3D Fly Fishing Guide Services Patagonia, Alaska, and Northern California

Patagonia Fishing Summary for 2008

2008-04-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to the 3D Fly Fishing summary report for my Patagonian Fly Fishing adventure. As most of you know that are reading this report I was fortunate enough to be able to guide in Patagonia, Chile for our winter this year and was able to spend about four months guiding anglers from all of over the world on some of the most spectacular trout fisheries on earth. I have returned and am ready for another great season here in the Eastern Sierra's. The season in Patagonia runs from about the 2nd week of December through about the 2nd week of April. The trout fishing in this part of the world is unlike any other experience that you have ever had and each day's angling will test all but the most skilled fly fishermen. From throwing size 20 parachute ant's to size 6 Foam Dry's to size 4 articulated leeches this type of fishing will challenge you in every way shape and form. I was fortunate enough to be on the water almost everyday of the season and I was able to experience the true outdoor experience of Patagonia, Chile. This wonderful place is one of the last untouched frontiers for great trout fishing. This is a land where cattle and horses outnumber the human population. This is a place where people still live off of the land and have to cut their own wood by hand to prepare for the winter's that lie ahead. This place is truly like being in the 1800's. Oh yeah, another interesting fact about Chile is that it is still so unexplored that 95% of the mountains that are surrounding you do not have names. You can name a peak everyday that you are there and it seemed like at the end of the season that most of the peaks that were once unnamed have all but been claimed by some of my trusty guys and gals that fished with me this winter. Beleive me, some of the names that you guys have come up with were so funny that it was impossible to forget and others that were named can only be repeated around certain crowds. Ha! Ha! I saw alot of fish this year to the net with mostly the average size of fish being in the 14"-18" range with a couple of 20"s everyday and at least one fish over 24" every week. The record's for my boat were pretty good as my largest brown trout that I saw to the net taped at 27 1/2 inches and had a girth of about 14 inches. The largest rainbow that I saw to the net taped at 26 inches and was probably the most memorable fish that I have of my entire trip to Patagonia and the reason why is because this particular trout was sightfished with a size #20 parachute ant in a back eddy foam line and once it was hooked gave up the most incredible fight that I had seen all season. What a nice fish and good job to Todd Karson from Yakima, Washington who put the fly where it needed to be. I also saw tons of fish in the 20-24 inch class and more scrappers in the 12-17 inch range than you could shake a stick at. I would also say that most of the fishing done in Patagonia is with dry flies. Yes, that's right folks. Dry Flies. I am not talking about size 22 g-nat's, or size 24 Trico spinner's, I am talking about size 4-8 Foam Dry's that represent anything from a wily grasshopper to a giant beetle that is called a cantaria a.k.a. (staghorn beetle). The fish here in Patagonia are keyed in on surface flies as most of their diet consists of terrestrial insects that are being blown off of the beach, bamboo, and fushia trees that line the banks. The streamer fishing here is also phenomenal as there are plenty of salmon smolt in the river providing an easy target for the larger specimens of trout that inhabit the river. We have runs of king's, silver's, and atlantic's and these fish are constantly reproducing in the system providing a great sustenance of food for the eager trout. Needless to say this was a great experience in my career and I will most definetely be returning for another season in Patagonia next year.

I will also be booking trips for the lodge through my website this year which I feel is a great opportunity for some of my clients to experience a truly wonderful fishery with me being your host for the week. I will be posting more info. on this subject and I will have a full list of prices and programs available for you to choose from.

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Patagonia, Chile

2007-11-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

First of all I would like to personally thank all of my fellow friends and clients for the most memorable season this year! We had a great season and I owe it all to my fellow anglers who did their jobs with their 9ft. sticks! Great job guys and gals!

I have some very exciting news as I have gotten the opportunity to work in Patagonia, Chile this year for a world class fly fishing lodge. www.patagonian-basecamp.com or www.theflyshop.com on thier international travel page. I will be leaving on December 8 and will be returing April 15 which is just in time for the Eastern Sierra's fishing opener. This area in Chile is home to some very large bows and browns as well as sea run browns in March. The average size fish is 17-20" with fish over 20" landed daily, fish over 25" landed weekly, and most folks that leave the lodge come home with a new personal record. The lodge record for a brown trout is 32" and for a rainbow it is 28" so if this type of quality of fish interests you at all I would suggest you log on to www.theflyshop.com to make your online reservation as this is the only way to book your stay at the lodge. I will have full internet access at the lodge so feel free to email at any time and I will try to answer any questions that I can. I will also be making a log entry every week with fresh pics, weather forecasts, and just good ole fashion bull shitting to keep all you folks informed on the phenomenal fishing in Chile. I look forward to hearing from you folks and I will see you next summer!

Sincerely,

Nicholas Lawton

2007-10-24T11:40:00.002-07:00

Fishing Report for October 24, 2007

Upper Owens: Good 84 c.f.s.
The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week with consistent hatches and plenty of fish in the system this has in turn produced some great days on the water. The hatches that I have seen this week consists of small midges, caddis flies, b.w.o.'s and a few trico's as well. Remember also that this river has strict angling regulations and the area from Brown's Campground to the fishing monument is closed to all angling for the rest of the season. I would suggest using 5x tippett at this time of the year as some of the fish are becoming quite leader shy. The streamer fishing has also been quite good and will surely enable you to land some of the larger models of fish in the system at the present time. Type 2 sink tips or intermediate sink lines will get the job done right now. Good luck and enjoy the fall colors.

Lower Owens: Good 120 c.f.s.

The Lower Owens has been fishing very well this week as the winter time releases have been implemented on this river until spring runoff next year. Whoo Hoo! This is a great time to be on the water as the temperatures are perfect and the water flow is absoulutely beautiful. The hatches that I have seen this week consists of midges, b.w.o.'s, caddisflies, and trico's. I would suggest using 5x flurocarbon at the present time in order to nail a few extra fish. Mostly nymph fishing at the present time but we do have some dry fly opportunities during mid-day. Be prepared with Caddis dry's as well as trico spinner's. Good luck and go fish!
Crowley Lake: Good

This week looks to be another fine week here on Crowley as the fish are on the grab at the present time and are putting on a few extra pounds before the snow fly's here in the high country. The area's that I would concentrate on for this week would be Sandy Point in 7-12 feet, Leighton Spring in 6-12 feet, McGee Bay in 7-13 feet, and Six Bays in 5-11 feet. Suggested flies for the week are midge larva pattern's in #16-18 black/red, black/silver, gray/black, and olive/silver. Also, don't forget about hanging a leech pattern as your point fly during the low periods of the midge emergence. This will surely nail you a few extra fish subsurface. Get out and go fish!

East Walker: Good 31 c.f.s.

This week looks to be a great time to be on the water as the water temp's are just right and the fish in the East are full of fight at the present time despite the low water flow's. The hatches that I have seen this week have been midges and b.w.o.'s in the mornings and a few caddis flies during mid-day. 5x flurocarbon at the present time on your nymph rigs. The streamer fishing has also been good and will surely nail you one of the larger specimens in the East at the present time. For suggested fly patterns you should stop by Ken's Sporting Good's in Bridgeport to pick up a few of the suggested local fly pattern's for the week. Good luck!

Fishing Report for October 2, 2007

2007-10-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

Upper Owens: 85 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week with an abundant number of fish in the system at the present time. The fall regulations are in effect as of October 1st and the regulantions as stated by the Department of Fish and Game are as follows. Fishing from the monument upstream to the bridge above Brown's campground is closed to all fishing until the 2008 fishing opener. Fishing from the monument downstream to Crowley Lake is allowed with artificial and barbless hooks only, no bait allowed!, bag limit:2 (18" or larger) as well as above the bridge to the private ranch Anaya. Note: As anglers we should also inform those on the river of the regulations if they are not aware of the law. Be polite and courteous and most folks will get the jest of your conversation and will appreciate your helpful insight as we all know that trying to find out where the fishing monument would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. On to the good stuff. The hatches that I have seen this week consisted of lots of caddisflies, small midges, and b.w.o's. There are a few larger fish in the system at this time and at anytime you could hook into one of these classic trophy trout. The streamer fishing has also been quite good and this technique has been hooking some very healthy fish at the present time.
Muddler Minnows, Hale Bopp Leaches, and white zonkers will get the job done. 2X and hold on!

Crowley Lake: Good

This looks to be another fine week here on Crowley as the fall colors are in full swing and this is one of your best times to be on the water to hook that big fish! The areas that I would concentrate on for this week would be Leighton Spring in 8-14 feet, Six Bays in 6-13 feet, McGee Bay in 7-11 feet, and Big Hilton in 6-13 feet. Suggested flies for this week are zebra midge larva pattern's in gray/black, black/red, olive/silver, and blood worms. Also, the willie's are starting to show as well as the D.F.G. has started their annual stocking program for next year's allotment of fish. Streamer fishing will also produce some nice specimens at this time of the year and I would suggest pulling a type 4-6 full sink line in order to patrol the zone where the big fish roam! Get out there and go fish!

East Walker: 46 c.f.s.

The East fished well this well this week despite the low flows and sub par water clarity. The good news is the water temperatures are down to 55 degrees in the mornings and getting just above 59 degrees during mid day. The influence of air temperature has played a huge role in the sudden drop of temperature which in turn makes for some very happy trout! The hatches that I have seen this week have consisted of small midges, b.w.o.'s, craneflies, and a few caddisflies popping off mid-day. There are an abundant number of bait fish in the river at the present time and this means big fish to the net as we all know big fish eat large specimens of bait fish. 2x to your point fly at the present time and hold on. Also, stop into Ken's Sporting Good's in Bridgeport to pick up a few of the hot flies that will surely help with surely improve your catch rate.

Lower Owens: 439 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here very soon. Tough wading at the present time. Trico's, Midge's, B.W.O.'s, and a few caddis flies. Streamer fishing at the present time will also nail a few fish with a type 5 or 6 heavy sink tip if you really have got the jones for the Lower O.

Fishing Report for September 25, 2007

2007-09-25T11:34:00.001-07:00

Upper Owens: 88 c..f.s.

This week looks to be a fine week here in the high country as the fall colors are beginning make their way into the higher alpine reaches of the county. This is surely one of the best times of the year to be on the water and I expect to have a fantastic fall out here on the Upper Owens. For the hatches this week I have seen caddis flies, midges, trico's, b.w.o.'s, and crane flies. The river is still holding an abundant number of fish in all the reaches of the Owens and I would recommend fishing any open gate that does not have a car that presently occupies the area. Recommend flies this week would be #16-22 p.t.'s, zebra midges, tan/cream caddis pupa, crane fly larva, and copper john's. The streamer fishing has also been very good for some of the larger models of fish in the river at the present time. I would suggest fishing two/three rods at the present time as any method you desire to present your fur and feathers will surely get your rod bendo in no time. Suggested streamers this week would be #8-14 Purple, Black, and White Double Bunnies, Black, Brown, and Olive hale bopp leaches, and krystal buggers in brown and black . Intermediate sink lines will get it done at the present time.

