Upper Owens

[mtbright]

Wife and I are going up to Mammoth for a few days, any word how it is fishing? or what set ups are being used?

I am to a dropper with some new bullet flies. just need to pick some colors.

Matt

 

[Bigfly]

Wife and I are going up to Mammoth for a few days, any word how it is fishing? or what set ups are being used?

I am to a dropper with some new bullet flies. just need to pick some colors.

Matt

Call the Trout Fitter...... (760) 924-3676
I think bullet flies are designed to catch anglers.....as with many popular patterns....
Try some bugs......fish love them......
Baetis, Caddis, Midges.....
Enjoy your water time.

Jim

 

[acorad]

Wife and I are going up to Mammoth for a few days, any word how it is fishing? or what set ups are being used?

I am to a dropper with some new bullet flies. just need to pick some colors.

Matt

From what I've been hearing the "Crowley steelhead" winter run was short and thin this year, although there always seems to be plenty of resident fish.

Andy

 

[mtbright]

Call the Trout Fitter...... (760) 924-3676
I think bullet flies are designed to catch anglers.....as with many popular patterns....
Try some bugs......fish love them......
Baetis, Caddis, Midges.....
Enjoy your water time.

Jim

I will be stoping by TF and try to pick some info up.

i use lots of buggers and such. Not sure i understand your bullet fly comment here are the bullet flies. i will also use some pheasant tails, and such.

Thanks....

 

[acorad]

Please post up a report, I plan on being up there before the end of the month!

Andy

 

[yikes]

Check out this website.

 

[Bigfly]

I guess bottom line, I fish things that look like the fishes natural food.
We once called it fly fishing...
Not sure what food form those are.....
Jelly beans?
But, ignore my satirical bent....
Go get'em and report....inquiring minds need to know.


Jim

I will be stoping by TF and try to pick some info up.

i use lots of buggers and such. Not sure i understand your bullet fly comment here are the bullet flies. i will also use some pheasant tails, and such.

Thanks....

View attachment 9745

 

[mtbright]

new waders and boots came in....all packed and ready

 

[planettrout]

Fish Report from Sierra Drifters 2.14.2018...not looking good on the U"O":

Upper Owens River 2/14/18

Disappointing to be honest. I should be reporting great fishing for the migratory rainbows we call Crowley Steelhead. Numbers have plunged recently. Water conditions have actually been favorable for a solid run on the UO. After numerous years of planting sterile “triploid” fish, the ramifications of this fisheries management (or lack there of) may finally be taking its toll.

Guided fly fishing trips for Crowley Lake, Grant & Silver Lakes, the San Joaquin, Upper and Middle Owens Rivers, East Walker River, McGee Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Hot Creek, & the Gorge located near Mammoth and Bishop Ca. will give you opportunities to catch trophy rainbows and browns while being guided by expert fly fishing pros. Sierra Drifters guides utilize top of the line center console bay boats, drift boats, float tubes, and high quality fly fishing tackle to guide you on these blue ribbon trout waters.

Report includes patterns that are working...


PT/TB

 

[darkshadow]

After numerous years of planting sterile “triploid” fish, the ramifications of this fisheries management (or lack there of) may finally be taking its toll.

I thought the triploid fish being stocked only pertained to areas where there may be Steelhead present. Or that frog? I get confused with all the law suits that occurred.

So does this mean every hatchery fish (except a few, like the ones that went into Hot Creek) are all triploids, regardless of the location they're being stocked at?

 

[Bigfly]

Triploids are a disgrace to the eco-system. Fishers can't fish, so they invent a Frankenstein fish that IS catch-able. Fat and stupid......Gotta be a consumer influence, empowered by a mad scientist.
Certainly a fish with any pride would not be one........
I remember before the hoard from LA came. Well before the divided hwy that brought the fisheries to their knees. Consumers by the millions all wanting a fish......five would be even nicer.......never mind working to learn how.....
Something is wrong with people..........and I suspect it's incurable.

Jim

 

[mtbright]

I have fished the uppe Owens since the mid 70’s. I had family that built up Arcularius ranch then built up convict lake pack house in the 50’s plus.

I took 10 years off of fishing while I started my teaching and coaching career and no slowly getting back into the swing of things.

First off I will say sitting on the Owens is one of the best feelings in the world to me. Sadly some of it has changed. The number of people, the differences of quality of fishing and so on. Being away from it for 10 years has magnified how this has all changed from styles, gear, attitudes and overall perception.

I have tried the salt water for the first time this last year and it’s awsome and will do more in the future but it is a new area.

