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New Years 2011 Fish'N Conditions
Capt. Tom Loe
January 2, 2011
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best wishes and many fishes to all of you in 2011.
There is high probability that the first part of the 2010/11 winter shall be etched in the record books for the Eastern High Sierra depending on whose snow gauges you follow. One thing is certain-there is a bunch of snow in them thar hills. I've put a few scenic pictures on our website of some popular areas that have been blanketed with snow & ice. You will also see some really nice winter time trophy trout caught on recent drift boat trips with clients. You can view these pictures by visiting our website at http://www.sierradrifters.com/fish.htm
Winter on Crowley. The typical seasonal fishing pattern will be quite different next season. Here are a few pointers for planning your 2011 fishing calendar.
Look for the tail waters to have above mean releases much sooner in 2011. The East Walker River for example, will be flowing much higher as Bridgeport Reservoir is almost completely full (see the picture of the marina on our website) and will need to be lowered in the event it rains or gets warm to prevent flooding & damage to the dam. Fish here early; the flows will be very high this summer. The alpine lakes, campgrounds, & passes will be closed and iced over well into May and perhaps through much of June & July above 9000 feet. Many of the freestone creeks will be running very high and at flood levels making for some difficult conditions early on, and well into the summer next season. The fall will see good water levels and be the highlight of next year for the upper elevations & creeks for sure. Crowley, Convict, & Bridgeport will be your best areas early in the season as they are at lower elevations and will be accessible in the beginning parts of the season. With all the water these lakes will enjoy good conditions through much of the season and fish well into the fall period also. Both Crowley & Bridgeport will see some mighty fine fishing near the inlets this summer with exceptional callibaetis mayfly hatches associated with these wet seasons. The Lower Owens & Pleasant Valley will be very good up until the flows start to rise significantly, historically around March. With all the snow accumulating in the Southern Sierra the flows will drop in the Bishop region (wild trout section) surprisingly again in May or June, and perhaps into July this year if the current weather pattern continues. This will be due to the high run-off in the southern sections of the Owens. The water lords must cut back the flows in the upper sections to allow the above average amounts of water filling the aqueduct in the lower parts. There will be excellent opportunities to fish the Lower Owens when it is warm and experiencing strong caddis hatches. It has been a few years since we have seen this movie down here. Hot Creek & the Upper Owens will see very high water when the snow begins to thaw and will be good up until that point. The early summer will be tough but late summer and fall should be fantastic. Spring spawning migrations are difficult to predict and in concert with Bridgeport & Crowley's ice outs. If the lakes thaw early (March) and the levels remain high look for an exceptional spring spawn. If it remains cold and winter like through early April or if the lakes drop significantly, look for a non-event very much like last season
Lower Owens River:
The Owens Valley has been spared from a major dump of snow so far this winter and as there is NO snow along the river front or Pleasant Valley Campground area currently. The storms have pounded the mountains but Bishop has been very nice even when it is snowing in Mammoth Lakes. There have been good rainfall amounts in the valley and the dirt roads are definitely a mess, but access remains fair/ good in most areas and the conditions are very good for wading or drift boat fishing. Release rates below PV dam are between 100 & 200 cfs over the last couple of weeks.
The good news is how well the fishing has been this winter. It has been many moons since we have seen consistent 2-5 pound rainbows & browns caught every drift this time of year. I have been very pleased with the numbers and quality of fish this season and there has been very little pressure put on the river thus far. Most days the river is deserted, including the wild trout section.
Midge activity has been strong and cluster patterns late morning can get attention in the big pools. The winter midges are tiny little rascals (#24) and tend to congregate in the slower back eddies and soft water along the edges. Sporadic action for the BWO's after lunch, but on the right day you can get an hour or so of surface action. These are first generation & large for baetis; #14-16. The adults ride very high so make sure you keep those imitations dried off with commercial desiccants. Use midge larva/pupa imitations #18-22 & bead head may fly nymph's #16-18 for sub-surface patterns.
For the time being I suggest forsaking surface & nymphing action as your primary strategy and aim your sights at the beasts that hold in the numerous "black holes" employing the use of streamer or strymph patterns to get their attention. Use the dip & strip technique with a moderate sinking tip line to get your #6-12 wet fly patterns down to the fish.
