Mammoth Lakes Area

Weather Report

Don't forget your water bottles and sunscreen as you hit the lakes, rivers and creeks. The water's reflection seems to like to help the sun in its constant attempts to turn us all bright red and leave us sadly remembering the trip. Don't forget life jackets for the kids if you are fishing from a boat!

The following report courtesy The Trout Fly:

REPORT AS OF 8/5/2010

A break from the heat wave with milder temps and some partly cloudy days the call for this weekend and into next week. Fishing is pretty much excellent everywhere, even Crowley!!

Note that the flow shown for Hot Creek is the flow into Hot Creek from Mammoth Creek, which is in addition to the normal flow from the springs that feed this primarily spring creek.

*For Crowley Lake and Upper Owens, take average of Mammoth and Bishop temperatures.

We only report first-hand info from our sixteen guides on the water daily.

Mammoth Lakes Basin

Water Conditions: Water has warmed up nicely. All the lakes above town are full of water and fish.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good. Continued sunshine has developed bug hatches nicely in the shallower lakes.

Recommended Flies:

DRIES: #14 Elk Hair Caddis, #16-18 Stimi's, Loco Beetles. #14 Black Gnats

NYMPHS:Yellow callibaetis, # 16 Prince nymph, #16 Hares Ears Natural, #14-18 Pheasant Tails.

STREAMERS:#10 BH Docs in cinnamon or olive color.

Guides Hint: Look for cover or stucture that provide fish with protection and feeding opportunities

Hot Creek

Water Conditions: Good

The water is down to 39cfs as of 8/4

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Excellent, time dependent. Try to fish very early or quite late.

Same basic bugs as usual. Tricos, caddis, hoppers.

The heat and overhead sun shuts down fishing in the middle of the day.

Recommended Flies:

DRIES: #20-22 Trico spinners. Hoppers and Chernobyl ants #10-16, Spent Partridge, CDC Caddis. Occasional Little Yellow Sallie

NYMPHS: #20 Trico, Soft Hackles, Translucent Pupa Caddis #10. #20 Flashback Optimidge. #18-20 Zebra midges. #16-18 Flashy Scuds, all colors.

STREAMERS: Try big and dark streamers early and late, #10 Doc's BH in black

Guides Hint:

San Joaquin River

Water Conditions:

Water flows are fishable.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Fair. Water flows have improved and the fish are rising to dry's.

Recommended Flies:

DRIES:#18 Cahill Dunns, #16-18 Parachute Adams, #14-18 Stimi's, #18 Humpys, #18 Little Yellow Sallies

NYMPHS:#16 Golden Stone Flies, #16-18 Micro Mayfly Copper Beadhead, #18-20 Hares Ear Natural

STREAMERS: Try Crystal Flash buggers in all colors depending on the time of day

Guide's Hint: The flow gets slower as you hike upstream

Crowley Lake

Water Conditions: The algae is everywhere from flecks to stringy lake wide making for difficulty in getting a fly down through the goop.

Winds move it around daily. You just have to go check it out.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good to Excellent

The big fish are still working the clear water near the mouth of McGee and sipping Perch fry, Damsels, and Callibaetis on the flats on both sides of the channel.

If you can cast 50 ft it doesn't get any more fun than sight casting to big rolling fish sipping damsels and Callibaetis, or fish a big Stimulator with a small midge a foot below it in 2.5 - 3 ft of water off the channel. You need 6X to get the most grabs so be prepared to donate a few flies to break-offs when the pigs light up and all you hear is "ping" on the take.

You can also midge in the channel from 5 ft to 13 ft about 250 ft to choose from as the fish are spread out.

Try slooooow strippng a samll Perch or Damsel imitation across the surface with a dry line. Go 3X for this or forget about it!

Too long a kick in your float tube . . . try 12 to 14 ft of water in Little Hilton if you can dodge the algae and the fleet of boats and float tubes. This is an early bite, like 6:00 am until 9 then the fleet sends the fish either away or into the lock-jaw mode.

Recommended Flies:

Gray/Black Optimidge in size 18 under the indicator or a big greased up Adams or Stimulator

Extended body BWO on the surface or Doug's Calibaetis.

(see http://thetroutfly.com/CALIBAETIS.pdf)

Ultimate Damsel and small Hornberg or bird's nest for stripping just under the surface. You will see your backing plenty if Mr. 22 takes it in 3ft of water and heads for the deep at Mach II.

