(Image: Buster Brown locked up on a rising trout in a small mountain stream)
(Image: Buster locked up on... red wing blackbirds! He's only 13 months...)
My pup Buster has been assisting me lately on my work days and play days... He is birdy as hell and he's been fishing w/ me a bunch so he's starting to figure out that game, too!!
Thanks to all my wonderful clients and their referrals and friends etc that have allowed me to "live the dream" doing what I love everyday. The month of May has been fun, busy, and memorable. I'm off to a great spring campaign and it's promising to be a busy year of guiding. www.ReelMammothAdventures.com
My new availability calendar on my website has been great - why didn't I do it sooner? It shows my availability from the present date forward. If it shows I'm booked, get a hold of me anyway... I would be happy to recomend one of my other guide buddies to fulfill your quest.
We have experienced some FANTASTIC fishing this month!!!! From technical spinnerfall mornings on the East Walker to fishing dry flies on Hot Creek Ranch, to the down and dirty "midging" on Crowley Lake.
We have experienced some great moments for the spot & stalk... my favorite method of dry fly fishing hunting and guiding on gin clear streams. I love to see fish doing their thing and getting people in position to hook em'. It's as good for me as it is for you.
(Images: The EW is renown for homegrown meaty brown trout, Marc-not-w/ a k - Paquet hooked many nice ones, stuck like a pin, more brown gold, these guys everywhere, and Hugh Doi prospecting the EW after an incredible morning session)
The East Walker:
The East Walker has shown us some BEASTS this week. Landing them was difficult and I painfully witnessed 2-3 of the biggest brown trout I've seen in a while come un-zipped right at my feet. OOOOooooohhhhh, Snap!!!
Several days we were lucky enough to be at the right place/right time. Close your eyes and imagine very large brown trout confidently sipping inhaling spent mayfly spinners from the surface. Now imagine one nom, nom, noming your well executed dry fly presentation.
HE ATE IT!!!!!!
Those words were screamed into the ear hole of several lucky fellas this week. The battles didn't always culminate in a netted or touched fish - some of these trout were absolute hogs - but it doesn't matter. We experienced it. We know it was real and there were plenty of other very nice trout to hand to add to an overall great experience.
The EW is a smorgasbord right now w/ midges of all sizes and colors, several mayfly species active, caddis, a few stoneflies still, cranefly, and the occasional terrestrials like beetles and ants. I've also witnessed some small fish fry here and there and when bored - nothing shakes you out of your complacency - like an arm ripper on the streamer.
Hot Creek:
This week I have been fortunate to join the fun hogs of CalTrout as they sweep through the Eastern Sierra for a visit and some good times.
Kevin Peterson at Hot Creek Ranch has been the host extraordinaire, even dusting off the Guide Pack and getting wet to his elbows to help us all have a good time.
Casting dry flies to smart but silly wild trout in clear shallow water? Yes, please.
(Image: Mark Gangi holding a well earned prize on Hot Creek Ranch. There's such a terrific story to go along w/ this incredible fish it's worthy of a whole blog post by itself - it involved sighting 2 huge brown trout working a flat in 2 feet of water, hands & knees stalking to get in position, going to a "Plan B" (the much bigger trout spooked) while I watched the whole event from 40 feet away up high on a bluff. It was truly the highlight of my season so far! Thanks, Mark for making it all come to life. Other images... just more fun, and rainbows live here too.)
(Images: More HCR goodness Bruce w/ a well deserved 1st fish project - spot em and got em. Steve gettin bent in his personal fish aquarium, Bruce and Steve made a good team, HCR beauty, Steve working on his back eddy sipping trout project, Mark Gangi joins the party)
Most of these critters on the Ranch that are caught on dry flies are in the 12-14" range w/ a few pushing 15-16" and every once in a while, a fish in the 20" class emerges from the weeds to eat one - they are addicting when you see them back pedal on your #20 parachute caddis and gulp it in. On the Hot Creek, observation of the rise form, wise fly choice, competent casting (wind and weeds) and a drag free drift will earn you these fish, every time!!!
Also this week I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon out at the Inaja Ranch (thanks, Nick and Mary) for some windy adventures.
(Images: The beautiful Inaja Ranch on the Upper Owens River... where dry flies rule and hero shots not necessary. I fished with Richard and Randall and we had a great time casting dry flies to plenty of fish, despite the Argentina esq winds that pounded us relentlessly)
(Images: My daughter at the controls so it's all good, our own private beach w/ million $ view, she's checking the anchors - an excuse to get wet)
Took the day off for Mother's Day and cruised the Hawg Hunter out on Crowley Lake. We had our own private paradise on Christmas Bay Beach... just us, a few western grebes, the occasional pelican and a few midges. It was a warm and sunny day with the best company a guy like me could ask for... my wife, my daughter, and my dog. There were miles of openness and quite all around us.
