Water Conditions: Good, showing 13 cfs as of 4/22

Remember, these are the flows just below Highway 395 on Mammoth Creek.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good     

Good news: the road is open and the trails down to the creek are free of snow. Obviously the down side are the crowds with a lot of wading (not strictly illegal but it is damaging and makes fishing downstream problematic without really helping the person wading).

Nothing has really changed, at least as far as we can tell because the wind has made bug identification harder and has affected surface/subsurface feeding patterns. The flows are also up and the cycle of cold/snowy to warm/melting are making conditions hard to predict also meaning don't forget the Scuds. When the wind does let up we're seeing the usual suspects, midges early, mayflies and caddis midday with caddis in the evening if the wind dies down.

Down in the canyon there's a good micro caddis hatch(#20-22) starting around 10. Before that there are midges and then BWO starting somewhere between 11:30 and 1:15. The BWOs are getting smaller, more in the #20-24 range. There seem to be more caddis in the upper canyon and more Baetis lower down but that could be more about when people are fishing in different sections. With temperatures coming back up what little snow we've gotten is melting and impacting the water clarity, so scuds and streamers are back in play. The canyon has been fishing well until early afternoon before slowing down, I've heard good reports about late afternoon but no specifics. The tough part in the canyon is that the hatches can be different day to day and also upstream versus downstream. Right now, the Interpretive site is fishing well with the primary hatch being midges (If you tie your own I've been tying #26-28 with thread body, celo wings and a sparsely dubbed head. All dark but a little flash helps) but they will eat BWO imitations as well. As for the midges, fish the emergers and adults in the morning and drowned adults in the afternoon.

Since the caddis are now getting active try fishing a Pheasant Tail #16-20, either bead or non-bead. Not only does it cover the mayflies, but it also imitates the case caddis. And don't forget the ever-present midges.  If you're looking for dry fly action the Interpretive Site is a lot better, but you'd better bring your "A" game, the drift is everything. One benefit of spring fed besides being a reliable water source, the water temperature stays fairly consistent throughout the winter.

 With the colder water the weeds have died back, but I still tell my clients that a 4 second drift is average and finish with an aggressive pickup, you will hook fish you never knew existed.

Recommended Flies

DRIES:  R.P. Emerger #22 | Parachute Adams # 16-20  | Mother Shucker #24 | CDC Baetis Dun #18-24 | Griffith's Gnat #20-24 | Stillborn Midge Black #20-22 | Hi-Vis Baetis #16-20 | Para Caddis #18-22 | Elk Hair Skaddis #18-22 | Spent Partridge Caddis #18-22 | Brooks Hot Creek Caddis #22 |

NYMPHS:  T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22  |Juju Baetis #16-20  | Medallion Midge #18-24 |  Buckskin #16-20  |  Barr's Emerger #16-22 | CDC Transition Midge #18-22 | Scuds grey or olive/grey #14-18 | Bling Midge Brown #24 | Pheasant Tail #16-20  Tungsten Jig Soft spot #16-18 | TB Millers+1LT #16-18 | Nori's Caddis #20-22

STREAMERS: Mini Sculpin Orange #6 | Slumpbuster Natural #10 | Hornburg #10-14   Mice