Disappoint on the East Walker river

     On Sunday i decided to take a break from Pyramid lake, and head out to one of my most favorite rivers, the East walker river. As usual i was in for beautiful scenery, and remote open river, but i was in for an unfortunate surprise. 
     

     The river suffered from one of the worst drought winters in decades. It brought flows to just a trickle during the hottest part of the summer. Usually in July and August, flows average 150-300 cfs, keep water temps below 70* most of the summer. The last few years, the river has managed to hold about 125-150cfs during the peak heat, which has let the river survive our hot summers. This year though, flows ranged between 50-100cfs, which lead to sustained water temps of 77* being recorded well into the Nevada side. This temperature is lethal to trout. 
      
      While these temps managed to stay just cool enough on the California side, and the first 9 miles of the Nevada section of river, beyond that appears to have been severely impacted. Impacts where minimal on the stretches left unhurt, but once your travel below the Elbow, fish loss may have been as high as 50%, with as much as 95% of fish over 18" not surviving.
      

      Typically, this time of year, in early December, with my spin cast rod in hand, i cant count on an amazing day. Usually I'm able to land several 16-20" Brown trout, with just as many chasing my Lil Cleo rainbow pattern lure. Ive watched hungry 22" browns literally plow there way onto shore in pursuit of my lure. This time tho, not a single fish over 12". I did catch several small browns, which gives me hope! This is my second trip out to the river since fall begin, with similar results the first time. Other sign indicate the fish are gone. Planted rainbow trout often don't survive long in the river, they either become food for the browns, or are so picked on by them, they die. This time, i notice every rainbow i caught was very healthy, no stress marks or attack marks, and in plentiful numbers. That means no big fish to crowd them out. Also the population of crayfish was much higher than i have ever seen it! Those guys also usually end up as food, suggesting the big hunters are not there.
       
      There was some good news, i did see several fresh Redd's, suggesting some browns had spawned on the lower river, which was great news! If the big fish are gone, than at least some fish remain. Its also possible as the water temps rose, the fish moved up the river to get to cooler water. The optimistic side of me prays this is what happened, and when spring flows return, the fish will work there way back down the river. 
      

       Needless to say, Sunday was a sad day. The river i love fishing, the river that helped breed my catch and release side, the river that helped me get into fly fishing, the river that taught me there was just more than the Truckee river in my region, may have suffered a serious setback. A river that once carried 18-24" in every single hole, a river that brought the chance of amazing fish on every single cast! Not a total loss, but a painful one nonetheless. Hopefully winter brings us lots of snow, and the river is able to begin to recover, and return to greatness!