Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 11-15-2024

The regular fishing season comes to an end on Friday November 15th, 2024 on waters of the Eastern Sierra. This primarily effects the lakes that have a marina or business on the lake. Starting Saturday November 16th, 2024 most moving waters go to catch and release with barbless lures or flies. To check the status of a water you want to fish check out the CDFW alphabetical list of waters with special fishing regulations. Nice days are interrupted by a day or two of stormy weather. Most of are storms come in with the wind and go out with the wind. The storms are bringing in snow that is slowly covering the peaks of the mountains. Mayflies, midges and caddis are the insects that the trout are feeding on the surface and on the substrate. Streamers are producing trophy trout in still waters and streams.

Fishing with two or three flies gives fly fishers the opportunities to land doubles like this brown and rainbow trout from the lower Owens River that took an olive quilldigon and SOS nymph on a three fly Euro Rig.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Fly fishing on the lower Owens River wild trout section is now open. Yes I know that the river is open to year round fishing, but once the flows drop from their summer high flows it’s like an opening day on the River. With little to no fishing pressure all summer the trout are eagerly taking flies presented to them. Flows on the lower Owens River in the wild trout section are at 200 CFS and dropping. Mid-day hatches of blue wing olive mayflies are feeding the trout. Nymphing with SOS nymphs, olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs in sizes 16 and 18 are producing wild brown and rainbow trout. If you’re on the right hole when the hatch brings the trout to the surface to feed on the mayfly duns fish with a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 blue wing olive sparkle dun and a size 20 Adams parachute.

Fly fishing season has begun on the lower Owens River as flows are now at safe wading levels and fish are taking nymphs.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Mid-morning hatches of blue wing olive mayflies are bringing the trout to the surface. Success here is having a drag free drift with an imitation of the stage the trout are feeding on. On the interpretive Site fish a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 blue wing olive sparkle dun and size 20 Adams parachutes. I like to fish a dry and dry fly rig to allow the fly fisher the ability to see an indicator fly when they cannot see the tiny fly patterns that are imitating the hatching insects. For the indicator fly I like a size 16 Adams parachute. It’s highly visible on the water and some trout will take it off the surface.

It’s that time of the year when the crowds are gone from Hot Creek despite a good hatch of blue wing olive mayflies.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The canyon section lends its self to nymphing. Nymphing with an indicator, Euro rig or dry and dropper rig will produce trout. I find that the dry and dropper rig is the most successful way to fly fish the canyon section. I use a size 16 Adams parachute on the surface with two feet of 5X fluorocarbon tied to the bend of the hook on the Adams parachute. For the nymph use size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 SOS nymphs and size 18 tiger and zebra midges.

Whiskey Bay and all of Crowley Lake will close an hour after sunset on Friday November 15th, 2024.

Crowley Lake

Whiskey Bay:

Crowley Lake and the Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Crossing Bridge closes on Friday November 15th, 2024. Pulling streamers from shore or from a float tube is producing trophy brown and rainbow trout. Winds and snow makes it miserable to fly fish on the lake. Fishing streamers on a full sink line allows fly fishers to work different depths to determine where the trout are holding in the water column. I use different retrieve until I can find the retrieve the trout want to take. I fish olive or black size 6 or 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters and size 10 perch colored balanced leeches

Trophy brown trout are always special when you get the opportunity to land one in the Owens River in the fall.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout numbers in the upper Owens River are increasing. Fly fishing with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 14 copper John’s in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks are producing trophy brown and rainbow trout. An early afternoon blue wing olive mayfly hatch is bringing fish to the surface to feed on the hatching duns. Fish with a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 sparkle dun and size 20 Adams parachute. Throwing size 6 or 10 olive slumpbusters, black wooly buggers and size 10 hornbergs is fooling the trophy rainbows and browns.

Fall colors and low flows are typical fall fly fishing conditions on Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

There are lots of trout visible in the low clear water in Bishop Creek Canal. The trout are supper spooky and hard to get to take a fly. I like to stay way back and make 30 to 50 foot casts upstream with a dry and dropper rig. For the dry fly I use a simulator or an Adams parachute. For the nymphs fish with size 18 blood, zebra and tiger midges, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 18 olive quilldigons, and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 11-08-2024

The first week of November came in cold. The highest of peaks have a fresh layer of snow. Been wearing a jacket more than I want to admit. Insect activity has been most active middle of the day and nymphing has been the most successful method to fool the trout. Midges, mayflies and caddis continue to hatch. Pulling streamers is a great way to catch a trophy trout in the Fall.

This is the time of the year that storms start rolling into the Eastern Sierra and it will not be long before the area is blanketed in snow.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows are expected to lower starting the middle of November. For now flows in the 400 CFS range makes it unsafe to wade the river. Fly fishers fishing from the few bank accessible spots are catching a few trout on nymphs. Key to success is having enough weight on the leader to allow the nymphs to bounce on the substrate.

With high flows and limited bank access fly fishers are finding it tough to fly fish with nymphs or dries on the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Colder weather has slowed down the hatches. Blue wing olive mayflies are hatching middle of the morning. Use a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 olive sparkle dun and size 18 and 20 Adams parachutes. If you have troubles seeing size 20 and smaller dry flies on the surface try fishing with a dry and dry rig. Use a bigger dry fly like a size 16 Adams parachute, size 14 stimulator or size 12 Chernobyl ant as an indicator. Attach three feet of 5X or 6X monofilament with a clinch knot to the bend of the dry fly. This allows the fly fisher to catch surface feeding trout on very small dry flies.

