West Walker River - July 2018 - Part 1

​The West Walker’s flows have finally come down to perfect levels (100-200 cfs). Strangely this river will have very high flows all the way into August on normal years. I think the snowpack was a little less than normal this year. 

​The scenery in the canyon is amazing! 

​Tons of pocketwater.

---

​Very surprised at the average size of fish caught today. I think last year’s very high flows enabled a lot of fish to survive the onslaught of the roadside anglers. Usually not much is left by September. Too bad they don’t have the area around Walker and Pickle Meadows as catch and keep (areas where they heavily stock), and the middle canyon section catch & release. 

​Hard fighting, feisty rainbows!

​It is best to time the river right when the flows get below 250 or 200 cfs. It takes only a few weeks for the river to get picked clean and the only wild fish left are a few 6-8” here and there.

​Nearly lost my fishpond net for the first time buying it 5 years ago. Somehow the D-ring that attaches to my gear retractor came off but luckily I grabbed it before it fell into the deep pool. I thought my system of not losing my net was bulletproof, but apparently not.