On occasion, ok, on more than many occasions I’ve asked myself why some patterns work better than others, and if you have done a reasonable amount of reading about bugs that trout dine on, or spent a reasonable amount of time on the water, you will understand
that trout are fickle. Trout will feast on filet mignon on the bottom, but if you toss in a cheeseburger, they will only look at it and continue their feeding. The only reason they will switch their feeding at that particular moment would be that the new bug resembles something “alive”. This time of year things start to get “old-hat” as far as what the trout will take, so you have to be more attuned to your surroundings, not only the bugs, the weather, the moon phases, and water temperature being the most important. To get a “take” downsize your flies and make them appear more alive. It’s kind of like looking at a small McDonald’s burger vs. a Bob’s Big Boy; which one would you eat?

Weather Conditions
Eastern Sierra visibility is better than glass, and mornings are running in the low to mid 50’s, with afternoon highs around 74 to 79 degrees. Some thunderstorms have occurred the last couple weeks but have temporarily subsided, but will probably resume should the upper elevations start to heat up again. Traffic mid-week has been down, but picks back up on the weekends.

Legislation
AB7 had a codicil to its original bill added by Dave Cogdill for CalTrout I’m told, and you can check on its status via the Internet,
but it looks like most of the changes were to relieve DFG from mandatory dates and poundage along with the removal and addition of a few “may”, “and”, “possible” which I found not to the benefit of the general angler. You can go to the Senate web page and look under SB1262 for the text and compare it to AB7 text, you’ll end up shaking your head, I’d rather be on the water than looking into this. Most important is that as long as fish are stocked, the decline of native and backcountry trout will have a chance.

News:
The Mud Snail’s “companion invasive”, the Quagga mussel, that is creating havoc all over the US requiring marinas, public and private to do inspections on all watercraft and equipment, will probably not decrease the number of mussels unless the inspection
is mandatory. Some marinas are stepping up and doing inspections especially if it is their water storage facility.

LOWER OWENS – River is running high and the drifting hasn’t been sensational, so try some Barr’s trico emergers, spinner-fall patterns fished dry fly style.

ROCK CREEK LAKE – Has been good, and fish are taking burgundy woolly buggers, olive leeches and the Rock Creek special (a blue-gray wooly body with grizzly hackle and no tail), and some large streamers. Mosquito Flats is fishable with small dries seeing lots of rises in the calmer side water.

CROWLEY LAKE – Woohoo, Daphnia has departed and McGee Bay is getting hot. Zebras are doing it in early morning from Red/Black then Purple, then Gray/Black Optimidge midday, sizes 16 and 18’s. Damsels are surface “hot” with slow short strip/twitch and slow sinking lines, call Crowley Lake marina or the Trout Fly for current patterns.

CONVICT LAKE – Always produces nicely on large woolly buggers in black and olive #6 or 8, and their “Marvel”; be sure and ask at the store what color is working. Some standard emergers and/or midges for top water near the south bank where the party boats hang. Flashy woolly buggers will get some great action. Of course you can always try some nice large dries near the southwest corner to see if any hawgs will react.

MAMMOTH LAKES BASIN – Fishing on Lake Mary and Twin Lakes has been excellent with tons of midges early in the am and again in the evening. Mid morning is seeing a good hatch of callibae3tis, and damselflies along the weed beds. Streamers have also done well on George and Mary, so give ‘em all a try.

HOT CREEK – Is clear and perfect. Try tricos and midges in the am, and switch to caddis mid morning then should you get lucky with some cloud cover switch to dries. Hoppers, ants, and caddis will get you into fish. Please remember to stay out of the water due to the fragile condition of the stream and avoid spreading mud snails.

SAN JOAQUIN – Water is slowing down and with good clarity, so try #10 micro stones, #16 copper john and #14 Stimulators, and AP nymph’s size 12. Also, try some large mayfly patterns and don’t forget the super DEET.

JUNE LOOP – June, Silver and Gull have all been doing fairly well with Woolly buggers near the weedy areas, also try Hornbergs, Doc’s Twin Lakes special in brown or olive, and some mini leeches.

VIRGINIA LAKES – Has been good for tubers and waders using red throat Matuka, dark rusty/rusty woolly buggers with side flash. Scuds are very active along with midges by the thousands. The gnats are thick everywhere so maybe some mosquito netting to walk the trails. Try small Grey Hackle Yellow, mosquitoes and Grey Hackle Peacock in #18-20. Emergers are working and will get red hot as the temp continue to increase. Dragging streamers always works, but not as much fun. Bear sightings are constant and there seem to be 2 making their nightly rounds.

EAST WALKER – Flow currently is at 69cfs and the mosquitoes are still in search of a good hot meal, so bring plenty of bug juice. Try some nymphs mid day, PT flashback, Copper Johns, Micro-Mays, Zebras and maybe a Poopah.

WEST WALKER – Water is at 71cfs, a two fly rig with large attractor, as indicator and midge like under, crystal or flashback
Zug as the bottom fly is still working. Work the curves and flat water since it is so low.

NOTE: A lot of these waters are constantly fished and the trout have seen it all, so try smaller flies and match the profile closer with better coloration.

See you on the water!
CJ