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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
August 14, 2006
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
HOG-UST Fish Report 2006
August 13, 2006
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for this “Hog-Ust” fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.
The entire area is fishing well overall and the fly fishing has been excellent as the flushing flows of early summer have abated. The weather has moderated and set into a pleasant seasonal pattern with cooler mornings in the upper valleys and warm afternoons. The Owens Valley continues to be on the warm side but a scenic drive up the Bishop Creek drainage towards South Lake and Sabrina will get you relief and into some heavily planted water with very good fishing being reported recently.
Crowley Lake: Epic!!!
We have justifiably named this report after the numerous hogs being caught recently on Crowley. As forecast the lake is having a stellar season and is fishing as well as I have seen it in a decade. The “epic” bite has slowed the last couple of days but will no doubt rekindle soon as conditions change a little. The fish are stacked like cord wood in McGee and Hilton Bays.
Get those Loebergs and Punk Perch patterns out with moderate sink tips, the beasts are on the prowl! We are also having solid chironomid hatches with the larger tigers and zebras working well with a punk perch pattern used as the upper fly in deeper water. The fish are layered from as deep as 14’ all the way into the creek mouths in both McGee and Hilton. I like a new style light punk perch #14 or 16 as the upper with a #18-20 gillie or crystal emerger as the dropper if you are inside of 10 feet.
The kick to McGee is still like the Baton death march and there are very few tubes or kick boats in McGee. I suggest you rent a flat bottom or pontoon boat at the Crowley Fish Camp and take your tubes with you. Check with www.crowleylakefishcamp.com
We have been casting streamers from our flats boats as well and having excellent results with the more proficient casters. The kick from Little Hilton is easy and although not as productive as McGee still a very good choice.
Check out the incredible pictures of Crowley’s finest by visiting our website; www.sierradrifters.com The last couple of weeks have been very special. I strongly urge you to put Crowley on your must do list if you are planning a trip to the East side this season!
Sierra Drifters “top gun” clients Rich from Canyon Country and son Richard Rathcke from Acton, CA, with Frank Carlsen from La Crescenta got into an epic bite of large short water browns recently. Incredible day guys!
Iron woman Chris “Linkcredible” from San Pedro is once again in the fish report with a monster rainbow. This gal has spooky big fish MOJO!
David Kendrick from Irvine, CA went outside the box and stuck with stripping punk perch patterns while his pal Jerry Neve was ripping one after another still water nymphing. He was rewarded with a rotund 25” rainbow that was perhaps the most stunningly colored fish I can remember on Crowley. High fives to you David. That was truly a special fish.
Bob McMaster from San Jose, CA is a master of Stillwater fly fishing. His jumbo rainbow is proof of this. Great fish see ya soon Bobby.
Future fly fishing hall of fame candidate Ryan Redmond…..spent a day with Drifters guide “Fill” Therrien and his dad, Greg Redmond from Clayton, CA and came up with his twenty incher. This shot will make you all smile and is what being a guide is all about folks!
Bridgeport Reservoir: Fair-good
The lake level is at last lowering and the weed beds are taking that “Everglades” look that the lake gets this time of year. Working the channels with streamer patterns that imitate perch fry, callibaetis nymphs, and damsel fly nymphs are your best bet. Stillwater nymphing is still a good option if you can locate a large hole in the weeds. Buckeye Bay towards Rainbow Pt. and the drop-off have some limited open water. Fall is going to be great here! Sheep Meister and resort owner Jefferrrreee Wenger will shuttle you out to the open spots and set you up with his select private stock of holistic fly patterns…Bring him some oats and he may give you a discount on our flies! www.bridgeportreservoir.com “My son, Evan, and I fished with Brad McLain at Bridgeport Reservoir and I thought you'd like a copy of the attached picture. Evan caught the fish, a 23", 5.5lb Rainbow. Nary a bite from 8am until noon but from noon until 3pm I experienced some of the best trout fishing of my life. Brad was great when things were slow and was even better when the fish started biting. As the commercial says the time was "Priceless". Thanks to you and to Brad for a most excellent experience.” Mike Wright from Bakersfield, CA. Click on www.sierradrifters.com to view the pic...
News from the Bridgeport Fisheries Enhancement Program:
From: [email protected] Quick update....we have stocked about 3,000 browns in the 3-4 inch range recently in the rez.
The East Walker will get about 5k in the next two weeks. We are selecting high water spots with plenty of cover and the little buggers are eating whatever moves as soon as they hit the water. There are still several thousand in the bin. The browns are aggressive and showing their red spots. Bright colored beauties.
Our Virginia Creek Project will be operational by the end of the weekend and we will have some rainbows for a trial phase in the bin very soon. This is a spring fed flow-through bin that has even better potential than Paradise Shores.
Best fishes and hey, keep slayin' em.
Skip
East Walker River: Very Good
Flows have dropped a bunch and are currently being released at 313 cfs. There is a link to the water flows at www.sierradrifters.com At this release the average fly fisher can get into fish consistently with moderately weighted nymph rigs. A bunch of small browns have been planted this season with no small effort by some quality folks in the area. You may get into these from time to time. The big fish are what makes the EW special and at this release rate they are now vulnerable to experienced fly fishers. PT’s, birds nests and small tigers or olive and black zebras will get you grabs. The grasshoppers are showing here so have some larger dry patterns and cast them to eddy’s along the banks. Streamers are also a good choice at this time during the lower light periods. Cast our Spruce-a-Bu with a light to moderate sinking tip of 10-15 feet in the big hole below the dam or some of the other larger pools in the meadow section and be ready for battle. Have a BIG catch and release net here folks.
