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Eastern Sierras
Capt. Tom Loe
December 16, 2002
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
December 16, 2002
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Happy holidays and best fishes to you all for this Christmas update. We hope Santa makes all your fishing gear wishes come true and if you have been especially good, perhaps a gift certificate for a guided trip with us in the near future.
A significant change in the weather pattern will be the focus through the full moon. A string of winter storms and associated meteorological chaos will alter the tremendous fly fishing that has been occurring here in the Eastern Sierra the last two weeks. You may expect severe winds from time to time along with a good chance of both snow and rain all the way down to the 4000-foot elevation by early this week. The next several systems are cold core in nature and it should get down right chilly with lows dipping into the teens in the Owens Valley.
Bring along tire chains and winter clothing if you are planning a visit this week. Skiers rejoice! The snow is here!!!
Lower Owens River: Excellent
Fishing has been great the last 2 weeks as the weather has been very good and flows have remained steady at 125 cfs. 30-60 fish per day has been the norm with solid numbers of the big guys showing up every week. The baetis mayfly hatch is flickering out and is no longer the key to success as it was only a short while ago. Water temperatures have dipped into the low 40’s and the browns are becoming more lethargic as the water temps fall and they come off the spawn.
Stick to midge larva patterns #16-22 for nymphing and have some streamers handy if things slow down. You can get trout to hit this time of year out of aggression as opposed to hunger, so tug those streamers during the lulls and you will be amazed at your success.
The drift boat sections have been fishing very well and we have been doing the number on the rainbows fishing our sculpin and mosquito fish imitations #8-10. The hot fly has been our “Kelly Bundy” or “Dumb Blonde” sculpin imitation, a pattern that incorporates a lot of blonde colored materials like marabou and silver badger saddle and crystal flash. “Kelly” had just the right wiggle for fly fisher Paul Stevens from Santee, CA as he bested a huge hen rainbow during a recent drift with us. His buddy Dave Ruddock from San Diego, CA assisted with the netting and the two “dip and strippers” combined for a near 50 fish day. All the trout are back swimming including the “Shaq Bow” with nothing much hurt but their pride!
Bakersfield was without a good portion of the dentist population recently as Doctors John Alexander, Drew Pounds and Mike Tshanz all spent a day drifting with us on the Lower Owens tugging streamers. John got big fish honors with an awesome hooked jaw rascal that had a huge over-bite! John removed the hook and revived the fish after a check-up. Hope you see this one on a yearly basis John!
You may check out photos of these fish and others by visiting us on the web at http://sierradrifters.com
Pleasant Valley Reservoir: Excellent
I recently fished this area on a Saturday morning and was surprised to find a near vacant parking area by the power plant. After a short ride by bike down to the inlet where the river flows into the reservoir proper I peered into the glassy section of the river below the riffle water. It did not take long to locate what I was seeking. The unmistakable rise forms of trout feeding on emerging insects in the foam lines. Several definable rings could be seen at any one time. A big smile and a shot of nervous anticipation I must admit; came over me as I worked my way down the steep and rocky bank towards a pod of actively feeding trout. Closer inspection revealed the trout to be feeding on midges. I tied on a #16 tiger midge under a #16 Stimulator and made a 20-foot cast quarter upstream putting a small upstream reach mend prior to the flies landing. It took all of 10 seconds before the Stimulator sunk out sharply indicating the grab of a trout on the Tiger midge. I immediately moved the rod tip sideways and at the same time hauled line keeping my set over the water so as not to foul the line in the heavy brush behind me in the event the hook did not set. Bang! The water exploded with the acrobatics of a 12-inch rainbow. It was the start of a great morning of fishing. Three hours later and at least 75 rainbows and browns to 20 inches caught and released, I was still by my lonesome, with the exception of several joggers passing by and one well-mannered fly caster that kept a substantial distance at the head of the riffles.
I would hope this sums up the report on this area. !!!!!!!!
The Gorge: Very Good
A good number of fall spawning fish have worked their way upstream out of Pleasant Valley Reservoir into the lower section of the gorge below the first concrete abutment. Short, accurate, upstream casts with a dry dropper combo #16-20 will get fish. Bring along a good number of flies and a fresh tippet spool, you can burn some gear up in the brush while fishing this area.
The upper sections are fishing very well also as pressure is light and the fish are not as spooky this time of year due to the low sun angle. The canyon keeps a shadow on the water giving the angler a better opportunity to get close enough for an accurate cast. Watch out for ice in the mornings during your hike in.
Guide tips: What fly to use?
Late season trout fishing can be down right frustrating at times, but on the other hand very rewarding. Aquatic insects such as caddis flies and larger mayflies, stonefly hatches and terrestrial insects, these are long gone during the winter months with the cold-water temperatures found in the fishable waters of the Eastern Sierra. You must look to the foundations of the aquatic insect world and the mainstay diet of trout all over the world for a clue as to selection of a pattern that will get grabs during the short solar periods of winter…the midge.
Midges hatch year round. Trout recognize them as a staple everywhere and in the Eastern Sierra waters they rule! You will find them in substantial numbers in all the tail waters like the East Walker River and the Lower Owens River, including the Gorge. You will see them emerge on Pleasant Valley Reservoir.
When in doubt about selecting a pattern where you can see no clues as to what the trout are feeding on, go to the mighty midge and you will get results. Start with a pattern and size that you will not need an electron-scanning microscope to tie on or identify. Many midge larva patterns that trout feed on are good sized, and they are plentiful in the tail water sections of The Owens River. If you are not getting results with the larger flies, go down one size at a time until you do get grabs. Midge patterns are not complex and you will see that the fish are triggered more by size, color or shade and where the fly is presented in the water column than by intricate designs. I suggest you have patterns that incorporate some flash into the design, as this will assist in the visibility of the smaller sizes to the trout and imitate the translucent effect of the insect molting or emerging, a very vulnerable time in the life cycle of the insect.
Streamers. Some imitate nothing and can be a configuration of “pet fur”, material scraps and assorted materials put together while under the influence of several “barley pops!.” Others resemble small baitfish or trout fry. Use them in the winter, or when you are having difficulty locating concentrations of “biters.” Trout will hit larger flies out of aggression or to defend their territory. Trout may not move far to inspect a tiny nymph, but put a chunk of protein like a small baitfish imitation out in the strike zone and all of a sudden Mr. Trout kicks into high gear and the genetic imprinting of “attack” takes precedent.
I have adopted the commercial albacore fisherman’s school of thought regarding what colors to use and when. A good rule of thumb is to select a dark colored pattern in low light or cloudy days and choose brighter marked flies for the sunny, brighter mid-day times. Contrast is the key in my opinion.
Of course, if a specific baitfish is present one should always imitate size and color as best as possible in this case.
We hope this brief on fly selection will help you get into some fine winter fly- fishing opportunities found here in the Eastern Sierra.
Happy holidays.
Be the fly…Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
[email protected]
www.sierradrifters.com
Phone 760-935-4250
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