Online StoreMammoth Fly Fishing – Hot Creek : Mid May 2012
Tian D. with a Hot Creek Trout
Hot Creek continues to fish very well with slightly higher flows and healthy trout in clean and cool water. Crowds are hit and miss and when arriving early enough solitude is possible. Caddis, Midges and Baetis are all on the menu is this popular stream. An afternoon emergence of Baetis and Caddis come off with fish responding throughout the river, the trout seem to be keying on the Caddis on the surface. Some popular suggestiong are; Throax Baetis #18-20, Loop Wing Baetis #18-20, Trigger Nymphs #20 and CDC Baetis #20.. For Dries use #18-20 Fertile CDC Caddis, Para Turkey Caddis #18-22, EHC #20-22.. Various small Attractor Patterns such as Small Hoppers and Beetles will also take fish with placed with precision and patience. Fish are being caught all day long here!!
Bishop Fly Fishing – Lower Owens River : Mid May 2012
The Lower Owens has been pumped up to a higher flow of around 400 cfs for the time being. While considered to be high flows there are plenty of places one can get into some great water to extract some great Lower Owens trout. Late in the evening Caddis and Mayflies come off with the trout responding in certain areas to give anglers some top-water dry fly action. Nymphing and pulling streamers throughout the day will produce when the fish are not feeding on the surface. Some patterns we have been using are; Sparkle Trigger Numphs #16-20, CDC Bubble Back Emergers #16-20, Poly Wing Midge Emergers #18-20, Small SJ Worms #12-14, and Robo PT's #16-20. Streamers of all sorts and colours will work when fished correctly.. light and dark colours. On the surface try Elk Hair Caddis #16-20, Turkey Quill Caddis #16-18, BWO Thorax and Para BWO #16-20. I look for the flows to stay reasonably low this year on the Lower Owens with the snowpack we have this year.
Fish of the Month – April 2012 -
Starting off our new "Fish of the Month" to chronicle the great fish caught in the Eastern Sierra Jon W. holds the fish of the Month for April. Taken on a very small midge on light tackle in strong current it took skill and concentration to bring him to hand. Great work Jon! East Walker River
Fish of the Month - April 2012 -
Fish of the Year – 2011 -
With our fish of the month we will be also doing a fish of the year ! On August 3, 2011 Craig Coston of Bakersfield, Ca caught this fish of three lifetimes while with me on a pack trip in the High Sierra. I am 6'4" on the left and Craig is 6'6" on the right to give you an idea of the immense proportions of the fish. We were above 10,000 feet in elevation when this gargantuan Brown Trout came to hand on a 2wt Winston. Yes, it was a 2wt!!!
Monster Brown of a Lifetime 15lb+ 31 inch
Mammoth Fly : Upper Owens River – End of April, 2012
A perfect specimen from the Upper Owens River - Spring 2012
The Upper Owens is flowing at a great flow of around 95 cfs. Large fish are STILL in the system and being caught. Afternoon wind has been coming up recently so spend your mornings fishing hard and efficiently. Fish are found from the bridge all the way up as far as you can drive on the road. The same patterns are still holding strong; Try large streamers in various patterns and colors in sizes #4-8 .. SJ worms and Wire Worms in pink and reds #8-12, Robo PT's in #16- 18, Pheasant Tails #16-20, Trigger Nymphs #16-18 and various soft hackles in similar sizes will take fish. Green Tickets #14-18, Diving Caddis #16 and Stallcups Emergers #16-18 are all good choices on the Upper Owens. A small baetis hatch mixed with caddis comes off in the afternoon causing the smaller fish to come to the surface for a couple of hours.
Bridgeport Fly Fishing : East Walker River – Late April 2012
Beautiful East Walker Brown!
The East Walker River has been fishing very well with cool water temps, clearer water, and springtime flows some very nice specimens have been hooked! Some even landed! Flows seem to be fluctuating between 100-150 cfs recently which can be optimal with the cooler water temps. Most fish being caught are hefty brown trout with a few chunky rainbows mixed in. Nymphing and streamers are taking the majority of large trout in the East Walker. Fish your favorite Doubly Bunny or large Streamer pattern throughout the day to at get some amazing strikes and fish utilizing patterns of various colours, some white or tan mixed in the pattern seems to be the best. Try a mouse in the morning or late day to see some great "Boils!" Nymphs are always effective with a light double nymph setup. Try a SJ worm or a green Caddis Worm on top with a small midge pattern/small baetis below. Some samples are; Flash Bang Midges #18-20, T-Midge Emergers in lighter shades #18-20, Z- Midge emergers grey #18-20, WD-40's in lighter colours #18, and other similar patterns fished with patience and skill will help you to have a fly fishing experience to remember!
