Lower Owens River: Good

Conditions have improved here a bunch since last week and the frontage roads are finally getting passable. There are still plenty of "tank traps" around so check out the water filled ruts before you drive into them. The ground will be frozen in the mornings and will not be a problem until they thaw out after lunch. This is when you are likely to get stuck and it is easy to forget this cycle.

The flows remain at 90-100cfs below the dam at PV and the water temps are beginning to creep back into the low forties.

The largest early generations of Baetis (BWO's) #16-18 are emerging with increasing density, and the trout are focusing on this hatch around 1pm each day. You will also see large numbers of midges hatching just before noon on the days the barometer is high or rising. Crystal tiger and zebra midges #16-20 are great choices for nymphing. Pt's and WD-40's are also good selections #16-20 for subsurface presentations.

May fly adults ride very high in the water and I suggest you choose a pattern that dries quickly on your false casts, and sits high with well defined vertical wings. There are some excellent dry silicon products available that really keep those bugs riding high. Light olive or gray bodies are best. The BWO hatch will only be getting better as the winter rolls into early spring. This is the best time of year to fish dries in ALL of the Sierra.

The Hot Creek Hatchery has planted some really nice brood stock rainbows in the Lower Owens recently and these fish are starting to show daily. We are told that these models will be going in PV Reservoir and the Owens River for another month weather and roads permitting.

Drifting the river is the best way to get to these larger fish. The boats enable you to fish hard to access stretches of water that these big fish and other wild trout seek out and hold in. Fishing streamers with a heavy sink tip lines using the "dip and strip" method will get you into fish all day this time of year. My favorite fly lately has been the Spruce-A-Bu #8. Use the light "Kelley Bundy" version for the sunny days, switch to the "Mary Ann" or darker edition on the cloudy or darker periods of the day.

The Three Amigos ride again! Michael Pouliot, Joe and Mikey Baffoni are long time Sierra Drifters. I am a better guide and person for their patronage and friendship over the years. The Amigos spanked the trout on their annual drift with me recently. Joe got big fish honors, Mikey did great on the numbers, and as usual Michael found the "fishing" to be far more enjoyable than the actual "catching"!!! You gotta see the pic of Michael! Click on www.sierradrifters.com/fish.html

Joe "smoothy" Smigiel and Chris the "wildman" Wildman banged out thirty on a recent drift. Joe got paint job of the day honors with a really colorful rainbow.

Armando "Mando" Palomares and Marc "FM" Bonvouloir schooled over forty rainbows and browns during a recent drift with yours truly. Lots of doubles towards the end of the day, and a great shot of Mando going bendo with a chunky rainbow going berserk!