Lees Ferry Fishing Report
Report by: Ted Welling
We hope that you like our new report format. You can subscribe to receive a notice when a new report has been posted, by clicking “subscribe” in the above toolbar. All previous reports are archived and available by clicking “Previous Entries” at the bottom of this page.
Today’s rating:
Upriver: 7.0
Walk-In: 6.0
Key: 1 = Go fish somewhere else
10 = Rent a helicopter and get here now!
Today Weather: We had a lot of weather, a little of every thing, rain snow and a little wind in the mix. High temps upper 30’s low temps in the 20’s
Today’s Crowd Rating:
Upriver 1.0
Walk In: 1.0
Key: 1 = Sleep late and fish where you want.
10 = Very crowded, get up early!
Today’s Fly Fishing: Despite the fact that the weather was not so good the fishing on the other hand was. What folks did show up and battled the weather did fine. Most every one I spoke with had been wading in the riffles and tail-outs. And using the simple nymphing rig and a good drift were successful. Once the weather clears we should see some great fishing. Did I mention the lodge has a special running thru Feb.14th a room for one or two persons is only $ 45.00 per night plus tax! We here would like to see more of you folks get in on some great fishing. Tight Lines Everyone!!!!!!!!!
Walk-in fishing: The fishing in this section has been fun. And there are not many people up here now. Kind of sad, being the fishing is so good, and the shore line is vacant……. On the bright side, for the locals it’s our little slice of heaven. Myself, would prefer to see more anglers on the water. It’s always nice to talk to a few folks down there that are not too keen on this area, and give them a few tips. Love to hear all the chatter when they stop in at days end. Hope to see you soon. T
Spin Fishing: Egg patterns are still producing down deep when drifting. Make sure that you have the proper weight on so that the flies are bouncing the bottom and not dragging bottom. Consider a scud dropped below the glo bug about a foot and a half. Kastmasters and Rapalas are also productive while back trolling.
Spin fishing tips: This week end was reported as good for those that were working the channel. Big pink glo bugs were a sure fire way to catch fish. Some anglers fished the rubber worm bouncing off the bottom and did well.
Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn
What a difference a month can make…the new flows that went to effect on December 1 have certainly changed things! First and foremost: The trout are spawning! I would not call it a river-wide spawn but we are seeing several groups of fish spawning in a few traditional areas of the river. This is the first time in at least a couple of years that we have seen fish spawning in December, which is historically a “normal” time for the trout to spawn at Lees Ferry. I’m not sure if it will continue or build in strength any time soon, but we’ll keep you up-to-date with our daily reports. The sad thing is that there is nobody here to see the fish spawning. Most days there have been NO boats on the river…there is less traffic this December than I have seen in my 25 year career here at the Ferry.
The water flows from Glen Canyon Dam increased on 12/1 as they do every year. The current flow is 9,000 cfs to 16,000 cfs, with the water rising early in the morning and then beginning a slow drop around
For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000
Overall the trout are in great shape and the average size is larger than we have seen in several years. I predict that the size and condition of the fish will continue to improve this winter and we should continue to see great fishing for the remainder of 2007 and into 2008. I expect the spring season at Lees Ferry to be even better than last year, which was the best that we have seen in years.
I have had some people that are fishing on their own (unguided) and tell me that they are having a difficult time catching fish. The fishing has changed from the peak of 2000 and many people are not adapting to the new conditions. The current fish population is lower than it was in 2000 and there are not fish “everywhere” in the river like there was several years back (this is probably the reason that we are seeing better conditioned and larger fish today). Just because you might have been successful in one spot on the river in the past does not mean that particular spot is always good. There are many times of the year that the water flows, or conditions are not right to hold fish at “famous” spots such as 4 mile or
There are a tremendous number of fingerling trout in the river as a result of the terrific spawn that we saw in the spring of 2007 which bodes well for the future…the downside is that these fish will not be of catchable size until the fall of 2008.
The AZ Game and Fish Department recently detected whirling disease in a small percentage of Lees Ferry trout that were collected for a random sampling. A recent sampling turned up no sign of the disease, which may mean that it was a “one time” exposure, where the disease was not established or that the disease is present but at a very low prevalence. Anglers should still use caution in cleaning their equipment both before and after they have fished here or in other waters. For more information visit: http://www.whirling-disease.org
Projected River Flows:
Glen Canyon Dam Operations
Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in December 2007 will average 13,000
cubic feet per second (cfs) with a total of 800,000 acre-feet
scheduled to be released for the month. On Mondays through Fridays
in December, daily release fluctuations due to load following will
likely vary between a low of 9,000 cfs (during late evening and early
morning off-peak hours) to a high of 17,000 cfs (during daylight and
early evening on-peak hours).
On Saturdays and Sundays, release fluctuations will likely vary between a low of 7,000 cfs to a high of 16,000 cfs.
