The wind continues to hamper fly fishers in the Eastern Sierra. Some mornings have been flat, but wind is up every afternoon. Spawning Cutthroats are in the upper Owens River. Insects are hatching making for great days of fly fishing. I’ve seen my first hopper eating trout of the summer season.
Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:
As of March 1, 2021 the catch and release section was expanded to include the Owens River from the walking bridge at the lower end of Pleasant Valley Reservoir Campground to Five Bridges Road.
An afternoon pale morning dun mayfly hatch has the trout taking nymphs, but not coming to the surface for the hatching adults.
Flows on the lower Owens River have stabilized at 275 CFS. This is at the top end of safe wading. There is a late afternoon hatch of pale morning duns. The swallows have been eating almost every pale morning dun that is hatching. Nymphs have been the most productive with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Butano nymphs, rainbow warriors, and midges. Euro nymphing and nymphing under an indicator is producing for fly fishers nymphing.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
Hatches in the interpretive site makes it easier to catch fish if you have the right fly to match the hatching insects. Caddis and mayflies are hatching. Anglers on the water early might catch the mayfly spinner fall. The fish are keying in on the spinners when the hatch is strong. Caddis are starting to show up in this flat water section.
The upper section of Hot Creek is getting tough to fish as the weed beds are growing and the angler pressure is intense.
The Canyon Section:
The upper section of the canyon has been getting the bulk of the fly fishing pressure. Streamer fishers are finding it tough to fish as the weed beds are growing and limiting the amount of open water to fish. May flies and caddis fly hatches have the fish feeding on the surface when there is not a lot of wind to blow the hatching insects off the water. Fish the pockets around the weed beds and rocks. Get a drag free drift and the fish will take your imitations. Nymphs and dries are producing. For nymphs fish size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 12 scuds, and size 12 olive burlap caddis nymphs. For dries fish size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 gray elk hair caddis, size 18 Adams parachutes, and size 16 gray sparkle duns.
Upper Owens River:
Below Benton Crossing Bridge:
Lots of spin fishers have been taking advantage of the new fishing regulations by fishing below Benton Crossing road. The cutthroats are moving through this section, but not many of them have been caught by fly fishers or spin fishers.
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The cutthroat trout are spread out from Benton Crossing Bridge to Longyears. The key to fishing these fish is to find them. Avoid the actively spawning fish as these are the future of the cutthroat fishery in the Owens River. Fish the deep holes and runs for the fish that are resting and feeding. These fish will readily take a well drifted size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymph, and size 12 copper John’s. Resident rainbows and browns have been feeding on size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 zebra midges, and size 18 tiger midges. Micro hoppers, size 20, blown into the Owens River were being attacked by the trout for a couple of hours in the afternoon wind.
Jeremy Sells of Haydon, Idaho drifted a stone nymph right next to a cut bank to get this 16 inch wild brown trout.
Owens River Gorge:
A dry and dropper is a great way to fish in the Owens River Gorge. An elk hair caddis skittered along the surface with a bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears on 5X tippet two feet below the dry fly is a productive set up in the gorge. Also try a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph under a size 18 blue wing olive parachute.
Bishop Creek Canal:
Bishop Creek Canal has been stocked with hatchery rainbows. Fly fishers nymphing with Euro rigs and an indicator have been fooling the wild browns that inhabit the canal. This is a great spot for beginners to learn fly fishing techniques. Euro nymph patterns that have been producing are hot spot pheasant tail nymphs in size 16, rainbow warriors in size 14, Butano nymphs in size 16, and flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears size 14, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs in size 12. Under an indicator run a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 tiger midge, size 16 zebra midge and a size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears.
Amy Weurdig from Bishop learning to fly fish with an indicator and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph in Bishop Creek Canal caught six wild brown trout.