|
Saturday, 04 August 2007 |
Following is a report on how well various Eastern Sierra waters are currently fishing.
Lake Sabrina
The fishing last week has been fair with most anglers getting fish, and some larger trout being caught. The weather was a mixed bag of sun in the morning with some afternoon thunderstorms and hail. Temperatures were in the high 70s with lows in the 40s.
The lake level is actually rising just a bit, and fishing at the inlets was still the best bet. Worms or wooly buggers worked well. Trollers were going down about 5-6 colors with lead-core line and having success with Thomas Buoyants or red-dot Frog Patterns.
Drifting worms or Powerbait over the rock piles was also a good way to pick up fish. Shore fishermen stuck to worms and Powerbait as well.
Chuck Mitchell of San Diego won bragging rights for the week with his 6.5-lb. lunker. The big rainbow hit a wooly bugger. Kevin Schmissrauter of Tustin also nailed a monster, catching a 6-lb. rainbow on a juicy nightcrawler. Pete Blaszcak of Ramona caught a 3-lb. beauty.
– Courtesy of Lake Sabrina Boat Landing
Walker to Bishop
Fishing remains very good in most areas of the Sierra with stream and river conditions excellent for the time being. Look for more challenging conditions to begin, especially on the freestone creeks, around or about the middle of the month. After Labor Day some creeks will be very low with fish primarily holding in the deeper pools only. Many of the riffles will have limited water and this will decrease vital habitat for the aquatic insects and the wild trout that forage on them.
Fisheries biologists have documented negative impacts on salmonid populations during high water temperatures combined with low flows. These conditions are becoming an issue in several fisheries here. Avoid fisheries that exhibit these conditions and fish elsewhere.
The high metabolic rates associated with trout this time of year, coupled with the low dissolved oxygen levels in the water put immense stresses on fish that are hooked and played. Try fishing the higher elevations and visit the region’s many alpine lakes. Most have a small but healthy population of wild fish in addition to weekly stocking programs by the DFG and private aqua culturists. The larger reservoirs in this area will also be enjoyable to fish and have minimum impacts to the fish if you practice sound catch and release techniques.
The First Annual Crowley Lake Still Water Classic is fast approaching and we are very pleased to announce the current sponsors of this fisheries enhancement event on Aug. 11. Please support the businesses that have contributed to this event; it shows that they are passionate about keeping Crowley at a high level of fishing excellence. Visit www.sierradrifters.com for an entry form.
Special thanks and high fives to all the sponsors and contributors to the Eastern Sierra and the Still Water Classic. Visit our Web site for a full list of sponsors and support these mechants who really care about the fishing in the Eastern Sierra.
Crowley Lake: Very good
The bait fishing general season ended July 31. Crowley’s trophy season is in its genesis and promises to be a very good one. The algae are beginning to sink out and although one may still encounter some significant rafts of goo, the severe problems that were encountered last year do not exist.
Streamer fishing is really picking up along the weed lines in McGee Bay and the north end of the lake. Punk Perch and Loebergs are dynamite during the lower light periods, or cloudy days. Drifter’s damsel fly nymphs #12 are a good choice to troll along the drifting scum lines as the sun gets higher.
Still water nymphing remains very good during the first half of the day and then again late afternoons if the erratic gusty winds associated with T-storm cells do not blow you off. Crystal Tiger midges #16-18 are hard to beat right now. Hang these under a gillie #18 or one of our dark or light punk perch patterns #14-16 and you will get results.
The fish are moving deeper in McGee and we have had very good success out to 10 feet this week. The North Arm in the channel has less fish, but if you are looking for a larger model fish this location at 7-11 feet using the same rig as McGee.
Keep a watch on the Six Bays area; it will go off much earlier this year as will Alligator Point. The Hiltons have numbers but most are dinks this week.
Hot Creek: Good
This area is one you may wish to avoid if the flows get below 6 cfs. Currently all is well and there is ample water coming from Mammoth Creek to keep the levels at 8 cfs. Good caddis activity with the hopper population improving by the day. Dry/dry combos using a #14 Stimulator or yellow- bodied hopper and a point fly being a #18 dark bodied caddis imitation will get you looks in the afternoons when the winds make other presentations difficult.
