Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3813 June 7-21 2019 | Page 9
June 7 - 21, 2019
VOL.38 • ISS. 13
7
Catch & Release
Fishing Reports
Sponsored by Kiene’s Fly Shop
916-483-1222 • www.Kienesflyshop.com
9550 Micron Ave. Suite B • Sacramento, CA
FLY FISHING REPORTS
LITTLE TRUCKEE
Elevated Flows Keep
Anglers Away
Flows have increased a
little. There have been a few
good reports lately but most
fishermen are staying away
due to high flows. That being
said, some of the larger fish
are taken when water is high.
WEST WALKER
Forget It Until Flows
Drop
This big American River shad grabbed a well-
Water is still high and
presented fly on May 18.
muddy and though it may
Photo courtesy of KIENE’S FLY SHOP, Sacramento. clear up over the next month.
TRUCKEE RIVER
Off Color, But Trout Still
Hit
When the flows drop and
stabilize it will get plants by
both the CDFW and Mono
County. For those of you that fish
the river between the town of Walker
and Topaz Lake be aware that some
flooding is expected.
Flows rose a little this week but the
river remains off color but fishable
down to Glenshire Bridge. Below
UPPER OWENS RIVER
that it becomes chocolate. If you
Mixed Results For Most
do go, look for soft water near the
The Troutfitter reports that fishing
edges and strip or dead drift some
streamers
along the
edges. A pink
San Juan
Worm is
always good
this time of
the year in
the clearer
water as are
golden Stone
and midge
patterns.
A black
Rubberlegs
an entice
fish in murky
water.
Brian Olney scored this muscular rainbow during a recent outing at
Lake Crowley.
Photo courtesy of SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE, Bishop
has been
erratic
depending
which day
you are there.
Some days
you can do no
wrong and the
others can be
terrible. There
are a lot of
fish in the river
however, and
Jenny landed and released this impressive brown while fishing
if you can find Lake Crowley on Mother’s Day.
a spot that
Photo courtesy of SIERRA DRIFTERS GUIDE SERVICE, Bisho
hasn’t been
hammered
you probably will do well. Most of the
HOT CREEK
large spawning Crowley fish are back
Consistent Action
down in the lake. Baetis, Worms and
midges will work when they are willing
The Troutfitter reports that fishing
to eat.
is still good but flows are rising a
little each day. Not a lot of hatch
action this week but Midges are
hatching in the morning with Baetis
(BYOs) in the afternoon. A few
CROWLEY LAKE
Caddis are beginning to come off in
Fish Move Into Shallow
the mornings too. You are probably
Water
better off nymphing for the time
being. Check road conditions either
Not many reports this week from
opening day other than there were a lot at the Troutfitter or at Rick’s before
of fishermen on the lake. The Troutfitter you go into the gorge.
in Mammoth Lakes reports that the fish
are moving into shallower water (10’-
13’) and starting to get more
concentrated although
they’re still moving around
so don’t be too patient. The
perch are already moving
towards the shallow water
to spawn,9’to12’. The
best areas seem to be
the willow patch between
Mcgee Bay and Sandy
Point all the way up to
Green Banks and out to
Christmas Bay. The south
end seems to be a lot
slower but worth exploring.
Most fly fishermen had
some success with
dropping a midge under an
indicator. North end of the
Andy caught this frisky shad during a late May fly
lake is fishing best.
Fly Fishing Destinations In Focus:
The McCloud River
T
he McCloud River is arguably the holy
water of California Fly Fishing. If
anything, it is the mother of Rainbow Trout
fishing around the world, as it was the eggs
from its fish that were transported to many
places in the world that had been previously
barren of trout.
For fly fishermen, the river can be split
into two sections. The upper section above
McCloud Lake, can be accessed from several
roads that peel off from Hwy 89 that roughly
parallel’s the river for several miles. There
are several sections of great pocket water
and a good population of wild Rainbows that
are supplemented by hatchery fish during the
summer.
The Holy Water section of the river begins at
its outflow from Lake McCloud and continues to
Lake Shasta.
The McCloud has strong hatches of Caddis,
Mayfly, Stonefly and Midges. Probably the most
looked forward to, is the October Caddis hatch
each fall. The first major hatches in the spring
(river opens the last Saturday in April) are March
Browns and Golden Stoneflies Flies that hatch
from May through June. There are some giant
Salmon Flies too.
If you are a California fly fisherman the
McCloud is one of those rivers that needs to be on
your bucket list. It’s contribution to the history of
our sport makes it not only a special place but an
opportunity for a very quality fishing experience.
fishing expedition on the American River.
Photo courtesy of KIENE’S FLY SHOP, Sacramento.