2014 First Report

This year is shaping up to be most unusual. We have a dry winter helping to create an interesting early season. Jimmie is on an exploratory trip as this post goes live. Stay tuned for some updates soon. Meanwhile, one of our winter standbys, the lower Kings, coughs up a few nice ones. Here's client Kristen trying to teach Jimmie to smile with a large fish. Don't worry, Jimmie's happy!

Pre-Season Options = EXCEPTIONAL

Well folks, it's been a while since our last post. This strange winter has yielded strange results. Some of the valley-floor tailwaters have had banner winters. Nice weather, manageable flows and frisky trout. We also have a new drift boat to make these floats luxurious. You have that option! Check out these images shot by the esteemed Andrew Maurer and find more posted at our facebook profile (). Our select waters are primarily wild trout CnR waters with stellar specimens. We will continue to service these until mid March. Then we begin our annual March Brown Camp on the upper Kings. Some of you know all too well that the elements can really throw us a curve ball. Snowmelt is the biggest "x factor". Now, with an unusually low snow year, we don't see this threat being even half of what it usually is. Obviously this is bittersweet because we want the fish to have a lot of water. There remain a few days available to book. Call us for details: 559-683-7664

Mid-September Updates - That Falling Feeling

Fall seems to be kicking in as hot days have abated and upper elevation cooling (along with a few small storms) has set the stage for perfect trout temps. Stream levels remain excellent and the recent mini-storms have spiked a few but not in a significant way. The fish are digging it! All waters in the Merced, Kings and San Joaquin drainages that we are currently working are fishing well. Our Trout Camp begins this weekend and we can't be more excited. We stage this annual event out of Mono Hot Springs (See: http://monohotsprings.com) and encourage all to check in with us for more details. Best bet is to email us at sierraflyfisherhq(at)gmail.com or call 559-683-7664





Labels: Kings Canyon, Kings River, Merced River, mono hot springs, san joaquin river

Late July + Early August News

We continue to be amazed by how late certain waters are "turning on". Of course we are also starting to find it rewarding. As of late July and even early August we are both witnessing and hearing of rainbows migrating to spawn! This isn't even at high elevations. Bigger waters such as the Kings and Merced have come alive and once you adjust to the higher flows, the fishing is solid. The smaller streams remain strong. Some of them unusually pretty and verdant. Below, Mike and Katherine work an idyllic pool after a long day sampling various Yosemite streams with us.

Bernard and Steve work on a good drift on the Kings River.

Perfecting a bow and arrow cast, Bill nabbed this scrappy Kings River bow.

A high meadow stream alive with color and plants.

An overcast day produced a flurry of browns.

Cole nabbed a solid brookie in the Tuolumne drainage. This fish was latched onto a smaller brookie which he hooked and was determined to not let go. We netted two fish. A rare and bizarre "food chain moment"

Gordon Johnson instructs on the Merced.

Myron nabbed a stout small stream brown while out with Rick Mazaria. See the next picture.

What a crazy fish!

One of the forks of the Tuolumne looking beautiful and fishing well.

This photo is a delight. One leaves the heat of the valley and heads for trout city!

Overcast conditions can inspire the fish.

Last but not least, champion angler Victor Gonzalez from Spain had a day out with Bernard and fish had no chance.

Warming up for 2011 !!! SFF at Kaweah Club Meeting and Bob Marriot's This Weekend

Dear Friends,

A busy weekend for SFF coming up! Jimmie will be doing a presentation for the Kaweah Fly Fishers club in Visalia, CA on Friday (See: http://www.kaweahflyfishers.org/) and Bernard will be representing at Bob Marriot's in Fullerton, CA on Saturday (See: http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/Events.aspx ). We'd love to see you, love to speak with you. Look for exciting new news regarding Sierra Fly Fisher's 2011 agenda.

Cheers!
SFF

All Over The Place And Loving It

It's late August and the summer has been busy. We have worked the small streams, the bigger rivers and are also doing a lot of exploring. Guide Rick Mazaira was honored to be part of Paul and Melissa's twenty fifth wedding anniversary celebration. Fly Fishing was part of the agenda. Melissa caught her first fish on the fly no less.