Crowley Lake is currently GOING OFF!!! I will have a more in-depth report later, but in some some spots the fishing has been really good this week. Midge hatches are strong, and fish well fed!!
Runoff Update:
Runoff is beginning, but it has been very docile so far. I plan on fishing right through it unfazed. It won't be severe, and it won't last long. We have sooo many options here on the eastside of the Sierra!!!
Don't forget to check out my new availability calendar on my website www.reelmammothadventures.com - think quick - my Trinity River Steelhead dates for this winter 2012/13 season are going fast!!!! 760-914-0465 mobile, 760-924-0465 ofice or Neal2fish@qnet.com email
Our much anticipated celebration of Trout Fishing Season Opener weekend has come and gone... now that the party is over, it's time to enjoy some good fishing w/ less crowds!!
The adventurous and tradition bound anglers who visited for the 2012 Opener experienced some fantastic weather, for a change. Traditionally, the opener is cursed with cold, wind, and even snow some years.
Last season, 2011, the temps were near freezing and Crowley Lake had only JUST thawed out 2 days prior! This season we had temps in the mid to high 60's and Crowley Lake had been ice-free since January.
It's crazy how different 2011 & 2012 have been so far.
(Image: Nice hat!!! LOL, Lisa Santy's no stranger to the donkey farm we call the E Walker... plenty of these)
May & June are great months for fishing and visiting the Eastern Sierra. Many of our premier fishing destinations and lower elevation lakes have been ice-free for a while and fishing well out of the gate. The Mammoth Lakes Basin lakes are still mostly frozen, with Twin Lakes being the exception.
Forecast for the coming week is calling for warm days so we may see a kick start to the snow melt and runoff season. Whenever the nighttime temps fail to reach freezing levels up around 9,000-11,000 feet runoff will be a daily factor. Runoff should be short and weak this spring...
Hot Creek was a little higher and off color the other day, but the fish were CHOWING with the increased wash of bugs. BWO and midges are still very active. Caddis are showing up more every day and it won't be long till we start seeing the PMD's and little yellow stones appear, too. This is a fun time of year on the Crick.
The East Walker has been really good. It's technical at times when the fish are not feeding on active bugs - but being in the right place/right time can very worthwhile.
I would love to see the river blow up a bit to 200-300cfs - move some fish around, cleanse out some silt, beaver debris and muck. Bugs have been the usual bwo and midge variety for months (fish are getting hip to all the standard fly patterns). Caddis larva are progressing nicely along w/ stoneflies, cranefly and soon the terrestrials will offer up a change of scene!! Mixing it up we have had GREAT days fishing dry flies all up and down the river these past few weeks.
(Images: These winged guys don't get passed up often, John Wylie stuck a few toads even if a few got the best of us, typical EW lurker, Joe Santy, team Buff, will not be outdone by a sibling, buddy Brad McFall group trips are fun, finned football, and another cupping hero shot of our little heros of cold clean water)
Irrigation season has not begun just yet, so the NV ranchers have been conservatively holding back water in the Bridgeport Lake this spring - the lake is FULL POOL. Outflow release is mimicking inflow to the lake and has been lower than average release so far this spring season.
Due to the fact the lake is full and the NV ranchers have been holding back water there should be plenty of cold stuff flowing during the critical warmer periods of summer in July and August. Hopefully, this will mitigate the sometimes lethal warm water syndrome the EW is prone to during low snow-pack years during the hotter dog days of summer.
It was great too see all the boats and shore anglers who made the voyage to the Bridgeport Lake and surrounding area on Opening Weekend. Bridgeport is still the old west and a town full of character and characters. Worthy of a visit, for sure.
Crowley Lake is looking GREAT!!! I've been dusting off the Hawg Hunter (my 18' trout assault vessel) getting it prepped for a busy summer season on the lake.
The lake is super healthy right now with solid populations of browns, rainbows and LCT's in all age classes and sizes. With a lake at full pool to start the year and poised to slowly drop all summer I anticipate some great days out of Crowley this season! I will be spending a few days out there this week for some recon so check back for an early season report.
New News... I have been working on some changes to my guide service website www.ReelMammothAdventures.com I now have a booking availability calendar for ease of seeing my availability. If I'm not available on the dates you prefer, I'm always happy to set up or refer another local guide for you and your party. I only work w/ the BEST top local guides!
