Hot Creek.. September 19, 2008
The nights here are now really starting to cool off. Yesterday I was on the Hot Creek/ Upper O complex at 6:00 am and the temps were 30 degrees. As soon as the sun hit the coat was off and the fishing was off to a strart and going as well.. Not too much in the way of bug activity has changed too much from my last report on this water. I have been seeing less hoppers due to the freezing nights. The water level has remained about the same and is now very clear making the fish very easy to see, and easier for them to see you. The weed slots continue to test the most patient anglers with fish tucked away in any part of the weeds that provide cover. Tiny midges, small beatis and caddis cover most of what you will find. Mid morning I have noted a caddis hatch with mixed attention from the fish on the caddis surface action. Partridge and quill wing caddis in #18-20 cover that hatch nicely. Grey and brown Parachute Adams in the same sizes during a cloudy day are also a fly that could be taken out of the box while on Hot Creek these days. The darker colour WD-40s can be fished as droppers...I would put them off of a larger attractor though..Some fish are still looking up to hoppers. Scan the water before you cast.. Drift the open parts of the weeds. I might of noticed some sort of spawning action going on ... I will have to check back on that to confirm though...Upper Owens River Fishing Report…September 12, 2008
The Upper O continues to be the river to explore, just the fact that it is a tributary to Crowley Lake keeps the excitement level high..And we all know which favorite trout species heads up a trubutary in the fall.Arriving at the river this moring I noticed and surge in the water that went down by the time we left some five hours later. Caddis dotted the water with random strikes here and there in all areas. The elk hair caddis, and goddard caddis patterns are doing well during the thicker parts of the hatch. Hoppers fished properly as well as popular attractor patterns will still get eaten. Sparkle pupa in a #14-16, and small mayfly imitations in smaller sizes below an attractor nymph are the underwater patterns of choice. For streamers try all presentation techniques with rabbit leaches in colours of browns and olives. Matukas, slump busters and olive zonkers are just a few of the patterns to connect into trout on. The lower morning temps are really noticable in the Long Meadow Valley slowly turing this fishery into a fall playground. Not too much has changed on the Upper O since the last report as the fishing continues strong...On the water for the next few days... stay tuned..
Eastern Sierra Creeks Fishing Report…September 12, 2008
The small creeks draining the Eastern Sierra have dropped a small yet noticable amount in the last couple weeks. Smaller dries are called for with the cooling night temperatures. I personally have been doing best with a dry/dropper combo to sample the trout populations of these bubbling brooks. A stimulator in an medium to large size range trailed with a like sized nymph will produce fish if they are in there. Cooler night temps are also turning the lower flows here to a cooler temperature. I have seen some larger cadddis activity on a few of the streams in the shaded sections of the runs.. Small buggers will always bring up some sort of action on this water. Try pullin them down first, then going to the top and pulling them up for a different presentation.Hot Creek Fishing Report…September 12, 2008
Hot Creek hatches are coming off starting in the morning and persisting throughout the day. The creek has had a little more weed growth since the last report but the caddis are what an angler can rely on to have a great day at the moment.. The flies of choice continue to be the size #18-20 Partridge and Quill Caddis when the fish are actively taking flies off the surface. The hatch seems to be the strongest around 1-2:00 pm, then sporadic from then on while intensifying moving on into the evening.Hoppers are still getting a sharp response when presented correctly. A dropper in the same sizes as the mentioned dries can be added off of 6x to entice numbers of fish to hand. Go short on the dropper with the current flows and amount of weeds. Streamers are very difficult to manipulate at the moment but there are certain sections where a deaddrifted or correctly retrieved bugger will bring out a beast.. One try is all you get right now.. Don't let the wind blow you off the water here, as the bugs seem to stick tight to the water during the hatch and the hoppers get blown in to the feeding lane.. Kinda like us falling into a croc tank...
Lower Owens Fishing Report…September 12, 2008
Flows are 277cfs as of today which is a 40+cfs drop from the outlet of Pleasant Valley Reservoir(which is also fishing very well) from the last few weeks of pumpin out 320cfs and over..Nights are cooling in the valley and with this current CFS level morning and evening fishing should be very comfortable.As of now expcet early morning and evening hatches of midges and caddis. A few mayflies can be seen sporadically coming off in sections of the river. Small grey bodied elkhairs, partridge caddis, hot creek caddis, and quill winged caddis patterns continue to take fish for the caddis imitations. Once again carry sized #14-20 to cover all possibilities. BWO's and Adams in the same sizes should also be a inhabitant of your flybox. Nymphing deep in the foam lines with various soft hackle flys in shades of green #'s 14-18 will imitate many things in the water, or fish a birds nest in the same sizes in shades of brown and green as well as the ever reliable PT nymph flashback and Robo. For streamers use a larger dumbell head of of a 9-10' 4 x leader.. White or light coloured streamers, Swing them... Swing them down, Strip them up..Or quarter up, let it sink and pull it across towards you(my favorite)...Pick out the larger fish. Sized #4-10.