FAIR GAME : EASTERN SIERRA SHOULD YIELD IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR TROUT SEASON OPENER.

Byline: Brett Pauly Daily News Staff Writer

Marina operators and fishery biologists in the Eastern Sierra are flabbergasted by their good fortune.

In a region where the climate is a case study in unpredictability, all major roadside lakes are free of ice, water levels are healthy, the spring runoff is late and the fish are feeding early for the second consecutive year.

If the T-shirts and shorts worn here last weekend are any indication of Saturday's weather, anglers will be in for an epic first day on the fishing.

Southern Californians, who traditionally represent 80 percent of opening-day anglers, should feel right at home. The National Weather Service is predicting mostly sunny skies over the Owens Valley, with temperatures topping out at 70 to 75 degrees and light winds of 5 to 15 mph out of the northwest in the morning increasing only slightly in the afternoon.

Crowley Lake's highs should be in the low to mid-60s; winds should reach 20-30 mph in the Mammoth Lakes high country.

Department of Fish and Game biologist Darrell Wong said it's a formula sure to put trout on the stringer.

``If you have really good weather with not much wind, you can get anywhere you want to go (on a lake),'' he said. ``If the runoff hasn't started yet, which it looks like it won't, the streams will be somewhat lower and the fish will be more accessible, rather than having that cold, fast water that's really hard to fish.''

Conditions at Crowley Lake, the granddaddy of all opening-day destinations, serve as a barometer for the caravan of 30,000 to 40,000 anglers who will take to Highway 395 intent on rainbows, browns, brooks and cutthroats.

Like many lakes below 8,000 feet elevation, the Mono County reservoir northwest of Bishop was free of ice by March; its trout had a particularly easy go of it over the winter. The 6,780-foot lake was iced for about a month and a half, or about half its normal freeze, said DFG biologist Curtis Milliron.

``It helped on both ends. The fish that are in Crowley had a long fall period to gain weight and go into the short winter with,'' he said. ``They have gotten a good start this year.''

The fish are feeding more actively (midges have been flying at Crowley for a month and trout have been seen foraging on them in the mornings and evenings ever since) and easier to catch.

``But that doesn't mean that the fish are going to be noticeable larger, like they were last year,'' Milliron said. ``The lake really never froze over last year, so they presumably fed throughout the winter.

``This year the conditions are not quite as ultimate, but it's pretty good. It's probably, as things goes, better than the long-term average in terms of the period of ice-free growing.''

Gary Olson said he has seen several fair-weather openers in the 12 years he has managed Inyo County's South Lake but can't recall such a mild spring leading up to it.

Most of the roads winding to upper-elevation lakes will be open (South Lake's access was plowed entirely for only the second time ever), thanks largely to a March and April that dropped little snow below 8,000 feet. By the same token, however, ice-fishing will be tentative, at best, on lakes under 10,000 feet. (See related story.)

A cold snap in early April and continued freezing nighttime temperatures in the high country have quelled chances of an early runoff. Streams flows are slow and generally excellent for fishing, while lakes are in great shape due to a winter that produced 104 percent of normal water content.

Following a six-year drought, the last four of five winters have provided normal or above normal water content. The resulting flushing flows, including the great floods of January, have been a boon to area stream fisheries.

``The creeks have been scoured of all silts that settle into the rocks, and that's good for fish spawning,'' said Chris Plakos, spokesman for the Department of Water and Power in Bishop.

Despite the prognostications, Wong advised anglers to be suited for any weather and water conditions.

``Come up prepared to be flexible, because the weather can change rapidly. Forget what the weatherman says it is supposed to be,'' he said. ``If there are strong winds and you are set to fish a lake, be ready to fish a stream. On the other hand, if the runoff happens to start and the streams are just rushing, be ready to fish a lake. You can go with the flow rather than buck it.''

He has seen what happens when visitors ``buck it.'' The trout opener of 1995, when 62 mph winds were clocked at Convict Lake and anglers had to be rescued from a partially frozen June Lake after their boat capsized, is an indelible reminder.

``Some people were literally risking their lives to be out on a lake two years ago,'' Wong said. ``You don't need that. People want to come up and have fun and relax and see some pretty scenery, and there are a lot of places you can do that and still catch fish, too.''

