Summer rain showers have been blowing into the Eastern Sierra every afternoon this week. There has been lightning along with isolated rain showers. The afternoon cloud cover is a nice brake from the heat. Good hatches of trico’s, pale morning duns, midge pupae and caddis are keeping the trout active for fly fishers plying Eastern Sierra waters.
For those heading to the Eastern Sierra for 4th of July weekend remember to police the areas you are utilizing and pick up all the trash left by you and others. If we all clean up, the mess will be gone.
Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:
The lower Owens River flows are dropping from 300 CFS to 150 cfs. As of today the flows are at 250 CFS. These are perfect flows to be fly fishing and wading the lower Owens River. Day time temperatures in the 90’s makes for hot days on the water. Evenings in the Owens Valley cool off and is a great time to be fishing the evening caddis activity. For those willing to brave the heat of day try nymphing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and tiger midges. For evening caddis hatch try fishing with elk hair caddis or X-Caddis in olive.
Flow are decreasing to 150 CFS which is a great level to fish and wade the river.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
The morning trico hatch is in full swing from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00. Trico parachutes in sizes 20 and 22 and trico spinners in size 22 and 24 have been fooling the wild rainbows and browns. Twelve foot leaders tapered to 6X and drag free drifts are required to fool the wary Hot Creek trout. By mid-morning the pale morning duns are hatching. The hatch has been sporadic but the trout are feeding on the emerging pale morning duns. Mid-day slows down as there is little insect activity to entice the trout to eat.
The interpretive sight right below Hot Creek Hatchery requires exact imitations of the hatching insects and a drag free drift.
Hot Creek Canyon Section:
The canyon section is a steeper gradient and is more forgiving than the interpretive sight. Nymphing with scuds, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, under a size 16 or 18 Adams parachute is a very productive method of fly fishing Hot Creek. Caddis have not been active during the day.
Upper Owens River:
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
It’s July and everyone is looking for the start of the hopper hatch. The hoppers have not matured into winged adults yet. They should be on the water in the next week or two. Early morning hatches of trico's have the trout feeding on the surface. Best method of fly fishing the upper Owens River has been to nymph. Euro nymphing with stoner nymphs (how to tie the pattern is on my YouTube page), Butano nymphs, flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs. Mid-day floating a size 16 elk hair caddis or a size 16 Adams parachute will produce browns and rainbows if you cover lots of water with drag free drifts.
Fly fishers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of adult grass hoppers which brings all the trout to the surface to feed.
Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:
The afternoon cloud cover has made fly fishing Bishop Creek Canal in the afternoon tolerable. Stocker rainbows and wild brown trout have been feeding on nymphs and emergers. A dry and dropper is a good technique for producing trout in the canal. Fish with Adams parachutes, royal Wulff’s, stimulators or elk hair caddis for the dry fly. For the nymph fish with perdigons, copper Johns, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, rainbow warriors, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.
Fishing the edges and open water holes between the weed beds with nymphs produces wild brown trout and hatchery rainbows .