Spring has sprung in the Owens Valley. Upper Elevation waters are slowly unthawing. Predictions are just that, a best guess of what is to come. Crowley Lake, Convict Lake and June Lake loop are snowed in and slowly melting. From past experience the lakes are one or two good windstorms away from being fully open. The next two weeks will be the deciding factor. I’ll be updating the waters as things open up. For now the freestones, canals and Owens River Gorge are offering fly fishing opportunities. Midges and blue wing olive mayflies are hatching and the trout are feeding on them. Section 5.85 in the fresh water regulations allows for catch and release lures or flies in almost all moving waters from November 16, 2022 to Friday April 28, 2023. Check sections 7.40 and 7.50 for specific closed waters.
Widgeon ducks are still in Bishop Park waters which means spring is not yet hear as the ducks always leave in the spring.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Flows of 725 CFS and Chalk Bluff Road being closed on both ends rules out fly fishing on the lower Owens River. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is closed for repair work on the access road along the reservoir.
Lower Owens flows will stay in the 700 CFS range for summer as runoff continues.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
Still the tougher spot to access the creek. Getting over the berm and through the snow is tough. There is a blue wing olive hatch in the early afternoon that is worth fly fishing. I’m using size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and olive sparkle duns.
There is still a lot of snow that needs to melt off before fly fishers can access Hot Creek with their vehicles.
Hot Creek:
Canyon Section:
It’s a longer walk into the canyon than the Interpretive Site, but snowmobile tracks makes it an easier walk in. Easiest access point is at the Forest Service bathrooms by walking down the paved road. Due to thermal activity along the creek there are several spots without snow. Working the pools and open water during the hatch with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and olive sparkle duns is fooling the wild trout. Nymphing before or during the hatch with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons is producing wild brown and rainbow trout. If you’re looking for a trophy Hot Creek trout try throwing big articulated streamers that imitate small brown or rainbow trout.
Vehicles no longer have to stop at the Green Church, but now have access to the dump.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The road is now open to the dump. A few anglers have been walking into the upper Owens River and catching a few trophy rainbow trout. I do not target actively spawning trout on their redds. I like to target the trout resting and feeding in the deep pools, runs and cutbanks. I occasionally fish egg patterns, but I find that size 12 stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs fished on the Euro rig or under an indicator produce a lot of trophy trout for me. I will start looking for the cutthroat trout run in the upper Owens River starting around the 5th of May. This run is usually over by Memorial Day.
I’m finding it difficult to catch wild and stocked trout in the fast water sections of Bishop Creek Canal.
Bishop Creek Canal:
Behind the Ford Dealer:
I’ve been doing well fishing the slower sections of Bishop Creek and Bishop Creek Canal. There is a blue wing olive hatch going on in the early afternoon that the trout are feeding on. Have not seen enough rising trout to get me to fish a dry fly for these trout. Using the Euro rig with an olive quilldigon, stoner nymph and hot spot pheasant tail nymph, my normal winter rig, has been catching me wild and stocked trout. Best time to be on the water is from 11:00 A.M. to about 3:00 P.M. Key to success is having enough weight to bounce the flies off the substrate where the trout are feeding.
Wild Brown trout in the Owens River Gorge are taking nymphs and dry flies.
Owens River Gorge
Upper and Middle Gorge:
The upper and middle gorge is now open and nymphing or dry and a dropper is producing wild trout. The road into Control Power Plant remains closed as Department of water and Power continues to repair the access road along Pleasant Valley Reservoir. I think the walk out of upper Gorge Power Plant is easier than middle gorge. Water is flowing around 75 CFS. Wadding and working upstream casting nymphs is the most productive method of fly fishing the gorge right now. I’m using blue wing olive parachutes in size 18, Adams parachutes in size 16 for the dry fly. I’m using bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 18 and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in size 16.