**Update - due to some re-scheduling a client had to make I am now open May 28, 29, 30, 31 Call or email me asap if you want to jump on these last available dates for May. I am booked the rest of this month 760-914-0465
That was the line I read recently in an add for Mammoth Lakes and Mono County fishing... Hahaha, clever. They are giving away a BOAT!!! Check it out here
It's late April and many of our local - all year around waters - are fishing really well. I have spent time on the Lower Owens, Hot Creek, and my favorite river this time of year... the East Walker!!
(Image: The Golden Child, Lenny Stahl, has a knack for finding and vacuuming up the big fish. He is like having a personal R&D client who can flat out fish)
Flows on the Lower Owens have been holding under 300cfs - this is a GREAT flow for walk & wade fishing for those who know the river. Some of my favorite sections of the river actually fish better at this flow release, especially when water temps hit the 50's!!!!
There is a smorgasbord of bugs hatching right now!! BWO's, PMD's, craneflies, little yellow stones, midges and caddis. The Lower Owens has probably the most consistent and abundant hatches of any stream along the Eastern Sierra - that's saying a lot because Hot Creek and East Walker are serious bug factories, as well.
There are many techniques w/ the fly rod that work well here and that is the fun of fly fishing the Lower Owens... catching all wild brown trout on the swing with small emergers is a blast!!
If you've never experienced the Lower Owens in higher (higher than winter flows) water you don't know what you are missing!!! This is one good reason to hire a top local guide who can teach you a new thing or two. A big hint - it's not necessary to use multiple BB shot or AB shot... LOL ... to get your flies down to where the fish are actually holding and feeding. Don't fish winter water for springtime fish...
Hot Creek & Upper Owens, our two spring creeks, continue to fish well. The Crick is Mr. Consistent and excellent w/ dry flies right now. Midges, BWO's and some caddis are on the menu daily. Scuds and smaller general attractor nymphs round out the desert menu.
The Upper Owens can be amazing this time of year, but you will have to work for your fish and cover a lot of water.
Not good at stalking and spotting big fish?? This is one of the best places to hone your skills and practice the quiet sneak. Few other rivers on the Eastside can be as rewarding as the spot and stalk technique on the Upper Owens. Crowley produces many 3-4 pound+ trout that migrate into the Upper Owens at different times of the year, and there are a few resident brown trout that lurk under the cut banks.
Good polarized sun glasses, a quiet soft approach, and an accurate delicate presentation may just blow your mind of what is possible in this gem of a river.
The East Walker is still experiencing slightly lower than average flows but that will probably change any day now. The river has been experiencing gradually warming water temps - into the prime zone. Many days this week have exceeded our expectations and delivered some ever lasting memories for me and my peeps.
(Images: Nick, on the right is fairly new to fly fishing... but he has fishy instincts, is a quick learner, and a great listener - all good attributes to a very fine outing. Nick and Lenny have been slammed w/ work and told me they needed some R&R and fishing time before their heads exploded. Fishing is a great way to relax and get away from the grind once in a while. These guys grind metal and allow wheels to go round in style... check out http://www.motorsport-tech.com/ )
We fished the East Walker river last Saturday during a pretty intense snowstorm (was un-crowded and actually pleasant, not as cold as you think) But on Sunday we experienced sunny warm (in the 50’s) conditions! Don’t like the weather? Just wait a day…Ha!
The snowstorm day produced... you guessed it... the most phenomenal baetis (BWO) hatch I have experienced this season. Blankets of mayflies for hours... you would think the fish had too much to choose from and wouldn't bother eating our patterns (it happens sometimes) but they chewed our flies nonetheless. Sometimes having the right fly pattern makes all the difference. These are the things you pick up with time on the water and a lot of experimentation... this is what a guide does for a living.
The EW should only get better and better in the coming weeks. I've seen a few caddis popping in the lower river along with stoneflies. BWO and midges are the bulk of the upper river hatches. We had a few monsters chase and boil on streamers, so that could be a fun game plan as well.
My smarter more opportunistic clients who read between the not too subtle lines are filling my April and May dates! Get on them now, or wait another year to experience what I feel is some of the best trout fly fishing of the year - it's right now!!!
Available Dates:
April 29
May 28, 29
Call me at 760-914-0465 mobile, or 760-924-0438 office - Email Neal2fish@qnet.com or visit my ACTUAL website www.reelmammothadventures.com Let me know if the dates you want are not available - I would be happy to refer you to another top local guide or put on list for cancellations.