Crowley Lake: Good

This week looks to be a fine week here on Crowley and should produce some great days this week. With the lake receiving minimal pressure coupled with our cool fall temperatures this in turn will produce some great days to be on the water. The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be Green Banks in 7-13 feet, North Landing in 5-14 feet, Leighton Springs in 7-14 feet, and McGee Bay in 7-13 feet. I would suggest using midge larva patterns in black/red, olive/silver, gray/black, and blood midges in sizes#16-18. For stripping I would suggest pulling Type 3-5 Full Sinking Lines with #10-14 hornbergs, olive, brown, and black krystal buggers, hale bopp leaches, and white, purple, and tan zonkers. 3x and hold on!

East Walker: 71 c.f.s.

This week has been another step in the right direction for the East Walker as the water temperatures are around 59-61 degrees at the big hole and is contributing some positive factors for our fishery. This week I saw midges, b.w.0.'s, and a few caddis flies mid-day. Their are also plenty of bait fish available for the trout to forage on and this is one of the best times of the year to get your arm ripped off while pulling large, ugly, nasty, bait fish patterns. Good times and a spectactular grab. 3x and hold on! The water clarity is somewhat minimal at this time of the year is a slight hint of green. I would still suggest fishing 5x Flurocarbon in your nymph rig in order to produce a few extra grabs. Suggested flies: hornbergs, matuka's, zuddler's, and zonker's in sizes#10-14. Suggested Colors: Olive, White, Black, and Purple.

Lower Owens: 440 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flows are below 350 c.f.s. Scouting the next couple of weeks.

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton

Fishing Report for September 18, 2007

2007-09-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Crowley Lake: Very Good

This week looks to be a good week on Crowley as the midge emergence has been very strong with the fish keying in on the abundant midge larva and pupa that are hatching in the flats of Crowley at the present time. The annual "Double Haul in the Fall" float tube tournament went down on Saturday and it was a great showing of competitive fly anglers. There were some very nice fish measured on this day and fun was had by one and all. The areas that I would concentrate on for this week are the Green Banks area in 7-13 feet, North Landing area in 7-14 feet, McGee Bay in 7-14 feet, and West Shore in 6-13 feet. I would suggest larva patterns in black/silver, grey/black, black/red, and gray/silver. Also, don't forget to hang those blood midge patterns in the mornings as the fish are becoming somewhat sluggish from the cool fall temperatures. For those of you stripping streamers out there I would suggest #10-14 hale bopp leaches in black, brown, and olive, hornbergs, matuka's, zonker's, and purple krystal buggers will have your rod bendo in no time! 3x and hold on !

Upper Owens: 89 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very, very, well again this week as the hatches have been great with lot's of caddis flies, trico's, and a smorgasborg of midges this has made for some epic days on the water. This is a great time of the year to be on the water as the fall temperatures make their way into the high country. 5x will definetly be in order on all of our rigs from here on out and this will surely improve your catch rate for this fall. The areas that I would suggest for the Upper Owens would be any any public access gate that doesn't have a car parked there. I swear, it is that good! Get out there and have some fun as the fall has arrived and the fish are seeing minimal amounts of pressure at the present time. Good luck and happy hunting!

East Walker: 82 c.f.s.

The East has improved greatly this week as the cool night time temperatures have really cooled things down. The water temperature from the outflow of the tube was 61 degrees which is a very good temperature and a substantial improvment over the dog days of summer. I want to personally thank all of my fellow anglers and friends for respecting the East Walker this year and actually contributing to the improvment of an outstanding fishery by not fishing on our watery friends and giving them a chance to survive our miserable snowpack from this past winter. I would suggest fishing here this fall as there should be some photo quality fish brought to the net. Get out there and go fish!

Lower Owens: 446 c.f.s.

Air temperatures are improving on the Lower Owens and I will be doing some scouting here on this river here in the near future. Stay tuned as this fishery will be the go to river this fall and winter.

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for September 11, 2007

2007-09-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

This week has been another fine week here on Crowley Lake as we have had consistent temperatures and a very strong midge emergene and this in turn has produced some great days on the water. The annual Double Haul in the Fall float tube tournament is taking place this weekend on Saturday and should be loads of fun for all participants. The areas that I would concentrate on for this week would be Green Banks in 7-14 feet, McGee Bay in 6-14 feet, Six Bays in 6-13 feet, and Crooked Creek in 4-13 feet. The flies that I would suggest for this week would be larva patterns in #16-18 black/silver, olive/silver, black/red, and blood midges. For the pupa I would suggest #16-18 gray/black, black/silver, and olive/silver. For those of you pulling streamers I would suggest a Type 2 or 3 sinking line for in tight and a Type 4 or 5 full sink in order to patrol the deeper sections from 15-25 feet. I would suggest pulling hornberg's, matuka's, hale bopp leaches in olive, brown, and black. Muddler minnow's, olive and white zonker's, and double bunnies have also been productive. 3x to your point fly and hold on!

Upper Owens: 102 c.f.s.

This is my top pick for moving water at this time in the entire Eastern Sierra. This fishery has been producing 20-30 fish days on average all season long and I do not look for this to change for the rest of the year. The emergence this week has consisted of midges, trico's, and caddis flies in the mornings, with a few p.m.d.'s still coming off and a few b.w.o.'s and crane flies throughout the day. Suggested flies for the week would be #16-18 caddis pupa, black beauties, p.t.'s, and prince nymphs will get you fish. Also, the dry fly action has been good in the mornings with tan/brown elk hair caddis, parachute caddis, and parachute hoppper's. 5x to your point fly and hold on.

East Walker: 93 c.f.s.

This fishery needs at least one more week to be what I consider fishable. The fish here in the East Walker have endured a very tough year with the season opening a few months early to low water flows, heavy angling pressure and high water temp's this has produced a fishery that is barely surviving these lethal low flows. Please, do not fish here this week. That means you early morning guys and late evening guys. Go pick on some other fish that aren't sporting red lip stick and just trying to survive the summer. No matter what. Respect your fishery. Please!

Lower Owens: 456 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flows are below 350 c.f.s. Book your trip early as this fall's calendar is starting to fill up!

Tight Lines,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Repoort for September 5, 2007

2007-09-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

The fishing here on Crowley Lake this week would best be descibed as epic. We have seen some very large specimens coming to the net this week with the Crowley Lake grand slam(rainbow, brown, cutthroat) becoming an every day occurence on my skiff. Also, the d.f.g. has started their annual stocking program and the willie's are starting to make their presence felt in all of our inlets to the lake. The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be McGee Bay in 7-14 feet, Green Banks in 7-15 feet, East Flat in 7-13 feet, and Six Bays in 7-15 feet. The flies that I would suggest for this week would be larva patterns in black/silver, black/red,gray/black, olive/silver and blood midge's. For the pupa I would suggest gray/black, gray/silver, olive/silver, and black/black. For those of you pulling streamers right now I would suggest pulling a type 2 or 3 sinking line. The flies that I would suggest for this week would be olive, black, and brown hale bopp leaches, hornberg's, olive and black matuka's, and olive zonker's in sizes #10-14. 3x to your point fly and hold on! Good luck and happy hunting!

Upper Owens: 101 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well again this week as this is the most consistent top notch fishery in the Eastern Sierra's at this time. The d.f.g. has been on a very routine stocking program here at this fishery and this has in turn produced a fishery that is coming back to Blue Ribbon status. There are also a few large brood stock fish in the system right now and one of these big boys will surely make for a quality photo. These fish are averaging 4-10 pounds so you had better have your game face on when tackling one of these trout. I have fished and guided every piece of water on the Upper Owens this year and I have not found one area to be better than the other. Below the bridge or above it really doesn't matter. There are fish everywhere. The most consistent hatches that I have seen this week continue to be caddis flies, midges, trico's, and a few b.w.o.'s that have been popping of mid-day. I would suggest throwing caddis pupa, black p.t.'s, zebra midges, blood midges, and prince nymphs have been spanking'em subsurface. For those of you on top I would suggest parachute caddis, parachute hopper's, and b.w.o. comparadun's in sizes 16-20. For streamers I would suggest a Type 2 sink tip or an intermediate sinking line right now and would be pulling size#12-14 olive and brown zonker's, black RL Krystal bugger's, and double bunnies have been sticking some of the larger fish in the system. Good Luck!

East Walker: 90 c.f.s.

I would not suggest fishing the East Walker right now as the water temp's are to high and the outflow is to low that is coming from B.P.R. These low levels of oxygen content can be devistating for our watery loving friends after a long hard fought battle with an angler and will more than likely put more stress on the fish and will actually result in his mortality. So, if you are an East Walker afficionadio then I had better not see you on the water! We are fly fisherman. Act like one. Conservation and respecting the environment is what we are in a few words summed up and I sure would like to see the East Walker remain at the top of it's game. We will be fishing here in the fall when the water temp's are in the low 60's other than that you will not see me here.

Lower Owens: 459 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the air temperature is below 100 and the c.f.s. is below 350. I just do not enjoy melting in the sun while I am fishing the Lower Owens in the summer. It's not that the fishing is bad it is just miserable. Mark my words though, this fall will be one to remember as we will have very consitent flows this winter for months on end. B.W.O.'s here we come!

Tight Lines,

Nicholas Lawton

Fishing Report for August 28, 2007

2007-08-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

This week has been another great week on this phenomenal still water. The early morning temperatures have dropped down over the past two weeks and this in turn has produced a late morning bite and midge emergence. I would not get started until around 8:00 a.m. at the earliest in order for the midges to start popping off and getting the fish active sub surface. The areas that I would concentrate on for this week are Green Banks in 7-14 feet, McGee Bay in 7-15 feet, The Hilton's in 7-15 feet, and Crooked Creek in 6-14 feet. I would suggest larva and pupa pattern's in size #16-18 black/silver, black/red, gray/silver, gray/black, and blood midges. Also, for those of you pulling streamers out there I would suggest an intermediate sink line for the shallows and weed lines and then swithching to a Type 3 or 4 full sinking line in order to keep your presentations in the danger zone where the big fish roam! Olive, Purple, Brown, and Black krysal buggers in #10-14, Hale Bopp Leaches in black, crimson, olive, and brown. Also stripping hornberg's, matuka's and damsel's have been productive teamed up with a hare's ear or a p.t. about twenty inches apart. 3x to your point fly and hold on!

Upper Owens: 98 c.f.s.

