Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. We finally got a shot of winter at the end of January and it was much welcomed as the Sierra snowpack is at alarmingly low levels. This winter continues to be in sharp contrast to what we saw last season and if you have any rain or snow dances I would encourage you to start hopping immediately! The long range forecast has no significant precipitation in sight and the weather has been far more akin to spring than the dead of winter.

One major example of how mild it has been is Crowley Lake. Sitting at an elevation of near 7000 feet Crowley is typically completely iced over end to end until late March/early April. From my vantage point at Drifters HQ I have been looking at an “ice free” McGee Bay since early January, and the lake currently has only light ice in Crooked Creek and near the dam. The vast majority of Crowley’s surface is clear! I have seen chironomids recently that have emerged from Crowley and my trophy pond is nearly ice free as well with the trout feeding aggressively here.

If the current weather pattern holds I suggest you make plans to fish Crowley/Bridgeport early. My experience with years such as this suggests a very strong opening with the fall being below average. Crowley will have a more normal “cycle” with the level beginning near full, and then lowering steadily throughout the season. You will not have to deal with the immense weed beds out to 20 feet of water this season, nor the filling of the lake onto the pastures where there is no food for the fish to forage on the mud flats. This year will be very strong for Chironomids and damsel flies, less so for callibaetis, baetis, and perch fry. The blue algae blooms will be less of a nuisance as well. The spring turnover will be earlier, the fall earlier as well. The down side is we will be at very low water levels on Crowley and Bridgeport come next fall if significant precipitation does not happen soon.

I “witnessed” a bunch of sub-catchable trout getting planted into both lakes this year and this will definitely lead to a better season than we have seen early on in both reservoirs for numbers. DFG allotments have been much lower in recent years which have decreased the trout populations in both lakes. You will see increased numbers of 10-12 inch browns by summer in both areas also, as they have been planted in numbers once again. I am seeing a bunch of them on the Upper Owens this winter in the 8-9 inch range. My outlook this season is very good early and I am optimistic about a good year on Crowley through mid- September for sure. Bridgeport will fish well through early July for fly fishers, may be iffy after that unless a good jag of snow comes our way here soon.

Upper Owens River:
Access was only by snowmobile or snowshoes for a while but the snow has really melted off and the eastside access road is currently open with a 4X4 and mud tires. It can be tricky in the afternoons especially near the fence line along the river after the ground thaws so be careful or you’ll be hit with a huge tow truck bill! There is still plenty of snow on the ground in areas along the river but snowshoes are not needed, I suggest rubber soled wading boots for sure.
The numbers of catchable browns and rainbows have increased recently and I have guided some groups to 40 fish days here while nymphing and tossing parachute midge patterns during the hatch. The bigs are still holding and these legendary migratory rainbows that move up during the winter from Crowley are spectacular! They can be hard to hook, and even more difficult to land. They can take off like a freak’n missile downstream and around a bend before you can even get moving. These fish will be here for another month before they head back to the lake. Some are beginning to pair up and make redds in the shallow gravel beds, watch where you step when crossing please.
We have been having success using my Assassin bird’s nest pattern #16, 18, flashback PT’s #16-20, San Juan Worm’s (Two Bug uses one that looks like a damn snake, calls it the evil wicked worm, thing is huge!) and glow bug/roe patterns before the hatches at time. You may also get a shot at some fine surface action after lunch. I like parachute midge or BWO imitations #18-22.

Lower Owens River:
The LO is not quite up to snuff right now even though the flows have leveled off at 255cfs below PV Reservoir. Cooler water emanating from Crowley/Rock Creek, lots of tannin leaching into the water from the rains, debris coming into the river from a couple of the bypass and irrigation canals, excuses-excuses! It will improve but it has been very slow in the drift boat sections and just so-so in the wild trout area. The weather has been very mild down in the Owens Valley overall, even though we did see a good shot of snow in late January and a whole bunch of rain. Not much surface action yet surprisingly??? despite the above average water temps. Look for this to change as February rolls on. Perhaps the best month to fish BWO adults in my opinion. 250cfs is right where crossing and access to some of the better spots in the wild trout section gets dicey. As the water continues to warm the fish will begin to migrate into the riffle water where it is easier to feed and there will be marked improvement if the flows remain at this release. Mayfly nymphs, midge larva and pupa patterns, caddis worms all in the 16-20 range will get you grabs here.
Drift boat trips have also been slow as of late; the weather nailed us a couple times although it has been very nice for the most part down in the OV. We continue to use the “dip & strip” method fishing streamer patterns with heavy sinking tip lines. I am confident things will change for the better here soon and the slow fishing will be ancient history!

