976-FRESH Freshwater Fish Report

SCEIRINE RANCH -The Ranch has been fishing very well this past week, lots of action on nymphs and dry/dropper rigs. It’s been getting booked up a few days in advance, especially on the weekends so call ahead if you want to head down there. Chubby chernobyl, madam-X, dark lord, wd-40, rainbow warrior, flashback emerger and disco midges have all been working well on the ranch.

EAST WALKER RIVER- The EW is running at 87 cfs today, pretty low compared to the last couple years for the first week in May, but it’s a great flow to fish. We’re starting to see some caddis coming off the last couple days so things are looking up in that regard. I’m expecting / hoping for a good dry fly season on the river with the lower flows we’re going to have this year. The fishing this past week has been pretty good overall, though there have been some tough patches here and there. Nymphing has still been the best method. We haven’t had much for streamer or dry fly reports lately. Patterns to try include rainbow warrior, silver streak, flashback emerger, wd-40, disco midge, soft emerger, lite brite prince, gt emerger and flashback pt. The Rosachi is also fishing pretty good these days, it seems that a lot of fish have moved back in to this section after winter, following the warmer water.

Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. And so it begins! The Sierra trout opener has been better than expected. I have posted a new report with pictures and information of the open waters we have fished since opening day. I hope you enjoy it and get the opportunity to come fish with us this spring. http://sierradrifters.com/fish-htm will take you right to the Fish’N Conditions page.

Be the Fly… Tom Loe, Sierra Drifters Guide Service 760-935-4250

The 2012 Fishing Season is officially off and running and the results are spectacular. The weather for Opening Weekend was perfect and so was the fishing. There were stingers full of nice, one pound, trout all over the place with a few two plus pounders mixed in here and there. Fishing from the shore produced some very nice stringers using Salmon Peach or Garlic Power Baits or taking a worm down to the bottom and letting it float back up off the bottom about 24″ to 36″. Out in a boat, anglers were doing well trolling a Rainbow Rapala or throwing out a Thomas Buoyant. Rush Creek was also producing some nice trout over the weekend. Anglers couldn’t stop talking about how many fish they were reeling in all weekend long on Rush Creek. They were knocking them dead at the mouth of Rush were Silver Lake flows into Rush and also did very well down by the weir towards Grant Lake. Anglers were having success on Rush Creek using a variety of different tactics, from worms to Dough Baits, all with great results. Anglers were also having great success on both Parker and Walker Lakes below Grant Lake, with a very nice Two plus pound Brown coming out of Walker Lake.

Dameon Gomez, age 7, of Burbank landed the fish of the weekend at Silver Lake, hauling in a nice 2 lb 13 ounce rainbow from the shore using Orange Power Bait. Ed Sohl of Alta Loma caught a nice 1 pound 12 ounce rainbow trolling on Silver Lake using a Rapala. Daniel Meza of Las Vegas landed a great looking 2 lb. rainbow out of Rush Creek using orange Power Bait. Dawn and Terry Schultz of Santa Clarita brought in a great looking stringer from the shore of Silver Lake using Garlic Power Bait.

It was a great Opening weekend to the 2012 fishing season with lots of great trout brought in. With a load of Alper’s Trout dropped into the lake on Wednesday and our weekly load of nice size stockers put in by DFG, we are ready for another great week of fishing at Silver Lake and Rush Creek!!

BRIDGEPORT REGION: The East Walker River has been excellent with flows at 95 cfs and fly anglers tossing nymph and midge patterns hammering the trout. Bridgeport Reservoir was excellent for opening weekend with a lot of two to four pound rainbows and browns with trolling the best bet. Shore anglers found the bite tougher. Twin Lakes were also excellent with a lot of trout up to two pounds, and Lower Twin cranked out the biggest fish opening weekend when an 8-10 was caught by Miles Forsman, San Diego. The West Walker was also very good, especially for anglers tossing small Panther Martins or Mepps spinners. Virginia Lakes were still ice-covered and provided excellent through-the-ice action with some anglers reporting catching and releasing up to 50 fish or more each. But the ice isnít going to last long. Information: Kenís Sporting Goods 760-932-7707 or www.kenssport.com.

JUNE LAKE LOOP REGION: All of the lakes in the June Lake loop provided good to excellent fishing. Top fish from the loop was a 5-1 reported from Gull by Ken Dubiel on a Thomas Bouyant. Dave Lozano, Arcadia, had the top brown at 4.2-pounds, also from Gull on a nightcrawler. Maury Meza, 12, Las Vegas, landed a 2-12 brown from Grant on a nightcrawler. Grant cranked out the most brown trout with the best bite at the mouth of Rush Creek. Anglers walking into Parker Lake (ice free) found excellent action at the inlet on brown trout to two pounds. Walker Lake (also ice free) was also good for anglers who made the shore walk. Lundy Lake was good on Panther Martins and nightcrawlers. Information: Silver Lake Resort at 760-648-7726 or at silverlakeresort.net or Ernieís Tackle at 760-648-7756.