This is my top pick for river's and creeks in the area at this time for the fact that this fishery has the most consistent water flow and temperature to sustain a blue ribbon trout fishery in the entire Eastern Sierra at this time. There are plenty of fish in the river at this time and 20-30 fish days are not uncommon at this time of the year. Plenty of dry fly action for wild brownies and plenty of d.f.g. stocker's to keep the rods bent all day long! The emergence that I have seen this week has consisted of midges, trico's, b.w.o.'s, and caddis flies that have been the mainstay on the river these past few weeks. Also the streamer fishing can be quite good for some of the larger fish in the system at this time. I would suggest fishing an intermediate sinking tip for fishing the river at this time. Wood Head Sculpins, Matuka's, RL Krystal Bugger's, and Hornberg's have been the hot ticket for this week. For the dry fly action I would suggest parachute hopper's, parachute caddis, and parachute adam's for the wild brownies in the stream. Good luck and happy hunting.

East Walker: 91 c.f.s.

Stay away! The water temperatures coupled with the low flow's this week has put a little to much stress on our East Walker watery friends and I am suggesting that no one fish the East Walker for at least two weeks. These fish need all the help that they can get at this time of the year and angling pressure will not contribute to the final outcome of this fishery this year. Check back with us next week as I have been keeping a close eye on this tailwater.

Lower Owens: 457 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flows are below 350 c.f.s. Be ready for an epic fall as this year is going to be a great year for fishing the Lower O!

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for August 21, 2007

2007-08-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

This has been another fine week here on this stillwater impoundment. The fish are actively feeding on the abundant midge hatch as well as the perch fry migration that is taking place right now. This is one of the finest times of the year to be on Crowley as this is when some of our biggest fish are coming to the nets. I have seen a great showing of over sized browns as well as a good number of big cutthroat's that have been coming to the net. The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be Green Banks in 7-13 feet, McGee Bay in 7-14 feet, Six Bays in 8-15 feet, and the Hilton's in 8-16 feet. The flies that I would suggest this week would be larva and pupa pattern's in #16-18 black/silver, olive/silver, black/red and gray/black. For those of you pulling streamers I would suggest fishing an intermediate sinking line for the river channels and then swithching over to a Type 3 or 4 full sinking line for the deeper slots. I would suggest pulling #10-14 olive, brown, or black hale bopp leaches, Frank's Gold Bead Krystal Bugger's in purple, peacock/grizzly, and white. 3x to your point fly and hold onnnnnnnn!

Upper Owens: 95 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well again this week with a consistent stocking program, a stable water flow, and cool night time temperatures this would be my top pick for moving water right now as most of the other streams in the Sierra's are experiencing very low flows and severely high water temperatures. The most consistent hatches that I have seen this week include midges, p.m.d.s, trico's and the ever present caddis flies. I would suggest getting an early start as this river is experiencing some heavy foot traffic. The early bird get's the worm! Suggested flies would be zebra midges, wd-40's, p.t.'s, and tan/cream sparkle caddis. For those of you throwing dries I would suggest parachute adams, parachute hopper's, and tan Elk hair caddis. 5x to your point fly as the fish are becoming somewhat leader shy.

East Walker: 81 c.f.s.

The East is experiencing low flows and a very high water temperature as of this report. I would suggest fishing here strictly early and late as of right now for the fact we need to preserve this fishery for the epic fall that it is shaping up to be. I will be keeping an eye on this phenomenal tailwater and will keep you posted when things are looking on the up and up.

Lower Owens: 454 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flow is below 350 c.f.s. This fall looks to be a great time on the Lower O so get ready!

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton

Fishing Report for August 14, 2007

2007-08-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Crowley Lake: Excellent

This week has been a great week here on Crowley as the mid-day temperatures have been cooling off and producing an epic afternoon bite. The midge emergece has been very strong as well as an epic perch fry migration as well as a damsel fly migration to boot! Lot's and lot's of protein is available for the trout at this time of the year and this is the time when the big fish are putting on a few extra pounds in order to prepare for those dog days of winter. Browns and Cutthroats from 4-10 pounds are regularly caught this time of the year as they are chasing baby perch fry in the shallows along the weed lines. Remember, this is why we have a trophy trout season here on Crowley right now. Take advantage of it as it comes and goes just as the sun and the moon rise and fall! The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be McGee Bay in 7-14 feet, Green Banks in 7-14 feet, Crooked Creek in 7-14 feet, and The Hilton's in 8-15 feet. The flies that I would suggest for the indicator's would be midge larva patterns in #16-18 black/silver, gray/black, black/red, and olive/silver. Also, don't forget about hanging an olive or brown leach pattern under an indicator right now as the perch fry are ever present. For those of you stripping out there I would suggest intermediate sink lines in the mornings and evenings and a Type 3 or 4 full sinking line for the afternoon's. For streamer's I would suggest pulling olive or black matuka's, olive and brown hale bopp leaches, krystal buggers in purple, brown, and cinnamon and hornberg's in sizes #10-14. Don't forget about teaming that streamer up with an olive hare's ear or an olive bird's nest as this will surely get you a few more grabs. 3X to your point fly and hold on! Good luck.

Upper Owens: 99 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well again this week with stable water temperatures, consistent hatches, and warm summer day's this has in turn produced some great days on the water. The hatches that I have seen this week have been midges and caddis flies, trico's from 9-11, and crane flies and small baetis to finish it off. Also, those wily grasshopper's are making there presence felt here on the Upper Owens and if you haven't experienced terrestrial dry fly fishing then my friend you haven't lived! There is no skill involved in this all out dry fly assault. Just cast it out along the banks and hold on! You don't have to be pretty with this presentation. The louder your fly hit's the water the more attraction that your fly will get! Just smack it baby! The streamer fishing is also very good right now and will surely enable you to land the biggest fish out of every pool. I would suggest a Type 2 sink tip or an intermediate sink line for those of you tugging streamers. Olive and Black Matuka's, Double Bunny's, and Clouser Minnow's will do the trick. Caddis pupa, black beauties, wd-40's, and p.t.s will get the job done for the nymphs. Good luck and happy hunting!

East Walker: 127 c.f.s.

The East has been fishing very well again this week in the morning's and late evenings. The weather pattern change that we have had in the area this week has dropped the temperatures at least 15 degrees at night which in turn cools the surface temperature on the reservoir which in turn means a cooler consistent outflow. Yes, this is a good thing! This is what we have been praying for! Let's hope this weather pattern stay's consistent as this will surely bring our water temps to the desired level of our fellow anglers and our East Walker River trout. The hatches that I have seen this week consist of small midges in the mornings, along with a trico spinner fall, small b.w.o.'s popping off, and a few caddis flies buzzing around which has produced some great days on the water. Also, the streamer action has been fairly consistent and will surely nail a big fish as the sun begins to set over the Sawtooth's. 3x to your point and hold on! Good luck!

Lower Owens: 458 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flows are below 350 c.f.s. Watch the flows as this will surely be an epic fall!

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for August 7, 2007

2007-08-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Upper Owens: 98 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing nothing short of phenomenal this week with a routine stocking schedule being enforced this has in turn produced some epic days on the river. Also there has been a recent stocking of brood stock trout from 3-10 lbs. that were planted in the river two weeks ago and have surely made their presence felt this week. We have had some very consistent hatches this week with caddis being the mainstay but also I have seen some small sulphur's coming off, midges, craneflies, and a few trico's that have been buzzing around and have been a mainstay on the trout's diet. I have fished from the inlet of Crowley Lake all the way up to the Private Ranch which is called Anaya and I have caught fish in every pool or riffle that looked to hold fish or deem it productive water. Also, the streamer fishing has been very good as their are plenty of fish in the river and they are showing some very aggresive behavior as they are competing against each other for the top position in the pool which in turn produces some great streamer grabs. If you would like that big fish I would suggest streamers all the way! Good luck and happy hunting!

East Walker: 148 c.f.s.

The East has been fishing very well again this week with consistent water releases and great hatches this has produced some great days on the water. I would personally suggest fishing this tailwater very early (6:00 a.m.) and very late (7:30) as the mid-day water temperatures are soaring in the mid-70's and is putting alot of pressure on our watery friends so please respect the trout's well being by not fishing during mid-day. The bug's that I have seen this week have been caddis flies, midges, b.w.o.'s, and trico's. The fish have been keying in on the adult caddis flies as well as the dun's and spinners on the surface very well in the mornings and late evenings. I would suggest 5x to your point fly and 6x for your dropper as the fish are starting to become leader shy! Good luck!

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

Crowley Lake has been fishing very well this week as the trophy trout season is in full swing. The perch fry migration is starting to peak and some of our larger models of fish have moved into the shallows to forage on the ever present perch fry. This is one of the finest times of the year to fish Crowley as some of our largest fish of the year are caught during this time. The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be McGee Bay in 8-16 feet, Little Hilton in 8-15 feet, Green Banks in 8-17 feet, and Six Bays in 12-25 feet. The flies that I would suggest this week would be larva patterns in black/silver, olive/silver, and black/red and for the pupal imitaions I would suggest gray/black, gray/red, and gray/silver. For streamer patterns I would suggest olive, brown, and black leeches, krystal buggers in purple, cinnamon, olive, and black as well as hornberg's, matuka's, and hale bopp leaches. A type 2 sinking tip for working the shallow weed lines, and a Type 6 Full Sink when you are working the drop-off''s in deeper water. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

Lower Owens: 467 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flows are below 400 c.f.s. Look for epic days to be had this fall! Watch those flows!

Fishing Report for July 24, 2007

2007-07-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

East Walker: 101 c.f.s.

The East has been fishing very well this week with lot's of sunshine and some very consistent bug hatches this in turn has produced some great days on the water. The most consistent hatches that I have seen this week have been midges and trico's early mornings and then I have witnessed p.m.d.'s, caddis flies and a few crane flies jumping around on the water throughout mid-day into the afternoon hours. I would suggest fishing here strictly early and late as the mid-day water temps are climbing into the low-mid 70's during the hottest part of the day making our watery friends a little sluggish from the oxygen depleted water. Please, handle these fish with care as this time of the year the trout are at their most vulnerable state and if these fish are not revived in the proper fashion then they have no chane of surviving. Do not let a fish swim away from you belly up! This should be illegal and against any fly fisherman's code of ethics. If you do witness some improper release techniques it is your duty as an anlger to let that person know what he/she is doing wrong and how to correct it. Suggest Flies: Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Caddis, Parachute Adams, and Hopper's. Also, try p.t.'s, zebra midges, caddis pupa, and trico spinners as the nymph. 5x for the dry, 4x for the nymphs, 3x for the streamers. Good Luck!

