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Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009
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Rush Creek Ponds |
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Sunday, 19 August 2007 |
By Kent Rianda
There is a proposal before the State Water Resources Control Board authored by longtime resident Dick Dahlgren. Dick lived and fished in Mammoth for 27 years before moving to Idaho in the late 90s. He was mentor to many of the master guides who ply our local waters today.
In the late 90s, the LADWP was ordered by the courts to restore Rush Creek to its pre-1941 conditions, which has never been achieved. Dick’s proposal is for a series of ponds to be made along Rush Creek between U.S. 395 and Mono Lake that would make it a premier fishery. The state body that can enforce the law and make this come true is the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights.
You can view the whole proposal at www.waterrights.ca.gov/hearings/monolake.htm, and if you agree that this would create an exciting new fishery, you need to write a letter (as in “on paper,” no e-mails accepted) to the SWRCB simply voicing your opinion as simply as “We want the Rush Creek Pond Scheme to be adopted.”
For more information and the names and addresses of SWRCB officials, you can go to the troutfly.com/rushcreek.html. If you have additional questions, you can e-mail additional questions directly to Dick at
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Here are the recommendations from the 15 Trout Fly and Troutfitter guides on the water daily.
For the bait and lure anglers...
Crowley Lake: Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used, and a two fish limit, 18 inches or bigger, is in effect. McGee Bay, Green Banks and both Hiltons are the hot spots right now. Also North End has started to turn on in the last week. Some decent reports on Sandy Point and Alligator Point have come in this week showing signs of fish. The fish are really starting to spread out and attack perch fry. Thomas Bouyants in in Gold/Red or Perch, Rapala CD-3 in Gold or Perch, 3/16 Krocodile in Fire Tiger and Jake's Spin-A-Lure in Gold with Red Dots and Trout Traps are a good pick when fishing from boat. These things imitate the small fry very well, and have a lot of erratic motion to them, which triggers strikes, so hold on! Trawlers should be fishing in 20-35 feet of water with Rapala CD-3 through 5 in Gold or Perch, Needlefish in Dr. Death or Gold, Tazmanian Devils in Christmas Tree or Orange, and 1/4 ounce Kastmasters in Silver with Chartreuse tape or Perch pattern. Remember to pinch your barbs down.
June Lake Loop: June and Grant have been fishing well. Excellent reports from Silver Lake have been coming in all week. Focus on drop offs and deep bays. Berkley Gulp Eggs in Red or Chartreuse, and Berkley Gulp dough in Orange Pulp or Chunky Chartreuse. Try using a 3" Red or Orange Berkley Trout Worm with a split shot 2-3 feet above the worm, and drag or wiggle the worm along the bottom. For Throwing lures try 1/4 ounce Cyclone in Rainbow Trout or Brass, CD-3 Rapalas in Gold and Fire Tiger, 1/4 ounce Phoebe in Sliver or Gold and 1/4 ounce Panther Martin in Black with Red Dots.
Mammoth Lakes Basin: Upper Twin and George has been the two hot spots for the last week. Lake Mary has been producing a good number of big Alpers Trout, go deep for these guys. Try Berkley Gulp Eggs in Pink or Orange, Berkley Power Trout Worms in Orange or Pink with a couple split shot 2-3 feet above and Berkley Gulp in Orange Pulp or Rainbow Candy. For lures try 1/4 ounce Thomas Buoyant in Frog or Silver/Blue, 1/8 ounce Rooster Tail in Yellow or Green, Thunderbolt in Gold and CD-3 Rapala in Gold or Fire Tiger. Don't forget Banana/Silver or Pearl trout traps. Trawlers getting down 5 to 6 colors with Flat Fish and Tazmanian Devils are pulling up good numbers of big brown and rainbow trout.
Convict Lake: Not much has changed on convict for the last few weeks. Berkley Gulp in Chunky Chartreuse or Chunky Cheese, Berkley Gulp Eggs in Red or Orange. For Lures try 1/4 ounce Cyclones in Silver/Blue or Gold/Red, 1/4 ounce Kastmasters in Gold or Silver with Orange Tape and CD3 or 5 Rapalas in Brook Trout or Rainbow Trout. Give a try with a Berkley Trout Worms with a split shot rig.
Rock Creek Lake: The “Rock” has been fishing well for most anglers. Berkley Gulp in Rainbow Candy or American Pie, Berkley Gulp Eggs in Chartreuse or Pink, Berkley Power Bait in the Salmon Peach. For lures try 1/8 ounce Kastmasters in Gold or Cutthroat, 1/8 ounce Thomas Buoyant in Gold or Frog and 1/32 ounce Trout Trap in Pearl or Roe.
San Joaquin River: The water is getting very low. Try baby Night Crawlers and Berkley Gulp Eggs in Red. For lures try 1/12 ounce Phoebe in Gold or Silver, 1/16 ounce Panther Martin in Yellow with Red Dot or Black with Red Dots and Trout Traps in Banana/Sliver or Golden Blue Shadow.
For the fly fishermen...
Mammoth Lakes Basin: Try a #10 Pop's Bugger in Olive with a #16 Copper John, #16 F/B Pheasant Tail, or #16 Hare's Ear as the trailer. Later, if they are on the surface, hang a PT, Hare's ear or anything "buggy" about 1-2 feet under an indicator, or try skating gaudy dries, like Royal Coachman's, across the surface.
Hot Creek: The water is getting pretty low, which is creating some challenging fishing for most. Try a #18 Micro Caddis Larva or #18 Barr's Midge Larva. A size #16 stimulator with a trailer should produce. For adults try Brooks Sprout PMD, Comparadun PMDs, and Hackle Stacker and Hatch Matcher PMDs all in size 18 and 20. In the evening, Elk Hair Caddis and Parachute Caddis (#18 to #22) in dark colors work well on top.
San Joaquin River: Flows are getting lower and fishing is best in the evening. Go to attractor patterns like Royal Wulffs, Humpies, Light Cahills, Parachute Adams and the like in #12-18.
Crowley Lake: The fish are starting to get on the Perch fry more and more, so hang a small Perch pattern half way down if you're fishing under an indicator. On the bottom use a Blood Worm early, and then go to a flashback Pheasant tail trimmed like a midge in size 14. Start stripping along weed lines with Stillwater Hare’s #14-10.
Upper Owens River: The Upper “O” continues to pump out some great fish escaping the high water temps in the lake. Attractor patterns like Humpies and Royal Coachmen will fool the planted fish and try Elk Hair Caddis #16 (tan, gray and olive), and Dave's Hoppers #8-12 for the wiser ones.
East Walker River: Flows are low and water temps very high are making for low oxygen content in the water. We are not recommending fishing, but if you must, fish early and late and take extra time to revive the fish.
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.
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 14 years, probably more than any person alive. His primary guiding interest is teaching.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 26 August 2007 )
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