Spring has finally come to the upper elevation waters in the Eastern Sierra, Crowley Lake opened to boating on Wednesday May 10, 2023. Waters in the mid-7,000 foot elevation are opening up. Lakes are icing out and snow on roads are melting. As the snow melts the dirt roads are now muddy roads, Not much in the way of hatches right now, Most fly fishers are nymphing. Midges and blue wing olive mayflies are providing the bulk of the trout’s diet right now.
Bishop Creek has not blown out from runoff yet and is offering fly fishers a place to fly fish.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Lower Owens River in the wild trout section is closed to access at Pleasant Valley Campground and at the chalk bluff on Chalk Bluff Road, Flows are being maintained at 750 CFS. Due to erosion of the river banks the wild trout section is unsafe to fish at this point in time. Pleasanton Valley Reservoir is open to fly fishing and can be accessed at the Gorge Control Plant. This is a great float tube water for fly fishers to explore.
At 750 CFS the banks of the lower Owens River are getting eroded and are unsafe to walk on..
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
Snow has melted and fly fishers can access the creek. Blue wing olive mayfly nymphs and midge nymphs are the insects the trout are feeding on. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and sparkle duns are fooling the surface feeding trout, the few that are coming to the surface. Nymphing in the high off color water is producing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and midge nymph patterns
Hot Creek:
Canyon Section:
Snow is melting and leaving muddy dirt roads for fly fishers to drive over. Be careful where you are driving as it is easy to get a four wheel drive vehicle stuck. Nymphing in the canyon is the most productive way to fish. I like to pull streamers, particularly in olive color, in and around the obstructions in the creek.
Most of the snow has melted from the banks of the upper Owens River and fly fishers are starting to drive up the dirt roads to the river well upstream of Benton Crossing Bridge Road,.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The snow has melted and left the dirt roads a muddy mess. I’m very cautious driving my four wheel drive off of the main dirt road. I hate getting stuck! Cutthroats are just starting to move into the upper river. They are not in the river in any quantity yet. That should change any day now. I’m working heavy 4.00 mm bead head stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs in the deep holes, slow runs and cutbanks for the trophy trout that are resting and feeding.
Bishop Creek above the weirs of Bishop Creek Canal behind the old Ford Dealer is a great piece of water to fly fish..
Bishop Creek Canal:
Behind the Ford Dealer:
This continues to be my go to spot to fly fishing spot when the lower Owens River is flowing over 500 CFS. The Euro nymph rig is producing for me every time I fish it. I’m using the olive quilldigon, stoner nymph and the hot spot pheasant tail nymph. All three flies are producing fish with the stoner producing the largest trout of my outing.
Nymphing under an indicator is producing wild brown trout in Pine Creek.
Pine Creek Weir:
Pine Creek continues to offer fly fishers an alternative spot to nymph fish until the creek blows out from the snow runoff. Indicator nymphing or the Euro rod is producing wild brown trout with pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, midges and prince nymphs.
Owens River
In the Gorge:
When Department of Water and Power are not fixing things and running high flows through the gorge the Owens River Gorge is a place for fly fishers to fish during runoff. Flows have been around 75 CFS and nymphing is the most productive method to fish. A dry and dropper is one of my favorite ways to fly fish the gorge.