MAMMOTH AREA: Few reports from the upper lakes basin, but some anglers found pretty good action in the open water at Twin Lakes, and Mammoth Creek was pretty good on planted fish. Convict Lake was excellent with a lot of limits reported. Top fish was a three-pound rainbow landed by Bob Callahan, Temecula, on a nightcrawlers off the north shore. Crowley Lake was excellent for fly, bait, and troll anglers with limits the rule. The fish averaged a little better than a pound with a lot of fish to three pounds or better. Joe Gechter, Santa Barbara, had the top fish from Crowley at 4-14 caught trolling, while Quentin Le Francoise landed a 4-11 brown. Information: The Troutfitter at 760-934-2517, Convict Lake Resort at 760-934-3800, Crowley Lake Fish Camp at 760-935-4301.

BISHOP AREA: South Lake had a lot of open water opener and the road was open. Fishing was excellent with most anglers getting limits. Rental boats should be available here by May 17 and private launching sometime after that. Bishop Creek (all the forks and Intake II) was heavily stocked by the DFG and the action was excellent with trout up to two pounds showing on crickets (which were hard to come by), mini-jigs, and spinners. Sabrina was ice free and excellent with most limits reported weighing in the six to seven-pound range. Even the mosquitos are already out, the weather has been so mild. The lower Owens has been very good with nymph, streamer and dry fly anglers all scoring, and Pleasant Valley Reservoir was also excellent. Fishing information: Sierra Drifters Guide Service 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop 760-873-0010, Culverís 760-872-8361, Brockís 760-872-3581.

RIVER WALK PARK: The best action has been for the bass which have flooded into the shallows to spawn, and the bluegill and carp bites are also improving with each warm day. Trout slow with no plant in over a month.

Our first fish of the day to be weighed, a 3lb 9oz Brown from Bridgeport Reservoir. Tom caught this fish trolling a “One-Eyed Willie” Crawler Rig.

JUNE LAKE LOOP REGION: All of the lakes in the June Lake loop are open and ice free, a stark contrast to the past two season openers. Heavy plants also went in. Information: Silver Lake Resort at 760-648-7726 or at silverlakeresort.net or Ernieís Tackle at 760-648-7756.

BRIDGEPORT REGION: For the trout opener, virtually all of the regionís waters are ice free with the exception of the Virigina Lakes, which remain frozen but with rotten ice. Upper and Lower Twin are open and Bridgeport Reservoir has been ice free most of the winter. Kirman Lake is open for hike-in anglers. Most of the lakes and streams in the region have been planted with trout. The East Walker River continues to be very good even with flows fluctuating a little this past week, but staying down (around 40 cfs). Overcast days have had good dry fly action, but the nymph bite has been the hot ticket. The trout are averaging 14 to 16 inches, but fish 18 inches or better are showing each day. Information: Kenís Sporting Goods 760-932-7707 or www.kenssport.com.

MAMMOTH AREA: Opening weekend looks to be excellent weather-wise, and Crowley and Convict lakes are both ice free. The Mammoth Lakes still all have ice, but the Twin Lakesí ice is getting rotten. The road will be opened at least to lower Twin this weekend. The road is also open to Rock Creek Lake, but the lake still has ice. The fishing has remained good on the Upper Owens with nymphs, streamers, and egg patterns. There are still a few big lake-run rainbows to 26 inches (most 16 to 20 inches) and a few browns showing in the river, but most of the action has been on smaller rainbows. Hot Creek remains very good for fly anglers with daily mayfly and caddis activity, midges in the evenings, and nymph fishing all day. Information: The Troutfitter at 760-934-2517.

BISHOP AREA: Heavy trout plants have gone into the Bishop Creek drainage this week for the trout opener this weekend. The road will be open to Sabrina, which is partially ice free, but the road to South Lake is not likely to be open. The lower Owens has been very good with nymph, streamer and dry fly anglers all scoring. There were DFG plants in the Owens River this week and two weeks ago in both the Stewart Lane stretch and below Tinemaha. Fishing information: Sierra Drifters Guide Service 760-935-4250, Sierra Trout Magnet Fly Shop 760-873-0010, Culverís 760-872-8361, BrockÌs 760-872-3581.

LONE PINE-INDEPENDENCE AREA: All the small streams along Highway 395 from Big Pine Creek to Cottonwood Creek were planted this week for the trout opener. Information from the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce at 760-876-4444 (or www.LonePineChamber.com). Fishing information: Long Pine Sporting Goods at 760-876-5365 or High Sierra Outfitters at 760-876-9994.