May 2009 Fish'n Conditions
Capt. Tom Loe
May 10, 2009
Eastern Sierras - Freshwater Fishing Report
Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. Best fishes to all for the May fish'N conditions here in the Eastern High Sierra.
Some late spring storms recently made the region feel more like March than May. Old man winter has been hanging around a bit longer than normal and we have experienced strong westerly winds and significant snowfall in the upper elevations that have made fishing on the larger bodies of water difficult if not impossible at times during the early part of the 2009 general trout season. Conditions are forecast to become much more seasonal as the month rolls on.
Fishing has been very good on the better weather days overall with the cooler weather keeping the early lower elevation run-off to a minimum. Even the tailwaters like the Owens and East Walker Rivers are well below normal release rates for this time of year. The Alpine lakes above 8500 feet remain iced over currently but should be ice free and accessible around Memorial Day weekend.
I am very pleased to announce the addition of Peter Piconi's So-Cal Fly Fishing shop to the list of quality outfitters that will carry our flies and products. The San Diego based shop sells only top of the line fly fishing products combined with a friendly, very knowledgeable top of the line staff to serve your every need on salt and fresh water. They have achieved an impressive reputation in short order for this area. So-Cal Fly Fishing will carry our full line of flies and products soon.
Peter's reputation in the San Diego area as a guide, shop owner, and all around great guy is second to no one. Peter and I joined up to do a seminar together a few years ago at the Fisherman's Spot in Van Nuys and I was impressed by Peter's professional and friendly personality. We share numerous mutual clients and philosophies about how to best serve and instruct fly fishing clients. I am honored to sell our flies in his modern beautiful shop.
Speaking of seminars…I will be coming down to So-Cal Fly Fishing to do a still water fly fishing presentation early this summer and am looking forward to meeting and seeing some of my old friends and new faces in the SD area. Check this report for a date in the near future. In the meantime you can check out the So-Cal Fly Fishing Store by linking to Peter's great website, or stopping by. Check out his video intro, it is special! http://www.socalflyfishing.net/
On a sad note I must report that for the time being my long time dear friend Bill "the mighty Osprey" Stroud (owner of Stroud's Tackle in San Diego) has decided not to re-open the shop after the passing of his wife Eileen. The Stroud's have served the fly fishers of San Diego for many years and are regarded as icons the region. Stroud's Tackle will truly be missed by all of us who visited the store.
Crowley Lake:
The weather has been spanking us during the early parts of the season. The conditions on the lake are currently very good and I fully expect some great fishing as soon as we get a more stable period of weather.
Historically the "Mothers Day Hatch" of chironomids has been one of the more memorable periods in the seasonal cycle of Crowley and the weather forecast is looking to align with this event. Look for an earlier than normal "turnover" this season as the ice has been off for a substantial amount of time and although we have had some stormy weather, it has been warmer than usual this spring. I am seeing the "algae buds" already and water temps are climbing daily.
You will find concentrations of trout in 11-14 feet in the North Arm, Hilton bays, Sandy Pt, and some excellent snaps at times near Sometimes Bay. There are also some fish in Whiskey Bay and Crooked Creek if you need to get out of the wind.
Still water nymphing has been best overall, with the streamer tuggers having a tougher time getting grabs. I suggest you use a full or heavy sinking tip line with a "blood sucking Vanderleech", or Agent Orange #12-14 trolled and fished slowly near the bottom if you enjoy streamer fishing.
Don't be surprised if you get into a jag of Sacramento Perch while suspending those new "Broke Back" midge patterns, they are in full spawning mode and are holding in the 8-14 foot range. With a little practice and some observation it is not difficult to differentiate the difference between a light perch sip, and the T-bone hit of a Kamloops rainbow. I always say, find reasons to set the hook- not excuses for missing one!
As the water temps warm and the chironomids begin to become more prevalent in the trout's diet you should look to have a good selection of pupa or emerger patterns. Select them as your upper fly. If the hatch is coming off; lift your rig off the bottom a foot or so higher than usual and attach twin emergers. Use larva patterns for the lower fly like tigers and zebras #18-16. Gillies, crystal pupas, and emerger's #18-20 are excellent choices for calmer, flat days. If the surface becomes "nervous" or a chop develops try the new Broke Back articulated midge patterns we are offering at the shops that carry our goods, or at our online store. They are truly deadly and work better when they are wiggling.
