Virginia Lakes Fishing Report

Virginia Lakes - Bridgeport, CA (Mono County)

Audrey Osaki age 8 Sierra Madre 4lb10 tag 266 8-17 worm 8-17*
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Virginia Lakes Resort

by Carolyn Webb
8-24-2020
Website

Trophy trout arrived on the 13th.

DISCUSSION: Let’s start this forecast with some potentially good news. After many days of seemingly never ending hot / dry conditions (particularly in the Owens Valley), there’s a little light at the end of the tunnel. That strong dome of high pressure moves over Four Corners (and as it does it goes from 597DM to 591DM) reducing its magnitude. Thus we should have a slight dip in temperatures, down 3 – 5 degrees by mid next week. Also elevated tropical activity from Hurricane Genevieve (currently off the Baja coast) will contribute to additional moisture influx into our region. So our forecast area looks to benefit, with possible showers and thunderstorms by Sunday and Monday…DMATT

LURES: Red/gold and rainbow Buoyant's small size, Kastmasters, Super Duper's, Tasmanian Devils, the new Hot Shot bleeding frog and Rainbow (Hot Fire Wobblers). Also, bring along all your older lures you never know when one still works.

FLY AND BUBBLE: Action has been sporadic over this past week due to the added pressure of the anglers trying to get away from the smoke, but Lower Twin Lakes got stocked by DFW last Thursday morning as was stated on Facebook. Flies to try are small Griffith's Gnats, Black elk hair caddis, small black foam ant or a furry ant, Zug Bug, Grey Hackle Yellow and trim the tail even with the bend of the hook and Black Gnat white parachute.

FLY RODS: Bring more midges - all stages. With a change in weather expected again and rain due starting Sunday the 24th but we have to wait and see if things change up again. Use dry flies when there's a chop on the water. Try the usual Hornberg, rainbow Hornberg, Loeberg (olive) without dropper. Dries would be black elk hair caddis, size 16 to 18 mosquitoes, small foam ants (byo). Normal rigs are set up with a streamer and midge dropper under a full sink line, but if you find a better method use it.

BACKCOUNTRY: Action has been slow, with a couple changes so go smaller darker and stay at 2lb camo-leader or very limp leader with your bubble. Some fish are coming up with worms, small lures and powerbait. I urge everyone to be careful with your catch if you do NOT intend to eat them especially with the current problems in our local hatcheries as stocking will not be under normal circumstances.

NOTE: If the trout bleeds don’t throw it back into the lake, it will die and IT ATTRACKS BEARS. If you care about the resource please be careful when releasing fish back into the water.


Virginia Lakes Resort is located near the top of Conway Summit between Mono Lake and Bridgeport, CA. We have everything you need to enjoy the Eastern Sierra. Check out our WEBSITE.




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