West Walker River: Good
Things are shaping up nicely and even the canyon section is accessible for those wishing to get away from the crowds around the campgrounds and bridges. Dry/dry or dry dropper bead head nymph combos have always been my favorite here. Tigers and PT’s will get you takes. Elk hair caddis and stimulators are high floating and a very good choice for surface imitations here this time of year.
Hot Creek: Very Good
This is perhaps the best time of year to fish dries with the water levels being just about perfect. Keep your leaders longer than usual and your tippets 6X or less and you will get into fish. The hoppers are showing here as well, fish these terrestrial patterns along the banks and undercuts and you may get “Brownzilla” to come out for a snack!
Upper Owens: Good
You will find a larger average fish in the lower sections below the Benton Crossing Bridge downstream towards the lake and more than likely more numbers and better dry fly activity above the confluence of Hot Creek. Hoppers, mayflies and caddis in the afternoons. Pt’s and our olive dubbed crystal zebras work well here.
Rock Creek Lake, Mammoth Lakes Basin, June Lake Loop, Convict Lake, Lundy, Virginia Lake: Good
This is the peak of the season and all of these alpine lakes are fishing well. Heavy plantings of both DFG and Alpers trout will insure you success if you put in the time. Full sinking or heavy sinking tip lines used in conjunction with flashy streamer patterns like crystal buggers, Matukas or our Blood Sucking Vanderleeches, Spruce-a-bu’s and Loebergs will get you STRUCK DOWN! The key in all these areas is to locate transition zones like drop-offs, inlets of creeks or springs and underwater structure like tree stumps or submerged logs. Even hatchery fish will instinctively seek these locations after a while in a natural environment. Work wind lines or scum lines when trolling from a tube and you will have results locating fish in these high altitude stillwaters.
Lower Owens River: Fair-Poor
We are still a ways from any good news here but it is getting better, not worse. Flows are currently at 460 cfs and the valley is still quite uncomfortable after about 9 am. Best bet here is fishing the late, late afternoon caddis snap when the sun gets over the Sierra’s crest. There is a link to the water flows at www.sierradrifters.com
San Joaquin River: Very Good
Conditions are getting pretty juicy here especially for those who like to get into smaller wild trout on dries. The raging waters are calming and the riffles are in great shape for extended drifts. Attractor patterns likes Trudes, Coachman’s, Para Wolfe’s, and Stimulators #12-16 work well this time of year. May fly patterns like Adams and PMD’s are also solid choices #14-18. Bring along copious amounts of repellant!
Remember the special regs about driving down to this area...you can check with the Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau www.visitmammoth.com
Guide Tip: Lower McGee Creek
Make the effort to trek down to the high water line and the inlet to Crowley and you will not be disappointed at what you will find. Many of the larger rainbows are seeking the cooler more oxygenated water that is currently dumping into the lake at this location. In addition the small perch fry, callibaetis and damsel nymphs are migrating into the shallow flats seeking refuge in the dense grass that was once a meadow. If you are not familiar with this area we have guides that can help you out with the techniques to get you into these fish. This is a magical time here and well worth the effort. As “Two Bug Doug” reports: “Started out at Upper Owens with a short intro to indicator nymph fishing, and no more than five minutes later , both Tyler and Dustin have a double hook up......WOW. Dad, Roger and both sons caught 4-5 fish each on the Upper O. Second half of the day landed us on McGee Creek at the mouth of Crowley, we arrived around 3:pm to rising fish in just a few feet of water. After a couple of big fish on but unable to land, they started to realize the power of these hogs, I coached them as they had a battle to get these fish to the net. Big fish honors went to Tyler LeBrun from Camarillo, CA with a 22-23 inch bow.” Click on www.sierradrifters.com to view this shot...
If you are new to the sport of fly fishing or need a jump start as to some of the hot patterns that work in this area, stop by and visit our good friends at the following great fly shops and locations and ask for our “Killer kits” These kits are composed of our most popular and deadly streamer and midge patterns and have been arranged in a good quality ripple foam box for your convenience. They make great starter boxes and perfect gifts for the fly fisher.
You can pick up our Authentic & Improved Sierra Drifters Guide Flies, Sungicators & Killer Kits only at the following stand out locations (don’t be fooled by any of the imitations out there!): Crowley Lake Fish Camp & Crowley Lake General Store/Deli in Crowley, Kittredge Sports in Mammoth Lakes, Bridgeport Reservoir Marina in Bridgeport, Malibu Fish’n Tackle in Thousand Oaks, The San Diego Fly Shop and Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego, The Fishermen’s Spot in Van Nuys, Bob Marriott’s in Fullerton and Buz's Fly Shop Too in Bakersfield. There are links to these locations at www.sierradrifters.com We pride our Guide Service & Products on Innovation not Imitation!
FYI…CALIFORNIA'S SECRET WITNESS PROGRAM TO HELP STOP POACHING AND POLLUTING 1-888-DFG-CALTIP
(1-888-334-2258) http://www.dfg.ca.gov
California Dept. of Fish & Game Regs… http://www.fgc.ca.gov
Or you can also call the Mono County Sheriffs Dept.
760-932-7549 / 760-935-4066
Be the fly my friends,
Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
760-935-4250
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