It looks like the snow in the 9,000 to 13,000 foot level is starting to melt. The creeks running out of the mountains from Lone Pine to Bridgeport are all swollen with this year’s record snow melt. For now I would stay out of the creeks as they are unsafe to be around and unfishable. Nymphing and pulling streamers is working in the streams and rivers that are at not blown out by the snow runoff. Still waters offers the fly fisher the perfect place to fly fish when their favorite moving water is blown out due to the snow runoff. Eastern Sierra lakes under 9,000 feet that are thawed out are offering fly fishers an alternative fly fishing opportunity. Bass, bluegill and carp are a great fish to fly fish for as they require all of your trout skills and then some to get them to take a fly. Definitely be carrying your insect repellant as the mosquitoes and no see ums are out in force.
Warm, water fish put a bend on typical trout tackle like this five weight set up hooked up to a bluegill.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Unsafe to fish until flows recede. Maybe flows will be fishable in October.
With expected peak runoff flows of 1,300 CFS Five bridges has been fortified to protect it from being washed out.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
With clear water and trout needing to feed, fishing nymphs under an indicator or with the Euro rod is producing trout for fly fishers able to work their nymphs on the substrate. With the high water it’s taking two to four AB or BB sized split shots and up to 11 mm of tungsten beads on the Euro rig. The trout are feeding on midges and mayfly nymphs. I’m finding that the slower sections of the creek is where my rig is working the substrate and the trout are taking olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs, copper Johns, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and perdigons in a variety of colors.
I’m finding it tough to nymph my favorite fast runs in Hot Creek Canyon.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
The water in the canyon is running fast and my usual spots are not producing. I’m working my nymphs in the slower water sections where I can get my nymphs to bounce off the substrate. I’m using lots of weight to keep the flies in contact with the substrate. This is a great place to pull streamers like an olive wooly bugger around obstacles in the stream like weed beds and rocks. The trout are not feeding on the streamers, but being territorial and chasing the intruder, your streamer, away from their hangout.
With high water, wind and mosquitoes the upper Owens River is a tough place to fly fish .
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
High, cold, clear water is making it hard to get trout in the upper Owens River to take flies. Afternoon or all day winds are hindering fly fishers. This adds up to tough fly fishing conditions on the upper Owens River. Nymphs and streamers are producing for fly fishers putting in the effort. Lots of casts and covering lots of water is yielding a few trout. The trout being landed have been in the 16 to 20 inch range. These fish are just few and far apart. Continue to show caution driving the dirt roads around the upper Owens River as vehicles are still getting stuck in the mud. This place is inundated with mosquitoes.
A typical Crowley Lake midge eating rainbow trout.
Crowley Lake:
The trout are still in 15 to 25 feet of water and feeding on midges. The fleet of guide boats is targeting the north arm of Crowley Lake from Sandy Point to Green Banks. A few boats are starting to show up in Hilton Bay and McGee Bay. The trout are taking the usual suspects of tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s. Sacramento perch have moved into the shallows to spawn and are a fun fish on the fly rod. They make great eating. I like to eat mine as beer battered, tempura fried, fish tacos and ceviche.
The green/gold Prince nymph fooling a typical wild 8 inch brown trout on Bishop Creek Canal fished on a Euro rig.
Bishop Creek Canal:
Behind the Old Ford Dealer:
This continues to be my go to spot to fly fish for trout as the trout are feeding on nymphs. I’ve been fishing with both an indicator and my Euro rig. Olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs, copper Johns, green/gold Prince nymphs and hot spot pheasant tail nymph are what’s working for me. Running into a number of fly fishers working the canal and learning how to properly fly fish it.