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Today’s Fish rating
Upriver: 6.50
Walk-In: 6.50
Key: 1 = Go fish somewhere else
10 = Rent a helicopter and get here now!

Today’s Weather: Mostly Sunny, High 72, Low 43

Up River crowd rating
2.0 No crowd
Walk In: 1.0 No Crowds
Key: 1 = Sleep late and fish where you want.
10 = Very crowded, get up early

Fly Fishing: Fishing has been reported as very good, started a little slow yesterday morning but, picked up as the day progressed. We are still wading the gravel bars, fishing a dry- dropper rig over the back eddies and a longer leader and a double nymph rig as we drift the channel. I anchored just outside 6mile island and fished from the boat and did well using a scud and a San Juan worm. As I lifted anchor to drift that section I pulled up a pad of moss that was filled with scuds, a delightful sight. The weather has been perfect, the reason October is my favorite month to fish the ferry.

Walk in: Had a report today for this section, fished well. Most fish landed were taking the San Juan worm. Most colors are working but, the favorite is the natural or the worm brown. I have started to color the front quarter of the worm dark brown and leaving the back section tan and putting an orange collar just behind the eye. It looks great, and for now it seems to be a good pattern. This will have to be time tested. I have also heard there is no need to get down there at the crackers, as this section is really picking up after noon. HMMM !
I will leave this report below for us spin heads as it seems to be accurate!

Spin Fishing: I did a little spin fishing the past few days and did well.
I was using both a panther martin and a vibrax blue fox both gold, and I can’t tell you what worked better. Both did the trick. It was not on fire or nothing but, I was pleased. So, if you have been thinking of fishing,,,,,,,, C’mon down, fishing is good at lees ferry. There are a couple other lures that are working well, stop by the shop and I will put you on the right track. Ted

BE SURE YOU CRIMP THE BARBS.

• If you have some news you would like to report about fishing lees ferry, the walk-in section or up river please e-mail your report to: anglers@leesferry.com Attn. Lees Ferry Fishing Report

• We would be happy to have your input, and pass it along.
-Ted Welling, Lees Ferry Anglers & Cliff Dwellers Lodge
Lees Ferry Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn 9/28/09

Visit www.leesferry.com for daily fishing reports and updates.

Recent Fishing Conditions: Fall is in the air and the weather is near perfect with cool nights and warm days. The current water flows are a constant 10,200-cfs, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These flows began on Sept. 1 and will continue until Nov.1 when normal fluctuating flows will return. This is the second year of these experimental flows and we feel that they are preferable to the extremely low fluctuating flows that normally occur this time of year. In years past, the flows in September and October have been the lowest flows of the year and have reset the “green line” to the 5,000-cfs level from the 12,000-cfs level of the summer flows. This has effectively reduced the food supply in the river by a significant amount. Then the higher flows of November and December arrive; but because of the declining sun angle and the shade of the cliffs, photosynthesis and aquatic production in the river declines and the areas of the river that were desiccated by the low flows do not regenerate until the following spring. This will not happen this year because of the steady flows in September and October the green line will stay high.

Fishing has been good and relatively predicable. The midge hatches have been prolific and the fish are feeding on the emergers in both shallow and deep water. The current fish population is better than we have seen in many years with several different year classes present in good numbers and perfect physical condition. I cannot remember seeing such a diverse range in fish sizes, we are catching fish from 12-in to 20-in and everything in between.

You may remember from my previous reports my mention of our prolific spawn of 2007 and that the river was full of small fish that disappear from the time that they reach 3” and reappear when they are 12” long…well, they showed up in mass immediately following the 8,000 constant flow in June. They are everywhere! For the first time in many years we are catching fish of all sizes, from 10’’ to 20” which is typical of a very healthy river. The only downside is that our average fish size has dramatically decreased; the river is still chock-full of big fish but the challenge is getting your fly past the smaller and not so smart little fish.

