Fishing some of our small creeks and streams recently has turned up some great dry fly fishing.. Especially with Hoppers! Hopper season is starting with some explosive hopper eats in smaller streams with some nice trout responding… This has just started and will only get better as the season rolls on. Look for more reports and photos as the season rolls on.
June 2011 Lower Owens BrownJune 30, 2011 Evening Lower Owens Brown Trout
The Lower Owens is flowing at an unbelievable
flow of 277cfs! This is extremely low and fishable for this time of year. Dry
fly action on PMD’s during the day and evening, and predictable Caddis hatches
in the evenings have been getting great responses from some good sized brown
trout. During the day nymphing caddis and mayfly emergers in the right areas
can have great results. Bubbleback PMD emergers #16-20, Trigger Nymphs #16-18,
and Robo PT’s is similar sizes will take fish. For Dries try; Light Cahills #16-18
Para PMD patterns #16-18, Quill Gordons #16, Elk Hair Caddis #16-18 (browns,
olives, tans ect.), CDC Caddis #16-18, Para Caddis #16-18 and Hemmingway Caddis
#16 just to name a few possibilities.
The Upper Owens has been fishing fair… Below the bridge you can fish a lot of stocked trout with a few wild ones mixed in. Above Benton bridge you can find more wild fish with some stocked ones mixed in. Water is slightly high with a reddish tea colored tinge at 140 cfs of flow at the time of this report. But, large attractor nymphs will get you into fish if sunk deep in the larger turns and holes. San Juan Worms 12-14, Sparkle Trigger #16-18, Prince Nymphs #14-18, Large Soft Hackle Patterns and Streamers will also getfish here. Fish each hole patiently and move on to find willing fish here.
The mighty East Walker is flowing at 700+ cfs..we don’t really make the trip over there to frequently during these flows but fish are being caught! Check out last my last reports suggestions to fish theEW properly at these flows.
Wild Lower O Brown June 2011
The Lower Owens is actually experiencing some great fishing
despite the high flows. PMD’s and Caddis are coming off heavily starting around
5:30 pm. Fish seem to be actively eating both the PMD’s and caddis. Water is
high and clear with temperatures in the high 50’s .. Wading is difficult, but
with the dry fly action there are many places where one does not even have to
enter the water. Before the hatch we have been fishing Bubble Back emergers in
#16-20, and Trigger style nymphs in the same sizes. Various other PMD and
caddis emergers will work as well. For Caddis try the Ascending Caddis #18-20,
Soft Hackle Hares Ear #16 & 18 or Deep Six Caddis pupa in similar
sizes. For the Dry Fly Action use Light
Cahill patterns #16-18, and Various Elk Hair Caddis and Adult Caddis patterns
also in #16-18. The Lower O has been fishing very well for us!
Lahonton Cutt from a Small Creek June 2011
Small Creeks and Tributaries are
just starting to see some more water enter their systems. Fish can be found in
most of these areas now, and more should be entering. The great time for these waters will be when the hoppers are mature and jumping or being blown in the stream when the grass is a little higher. As for now streamers and nymphs are taking fish when fished properly. Attractor patterns are the flies to fish to these types of waters.
The Upper Owens is fishing decent to good with
some days better than others like most fishing. Wind is down, and warm summer
days are setting on the green meadows of the Upper Owens. Very small hoppers
are out in force in certain areas, which will lead to great hopper action in
the upcoming weeks. Small caddis and
mayflies can be seen over the water but usually get eaten by the smaller
residents of the river. Going down with nymphs and streamers is the best method
of extracting the larger residents of the Upper Owens river. Attractor nymphs such as ; Prince Nymphs
#16-18, All sorts of flashy Pheasant Tails (Robo, Crystal PT) in #16-20.. Zebra,
and Tiger Nymphs in #16-20.. Big Streamers fished deep through the deepest
holes can get you some big tugs! Double Bunnies, Large Buggers, Skips Brown or
Rainbow Trout Minnow, and Zonker patterns in #2- 8 are just a few streamer
patterns that can take fish in the Upper O.
Perfect Bow Hot Creek June 2011
Hot Creek is higher than we usually see it! Nymphing deep is
not something one usually does in this creek, but now, it is possible. 5x
instead of 6x and bigger flies can be used. Water is dirtier than usual but
well within fly fishing standards. Crystal Pheasant Tails, and Robo Pheasant
Tails in sizes #16-20, Princes #16-18, Various Caddis Pupa #16-20, Zebra and
Tiger Midges in #16-20 and various other attractor and popular Hot Creek
Patterns are also still on the Menu. Some top water action can still be found
during these times. Fish are actually coming up and at least looking and
sometimes eating attractor patterns used as the indicator fly. Also Baetis and
Caddis are still getting eaten on top in certain seams. Small Elk Hair Caddis,
Fertile and Hot Creek Caddis in sizes #16-20 will take fish.
Nice EW Brown June 2011
East Walker Brown Trout 5.11
The East Walker went up and then back down to a fishable level of 268cfs and continues to flow that way now. The fishing was a little slower from the weather fronts this weekend but we have still been seeing great fish out of the East Walker. The entire river seems to be fishing well with nice fish coming out of most areas. A small mayfly hatch comes off mid-morning and some of the East Walker Trout respond well this this hatch, as usual, the larger fish do not repsond much to these topwater bugs. For the big fish keep most of your flies under the water…#12-16 San Juan worms patterns, #18-20 T-Midges in olive and Pearl, #18 Flash Bang Midges in Cream, Biot Midges in #16-20 in grey and black, Caddis worms #16-20 and other similar patterns will work well. Split Case BWO emergers in #18-20 and Bubbleback emergers in #18-20 as well. For the BWO hatch on the surface when you see rising trout use #16-20 Thorax BWO’s and Extended Body BWO patterns. Streamers of your favorite choice fished correctly will also get some great action. Fish these is all sorts of angles and techniques to cover all bases.