Releases in January 2008 are scheduled to be the same as December 2007 (800,000 acre-feet). The load following pattern in January 2008 will likely be very similar to December 2007.
Lees Ferry Anglers - Fly Shop Specials:
“GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE”
*****CLOSEOUTS******
SIMMS WADERS- Travel Waders $89.95, Lightweight Waders $109.95, Half-finger Gloves $13.00, Women’s Classic Guide Waders $180.00, Wading Boots $50.00
EXOFFICIO- Men’s & Women’s Amphi Shorts $46.00
SMITH/ACTION OPTICS POLARIZED SUNGLASSES- 2006 discontinued models at 50% OFF
ROSS SPOOLS- 50% OFF
Cliff Dwellers Lodge:
Our lodge has rooms with cable TV (20 channels), in-room coffee, and the basic amenities. Choice of rooms are ONE king-size bed $75 plus tax, TWO doubles $70 plus tax, and TWO queen-size beds $80 plus tax for 1 to 2 people. Also our group unit we call the HOUSE, sleeps six with two baths, dining area, kitchen, patio with a view, and cable TV. We are excited about the cool fall season and have some great “black board” specials planned. Patio dining is available. (Enclosed in the winter months)
Meet the Guides:
THE GUIDES AND STAFF OF LEES FERRY ANGLERS have thousands of days on this water, and over 100 years combined fish-guiding experience. Captains’ Terry Gunn, Jeff English, Skip Dixon, Rick Smith and Natalie Jensen make up our guiding staff. Lees Ferry Anglers is proud of our fly-fishing guide team! Wendy Gunn, Natalie Jensen, Sandy Willie, Ted Welling work in the fly shop to provide you with the best customer service in the industry.
Email: anglers@leesferry.com
Lees Ferry Anglers
HC-67 Box 30
Toll Free 1-800-962-9755
Direct 1-928-355-2261
Fax 1-928-355-2271
Copyright © 1996-2006 Lees Ferry Anglers and Flyshop
All rights reserved Lees Ferry Fishing Report
Terry Gunn
Lees Ferry Anglers Fly Shop, Guides, & Rentals
Cliff Dwellers Lodge
http://www.terrygunn.com
http://www.leesferry.com
http://www.cliffdwellerslodge.com
800-962-9755
Lees Ferry Fishing Report
Report by: Ted Welling
We hope that you like our new report format. You can subscribe to receive a notice when a new report has been posted, by clicking “subscribe” in the above toolbar. All previous reports are archived and available by clicking “Previous Entries” at the bottom of this page.
Today’s rating:
Upriver: 7.0
Walk-In: 6.0
Key: 1 = Go fish somewhere else
10 = Rent a helicopter and get here now!
Today Weather: We had a lot of weather, a little of every thing, rain snow and a little wind in the mix. High temps upper 30’s low temps in the 20’s
Today’s Crowd Rating:
Upriver 1.0
Walk In: 1.0
Key: 1 = Sleep late and fish where you want.
10 = Very crowded, get up early!
Today’s Fly Fishing: Despite the fact that the weather was not so good the fishing on the other hand was. What folks did show up and battled the weather did fine. Most every one I spoke with had been wading in the riffles and tail-outs. And using the simple nymphing rig and a good drift were successful. Once the weather clears we should see some great fishing. Did I mention the lodge has a special running thru Feb.14th a room for one or two persons is only $ 45.00 per night plus tax! We here would like to see more of you folks get in on some great fishing. Tight Lines Everyone!!!!!!!!!
Walk-in fishing: The fishing in this section has been fun. And there are not many people up here now. Kind of sad, being the fishing is so good, and the shore line is vacant……. On the bright side, for the locals it’s our little slice of heaven. Myself, would prefer to see more anglers on the water. It’s always nice to talk to a few folks down there that are not too keen on this area, and give them a few tips. Love to hear all the chatter when they stop in at days end. Hope to see you soon. T
Spin Fishing: Egg patterns are still producing down deep when drifting. Make sure that you have the proper weight on so that the flies are bouncing the bottom and not dragging bottom. Consider a scud dropped below the glo bug about a foot and a half. Kastmasters and Rapalas are also productive while back trolling.
Spin fishing tips: This week end was reported as good for those that were working the channel. Big pink glo bugs were a sure fire way to catch fish. Some anglers fished the rubber worm bouncing off the bottom and did well.
Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn
What a difference a month can make…the new flows that went to effect on December 1 have certainly changed things! First and foremost: The trout are spawning! I would not call it a river-wide spawn but we are seeing several groups of fish spawning in a few traditional areas of the river. This is the first time in at least a couple of years that we have seen fish spawning in December, which is historically a “normal” time for the trout to spawn at Lees Ferry. I’m not sure if it will continue or build in strength any time soon, but we’ll keep you up-to-date with our daily reports. The sad thing is that there is nobody here to see the fish spawning. Most days there have been NO boats on the river…there is less traffic this December than I have seen in my 25 year career here at the Ferry.
