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July 2008 |
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Local, native and wild? |
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Thursday, 15 May 2008 |
 Carman Miranda with his first trout on a fly rod on Crowley Lake.
Occasionally, I hear anglers using these words almost interchangeably, and definitely incorrectly — one is not necessarily the other. Let’s start with local, which is easy since it obviously describes all the fish in the area. There are many lesser known species but for the most part there are seven different local species which are common — Brown, Rainbow, Brook, Golden and Cutthroat in the trout department plus two non-trout species, the Sacramento Perch and the Tui Chub.
All of these reproduce in our local waters and regardless of whether these were originally planted fish or not, their offspring are considered “wild.” The two tells to whether a fish is wild or not are the very sharp, pointed tails and the extra punch in their fight when attempting to reel them in. Growing up in the neighborhood requires that you get fit or you get ate!
So, who is on the list of true natives? Most of our locals were imported to the area, some as long ago as 125 years ago and from as far away as Europe in the case of the Brown Trout. Although the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, the Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout, the Sacramento Perch and California's state fish, the California Golden Trout, are all natives of the state, they were also imported to our local waters. Besides a couple of other rare species, the only true native of our area is a little guy called the Tui Chub, which is ubiquitous in Mono and Inyo counties.
If you fish Crowley a lot, you’ll catch about one per year and you’ll think you have a trout on until you get them in the net. They are also found in the Owens River and all over the Owens Valley. In fact, scientists were baffled to find a genetically pure strain of the Owens Tui Chub in the Owens River Gorge a few years ago after being bone dry for almost 40 years. Now that is hardy stock!
By the way, if you do catch a Tui Chub, release it immediately, as they are fully protected.
So, the next time you hear someone telling about the beautiful fish he caught and asks if it is a native of this area, you’ll be in the know.
And now, here is the fish report with some recommendations for our local waters.
For the bait and lure fishermen . . .
Crowley Lake
BAIT- Berkley Gulp in Sherbet color, and Night Crawlers
LURES- Rapalas, Trout Traps or troll Arctic Fox in Tui Chub color
Grant Lake
A few fish have been moving around the points ans inlet areas.
BAIT- PowerBait tipped with nigh crawlers.
LURES- Rapalas and Jake’s Spin-a-Lure
Rush Creek
Plenty of stocked and wild fish are being caught.
BAIT- Rainbow Gulp
LURES- Mepps
Convict Lake
BAIT- Berkley Gulp in Rainbow Candy or Orange Pulp
LURES- 1/8 Oz. Kastmaster in Silver or Silver/Blue and Jake's Spin-A-Lure in Silver w/ Red Dots
Twin Lakes
BAIT- Rainbow Gulp
LURES- Mepps
Pleasant Valley Reservoir
BAIT- Berkley Gulp Eggs and Berkely Trout Worms
LURES- Thomas Buoyants
For the Fly fishermen . . .
Mammoth Lakes Basin
Only Twin Lakes is open so far.
STREAMERS- Flash Buggers, Wooly Buggers, Mini Leech
NYMPHS- #14-#20 B.H. Chironomid Larva red, grizzly and black. #14-#20 Frostbite black_#14-#20 Williams Lake Wonder black and red #14-#20 Zebra Midge
Hot Creek
NYMPHS- _#18 Miracle Midge, #18 Midging Emerger, #18 T/B Micro May, #18 Copper John in Copper or Black,#18-20 Pheasant Tail, #18 RS2 Emerger, #18 Olive or Green Caddis Pupa. #14-18 scuds and #12-16stonefly.
DRY FLIES- _For dries try a#14-16 Stimi, #20-22 Hi-Vis BWO, #20 Hatch Master Baetis, #20-24 Griffith's Gnat, #20-24 Brook's Sprout Midge in Olive or Black and #20 Parasol Midge Emerger in Black.
Crowley Lake
NYMPHS- #18 gray and black or olive, dubbed head Optimidges, with green flashback, purple Zebra Midges or red/black and red/purple Optimidges later in the da.
STREAMERS- Olive Wooly Buggers using Stillwater Hare as a dropper
Upper Owens River
NYMPHS- #16 Copper John in Green or Copper, #16 WD-40 in Black or Olive,#14 F/B Pheasant Tail, #16 Surface Emerger, #16 Hares Ear, #20 Disco Midges in Green and #14-16 Birds Nest in Olive or Tan
DRY FLIES- _#10-18 Stimi's, #10-16Royal Wulff, #14 Parachute Adam's, #14 Royal Coachman, #16 Elk hair caddis and #18-20 Profile Baetis
STREAMERS-#6-10 Wooly buggers in dark colors, #8-16 Olive Matukas and #6 Olive Zonker.
June Lake Loop
STREAMERS- Doc's Twin Lake Special in olive or Brown, Pop's Bugger in Black or Olive, Rudy Eye Leech, Mini Leech
MIDGING- #18Tiger or Zebra Midge, #18 OptiMidge in Gray, #16 Copper John, #16 Prince Nymph
Lower Owens River
NYMPHS- #14-16 Prince Nymph, #18 Kyle's Super Flash PT, #18 Copper John in Red, #18-20 Barr's BWO Emerger, #18-22 Disco Midge, #12 San Juan Worm and # 16-18 CDC Caddis in Green or Tan
DRY FLIES- #16-18 Elk hair caddis #18-24 Parachute Adams, #18-20 Last Chance BWO, #18-20 Comparadun BWO, #18-20 Brooks Sprout Baetis and #18-22 Griffith's Gnat
East Walker River
NYMPHS- #12-18 Hares Ear#14-18 Pheasant Tails, #16-20 WD40s, #16-20 Soft Hackle PT, #16-18 Surface Emerger, #18 Kyle’s Super Flash PT, #16-20 Black Beauty, #14-18 Prince Nymph # 14-18 Serendipity's and #18-20 Tiger Midges
DRY FLIES- _#16-18 Parachute Adams, #12-16 Stimi, #18-20 Ext Body BWO, #18-20 BWO Sprout and #16 Parachute Caddis , #14-18 EC Caddis, #20-24 Griffiths Gnat
Kent Rianda is an owner and guide for the Trout Fly and Troutfitter in Mammoth Lakes. He spends 5-6 days a week guiding and fishing on his favorite spot, Crowley Lake. He has fished more than 2,000 days on Crowley during the last 16 years, probably more than any person alive. His primary guiding interest is teaching.For more info on places not mentioned here, go to thetroutfly.com/fishreport.html or call the Trout Fly and Troutfitter at (760) 934-2517.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 22 May 2008 )
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