Upper Owens: 114 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week with good numbers of d.f.g. stockers, wild eye brownies, and a few lake fish that have moved into the cooler oxygen rich water of the Upper Owens. I would suggest fishing below the bridge right now as their are plenty of fish from the inlet of the lake all the the way up to Brown's Campground. The most consistent hatches that I have seen this week have been caddis flies, midges, p.m.d.'s and a few trico's flying around during the morning emergence. Also, don't forget about those wily grasshoppers that are getting blown into the stream right now. Be ready for an explosive grab on top as the fish in the Upper Owens show some major aggression towards this tasty morsel. I would suggest dropping a bead head p.t. or a hare's ear around 20" below your point fly in order to nail a few extra fish sub-surface. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

Lower Owens: 442 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall! Be on the look out for those flows to come down below 300 c.f.s.

Crowley Lake: Good

Crowley has been fishing very well this week with a very consistent midge emergence as well as a very strong damsel fly migration and also a few callibaetis mayflies that have been popping off throughout the day. I would suggest your start time be no later than 7:00 a.m. The flies that I would suggest this week would be black/red, black/silver, gray/black, and gray/copper pupa. Also, I would suggest fishing a perch fry imitaion in size#14-16 throughtout the month as the perch fry have begun their annual migration. Good Luck! The areas to concentrate on this week are McGee Bay in 4-12 feet, Upper Owens River Channel in 8-16 feet, Crooked Creek in 10-15 feet, and the Hilton's in 8-16 feet of water.

Tight Lines,

Nicholas Lawton

Fishing Report for July 17, 2007

2007-07-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

East Walker: 101 c.f.s.

The East has been fishing very well this week with lot's of California sunshine and consistent hatches this has in turn produced some great days to be on the water. A few of my clients this week had a few magic moments on the East and were able to nail that big fish on dry/dropper combo's. The hatches that I have seen on the East this week are the ever present midges, caddis flies, trico's, b.w.o.'s, and little yellow sallies. I am going to personally suggest that you fish the East right now early and late for the fact the water temperatures are in the 70's during mid-day. Please, take extra care when handling the fish and make sure that they return to the water as you found them. Do not let a fish swim out of your hands or net belly up. This would insure a cruel death to the fish. Suffocation. Yuck! The flies that I would suggest for the dry would be elk hair caddis, tan or olive, parachute caddis, parachute adams, and Big Hopper's for that extra special fish! I would suggest standard midge dropper's such as zebra midges, wd-40's, disco's, and chromie's for the a.m. and then moving over to caddis and mayfly stuff such as sparkle pupa, swimming caddis, p.t.'s, rs-2's, and lighting bugs for the p.m. Good luck!

Upper Owens: 111 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well again this week with plenty of d.f.g. stockers, wild eye browns, and a slight showing of the blue wave(big fish from Crowley moving into the river to seek the cool oxegenated water of the Upper Owens). The bug activity on the river has been quite good with lots of tan sedges, midges, b.w.o.'s, callibaetis, and a few trico's that have been the mainstay on the river this week. The river has been very busy with traffic but their are plenty of fish in the river for everyone to have a good time. Bring plenty of mosquito repellent as those pesky critters are out and about. Sunscreen is also a must on this river as the u.v. rays are ever present at this time. Look out for those wily hoppers as their jumping fever has been the downfall of their short lived lives for some time now. Parachute hoppers, Dave's Hopper's, and a bead head pheasant tail will get the job done during the mid-day. Caddis pupa, mayfly emergers, midges, and trico spinners for the mornings and evenings. Also, streamers can be very productive this time of the year. Try stripping rubberlegged krystal buggers, wool head sculpins, muddler minnows, and matuka's through out some of the deeper runs and pools and hold on.

Crowley Lake: Good

It has been another fine week on Crowley as their are plenty of big fish coming to the nets. The fish are still concentrated in all of the inlets to the lake. McGee Bay, Upper Owens, Little Hilton, and Crooked Creek have been the most consistent areas that I have fished this week. I would suggest fishing very early on Crowley this time of the year as the fleet is getting going very early this year. 6:00 a.m. is the start time if you're up for the challenge. The fish in McGee Bay are becoming very selective right now as these fish have seen just about every fly in the book. Drop down in size if you are fishing in the armada as this will surely get you a few more grabs. In all other areas of the lake. A size 16 or 18 will get the job done in all other areas of the lake. I would suggest fishing black/copper, black/red, gray/black, and black/silver larva patterns in the mornings and then switching over to olive and gray pupa for the afternoons. Also, stipping a type 2 or type 3 sinking tip right now will surely get you into a few fish. I have witnessed a few perch fry swimming around this week and this has just caught the attention of the trout. Be on the look out for big fish coming to the net while stipping perch fry and damsel fly patterns this month. Good luck and happy hunting!

Lower Owens: 427 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here this fall when the flows are below 400 c.f.s. and the temps below 100.

Fishing Report for July 10, 2007

2007-07-03T09:27:00.001-07:00

East Walker: 112 c.f.s.

Oh, my, my! What to say about this phenomenal fishery. The dry fly action remains very good as of this report and I have witnessed a host of bug life making their annual migrations throughout the stream. Caddis flies, Midges, P.M.D.'s, and Yellow Sallies have been the mainstay on the river at this time. I would suggest fishing very early and late as of this report for the fact that our mid-day water temps are soaring high and this does not make for ideal living conditions for our trout. This river is coming back to it's full potential and it would make me most upset to see this up and coming fishery be depleted by our fellow fly anglers that are putting to much stress on our watery friends when the water temperatures are to high. All fellow fly anglers should have a stream temperature in their river arsenal and should regularly take a measurment as the sun makes it's way on to the horizon. If the water temp hit's the seventy degree mark it's time to head for the car and go have a cold one and wait for the water temps to cool back down in the evenings. With that said, early and late is the call. For dry fly patterns I would suggest size 18-20 Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Caddis, CDC Yellow Sally, and Parachute Adams for the dry and for the dropper I would suggest Size 18-22 Caddis Pupa, Hot Wire Mayflies, Black Beauties, and disco midges.

Upper Owens: 108 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens is fishing very, very, well right now as their are plenty of fish in the system at this time. The caddis hatch has been very strong in the mornings with a few p.m.d.'s flying around, mixed in with some midges. I would suggest fishing below the bridge right now as their are good numbers of fish holding in the deeper pools and oxbow bends in the lower reaches at this time. I would suggest fishing two rods here at this time. One with a dry/dropper combination and one with a two nymph rig. Caddis Pupa, Diving Caddis, and Caddis Larva are some of the suggested flies for this week. Good luck and happy hunting!

Crowley Lake: Very Good

This stillwater impoundment continues to produce epic 30 and 40 fish days with consistency. The fish are staged up in all of our inlets to the lake where they are seeking out the refuge of cold clear water with an abundance of bug life present in these areas. The areas that I would suggest fishing this week would be McGee Bay in 4-10 feet, Little Hilton in 8-16 feet, Crooked Creek in 8-15 feet, and Upper Owens River Channel in 8-14 feet. I would suggest fishing black/silver, black/red, gray/black, and gray/copper. Also, for those of you stripping out there you could use a small midge emerger on a floating line right now and target the cruising fish in the shallows of McGee Bay. Also, the damsel fly migration is on the up and up and the callibaetis are also making a good showing along the weed lines so be prepared with these flies as your backup arsenal. Good Luck!

Lower Owens: 452 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here when the flows are below 400 c.f.s. Be on the look out for the flows to drop as this fall is going to be a great time to be on the river!

July 4th Fishing Report

2007-07-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

East Walker: 91 c.f.s.

The East Walker has been fishing very well again this week with lot's of sunshine and consistent bug hatches this in turn has produced some great days on the river. The water temperatures are getting very high in the afternoon's which makes me very nervous about the well being of our watery friends. I would suggest fishing here very early and late evenings in order to keep our fish nice and healthy for this fall. On a better note, the dry fly action has been really good in the morning emergence. I have witnessed caddis flies, midges, p.m.d.'s, and b.w.o.'s coming off very strong in the early morning hours and late evenings. There have been some really nice fish landed on the East this week so if I were you I would grab my stick and hit the E-dub before the water temperatures are to high and the flows are too low.

Upper Owens: 108 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week with great numbers of fish in the system and consistent bug hatches, this has produced some great days on the river. This week I have seen a very consistent caddis hatch in the mornings with a few midges popping and also a few callibaetis mayfly's flying around. The area below the benton crossing bridge has been fishing very well this week with lot's of d.f.g. stockers in the system as well as a few big bruisers that have moved up from the lake to seek out the much more oxegenated water of the Upper Owens. I would suggest fishing dry/dropper combo's for the morning rise and then swithching over to a two nymph rig for the afternoon session. Also, you can tug a streamer through the deeper pools and undercut banks of the Upper O in order to nail that big fish! Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Caddis, and Big Chernobyl Ant's will rock'em on top and zug bug's, bird's nest's, and zebra midge will nail'em on the bottom.

Lower Owens: 482 c.f.s

We will be guiding here when the flows are below 400 c.f.s. this fall! Fishing will be great this fall so be ready for those flows to drop!

The Gorge: 65 c.f.s

The gorge has been fishing very consistent again this week with the only limiting factor being the heat during mid-day. I would suggest fishing here strictly early and late as the mid-day temps are out of sight! The caddis fly emergence has been very steady this week with a few mayfly's popping throughout the day. I would suggest fishing standard attractor patterns such as Humpies, Trudes, and Wulff's as well as a bead head dropper such as a copper john, prince nymph, or a wd-40 in order to nail a few extra fish! Bring plenty of water and sunscreen! Also, don't forget your long sleeved shirt right now as the stinging nettle is in full effect and will ruin a great day of fishing if you are not prepared for the conditions at hand.

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

This week Crowley has been fishing well with the algae bloom staring to secede and weed lines becoming apparent the fish have movcd into to forage on the abundant midge pupa, damsel fly nymphs, and callibaetis. The area's that I would concentrate on this week would be McGee Bay in 4-12 feet, Big Hilton in 12-16 feet, and the Upper Owens river channel in 8-12 feet. I would suggest fishing larva and pupa patterns in the mornings and then switching over to callibaetis and damsel fly nymphs as the sun makes it's way on to the horizon. Also, for those guys pulling streamers. I would suggest fishing type 2 sink tips in the river channel's with damsel fly nymphs, callibaetis nymphs, and midge emerger's on a slowwwwwwwwww hand twist retrieve. Good Luck and Tight Lines!

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for June 26, 2007

2007-06-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

East Walker: 166 c.f.s.

The East Walker has been fishing very well again this week with perfect mid-day temps and a smorgasborg of activity on the water, this has in turn produced some great days on the water. This week I have seen midges, p.m.d.'s, yellow sallies, caddis flies, b.w.o's, and crane flies. I would suggest fishing early and late as the fish are seeking shade and cooler temperatures during mid-day. I would suggest dry/dropper combo's for the mornings and late evenings and then switching over to a double nymph rig for the afternoon's. Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, Perfect little yellow stone, and stimi's have all been a good bet as your dry. We have a few open slots for this week so make your reservation early in order to insure a great day on the river.

