The wind continues to be the nemeses of fly fishers this season. We have had few windless days this spring. Pale morning duns and little yellow stones are hatching in Eastern Sierra waters. Hoppers have hatched and the nymphs are starting to grow. The hoppers should reach maturity, grow wings, in about a month. Euro nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing in rivers, streams, and creeks throughout the Eastern Sierra.
Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:
There is little fly fishing pressure on the lower Owens River now that flows are at 350 CFS. Fishing from the banks is limited to places where the tulles and willows have not invaded the banks. Nymphing with lots of weight will produce fish for the nymphing fly fisher.
Fishing from the bank is the only safe way to fish on the lower Owens River now that flows are at 350 CFS.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
For the fly fisher getting on the water early in the morning trout have been feeding on both hatching mayflies and spinners. Mid-day hatches of PMD’s have the trout continuing to feed on the surface. This area has been the most crowded.
Harvey Freed of Pacific Palisades is hooked up in Hot Creek Canyon using a size 16 PMD parachute and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph.
The Canyon Section:
A mid-day PMD hatch is providing lots of action for fly fishers fishing the Canyon Section of Hot Creek. Size 16 PMD parachutes with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph is producing lots of wild brown trout and rainbow trout to 14 inches. There are size 16 cream bodied caddis buzzing around the water that the trout are taking when the caddis land on the water. Mid-week has less crowds than the weekends.
Upper Owens River:
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The cutthroat spawning season is coming to an end. There have been a number of mature cutthroats that have not survived the rigors of spawning. There are 12 inch cutthroat trout still in the Owens River System. The stoner nymph continues to be the top producing nymph. Size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and size 14 gold ribbed hare’s ears have been producing for nymph fly fishers. Size 16 olive elk hair caddis have been producing fish middle of the day.
Twelve to 14 inch cutthroats are still in the upper Owens River system.
Owens River Gorge:
Summer temperatures in the low 100’s, rattle snakes, and stinging nettles are a good reason to leave the Owens River Gorge fly fishing alone until late September.
Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:
Nymphing continues to be the most effective method of fly fishing in the Bishop Creek Canal. Fish size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 stoner nymphs, and size 18 tiger midges. There are mayflies and caddis flies hatching in the evening. Best time to be dry fly fishing is from 7:00 P.M. to dark.
Working the faster sections of Bishop Creek Canal with an indicator setup is a productive method of fishing the canal.