Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters, best fishes to all. Here are the 2008 X-mas Fish'n Conditions for the Eastern High Sierra.. I had the honor of guiding Santa and his favorite elf Christa on a drift boat trip recently. Apparently Claus needed to get away from his heavy work load and take a drift on one of our guided "drift sleds"! click on www.sierradrifters.com/fish.htm to view the picture.

To sum up in one word how the fishing has been since our prior report. SAAAWEEET! Great weather, well above average fishing most days in all the year around waters, and noticeably uncrowded. It has been one of the most pleasant falls I can remember. The dry fly opportunities on the Upper and Lower Owens Rivers have been incredible and superior to any fall season in recent memory. The long range forecast is calling for some colder more seasonable conditions to arrive with the full moon; however significant snowfall is not forecasted with this initial set of storms.

Road Trips!!!

Sierra Drifters founder Tom Loe will be doing Power Point assisted seminars on fly fishing and the techniques used to ply the waters of the Sierra this winter. He will be speaking for the Diablo Valley Fly Fishers on January 13, 2009, and then the San Jose Fly Fishers on January 14, 2009. Tom will head down to So-Cal and greet the Deep Creek Fly Fishers on January 28, 2009, and then again for the Fly Fishers of Orange County on the evening of January 29, 2009. These seminars are loaded with seldom published information, Tom's special guide tips, combined with plenty of instruction and are formatted as "off the water" guide trips. If you fish the Sierra you will find these seminars very rewarding. Tom has been professionally guiding for over a decade and has logged over 2700 guide trips to date. The public is welcome to attend. Please contact the clubs for information, start times, and directions.

Diablo Valley - www.diablovalleyflyfish.org

San Jose ??? www.flycasters.org

Orange County ??? www.ffcoc.org

Deep Creek - www.deepcreekflyfishers.org

Sierra Drifters Guide Service implemented a "Fishing Relief Stimulus" program effective October 31st. If you have had it with politics and market watching and wish to get away and debate with a huge brown or watch a BWO mayfly drift into a brightly colored rainbows mouth we have several guided fishing programs to campaign about. For a limited time we have rolled back our guide rates to 2005 prices! When is the last time you saw a guide service lower prices? Gas prices are coming down and the fishing is great.

We can customize gift certs for that special fly fisher for the holidays at the special price also. Go to and click the rates button for prices and booking information & then call or email to order please. Sierra Drifters Hats and Shirts are also available to order - Click Here www.sierradrifters.com/resources.htm

DFG:

We have dodged a major bullet here in the Eastern Sierra due to a recent court ordered decision to prohibit the stocking of trout in areas where they may potentially threaten, or compete with endangered species. The DFG has negotiated a temporary deal with the court and the two environmental groups that are responsible for the action to keep the majority of the previously planted waters stocked until January 1st 2010, or until a formal EIR has been presented to the groups and the court illustrating that the stocking of non-native trout will not negatively impact the waters in which they are being planted. The financial repercussions of this decision will be of major significance to many locations, as well as the embattled DFG. Sotcher Lake in the San Joaquin basin will no longer be planted, as well as Pine Creek drainage near Bishop for the local drive to waters in the Eastern Sierra.

We have provided a link to the DFG so you may examine the multitude of fisheries that are going to be impacted by this new law, as well as the groups and people responsible for the suit. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/

Lower Owens River
We are enjoying mild Indian summer type days down in the Owens Valley. Lots of sunshine, warm temps and hungry trout! Flows are hanging around the 100-125 cfs range at the PV outflow. With the current conditions you will need it all. Streamers and nymphs in the mornings, dry flies after lunch.

The bite has been on most mornings then escalates during the baetis hatch after 1 pm. The fish are also working the midges over daily especially during periods of high pressure. Stick with flashback PT's #16-18, bead head birds nest #18, crystal tiger and olive zebra midges #16-20. Parachute BWO's #18-20, Griffiths Knat #20, Para Adams #18 are good choices for the dry fly enthusiast. 5X has been no problem with a 9 foot leader.

The streamer bite from our guided drift boats has been awesome most days with my Spruce-A-Bu #8 (the Kelley Bundy) blonde version being the fly de'jour most days. We have also seen some good snaps on the Blood Sucking Vanderleech #10-12 on the darker days or lower light periods. This is what I call an "insurance pattern"?Ķ Literally. It was named after my guide insurance broker! Merry X-mas Stanley. Our guides are also happy to accommodate spin anglers on our drift boats (clients to provide their own spinning rods/lures).

We have a bunch of great pictures to show you of recent trips on the Lower Owens and other areas. Click on www.sierradrifters.com/fish.htm to view them please.