Upper Owens: 109 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week with great water clarity and a host of bug activity this has produced some great days of fishing on this spring creek. Twenty to thirty fish days are not uncommon at this time. I would suggest fishing below the bridge as well as the river channel leading into Crowley Lake. There is a good concentration of fish in this area right now and would be my top pic for fishing the O this week. I would suggest fishing caddis pupa and p.m.d. nymphs in the mornings and then switching over to midges and small baetis patterns for the afternoon's. Also, if you are in the mood for stripping you can use a Type 2 sinking tip with callabaetis and damsel fly patterns in the river channel and have a hell of a good time! Get out there and enjoy the great fishing that is happening on the O this week.

Lower Owens: 452 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here when the flows are below 350 c.f.s. this fall.

The Gorge: 65 c.f.s.

The gorge has been fishing very well again this week in the morning's and late afternoon's. There has been an excellent caddis hatch in the evenings with lot's of fish looking up. I would suggest fishing standard attractor's such as Trudes, Humpies, and Elk hair caddis patterns in the sizes of 16-18. Also, bring plenty of water and sunscreen as the mid-day temps are soaring high in the gorge right now. Long shirts are in order as the stinging nettle is very prevelant right now.

Crowley Lake: Fair-Good

This week Crowley Lake has been fishing a lot more consistent as the algae bloom is begining to secede. The fishing pressure has been very high on the lake as the areas that we can fish right now are few and far between. I would suggest fishing the areas of Mcgee Bay in 4-12 feet, Little Hilton in 10-14 feet, Crooked Creek in 10-15 feet, and Upper Owens River Channel in 7-12 feet. The flies that I would suggest this week would be larva and pupa patterns in gray/black, black/silver, black/red, and grey/silver. For those of you tugging streamers out there I would suggest fishing callabaetis and damsel fly patterns on a Type 2 sinking tip. Concentrate on the areas of cooler water near river mouths as well as weed and scum lines throughout the lake. Good Luck and Happy hunting!

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for June 19, 2007

2007-06-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

East Walker: 146 c.f.s.

The East has been fishing very well this week with lot's of sunshine and mid-day temperatures in the mid 80's this has in turn produced some great days on the river. I have seen midges, p.m.d.'s, caddis, yellow sallies, and crane fly's popping throughout the day making for some great days of catching on the river. I would suggest fishing early and late as the fish are seeking out the cooler temps in the shade and under boulders mid-day. The dry fly action has also been really good this week with midges, yellow sallies and p.m.d.'s in the morning and then switching over to caddis adults for the evening session. Also, if you need to purchase a few flies for the East you should stop by Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport and pick up a few killer pattern's for the East Walker.

Upper Owens River: 106 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week as the D.F.G. will be making weekly stops here for the next few weeks. This will in turn produce some great days of angling on the river. I have witnessed a great caddis and p.m.d. hatch here in the mornings along with a few midges popping as well. I would suggest fishing below the bridge right now as this area is hosting a good concentration of fish. I would suggest fishing caddis pupa and p.m.d. nymphs in the mornings and then switching over to a caddis dry or p.m.d. dry for the the afternoon/evening surface action.

Lower Owens River: 454 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here when the flows are below 350 c.f.s. this fall.

Owens River Gorge: 65 c.f.s.

The gorge has been fishing well again this week for those anglers willing to make the descent down into the canyon. There has been a great caddis hatch in the mornings and late evenings in the gorge that has been down right a hoot to fish! I would suggest fishing standard attractor patterns as well as caddis adults in sizes 16-18. You should also drop a nymph off the back of your dry fly about 20" inches and this should allow you to nail a few of those feisty browns sub-surface. Bring plenty of water and wear a long sleeve shirt right now as the stinging nettle is in full effect at this time of the year. Tight Lines.

Crowley Lake: Fair-Good

This week has been hit or miss out here at Crowley. Some days we will have 40 fish to the boat. The next day we will have 10. The algae is determining the areas that we are concentrating on right now and depending on what area has the clearest water for the day will make the determining factor on where you should fish for the day. The callibaetis and damsel fly migration have started here at Crowley and the fish are keying in on this delicate morsel. I would suggest fishing the inlets of the lake and I would be concentrating on weed lines as well as scum lines when you are fishing emerging callibaetis as well as the damsel fly nymphs that crawl up the weeds to emerge. A type 2 or type 3 sinking tip fly line is the line of choice right now. You can also use your stillwater tactics right now but you have to work very hard to find the areas of clear water. The areas that I would suggest taking a look at would be Mcgee Bay in 8-14 feet, Little Hilton in 10-15 feet, Green Banks in 14-18 feet, and West Flat in 12-16 feet of water. The flies I would suggest for the week would p.t.'s, midge larva and midge pupa patterns. Size 16-18 Black/Red, Black/Copper, Black/Silver, and Gray/Black pupa and larva combinations.

Fishing Report for June 12, 2007

2007-05-22T11:27:00.003-07:00

East Walker: 146 c.f.s.

This week has been another fine week of fishing here on the East Walker. The flows have bumped up a little bit since last week and the fish have spread out throughout the system. The miracle mile has been fishing very well in the mornings and late afternoons. I have seen an explosion of bug life on the river this week with a good showing of midges, caddisflies, p.m.d.'s, b.w.o.'s, and little yellow stones. The fish have been keying in on midges and mayflies in the mornings with the fish switching over to caddis pupa, yellow stones and midges for the evening session. Also, the dry fly action has been pretty good in the mornings and late afternoon's. I would suggest fishing small midge and mayfly pattern's in the mornings and then switching over to caddis pupa and yellow sally stone fly nymphs in the afternoon's. For dry fly pattern's I would suggest fishing parachute adams and elk hair caddis for the morning and evening grab. You can also stop by Ken's Sporting Good's in Bridgeport for hot local tips and the flies that you will need to fish the East Walker.

Upper Owens: 106 c.f.s.

The fishing on the Upper Owens is starting to pick up since our last report. There are a few d.f.g. stockers starting to show in the Long Ears section as the fish that were planted by Brown's Campground have moved up from all the pressure that they have been receiving in the open regulation water below the bridge. Guys, if you could please be on the look out for poachers above the bridge. I have been witnessing worm cans and beer bottles on the river this week which in turn tells me that we have a serious problem out here on the Upper O right now. We need as much support as we can from our community of dedicated fly fishers to enforce the laws and regulations of this special fishery. We just do not have enough game wardens in our county to patrol all of the waters in Inyo and Mono. So, if you do encounter this problem please give the d.f.g. a call at 760-934-8872 or 760 937-1666. Thanks. Now, as far as the insect life is concerned this week, I have witnessed a variety of hatches. I have seen midges, caddisflies, and p.m.d.'s in the mornings with a few fish coming to the surface for the caddis grab. I would suggest fishing early and late and also bring plenty of mosquito repellent. They're Here!

Lower Owens: 459 c.f.s.

We will be fishing here when the flows are below 300 c.f.s. this fall.

The Gorge: 65 c.f.s.

The gorge has been fishing very well this week in the mornings and late evenings. The mid-day temps are still very high right now and I would not suggest fishing in the gorge in the afternoon at this time. There has been a great caddis hatch in the evenings with a few mayflies popping throughout the day. I would suggest fishing standard attractor's such as parachute adams, Royal Wulff's, and Humpies. Drop a wd-40 or a hare's ear off the back of your dry fly to nail a few extra fish sub-surface. Also, the stinging nettle is ever present right now so please wear a long sleeve shirt.

Crowley Lake: Fair-Good

This week Crowley has been fishing with a bit of inconsistency. The algae bloom has started here at Crowley and is beginning to effect all areas of the lake depending on which way the wind decides to blow for the day. My suggestion for this week is to target the areas of clear water and you will certainly find our watery loving friends. The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be Green Banks in 14-17 feet, West Flat in 15-18 feet, Mcgee Bay in 10-14 feet, and Big Hilton in 14-17 feet of water. I would suggest using larva and pupa patterns in the mornings and then swithching to a double pupa combination for the afternoon grab. Black/Silver, Olive/Silver, Black/Copper, and Gray/Black have been the best this past week. For all you guys tugging streamers out there I would suggest using a Type 3 or Type 4 full sinking line right now with hale bopp leaches, hornberg's, matuka's, and krystal buggers in sizes 10-14.

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for May 29, 2007

2007-05-22T11:27:00.002-07:00

East Walker River: 90 c.f.s.

The flows have dropped again this week in the middle of run off season! This is just not a good thing for the stability of a fishery that is recovering so well. The fishing has been good this week but, it has also seen alot of pressure over the Memorial Day weekend. The fish are sporting lip stick on the left side of their mouths already and we haven't even gotten into July yet. This fall is going to be a tough year for us and I can tell you what you had better get your East Walker jones out of the way right now as this summer the water temperatures are going to be soaring high and very low flows. I will not fish here if these conditions come to a head this summer as the fish in the East Walker cannot handle the amount of fishing pressure that I have seen on the river along with an oxegen depleted fishery. Now for the upside of things. The East fished very well this week with a few of my clients scoring some trophy size browns coming to the net. In the mornings I have seen midges, mayflies, caddis flies, crane flies, and the occasional yellow sally. I would suggest fishing small midge and mayfly patterns in the morning and then swithching over to caddis pupa and small midge patterns for the afternoons. Also dry/dropper rigs have been catching a few fish and let me tell you what. You catch a classic size E.Dub fish on a dry and you will be hooked for a lifetime. The way that these fish take a dry fly is like being in slow motion. Make a 2 count or you will pull the fly right out of their mouth. I would suggest fishing parachute adams, elk hair caddis, and b.w.o comparaduns with a 20" dropper in order to nail a few extra fish sub surface. Come on out and join me for a day on the river.

Upper Owens: 109 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing fair-good this week. The spring spawners are gone and their just aren't that many fish in the system just yet. The D.F.G. is going to be stocking here within the next week or so and this will get the Upper Owens back on it's feet again. There has been a very strong caddis emergence in the mornings, with midges, and b.w.o.'s popping as well. You can nail the wild fish that are in this section right now with dry/dropper combo's and still have a fun day. You just will not have that many chances at the larger models of fish that this fishery is known for right now. Look for this to change with in the next couple of weeks. Oh, yeah. Those pesky critters I was talking about last week. There here. I hate saying this one word. Mosquitoes! You will get chased off the river here if you are not careful. I would suggest fishing caddis dry patterns in the mornings with a small midge dropper. This will nail a few of the wild fish in this section and the occasional big daddy. Personally, I would wait a few weeks to fish here as the mosquitoes can become relentless on this spring creek.

Lower Owens: 299 c.f.s.

