Winter storms and windy days continue to hamper fly fishers on the waters in the Eastern Sierra. If you pick the right day the wind will not blow and the sun will come out and warm the fly fisher. Dry fly fishing is starting to pick up as midges and mayflies are hatching and the trout are coming to the surface to feed. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of catching trophy trout and resident trout. Best fly fishing has been middle of the day from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Snow up in the mountains and fishable water in the Owens Valley is drawing fly fishers to the Eastern Sierra to pursue trout.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
The lower Owens River is offering the best fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra for eight to 14 inch wild brown trout and rainbow trout. Blue wing olive mayflies are the catalyst that have the trout feeding on nymphs and dry flies. The action is starting around noon and lasting tell 3:00 P.M. Before the hatch nymphing with a Euro rig or under an indicator with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons and olive WD40’s is fooling the nymphing trout. Once the hatch is in full swing fishing with Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes, olive sparkle duns and olive comparaduns is producing the surface feeding trout.
Euro nymphing the lower Owens River with hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs and olive quilldigons is producing wild trout.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Access is back to driving right up to the parking lot and walking right out to the creek. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method to fly fish the creek. Fishing with olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, olive WD40’s, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges, zebra midges, blood midges, brassies and soft hackle brassies.
Size 16 and 18 Frenchie’s is a Euro nymph pattern that works well in Hot Creek to imitate the mayflies that are present in the creek. Photo by Chris Cargo..
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Fly fishers are driving right up to the three parking lots that give access to the upper, middle and lower canyon sections. Nymphing is the most productive method of fishing in the canyon. . Bead head flash back pheasant tails, olive WD40’s, olive quilldigons and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges, zebra midges, blood midges, brassies and soft hackle brassies are the patterns that imitate the midge and mayfly species in Hot Creek. Thoroughly covering the water is the key to success.
Euro nymphing in the deep holes of the upper Owens River is where you will find trophy rainbow trout.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The snow has melted and fly fishers are driving right up to the gates and walking out to the river to fly fish. With the easy vehicle access the Upper Owens River is getting lots of fly fishing pressure. Key to success is covering lots of deep pools, deep runs and cut banks looking for a few trophy rainbow trout. Offering the trout larger flies like size 12 stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs and Richards gold ribbed hare’s ears variation is the key to fooling the upper Owens River trophy rainbow trout. Persistence is necessary to properly cover the water with lots of casts before moving on to the next piece of water.
Low water and spooky trout is making fly fishing in Bishop Creek Canal tough.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind the Old Ford Dealer:
Unfortunately low water and spooky trout is making fly fishing the canal tough right now. Fishing nymphs is producing a trout or two at the most. Indicator nymphing is spooking the fish. Dry and a dropper or Euro nymphing is less disturbing than the indicator. Trying to catch fish right now is just flat out tough!