Hot Creek is fishing very well

Hot Creek - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
12-29-2011
Website

Water Conditions: Great the flows are at 25 cfs as of 12/29. Actually the water is slightly off color due to increased runoff from, yes, melting snow, what little is left on Mammoth Mountain.

ZERO SNOW AND GATE IS OPEN SO YOU CAN STILL DRIVE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PARKING LOTS ABOVE THE CANYON SECTION.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Excellent, there is no change since last week and its all good. With the warm temps the fish are biting earlier, like 9:30am. Start with midges, then go to baetis nymphs and dries if they start sipping on the surface. Once the action gets going you can go "big and buggy" and they'll gobble flies they wouldn't even look at in summer.

Recommended Flies:

DRIES:
CDC Baetis DUN #20-22, Extended Body BWO #20-22, Brook's Sprout Baetis #20-22, CDC Emerger Baetis #20-22, Stalcup Emerger Parachute Midge #22 NYMPHS: Epoxy Wingcase BWO #22, Copper Zebra #22, Yankee Buzzer #22, Micracle Nymph #20, Kyle's Superflash PT #20-22, BH FB Pheasant Tail #16-#20, #22-24 Black Beauty, #22 Furimsky's Epoxy Midge, WD Flashy Black #22, Barr's Flashback Emerger #22, #16 Hare's Ear midday.

STREAMERS: #12 Bead Head Doc's Twin Lake Special Black/Brown/Olive, Burnt Orange Marabou Leech

Guides Hint: Big fish are available daily at the Interpretive Center section and #24's and a dead drift are not required!