Jim Stimson Reports on 9.17.20

I feel I am about to write a new Cormac McCarthy style novel; something dark, hopeless, with endless amounts of despair. If COVID were not enough, we now have thick, heavy, acrid smoke coming over the Sierra from one of the many fires burning in the State. With the extreme fire conditions (heat, wind, drought, not enough fire fighting personnel), all National Forests and BLM land are closed, temporarily. The agencies will reevaluate on the 21st but for now, you cannot even set foot on USFS lands. There is the campground on the Upper Owens and a BLM campground near Crowley Lake that is still open but everywhere else is closed. No campfires, no campfires, no campfires! Each day is a nail biter with residents poised and ready to evacuate as the Creek Fire burns out of control just 15 miles from Mammoth Lakes. Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. Please respect local businesses, each other, and be good stewards of the land. 

Finally, thank you firefighters! 

East Walker : Closed

West Walker : Closed

San Joaquin : Closed

Hot Creek : Closed

Upper Owens River

Well heh! Looky here! There is something that is actually open, flowing, and has trout. 

The flows sit at about 60 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 90 cfs. Most of the trophy trout have moved back into Crowley Lake but there are still some stragglers hanging around; nice browns and rainbows. You can get some top water action with elk haired caddis and tricos. I have had the best success nymphing with small pheasant tail or a soft hackled flies. 

Lower Owens River

The river is raging along at roughly 600 cfs. Beware of the high water levels, do not even think about wading across the river unless you enjoy swimming down the Owens Valley.

Get out there! You cannot catch fish if your line isn’t in the water. Stay safe!

Capt Bryce Tedford Reports on 9.4.2020

Topwater Largemouth & Smallmouth trips have been the name of game the last few months! Smallmouth season has been very consistent the last few weeks on the Delta. I have been finding many eager fish on Topwater poppers. Most of the fish are smaller but some larger fish are mixed in. It is such a pleasure to get newer anglers into the sport or watch seasoned anglers enjoy the Topwater action! Many guests have been bringing their kids & getting them into their first fish on a fly, what a treat for all in the boat! I will be focused on Smallmouth/Largemouth through August & the return my focus to Stripers come fall.

In addition to the Smallmouth I have made more of a focus on Largemouth & have been pleasantly surprised! I have been finding some eager Topwater fish & some larger fish on subsurface Streamers as well. Although Largemouth are more challenging than smallmouth they are very rewarding when you succeed & generally bigger as well! 

Largemouth 1/2 day trips offer Topwater fishing with heavy rods such as 8 or 9wt. We cast large poppers such as frog patterns to ideal holes in the weeds until a largemouth explodes on the fly! 

Smallmouth 1/2 day trips offer Topwater fishing with light rods such as 4 or 5wts. We cast small poppers towards rock banks & eagerly awaiting Smallmouth. This fishery is a great way to introduce beginners to the sport & fun for seasoned anglers who like Topwater poppers on light rods. 

I will likely do Largemouth & Smallmouth trips for 1-2 weeks more & then it’s time to turn the attention to Stripers! Stripers will start up mid-September & last until Christmas. Fall is a great time to get out & chase these amazing fish. I still have a fair amount of availability Oct.-Dec but dates won’t last long so book your adventure soon! 

Matt "Gilligan" Koles Report on 9.2.2020

Summer hanging on.

Record heat for the weekend. Though it does feel like summer is running out of gas. Mornings are cool, afternoons are hot, but that’ll change soon.

Not much change since last week's report. We’ve been smoke-free for the last few days. Been very Smokey in Tahoe and the Truckee Meadows. Smoke is good for fishing, much like cloud cover. Mornings have been good on the nymphing front.

Trouts are still in the faster water. Maybe not so much early, but the majority of the day.

It’s just about that time. Fall is around the corner. Then I’ll get more serious on the streamers.

Chuck Volckhausen Reports on 9.4.2020

Water clarity on the McCloud has improved and so has the fishing with it.  I would say quality more than quantity lately.  Hatches are few and far between still and I don’t expect to see many bugs on the Mccloud while the weather remains hot.  Come on cold weather, bring some rain and bring on the Caddis.

The Upper Sac is fishing well.  It’s warm in the lower reaches.  Please try to avoid fishing in the afternoon and evening anywhere below Sweetbriar.  The nights are cooling down up here and an early morning mission isn’t a bad idea right now.  The upper river near Mt. Shasta is cold and clear.  No problems fishing up here in the heat of the day.  Again, not so many bugs rights now.  Especially during the midday.  We could use some cold weather and some rain here too. 

Excited for Fall??  Me too!!!

Fall for us means “let’s go fishing”!  All the trout streams in our area are fantastic fall fisheries.  Both the McCloud and Upper Sac will have hatches happening on a consistent basis once the air temps and water temps cool a bit.  We’re almost there.  I’m looking forward to fishing more dry flies and seeing the big Caddis moving around.  The Fall brings in the “big ones” 🤷‍♂️... and with that said I’m ready for some anadromous fish on the end of the line.

Steelhead fishing on the Klamath is right around the corner for us.  I still haven’t heard any legit reports on what’s happening down at that shit show they call the mouth.  (If you have been this Summer I’d love to hear what you have to say about it)  But I haven’t reached out much yet either.  I’m crossing my fingers in hopes of a decent Salmon run this year.  I feel like it’s been a while.  In fact, it has been a while. I’m ready to get down there and check it out.  I love the Fall season on the Klamath.  It’s time for Spey rods with floating lines and silver lightning shorties jumping around recklessly.  September came quick this year and October to follow really soon.  Get ready. 

Good luck out there friends!!

