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Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
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Get your woollies on and let’s go fishing |
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Saturday, 27 October 2007 |
By Kent Rianda
 With the recent snows, our local waters are pretty much evacuated in terms of fishermen, but those who are still out there are getting rewarded, as the fish haven’t gone anywhere. If you pick warmer days with no wind, Hot Creek, the Upper Owens River and Crowley Lake are all still providing red hot fishing.
Some great spots for colder weather are the Owens River Gorge, Pleasant Valley Reservoir and, of course, the Lower Owens River. It can be 26 degrees and blowing in Mammoth and it is in the mid 60s with dry fly hatches coming off just down the hill a little. You can even float tube at Pleasant Valley.
Also, don’t forget that if the DFG Commission keeps in place the year-round fishing regulations for Hot Creek, the Upper Owens and the East Walker River, those areas will be open for catch-and-release fishing right on through the winter.
That decision will be made on Nov. 1, so you’ll be hearing soon.
Meanwhile, here are the recommendations from the Trout Fly and Troutfitter guides on the water daily. So, bring some layers, get out there and let's do some fishing...
For the fly fishermen...
Mammoth Lakes Basin: Use light colored streamers mid day and darker patterns during low light periods. Slow down your presentations as the water temps continue to drop. Try Midging in any of the lakes in the Basin. Use a #16 Pheasant Tail or #16 Prince Nymph. For a dropper try an #18 Optomidge in Gray/Black, #18-20 Tiger or Zebra Midge. Give a try with a dry during the evening hours at the Lakes Basin. Use a #14-20 Parachute Adams, #16 Stimulator, #16-20 California Mosquito or a #16 Cut Wing Callibaetis.
Hot Creek: When it is cold or gloomy skies try fishing baetis(mayfly) imitations. The truth about most of the fish in the creek is that they have seen just about every fly pattern in the world, but are usually keen to sample your fly if presented correctly. Guides in the shop agree that at any given time almost any fly in the shop can produce. You can increase your odds if you use 6-7x tippet/leader and can make accurate casts. Here are our favorites for right now #12 Parachute Hopper, #16 Hare's Ear, #18 Pheasant Tail, #18 Prince Nymph, #22 WD-40 in Olive or Black, #20 BTS Nymph in Black, #22 Barr's Trico Emerger, #24 Female Trico, #24 Trico Spinner, #18-20 Griffith's Gnat, #16 parachute ant or beetle, #20 Hot Creek Caddis, #18 -22 E/C Caddis, #12 Woolly Worm, #20 Miracle Midge, #16 Brooks Sprout PMD or BWO, #16 Goddard's Caddis and some Woolly Buggers in different colors and sizes also work well.
San Joaquin River: The road is now closed for the winter.
Crowley Lake: The lake is open until Nov. 15, but the marina is closed as of Oct. 31 so get out those float tubes for the last two weeks and those big browns staging for the fall spawn. The fish are pretty much on the bottom, so drop in with heavy lines and streamers and don’t go too fast.
Upper Owens River: For nymphng, use #16 Copper John in Green or Black, #16 Zug Bug, #16 Lightening Bug in Black or Silver, #18 Tiger Midge or #16 Buckskin Caddis. Try Big Trico hatch in the morning around 8-10 a.m., Organza Spinners and Trico emergers in sizes #18-22. For dries try #10-18 Stimi's, #10-14 Hoppers, #10-16 Madam X, #12-16 Parachute Hopper and #14-16 Elk Hair Caddis, #18 E/C Caddis, #20 Parachute Adam's, #14 Royal Coachman, #16-20 Griffith's Gnat. And, for the stripping set, use #6-14 Woolly Buggers in dark colors, #6 meat whistles in black, and #10-16 perch fry, #4-8 Bunny Leeches, #8-16 Matukas #8-14 Hornbergs #6 Zonkers in multiple color.
Lower Owens River: LADWP has slowed the flows way down making for some great fishing on the Lower “O.” In the morning, try #18-22 WD-40 in Olive or Brown, #18-20 Zebra or Tiger Midge, #16-18 Pheasant Tail, #18-22 Black Beauty Midge and #18 Rock worm. Afternoons try #16-18 Surface Emergers, #16-20 Gray or Olive RS2, #18-22 WD-40 in Olive or Gray, and #18-20 Miracle Midge and #18-20 Black Beauty Midge.
