The Eastern Sierra was recovering from a record winter snowpack when hurricane Hillary brought winds and lots of rain to the area at the beginning of the week. Southern Inyo County took the brunt of the storm. Heavy rains caused erosion of roads and road closures. It will be a few days before area steams return to pre storm flows. Before Hillary area streams were receding and offering good fly fishing with nymphs and dry flies. Lakes have been good to tough depending on individual waters. Mayflies, caddis and midges are hatching and keeping trout feeding.
Teaching fly fishing is what I love to do especially for kids.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Flows have receded 100 CFS to 300 CFS. The river fishes best under 300 CFS. Dark mayfly nymphs and hydropsyche caddis are in the river in abundance and that is what the trout are feeding on. Key to success here is using enough weight to get to the flies bouncing on the substrate. I prefer my Euro rod to deliver the flies onto the water and bounce them off the substrate.
At 400 CFS the river is too high to fly fish, but it’s now down to 300 CFS which is fishable.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Dry fly activity is minimal with very few trout coming to the surface for hatching mayflies and caddis. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rod is producing rainbow and brown trout to 18 inches. Pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs, gold ribbed hares ears and burlap caddis are fooling trout. Under an indicator I’m using a BB split shot to get the flies to the bottom.
The confluence of Mammoth Creek and Hot Creek is a great spot to fly fish in the Interpretive Site area of Hot Creek.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Nymphing is producing in the canyon. I’m covering all water types, but doing my best fishing the nymphs behind rocks and weed beds. I’m using both the indicator nymph style and the Euro nymph rod. I’m using hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs green/gold prince nymphs, olive burlap caddis, gold ribbed hare’s ears and olive scuds. Not much dry fly action in the canyon.
Euro nymphing the upper Owens River with hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and stoner nymphs is producing juvenile trout and trophy trout.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Caddis, mayflies and terrestrials have juvenile trout coming to the surface. Ants, beetles and wasps are landing on the water and getting fed on by rainbow and brown trout. Mid-afternoon olive caddis hatches are causing trout to chase the pupae to the surface. Pheasant tail nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, Lafontaine sparkle emergers, stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince Nymphs and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs are working under an indicator or with the Euro rig. Horse flies and mosquitoes are still biting me in the parking lot and on the water.
Fly fishing the inlet area of McGee Creek with damsel fly nymphs, callibaetis and balanced perch imitations is producing trout up to 22 inches.
Crowley Lake:
The lake is at full pool and fly fishing is sporadic. Fly fishers are trying to find a consistent pattern to produce trout. Midge hatches are at minimal levels with lots of areas of the lake with no midge hatches. Damsel fly nymphs and callibaetis mayfly nymphs are hatching throughout the lake. Right now fly fishing in five to 10 feet of water with Jansen’s damsel fly nymphs, olive gold ribbed hare’s ears and olive, perch or black and blue balanced leaches is producing a few trophy trout. Striping with olive matukas, balanced leaches and wooly buggers is another method that is producing a few trout.
Bishop Creek Canal was running high and dirty from rains provided from Hurricane Hillary, but that did not keep this brown trout from hitting a stoner nymph with the Euro rig.
Bishop Creek Canal:
Behind the Old Ford Dealer:
The canal runs high and dirty after every rain storm. Despite the dirty water the trout are feeding on hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs. Once the water recedes the fishing will get back to consistent fishing for six to 16 inch wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. Success here is to slowly move upstream casting your nymphs so that you thoroughly cover the water.
I'm at Mahogany Smoked Meats on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 to discuss Eastern Sierra fly fishing opportunities.
Tuesday Talks with Fred
At Mahogany Smoked Meats:
Every Tuesday from 9:00 to 11:00 I go to Mahogany Smoked Meats to eat a burrito and to discuss Eastern Sierra fly fishing with fly fishers, anglers, Facebook followers and Instagram followers. This is an opportunity to spend a couple of hours talking to Richard Lancaster, Sierra Bright Dot guide, Tom Paulson, competitive fly fisher and Tenkara fly fisher, and myself. Come ask the fly fishing questions you’ve been wanting answers to.