I fished with a pflurger and a custom 5 wt rod for 30 years, pics are on here somewhere, and never needed anything more. Fished Most western states and Alaska with one rod and real. But in the past year I have bought my first new rod and then two more and will by a couple next week. I have jumped back in and there are parts that frustrate me and parts that I love.

I will say this site has been great, guys have been great.

Sorry for the ramble

 

[npike]

I have fished the uppe Owens since the mid 70’s. I had family that built up Arcularius ranch then built up convict lake pack house in the 50’s plus.

I took 10 years off of fishing while I started my teaching and coaching career and no slowly getting back into the swing of things.

First off I will say sitting on the Owens is one of the best feelings in the world to me. Sadly some of it has changed. The number of people, the differences of quality of fishing and so on. Being away from it for 10 years has magnified how this has all changed from styles, gear, attitudes and overall perception.

I have tried the salt water for the first time this last year and it’s awsome and will do more in the future but it is a new area.

I fished with a pflurger and a custom 5 wt rod for 30 years, pics are on here somewhere, and never needed anything more. Fished Most western states and Alaska with one rod and real. But in the past year I have bought my first new rod and then two more and will by a couple next week. I have jumped back in and there are parts that frustrate me and parts that I love.

I will say this site has been great, guys have been great.

Sorry for the ramble

I stayed at and fished Arcularius a couple 2 or 3 times some 30+ years ago with my father and brothers. What a special place it was.

 

[mtbright]

Found some friends

 

[yikes]

On a positive note, here's what happened when 70 people showed up last weekend at the Owens River cleanup:



Kudos to Mammoth guide Chris Leonard for promoting the cleanup effort.
I couldn't make it this year, so I can't report firsthand about the fishing afterwards. But a friend of mine caught a monster brown at the Upper O, and then the area blew out with some major winds.

 

[planettrout]

I thought the triploid fish being stocked only pertained to areas where there may be Steelhead present. Or that frog? I get confused with all the law suits that occurred.

So does this mean every hatchery fish (except a few, like the ones that went into Hot Creek) are all triploids, regardless of the location they're being stocked at?

The Rainbow trout that were stocked recently were not triploids. There are a lot of factors impacting the fish numbers in Hot Creel. Although they also stocked the previous year ( Fall 2016) most of those Trout did not survive...

The Arcularius Ranch was a very special place. I first read about it in Ray Bergman's "Trout" in 1974, a couple of years after I got out of the Army , graduated from college and returned to CA. I fished it frequently in the late 70's and early 80's...

I also spent a bit of time fishing the water, on the Upper Owens, at Tim Alpers Owens River Rancy before and while he owned it...here is a nostalgic journey...

YouTube



PT/TB

 

[mtbright]

Hello all, so the wife is driving and the dogs are out in back. I got a few hours on the river yesterday morning and can now give some impressions.

The guys at troutfitter we’re nice and informational.

River was nice. But It was cold out and not many people were out had plenty of river to myself.

The dryft waders were great. Fit great, very warm. I was worried about the fit in the feet but they were right on. They were just as comfortable as my Patagonia wading pants. I look forward to using them more.

The foot tractors wading boots are a drastic improvement over my 10 year old korkers. They very comfortable I only wore them for a couple of hours but I felt that there would not have been any issues with them for longer. I could see them being used most the year with wading pants, chest waders or just the neoprene booties. Very happy with the waders and boots.

It was the first time I got to cast my moonshine midnght special 9’ 5 wt on the water. after putting time recently with my 4 wt sage vxp and my sage 8wt salt I truly noticed differences. The moonshine is suppose to be fast action, I see that but seemed to be missing control on the tip. Just seemed to be to much unwanted tip movment. I could still put the fly where I wanted, just seemed to have to work against what rod wanted to.

The bullet flies were nice. I was impressed I was able to tie on a dropper with a 20 nymph in less then 10 minutes.

Much of this I wanted to do before the show next weekend. I know know I am looking for this coming weekend. A 5 wt and a 6 wt and maybe a 3.

 

[yikes]

mtbright, what was the fish activity itself like?

 

[mtbright]

mtbright, what was the fish activity itself like?

Hey, i will say fishing was not very good in the few hours i got in Friday morning. the weather had gotten much colder from the previous week. It was not very clear below the confluence. it was in the low 30's when i parked at the river. i didnt switch up flies as i was more testing things out and knew that i had a limited amount of time due to having to get back to the wife. (it takes me to long to switch up flies LOL)

If i was on a fishing trip i moved on to the east walker. We drove around a while on friday and it look to be fishing nicely and was pretty quiet, i had a friend fishing the Owens early in the week and moved on to the walker late in the week and did really well. He said it was very productive.

Their is a storm coming in today. So who knows how it will shape up.