Mammoth Fly Fishing : Upper Owens River – 10.11.11
Large Crowley Lake Trout caught up river Oct. 2011
It is a great thing that the Upper Owens is connected to Crowley Lake! Large fish can migrate up the river and hold in the many large holes the Upper Owens has to offer down low and up high. These fish are starting to show up from the lake up into the river making for a very exciting day when you know that each cast could be a very large fish! Flowing at a nice low flow rate of around 80 cfs you must look for the obvious large holes and holding water where a large fish would feel safe and sheltered. Streamers and nymphs are the best ways to extract these large fish from the water of the Upper O. Prince nymphs, Pheastant tails, Sparkle Trigger Nymphs, The Ticket Czech Nymph in green and large Zebra and T-midges all in sizes #16-20 are some of the flies getting attention now. Small hares ears in olive and natural trailed behind a larger nymph can also solicit a strike this time of year. Have some flashy patterns on hand as well if you have a problem getting their attention.. Large streamers of your choice fished correctly will also bring success this time of year. Look forward for this to get better and better as fall continues and temperatures slowly drop.
Large Rainbow migrating up river Oct. 2011
Bridgeport Fly Fishing : East Walker River – 10.13.11
Prime East Walker Cutt Bow Colors
The East Walker water level is down to a very fishable flow rate of 170cfs. Fish are starting to move around and up the river to participate in yearly rituals. The river is slightly off colour as usual allowing big specimens to move about the river undisturbed for the most part. Up towards the dam there seems to be an influx of small rainbow stockers that have been sucked in from the reservoir. These are easy prey for fly anglers for a few minutes and will hopefully serve as food for some large brown trout. Streamers are getting hit, but one has to be accurate and precise by picking out trout lies and casting well past them and retrieving the fly through them. Fish your favorite double bunny, clouser patterns, or large Matukas in sizes #2-8. We have been throwing a few mouse patterns to the opposite banks and always getting some kind of movement on the rodents... hooking up with them is another lesson though! Small perch fry, crayfish and SJ worms in sizes #6-12 above a small nymph/midge is the most common way to take most East Walker Residents. Biot Midges #16-20, Pearl or Olive T-Midge emergers #18-20, Miracle Nymphs #18, Serenstupity #18, and varias other similar patterns will get you success here. Look for flows to drop more soon as there is only a couple weeks of irrigation left in the Nevada season.
Mammoth Fly Fishing : Hot Creek – 10.11.11
Still a "hot" destination for fly anglers Hot Creek is way down low with some weeds showing making it technical for all anglers. Water was high for a moment after the last weeks storm but is now down and clear. The payoff for fishing Hot Creek is georgous wild fish keeps anglers coming back time and time again to try their methods against other anglers and the fish. Small baetis such as: Loop wing BWO emerger, Thorax BWO and Poxy Back BWO's all in sizes #18-22...Small midges in sizes #18 -22 such as Z-Midges, T-Midges and all sorts of Poly Wing Midge Emergers will get fish of all sizes. Small baetis and caddis can be observed on the surface during the day with fish rising to them in certain areas more than others. As the weather cools and the weeds go away this fishery will only get better and better.
Bishop Fly Fishing : Lower Owens River – 10.11.11
The Lower Owens is flowing at a very high rate of over 500cfs! Few spots are fishable if you know where and how to enter the water. Slow foam lines will yield fish when nymphed deep off an indicator or with a tight line czech style. Trico clouds are seen early morning with little response from the fish on top. Under the water the fish are gorging on the emerging nymphs. RS2 Tricos, and Grey RS2s are being eaten in sizes #18-22. Hares Ears, PT's, Trigger nymphs and Robo PT's will also get fish. Extreme caution when wading here!
Jim C. Proudly displays his first wild brown on the fly!