Mark Rafeh casting a dry and dropper rig in the slots in between the weed beds.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

This is a great time to be fly fishing with a dry and dropper rig. I like fishing with a size 16 Adams parachute for the dry and a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and size 18 zebra and tiger midges. Fishing this rig in the runs between the weed beds and in the deeper holes will produce wild brown and rainbow trout. If you see rising fish use a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 olive sparkle dun and size 20 Adams parachutes.

An afternoon on Whiskey Bay with no one around is a great time to be throwing streamers from shore.

Crowley Lake

Whiskey Bay:

I like pulling streamers from the banks of Whiskey bay when the marina closes the last Sunday of October. The lake closes to fishing on November 15th, 2024. I fish olive or black size 6 or 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters and size 10 perch colored balanced leeches. I tie in a size 16 Prince nymph, size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear and size 14 bead head callibaetis nymph about 20 inches above the streamer. Using an indicator with midges and balanced leeches will produce fish for fly fishers who do not want to pull streamers.

Storms are roiling through the Eastern Sierra and bringing lots of wind which is making it hard to fly fish.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

There is an increase in trophy trout in the upper Owens River, but they are still not in the river system in  big concentration. I like to fish the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks where the trout are resting and feeding on their migration up river. My preferred method of fly fishing for the trophy trout is to Euro nymph with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons. Throwing steamers is a great way to cover lots of water looking for those few trophy trout in the river. I fish streamers downstream and only make four to six casts through each water type before moving on to find the next place to pull my streamers through. Fish with olive or black size 6 or 10 wooly buggers and slumpbusters. Size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hares ears, size 18 tiger, zebra and blood midges on the substrate and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes is producing non trophy trout from three to 12 inches.

Low flows are making the trout in Bishop Creek Canal spooky and hard to present a fly to.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Low water levels and spooky trout await fly fishers casting flies into Bishop Creek Canal. To keep from spooking trout I’m fishing with a dry fly as the indicator because it does not spook the trout like a foam style indicator will. For the dry fly use a size 14 stimulator or a size 16 Adams parachute. For the nymphs use size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear and size 18 blood, zebra and tiger midges.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 11-01-2024

October has come to an end and with it our Indian summer weather is coming to an end as well. Freezing mornings with mid-day temperatures barley getting into the 70’s well quickly become the norm. As upper elevations get snow and brown and brook trout wrap up there spawning season it’s time to look towards Owens Valley waters. Browns have not started spawning in Owens Valley waters yet. Creeks, rivers and reservoir in the Owens Valley will be the waters to concentrate on along with waters in Long Valley until the snow keeps fly fishers from accessing their favorite Long Valley waters. Midges, mayflies and caddis are still hatching and providing the food the trout are feeding on. This is prime time to be throwing streamers to trophy trout. I like throwing small, medium and larger streamers. I do this by tying my favorite streamer patterns on size 2, 6 and 10 streamer style hooks.

The trees are just starting to turn in the Owens Valley as Fall is here, the weather has cooled off and the trout are feeding on dries, nymphs and streamers.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows on the lower Owens River are back up to 400 CFS. I’m looking for flows to reduce to 250 CFS to safely wade customers in the river. Once the flows recede it will be time to hit the river as there has been little to no fly fishing pressure on the river this summer and fall. Midge nymphs, blue wing olive nymphs, pale morning duns and hydropsyche caddis are the insects that fly fishers should be imitating with their flies.

Flows on the lower Owens River are up to 400 CFS as fly fishers are waiting on the flows to drop under 250 CFS which allows fly fishers to safely wade the river and access spots not accessible from the river bank.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Storms this week have slowed down the hatches of insects on the creek. Trico may flies, blue wing olive mayflies and caddis are bringing the trout to the surface in between the storms. With the cold weather you need to be on the creek middle of the day when the insects are hatching. On the surface fish with size 22 trico parachutes in male and female colors, size 22 trico spinners, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 olive sparkle dun and size 20 gray elk hair caddis. If you’re looking for that once in a life time Hot Creek trout try throwing size 6 or 10 olive or black, wooly buggers, stumpbusters and balanced leeches.

Wild rainbow and brown trout are taking dries and nymphs in Hot Creek Canyon on a dry and dropper rig.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

This cold weather will help break down the weed beds in the canyon section. Fishing with a dry and a dropper allows fly fishers to fish with nymphs without spooking trout like an indicator will. Fishing nymphs in and around the weed beds means not only will you catch trout, but you will get snagged on the weeds a lot. Look to fish the deeper holes and bigger pockets between the weeds. For the dry fly fish with a size 16 Adams parachute, size 12 Chernobyl ant and size 14 stimulator. These are all high floating very visible dry flies. For the nymphs fish with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon, size 20 tiger, zebra or blood midge and a size 12 olive burlap caddis. For the dry flies fish with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 22 trico male and female parachutes, size 22 trico spinners and size 20 gray parachute caddis.

Shane Dishion casting streamers from the bank on Whiskey Bay for trophy brown trout.

Crowley Lake

Whiskey Bay:

Crowley Lake closed to boating on Sunday October 27th, 2024. The lake closes to fishing on Friday November 15th, 2024. Fly fishing with float tubes and kayaks is still allowed. I like to fish a streamer on a full sink line from shore or from a float tube. Try using size 6 or 10 streamers in olive, purple, black or perch fry color using wooly buggers, matukas, slumpbusters and balanced leeches. I like to fish a nymph 20 inches above my streamer. I use size 16 Prince nymphs, size 16 gold ribbed hares ears and a size 14 callibaetis nymph above the streamer. Midging under an indicator with Albino Barron’s, blood midges, gray midges, zebra midges and tiger midges in 10 to 15 feet of water in the north arm of the lake.