The current health of the river is outstanding…better than it has been in years. Last year’s above normal runoff into Lake Powell delivered and stirred up countless tons of nutrients into the water and this nutrient rich water is passing through the dam and into the river. Algae is everywhere in the river and this provides food and habitat for the aquatic food base that the trout depend upon. Lake Powell rose more than 30-ft this year which is good news for the fishing and all of the people in the southwest who depend on this water for household use and electrical generation. The rising lake and the nutrient load will guarantee this trend of healthy trout populations and good fishing will continue for the next several years.

The turning point and the beginning for the recovery of the Lees Ferry fishery occurred in 2005 when Lake Powell had the first above normal snow-pack and runoff year since 1997. Last year we had almost exactly the same conditions. The above normal winter snow pack and runoff into Lake Powell in 2007-08, stirred up a tremendous amount of nutrient laden sediment that had accumulated at the lake mouths of the Colorado River, San Juan River, and the Green River. Lake Powell elevation increased 43-ft. and the rivers flowing into the lake mixed the sediment and nutrients into the lake water. It usually takes several months before we see this mixing affect. The increased nutrient load in the lake and river is evident this spring by the dramatic increase in aquatic vegetation and aquatic organisms throughout the river.

For those of you that remember what the fishing was like in 1999 and 2000…you should be as excited as I am about the current conditions and what the increased nutrient load should do for the fishing at Lees Ferry.

Lots of stuff happening at the Ferry and it is all good!

Recent Fishing: With the steady water flows we are wading the riffles, drifting from the boat, and anchoring in the deep tail-outs of the riffles. Fishing techniques have been mixed between using a “heavy nymph rig” which is a 9 to 12-ft leader, strike indicator, split shot, and dual fly rig, or a “double tiny” rig with a long leader and 2 bead-head midges on 7X, or a dry and dropper rig. I have been using 6 and 7X fluorocarbon tippet and feel that the lighter tippet results in a much higher success rate than say 5X. Anglers might argue that they break fish off on such light tippet but my argument is that in order to break a fish off, you first have to first get a fish to eat your fly and you are going to get more eaters with lighter tippet than heaver tippet.

When wading the riffles you need long dead drifts. There are 2 types of drifts; perfect dead drifts and all other drifts. Perfect dead drifts catch fish at Lees Ferry; all other drifts don’t catch fish here. You get a dead drift by mending the line, then throwing slack line on the water. If your line is straight from your rod tip to your indicator or you move your indicator during the drift, then your drift is not perfect and will not catch fish. The key to success is to stay over fish, get the flies down to the bottom, and get a long, perfect dead drift.

The high flow experiment, 4/08, was basically a non event as far as the fishery is concerned. It came and went with few visible changes to the river or the fishery. For more details and to see my complete comments go here: http://coloradoriverconservancy.org/

For details on Lake Powell conditions and snow-pack, go here: http://lakepowell.water-data.com/

For a real time graphic view of water releases and ramp rates go here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?09380000

The AZ Game and Fish Department has detected whirling disease in a very small percentage of Lees Ferry trout that were collected for a random sampling. A more 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

