We are expecting winter storms this weekend that could bring as much as 24 inches of fresh snow on the peaks in the Eastern Sierra. The Owens Valley is expected to get rain from these storms. We are heading in to the winter doldrums. For me the middle of December to middle of January is the toughest fly fishing of the year in the Eastern Sierra. This time frame corresponds with the least amount of sunlight per day as we approach winter Solstice and head into winter. I find that there is little insect activity and fly fishers will do best fishing nymphs. In the winter time I make three to four times more casts to cover the water then I do in the summer months. This time of the year you need to put the fly in the trout’s mouth or they will not take your nymphs.
Bishop Creek in the Owens Valley is a great place to fish when winter storms are brewing in the upper elevations.
Lower Owens River:
Wild Trout Section:
Midges and blue wing olive mayflies are providing the action that have the wild trout feeding. Midges are on the water earlier and later in the day. The blue wing olive hatch happens mid-day. While I’m seeing times where the trout are selectively feeding on adult blue wing olive mayflies on the surface, I continue to nymph fish with my euro rig. For the adult patterns I’m fishing with size 18 or 20 blue wing olive parachutes and with size 20 Griffiths gnats. On the Euro rig I’m fishing with a size 18 olive quildigon, size 12 stoner nymph, and a size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymph. Under the indicator fish with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph or a size 20 tiger midge, zebra midge or Manhattan midge.
Zach Zira from Mission Viejo is enjoying the mid-day fly fishing action that the blue wing olive mayflies provide on the lower Owens River wild trout section.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
The past storms only left a little bit of snow on the ground and the road is accessible with four wheel drive vehicles. Fishing is good mid-day with blue wing olive parachutes. Try fishing midge adult patterns before or after the blue wing olive hatch. This area is expected to get up to a foot of snow this weekend.
Fly fishing Hot Creek by yourself is one of the perks of winter fly fishing on the creek.
Hot Creek:
Canyon Section:
Four wheel drive vehicles can still access the parking areas for the canyon. The trail in and out of the canyon has icy sections and fly fishers need to be careful in this section. The canyon is a good spot to fish with nymphs in the areas that offer open water now that the weed beds are receding. I’m fishing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and zebra midges, tiger midges, and secret midges. I’m fishing the nymphs under a size 16 Adams parachute. I will switch to dries if the trout are selectively feeding on the adult mayflies and midges at the peak of the hatch.
The upper Owens River dirt roads are still accessible with four wheel drive vehicles, but may not be after this weekend’s snow storms.
Upper Owens River:
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
This area is still accessible by four wheel drives. The rainbow trout from Crowley Lake have not come into the river in any concentration. There are a few trophy trout in the river taking nymphs and streamers. Successful fly fishers are covering lots of river in search of that one or two trophy trout that will take their fly offerings.
Mid-day on Bishop Creek Canal and no one is fly fishing it.
Bishop Creek Canal:
Behind the Ford Dealer:
Water levels are way down and the trout are extremely spooky. It’s hard to approach the trout without spooking them. I’m fishing a nymph under a dry and making 40 to 50 foot casts. Even with the long casts most of the trout I can see are getting spooked by my casts. The creek flows need to increase to offer better fly fishing.