Nymphing or pulling streamers in deep holes, deep runs and cut banks is where trophy trout are resting and feeding.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The wind has been ripping through Long Valley with nothing to slow it down. Morning temperatures have been below freezing. Trophy trout are being caught, but they are not in the river in any kind of concentration. Streamers and nymphs are what is producing the big trout. For nymphs use size 14 cooper Johns, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. For streamers use black or olive, wooly buggers, slumpbusters and matuka’s in size 6 and 10. Rainbows and browns from three inches to 12 inches are taking size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hares ears, size 18 tiger, zebra and blood midges on the substrate and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 brown caddis on the surface.

The trees on Bishop Creek Canal are just starting to turn and low flows is making the fly fishing tough.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

It’s amazing how quick the weather has changed the fly fishing on Bishop Creek Canal. Too hot of weather to fly fish in the afternoon has switched to fly fishing middle of the day when fly fishers are most comfortable on the water and the insects are most active. With extremely low water the trout are spooky and fly fishers will be successful fishing the deeper holes and runs. Nymphing with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear and size 18 blood, zebra and tiger midges.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-25-2024

October is quickly coming to an end and there is a storm heading towards the Eastern Sierra. Wind is always the problem for fly fishers and unfortunately all of our storms come with lots of wind as they blow into the Eastern Sierra and they blow out. Caddis, midges and mayflies are hatching and the trout are feeding on the nymphs, emergers and adults. Fall colors are over at upper elevations and are slowly coming to the Owens Valley. It’s time to shake off the dust and get out your jackets as we head into winter.

Evenings are coming earlier every day as we head into winter time.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows are decreasing. Question is will they continue to drop or will they go back up. Are we are finally seeing the flows on the lower Owens River dropping to their winter levels. Flows under 200 CFS will be optimal. Time will tell if winter fly fishing conditions are upon the lower Owens River.

Is the lower Owens River flows finally decreasing to fishable levels as we head out of Fall.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Cold mornings are slowing up the hatches. At 8:00 A.M. the temperature is hovering in the mid 30’s. No need to get to the creek early. Hatches of mayflies and caddis are starting around 9:00 A.M. and over by early afternoon. Nymphing under an indicator with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigon, size 20 tiger midges, zebra midges and blood midges is fooling the wild trout of Hot Creek. For the dry flies fish with a size 22 trico dun, trico female dun and trico spinner, a size 20 blue wing olive parachute and a size 20 gray elk hair caddis. Afternoon winds makes it hard to get a good dry fly drift.

Keeping your nymphs from hanging up on the weed beds is the tough part of nymphing in the canyon.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With shallow water and lots of weeds nymphing with a dry and dropper is producing wild rainbow and brown trout. A size 16 Adams Parachute is visible enough to see on the water and know when the trout has taken the nymph. The Adams will have a few fish come to the surface to take the fly. For the nymphs fish with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon, size 20 tiger, zebra or blood midge and a size 12 olive burlap caddis. Fishing a size 20 blue wing olive parachute and a size 20 elk hair caddis in gray imitates the few insects that have been hatching. If these tiny flies are hard to see on the water fish them as a dry and dry behind the Adams parachute. Afternoon winds and getting caught up in the weed beds is a couple of the obstacles that fly fishers need to overcome when fly fishing in the canyon section of Hot Creek.

John Carlson admiring his trophy rainbow trout before releasing it to fight another day.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

Afternoon winds has most of the fly fishers calling it a day by noon or early afternoon. Midging with zebra midges, tiger midges, gray midges, blood midges and albino Barron’s in ten to 15 feet of water is fooling the trout. Stripping streamers or trolling them is another productive method to catch trophy trout. Fish with olive and purple wool buggers, olive matukas, olive slumpbusters and perch colored balanced leeches.

Working nymphs and dry flies is producing rainbows and browns from three inches to 20 inches.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Fishing with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 female trico duns is fooling rainbows and browns to 12 inches mid-day. Using a dry and dropper is another way to catch the trout. A size 16 Adams parachute and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail and a size 20 zebra midge is a good combination to produce trout. Euro nymphing with a size 12 stoner nymph, size 12 green/gold Prince nymph and a size 18 olive quilldigon is producing small to trophy trout when fished in the deep holes and runs. Pulling streamers is a great way to get trophy trout if the fly fisher is willing to cover a lot of water in pursuit of trophy trout. Fishing with size 6 and 10 olive wooly buggers, olive slumpbusters, olive matukas, balance leeches and marabou muddlers is producing trophy brown and rainbow trout to 20 inches.

A float tube allows fly fishers complete access to North Lake to present dries, nymph and streamers to the trout.

North Lake:

The back drop of fall color is gone, but hatchery and wild trout continue to feed on nymphs and dries. Trolling a size 14 olive wooly bugger is a very productive method of fooling the hatchery trout. Fishing with a dry and dropper rig will fool the stocked rainbow trout and the wild brown and brook trout. For the dry fly fish with a size 12 or 14 stimulator, elk hair caddis or Adams parachute. For the nymphs fish with size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs size 16 tiger, zebra and blood midges. Fly fishing out of a float tube gives fly fishers complete access to the lake. Fly fishing the flooded flats in the area of the inlet is a great spot for fly fishers without a water craft to present their flies to the cruising trout.

Weir Pond is a great place to catch spawning brown and brook trout on dry flies and nymphs.