West Walker River: Good
The campgrounds off U.S. 395 and Sonora Pass in addition the Pickel Meadows sections are for the most part planted rainbows with a few wild trout in the mix. These fish will stack up in the deeper pools around the stocking points and will most likely get caught before the effects of low water will harm them. The canyon sections above Picklel Meadows and upstream from U.S. 395 junction with the Sonora Pass have a solid population of wild fish that are fun to fish with a three or four weight rod with dries or dry dropper bead head combos. Give the wild trout in the lower canyon section a break until after Labor Day when the water begins to cool.
East Walker River: Good
Flows here have been going up recently (currently 165 cfs) and this is a good thing for the trout. However, the flows are well below the normal releases for this time of year and it will soon put a lot of stress on the EW’s fish. We have found the fish here last week very strong and reviving quickly if NOT removed from the water after being netted. Lots of damsel fly activity as well as a bunch of hoppers along the edges.
Alpine lakes: Fair-excellent
There has been a tremendous local effort both financially and logistically to keep a consistent planting schedule at the beautiful alpine lakes accessible by car and by short hikes. Rainbows and some browns have been planted in these areas by local fish farmers and the DFG has received some additional funding from Mono County to help truck fish on a weekly basis. After a shaky start, the effort has paid off and these locations are fishing very well and more consistent than a month ago.
These lakes will understandably fish better immediately after they are planted. Planted fish are very opportunistic this time of year in these Alpine still waters and conditions are typically at optimum. Streamers are very effective flies to use and if you locate the fish they are seldom selective with most wooly buggerish type patterns in the #8-12 range. I am partial to my Loebergs, Spruce-A-Bu’s, Agent Orange, and Blood Sucking Vanderleeches #8-12 of course, but the other patterns will work well also.
Sinking lines are necessary for these lakes and you will find that full sinks or heavy long sink tip lines will get you down into the thermocline faster and more effectively than using weight on a floating line or heavy bead/cone headed flies.
Bridgeport Res.: Good
The lake level and the marina are operating at full speed with no trouble launching at this time. The Bridge is a good alternative for persons wishing to angle with bait and keep fish since Crowley has special regs after July 31.
The fishing remains very good and you will find concentrations of browns and rainbows in front of the marina in the Walker Channel or around the drop-off towards Rainbow Pt. The hot tip from Jeffery is for tubers to troll Punk Perch or Damsel nymph’s #10-14 along the north shore towards the dam from the public launch ramp. Still water nymphing has been very productive. Locate yourself in a clear area free of weeds and grass. GUIDE TIP: (if there is a light wind these weedy sections will appear slick or calmer than the clean water). Positioning your tube or boat on the edges of the channel will get you into good numbers of fish. Gillies #18-20, Punk Perch, Vanderleeches, #14-16, and pupa patterns #18-20 on top, a tiger or zebra #16-18 as a dropper. You can find fish in as shallow as 3 feet in the channel. This is a good year for tubers on the Bridge as you do not need to make the long kick towards Buckeye Bay.
Upper Owens River: Good
We are starting to see more fish move up towards the Long Years section above the Benton Bridge. There is heavy pressure around the campground down to the Monument, but this area has received more than its share of DFG catchable fish this year and they are not the “sharpest knives in the drawer” if you get my drift …
If the wind picks up change to a grasshopper pattern and hold on. Hopper fishing is a blast and you will be amazed at how savagely a trout will smash a hopper pattern on the surface. Stimulator/ hopper and a dropper bead head olive zebra in the #18-20 range for the mornings and late afternoons.
San Joaquin River: Good
Flows actually came up due to some heavy rain last week and this area continues to fish well although the good riffles are thinning out. Dry dropper nymph or caddis imitations in the #14-18 range will get you plenty of looks if you walk a ways and get some unfished water. This area will get skinny in the water department next month and the fish will begin to stack up in the deep holes.
Lower Owens River: Slow
Right now the air temps are too hot and the flows too high. But, do not despair. Look for this area to come on strong after Labor Day. We will begin booking drift trips after this date and I anticipate some great early fall fishing here for a change this year.
– Courtesy of Sierra Drifters Guide Service |
|
Last Updated ( Friday, 26 October 2007 )
|
