Water Conditions: Good

Flows are at 111 cfs as of  3/18

Temperatures have stabilized but the water is still cold and with the snowmelt the water is off color, especially below Hot Creek.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Fair-Good

OKAY IT'S TIME TO CLIMB UP ON THE SOAPBOX: DFG is no longer stocking fall spawning rainbows. Every fish laid in the dead grass, carried away from the water, held with a towel or squeezed is another fish that won't be spawning.

The water is dirty, even above Hot Creek. The spring spawners tend to spawn much higher up than some of the other strains so the number of fish in the public section is dropping. The spring spawners are now spread throughout the system so don't expect to find large numbers in any one spot. Slow water pockets, deep buckets, and back-eddies have been the most productive holding water.

The resident fish have been keying into micro mayflies and midges, so we suggest trailing a midge or mayfly in the size 20-26 behind an attractor nymph to keep the action rolling between each lake fish. Midday there are scattered mayfly and caddis hatches.

On some afternoons the dry fly fishing can be productive but be ready to throw size 18 through 22 dry flies behind a #12-14. Streamer fishing has been OK. If you do decide to bring your streamer stick out on the water keep in mind that the cold water temps have caused the fish to remain sluggish. Slower is better in regard to streamer fishing right now.

DRIES: Griffiths Gnat #20-24 | Parachute Extended Body BWO #20-22 |Elk Hair Caddis #20

NYMPHS:  Zebra Midge #16-22 | Prince Nymph #12-16 | Copper John #14-16 |Tungsten Jig Baetis #18-20 | Harrop's Surface Emerger #20-22 | Roza Pink Tag Jig #16d | Clearwater Emerger #18-20 | S&M Nymph #20-22 | Medalion Midge #20-24 |Bling Midge #22-24

STREAMERS: Shock Collar Leech #10 | Woolly Bugger White, Olive, or Brown #6-14 | Punk Perch light or dark #10-16