Bishop Creek

South Fork at Weir Pond:

The winds have all but decimated the fall foliage on Weir Pond. Fly fishing with dry flies and nymphs continues to produce rainbow, brown and brook trout. The best dry fly to fish is your favorite dry fly in a size 14 or 16. My favorite dry flies for opportunistically feeding trout are royal Wulff’s, elk hair caddis and Adams parachute. These flies are easy to see on the water as they have very visible wings. For the nymphs fish with size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 tiger, zebra and blood midges. Waders are a must for fly fishing this area.

Low flows mean the trout in Bishop Creek Canal are spooky and fly fishers need to present their nymphs on the water with stealth.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing Bishop Creek Canal. Indicator nymphing and Euro nymphing are both productive ways to fly fish the canal. For the nymphs use size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 blood, zebra and tiger midges.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-18-2024

The Eastern Sierra is due for a change in the weather. Cooler weather with a chance of snow at upper elevations. Then the question is will it warm up or is winter knocking on the door. I get up every day to see what weather we will have and plan out my day. Spawning brown and brook trout are offering fly fishers the opportunity for trophy brown trout and quantity brook trout. Hatches of mayflies, midges and caddis continue to feed trout on the substrate and on the streams surface. High country fly fishing opportunities are coming to an end as winter snows will be on the ground soon. Fall colors are about over at high elevations and are slowly moving downhill towards the Owens Valley.

Leaves are quickly falling and soon the trees will be bare of leaves and high altitude waters will become inaccessible.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows of 450 CFS is too high to safely wade the lower Owens River. Expect the flows to reduce by the end of the month. Flows under 300 CFS are safely wadable. Flows under 200 CFS are very fishable. Once flows reduce down the fly fishing on the lower Owens River will be good with nymphs.

At flows of 450 CFS there is little opportunity to wade or fly fish from the bank.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Caddis, tricos and bluewing olives are the insects the trout are feeding on. The mornings start off with a caddis migration. This is thousands of caddis flying upstream before they reproduce and lay their eggs. Caddis are poor fliers and the caddis that crash onto the water are feed upon by the trout. Use size 14 to 20 elk hair caddis, parachute caddis and October caddis. Following the caddis migration is the trico hatch. It starts with the duns hatching. Use a size 22 parachute trico or female trico parachute. After the dun stage the trico molt into the sexually mature spinner. After mating and laying their eggs the tricos die on the surface of the water. Fly fish with a size 22 trico spinner. Blue wing olive parachutes in size 22 have been producing trout at the end of the trico hatch.

Success on the Interpretive Site is a drag free drift and a fly pattern that imitates the stage of the insect the trout are feeding on.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With a stepper gradient in the canyon section the trout are not as selective as in the Interpretive Site. Your drifts and fly patterns still need to be accurate, but the trout will accept less then perfection. A dry and dry or dry and dropper are two rigs to fly fish with in the canyon section. For the dry fly use a size 16 Adams parachute, size 14 stimulator and size 12 Chernobyl ant. For the nymph fish with a size 18 tiger midges, size 18 zebra midge, size 18 blood midge, size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and size 18 SOS nymph.

To get out on Crowley Lake fly fishers are using a variety of water craft to pull streamers and midge under an indicator.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

The flotilla of boats, float tubes, canoes, kayaks and boats is concentrating their effort on the north arm of Crowley Lake. Some fly fishers are using sinking lines and streamers to fish in 10 to 20 feet of water. Pulling size 6 and 10 wooly buggers in olive, black and purple, olive matukas and marabou muddles in olive and black and size 10 balanced leeches in black and in perch fry colors. Midging under an indicator with size 18 tiger midges, zebra midges, blood midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s in 10 to 20 feet of water is producing trout.

Is shorts and T-shirts behind us on when fly fishing the upper Owens River as a storm blows through the Eastern Sierra.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy brown trout are trickling into the upper Owens River and can be found from the mouth of Crowley to the Longyears area. If you want to catch one of these fish you need to fish with bigger flies like a size 12 stoner nymph, size 12 green/gold Prince nymph, size 14 copper John and size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ear in the deeper holes, deeper runs and cutbanks. Rainbows and browns from three inches to 12 inches are willing taking well-presented dries and nymphs. Under an indicator 1.5 to 2 times the average depth of water above the bottom fly is how you want to be nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 tiger or zebra midges and size 16 SOS nymphs. On the surface fish with size 20 trico parachutes, size 16 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 16 elk hair caddis.

Trolling a size 14 olive wooly bugger behind the float tube produced lots of stocked rainbow trout for Jordan Souter from Australia.

North Lake:

North Lake got a planting of hatchery rainbows that are all over the lake taking nymphs, dries and streamers. Trolling an olive size 14 wooly bugger behind a float tube proved to be the hot ticket for my client from Australia who had a great day landing over 30 rainbows and one brown trout to 12 inches. Using a dry and dropper with a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 16 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph is fooling the rainbows who are taking the nymph as much as they’re taking the dry. Lots of fall color lookers were all over the lake taking advantage of the fall colors. The colors on North Lake have peaked and should be totally gone by the end of next week.

From the inlet to Weir Pond through Weir Pond rainbows browns and brook trout are taking dries and nymphs.

Bishop Creek

South Fork at Weir Pond:

The leaves are quickly falling from the trees lining Weir Pond. The trout are continuing to take dries and nymph fished to them. For dries try fly fishing with size 16 Adams parachutes, size 14 elk hair caddis and size 14 royal Wulff’s. For the nymphs fish with size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 tiger and zebra midges. Waders and a jacket are necessary on the creek particularly in the evenings and when the wind is blowing.

