Fish Report - October 17th
Troutfitter Fish Report
October 17, 2024
Weather & General Report for Eastern Sierra
If you haven’t heard, there was a significant fish kill on the East Walker recently. Fish & Wildlife determined the cause was an overabundance of CO2.
Weather report for Long Valley: A cooldown is expected tonight with showers; Windy and then a slight warming trend into the middle of next week. As per usual for this time of year, DWP is running water through the tunnel out of Grant Lake into the Upper Owens. The flows have come up from 69 cfs to 112.
If you're in Mammoth and need a quick fix, Mammoth Creek in town and below Highway 395 has been a lot of fun. The smaller streams like Bishop Creek, Rock Creek, and Lee Vining Creek are getting low but still fishing well. This sounds repetitive, but that’s because the flows are still good and the fishing is too.
Click Here For Weather Forecasts
Crowley Lake
|
Flows & Water Conditions |
The lake level is dropping more slowly now, approximately 6 inches a week. Surface temperatures are dropping nicely and the algae is disappearing. |
Click Here For Crowley Flow Rates
Click Here For Crowley Webcams
Fishing Report & Conditions: Fair-Very Good
Not much to add; Fish may have moved a slightly south toAlligator point and Sandy Point but nothing confirmed.
Fishing pressure has been lighter since Labor Day weekend with most of the pressure in the north end. With the conditions improving, the channels are becoming less important and the fish are spreading out. Fish seem to be moving back into slightly shallower water at 6’-14’ but the fish are also moving back into deep water at 25’-30’ deep. The problem with the deep water is that’s also where the Perch and Chub are hanging out and if you don’t recognize the differences on your fish finder it can make for a long day. The basic difference is that the Perch and Chub will school up vertically while the trout will be more spread out and hugging the bottom.
McGee Bay has been abandoned but the fish are still there. The north end has been the place to be - almost all of the boats have been in the Owens Channel, but they are now spreading out. Layton Springs has been the latest hot spot but as it slows down the boats are scattering. The fish seem to be open to a lot of different meals with perch and midges being the primary choices. Midges in the darker colors seem to be working the best but don’t be afraid to experiment. Also, smaller midge patterns seem to be preferred, #14-18 scud hooks.
If you’re just looking for action, Hilton Bay has lots of smaller fish, and the recently stocked fish have already repopulated the Crooked Creek arm but they are very small. There are a few bigger fish in deeper water but you have to work hard for them. If you’re looking to shore fish, 6 Bays and Whiskey Bay are good choices.
Flies
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Dries |
Adult Damsel #12 | Deer Hair Damsel Blue #14 | Organza Callibaetis Spinner #16-18 | Callibaetis Para Nymph #16-20 | |
|
Nymphs |
Copper Tiger #S-L | Albino Baron #S-L | Double Bead Zebra #S-L | Poxyback Callibaetis #14-16 | Rickerts Emerging Callibaetis | Ultra Damsel Olive #14-16 | Hula Damsel Tan or Olive #16 | Monroe Leech | |
|
Streamers |
Punk Perch Light #16 | Balanced Punk Perch Light or Dark #14 | Perfection Perch #8 | Hornberg #8-10 | Balanced Birds Nest Olive & Natural #12-14 | |
Upper Owens River
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Flows & Water Conditions |
Good but going up |
|
Clarity |
With water being pulled out of Grant Lake the water quality has been jumping up and down. Also the water temperature has dropped and the migratory fish seem to have started moving upstream faster. |
|
CFS |
112 |
Click Here For Upper Owens Flow Rates
Fishing Report & Conditions: Fair-Good
Despite all odds, the Tricos are still going strong from 9:30-11, but remember the spinners are going to be available until early afternoon. The hatches are still about an hour later and Craneflies and Aquatic Moths are back. Craneflies appear midmorning and the moths appear early and late. The Tricos should be winding down pretty soon and the next mayfly hatch will be the BWO’s, there are a few just starting to show up.
It’s consistently crowded, weekdays and weekends. It’s probably good that the flows are up and the water is dirty because etiquette and stealth are rare commodities. The tough thing is that with all of the pressure from this summer, the actively feeding fish have gotten super picky. If you are looking for bigger fish, getting your flies down in the big holes and back under the banks will improve your odds.
Hopper-droppers are still working well with small #20-24 mayfly nymphs. The stocked Rainbows are now spread throughout the public water while the migratory browns are either under the cut banks or up in the private ranches. The Tiny BWO are still coming off, hatching midday - Hence the Hopper-Dropper rig. There’s a new mayfly showing up occasionally - not sure what it is but it’s rusty brown in color, about #16-18, hatches in early afternoon. and the egg laying is mid-morning. We are also seeing minnows and fry hanging out in the drowned grass on the inside of the river bends. Evenings are good for male Tricos, Caddis hatches, and Caddis egg-laying.
