth Creek are adding a lot of water these days. Clarity is not bad however and I had a local “high line” angler and turbo tube troller (Two Bug Doug) show me a self portrait of a 23 inch rainbow he took while nymphing. The thing was a beast and he took several other large fish that day during the high flows. The fish counts are down here for everybody, but you can expect better quality for sure this season.
Make certain you have some sort of attractor pattern as the upper fly on a tandem rig. San Juan Worms, flashback hares ears or PT’s, stick to crystal zebras as the lower #18-22. There are some stone flies around so if you have the opportunity to use a dry/dropper rig keep this in mind.
The Alpine Lakes-June Lake Loop and Mammoth Lakes Basin, Lundy, Convict, South Lake and Bishop Creek:
Good
These areas are sanctuary from the high water and heat of summer. Have a full or heavy sinking line to get those Drifters Crystal Leeches, Loebergs and Spruce-a-bu’s down to 10-15 feet. The planting has been heavy this year with both DFG and Alpers rainbows so you should have no problem getting into some nice hatchery fish while tubing near the inlets. Bishop Creek is high but clear and well planted. Intake 2 is kicking out mixed stockers of Alpers and DFG’s. I hear North Lake is good for tubers trolling buggers and leeches with some flash down around 10 feet. The weather has been better this week here.
Rock Creek: Very Good
Flows are way high for this area but the water is clear and you will find plenty of eager wild and DFG fish near the campgrounds. Check out the ponds below the lake after a short hike or hit Tuff campground east of Tom’s Place Resort for a good time with the stockers and an occasional wild brown or brookie. Drifters Crystal Tigers whack em’ in this area #16-18. Use the copper heads in the sun, switch to the dark bead heads in the shadows and lower light periods.
The lake continues to be very good for stockers around the inlet and cove south of the outlet. We do well with Crystal Leeches and Loebergs here #10-12 used with a full or heavy sinking tip line.
West Walker: Bring a white water raft or kayak. Leave the fly rod behind for a while.
San Joaquin: Very High
Be cautious when wading. This place is ripping. The campgrounds will be planted this season by the DFG we are told so this may spare some wild fish for sure. It will be a while before the flows subside and make wading possible in other than the flats.
The hot ticket down here is tubing Sotcher and Starkweather Lakes. The Alpers truck has dumped some fatties here as well as a double shot of DFG rainbows. Most streamer patterns will take these fish with a moderate full sinking or sinking tip line. Keep moving until you locate the “herd” These fish have a tendency to pod up and school together. Hatchery fish have “softer mouths” try to strip set when you get a grab by pulling your line until you load the rod. Keep your tip slightly under the water for better feel to the fly.
You can pick up our guide flies at the following stand out locations: The Bridgeport Lake Marina in Bridgeport, The Crowley Lake Fish Camp and the Crowley Lake General Store and Deli in Crowley, The Troutfitter/Trout Fly in Mammoth Lakes, Malibu Fish’N Tackle in Thousand Oaks, The San Diego Fly Shop and Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego. There are links to these locations at www.sierradrifters.com
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
760-935-4250
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