Working the flats on Bishop Creek Canal with a nymph under an indicator or a Euro rig is producing wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Under an indicator or with a Euro rig fly fishers presenting nymphs to the trout in Bishop Creek Canal are producing trout. On the Euro rig fish with a size 12 green/gold Prince nymph, size 12 stoner nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon and a size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymph. Under the indicator fish with a size 16 tiger or zebra midge, size 16 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-11-2024

We are coming to the end of my favorite month of the year SeptOct. The weather has been perfect, but it will not last long. Soon winter will be here and there will be snow on the ground. For now take advantage of the good weather and good fly fishing opportunities of fall. Hatches of midges, mayflies and caddis have the trout feeding on nymphs and dry flies. Trophy trout are looking for big meals so throwing big articulated streamers is going to entice that trophy trout to feed on your fly pattern. Fly fishing at upper altitudes is a great way to enjoy the fall colors that will quickly become just a memory.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

The mid-morning trico hatch is what is bringing the trout to the surface to feed on the hatching duns and spinners. Start the morning fishing a gray elk hair caddis in size 20, a gray parachute caddis in size 20 and a size 20 gray X-caddis during the morning caddis migration. The caddis move upstream of where they have lived to lay their eggs. When the caddis migrate most caddis that land or crash on the water are fed upon by the rainbow and brown trout that inhabit the creek. The consistent dry fly hatch takes place when the trico are hatching. Start off with a trico dun parachute in size 22, a female trico dun parachute in size 22 at the beginning of the hatch. When the trico spinner fall happens it is time to be fishing with a size 22 trico spinner pattern. The trout have been taking a size 20 blue wing olive parachute during and directly after the trico hatch.

Hot Creek Interpretive Site is an easy to access hard section of Hot Creek to successfully fly fish..

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The weed beds make it tough to fly fish in the canyon right now. A dry and dropper is a good rig to fish with in and around the weed beds. The more open water is easier to fly fish with this rig. Working the narrow channels around the weeds will get you trout, but you will hook up lots of weeds too. Fishing with an Adams parachute in size 16, a stimulator in size 14 or a mini Chernobyl ant in size 12 are good highly visible dry flies to have on the surface. Tie on an 18 to 24 inch section of 5X fluorocarbon tippet to the bend of the dry fly with a clinch knot. To the tippet attach a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 Frenchie and size 18 SOS nymph to imitate the hatching mayflies.

John Carlton went old school and trolled a purple wooly bugger to fool this nice Crowley Lake rainbow trout.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

The bulk of the boats have been targeting the waters off of Layton Springs. With road closures fly fishers do not have access to the east shore of Crowley Lake. If you have oars it’s a do able trip across the lake from the Green Banks launch area. Coming home in a head wind requires a lot of effort if all you are propelling yourself with is a set of fins. Trolling and casting streamers is working for fly fishers using olive, purple and black wooly buggers. Most fly fishers are doing well with midges in 10 feet of water. Albino Barron’s, blood midges, gray midges, zebra midges and tiger midges in sizes 16 and 18 fished three inches to four feet of the lake bottom are producing rainbows, browns and cutthroats to 24 inches.

Brian Chastain fooled this brown trout with a size 18 olive quilldigon fished on the substrate of the Owens River.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Water flows have increased with water flows coming from Mono Basin through the Grant Lake tunnel (East Portal). These increased flows are improving the trout fishery as the trout are not as spooky as they were at the lower flows. Trophy trout are still not in the river in any concentration. Hopefully these increased flows will jump start the trout migration out of Crowley Lake. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing the river. Three to 12 inch rainbow and brown trout are feeding on size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 14 stoner nymphs and size 18 tiger and zebra midges. There is a trico hatch mid-morning that a size 22 trico parachute dun, size 22 female trico parachute dun and size 22 trico spinner will fool the trout feeding on the surface taking the hatching tricos. Mid-afternoon a size 16 elk hair caddis worked on the surface of the river is fooling the trout looking for caddis that get blown off the stream side vegetation and into the river.

Bob Miller from Belvedere Tiburon was successful on North Lake using a dry and dropper rig while fly fishing from Richard Lancaster' s Stealth Craft drift boat on North Lake.

North Lake:

A dry and dropper rig is the way to successfully fly fish North Lake from a flotation device like an inflatable drift boat or float tube. Hatches of midges and mayflies have the fish feeding on nymphs and dry flies. Good dry flies in the dry and dry dropper rig are size 16 Adams parachutes, size 14 olive stimulators and size 14 elk hair caddis. These are all high visible flies on the surface. For the nymphs tiger midges, zebra midges and blood midges in size 16 or 18, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 18 and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in size 16 are fooling the wild browns and stocked rainbows. Throwing an olive wooly bugger or trolling it produces good numbers of the stocked rainbows.

The inlet to Weir Pond is a great place to catch trout on a dry and dropper rig.

Bishop Creek

South Fork at Weir Pond:

Fall colors have peaked, but are still a great back drop to fly fishing on south fork of Bishop Creek at Weir Pond. The brook trout are in the pond in good numbers and are willing taking nymphs and dries. I’ve been fly fishing with a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear two to three feet under the Adams on 5X fluorocarbon tippet. Browns, rainbows and brook trout are taking both flies. Once the sun goes behind the mountains make sure your jacket is not far away as it’s getting cold at night at the upper elevations.