Flies
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Dries |
Spider Variant Trico #20-22 | Extended body BWO #16-22 | Assorted Foam Hoppers #8-12 for Hopper Dropper Rigs | Adult Midge Patterns #20-24 | |
|
Nymphs |
Drowned Trico Spinner #18-22 | Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail #14-22 | HDA Fav Variant #12-16 | Chamois Caddis #16-20 | Spring Creek Hopper #12-16 | M/Pardi F/B Olive or Brown #18-20 | Weiss BP Light #18-20 | Slush Egg Apricot #14 | EZ Fl. S/Burst #20 | Squirmy Wormy #12-14 | |
|
Streamers |
Keslars H/B/G Olive | Punk Perch #16 | Crostons MRS Natural #12 | |
Hot Creek
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Flows & Water Conditions |
Fair; The weed beds in the canyon have dropped dramatically with the water cooling down. |
|
Clarity |
Good |
|
CFS |
7 |
Click Here For Hot Creek Flow Rates
Fishing Report & Conditions: Good - Very Good (Technical)
So much for the hatches slowing down - they seem to be getting stronger, not weaker.
The Interpretive Site has been doing well but the crowds have followed. If you want to avoid the crowds, wait for the midday wind to clear them out. With the cooling of water the weed beds are thinning out, hopper-droppers can be a good choice. The female Trico emergence starts around 9:30 AM, and the hatch is getting stronger not weaker. The Trico spinner fall starts around 11 AM, and those Trico spinner patterns will work through midday. Midday we’re seeing the start of the BWO hatch, #18-20 and also some caddis as well. Late afternoons and evenings hold male Trico hatches, Caddis egg-laying, and Caddis emergence. With the dropping of flows, bird predation is getting worse in shallower water, so expect the fish to move under the banks and weed beds.
Two guide tips: 1) When casting, if you’re looking at the weed beds, you will hit them, so look at the clear lanes. 2) Your drifts should be 4 seconds or less followed by a smooth but aggressive backcast - You will be amazed by the number of hookups you didn’t even know were there.
Flies
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Dries |
Upright Organza Trico #18-22 | Brooks Hot Creek Caddis #18-22 | Spent Wing Caddis #16-20 | Spring Creek Hopper Tan or Yellow #10-16 | Juicy Hopper #10-12 | |
|
Nymphs |
Tung Stud Black #18-20 | Split Case PMD #14-18 | HDA Fav #14-16 | Expecting Scud #16-18 | Drowned Trico Spinner #20-22 | Nori Caddis Olive or Brown #14-22 | M/Pardi F/B Olive or Brown #18-20 | Weiss BP Light #18-20 | Zebra Midge #22-24 | T-Midge #22-24 | Real Midge #22-24 | |
|
Streamers |
Kesslars H/B/S Olive & Natural #12 | |
East Walker River
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Flows & Water Conditions |
Fair |
|
Clarity |
Poor, even well below the bridge |
|
CFS |
96 |
Click Here For East Walker Flow Rates
Fishing Report & Conditions: Fair-Good?
Reports from Ken’s Sporting Goods are promising. Below the 182 bridge is fishing okay, getting better the farther downstream you go. Mainly nymphing is working, but dry-dropper could provide decent success and the streamer fishing is picking up. One of our guides was up there a few days ago and said the fishing was good but outside of the strong Trico emergence and some scattered bigger caddis and midges, the hatches were weak. One of the other guides was up there recently and the water was very murky, but was fishing decently.
Flies
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Dries |
Chernobyl OJ #6-10 | Adult Cranefly | Mimic May Light Cahill #14 | Missing Link #12-16 | Double Duck #14-18 | Trico Spider Variant #18-22 | Sparkle Flag Black #20-22 | Upright Organza Trico Spinner #20-22 | |
|
Nymphs |
San Juan Worm Red | GB FB Pheasant Tail #14-20 | HDA Fav #12-16 Drowned Trico Spinner #18-22 | Tung Stud Black #20-22 | Trico Epoxy Wing Case #22 | Poxyback Trico #20 | Keslar’s Iggy Olive #14 | Caddy Shack Olive #12-14 | Bead Diving Caddis Tan #16-20 | |
|
Streamers |
Try ‘Em All |
Lower Owens River
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Flows & Water Conditions |
Poor |
|
Clarity |
Poor |
|
CFS |
442 |
Click Here For Lower Owens Flow Rates
Fishing Report & Conditions:?
The flows are still at nearly 450 and access is tough but the midge hatches are huge and the Trico’s are starting around 9:30. If size of fish doesn’t matter and solitude is important, now could be the time.Some nice 8-13” Browns but the main characters are the Rainbows. They are small, around 6” but they are wild, fat and everywhere, a good sign for the future.
The normal summer pattern is: Micro Caddis emergence starting around 6 AM, female Trico emergence around 7 AM, and the Trico spinner fall from 9-10 AM. Remember that fish will eat the dead spinners for many hours after the fall stops. PMD hatches are occurring around 11 AM. Later in the summer, the tiny BWO 11 occur mid-afternoon. Caddis emergence, male Trico emergence, and Caddis egg-laying occur in the evening.
San Joaquin River (Middle-Fork)
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Flows & Water Conditions |
Flows are on the skinny side and water temperatures are in the 60s |
|
Clarity |
Good |
|
CFS |
10 |
Click Here For San Joaquin Flow Rates
Fishing Report & Conditions: Good - but get there fast
Fishing has been better elsewhere and the guides have been avoiding the driving conditions. If you want to fish it, go now as water levels are dropping quickly. Fishing has improved with a good mixture of hatches. The mornings are seeing Midges, Caddis, small Golden Stones, and Yellow Sallies. Remember access is limited to Saturday and Sunday with minimal services.