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Low Flows Compound a High Drama
This summer has certainly been one of great joy for holiday- makers and sun worshippers. The sun has been working overtime while the rains have been on strike - until this last weekend. River fishing has been virtually at a standstill except for some trout fishing around dusk and sewin fishing at night. Rivers like the Towy and Rheidol have produced a few quality sewin intermittently despite the low water levels. Sewin, often referred to as the children of the tide, have been scarce on most rivers and even on rivers where stocks appeared more numerous, the fishing conditions have been atrocious. Anglers sometimes equate catches with stocks when in fact the catches often reflect the fishing conditions. Anglers are very concerned about the future of sewin and salmon stocks especially as several of those important nursery streams are drying up.
Fish hopping for hoppers
As a general rule of thumb, the insects that make up the trout diet tend to get smaller as the summer progresses. The most notable exception is the grasshopper.
These bugs are relatively long-lived, and they grow larger during the season. In the last week of July the hoppers made their appearance in the Sierra, and they have the trout looking up for chow. The most common color at this time is tan. The critters are young (1-inch long) and size No. 12 or 14 flies will be a close match.
The most notable hopper bite from an anglers perspective has been on the Walker River drainage on the east side of the Sierra. Jim Weil from Kens Sporting Goods in Bridgeport reports that on the West Walker river along Highway 395, hopper fly patterns are the No. 1 fish catcher.
The West Walker is just now getting down to fishable flows, and a big fly will get the trout to swim up through fast water to take an insect on the surface.
FWP, county agree on pond plan
The Lewis and Clark County Commission on Tuesday approved a plan for the management and future improvements at the pond and agreed with a state Fish, Wildlife and Parks official who suggested the creation of a citizens advisory council to ensure those upgrades move forward.The plan, drafted by an advisory committee created by the commission, calls for improvements to the pond's water intake system; limiting domesticated ducks and geese to three breeding pairs apiece plus their offspring; installing new signage and garbage cans; removing of asphalt near the water's edge; and the possible construction of a fishing dock, among other improvements.It allows the continued use of the pond for youth fishing, although young anglers would be limited to the north end of the 1.6-acre water hole. FWP Resource Program Manager Mike Korn said rainbow trout will continue to be stocked yearly.
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