New fly fisher Sora Shim used a bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph fished under an indicator to hook a few rainbow and brown trout on Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Bishop Creek Canal is a great place to learn how to fish nymphs under an indicator. The key to success is setting the hook on any movement in the indicator. You may think you are just bumping the bottom with your fly, but you will be surprised how many of those subtle movements in the indicator are actually a fish. A size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and size 18 tiger or zebra midges fished six feet under an indicator is fooling the stocked rainbow trout and the wild brown trout.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-04-2024

Hard to believe that October is here. Cool mornings, warm days and cool nights is the perfect fall weather. Fall colors is the perfect backdrop to fly fishing high country creeks and lakes. Fall colors are peaking at upper elevation waters you can drive to. Dry flies, nymphs and streamers are producing trout. This is the perfect time to be throwing large articulated streamers. Big fish need to eat and big streamers offer them a big meal. Midges, caddis flies and mayflies are hatching and the trout are feeding on the nymphs and the adults. This is the middle of SeptOct and now is the time to be out flyfishing in the Eastern Sierra. Winter is not far off on the horizon.

Fall colors make for the perfect back drop for fly fishers fishing ponds, lakes and creeks at upper elevations.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

When the word gets out that Hot Creek is producing trout fly fishers line up on the banks of the creek. Mornings start off with a caddis migration. The caddis are flying upstream and any caddis that end up on the water is being fed on by the trout on the surface. The trico hatch is coming off no later than 9:00 A.M. It starts with the trico dun hatching. Fish with a size 22 trico dun parachute or female trico dun parachute. Switch to a trico spinner when the trout are not taking your dun pattern. With the deeper holes in the Interpretive Site fish with nymphs under an indicator or with a Euro rig. Nymph with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s and size 18 SOS nymph.

Four guides and 15 fly fishers made for a crowded Interpretive site fly fishing during the morning trico mayfly hatch.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With the weed beds still inhibiting the drifts now is the perfect time for a dry and dropper rig. Stimulators in size 12 and 14, Adams parachutes in size 16 and elk hair caddis in size 16 make for good dry flies in the dry fly part of the dry and dropper rig. For nymphs fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s and size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. When the trout are keying in on the hatching adults cut off the nymph and add a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 22 trico parachute, size 22 trico spinner and a size 20 gray parachute caddis to imitate the hatching insects.

Float tubers have to paddle up the lake from their launch spot to get to the shallow waters that are holding trout by the inlet of the Owens River into Crowley Lake.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

The shallows near the inlet of the Owens River into Crowley Lake is where you will find the flotilla of fly fishers concentrating their efforts. These fly fishers are fishing in the 10 foot zone with Albino Barron’s, gray midges, blood midges, zebra midges and tiger midges under a sliding indicator pinned with a bopper stop. Afternoon winds blows most anglers off the lake by noon. This is the time of year to be imitating the perch fry with size 8 olive matukas, size 10 perch balanced leeches and size 10 olive wooly buggers.

Jim Arce from Tiburon is skating stimulators in the evening trying to entice a trophy trout to come to the surface.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

For fly fishers who know how to get a drag free drift with the right fly pattern are producing trout from three inches to 12 inches. Trophy trout are not in the river yet in any kind of concentration. Working nymphs like a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymph, size 12 stoner nymph and size 12 green/gold wire prince nymph in the deep holes, deep runs and cutbanks are producing a few trophy rainbows and browns. Successful anglers are covering lots of water to get one or two trophy trout. Fly fishers working streamers are producing trout. An olive wooly bugger in size 10, an olive matuka in size 8 and a black marabou muddler in size 8 are producing rainbows and browns. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 SOS nymphs are fooling the non-trophy trout. These trout are also feeding on the surface and size 16 elk hair caddis, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 22 trico parachutes and size 22 Griffith’s gnats are fooling the surface feeding trout.

Mark Sachs from San Rafael with a stocked rainbow he caught while fly fishing from Richard Lancaster' s Stealth Craft drift boat on North Lake.

 North Lake:

Float tubing the inlet to North lake with a dry and dropper rig is producing wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. For the dry fly in the rig fish with a size 14 olive stimulator, size 16 Adams Parachute or a size 16 elk hair caddis. For the nymphs use size 18 or 20 tiger midges, zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. For the hardy angler willing to walk out to the inlet there is good fly fishing from the shore.

Weir Pond dressed in its fall colors produced rainbow, browns and brook trout on a dry and dropper rig.

Bishop Creek

South Fork at Weir Pond:

Fall is a great time to be fly fishing in Bishop Canyon. The trees in their fall colors makes for the perfect backdrop for fly fishers working the ponds, lakes and creeks. A dry and dropper rig worked great in the late afternoon producing browns, rainbows and brook trout. A size 16 Adams parachute with a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear was the winning combination to produce all three species of trout in the pond. The evening hatch of midges, mayflies and caddis produced not stop action on nymphs and dries. Be prepared for the temperatures to drop once the sun goes behind the mountain tops.

Teaching Katy Sakamoto from Santa Monica to use her brand new Tenkara rod on Bishop Creek Canal where she missed several trout on a size 16 Adams parachute.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Nymphing and dry fly fishing is producing wild brown trout on Bishop Creek Canal. An Adams parachute high sticked with a Tenkara rod fooled several wild browns to 10 inches. Nymphing under an indicator with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears six feet under an indicator with a size one split shot was the rig that’s been producing. This is a great water to Euro nymph with a Euro rod or Euro nymph with a Tenkara rod. Size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 14 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons are fooling the wild brown trout and the occasional hatchery rainbow trout. I wore shorts to an evening outing on the canal not thinking that the mosquitoes would still be out in force. Fifteen to 20 bites latter and I was not a happy camper

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-27-2024

Perfect fall weather is why I like the month of Septomber, the 15th of September to the 15th of October. Mornings are cool, mid-day is warm to almost too hot and then it cools off again in the evening. Fall color is in full swing at upper elevation waters. The bright colors of the leaves makes for a beautiful back drop to the fly fishing waters of the Eastern Sierra in fall. Hatches of mayflies, midges and caddis are keeping the trout actively feeding on nymphs and streamers. Now is the perfect time to get in that last fly fishing trip before the snows of winter lock up upper elevation waters. Fall is the perfect time to be throwing meat flies. Those big articulated streamers that offer trophy trout a mouthful of calories.