Owens River Gorge: Try #16-18 Parachute Caddis in Brown, #16 Elk Hair Caddis, #16 Parachute Adams, #16 Dave's Hopper or any other attractor patterns will work. For the dropper use a #18-20 Prince Nymph, #18-20 Zebra Midge, #16-20 Caddis Pupa in Tan, or a #18-20 Zug Bug. If you stick with these bugs, you should always have good success.
East Walker River: Recommended nymphs are #8-16 Stonefly, #12-18 Hare's Ears #16-18 Frostebite Chironomidae, #12-16 Copper John, #18 Rockworm, #16-20 Softhackle, # 16-18 Surface emergers, #12-16 Pheasant Tails, #16-20 WD-40 in Olive or Black, #14-18 Prince Nymph, # 14-18 Serendipitys. For dry flies, try #12-18 Elk Hair caddis, #16-18 Parachute Adams, #12-16 Madam X, #10-18 Royal Wulff, #14-16 Parachute and #10 Hoppers.
For the Bait and lure anglers...
Crowley Lake: (Don’t forget: no bait fishing after Aug. 1; marina closes Oct. 31). Fishing has been good for those still getting out there. Sandy Point, Green Banks and Alligator Point have been fishing the best. For lures try Thomas Buoyant in Perch or Gold/Red, Jake's Spin-A-Lure in Gold and CD-3 Rapalas in Fire Tiger or Perch. Trollers have picking up some nice fish by Alligator Point or Chalk Bluffs. You want to be fishing 3-4 colors with Needle Fish in Pink or Gold and Tasmanian Devils in Pink or Orange. Try trawling with straight mono and a Rapala or Kastmaster. Some of the fish are moving into the top 10 feet of the water column.
Mammoth Lakes Basin: The Basin has been fishing fair during the last few days. The Twins or George are the hot spots, with Sierra Gold in Gold or Rainbow and Berkley Gulp in Chunky Cheese or American Pie. For lures try 1/6 ounce Panther Martin In Black with Red Dots, 1/4 ounce Thomas Buoyant in Gold/Red or Silver/Blue and CD-3 Rapala in Rainbow Trout or Gold.
Convict Lake: Fishing has been fair to slow. The hot spots have been north side of the Marina and the southwest corner using Berkley Gulp in Orange Pulp or Rainbow Candy and Power Bait in Corn Yellow. For Lures try 1/4 ounce Kastmasters in Silver or Silver with Blue, 1/4 ounce Thomas Buoyant in White or Silver/Blue and Blue Fox spinners.
Rock Creek Lake: Not too many good reports coming in. Try off the rocks on the east side, and the inlet has been the spot to wet a line. For bait try Worms, Berkley Gulp in Orange Pulp or American Pie and Berkley Power Bait in the Corn Yellow. For lures try 1/4 ounce Cyclones in Gold or Copper, 1/8 ounce Kastmasters in Rainbow Trout or Cutthroat and Brook Trout. A fly and bubble rig can be extremely deadly for the last two hours of the day.
June Lake: June and Silver have been a fun for the angler heading for the loop. For bait try Berkley Gulp in Chunky Cheese or American Pie and Worms. For lures try Thunder Bolts in Gold and Silver, Panther Martins in Black with Yellow and Kastmasters in Silver with Chartreuse Tape or Silver with Red Tape. Berkley Power Trout Worms in Orange or Red with a drop shot rig. Fly and bubble with a Woolly Bugger or Parachute Adams is also very deadly in the fall.
For more in-depth information or the latest report on places not mentioned here, go to thetroutfitter.com (bait and lure), thetroutfly.com (fly fishing) or come by the Troutfitter in the Shellmart Center at the first stoplight in town.
This ends this season's weekly fishing report. Many thanks to Kent Rianda, an owner and guide for the Trout Fly and Troutfitter in Mammoth Lakes, and to his team, for providing fishing information and inspiration for Eastern Sierra anglers.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 November 2007 )
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Copyright © 2008 The Mammoth Times All Rights Reserved
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