At low flows you need to focus on larger pools like this while fishing the East Walker River.
East Walker River:
There is some snow and ice along the banks but it is not a factor in accessing the EW right now. It has been actually much warmer than usual this winter here although there have been some sub-zero days when the inversion layer sets in. I had a great day here a while back C & R 13 fish in three hours, 2 over 20 inches, and it never got above 40 degrees all day! Flows should begin to come up here some by the end of the month if it does not start raining soon. As is always the case in during winter releases-concentrate your efforts on the deeper pools and runs. It is not often that trout will move in any numbers into riffle water under these conditions. The BWO hatches are just beginning on the EW along with a consistent midge hatch on the high pressure days. Fish don’t move a long ways this time of year- so redundant dead drifts in the deeper water will get you grabs if you have patience and properly weighted nymphs. Smaller patterns in the #18-22 range are the norm here, but I have found that if you tie on a larger nymph and repeatedly drift it by one of those big EW browns you can get the fish to hit the fly out of aggression as opposed to it being hungry. Not everyone’s cup of tea, and I am not suggesting you foul hook the fish by any means. This is common practice with steelhead and salmon fisherman to get lethargic fish to bite your imitation. If the weather holds look for the EW to turn on big earlier this year. Bridgeport has plenty of water this winter and the fishing should be great on the EW through early summer.

Hot Creek:
The snow is really melting in the canyon where the sun hits. The walk in will have ice and snow so I suggest rubber soled wading boots and studs to keep your footing for the hike.
It has been fair to good on the warmer days with the baetis hatch just beginning to gel along with a strong showing of smaller midges during the high pressure periods. Water levels are great for this time of year, the warmer weather has some run-off at times from Mammoth creek and this is adding about double the amount we typically see during winter months. Dry/dropper nymph or emerger rigs are my favorite choice this time of year fishing the trenches in-between the weeds, or casting upstream into the larger pools and pocket water. Small crystal and broken back midges, scuds, and mayfly patterns are good choices for matching the hatch; but make sure you have a few SJ worms and some egg patterns as well. If it is cold or the barometer is dropping these will get you grabs when the fish are not co-operating.

Pleasant Valley Rez – “Little Crowley”
Under the right conditions this is one of the best fly fishing areas the Sierra has to offer. The “REZ” is heavily planted by the DFG and these fish can holdover and feed on the abundant food that comes in from the gorge and the Hydro pipeline out of Crowley. It is the true tail water section of the Lower Owens River and can be excellent for numbers with some very large planted rainbows to ice the cake.
The key here is hitting the Rez when the levels allow access to the transition area between the lake and the short but sweet river section located immediately below the powerhouse. Check the LADWP link we have at the top for PV’s elevation. 4382′ something is way too low, 4386′ is too high. I will get some local “s..t” for telling you this! If they are generating when you pull into the parking lot forget the river, but the lake will be fine. Break out the full sinks or heavy sink tips and head for the lake to troll streamers. The fish that have been in the Rez for a while resemble those that you see in Crowley. They feed on the abundant midge and mayfly population in both the reservoir proper and the river section that is surprisingly very much like the East Walker but smaller. Stillwater nymphing from a float tube along the steep drop-offs can be incredible for numbers. As the water warms in the late winter and spring, you that love to fish Crowley may want to look at PV for the same experience. Although not as picturesque, it certainly won’t matter when you have a shot at a 50 fish day. Use the same rigs as you would on Crowley, fish them around the 10 foot depth to start. My favorite way to fish here is by using a dry/dropper bead head nymph rigs and casting from the shoreline to rising “pods” of fish that migrate up from the Rez to feed in the slow moving transition water. 10 foot leaders and an absolute dead drift are tools you will need to get big numbers form these feisty rainbows and browns. Tiger midges are hard to beat as a nymph but there is a great population of mayflies and I have had great days using FB PT’s, bird’s nest, and hares ear patterns as well. Use a Stimulator or “high- vis” para post mayfly or midge adult and you may have quite a few grabs on the top as well during the hatch. We enjoy guiding this area and will provide tubes if you wish.

The Gorge
This can be a really fun place to go, and it is uncrowded for the most part. There is only a little snow in middle- no big deal, lower is fine. Consistent dry fly action can be had here as the fish seem to be more opportunistic and concentrated in the biggest pools. Midges and BWO’s are on the menu right now. Casting 25-40 feet and upstream presentations will catch you more fish. Moderate hiking and rock hopping mandatory, fish are wild and all browns. A golly whopper is 14 inches here.

Capt. Tom Loe
Sierra Drifters Guide Srv
p: 760-935-4250