It’s the end of a very different fly fishing year in the Eastern Sierra. We saw record snowfall that became a record runoff. Fly fishing was tough until fall. Snow this year is slow in coming to the Eastern Sierra which means we may living off of last year’s snow melt. Not sure what to expect for next summer’s fly fishing at this point of time. For now midges and mayflies are providing the bulk of the insects the trout are feeding on. Dry fly activity is rare in December and January, but there are some days where you can catch trout on dry flies.
With storms in the mountains of the Eastern Sierra and flows of the lower Owens down to wadable levels it’s time to fly fish the lower Owens River .
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Flows are dropping and expected to be at 250 CFS by the weekend. This is what we’ve been anticipating since fall. Fly fisher’s wading need to be careful in the water as it’s easy to lose your footing and find yourself unexpectedly in the water. Nymphing will be the most productive method of fly fishing the river. Trout will be feeding on mayfly nymphs, caddis nymphs, midge nymphs and midge pupae. Use tiger midges, zebra midges, olive burlap caddis, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, olive quilldigons and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs.
Not all fly fishers find wading at 250 CFS easy and some find comfort and necessity in a wading staff.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Access to Hot Creek is wide open as the snow has not affected access yet. Not like last year’s snow. Nymphing continues to produces wild brown trout and rainbow trout to 14 inches. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and olive quilldigons in sizes18 and 20 are fooling the trout feeding on mayfly nymphs. For midge feeding trout use size 18 to 22 soft hackle brassies, tiger midges, zebra midges and blood midges.
Nymphing in the riffles of Hot Creek Canyon is where you will find the trout feeding on midges and mayfly nymphs.Hot Creek
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
The Canyon section has the least pressure and with its steep gradient offers slightly easier fly fishing. The trout have to react quickly as the fly goes by them. Working the flats and riffle sections is where fly fishers will want to present their flies. Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing are the most productive methods right now. Use size 18 to 22 tiger midges, zebra midges, blood midges, brassies, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, Frenchie’s and olive quill nymphs.
Scott King of Malibu learning to Euro nymph the upper Owens River in a deep pool where he hooked up to a trophy trout.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Finding trophy trout requires fly fishers to cover lots of water looking for pods of migrating trout that are resting and feeding in deep pools, deep runs and cutbanks. Persistence with your casts in these waters is what will produce trophy trout. Fifty to seventy five cast is not over doing it. Once you have thoroughly covered one spot move on to the next. Using enough weight to bounce you flies on the substrate is key to success. Throwing big flies which offers the trout a big meal is another key to success. Throw size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs to fool a trophy trout. Mid-day sporadic hatches have a few resident trout coming to the surface to feed on elk hair caddis, Adams parachutes and blue wing olive parachutes. Nymphing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs are consistently fooling these trout.
A hold over rainbow trout that took an olive quilldigon fished in the bottom or point position of a three fly Euro rig in Bishop Creek Canal.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind the Old Ford Dealer:
Fly fishers are taking advantage of this winter fishery since the Owens flows have been too high to fish. With Owens flows once again fishable the canal will have little to no fly fishing pressure. Midges, black fly larvae and mayfly nymphs are what the wild brown trout and hold over rainbow trout are feeding on. Fish size 20 to 24 tiger midges, zebra midges, olive midges, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons and Frenchie’s.