Being hooked up to a trout on the Tenkara rod is a great way to finish up a day of fall fly fishing.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Wild brown and rainbow trout are feeding on midges, mayflies and caddis. Mid-morning is offering good opportunities for catching wild brown trout and rainbow trout. The morning trico hatch is a good time to offer the trout a size 22 female dun parachute and then follow it up with a size 22 trico spinner when the spinner fall takes place right after the tricos hatch into the duns. Gray caddis are present in the morning and fishing with a size 20 gray elk hair caddis, gray parachute caddis and gray X-caddis will fool the surface feeding trout. Look for the blue wing olive mayflies to end the morning hatch. Fish a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, sparkle dun and Adams parachutes.

When the word gets out that the hatches are bringing the trout to the surface to feed, fly fishers flock to the creek.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Dry fly fishing or a dry and dropper method is the productive method for fly fishing in the canyon right now. Using a size 16 Adams parachute for the indicator fly allows me to see the fly and still small enough that trout will take it.  I’m fishing two different methods behind the Adams parachute. In the first method I’m using a small dry fly behind the big Adams to imitate the hatching insects. I’m fishing a size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 blue wing olive parachute and a size 20 sparkle dun. The other way I fish I’m using a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, a size 18 bead head  flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear and a size 20 tiger midge tied on three feet of 5X fluorocarbon tippet.

Float tubers and boats are working the flats in the north arm of the lake with midge patterns.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

Midging in 10 to 15 feet of water in the north arm of Crowley Lake has been the productive method of fly fishing the lake. Fly fishing with size 18 albino Barron’s, blood midges, gray midges, zebra midges and tiger midges is producing 14 to 20 inch rainbows, browns and cutthroats. Start off the morning working your midges three to six inches above the mud bottom. As the morning progresses move you midges higher up the water column. I love throwing streamer patterns like wooly buggers, olive matukas and balanced perch this time of year in and around the remaining weed beds. Lake levels are dropping to normal fall levels.

Hatches of midges and caddis activity on the river makes fly fishing the Owens River at sunset a great way to end a day of fly fishing..

 Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The fly fishing has turned technical on the upper Owens River above Benton Crossing Bridge. Fly fishers need to be able to present dries and nymphs with a drag free drift and have the fly pattern that is imitating the stage of the insect the trout are feeding on. For the fly fishers nymphing remember that sets are free and set the hook on any movement of the indicator or sighter line. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs is producing rainbows and browns to 12 inches and the occasional trophy trout to 20 inches. Size 16 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 8 olive wooly buggers are producing trout. There is no concentration of trophy brown trout or rainbow trout in the river. Fly fishers nymphing with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs and size 12 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in the deep pools, deep runs and cutbanks will find a few trophy trout willing to take these flies.

Bishop Creek Canal is a great water to learn how to Euro nymph on.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

I’ve been having mixed results nymphing in the canal depending on water clarity. Off color water has the trout lock jawed. If the water is fairly clear the nymphing with an indicator or a Euro rig has been good. . Size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 14 hot spot peasant tail nymphs are the nymphs the trout are feeding on.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-20-2024

Winter showed up this week with higher elevation areas getting the first dusting of snow on the peaks of the Eastern Sierra. Next week we are expected to heat back up to normal September day time temperatures. Indian summer is the period between the first storm of the year and when snow sticks and piles up tell it starts melting in spring. I always hope for a long and warm Indian summer to finish off fall. Now is the time to get in that last minute upper elevation fly fishing trip. Trout are feeding on the nymphs and hatching midges, mayflies and caddis flies. Throwing big articulated streamers is a great way to entice a trophy trout to take your fly pattern. Now is the perfect time for a fall fly fishing trip to the Eastern Sierra. Richard and I have openings in September and October.

The first storm of the Fall came through the Eastern Sierra leaving a dusting of snow on the peaks.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

With the cooler temperatures this week the hatches are coming off latter in the morning. The hatch starts with a caddis migration up stream. Any caddis that crashes on the water is instantly feed on by the trout. Fish with size 20 gray elk hair caddis, gray parachute caddis or gray X-caddis. The morning trico hatch starts with the hatching of the duns. Fish with a size 20 female parachute trico mayfly. When the trico fall takes place switch to a size 22 trico spinner patterns. After lunch look for a mid-afternoon midge hatch. The trout are feeding on midge pupae and hatching adults. Use a size 22 tiger secret midge, Olsen’s CDC midge and gray CDC midge.

Trout in Hot Creek are hanging out in between the weed beds feeding on the hatching mayflies, midges and caddis.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Cooler weather and less sun is helping the weed beds in the canyon to reduce in size. This is making it easier to work nymphs in the holes and slots between the weed beds. Fish with size 22 tiger midges, zebra midges, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. Best fishing has been in the mornings with dry flies. Fish with size 20 gray parachute caddis, elk hair caddis, X-caddis, size 22 female dun parachute trios and trico spinners. Mid-afternoon use midge emergers or midge adults. Fish with a size 20 to 24 Olsen’s CDC midge, gray CDC midge and a tan secret midge.

Crowley Lake fly fishers are now concentrated in the north arm of the Owens River area of the lake.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

All the fly fishers have given up in McGee Bay and are now fly fishing the north arm of Crowley Lake. The lake level has dropped to levels that fly fishers are used to seeing on the lake in the fall. Weed beds are being left high and dry on the lake bed as the water recedes. Throwing streamers in and around the remaining weed beds is producing trophy trout on matukas and balanced perch patterns. Midging with Albino Barron’s, gray midges, blood midges, zebra midges and tiger midges continues to be producing trout in 10 to 25 feet of water.