The flows have stabalized this past week and the fish have settled down into their feeding zones. This flow right now makes for some tricky wading and a lot of walking looking for the slower current transitions where the fish are podded up. I have seen a great diversity of bug life this week with still lot's of caddis, yellow sallies, p.m.d.'s, andmidges being the flies du jour. I would suggest nymphing with doulbe AA split shot or moderate to heavy sink rate fly lines in order to get down into the danger zone! This week I would suggest fishing early mornings and late evenings in order to beat the mid-day heat.

The Gorge: 65 c.f.s.

This week the gorge has been fishing well in the early mornings and late afternoons. The gorge has been very hot during the afternoons and the fish are hiding in the shadows until dusk. I would suggest fishing dry/dropper combo's with standard attractors such as trudes, wulffs, and humpies with a small black beauty or hare's ear underneath to nail a few extra fish. Bring lot's of water and sunsceen as the U.V. rays are everpresent down in the canyon. Good luck and watch out for rattlesnakes!

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

This week has been another fantastic week here on Crowley Lake. This classic stillwater fishery just keeps on pumping out 30-40 fish days with nothing under 15 inches. This week looks to be a fine week to be on Crowley as the fishing is red hot and the algae bloom has not gotten into full swing as of just yet. We are starting to see the little balls of algae, so look for the dreaded June Bloom to be in full swing by the 3rd or 4th week of the month. The areas that I would concentrate on this week would be Sandy Point in 14-17 feet, Big Hilton in 12-16 feet, Green Banks in 14-16 feet and West Flat in 14-17 feet of water. The flies that I would suggest are larva patterns in the mornings and then switching to pupae in the afternoons. olive/silver, black/silver, gray/black, black/red, and black/copper have been producing the best. Raise those flies up a few feet in the afternoons as the fish are keying in on pupae very strong in the afternoon's. Come on out and join us for a great day on the water!

Best Fishes

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Report for May 22, 2007

2007-05-22T11:27:00.001-07:00

East Walker: 127 c.f.s

The East Walker has been fishing very well once again this week. With sunny skies and the water temps in the high 50's to lower 60's this has in turn produced some very consistent bug hatches. I have witnessed some great days of fishing with clients on the river this past weekend and let me tell ya this tailwater fishery is back jack! This is one of the greatest tailwater fisheries in the state and has unlimited potential for trophy size trout! If you have never fished the East Walker I suggest you get off of this darn computer, pack your camping supplies and haul tail up the grade in order to experience one of the best rivers here in the Eastern Sierra's. This week I have seen an explosion of bug life on the river. In the mornings you will see midges and baetis with a spinner fall around 10:30 a.m. In the afternoons you will see caddis flies, midges, crane flies, and the occasional yellow sally stone fly. For fly patterns I would suggest using size 18-22 zebra midges, chironimid bombers, hot wire mayflies, p.t.'s, bird's nest's, and sparkle caddis pupa. The streamer action has been pretty consistent this week while using a type 2 or type 3 sink tip. I would suggest fishing double bunnies, zonkers, wood head sculpins, and krystal buggers. 2x to your point fly or you will get broken off. This week is going to be a great time to be on the river so book your trip early as our guide log is filling up fast for the month.

Upper Owens: 112 c.f.s.

The fishing has slowed up a bit since last week. The annual spring spawners have all but dissipated throughout the system as these fish are returning to Crowley Lake and are back on easy street foraging on the abundant midge, callibaetis and perch fry throughout Crowley Lake. We will see ya'll all next year! Now their are some dfg stockers that are in the long ears section above the bridge making for some fun days on the river. I have seen midges and baetis in the morning with a few caddis buzzing around in the afternoon. I would suggest fishing size#18-20 zebra midges in the mornings and then swithching over to sparkle pupa's, soft hackle's, and hare's ears in the afternoons. Also for the dry fly action I would suggest fishing elk hair caddis, cdc caddis emergers, and e/c caddis for the dry. This is a great time to be on the river before those pesky Upper Owens blood suckers begin to chase us off the river. Bring, lots of sunscreen and maybe even a small bottle of mosquito repellent. Just in case!

Lower Owens: 296 c.f.s.

The Lower Owens has moved up a little bit since our last report. This has moved the fish around a little bit and you will have to do a little walking in order to find the pods of fish throughout the river. The bug life has been consistent on the river with caddis flies, midges, p.m.d.'s, and little yellow sallies have been the go to flies for fishing the Lower Owens this week. I would suggest using olive soft hackle's, bead head sparkle pupa's, burk's h.b.i., zebra midges, and mercer's little yellow stone. This is going to be a great time to be on the water as the Memorial Day weekend forecast is looking great. Come on out and join us for a day on the river!

Gorge: 65 c.f.s.

The gorge has been fishing well again this week but the stinging nettle is coming back with full force. I would suggest fishing early mornings and late evenings as the temperatures in the gorge are soaring high! In the evenings there is a great caddis hatch, with a few yellow stones, and small mayflies. I would suggest fishing dry/dropper combinations in all of the pocket water and pools located throughout the gorge. Any kind of standard attractor pattern like a parachute adams, royal trudes, and wulffs will get you grabs. For the dropper I would look at zebra midges, prince nymphs, and soft hackle's to nail a few extra fish sub surface.

Crowley Lake: Good-Excellent

This has been an excellent week for all you still water guys out there. The fishing has been very consistent with the fish keying in on the larva patterns in the mornings and then swithching over to pupa/larva combinations in the afternoons. I would suggest fishing the areas of Mcgee Bay in 12-16 feet of water, Sandy Point in 13-16 feet, Big Hilton in 12-15 feet, and Green Banks in 10-14 feet of water. The flies that I would suggest using are larva patterns in sizes #16-18 black/silver, gray/black, black/red, gray/silver, and purple/silver. For the afternoons I would try gray/silver, gray/black pupa patterns for the mid-day emergence. For all you folks out there stripping I would suggest using either a Type 4 or Type 5 full sinking line in order to get down into the danger zone where the big fish roam! I would suggest fishing hornberg's, hale bopp leaches, matuka's, and krystal buggers in brown,cinnamon,black, and purple in sizes #10-14. Come on out to Crowley this week as we are sure to have a great Memorial Day fish catching extravaganza!

New Moon Fishing Report for May 15,2007

2007-05-09T09:45:00.001-07:00

East Walker River-160 c.f.s. good-excellent

The East has been fishing very well again this week. With lots of bug activity on the water and warm spring days this has in turn produced some epic days of fishing. The flow has bumped up a bit from last week which is great! This will spread the fish throughout the system and give the fish in the miracle mile a little break. With warm spring days and lots of sunshine predicted for this week it is going to be a great time to be on the water here in Bridgeport. As far as the bug department is concerned we have had a lot of action on the water! In the mornings I have seen the ever present midges in full force along with small b.w.o. mayflies, and also a pretty good spinner fall that is happening around 9:30. In the afternoons I have seen a few caddis popping along with baetis, midges, and crane flies throughout the afternoon. Look for the little yellow sally stone flies to be coming into effect here real soon. We had a great showing of sallies last year so let's hope for the same. As far as fly selection is concerned I would look at wd-40's, zebra midges, and pheasant tails for the mornings and then switching over to tan or cream soft hackles, hot wire mayflies, red headed step child's, black beauties, and prince nymphs for the afternoon/evening session. For help with what flies to pick up you should stop by Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport and talk to Jim or Rick about what's hot on the river.

Upper Owens-112 c.f.s. good-excellent

This phenomenal spring creek has been fishing very well again this week. With warm temperatures and lots of sunshine this has been an epic time to be on the water. Big fish in t-shirts is just how I like it! I would suggest fishing near the mouth of Crowley up to the fishing monument as this area has been holding some very nice lake fish. Also, fishing above the bridge in the Long Ears section has been producing some nice fish as well but they are just a little more spread out in this section. So, if you do venture above the bridge be prepared for a lot of walking and a little bit of stalking as the fish are spread out over 3 counties. Nah, just kidding! But, be prepared for a nice stroll through a beautiful meadow in search of fish. I would suggest fishing midges in the mornings with the fish switching over to caddis pupa and small b.w.o. nymphs in the afternoons. The flies that I would suggest would be zebra midges, pheasant tails, prince nymphs, and hare's ears. Also, stripping streamers has also been productive in the mornings and late afternoons. I would suggest fishing double bunnies, matuka's, zuddlers, and egg sucking leaches is sizes #8-12.

Lower Owens River-203 c.f.s. good-excellent

It is so nice to see this river at a wadeable flow in May. The last couple of seasons it has been completely out of control this time of year for the fact that we had back to back record breaking years of snowfall. The caddis are out in full effect along with some p.m.d's. and also little yellow stone flies. The temperatures down in the Lower Owens Valley have been in the mid 80's to low 90's this week making for some great days to be on the water. Wear lot's of sunscreen this time of the year as those UV rays are ever present on those clear days. I would suggest fishing sparkle pupa's, Burk's H.B.I., pheasant tail's and copperjohns. Also I would suggest in the afternoons throwing mercer's little yellow stone, wd-40's, and surface emergers. Come on out and check out this tailwater and enjoy the warm spring days.

Crowley Lake- Good-Excellent

This has been another great week to be fishing this stillwater compound. The temperatures this last week have been in the high 70's to low 80's making for some epic catches here on the lake. This next week is shaping up to be another fine week of fishing here on the lake. Look for temperatures in the upper 70's to lower 80's and lot's of sunshine. The area's that I would concentrate on would be Big Hilton in 10-14 feet, Mcgee Bay in 10-14 feet, Sandy Point in 12-16 feet, and Green Banks 10-14 feet. The flies that I would suggest for this week are larva patterns in size#16-18 black/silver, gray/black, black/red, and gray/copper. Also, I would suggest hanging your midges a few feet off the bottom in the afternoon's as the fish are keying in on the pupa very well. As far as stripping is concerned I would suggest using a full sinking Type 4 or 5 fly line in order to get down to those fish. I would suggest using hale bopp leaches, matuka's, and krystal buggers in size #10. Good luck and Happy Fishing!

Fishing Season is Heating Up!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-05-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 3D Fly Fishing Report

Well, it has been another fine week to be a flyfisherman here in the high sierra's. We have had a cold front move through our area this week which in turn made the fishing in the first part of the week pretty tough. When the weather cleared out we had some epic days of fishing on Crowley as well as the East Walker River. This next week looks to be a good one. With lots of sunshine and calm winds I expect this week to be a fantastic time to be on the water. Come on out and enjoy the high sierra's as these cool spring days are perfect for flyfishing.

