Eastside Fly Fishing

In late July 2011 Dorian and I had the opportunity to accompany DFG Biologist Dawne Becker from Bishop,Ca. and Mandi Finger Phd. and Grad student from Davis,Ca. on a trip to the Cottonwood Creek in the White Mtns. to take samples of Paiute cutthrout trout (oncorhynchus clarki seleniris) for DNA testing of purity. This sub species of Lahonton cutthrout trout( oncorhynchus clarki henshawi) was isolated in the headwaters of the Carson River about 7,000 years ago. Over time and isolated from other trout species these fish evolved into a one of a kind population existing in only one place, Silver King Creek a tributary of the Carson River.In the 1940's some Paiute trout were introduced into other fishless waters to maintain the purity of the species and also to develop new populations to insure survival of this unique fish if the original population was lost or compromised by hybridation. After a three hour drive from Bishop,Ca. we arrived at a parking area and assembled our gear. We still had a hike of about a mile and a half before we reached the creek.We took off heading north on a barely perceptible path. I had to snicker as we walked past a "No Fishing Allowed" sign. Paiute cutthroats are fully protected and fishing for them is strictly prohibited. Unless you are assisting DFG. About an hour later we reached the creek. I looked at Dorian and could see the stunned look on his face. Cottonwood Creek is about two feet wide ,shallow and completly overgrown with willows,aspens,downed trees and underbrush.We are now confronted with a major challenge. We need to catch 50 fish for a reasonable sample. We don't know if we can even catch one! Looking around we find a small open spot and see our first Paiute trout a single fish about 9-10". Dorian is able to sneek up from below the fish and plop a flying ant about a foot upstream. Without hesitating the fish opens his mouth and gulps the fly.He's on! Then he's off. These fish twist,turn,roll and gyrate more than any fish I have ever caught.OK Looks like we CAN catch these guy's.I move up stream through the dense jungle and see a new target settled in a small bend.I have to remove my vest and crawl through a maze. Getting the rod through the the tangle becomes a Herculian task. Finally I reach a point where I can poke the rod tip through the mess but now the line between the tip and the reel is catching things and this pulls my fly back to the tip. After a few minutes of frustration I cut my leader in half and tie it directly to my rod tip. Now I can poke through the the branches and gently lay the parachute Adams on the water.Without hesitation the fish grabbed the fly.Uh Oh I have no room to set the hook but thankfully the fish does it for me. I have to work the rod back through the bushes and slide my net under under the 10 inch beauty. Dawne is right there and clips a small sample from the fishes tail or caudal fin. One down 49 to go. Suddenly the number 50 becomes more like 500! This is not easy but at least the fish are aggreable and oddly not too spooky.I crawled out of the tangle and encountered Dorian moving up the creek. I immediatly noted that he had also tied his leader directly to his rod tip. Great minds think alike! We worked our way upstream and were able to to collect 14 more samples. Day one was in the books. We woke on day two with confidence. There was no doubt that the 35 fish needed would not be a problem. We hiked back to the creek and then proceded down stream.About a half hour later we came to the barrier. A rock formation and water fall that blocks other trout species for migrating from the main stem of the creek. The only fish upstream are Paiute cutthroats. This maintains their purity. We start fishing immediatly. Our DFG companions were sceptical that we could get the thirty five fish necessary but we knew better.We leep-frogged each other upstream. Every fish we saw we hooked. Some came off but most were landed. At 12:30 number 50 was netted and our task was complete.We did it!

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Flurocarbon fishing line has been around for quite a while and is very popular with all types of anglers. Fly fishermen can purchase flurocarbon tapered leaders and tippet material. The advantage to this material lies in the fact that in water it's virtually invisible. It passes light in the same spectrum as water so it blends in and seems to vanish. Invisible line would,logicaly,give us a big edge and I personaly feel that it does.This is not an opinion that is universal and many anglers feel that flurocarbon is simply a gimmick. I can't say for sure one way or the other. The number of variables in fishing are too numerous to conduct an accurate experiment so I can only surmise.I always fish with two flies. I use a regular mono leader and tie my first fly directly to the end. My second fly,or dropper, is attached with a section of flurocarbon tippet material. On most days the majority of my fish are caught on the dropper but not always. I have friends that  fish with  plain mono and more often than not catch just as many fish as I do and somtimes more. One plus for flurocarbon is that it's a bit stronger than regular monofiliment. For example Rio Fluroflex+ in 4x has a breaking strength of 7lbs. Rio Powerflex,wich is regular monofiliment,has a breaking strength of 6.4lbs. in the same diameter,4x. Some other characteristics of flurocarbon are that it is much stiffer than mono and the two materials don't knot together well and flurocarbon is expensive,up to three times the price of mono but it also does not deteriorate like monofiliment and it's said that it last's forever. I can't say for certain that flurocarbon is more effective than monofiliment but I think  the  important factor is that if it gives you confidence in what your doing then its worth every penny.