Predators of the East Walker River - Brown Trout -
Bishop Fly Fishing – Lower Owens River : Late April 2012
Kenji and Christine S. Happily work a prime trout run
The Lower Owens has been flowing a steady 275 cfs add or subtract a few cfs (cubic feet/second) for the last few weeks. This makes for a steady fishy environment, clear water and happy fish! Most of the river is fishing well for everbody with wild browns in the upper sections below the dam with a few wild rainbows mixed in. As you head miles below you start to see more of the recently added fish in the river from Hwy. 6 downstream. Isolated pockets of rising trout can be found here and there throughout the day with the most intense dry fly action happening in the hours before dark. Caddis, Mayflies and some midges are still on the menu. During the day BubbleBack emergers and Trigger Nymphs have been producing fish all times of the day in sizes #16-20, Crawling Caddis, Caddis Emergers, and The Ticket in sizes #14-18 are also on the Lower Owens menu these days. Midge emergers in various dark colors #18-20 are also a great choice for your bottom fly on your nymph setup. On the surface of the water good ol' Elk Hair Caddis #16-20, Stallcups Adult Caddis #16, Hemingway Caddis and other Turkey Winged caddis in #18's. BWO thorax #16-20, Ext. Body BWO #16-20, Good old Adams and Para BWO in the same sizes will also produce. At these flows the fish are able to spread out and not get put off and spooked as easily as other lower flows. Wading is a little bit more difficult but very doable for people of any size.
Kenji holds up a prize from the waters of the Lower Owens River
Mammoth Fly Fishing : Hot Creek – April 26, 2012
Hot Creek gate is open and has been open on top of the hill above the ranch. As stated in my last report we are experiencing a dry fly hatch starting around 11:00 to around 1:00 depending on the day and weather. ... Some people are experiencing great success on nymphs while others are in the right place at the right time to experience some great dry fly action. Baetis (BWO) patterns are doing the best when placed correctly on the water in feeding lanes. Thorax BWO's #18-20, Extended Body BWO #18-22, and the CDC Winged Emerger #18-20 are all patterns that have been fooling trout recently. Midge Tube & Poly Wing Emergers are sill steady when fished with a very small amount of weight. Nymphing small Baetis Emergers such as; Loop wing BWO emergers #18-20, Thorax BWO emergers #18-20, Small PT's #20 and various other Baetis emerger patterns in similar sizes will put fish in your net. Water is a little off color due to the quickly rising temperatures with higher flows. This has not affected the fishing, it is actually nice to fish Hot Creek with a little more water in it these days.
Bishop Fly Fishing : Lower Owens River Update – April 9th 2012
Sam points out a wild Rainbow taken on a recent Drift Trip
The Lower Owens has been very good to us in the last couple of weeks and last few days. The gauge is still stuck at 255cfs and the river is around 230-250cfs and flowing clean and clear. Caddis, Stoneflies and Mayflies are on the menu! We have been taking fish on #12-14 yellow sally and squala nymphs, #12-14 copper Johns will also get strikes when fished effectively. For the bottom nymphs fish free living caddis worm imitations #14-18, and mayfly emergers such as; Bubbleback emergers #16-18, Sparkle Trigger Nymphs #16-20 and Robo PT's is the same sizes. With the clear water wading is easily managable. Drift trips have been great as the boat effortlessy delivers us to prime fishing locations (with my oaring skills of course) where we have been extracting some prime specimens.
Wild Rainbow with a great pattern and Tail
Bishop Fly Fishing : Lower Owens River – Early April 2012
Happy young angler Jake B. with his first Rainbow on Lower Owens River
The Lower Owens is flowing at a great rate of around 200 cfs and Caddis and Baetis are showing their presense daily. Around lunchtime Baetis and Caddis have been coming off with good-great response from the Trout on the surface. Sparke Trigger Nymphs #16-20, Bubble Back emergers #16-20, Stallcups caddis emerger #16-18, Sparkle Pupa #18, Partridge Caddis emerger #16 and other similar patterns will take fish... On the surface try the good old EHC in #16-20 depending on the fly, #16 Stallcup Adult Caddis, Para caddis #16, and Peacock caddis #16-18.. for the BWO's use a #16-20 Thorax BWO, Etha Wing Baetis #16-20, Ext. Body BWO #16-20, and good oldParachute BWO and Adams #18. Flows should stabilize at this rate. Drift trips have been great!
Great Day on the Lower Owens with Keith and Jake B.