East Walker River=97 c.f.s.
It has been another great week to be fishing on the East Walker. There has been good numbers of big fish coming to the net making for some great photo opportunities. The flows have been pretty consistent this week which has stabalized the feeding pattern for most of the fish in the river. In the mornings I have seen a good hatch of midges, followed by baetis, and some caddis popping throughout the afternoons. Also, there is a spinner fall around 9:00-9:30 a.m. so look for those little critters crawling up your waders. You will be very suprised at the number of spinners on the water. The flies that I would suggest throwing would be small midges in size 18-22. Zebra midges, wd-40's, stevie's wonder gray/black, and blood midges. For the baetis I would suggest throwing size 18-22. The flies that I would suggest would be hot wire mayflies, hogan's red headed step child, lightning bugs, and pheasant tails. Also, if you are in the need to pick up a few flies I would suggest stopping by Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport and talk to Jim or Rick about the hot flies on the river. This is the finest fishing store in north county and these guys are the authority for this area. Also, if you have any questions about the Nevada side of the East Walker these guys are the guys to talk to.

Upper Owens-112 c.f.s.

The Upper O has been fishing very consistent again this week. The fish are spread out throughout the system so you will have to do a little hoofing in order to find the pods of fish. There are still a few spring spawners in the system so please fish this area with care. If you do hook one please keep these fish in the water as they are very vulnerable at this time. Also, please do not fish to these spawners that are honeymooning on the gravel beds. This is a very important time for these fish to reproduce naturally so please please be very careful with these fish. The flies that I would suggest throwing would be midges in the mornings, size#20-22. Zebra midges, Stevie's Panama Red, Disco midges, and black beauties. Also, I would throw caddis patterns in the sizes of 16-20. I would suggest using sparkle pupa's, olive soft hackle's, bird's nest, and fox's poopah. Also for the baetis I would suggest throwing size#18-22. The flies I would suggest would be pheasant tail's, surface emergers, barr's b.w.o. emerger, and copper johns. Also, the stripping has also been consistent for some of the larger models in the stream. I would suggest throwing clouser minnows, wool head sculpins, spruce flies, and matuka's to get into some of the larger fish in the stream. So come on out and enjoy the great fishing on the Upper Owens River.

Lower Owens River-202 c.f.s.

This is a great time to be fishing on the Lower Owens. The flows have been very consistent and the opening of all of the waters in the Sierra's has spread every one out and the river has seen very minimal pressure. This in turn makes for some epic days of flyfishing as the hatches on the river are phenomenal. The wild trout section has been fishing very well and there has been a lot of bug activity. In the mornings I have seen midges popping, followed by the baetis, then swithching over to caddis mid-day with a few p.m.d.'s starting to make their presence known on this river. The flies that I would suggest throwing are size#18-22 wd-40's, zebra midges, and disco midges. Also I would suggest throwing size#18-22 pheasant tails, surface emergers, barr's b.w.o. emerger, and copper johns. Now, for the caddis I would suggest throwing size#16-18 bird's nest, sparkle pupa's, fox's poopah, and double bead caddis. These flies should be able to get you into some nice numbers of fish this week. Come on out and give the Lower Owens a shot as this is one of the best times to fish this tailwater before those pesky mosquitoes make their prescence known.

Crowley Lake-Good-Excellent

This phenomenal stillwater has been producing some very nice fish for all you fly anglers out there. I would suggest that you call in to work and let them know that you have just came down with a cold and you will have to take off a few extra days this week! Wink! Wink! The areas that have been fishing well this week are Sandy Point in 10-14 feet of water, Mcgee Bay in 8-14 feet of water, and Big Hilton in 10-14 feet of water. The fish have been keying in on the larva in the mornings and then slowly moving up in the water column in order to take the pupa. The flies that I would suggest are larva patterns in black/red, gray/black, black/silver, gray/silver, black/copper. For pupa patterns I would suggest using grey/black, grey/copper, grey/silver, and red/silver. Now for all you guys out there that like to tow streamers. The streamer grab has been very good in the moments that the fish are not keying in on the midge. So when that indicator will not budge, I would suggest pulling out the ole Type 5-6 full sinking line and retrieve with a slow hand twist retrieve and you will definetely slam some of the larger models in the lake. For streamer patterns I would suggest using hale bopp leaches in the colors of black, brown, purple, olive and claret. I would also suggest trailing a hare's ear 20 inches behind your point fly in order to grab a few more fish. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to drop me a line and I will answer your question to the best of my ability.

Bridgeport Reservoir-Good

The reservoir has been fishing well considering the cold front we had blow through the Sierra's last week. The fishing has still been very consistent for the fly guys. I would suggest fishing the areas of Rainbow Point in 10-15 feet of water, Sandy Point in 8-14 feet of water, and also in Buckeye Bay off the drop in 10-15 feet of water. The fish have been keying in on the abundant midges and also blood worms throughout the lake. I would suggest fishing larva patterns in the mornings and then tying on a pupa pattern as my point fly in the afternoon. The larva patterns that I would suggest fishing are gray/black, gray/silver, brown/silver, black/red, and black/copper. For pupa patterns I would suggest fishing gray/copper, gray/silver, black/silver, and gray/black. As far as pulling streamers the areas that I would concentrate on are the dam, the bathtub, rainbow point, and the area just in front of the marina. The flies that I would suggest throwing are hornbergs, olive and black matuka's, hale bopp leaches, and Frank's krystal buggers have all been producing some nice fish. I would suggest using a Type 5 or type 6 full sinking line in order for you to get into some of the larger fish in the reservoir. A nice slow hand twist is the key to getting into some of these larger models in the lake. Nice n' slow is the way to go! Come on out and enjoy a day on the water with us!

Best Fishes,

Nicholas Lawton
nlawton@3dguideservices.com
www.3dguideservices.com

Fishing Opener is Finally Here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-05-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome friends to the 3D Fly Fishing report. Whew! What a fantastic opener we had here in the high country. With great weather and lots of sunshine this has to be one of the best openers I have seen in a long time. There were record numbers of visitors here at Crowley Lake and I estimate the total on the lake at well over 10,000 people on the water. The catching was great and all the folks that have been coming into the shop have had great reports. Spring has began really early this year and I look for the catching to be really hot these first couple of months and then the bite slowly tapering into the fall as the water levels decrease around the high country and the fish have seen just about every fly in the book. So come on out to the high country and book a trip as my guide log fills up earlier every year!

Crowley Lake: Good
The opener for Crowley Lake this year was nothing short of phenomenal! With record numbers of anglers on the lake and great catch rates this has to be one of the better openers we have had in the past few seasons. I would suggest fishing Mcgee Bay in 8-12 ft. of water near the mouth, Big Hilton, and also Sandy Point. I have fished all of these areas in the past few days and all three have been very consistent. The fish are podded up and spread out and are foraging for midge larva. I would suggest using #16-#18 black/red, black/silver, gray/black, as well as grey/copper emergers in the afternoons. I would also suggest using brown or black leach patterns in the sizes of 10-14 as the point fly to get you into some of the larger models in the lake. We are going to have a bit of a weather change this week as the forecast is predicting snow for the high country. After this little weather impulse, the catching should start to really pick up and the fishing is going to red hot! Book your trip early this year as the larger models are going to be on the prowl earlier than the past few seasons.

Bridgeport Reservoir
This reservoir had a great opener with lots of people showing up for opening day. The catch rates have been very good and the midges are coming off very well during the day. The callibaetis mayflies have not made there showing just yet but look for this hatch to be coming off shortly. This is a great hatch to fish on the reservoir as the fish will key in on this delicate morsel at all depths of the water column. From fishing dries in the mornings, to nymphs suburface, to sight casting to cruisers (bone fish style)! This is a great piece of water that receives about half of the pressure that all of our other lakes on the east side receive. I would suggest using size #14-16 midges in black/silver, black/red, brown/black, red/black. Also I would suggest using a hare's ear or a pheasant tail in sizes#16-18 as the point fly to get you into a few more fish. Also stripping has been consistent with medium sink tips pulling hornbergs and brown and black leech patterns in sizes #10-14. I would suggest fishing near the inlet of the East Walker as well as the flats in Buckeye Bay. Also there has been good numbers of fish off of Rainbow point. Come on out and check out this phenomenal fishery as the first part of the season is going to be the best before the dreaded algae bloom shows up in the res.

East Walker: 160 c.f.s.
The East Walker has been fishing very well as of this past week and the action is just starting to heat up. There have been great numbers of larger fish in the river this year. This river has returned to blue ribbon trophy trout fishing once again and if you have not fished this piece of water I would suggest you drop everything and run for this phenomenal tail water. This river holds some of the largest trout in the state and double digit fish are caught and released every year from this fishery. I would suggest using small midges in the mornings and then swithching over to size #18-20 baetis and size #16-18 caddis fly nymphs in the afternoon. Also, stripping has been a consistent bet and I would suggest using wool head sculpins, clouser minnows, and matuka's for some of the larger fish in the system. I would stop by Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport in order to pick up some of the hot flies for the week. This retail shop is the best fly fishing outfitter in North County and has the best information and advice for fishing the waters surrounding the Bridgeport area.

Upper Owens: 105 c.f.s.
The Upper Owens has been fishing very consistent for the past few weeks despite what other fishing reports may say. You have to fish there in order to write a report. The larger models of fish have made there way into this feeder stream and have made for some great catching with lots of big fish to the net. The sections below the bridge have been fishing well with lots of fish from the lake in the lower reaches of the river. The sections above the bridge in the Long Ears section have also producing some nice fish. These fish are spread out in the river but they are also stacked up in certain holes, so if you can locate a pod make sure you put your time in on these fish and hook as many as you can as it may be a long walk until you find the next pod of fish. Also stripping has been consistent with a type 2 sink tip and hale bopp leaches has been a consistent bet in the river.

Lower Owens: 201 c.f.s.
The Lower Owens has been fishing very well again this week and the caddis are coming off in droves. The wild trout section has been the best bet with midges in the mornings, caddis and yellow stones in the afternoons. Nymphing has been the best bet in order to get into numbers of fish. Also stripping has been a very consistent component in getting into larger fish in the Lower Owens. Flies I would suggest for nymphing are size #18-20 zebra midges, #18 Lafontaine's Sparkle Pupa, size #16 yellow stone fly nymphs, and the usual stand by WD-40's in size#18-22. Also for stripping I would suggest using hale bopp leaches, muddler minnows, matuka's, and wool head sculpins. Come on out and enjoy the sunshine and great weather here in the Owens Valley for a productive day of fishing on the L0wer Owens.

Owens River Gorge: 60 c.f.s.
This fishery is fishing really good once again this week. There have been some very consistent days of catching down here in the gorge with 30 plus fish days being the common occurence on our guide trips down here. The caddis and blue wing olive mayflies have been coming off very consistently the past few weeks and the fish are keying in on the duns as well as emergers just subsurface. I would suggest throwing your standard attractors: Trudes, Humpies, Parachute Adams, and Royal Wulff's in sizes #16-18 with a small bead head dropper in the sizes of 18-22. Zebra Midges, WD-40's, Copper Johns, and pheasant tails will get you into fish. The stinging nettle is starting to show it's ugly face down here at the gorge so I would suggest fishing this piece of water very soon as the nettle will grow at a phenomenal growth rate as soon as our temps warm up. So come on out and book a trip with us and see if your angling skill is up to the challenge!

