Water Conditions: Good, showing 5 cfs as of 3/17

Remember, these are the flows just below Highway 395 on Mammoth Creek.

With nighttime temperatures as low as they've been the ice buildup has made the gauge unreliable.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good     

You still have to walk in but it's getting pretty thin, the trails down are a little dicey but that should change real soon with the warm weather that's coming.

Besides the midges we're seeing more and more BWOs and a few caddis. With temperatures coming back up what little snow we've gotten is melting and impacting the water clarity, so scuds and streamers are back in play. Right now, the Interpretive is fishing well with the primary hatch being midges (If you tie your own I've been tying #26-28 with thread body, celo wings and a sparsely dubbed head. All dark but a little flash helps) but they will eat BWO imitations as well.

The canyon has the same hatches and is also fishing well, all the way until dusk and they're not being really picky so it's a good time to experiment. The BWO hatch in the canyon is getting stronger, late morning until early afternoon. Adding to that the caddis are now getting active so fish a Pheasant Tail #16-20, either bead or non-bead. Not only does it cover the mayflies, but it also imitates the case caddis. And don't forget the ever-present midges.  If you're looking for dry fly action the Interpretive Site is a lot better, but you'd better bring your "A" game, the drift is everything. One benefit of spring fed besides being a reliable water source, the water temperature stays fairly consistent throughout the winter.

I hate to say this because I don't want to encourage crowding but lots of cars doesn't necessarily mean lots of fishermen. A lot of people are down there hiking, for example last Sunday there were 8 cars at the Interpretive Site but only 2 people fishing. With the colder water the weeds have died back, but I still tell my clients that a 4 second drift is average and finish with an aggressive pickup, you will hook fish you never knew existed.

I guess I took my cautionary tale about the spawning fish down to early. There are still lots of fish on the Redd's and people are hammering them. I'm seeing more and more pictures on the internet, rainbows in full spawning colors being held in a death grip and away from the bank. There's a term for this but I'm not sure the age of the people reading this report, so I'll stick with Ego or Glory Shot.

DRIES:  R.P. Emerger #22 | Parachute Adams # 16-20  | Mother Shucker #24 | CDC Baetis Dun #18-24 | Griffith's Gnat #20-24 | Stillborn Midge Black #20-22 | Hi-Vis Baetis #16-20 | Para Caddis #18-22

NYMPHS:  T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22  |Juju Baetis #16-20  | Medallion Midge #18-24 |  Buckskin #16-20  |  Barr's Emerger #16-22 | CDC Transition Midge #18-22 | Scuds grey or olive/grey #14-18 | Bling Midge Brown #24 | Pheasant Tail #16-20  Tungsten Jig Soft ssspot #16-18 | TB Millers+1LT #16-18

STREAMERS: Mini Sculpin Orange #6 | Slumpbuster Natural #10 | Hornburg #10-14   Mice