Jim Stimson Reports on 9.2.2020

Wow, Labor Day weekend….. the mornings are starting to cool off and with the lower sun angle, the mountains are beginning to get that autumn hue. We are expecting record high temperatures for the next several days. It should be a fun weekend. Keep in mind there are NO campfires permitted now, even in developed campgrounds. And ad nauseam…. both Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. COVID is running rampant. Please respect local businesses and be good stewards of the land. Take care of your trash, TP, sewage. That does not mean leave it for someone else to pick up. Leave no trace. NONE!

East Walker

The East Walker is very vulnerable to warm water conditions. The Bridgeport Reservoir is a heat collector and the water released into the East Walker in the summer months is tepid. Currently the flows are 95 cfs. Even first thing in the morning the water temps are in the low 70’s. Give the trout a break…. but if you insist on fishing up there, fish in the morning with heavier tippet so you can land fish quickly, then once it gets too warm, reel in, hop in your car, and head for the high country. West Walker The flows are 19 cfs, low and boney. The West Walker has gin clear water so use some stealth when approaching the water and fishing. A dry-dropper setup or Euro-style nymphing is deadly on this pocket water.

San Joaquin

The road to the Postpile and the San Joaquin River are open. Because of the pandemic, the shuttle busses will not operate this season. There will be some kind of quota system for driving your own vehicle down into the canyon. It is a zoo down there……. The flows are at 15 cfs

Hot Creek

The creek is flowing through the canyon at roughly 34 cfs. Target your casts to the feeding lanes between the weeds and rocks, plus the overhanging grasses along the margins. You may not see fish, but they are there. Try a dry-dropper setup with a caddis above and a midge or small mayfly below. Hot Creek is always a fun place to fish. If you enjoy technical fishing, this is the place to practice your laser-guided casts, mending, and good drifts. The canyon is home to not only some nice trout, but deer, osprey, and the occasional bald eagle. Enjoy!

Upper Owens River

The flows sit at about 61 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 90 cfs. Most of the trophy trout have moved back into Crowley Lake but there are still some stragglers hanging around; nice browns and rainbows. When the afternoon breezes kick in, throw on a small hopper with a “drowned” hopper below. Aim your casts along the shoreline, tight to the banks and overhanging grasses. Money!

Lower Owens River

The river is raging along at roughly 546 cfs. Beware of the high water levels, do not even think about wading across the river unless you enjoy swimming with the fish.

Get out there! You cannot catch fish if your line isn’t in the water. Stay safe!

Jim Stimson Reports on 8.27.20

Ughh! California is an inferno. Other than smokey air quality that you could cut with a knife, the Eastern Sierra is one of the few places in the State not on fire. But, we all need to exercise caution. There are NO campfires permitted now, even in developed campgrounds. And ad nauseam…. both Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. COVID is running rampant. Please respect local businesses and be good stewards of the land. Take care of your trash, TP, sewage. That does not mean leave it for someone else to pick up. Leave no trace. NONE!

Jim Stimson Reports on 8.13.20

Fishing is solid for the most part, depending on where you visit. The smaller creeks are low and boney but if you fish on the Owens River system, Hot Creek, or the high country lakes, you can have an enjoyable experience. Be advised, both Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. In the past two weeks the number of positive COVID cases have tripled in Mono County. Beware! Please respect one another in these tenuous days. And, no fires allowed if you are outside a developed campground. Thank you.

East Walker

The East Walker in particular is vulnerable to warm water conditions. I am giving the river a break until the summer cools down……If you fish up there, again, watch the river temps. Fish in the morning with heavier tippet so you can land fish quickly, then once it gets too warm, reel in, hop in your car, and head around the Sweetwater Range to try the West Walker. The flows on the East Walker are at 95 cfs.. 

West Walker

The flows are 44 cfs and are perfect. The West Walker has gin clear water so use some stealth when approaching the water and fishing. A dry-dropper setup or Euro style nymphing is deadly on this pocket water. 

San Joaquin

The road to the Postpile and the San Joaquin River are open. Because of the pandemic, the shuttle busses will not operate this season. There will be some kind of quota system for driving your own vehicle down into the canyon. It is a zoo down there……. The flows are at 34 cfs

Hot Creek

The creek is flowing through the canyon at roughly 36 cfs. Target your casts to the feeding lanes between the weeds and rocks, plus the overhanging grasses along the margins. You may not see fish, but they are there. Try a dry-dropper setup with a caddis above and a midge or small mayfly below. Hot Creek is always a fun place to fish. The canyon is home to not only some nice trout, but deer, osprey, and the occasional bald eagle. Enjoy!

Upper Owens River

The flows sit at about 62 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 100 cfs. Most of the trophy trout have moved back into Crowley Lake but there are still some stragglers hanging around; nice browns and rainbows. When the afternoon breezes kick in, throw on a small hopper with a “drowned” hopper below. Money!

Lower Owens River

The river is cruising steady at roughly 500 cfs and is fishing well with all of the traditional patterns; PT’s, Hare’s Ears, midges, Frenchies…. The LADWP has been sending flushing flows through the Owens River Gorge and the Lower O, beware of the high water levels. If you enjoy hucking dry flies, this is the place. Around lunchtime, watch for BWO’s to start coming off the water. Be ready. The first thing you will notice is the bird activity along the river. You will see swallows, fly catchers, and sparrows flitting around the surrounding brush and diving at the river surface. Look for rises along the foam lines as fish snouts start poking up through the surface film. This BWO carnage only lasts about an hour. If you get finicky trout snubbing your dry flies, change your bug. Usually a sized 16-18 adams will get grabs, but often the trout are looking for a mayfly that is sitting lower in the surface film. An adams rides high so try a comparadun or a hackle stacker, they sit more within the film. Sometimes that is all you need to get back into the game.