Hot flies for me here: Spruce-A Bu #8 (light) I call it the "Kelley Bundy" because of its fish appeal. Crystal Leeches #8-12. Affectionately nicknamed the Blood Sucking Vanderleech after my insurance agent… Flashback PT's #14-18, birds nest or hares ear patterns #14-18, broken back midges #16-18, olive zebra midges & tiger midge patterns #16-22. I prefer bead heads on my nymphs. I am seeing more quality sized trout this winter than I have in several years.
The browns have been on the chew this winter. I think the Link's hold our record for fish report appearances.
East Walker River:
Look for the winter flows to go up above the historical average early this year. Bridgeport is near full pool and with the huge snowpack the water lords will need to begin making room for the run-off.
Fishing has been slow in most sections; the best area is immediately below the dam & limited to the deepest pools and runs. As the flows increase the fish will spread out and we should see some good conditions if they remain below 200cfs. We will be on this like white on rice as soon as they bump it up. The Bridgeport region was also spared from a major dump of snow and access is quite good along the EW. On the warmer days a solid BWO hatch can be observed, the midges are hatching on the rising barometers.
I would use a San Juan Worm as an attractor or upper fly with a PT or hares ear dropper. Another good tandem rig would be a PT as an upper and a broken back tiger or zebra as the dropper.
Hot Creek:
HC got hammered over the holiday period despite the big snows we received in December. I had a set of clients saying it was very crowded and hard to find open water right after the X-mas break. On the warmer days a good hatch of baetis is coming off. Snow shoes are a must to get into the canyon safely. It will become less popular after the holidays are over and if you locate the deeper runs and pools HC fishes pretty well this time of year.
Upper Owens:
We spanked the bigs before the heavy snow fell & fished it a bunch. It was awesome for quality rainbows that averaged 19 inches. We also saw many fish in the 20-22 inch range. The huge amount of snow and some super cold temps have put the brakes on the catching here the last couple of weeks. The big un's are still holding in the deeper pools. Two Bug fished it recently and had huge ice chunks floating in the frozen foam line. We have a video of how we access the UO with snow mobiles in the winter on our website. It is a hoot when the conditions get right. You need snow shoes to get anywhere near the river currently. Use caution while wading along the banks, the snow can collapse without warning and you will be swimming! Flashback PT's and broken back midges will get you grabs & are my go to bugs here along with streamers. Two Bug likes egg patterns & his "evil wicked worm" He hooked the "biggest freak'n brown" he has ever seen in the Sierra a while back. After a five bend chase brownzilla found a deep cut in the bank and came unbuttoned. Two Bug has been hunting this fish down every chance he gets and swears revenge & a re-match!
The Gorge:
There is snow and ice especially around middle gorge and the "horseshoe" section. The lower section is pretty much clear and fishing fair to good on the warmer days. BWO's & midges as nymphs and adults will work fine. You will get more takes using 5X tippet in my opinion. The brambles thin out this time of year and it can be very good for numbers of smaller wild browns.
Pleasant Valley Reservoir:
Much improved since the last report. The water levels have come up nicely and are at a good level to fish the transition water between the lake & the creek. Check out the picture on my website for a look at the area currently. Good numbers of fish stacked here sipping on midges & chironomids in the late morning, and then gulping down the BWO adult's after noon on the warmer days. Some 2-5 lb. DFG brood fish also in the mix. No report from any "freeze tubers" lately, but if you concentrate your efforts from the launch ramp towards the inlet this time of year you will get into some fish at the 10 foot depth. Use Punk Perch, Leeches, & Loebergs #8-12 with a full or heavy sinking tip line. Watch out for drifting icebergs! Dry dropper rigs rock this place in the soft water transition areas. Keep the drop leader at about three feet & hang your favorite tiger or zebra midge here. It is all about an accurate dead drift and keeping your fly line off the drift line ahead of your dry fly/indicator. Reach mends when possible or an aggressive upstream mend immediately after your cast will get you positive results. Don't roam from the foam!
Be the Fly…
Tommy Loe, Doug-R, Fill T., Two Bug Doug D. & Chris B.
www.sierradrifters.com
760-935-4250
760-937-2015 cell
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