This last set of storms left snow in the mountains and rain in the Owens Valley. Now we have warm days with cold nights and cold mornings. Fly fishing waters in the Long Valley area are accessible, but there is snow to contend with. I recommend four wheel drive vehicles with clearance. Hatches of midges, mayflies and caddis are what the trout are feeding on. Nymphing is the most productive method of fly fishing in the winter months. There are those days when the trout come to the surface to feed on the hatching insects. Pulling streamers will produce the occasional trophy trout looking for a big meal.
Sunny days, wild trout and dry fly fishing makes fly fishing the Owens Valley waters in winter a treat for fly fishers.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Low flows, warm days, in the low 70’s, and lots of eight to 12 inch wild rainbow and brown trout makes the lower Owens River the place to be fly fishing. A mid-day mayfly hatch has the trout coming to the surface to feed on the mayfly duns. If you’re looking to fly fish with dries you will need to find the section of the river where lots of trout are feeding on the hatching duns. Blue wing olive parachutes in size 20, Adams parachutes in size 20, olive sparkle duns in size 20 and light Cahills in size 20 are fooling the surface eating trout. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing on the lower Owens River in the wild trout section. Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 SOS nymphs, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 12 stoner nymphs size 12 olive burlap caddis and size 20 zebra or tiger midges is producing the wild trout. Wading into areas inaccessible from the banks is the most productive way of finding the wild trout in the wild trout section.
The last of fall colors, rising trout and T-shirt weather makes fly fishing the lower Owens River the best opportunity in the Eastern Sierra right now.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Access to Hot Creek is on snow covered roads and fly fishers should have four wheel drive vehicles with high clearance. Most of the action right now on the creek is with nymphs. Fishing with a dry and dropper rig will keep from spooking wary trout. On the surface fish with a size 16 Adams parachute, size 14 stimulator or a size 10 Chernobyl ant. For nymphs fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 14 olive scuds and size 12 olive burlap caddis.
It takes effort to get into Hot Creek Canyon in the winter time, but the fly fishing is worth the effort.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Fly fishing in Hot Creek Canyon takes some extra effort, but is worth the solitude and the nymphing opportunities. Less weeds means it’s easier to drift nymphs to the trout that are always looking for food. Euro nymphing, dry and dropper and indicator nymphing will produce the wild rainbows and browns on the creek. Size 20 zebra or tiger midge, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 SOS nymph and a size 18 olive quilldigon will fool the larvae feeding trout. Key to success is covering lots of water with your nymphs and having the right amount of weight in the flies or on your tippet to bounce the flies along the substrate.
Trophy rainbow trout are the fish fly fishers are targeting in the upper Owens River in winter time.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
There is snow on the ground and the temperatures are cold. Trophy rainbow trout are the target species this time of year. Fly fishing with egg patterns, worm patterns, mop flies and streamers will produce some trophy trout. Nymphing the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks where the trophy trout are resting and feeding is the most productive method to catch the trophy trout. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig with size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears variations, size 14 copper John’s, size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs are the flies that produce the trophy trout. For the resident rainbows and browns fish with a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph size and size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymph.
Wild brown trout are taking well place nymphs fished on the substrate in deep holes and riffles.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
There are wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout willing to take nymphs as long as you do not spook the trout. Riffles and deep holes are spots fly fishers can fish without spooking the trout. Euro nymphing or dry and a dropper nymphing with SOS nymphs in size 16, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 18, olive quilldigons in size 18 and tiger or zebra midges in size 20 is producing the trout. Middle of the day is the perfect time to be on the water working nymphs.