Yours Truly,

3D Fly Fishing

2007-04-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

Lower Owens River: 147 c.f.s.

The Lower Owens has been fishing very well again this week. The mid-day temps have been in the high 60's to lower 70's this week making for some great fishing and lots of sunshine to be had. The water temperature this week was around 53 degrees making for some great hatches. I have seen lots of baetis nymphs in the afternoon, with a few caddis buzzing around and also the little yellow stones have been making there presence felt in the last few weeks. I would suggest using small bead head WD-40's in olive, black, and grey with a caddis pupa or small stonefly nymph as the point fly. Also do not be afraid to throw a few streamers every now and again. You would be very suprised at how aggresive the trout in the Lower Owens can be. I would suggest using woolhead sculpins, hornbergs, muddler minnows, and small leach patters in the sizes of 10-14 to grab some of the larger models in this river. Get on out on this fantastic piece of water and enjoy the early spring time weather.

Upper Owens River: 130 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well for the past few weeks for those who understand the diversity of the Upper Owens. For those who don't. To bad so sad. The larger models of fish that have moved up from Crowley are in full swing right now in the river. There are plenty of opportunities for photo quality fish so get your best smile together and go give the Upper Owens a try. The fish are keying in on small midges and baetis nymphs in the morning and then swithching over to caddis pupa in the afternoon. There are two different kinds of caddis flies coming off right now and it seems like the fish are swithching back and forth between micro caddis and size 16 caddis pupa depending on which one is the most prevalent on the water for that day. Come on out and enjoy a beatuful day on the Upper Owens and don't miss the chance for the fish of a lifetime.

Owens River Gorge: 65 c.f.s.

The Owens River Gorge has been fishing well in the afternoons with lots of mayflies and small yellow stones coming off during mid-day emergence. I took a water temperature there last week and the water was around 43-44 degrees. This is a very cold temp for these fish and the fish are not getting out of bed until the sun gets down in the canyon. I would suggest fishing this tailwater in a few more weeks until the water temperature stabilizes. If you do decide to venture on down to the gorge make sure you have plenty of parachute adams and simple attractor patterns in size 18. Also I would have plenty of small baetis nymphs in size 18 with lots of prince nymphs and pheasant tails to drop off the back of your dry fly with some 6x tippett.

East Walker: 67 c.f.s.

The East Walker has been fishing nothing short of epic. This fishery has come back in full force and there are plenty of big fish in this river to keep any angler smiling from ear to ear. Nymphing with small midges and baetis nymphs in the morning in the sizes of 18-22 has been the best bet for early morning action. Next on the agenda is the Skwala stones and also the Golden Stones. Holla, Holla, Holla, Skwala, Skwala, Skwala. The dry fly fishing with big ugly nasty stonefly dries has been great. The fish are looking up in the afternoons and there is nothing I like more than dry fly fishing with big stoneflies. The grab is electric and the fish that ingest this delicate morsel are no small cookies. 4x to your dry fly or you will get broken off. Come on out and enjoy some great fishing this month of April as I have several openings for this month. Get on out on the E-Dub and enjoy one of California's finest fisheries.

2007-03-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

Lower Owens River: 109 c.f.s.

The Lower Owens has been fishing really well again this last week. The fishing tournament in Bishop did not affect the fishing at all this week. The temps were great, reaching well into the 80's during mid day emergence. Lot's of caddis and stoneflies in the water this week as the temps have climbed well above normal for this time of the year. I would suggest using caddis pupa as well as caddis adults in the sizes of 14 and 16 as these are the Mother's Day Caddis. Olive bodies and big bugs equal great dry fly fishing in the afternoon's and evenings. The mosquito's haven't came out in full force just yet so I would suggest fishing here very soon as the pesky little critters will be out very soon. Wear lots of sunscreen out there as the signs of spring are upon us.

Upper Owens River: 140 c.f.s.

The Upper Owens has been fishing very well this week as some of the larger models have moved into the river from Crowley Lake preparing for the spring spawn. This is a great time to be on the water with lots of photo opportuinites present. All I can say about the hatch is caddis, caddis, caddis! The fish are keying on this fantastic fly which I have to say I love to fish. The fish are keying in on the pupa and then moving over to the adults by mid-day. Also there are also some small mayflies coming off mid-day as well as the ever present midges. Water temps were also great this week at a cool 52 degrees for a mid-day temp. Trout love this temp as this will keep the fish active this week. Look for more fish to be coming into the sysytem in the following weeks.

East Walker: 138 c.f.s.

The flows have jumped around 60 c.f.s since March 18. Hopefully the river will stay at this consistent flow for a least a few more weeks and let these fish spread out through the system. This will spread out anglers as it has been an all out battle to get to some of the best holes in the morning. I would suggest using small midges in the mornings with the fish switching over to mayflies in the afternoon. Lot's of big fish have been caught and released on this river in the past few weeks and I have witnessed some great anglers getting into really large fish. One of my good friends and fellow guide Tom Jones hooked a rainbow a few weeks ago that was around 10 lbs. and 24" long and reminded me of why I love to fish the East Walker River. On any given cast in this river you can hook the fish of a lifetime. This is what draws anglers from all over the country and this is why this is my top pick for the week. Get out there and enjoy the sunshine and great fishing as this is the first time we can fish here in March. Tight Lines.

2007-03-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

Lower Owens River: 105 c.f.s
Fishing has been red hot down on the Lower Owens this week. The Blue Wing Olive hatch is in in full force right now and the fish are keying in on the nymphs in the morning with the fish moving into the heads of the riffles in the afternoon . Nymphing has been great with a little bit of dry fly action in the afternoon. Midge activity has been good with also a few caddis buzzing around with the high temps we've had this week. I would suggest using small pheasant tails in 18-22 with small midge patterns also in the 18-22 range. For dry flys I would look int0 parachute adams 18-22 as well as elk hair caddis in the afternoon size 18.

Upper Owens River: Report coming soon!

East Walker River: 90 c.f.s.

Yes! They have raised the flows this week another 50 c.f.s. This is great news for the trout in the East Walker! I hope that they will keep up this nature as these fish need a steady water supply to withstand the cold temps of winter. The fishing was pretty good this week considering the cold morning temps. I would suggest fishing this river only for a few hours in the afternoon for the fact these fish need a little bit of time to shake of that early morning chill. I would suggest using midges in the morning with the fish moving over to the b.w.o. nymphs in the afternoon. Stoneflies are always around this time of the year so don't be afraid to throw on something big out of your nymph box. This is a no doubter when a fish hits a stonefly. 3x tippett or you just might get broken off!

2007-03-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

Fishing Season Opener Underway!!!!!!!!!!!

Lower Owens River: This is a great time to be on the water down on the lower owens. The temperature is great and the fishing has been pretty darn good this week. I recommend fishing this tailwater for at least a few more weeks until the temperatures here in the higher elevations increase. The fish are under some serious stress this time of the year on the Upper Owens, Hot Creek, and the East Walker. I recommend giving these fish a little bit of breathing room until the water temps raise or the flows are changed to a higher c.f.s. There has been some good b.w.o. hatches this week, with caddis mid-day, and always the predictable midges were in full force. Get out and enjoy some great weather this week as the catching has not slowed up at all!

Upper Owens River: Now Open!!!!!!!!!
I went and fished this river on opener and I would have to say that this piece of water needs at least a few more weeks to become fishable for the fact the water temps are to low and the fish are just plain lethargic at this time of the year. My rod guides were freezing around 2:00 p.m. and the temperature outside was a mere 36 degrees. Not exactly optimum fishing weather. I saw a few fish but not enough to make me think that there were alot of fish willing to open their lips and eat a fly. Wait just a few more weeks when the temperatures rise and this fishery will come alive with plenty of nice fish to be taken and released in the following weeks. Lots of pictures and smiles!

East Walker: Flow 40 c.f.s

Updates coming soon! Scouting on Friday!

Fishing Season to be open March 1

2007-02-26T10:10:00.000-08:00

Lower Owens River: Flow (110 c.f.s) Welcome to the first Eastern Sierrra fishing report of the Lower Owens River by yours truly 3D Fly Guide! This week has been an interesting one for fishing on the Lower Owens. We have had several high pressure storms move through the Sierra's this week putting a little bit of a damper on the epic fishing we were having last week with the Blue Wing Olive hatch in full swing and plenty of fish rising to the mayfly duns it was a great time to be on the water! The caddis have also been pretty active in the drift during the mid-day emergence! Also lots of small midges everywhere but the fish are really not keying in on the diptera as much as the other insects in the river at this time. Mid-day temps this week look to be a little chilly on the Lower Owens and plenty of layers will be the ticket to staying warm out on the river this week. Look for the following week to be partly cloudy with highs in the mid 40's. Remember: It doesn't have to be sunny for the B.W.O hatch to come off in full force Hint: They actually prefer overcast days to sunny days

Owens River Gorge: Flow (60 c.f.s) This small tailwater fishery has been fishing well during mid-day mayfly and midge emergence this week. A combination of a general attractor pattern in size #18 (Parachute Adams, Humpies, Trudes) and a 20" inch dropper of 6x tippett and a small pheasant tail or black beauty in 20-22 will get you into plenty of fish in these pocket pools of the gorge. Bring plenty of water for this trip. This is not an easy walk in the park. If you have trouble walking this hike is not recommended.

Fishing Season to open Year Round on the Upper Owens, Hot Creek, and the East Walker

Upper Owens River: Flow (80 c.f.s) This spring creek is scheduled to open on March 1, 2007 as declared by the D.F.G. The spring spawn has not gotten into full swing just yet on the Upper O but this should begin here in the next few weeks. These fish will set up on the gravel beds and are very vulnerable during this time period. Please do not fish on these reds. This is how the river sustains a great reputation as a blue ribbon trout fishery for the fact that the natural spawning reproduction is very high in the stream. Also the water temps are at around 44-46 degrees so this temp tells me if it raises just a few more degrees this will trigger the spring run of rainbows into the stream and include some pretty epic fishing. Stay posted.

East Walker River: (20 c.f.s.) This tailwater fishery is also scheduled to open on March 1, 2007 to year round angling. At the current flow these fish are under alot of stress amongst themselves in the river. Lack of oxygen and food can provide a lot of stress on a fishery when the water temps are also in the high 30's to low 40's. Please fish with care on this classic Eastern Sierra tailwater. Use proper catch and release techniques and keep those fish in the water!!!!!!!!!!! One pic and release! Thanks. If this fishery is properly manged it will be a great year round fishery and will provide great angling for big fish year round but if our fellow fly anglers do not practice these techniques this fishery will fail miserably so please take into consideration this oppurtunity we have to fish year round on one of the best tailwaters in the state of California.