In other news at Crowley Lake: The DFG's pride and joy, with a fishery studied more than any other in the region, Crowley is home to two new strains of trout that anglers may boat for the first time Saturday.

Brown trout have been planted in the lake by the DFG in efforts varying in aggressiveness since 1941. The plants ended five years ago when strains didn't pan out.

Last summer, however, two new strains - one spawned from wild Crowley browns and another derived from wild browns in Oak Creek - were planted. They should reach about 12 inches by opener. Anglers will recognize them by a missing ventral fin - the left is clipped on the Crowley strain; the right is missing on the Oak Creek variety.

New lake managers Jeff and Heather Topp are beaming about Crowley Lake Fish Camp's new, two-story tackle shop. They recommend green Power Bait and night crawlers in McGee Bay or -1/4-ounce Thomas Buoyant, 3-inch Rapala and gold Kastmaster lures trolled or cast off Sandy Point. Fly-anglers may want to try brown and purple woolly buggers and brown and olive-green Doc's Twin Lakes Specials.

Tributary fishermen may be in for a surprise when they find their favorite spots along the Upper Owens River fenced off from Benton Crossing north. It's part of a $500,000 fishery enhancement project by the DWP to keep cattle and trucks out of waterways and promote vegetation growth and deepening of channels.

You may not be able to fish from your tailgate, but walk-through access is provided every few hundred yards.

For more information, call the Crowley Lake marina at [phone].

Other major marina telephones: Convict Lake, [phone]; June Lake, [phone] and [phone]; Grant Lake, [phone]; Bridgeport, [phone]; Twin Lakes out of Bridgeport, [phone] and [phone].

Most scenic fishing hole: Silver Lake, by far.

Accented by Horseshoe Meadow and framed by Carson Peak (10,909 feet) to the south, Donohue Peak (12,203 feet) to the west and Parker Peak (12,861 feet) to the northwest, the tiny body on the June Lake Loop makes up in panorama what it lacks in size.

Information: [phone].

Out of the way lake: Try Lundy Lake, northwest of Lee Vining.

``During the opener this lake is pretty quiet compared to down below, where you get shoulder to shoulder,'' said Bob Owens, co-owner of Lundy Lake Resort.

Worms floated off the bottom attract rainbows and browns in the lake, and sizable brooks swim in its source, Mill Creek. (No phone.)

The reservoir has been drawn down low in anticipation of runoff, so plan extra time launching your boat.

Cop talk: The four-days surrounding the trout opener - today through Sunday - is considered a maximum-enforcement period by the California Highway Patrol.

Instead of half the force being on duty, as usual, 80 percent will be in uniform.

The CHP in Bishop doesn't keep statistics to indicate whether a high proportion of citations are issued during the period.

``Fisherman aren't usually real speed burners,'' said CHP Officer Mark Badovinac. ``They have boats and RVs and (have to contend with) a lot of cars on the road, so they can't do a lot of things wrong.''

Typically the CHP does a lot of public assistance during the opener weekend. To diminish chances of breaking down, the office advises servicing vehicles, especially transmissions, and checking tires.

``You don't want to make it halfway here,'' Badovinac said.

Other suggestions: be well-rested - if you aren't, swap driving responsibilities with someone who is; wear your seat belt; if you drink, do it in camp and don't drive afterward.

Parting casts: Before you start your Eastern Sierra odyssey, learn the two most important freshwater-fishing knots: the improved clinch knot, for tying on swivels, lures, flies and hooks, and the blood knot, for tying leader to line. (The surgeon's knots and perfection loops also work well for the latter.)

If your line gets kinked beyond repair on the water (spinning lures frequently does it) and you're ready to call it quits, take off the lure and all other terminal tackle, and troll the naked line. The pressure from the pull of the boat will straighten the line.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Drawing, Map

Photo: (1--color) A team of aluminum boats stationed under Carson Peak await opening-day anglers at Silver Lake, one of the most picturesque fishing holes in the Eastern Sierra.

(2--color) Cheryl McCoy, co-owner of Falling Rock MArina at Bridgeport Resevoir, prepares a dock slip number for Saturday's first day of trout fishing.

(3) Out-of-the-way Lundy Lake is considereda relatively quiet spot for opening day.

Brett Pauly / Daily News

Drawing: (color) no caption (Trout fisherman)

Len De Groot / Daily News

Map: (color) Eastern Sierra Nevada