Sorry about the long gap between reports. To be honest, there has really not been much of a change in the fishing conditions in Rock Creek or the lake all summer. It's early fall now, the lake temp is still high for this time of year, around 60 to 63 F. at our boat docks. There has been no rain for over a month, so water levels are dropping, but the lake is only a foot or two lower than it would normally be this time of year. Over Labor Day weekend, power bait was working the best for lake shore anglers.  Trolling Tasmanian Devils, Super Dupers, or Thomas Buoyants was the ticket for those in boats. You have to put your time in on the lake this season for hooking up, it has not been a summer of guaranteed limits in a couple of hours. This is not due to a lack of fish, we still have quite a few big Desert Spring rainbows swimming around, laughing at hooks. DFW planted the waters well over the last two weeks, but may be backing off on the stocking now that the hatcheries are running out of this year's crop of catchables. The trout are just not on the feed for some reason, maybe water temperature too high or? I am hearing the same story from other roadside lakes in the Eastern Sierra, the fish are there but the catching is sporadic.

Creek fishing has been more consistent, although you need to find the deeper water where the trout are holding, flows are low and slow now. Plenty of wild brook trout taking flies, the planted rainbows are hitting small spinners, eggs, and worms or crawlers. Nothing new there, if you are stealthy, know where the fish are holding, and use light gear and small hooks, you'll catch fish.

Reports from the backcountry lakes have been good, red hot for the wild brookies and rainbows on dry flies, patterns do not matter. It's the best time of year to walk into Little Lakes Valley or the Hilton Lakes with a fly rod for some fun action. I'm heading for Tamarack Lakes myself as soon as I get a partial day off, haven't been there for quite a while, but will get a report in when I return.