Check out the pics of some early Crowley trips by visiting our website at: www.sierradrifters.com/fish.htm
Adobe Pond:
We got takes on the first dozen consecutive casts our first trip. This trend continued through most of the day. Get the picture? The wild browns here are extra chunky this year due to the mild winter with superb water conditions.
We have the exclusive to guide this unique still water pond. If you enjoy sight casting to wild trout and having a beautiful piece of water by yourself, this is your spot. We limit guide trips here so book early. Click on http://www.sierradrifters.com/AdobeRanch.html for more information about Adobe Ranch.
East Walker:
I have nearly worn out my Korkers here this spring, but it has been well worth it! The EW continues to fish very well despite some intense pressure along the miracle mile. The release rates are half of normal this spring and it has been easy nymphing in the mornings, with a shot at fishing BWO's and caddis flies on top in the afternoon.
The streamer fishing has also been very good. We have positioned our clients at the top of the "Moe Holes" recently using the dip and strip technique with Spruce-A-Bu's and Loebergs to get into the "finest kind" of browns. The aggressive fish are hunting the perch fry and small chubs that hold in the larger eddies on the EW.
The hot nymph rig lately has been a flash back PT #16-18 or long shank (MLR-1) crystal tiger #18 as the upper, tie on a #18-20 crystal olive caddis larva (dubbed body) as the lower. Dynamite! You will need a couple BB's or an AB in the big pools to get them down at current flows.
The Broke Backs work well here as well, especially in the riffle water. They come to life as they dance downstream on a dead drift. You can see the results of some recent trips by looking at the pics on our web fish'N conditions page.
Speaking of riffle water…make sure you do not pass up the mid-day snap in quick short water with a dry dropper or tandem dry fly rig; in or at the base of the riffles. Good numbers with the sun straight up. Mayfly adults #16-20, caddis adult's #16-18. Some hoppers and stones also showing up in the pot. #14-12 Stimulators will give a good profile for these.
Hot Creek:
Yup. Lots of wind lately, but during the calmer periods you should have no problem getting into fish sipping emerging may flies #16-18 and midge adults #20-22 in the channels between the thick weed lines. Some hoppers showing up, as well as the traditional dark bodied caddis #18-20 getting all the attention later in the afternoon.
I like that dubbed olive crystal caddis here as well this time of year # 20, try a gray midge pupa or gillie #20-22 as well for nymphing.
Flows remain pretty low for this time of year but as the snow begins to melt look for HC to get higher and a little off color as Mammoth Creek dumps the snowmelt into the confluence. This will give you an opportunity to fish streamers in the deeper runs and pools. Streamers are high visibility and immune to high water negatives for the most part. #10 punk perch and Spruce-A-Bu's are good chub imitations. This is meat and potatoes to the larger trout in here and a lot of people pass the opportunity to chuck baitfish patterns during this time.
Bridgeport Reservoir:
We have not fished it this year yet but Jeffery says it has been very good on the calmer days and is better than he has seen in several seasons. Some nice browns showing up as well. The Bridge is low thus far, and Jeffery suggests you fish towards Rainbow Pt., or along the eastern shoreline near the launch ramp and dam. The weeds are just beginning to become an issue and you need to identify where the lines and channels are before trolling a streamer pattern. Keep you flies down in the ten foot range. Leeches, and perch fry imitations are best #10-12.
Still water nymphing is also a good bet on the calmer days and you will see a few early callibaetis may flies as well as chironomids emerging. Keep the patterns in the #14-18 range.
West Walker River:
This freestone creek is prone to getting blown out earlier than other areas and you may want to look elsewhere if the weather gets hot in the near future. Good reports in the Pikel Meadow and Chris Flat areas with the planted fish. Use a Stimulator #14 and a #16 tiger or zebra as the dropper a few feet under it. Slam dunk. The water is on the high side, but not a total blowout in the canyons. This will change in the near future.
Upper Owens and Crowley Tributaries:
The Upper O has been good for numbers but they are really on the small side on average with a small percentage being quality models. It is still fun on the calmer days and you can get some fine surface caddis activity that makes you disregard the size of the fish.
The ranchers are flooding the fields to irrigate the meadows, and there is a drop in flows in the Long Years section, you will see some tannin stained, or off colored water with a good amount of debris in the sections below HC.