The water flows from Glen Canyon Dam increased on 12/1 as they do every year. The current flow is 9,000 cfs to 16,000 cfs, with the water rising early in the morning and then beginning a slow drop around
For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000
Overall the trout are in great shape and the average size is larger than we have seen in several years. I predict that the size and condition of the fish will continue to improve this winter and we should continue to see great fishing for the remainder of 2007 and into 2008. I expect the spring season at Lees Ferry to be even better than last year, which was the best that we have seen in years.
I have had some people that are fishing on their own (unguided) and tell me that they are having a difficult time catching fish. The fishing has changed from the peak of 2000 and many people are not adapting to the new conditions. The current fish population is lower than it was in 2000 and there are not fish “everywhere” in the river like there was several years back (this is probably the reason that we are seeing better conditioned and larger fish today). Just because you might have been successful in one spot on the river in the past does not mean that particular spot is always good. There are many times of the year that the water flows, or conditions are not right to hold fish at “famous” spots such as 4 mile or
There are a tremendous number of fingerling trout in the river as a result of the terrific spawn that we saw in the spring of 2007 which bodes well for the future…the downside is that these fish will not be of catchable size until the fall of 2008.
The AZ Game and Fish Department recently detected whirling disease in a small percentage of Lees Ferry trout that were collected for a random sampling. A recent sampling turned up no sign of the disease, which may mean that it was a “one time” exposure, where the disease was not established or that the disease is present but at a very low prevalence. Anglers should still use caution in cleaning their equipment both before and after they have fished here or in other waters. For more information visit: http://www.whirling-disease.org
Projected River Flows:
Glen Canyon Dam Operations
Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in December 2007 will average 13,000
cubic feet per second (cfs) with a total of 800,000 acre-feet
scheduled to be released for the month. On Mondays through Fridays
in December, daily release fluctuations due to load following will
likely vary between a low of 9,000 cfs (during late evening and early
morning off-peak hours) to a high of 17,000 cfs (during daylight and
early evening on-peak hours).
On Saturdays and Sundays, release fluctuations will likely vary between a low of 7,000 cfs to a high of 16,000 cfs.
Releases in January 2008 are scheduled to be the same as December 2007 (800,000 acre-feet). The load following pattern in January 2008 will likely be very similar to December 2007.
Lees Ferry Anglers - Fly Shop Specials:
“GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE”
*****CLOSEOUTS******
SIMMS WADERS- Travel Waders $89.95, Lightweight Waders $109.95, Half-finger Gloves $13.00, Women’s Classic Guide Waders $180.00, Wading Boots $50.00
EXOFFICIO- Men’s & Women’s Amphi Shorts $46.00
SMITH/ACTION OPTICS POLARIZED SUNGLASSES- 2006 discontinued models at 50% OFF
ROSS SPOOLS- 50% OFF
Cliff Dwellers Lodge:
Our lodge has rooms with cable TV (20 channels), in-room coffee, and the basic amenities. Choice of rooms are ONE king-size bed $75 plus tax, TWO doubles $70 plus tax, and TWO queen-size beds $80 plus tax for 1 to 2 people. Also our group unit we call the HOUSE, sleeps six with two baths, dining area, kitchen, patio with a view, and cable TV. We are excited about the cool fall season and have some great “black board” specials planned. Patio dining is available. (Enclosed in the winter months)
Meet the Guides:
THE GUIDES AND STAFF OF LEES FERRY ANGLERS have thousands of days on this water, and over 100 years combined fish-guiding experience. Captains’ Terry Gunn, Jeff English, Skip Dixon, Rick Smith and Natalie Jensen make up our guiding staff. Lees Ferry Anglers is proud of our fly-fishing guide team! Wendy Gunn, Natalie Jensen, Sandy Willie, Ted Welling work in the fly shop to provide you with the best customer service in the industry.
Email: anglers@leesferry.com
Lees Ferry Anglers
HC-67 Box 30
Toll Free 1-800-962-9755
Direct 1-928-355-2261
Fax 1-928-355-2271
Copyright © 1996-2006 Lees Ferry Anglers and Flyshop
All rights reserved Lees Ferry Fishing Report
Terry Gunn
Lees Ferry Anglers Fly Shop, Guides, & Rentals
Cliff Dwellers Lodge
http://www.terrygunn.com
http://www.leesferry.com
http://www.cliffdwellerslodge.com
800-962-9755
Lees Ferry Fishing Report
Report by: Ted Welling
We hope that you like our new report format. You can subscribe to receive a notice when a new report has been posted, by clicking “subscribe” in the above toolbar. All previous reports are archived and available by clicking “Previous Entries” at the bottom of this page.
