Fall fly fishing around Mammoth and Bishop is really getting in some areas. Curt took a guided trip with us on Crowley Lake and got this sizable brown on a Drifters zebra midge.

Fall fly fishing around Mammoth and Bishop is really getting good in some areas. Curt took a guided trip with us on Crowley Lake and got this sizable brown on a Drifters zebra midge.

Sure doesn't feel like fall is approaching with all the warm weather the Sierra is experiencing. We still have the largest wildfire to ever hit the Sierra burning near Yosemite. The "Rim" fire (over 250,000 acres) is near containment but may burn in remote regions until we get some rain or snow. The Mammoth/Bishop area has experienced a few bad air quality days; however the smoke has for the most part stayed well to the west and north of this region.

Water levels are as forecast...low. Several fisheries that are normally fishing well this time of year have poor conditions with very low flows, weeds, and lethargic fish holding in the deepest pools they can find. Lakes are your best bet for consistent action, many of the alpine locations are fishing well-although you will see some that are poor due to low water levels. The Bishop Creek drainage and lakes are feeling some pain this fall, as is Bridgeport Reservoir and some lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin & June Loop. Flows have begun to drop on the Upper Owens leading into Crowley Lake & have been stable on the Middle Owens near Bishop and the wild trout section below Pleasant Valley Dam. Most of the freestone creeks are running very low, save for the West Walker which is by no means torrential, but does have decent flows considering other similar creeks.

The Quaking Aspens and willows are already turning orange in the upper north facing canyons, some yellows and changes occurring at the 7000 foot level. Looks to be an early color show this season. The extended weather forecast is calling for a significant change towards the end of September.

Fall is perhaps the most beautiful time of year to fish the eastern side of the Sierra. Hope you can make it up and fish with us soon.

Special thanks to my great friends at the San Diego Fly Fishers. We did several advanced fly fishing clinics and all learned some new tricks, knots, rigging methods and fishing techniques on the Upper Owens and East Walker. See ya next year guys, thanks again.

Pictured Above: Left to right the SDFF trout busters. Jimmie, David, Art, Lucky, Fred

Photo #1: Post rigging clinic and preparation for battle on the UO. Paul, Lee, Bobby, Jon, John, Lew, & Larry. Top gun SDFF members. Love you guys, thanks so much!

Photo #2: No fish on the EW will ever be safe from this SDFF gang again, Kurt, Bob, Rich, Gary & (Wayne not pictured but casting upstream in the "toilet bowl pool") thanks guys