 On another session, Rick had Chris Malin get his stoke on the Merced River. This fish offered an unusually acrobatic fight.

Bernard and Jim brought a band of merry men down to the Kings for a session that mixed hiking, fishing and getting dunked. Looking out for everyone's safety was part of the challenge on this day. The crew was invincible and the before and after shots show that sometimes it's the journey (right?).

Before

After

This trip was into a region of the Kings that we rarely service. With a wet year, it is running well and fishable. Normally it is too low and warm by now. It also includes a hike that may or may not be suitable for everyone. Please inquire if you want more detail.

Don't hesitate to ask about the Fall Trout Camp when we intercept migrating browns.  This starts mid-September and runs until mid October. Call us at 559-683-7664 or pop by the Yosemite Rivers fly shop. Details here: http://yosemiterivers.com/

March and April Browns

The annual March Brown "event" on the Upper Kings has remained true to form: Mysterious yet rewarding.

 Photo: Artin Marootian

The hatch would shift in time and even location but it held enough onto tradition and we got into some action. Between the feeding frenzies we were spoiled by the amazing spring beauty and while smelling some flowers SFF guide Bernard Yin planted his face roughly two feet from a sizable rattler. "I never heard a flower like that!" As he adjusted his focus, he tells us, "All I saw were scales and huge diamonds" (as in Diamondback Rattlesnake). Luckily the only thing bitten were our flies. Pocket water hunting provided fish when the bugs were less active. Mayflies and numerous types of stoneflies were and are the predominant insect at this time. This river is truly an interesting game. What is this all about? We look for good weather but not so hot that the high country slopes start to melt. We then dash in and work hard at finding the hot zones. Upper Kings bows are strong and wild. A foot long fish is average but a few in the "teens" are always sprinkled in. Look at the bend on client Dave's rod...

 Photo: Andrew Maurer

Note that this is the catch and release section of this massive river and also remember that most streams are not open for fishing until the last Saturday in April. Don't be discouraged, just know the regs.

We have been blessed with great photographers. Last year Stephanie Skiff shot a multitude of great shots. Over the last few days we had the honor of guest photographer Andrew Maurer (see: http://www.troutstreamdesigns.com ) in our company.

  Photo: Andrew Maurer

The collective crew be they guides, clients or others crated a wonderful mix and camp every night was a great hang with food and laughter. Some of these shots are a sneak peek at Andrew's stellar work and look out for more photos very soon. We also carry shirts with prints of his photos at the Yosemite Rivers shop in Oakhurst. For those of you in So. Cal. Jimmie and Bernard will be present at The Fishermen's Spot (April 8th) and later at Bob Marriot's (April 10th). More of Andrew's photography, Stephanie's photography and even some exclusive 2010 helicopter footage of the drainage will be showcased. Email us if you want more information or to be on our email list. sierraflyfisher@sti.net Feel free to visit their sites too:http://www.fishermensspot.com/ and http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/
The conversation will be about Yosemite, The Kings, our Fall brown trout camp and mucho mas.

LATE BREAKING NEWS
We had a spike and then a drop in flows so for those of you who fished the river in early April, you may have gotten some good action. As of April 4th-5th, there appears to be a solid spike in flows that may truly indicate the official start of the season's snowmelt. Check in for info. to save yourself a wasted trip.

Contact us if you want to talk trout.
The Sierra Fly Fisher Team

Fall to Winter

Hello everyone!
As we move into late Fall and early Winter, we are seeing the fishing pick up nicely on the Merced in the El Portal region and even some unexpected surface activity for caddis on the Lower Kings. These, as most of you know, are essentially roadside angling destinations. The Merced, of course, consisting of wild fish while the Kings remains highly "managed". All that said, Nov. 15 is closing in on us so identifying year-round waters is important. Holler anytime for info. and bookings.

Yuko nets a fish with Sierra Fly Fisher guide Mike Long coaching.