Water Conditions: Fair, showing 178 cfs as of 7/16

Click "Flows" above for up to the minute info

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

The flows are back down and holding steadier

 

Fishing Conditions and Hatches

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Fair-Good

With the water dropping and warming up the fish are starting to move out of the deep holes and into shallower places.  We're starting to see end of runoff hatches beginning. These include caddis, PMDs and Tricos which had all ready started very early. Midges in the morning plus the new foods. The Tricos are emerging fairly heavily between 8 and 9:30 with the spinner fall around an hour later. This now includes the canyon as well. The best fishing seems to be 7-10. If you can find some calm water there's some good surface activity. It's the time of year to throw the proverbial kitchen sink, big, ugly, realistic, gaudy, besides the big flows there are a lot of terrestrials active this time of year. Ant and robber fly swarms with a promising  hopper season starting. In the past, during runoff I have seen some very localized surface activity so make sure you have a selection of dry flies whenever you head down. Generally the midges will be hatching until early afternoon and then egg laying and spent adults in the afternoon.  Scuds, egg patterns and especially San Juan Worms will work all day.  With the decrease in flows and the increase in usage the streamer fishing has gotten tougher . It's important to key in on any slack water. Really study the water, a slick spot (flat water behind invisible rock) as small as a dinner plate might be the key to your day.

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 | Mother Shucker #24 | Griffith's Gnat #20-24 | Stillborn Midge Black #20-22 || Hi-Vis PMD #16-18 | Tent Wing Caddis #16-20 | Miller's Caddis #16-18 | Spider Varient #18-20

NYMPHS:  T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22  | Buckskin Caddis #16-20  | Tung Stud Black #18-20 | Scuds grey #14-18 | Tailwater Sowbug Rainbow #16-18 |  Bling Midge Brown #24 | TB Millers+1LT #16-18 | B/H Pheasant Tail #16-20 | San Juan Worms #12-14

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