A typical upper Owens Rainbow that took an SOS nymph on a three fly Euro rig.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

A few trophy rainbows are in the upper Owens River taking streamers and nymphs. Fly fishers covering lots of deep holes, deep runs and cut banks are hooking up with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs, olive quilldigons and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. There are good numbers of four to 12 inch wild brown and rainbow trout feeding on mayfly nymphs and emerging midges. The midge hatch starts around 10:00 A.M. and runs through 2:00 P.M. Fish with size 20 to 24 tan secret midge, Olsen’s CDC midge in tan and tan CDC midges. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig is producing trout when using size 16 SOS nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 20 to 24 tiger midges and zebra midges. Afternoon winds makes it hard to cast the fly rod, but if you can get your nymphs on the water the trout are feeding.

While a storm brews in the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada it’s a perfect day for fly fishing on Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Cooler day time temperatures makes fly fishing the canal pleasant. Nymphing with an indicator or a Euro rod is the best method of fly fishing the canal. Size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 14 hot spot peasant tail nymphs are the nymphs the trout are feeding on. Dirty colored water has slowed down the nymph bite.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-13-2024

I get asked all the time when is the best time to come to the Eastern Sierra to fly fish. The answer is now! My favorite month of the year in the Eastern Sierra starts on Sunday. The month is Sept-Oct. The 15th of September to the 15th of October. This time of the year offers the opportunity to catch spawning brook trout and trophy brown trout. It’s time for the trees to change from everyday green to brilliant colors of yellow, orange and red. Summers heat is behinds us and winters cold is on the horizon, but not yet here. Hatches of caddis, mayflies and midges are fueling the feeding trout. This is the time to fish meat. Big streamer patterns that big trout just cannot say no to. Before you know it snow will be on the ground making it impossible or very tough to fly fish lots of waters in the Sierra. So if you can get up here, now it’s the time to be fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra.

Golden trout call home at elevations above 8,000 feet and it will not be long before snow closes out access to these gorgeous trout.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Low water and spooky trout make fly fishing Hot Creek Interpretive Site very technical. An exact imitation of the stage of hatching insect and a drag free drift is what is needed to consistently be productive on the creek. Mornings start off with hatches of tricos. Look for caddis on the water and trout feeding on them early in the morning. The trico spinner fall follows the trico hatch and offers fly fishers the best opportunity to catch trout. Fly fishers using size 22 female trico parachutes, trico spinners and size 20 gray elk hair caddis are producing trout. Mid-morning to early afternoon is when the hatch is over. After the morning hatch try fly fishing with size 12 or 14 tan stimulators, tan parachute hoppers and tan Dave’s hopper. Late afternoon look for midge hatches. Try fishing a dry and dropper with a size 22 tiger midge under a size 16 Adams parachute.

Hot Creek is low and clear making it tough for fly fishers to get a drag free drift with their trico imitations in the morning.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Weed beds in the shallows makes it tough to get a drag free drift. Fly fishers fishing with size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 22 female parachute tricos and size 22 trico spinners are fooling trout in the mornings. Mid-afternoon fishing with a size 20 Griffiths gnat, or size 12 tan parachute hopper is bring a few fish to the surface to feed on these dry flies. Nymphing is tough with all the weeds. Fly fishers are having limited success nymphing the deeper pockets in the canyon with tiger midges, SOS nymphs, olive quilldigons and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.

The flotilla of water craft have moved to the north arm of Crowley lake and most these craft are off the water by noon when the daily winds come up.

Crowley Lake

Mouth of the Owens River:

Fly fishers in boats, float tubes and kayaks are working midges in the north arm of the lake where there is a good concentration of trophy cutthroat, browns and rainbows. These fish are taking blood midges, Albino midges, tiger midges, zebra midges and gray midges. Working the weed beds with perch fry imitations like olive matukas, balance perch and wooly buggers is producing trophy trout that are cruising the weed beds looking for an easy meal

The water in the upper Owens River is running clear and cold and the trout are feeding on mayfly nymphs and caddis adults.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy brown and rainbow trout have not shown up in the river in big concentrations yet. Fly fishers need to cover lots of water if they are looking for a trophy trout. Six to 12 inch rainbows continue to offer the most activity in the river. These fish are feeding on hatching mayflies. Fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 tiger midges. Late afternoon especially when the wind comes up fish with size 16 elk hair caddis, size 16 Adams parachutes, size 12 tan parachute hoppers and size 14 tan stimulators. Wolly buggers and marabou muddlers in size 6 and 10 are producing trout when dead drifted against the opposite bank.

Bishop Creek Canal is fishable all day, but when the temperatures are hot it’s best to fish early or late in the day.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

The canal is producing good numbers of wild brown trout from eight to 12 inches. When the air temperatures stay below 90 degrees fly fishers can fish all day. When the temperatures get in the low 100’s it’s time to fly fish early or late in the day. Look for an early morning trico hatch. You will see the insects on the water, but the trout don’t start feeding on the tricos until the trico spinner fall happens. This takes place half to two thirds of the way through the hatch. Fish with size 22 female trico parachutes at the beginning of the hatch. Switch to a trico spinner when you see lots of fish feeding on the surface. The trico hatch is normally over by 10:00 A.M. Euro nymphing with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 12 stoners or green/gold Prince nymphs and size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs are producing the wild brown trout and the stocked rainbow trout.