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Every year we make at least one trip to northern California,in the fall, to fish for steelhead. The river we fish is  fairly small and can easily be waded.I have always relied on my 10' seven weight fast action rod and have landed plenty of fish with it. However a few years ago some friends began experimenting with spey rods on the same waters. Spey rods were developed on the Spey River in Scotland (hence the name) for Atlantic salmon. Typicaly these rods range from 12 to 15 feet in length and allow the angler extra long casts. A two-handed grip applies extra leverage and easily creates roll casts of 100' + .  My favorite steelhead river doesn't require extremly long casts so the full spey rod seemed like over kill. It was then I was introduced to the switch rod. A smaller version of the spey,the switch can be used with one or two hands.I chose an 11' 7wt. On my first trip with my switch rod I landed two wild steelhead in the first hour on the water. I was amazed at the accuracy and line control I had suddenly discovered. Many of our favorite spots have dense growth along both banks and limit the back cast with a single handed rod. With the switch rod we can now roll cast easily 80+ feet. But perhaps the most valuable aspect of the rod is the ability to mend a tremendous amount of line.This line control is what makes or breaks the angler. Presentation being key to success line control is the critical factor in obtaining the proper drift and ultimatly the grab.The best part,for me, is simply the fun of the spey cast. It's really effortless and long shots can be accomplished with little work. At the end of the day the fatigue level is diminished and you don't feel whipped. I can't wait for the fall so I can cast the switch.

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Today I want to address an age old argument that has continued for decades. For many "purists" the only true form of flyfishing is with a dry fly.To some,applying weight and,god forbid, a strike indicator to your line is akin to fishing with bait.While I can certainly agree that not much beats the thrill of catching fish on a dry fly,being adaptable is also a big part of fly fishing.Since seventy to ninety percent of a trouts diet comes from below the surface logic would tell us to spend an equal amount of time with our flys under the surface.I feel as though properly placing and drifting a nymph takes as much skill as properly placing and drifting a dry fly. We are still using a fly rod,fly reel and fly line therefore we must be fly fishing. Every fall we travel to Northern California to fish for steelhead. At times these fish will not eat anything but an egg. We commonly fish a plastic bead to imitate a drifting egg. Some people feel that this is not fly fishing because a bead is not a fly.I drove seven hours to get here.Packed in with four or five other guys in a cheap motel room,stood in the rain all day and yeah I want to catch one too. If they want beads then I feed 'em beads. Still using the fly rod,fly reel and fly line. Still fly fishing. Perhaps fly fishing is more about what we learn by doing it. Obviously to become a competent fly fisher one must learn a few basics.Casting,presentation,reading water,fly selection and matching the hatch are all things that develop a close relationship with the resource and ultimatly a desire to preserve and protect.Could it be that fly fishing is more about perception than where your fly is drifting? Maybe that bumper sticker that says "Fly Fishing- A State Of Mind" has some truth to it.

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  After twenty years of guiding I'm still surprised at how unprepared many people are when visiting our area. Commonly many people depend on the weather report for the local area to plan their trip Due to it's unique geology the Eastern Sierra tends to create it's own weather. It can be sunny one minute and snowing the next. Visitors should prepare for anything from brillant sun to a full on blizzard. Layering is the best choice for clothing. Simms,Patagonia and Orvis all offer great layering systems. One layer can be the difference between hypothermia and heat exhaustion. A packable rain jacket is a must. Sudden rain storms can occur without warning particularly in August and September. A hat is also a necessary item to protect you from the intense sun at altitude. Sturdy,well fitting foot wear is paramount if your planning a hike. Sunglasses,sunscreen,chapstick, maps etc. should all be included in your kit. Lastly one issue that is often overlooked is the effects of altitude on your system.Many folks who live at or near sea level are overcome by the thin air.Try to limit exertion and give yourself 2-3 days to aclimatize before any strenuous activity.Altitude sickness can be very serious and in extreme cases fatal. Drink lots of water and rest often. If shortness of breath and dizziness continue get to lower altitude immediately. You will enjoy your visit to the Eastern Sierra much more if you come prepared.

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