Weedy but good

Hot Creek - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)

Photo Credit: Jim Elias

by Jim Elias
6-30-2022
Website

Flows at 29CFS - Water Temp - 64 - Water is clear

Rod Size:  #4-#5 Weights

Tippet Size: 5X-6X

Leader: Euro/Czech Leader, 7.5ft 5X

Best Techniques: Dry, Dry Dropper, Euro Nymphing, Nymphing with Yarn Indicators or small bobbers

Dry Flies: Sulfur Parachute #16-18Sparkle DUN #16, CDC Baetis DUN #16, CDC Baetis Emerger #18, Parachute Adams #16-18, Parachute Caddis Gray #16-18, Elk Hair Caddis #16-18, EC Caddis Gray #18, CDC Caddis Emerger #18, JuJu Emerger or Gray/Olive RS2s

Nymphs: BH Fox's Caddis Poopah Olive #16, Split Case PMD #18, Thrift Shop Caddis # 16, Tungsten Psycho #18, Nori's Caddis Pupa Olive #18, Deep 6 Caddis Pupa Green #16, Hogan's S&M Nymph Brown #16, Copper Zebra Midge #20-22, T-Midge Black #20-22, Turbo Midge #16, Eurotrash Nymph Olive #16, BH Flashback Pheasant Tail #18-20, Olive or Gray Scuds #16, Hogan's S&M Nymph Olive #20, Iron Stone #16

Streamers: Probably not a great idea. 

 

Ran a trip down here on Monday and the flows have dropped substantially and the fish are back on their program of hiding from predatory birds under the weeds. Stick to the deeper runs and running your flies between the weeds. It's important that whatever nymph or nymphs you're fishing land directly upstream parallel to the weeds. If you cast across them you WILL get snagged EVERY time. Short drifts are key when the water is low and weedy, so don't be a hero and try to run a 30ft drift, you'll just catch weeds all day. Euro nymphing excels at this as you can be incredibly accurate with that technique and the drifts are automatically going to be short. Dry dropper also works in the really shallow stuff and you might garner a grab on top too if the fish happens to see it through the weeds. Starting to see the occasional hopper, so don't be afraid to run one as your indicator fly. The crowds are here and it's just part of the game in the middle of the summer, so if you're headed down here, give other people their space and don't try to fish the same run from the opposite bank (I'll probably yell at you). Some Tricos in the early morning hours with a spattering of some PMDs still and Caddis in the afternoon (if the wind dies down) along with the female Tricos. 


Fish Mammoth Guides Services is located in Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County). Fishing Guide, Jim Elias, can take you fishing on Crowley Lake, Upper Owens, Lower Owens and East Walker River. To book your guided fishing trip with Jim Elias please all him at (760) 582-2195 and for more information please visit his WEBSITE..


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