DS Fishing Blog

I took off early Friday morning and made it to Bishop around lunch time.  I got out of my car and nearly melted.  It was over 100°.  It was at least 15° cooler in Bridgeport.  I stocked up on gas and supplies and drove the extra distance.  I had my line in the water by 3:00 and fished until dark.  I couldn't seem to dial in what nymphs were working, but dry flies were getting pretty consistent strikes.  The caddis hatch right before dark was prolific, and I couldn't seem to make the trout happy.  They were rising for everything except my elk hair caddis (I tried a couple different sizes too.)

 

At about 6:30 the next morning I was getting ready when who should pull in next to me?  Jordan, one of the guys I mentioned in my blog post from the last time I was at the East Walker.  We fished together off and on for most of the day.  I think the heat was slowing down the action.  Most of the people I talked with complained that the fishing was tough.  

 

I ran into my old friend Doug Dolan who guides out of Sierra Drifters.  He guided a buddy and I last winter at the Upper Owens.  He was guiding the East Walker that day and showed me a midge pattern that I had never seen.  He told me it was very effective, and as strange as it was, I have to think he was telling the truth.  I'd describe it, but I think Doug might hunt me down and cut off my fingers so I couldn't tie my own.  So, if you want that killer midge pattern, I suggest you look him up.

 

Caddis really seemed to be the right way to go, but as I mentioned,  nymphing was pretty tough.  They were still hitting my dry flies, though by late morning I hit about a 2 hour window where I couldn't buy a strike.   I tied on a small larva in a size 18 on 6x tippet and BAM.  I actually thought I had snagged the bottom at first, but then I knew I had a pig.  I was fishing a 4 weight, and that first 20 inch Brown was a blast to fight.  On my third cast after I had released him, BAM, my second monster Brown.  in the course of 20 minutes, I had caught two amazing fish.

 

After lunch, Jordan showed me some of the spots he had fished last time he had been to the EW, including a run where he had pulled out an 8 lbs trout - thanks for sharing Jordan.  But again, the heat seemed to really effect the fishing.  Some of the 12 inch browns were eagerly hitting my dry flies in the afternoon so I stuck with them until I took off that night.

 

I decided to camp by the Lower Owens that night to cut some time off the drive to the Golden Trout Wilderness.  I pulled in next to the river at about 11:00 and it was still about 90°.  By 7 the next morning I could tell it was going to be another sweltering day and I was glad that I had spent the last two days at the East Walker.  I fished for about an hour before the heat started getting to me, so I bought some lunch to take with me, and I headed south to make my way to the Golden Trout Wilderness.   

 

These beautiful fish are the only trout native to California and are generally only found above elevations of 10,000 feet.  The stream that I came upon was in a pretty spectacular meadow.  The stream itself was tiny.  It meandered through this meadow sometimes as narrow as 18 inches and rarely wider than 3 feet.  The fish were super spooky and stealth was the key.  I had tied some parachute ants for exactly this situation and the results couldn't have been better.  I have to say, I think these trout are some of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen.  Their coloring is truly spectacular.  On a side note, my 4 weight was way too much muscle for these small fish, so, I'm willing to take your old 0-2 weight rod as a donation. 

 

After a short hike, I found this little trickle of a run and sat down to do some precise casting.  Any false casting had to be done perpendicular to the stream to prevent spooking the fish.  I noticed some lightning in the distance, and the thunder was far enough away that I didn't worry about it too much.  Then, it started raining.  Then, I was being pelted with hail the size of peas.  I put on my rain jacket and pulled several fish from a run I was working when I noticed a flash from the corner of my eye and as I turned to see what it was, the loudest thunder I have ever heard erupted all around me.  To be honest, it scared the crap out of me.  I looked around to see where others had chosen to take cover...   and then I realized I was the only fool in this gigantic Sierra meadow.  I looked around for any cover and the trees in the distance from where I had come were a good 1/4 mile away.  After another flash of lightning and peal of thunder, my adrenaline was pumping and I sprinted to the trees.  I can't remember the last time I sprinted, but I'm sure I beat my time...  and I was winded. 

 

I was hoping the storm would pass since I had only been fishing for a couple of hours and had intended to fish much longer, but the weather had other plans.  I made my way back down to the highway and pointed my car back to Los Angeles.  

 

The weekend had given me everything I had hoped for;  big, beautiful Brown trout and tiny, beautiful Golden trout.  Even as I write this I feel the magical pull of those streams urging me back.  Soon enough, I'm sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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