Eastside

Just returned from from a few days in the eastern Sierra's. Weather was fantastic, coudn't ask for better. Fishing wasn't wide open by any means but I learned alot about the area and caught plenty of fish. I'm already putting together another trip soon. Flows were up with dirty water present in some areas, high clear water in others. Really depends on the water shed. My best fishing was in off colored water swinging bulky flies. I caught fish on dries every day but I had to work for them and they wanted very small bugs.











I went hwy 120 through Yosemite and the Brookie fishing was wide open just about every place I stopped. We are lucky to have such increadible places so close to home.



do people really need to be told that snow on a roof might actually fall off? Ha!





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Hot Creek


Crowly Lake Sacramento Perch


A nice bow from a small tributary of the Walker River near Bridgport


Dirty water spring creek...it wasn't running real high but it was pushing dirty water off the Mtns. Stay low with soft steps and you were good to go. They could feel you and would bolt if they caught your profile. No trail and didn't look like it had much if any foot traffic.


The fish were hunkered down on the under cut on the far side. Especially if there was over hang willows. It went on till I called it quits and had to go. Cast up stream and swing the sreamer as tight to the bank as possible w/ slight bumps to get there attention. If there was a fish there..they would eat. This went on for more than dozen rainbows and one brown on about a 150 yard stretch. Browns and olive #6 crystal buggers.



altitude

Creek hop..

Work was brutal all week and I had a family wedding on Sat so I stayed local and fished close to home on foot Sunday. I had intended to wade fish for Carp but wind wasn't right early and temps were in the 90s by late morning so we looked at other stuff. Started on some farm ponds for Blue Gill and they were eating any dry or nymph you threw at em. Nothing of great size but pretty fish. It was interesting in the variations of the blue gill. You will get some variation from pond to pond but the ones below were all caught standing in the same spot and they look completely different. After we sore lipped a mess of gills we went looking at other water. I decided on Coastal trout in the local mountians. They dont get big but it's always fun so we headed up into a local Canyon I like. It was nice and cool down in there amongst the redwoods. Once we got down into the gorge, we went seperate directions. We met up in a couple of hours and together we had around 20 wild Rainbows. The bugs were thick with ever conceivable hatch going off. Just about every pool had several little bows.

From there we headed down to the valley for carp. The ones I chose to fish are tough and two can not fish effectivly with out them busting you. I wanted Milton to get his first carp on a fly so I spotted and he was on deck. After a few refusals and some major patience the right fish ate and he connected ina big way. He was using a 4wt and I know better so I take some of the blame. BUT, we damn near landed that fish on 5x! It was a nice fish about 10-12lbs. I dont usually fish the fish with less than a 7 and 8 is standard and not over kill. They are strong river fish. Anyway, the fish broke him off on a concrete chunk. So, it ended in a beat down but it was a fun as hell.

Carp on the fly

I had a ton of shots on shallow water fish this morning. Most were just cruising but a few had there heads down and wanted to play. I fair caught three and snagged one small one. One eat an hour is a pretty good eat/hook up ratio for me so I was stoked. One, was an old smart fish but she finally made a mistake. I cast on her three timse before she committed. She was off on her own and hard to close too. She did get with in casting range and I was able to put the fly right one her. She ate it. Firt carp into my backing this year. A nice solid fish about 15-18lbs.

These..

Buggers have been around forever. Carp really eat this pattern well for reason as long as there is some orange in it.

Local trout

I'm actually pretty blessed to have about a half a dozen streams that have decent populations of wild native fish. Some are better than others but I can usually get a few to go on short notice and with in a few minuts of my house.