Today’s rating:
Upriver: 7.0
Walk-In: 6.0
Key: 1 = Go fish somewhere else
10 = Rent a helicopter and get here now!
Today Weather: We had a lot of weather, a little of every thing, rain snow and a little wind in the mix. High temps upper 30’s low temps in the 20’s
Today’s Crowd Rating:
Upriver 1.0
Walk In: 1.0
Key: 1 = Sleep late and fish where you want.
10 = Very crowded, get up early!
Today’s Fly Fishing: Despite the fact that the weather was not so good the fishing on the other hand was. What folks did show up and battled the weather did fine. Most every one I spoke with had been wading in the riffles and tail-outs. And using the simple nymphing rig and a good drift were successful. Once the weather clears we should see some great fishing. Did I mention the lodge has a special running thru Feb.14th a room for one or two persons is only $ 45.00 per night plus tax! We here would like to see more of you folks get in on some great fishing. Tight Lines Everyone!!!!!!!!!
Walk-in fishing: The fishing in this section has been fun. And there are not many people up here now. Kind of sad, being the fishing is so good, and the shore line is vacant……. On the bright side, for the locals it’s our little slice of heaven. Myself, would prefer to see more anglers on the water. It’s always nice to talk to a few folks down there that are not too keen on this area, and give them a few tips. Love to hear all the chatter when they stop in at days end. Hope to see you soon. T
Spin Fishing: Egg patterns are still producing down deep when drifting. Make sure that you have the proper weight on so that the flies are bouncing the bottom and not dragging bottom. Consider a scud dropped below the glo bug about a foot and a half. Kastmasters and Rapalas are also productive while back trolling.
Spin fishing tips: This week end was reported as good for those that were working the channel. Big pink glo bugs were a sure fire way to catch fish. Some anglers fished the rubber worm bouncing off the bottom and did well.
Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn
What a difference a month can make…the new flows that went to effect on December 1 have certainly changed things! First and foremost: The trout are spawning! I would not call it a river-wide spawn but we are seeing several groups of fish spawning in a few traditional areas of the river. This is the first time in at least a couple of years that we have seen fish spawning in December, which is historically a “normal” time for the trout to spawn at Lees Ferry. I’m not sure if it will continue or build in strength any time soon, but we’ll keep you up-to-date with our daily reports. The sad thing is that there is nobody here to see the fish spawning. Most days there have been NO boats on the river…there is less traffic this December than I have seen in my 25 year career here at the Ferry.
The water flows from Glen Canyon Dam increased on 12/1 as they do every year. The current flow is 9,000 cfs to 16,000 cfs, with the water rising early in the morning and then beginning a slow drop around
For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000
Overall the trout are in great shape and the average size is larger than we have seen in several years. I predict that the size and condition of the fish will continue to improve this winter and we should continue to see great fishing for the remainder of 2007 and into 2008. I expect the spring season at Lees Ferry to be even better than last year, which was the best that we have seen in years.
I have had some people that are fishing on their own (unguided) and tell me that they are having a difficult time catching fish. The fishing has changed from the peak of 2000 and many people are not adapting to the new conditions. The current fish population is lower than it was in 2000 and there are not fish “everywhere” in the river like there was several years back (this is probably the reason that we are seeing better conditioned and larger fish today). Just because you might have been successful in one spot on the river in the past does not mean that particular spot is always good. There are many times of the year that the water flows, or conditions are not right to hold fish at “famous” spots such as 4 mile or
There are a tremendous number of fingerling trout in the river as a result of the terrific spawn that we saw in the spring of 2007 which bodes well for the future…the downside is that these fish will not be of catchable size until the fall of 2008.
The AZ Game and Fish Department recently detected whirling disease in a small percentage of Lees Ferry trout that were collected for a random sampling. A recent sampling turned up no sign of the disease, which may mean that it was a “one time” exposure, where the disease was not established or that the disease is present but at a very low prevalence. Anglers should still use caution in cleaning their equipment both before and after they have fished here or in other waters. For more information visit: http://www.whirling-disease.org
Projected River Flows:
Glen Canyon Dam Operations
Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in December 2007 will average 13,000
cubic feet per second (cfs) with a total of 800,000 acre-feet
scheduled to be released for the month. On Mondays through Fridays
in December, daily release fluctuations due to load following will
likely vary between a low of 9,000 cfs (during late evening and early
morning off-peak hours) to a high of 17,000 cfs (during daylight and
early evening on-peak hours).
On Saturdays and Sundays, release fluctuations will likely vary between a low of 7,000 cfs to a high of 16,000 cfs.
Releases in January 2008 are scheduled to be the same as December 2007 (800,000 acre-feet). The load following pattern in January 2008 will likely be very similar to December 2007