Glen Canyon Dam / Lake Powell

The unregulated inflow volume into Lake Powell during September 2009 was 0.265 million acre-feet (maf) which was 56% of average based on the period from 1971-2000. This was below the unregulated inflow volume that was forecasted at the beginning of September, which was 0.400 maf. As a result, the elevation of Lake Powell at the end of September was about 1.3 feet lower than projected in the September 24-Month Study. For water year 2009, the annual volume released from Lake Powell was 8.235 maf and the end of water year elevation of Lake Powell was 3635.37 feet above sea level (64.63 feet from full pool). The end of water year elevation for 2009 was 8.5 feet above the end of water year elevation recorded for 2008. The 2009 end of water year storage content was 15.36 maf which was 63.2% of full capacity (24.322 maf). The unregulated inflow to Lake Powell during water year 2009 was 10.63 maf which is 88% of the average based on the historic period from 1971-2000.
During September and October, releases from Glen Canyon Dam have been and will continue to be steady at a targeted release rate of 10,000 cfs pursuant to the ‘February 2008 Finding of No Significant Impact Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona 2008 through 2012’ and consistent with the ‘Final Environmental Assessment – Experimental Releases from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, 2008 through 2012’. Fluctuations for power system regulation and spinning reserves will occur if necessary during this steady release period. The release volume for October will likely be near 0.615 maf as a continuation of the steady release period as of October 1, 2009, the unregulated inflow to Lake Powell for water year 2010 is projected to have an 80% probability of being within the range between 4.7 maf and 16.5 maf. There is an estimated 10% probability that the water year 2010 unregulated inflow volume will be below 4.7 maf and there is also an estimated 10% probability that the water year 2010 unregulated inflow volume will be greater than 16.5 maf. Based on the range of probable inflow volumes and through implementation of the Interim Guidelines, there is approximately a 55% probability that Equalization will occur in 2010. The determination of whether or not Equalization will occur in 2010 will be based on the projected September 30 Lake Powell water surface elevations of the 2010 April 24-Month Study. If Equalization does occur in 2010, the water year release volume would be approximately 10.5 maf. If however, Equalization does not occur in 2010 (45% probability), the water year release volume could be 8.23 maf or possibly 9.0 maf depending on the projected September 30 Lake Mead water surface elevation in the April 24-Month Study. Each month these forecasted probabilities will be updated as hydrologic conditions change in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Upper Colorado River Basin Hydrology

In the Upper Colorado River Basin during water year 2009, the overall precipitation accumulated through September 30, 2009 is approximately 95% of average based on the 30 year average for the period from 1971 through 2000. The final 3 months of water year 2009 all had accumulated precipitation rates that were all below average with 60, 45 and 80% of average occurring in July, August and September respectively. The Climate Prediction Center outlook (dated September 17, 2009) for temperature over the next 3 months indicates that temperatures in the southwest have an increased probability of being above average while accumulated precipitation is projected to be near average in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

Upper Colorado River Basin Drought

The Upper Colorado River Basin continues to experience a protracted multi-year drought. Since 1999, inflow to Lake Powell has been below average in every year except water years 2005 and 2008. In the summer of 1999, Lake Powell was close to full with reservoir storage at 23.5 million acre-feet, or 97 percent of capacity. During the next 5 years (2000 through 2004) unregulated inflow to Lake Powell was well below average. This resulted in Lake Powell storage decreasing during this period to 8.0 million acre-feet (33 percent of capacity) which occurred on April 8, 2005. During 2005, 2008 and 2009, drought conditions eased somewhat with net gains in storage to Lake Powell. As of September 30, 2009 the storage in Lake Powell was 15.46 million acre-feet (63.6 percent of capacity) which is still below desired levels while the overall reservoir storage in the Colorado River Basin as of September 1, 2009 is 34.2 million acre-feet (57.5 percent of capacity).

Check out: www.kutv.com/content/outdoors/default.aspx

I have had some people that are fishing on their own (unguided) 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 were 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 Dam Island. It is often challenging, even for a good guide, to stay on top of where the fish are and what they are eating; but we do have the advantage of spending a lot of time on the water.

Lees Ferry Anglers - Fly Shop Specials:
“GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!!”
*****CLOSEOUTS******
PATAGONIA- Women’s Stretch Jacket was $315.00 now $175.00
Call for all current sale items as they change quickly.

Cliff Dwellers Lodge:
Our lodge has rooms with cable TV (20 channels), in-room coffee, and the basic amenities. Choices of rooms are ONE king-size bed, TWO doubles and TWO queen-size beds. Also our group unit we call the HOUSE, sleeps six with two baths, dining area, kitchen, patio with a view, and cable TV. Rates vary with season. 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, Natalie Jensen, J.D. Miller, Luke Blaser and Tom Jones make up our guiding staff. Lees Ferry Anglers is proud of our fly-fishing guide team! Wendy Gunn, Ted Welling, and Kris Stoudt 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
Marble Canyon, AZ 86036

Toll Free 1-800-962-9755
Direct 1-928-355-2261
Fax 1-928-355-2271

Copyright © 1996-2009 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