FORGOT ONE IMPORTANT HINT . . . AT LESS THAN 5 FT DEPTH THOSE BIG AND BRIGHT INDICATORS POINT OUT TO THE FISH EXACTLY THE BUGS THAT BITE BACK AND TO AVOID! USE A BIG DRY FLY (LIKE STIMULATOR) AND YOU WILL SEE REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE IN TAKE FREQUENCY. -k

Guide's Hint: Stillwater Classic is this next weekend . . . step up and give back to our favorite pond! As most of you all know, I gladly give info/help to any and all on the lake when I am not busy with guiding clients. That is unless I recall seeing you lots on the lake and not at the Classic! He who gives, gets! -k

Upper Owens

Water Conditions: Flows have risen slightly to 104 cfs as of 8/4. Sunshine warms the smaller channels, so try to find the main river channels for cooler water and more fish.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches:

Good below Benton Crossing

Small fingerlings are being found above the bridge with most big fish located from Benton Crossing down towards Crowley.

DFG continues to stock the Upper O from the bridge at Benton Crossing down towards Crowley.

Midges, Tricos, Caddis and Hoppers found throughout the day

Recommended Flies:

DRIES: Skaddis or Spent Partridge Caddis in #18-22, Hoppers and Chernobyl Ants sizes 12-16. Stimulators in sizes 18-20

NYMPHS: Soft Hackles, #18 Pheasant Tails, #16 Zug bugs, #18 Hairs Ears, #18 Olive Birds Nests, #18-22 Red Or Black Zebra Midges

STREAMERS: Big dark Wooly Buggers sizes #8-#12 right against the bank.

Guide's Hint: Fishing early and late has been the ticket.

Owens River Gorge

Water Conditions: Great

Flow: 45 CFS. This is a permanent flow required to be maintained by LADWP

Water is clear and looking good.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good

The bite starts about 8:00 and goes until about 7 pm. Same bugs are working but have your dry flies ready for the baetis hatch around 12:00-2:00 followed by a nice Caddis hatch.

Recommended Flies:

DRIES: Elk hair caddis, parachute caddis, e/c caddis, hot creek caddis (olives, tans, browns) #18-#20s Tricos- spinners/emergers #18-#22s. Medium size hoppers still working well (lighter tans and brown w/red)

NYMPHS: poxy back baetis, wd-40s, kyles super flash p/t, beerhead baetis, Two Bit Hookers

STREAMERS: Wooley buggers and leeches(small) Lots of little white frogs,try some lighter colors.

Guide's Hint: Be prepared for killer temps

Lower Owens River

Water Conditions:

Flows have climbed to 556 cfs as of 8/4. Wading can be difficult with these flows, pick your locations carefully.

Clear water.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good

With higher flows sinking bigger dark colored nymphs will help you hook the big one. Look for seams and slower water

Hatches will change throughout the day. Typically midges, tricos, PMD, Caddis, hoppers

Recommended Flies:

NYMPH: Copper Johns or Pheasant Tails in a #14 or 16 on top and midges on bottom will produce nicely. Dark Birds Nests or Western Coachmens #14-16

DRIES: Tricos, size 20-24. Elk hair caddis, spent caddis,e/c caddis, ( tans and greys) #18-#20s, Brook's Sprout BWO's in 18-22.

STREAMERS: BH Purple or Rust color 'Buggers, short strips do well in the afternoon

Guides Hint: With high flows try to find areas that are easily fished without wading

Bridgeport Reservoir

Water Conditions: Water is clear and getting up in temp as runoff slows. Lots of weeds and well-defined channels.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Excellent

As the water in the reservoir warms continue to target the cold water channels of the inlets, especially Buckeye. Pull steamers with a dropper near the weed lanes for hunting Brown's.

Recommended Flies:

NYMPHS:Still finding success with Large Callibaetis patterns. Damsel patterns and PT's (#14 or 16) under the indicator have been good in the channels. Zebra Midges in black and gray.

STREAMERS: Punk perch

Guide's Hint:

East Walker River

Water Conditions: 270 cfs for 8/4.

As you go downsteam the water temps get warmer, especially in the afternoons.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches:

Some days there are people some days its empty, roll the dice.

Midges, Tricos, Some PMD, and Caddis are all hatching at different times of the day.

Recommended Flies:

DRIES: #18-22 Tricos and Trico Spinners, Egg Laying Caddis patterns, Hopper and Chernobyl Ant patterns. #16 PMD dunns have worked well. Go for a big Damsel as well

NYMPHS: #14-16 Caddis Pupa, #16 PT's, Hare's ears, Tan Birds Nests, Frontier Damsels, Zebra midges

STREAMERS: With water warming keep an eye out for perch fry. Perfection perch or Doc's Twin lake specials near the banks

Guide's Hint: I know its crowded but most fish are being found in the Miracle mile.