Last Update: 02/01/2022
Speaker: Doug Rodricks
Doug Rodricks
Best Fly Fishing Opportunities in the Eastern Sierra
The Program:
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Hot Creek, Upper and Lower Owens, Crowley Lake, Bridgeport Reservoir, San Joaquin River, Eagle Lake
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Year around waters in the area for trout
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Entomology of Crowley Lake, tactics and techniques, tips
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Techniques for landing trophy trout
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Properly photographing and releasing fish
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Winter fishing opportunities
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Doug's Background:
Doug grew up in sunny southern California and would spend many summers vacationing in Yosemite National Park with his family since before he could crawl. The sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors were instilled in him at a young age, as he experienced the beauty of the high country. His interest in trout fishing started at the age of 9, when he witnessed an angler reeling up a trout out of the Merced River. To this day, he still remembers the sun’s bright glare reflecting off that fish’s iridescent scales. It was this magical and captivating scene that would spawn his passion for fishing. The following year, he hooked his first trout in the gin clear waters of that same river.
Doug continued to fish anywhere and anytime he could throughout his growing years. The majority of his fishing was for trout in the eastern sierra and tuna, yellowtail, dorado, and wahoo off the california coast and baja peninsula.
Doug took up fly fishing at the age of 18 and would practice fly casting after school every evening. He vacationed in Idaho and West Yellowstone one summer, where he experienced drift boat fly fishing for the first time. In 2001, he met Tom Loe in the eastern sierra where he continued the path to learning the most exciting way of catching trout.
His patience, outgoing personality, and teaching techniques have served him well in guiding clients to some of the best fishing areas in the Eastern Sierra. He has a knack for working with beginners and youngsters and finds it very rewarding to watch them catch their first fish on a fly rod. Doug’s knowledge of the area and fly fishing techniques have also challenged and rewarded some of the most experienced of fly fisherman. Many of our clients claim an outing with Doug is like fishing with a friend they have known for years. Doug has appeared numerous times on the pages and covers of Western Outdoor News, with his clients displaying their trophy catches accompanied by their smiles.
By learning from his mentor and friend, Tom Loe, Doug soon found himself taking over as the owner of Sierra Drifters Guide Service, where he continues to innovate and provide the best service and instruction to Sierra Drifter’s repeat and fast growing customer base. Doug’s top of the line Ranger Bay Boat spans 24’ in length and sports an impressive 250 HP Mercury Verado which not only gets you to the biting fish quickly and safely, but employs some of the most cutting edge electronics and fish finding tools available. This vessel can fish up to 4 anglers on Crowley and Bridgeport reservoirs comfortably and with ample room for storage. A 17’ Willie Drift Boat is also available for fishing the Lower Owens River which can take up to 3 anglers.
Doug also guides on the best rivers and creeks in the area for catching large trout. Nymphing and streamer fishing are the primary techniques Doug uses during these outings, but when the fish come to the surface to feed, he will switch over to dry fly fishing to catch these beautiful fish. In the winter months Doug rides his clients out to the best fishing spots by snowmobile where you can fish to rainbow trout ranging from 19 - 25" in length.
WHEN: Mon Feb 7, 2022 @7:30 PM
(zoom in a little early to socialize prior to the presentation)
WHERE: This meeting is Zoom only
Would you like to be a 3rd Wednesday Speaker ???
Our programs chairperson Tim Huckaby says:
We have so much talent and expertise in the club that we have decided to augment our “normal” club meeting and presentation (every 1st Monday of the month) with a mostly club member presentation on the 3rd Wednesday of each month this year. Those of you that have joined the virtual club meetings you know we have had a lot of success. We sure have learned a lot and been entertained by some pillars of the fly fishing industry. Honestly, it has been easier for me to recruit speakers to do virtual presentations because I don’t take them out of their day jobs for stretches of travel to San Diego. We’ll continue our “normal” first Monday of the month meetings with “big name” speakers, virtually, until we can finally meet in person as a club again….which is not looking like any time soon. We have quite the lineup scheduled already for 2021. It’s not the same as meeting in person. I get that. I miss meeting in person too. But, the virtual thing is gonna’ have to do for while until the world gets ahead of the pandemic.
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So…I’m on the hunt for you experts in the club that would be willing to do a virtual presentation and/or virtual Q&A for us on a 3rd Wednesday this year. Please contact me by email, programs@sandiegoflyfishers.com, to discuss. Don’t be surprised if I find you with a little help from other club members and proactively reach out to you for the ask.