Lower Rush Creek
Suggested Flies for Lower Rush Creek: | |||
Other Local Favorites:
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Directions: Take Hwy 158 from the north intersection of Hwy 395. Drive 1.8 miles, passing Parker Lake Road on your right. Driving a little further a turn-off will be on your left. This is Road IS30, a small dirt road going east. About 200 yards along this road is a small turnout for parking and a sign giving angling regulations. | ||
Notes:Lower Rush Creek is designated as a Special Regulation Wild Trout stream with a Zero limit catch and release using barbless flies and lures. Season: Last Saturday of April to Nov. 15th. Prior to 1941, Lower Rush Creek was a delta-like stream with deep pools and large undercut banks. Multiple side channels had gravel beds for spawning. Riparian vegetation, including large Cottonwoods, Western Birch, and Jeffrey Pine covered much of the area between Grant Lake and Mono Lake. Brown Trout were introduced to Lower Rush Creek in 1919 and by 1941, this area was considered one of the finest Brown Trout streams within the Sierra with mostly 2 lb Browns and an occasional 5-6 Lb. Brown. After 1941, water from Rush Creek was diverted to the L.A. Aqueduct. This resulted in a lowering of the water table and over a 50% loss in Riparian vegetation. Meadowlands were reduced by 70%. Mono Lake retreated to lower levels. During the early 1980s, heavy rains and snowpack exceeded the ability of the LA Aqueduct to carry all the water from Rush Creek and flows were allowed to drain back into Mono Lake. Trout from upstream repopulated Lower Rush Creek and a fishery was reestablished. This provided an opportunity to restore Lower Rush Creek through the Fish and Game codes that should have been enforced much earlier. A lawsuit was initiated by Dick Dahlgren and Barrett McInerney on behalf of Mammoth Fly Rodders in 1984 against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. By 1994, a decision was reached which would mandate minimum flows and restore the riparian vegetation to what it looked like prior to 1941. Most of Lower Rush Creek above Hwy 395 to Grant Lake has been restored. The City of L.A. hired a stream restoration firm and the river between Grant Lake and Highway 395 was re-created to what it might have looked like before the diversions. Deep pools, undercut banks, riffled stretches, spawning gravels were recreated within a couple of seasons. A healthy trout population developed quickly within this section of the restored creek. Just above Hwy. 395, Rush Creek picked up the flows from Parker creek and Walker Creek about a mile below Hwy 395. Due to the lower levels of Mono Lake, the flows of Lower Rush Creek have created a deep, straight canyon with thin riffles and steep gradients. Cal Trout and Mono Lake Committee now represent the interests of the original lawsuit and restoration activities continue. Excellent short film on Lower Rush Creek by Bothy Studios. The Trout that Saved Mono Lake | ||
Fishing RegulationsRush Creek from Grant Lake downstream to Mono Lake: Open all year. Artificial lures with barbless hooks. 0 trout.
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