EASTERN SIERRA – REGION 4 – FLY FISHER’S PARADISE
Steve Schalla
In June we are delighted to welcome back local expert Steve Schalla with another in depth and off the beaten path presentation on his beloved Eastern Sierra. In his own words:
I am a So Cal Fly Fisher and have been since the early 1980’s. Many members of clubs are familiar with me through my involvement with FFI Southwest Council where I was Fundraiser, Treasurer, and President over the last ten years. I am also quite active within my own club, Sespe Fly Fishers, as their current President. And, if you are one to peruse the internet, I have had a website, Fly Fishing the Sierra, since 2002. This website has maps of fishing locations within the Sierra as well as a plethora of information about fly fishing such as rigging, casting, and reading the water.
The website has grown to over 2000 posts or pages since I enjoy sharing knowledge with other fly fishers who are just as crazy over the sport as I am.
The topic I will present, “Eastern Sierra Region 4 – a fly fishers paradise” will be familiar to all of us. I doubt that I’ll cover anything new, no secret locations or special techniques to divulge. But it should be an enjoyable evening to just go over the many sites where this region offers superb fishing. For most anglers, we have a favorite stream or lake to revisit each year. We might even get to know an area through the change of seasons. However, no angler has covered all this region, through all seasons, and that is where the interest will lie.
I expect plenty of feedback throughout my presentation as attendees are going to share some great memories. We will cover Mammoth Lakes and Backcountry, Hot Creek, Upper Owens, Crowley Lake, McGee Canyon, Fish Creek/Cascade Valley, Rock Creek Lake, Little Lakes Valley, and Pine Creek. There is so much to touch upon that we will have to hit the highlights of each area. My background was a Cal Forester out of UC Berkeley so I would like to bring together geologic and naturalisticattributes of these areas that may be concepts not covered by others. I also studied Botany at UC Santa Barbara which led me to a career in establishing reforestation nurseries in California, Oregon, and Washington. During my tenure as a reforestation specialist, I grew about 45 million tree seedlings.
We will point out great areas to fish but will also look at the natural features of the region from the impacts from glaciation and volcanoes, fish migration, introduction of fish species, and how fish populations adapt to their watershed. From the cultural side, we will look at how timber, mining, fishery management, and water interests have impacted this region.
By the end of the presentation, my goal is to have club members walk away with the sense that this region of the Sierra Nevada is very special and that it is truly a fly fisher’s paradise.