Sierra Drifters Fish Report


by Tom Loe
6-13-2017
Website

Quick Look Fish Report 6/13/17

The cold front came and went but brought some cold and snow to the upper elevations. High winds dominated the area through the weekend and high pressure and warm weather are now ahead of us. Creeks and rivers at flood level and raging in all areas. Crowley Lake still holding up well with lake level now on the rise. Midge hatches coming off daily with fish scattered throughout the lake. Jurassic Pond fishing well with the big boys coming out to eat. East Walker at 790 cfs. Upper Owens flooded and running high at 114 cfs. Hot Creek high and dirty at 146 cfs. Middle Owens at 767 cfs above Bishop Creek.
 

Crowley Lake 6/13/17

Fish scattered around the lake. They are in one area for a couple of days, then move to a completely different area the next. Good midge hatches coming off by late morning and getting great takes fishing smaller midges a few feet off the bottom. Midges have been much smaller this last week, so matching the size and color has been the key to getting good and consistent action. Best spots have been Alligator Pt., Layton Springs, North Landing and Six Bays. 16-18′ feet has been a good depth to target, but this will change quickly over the next couple of weeks as water levels begin to rise. Check out the recent fish our clients have landed over the last week:
 

Upper Owens River 6/13/17

River running high here at 114 cfs. Down a bit from last week and DF&W expected to plant some trout below the bridge this week.  Flooded fields have spawned some unparalleled mosquito hatches. You’ll still need some heavy weight to get the bugs on the bottom if you decide to fish here.
The section upstream from the Benton Bridge is open year around with special regulations. Seasonal closures, and angling restrictions apply downstream from the bridge, check regulations before fishing in this section.


Middle Owens River/PVR/Wild Trout section (Bishop Area) 6/13/17
 
Flows now at 767cfs. River still not fishable yet and will remain high for most of the season this year. Flooding still along the banks and areas that haven’t seen water in years now completely covered.  Gorge flows have been lowered and fish are spooky. Stealth is mandatory now to get into these guys. PVR has a few nicer sized fish as the river enters the lake.
 
 
This fishery remains open year around. Special regs from the footbridge at Pleasant Valley campground to the fishing monument 4.7 miles downstream.


Hot Creek 6/13/17

Flows up and rising. Currently running at 146 cfs. Creek is off-color and running fast. Working the edges of the banks is the best bet right now with some weight to get those nymphs down.
 
 
 This is a year around fishery with special regs in place.
 
*Tom Loe, Doug Rodricks, and Doug Dolan are under permit from the Inyo National Forest Service to guide Hot Creek.

The Gorge 6/13/17
 
Flows currently extremely low. Once water level returns to a higher flow fishing will improve.
 
Season open year around


East Walker River 6/13/17
 
Blown out at 790 cfs. Slight drop from last week. Look elswhere for fishing. Still tough here.
 
This fishery is open year around below the Bridgeport Reservoir dam to Nevada State line. Open year around in Nevada also.


Bridgeport Reservoir 6/13/17
 
I am so sad to report that a Sierra Icon has passed away recently. Our great friend, & eternal buddy Jeffery Wenger has left us. Jeffery operated the Bridgeport Lake Marina and RV Park for many seasons. Jeffery had an insatiable appetite for adventure, & wore many hats during his time. His amazing smile, positive attitude, & constant banter would cast a warm light on all who knew him. He will be deeply missed by myself, & countless numbers whom he made smile. Bridgeport Reservoir will never be the same without him. RIP little buddy.
I included a picture of Jeffery with his best friend, “Handy” the horse. He is also shown with another Sierra legend, founder of Mammoth Mountain Ski area, Dave McCoy.
with heavy heart, yours truly-tom loe


Jurassic Pond 6/13/17
 
Let the games begin here. We are getting into some of these monster 15-20lb + beasts. These are beautiful wild fish and some of the finest in Mono County you’ll ever catch on a fly rod. It is a great place to spend a half a day with family and land that fish of a lifetime. Check out some of the recent fish we’ve had the pleasure of netting:
 
***New for 2017! I have limited quantities of some new patterns that will guarantee advantage in your quest for trophy trout. Balanced patterns are the new rage for nymphing, & streamer fishing. We have been guide testing these patterns for several years, & I can honestly say they are the most significant improvement in fly design in over a decade. They are truly superior to conventional fly designs. The flies ride “parallel”; or “level” to the bottom giving them a far more realistic profile. The jig style hook becomes more effective as it seldom gets snagged on the bottom, & sets efficiently in the fishes mouth. These flies are intended to fish as your bottom fly in a multi fly; or tandem rig. They are deadly fished solo as a streamer. Add these patterns to your quiver for all fisheries that you still water nymph; or cast streamers. Some sizes are not available due to back orders on jig hooks, & are only available online at this time. I will add more sizes on some patterns as we get shipments in. Click on “fly sales” on the nav bar above, hit “menu” first from a mobile device to access the nav bar.
You can pick up our flies & Under-cators at Reagan’s Sports in Bishop, the Crowley General Store (not at the lake), Ricks Sport Center in Mammoth (limited selection), Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park (currently closed for winter), Stroud’s Tackle in San Diego.
 
I have added a picture gallery to the website . Click on the “gallery” button and do a search for your name, or scroll through the pages. You can double click on the picture to enlarge it once it is located.
 
Thank you for visiting our website and checking out our report. Be the Fly…. Doug Rodricks, Sierra Drifters Guide Service.

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