I have been very surprised by the increase in migrating fish moving up the tribs. There has definitely been an improvement in the numbers of fish in the Crowley tribs after the opener for sure. Worth a look if you are in the area. Flows are still moderate for this time of year and nymphing the gravel beds is a good choice for the schoolies, look at the deep "pits" for the hogs. Egg patterns, San Juan worms, tiger midges, and flash back PT's will get you into fish. Numbers have also gone up in the section above HC on the UO.
Lower Owens River:
The flows went up, and the quality of fishing went down for a time. The LADWP and Edison are changing release rates at the PV outlet and Bishop Creek hydro plants and this is causing substantial fluctuations in the LO. The DFG has limited planting in the lower sections of the river. There were a bunch of disappointed people fishing at the bridges along the LO for the opening weekends waiting for the "fish trucks" to come by. I am looking into the why of it for sure and will let you know.
The wild trout section is still a good choice as long as the flows hold in the 200-250 cfs range. The closer you are to the dam, the quicker the conditions stabilize and the fish adjust to the new levels.
Caddis and PMD (pale morning dun) hatches each day dependant on the weather conditions. Nymphing with flash back PT's, hares ear, and WD-40's will get results. Once again, I like my crystal olive caddis, or zebra with a copper or black nickel bead head #16-20 as the lower fly on a tandem nymph rig. You will need a couple of BB, or AB shots to get you into the "glory holes". Look for the fish in the limited riffle water, or at the tailouts of the larger pools.
We have had some slow days drifting during the flow increases with the numbers being way off the averages. Conditions look to be stabilizing and we may have a great May shaping up on the LO drift trips.
The "TroutZillas" don't seem to mind the high water as much, and despite the slower fishing we are still getting some really nice rainbows and browns most days while drifting. Check out the "bigs" that got fooled on some recent drift boat trips using the dip and strip method of fishing streamers. Spruce-A-Bu's and Loebergs have got us into fish using a heavy sinking tip line.
I just got word from a trusted source that the arsonist who set the fires along the LO this spring was apprehended. Way to go guys, high fives to you and your staff!
Pleasant Valley Reservoir:
There was a lot of debris near the inlet after the flows first went up but conditions have improved a bunch lately. Tubers have got into some really nice holdover fish around the launch ramp, and near the dam. Concentrate your efforts while there are shadows on the water, and fish the drop-offs. Keep your streamers and still water nymphing rigs 10-15 feet deep. PV gets warm quick this time of year and the fish tend to go deeper if there is not a lot of flow coming from the inlet at the powerhouse.
Veteran SD client Eric Carlsen got into a hog rainbow using the Kelly Bundy Spruce-A-Bu near the launch ramp. I hear the fish was 23 inches and tore him up!
Alpine Lakes:
The ice free lakes are fishing well. Keep your streamer rigs down below ten feet and you will get into rainbows and cutts. June and Convict have been very good, stay near the drop-offs. The wind has been a factor at times (imagine that) and you need to keep updated for weather this time of year as conditions can change rapidly in the upper elevations. If you see "lenticular"shaped clouds high above the Sierra's crest, or thick cotton ball shaped clouds hanging around the tops of the peaks at sun-up, you can bank on wind baby!
Freestone Creeks:
Rock creek is great, no lack of planted fish in the lower sections here. Convict and Bishop Creeks are also well stocked. I prefer Robinson Creek below the Twin Lakes in Bridgeport, or Green Creek near the Virginia Lakes. They have a healthy population of wild trout in addition to DFG supplements. Dry/ dropper bead head nymph rigs will get you into fish.
The 2009 Sierra Drifters Flies are available at the following great fly shops and stores: Bridgeport Reservoir Marina, Crowley Lake Fish Camp, Crowley Lake General Store & Deli in Crowley, Kittredge Sports in Mammoth Lakes, Malibu Fish'n Tackle in Thousand Oaks, The Fishermen's Spot in Van Nuys, Bob Marriott's in Fullerton, Buz's Fly Shop Too in Bakersfield, & Crosby Lodge at Pyramid Lake, Nevada. There are links to these locations at www.sierradrifters.com/resources.htm.
You can also now order online by clicking on www.sierradrifters.com/Fly%20Sales.htm
Be the fly friends…
Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Service
760-935-4250
[email protected]
and Michele Loe, Sales Associate Prestige Properties of Mammoth [email protected]
Eastern Sierra Real Estate…. http://www.mammothlakes.com/mlRE/Agent_Michele.html
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