Sunny days in the 60’s are in store for the Eastern Sierra for the next week. Most of the snow fell above the 7,500 foot level. Dirt roads in the Long Valley area are drying out, but fly fishers need to drive with caution as the mud can easily cause vehicles to get stuck. Blue wing olive mayflies, caddis, midge and stoneflies continue to provide the food to trout that fly fishers are imitating. Peak insect activity has been mid-day which means the best fly fishing of the day is from 11 to 3. Dry fly activity is increasing, but nymphing continues to be the most productive method on Eastern Sierra waters.
Snow in the mountains and warm days in the Owens Valley makes now the time to fly fish the Eastern Sierra.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Blue wing olive mayflies are providing the most consistent insect activity in the river. Mid-day hatches have the trout coming to the surface if you are in the right spots. If you’re looking to catch trout on dries during the hatch move around looking for areas of the river that have lots of trout feeding on the surface. Nymphing with an indicator or on a Euro rig is still the most productive method of fly fishing the river. Size 16 or 18 Frenchie’s, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive quill nymphs and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs are imitating the blue wing olive mayfly nymphs. For imitating the emerging blue wing olive mayflies fish with size 18 Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes and olive sparkle duns. If you own two fly rods have one rigged for nymphs and one rigged for dry flies. Richard Lancaster ties a foot of red fluorescent flagging tape on his rods when setting them in stream side vegetation so he can find his rod when he comes back for it.
Nymphing on the lower Owens River is producing good numbers of wild trout.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Time and forecasted warm days will melt the snow so fly fishers can drive into the interpretive site. Until the snow melts or someone else leaves first tracks fly fishers should walk into the interpretive site. The warm weather is increasing dry fly activity on the creek mid-day. Hatches of mayflies and caddis have the wild trout coming to the surface to feed on the hatching insects. Try fishing with Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes, X-caddis and elk hair caddis. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing the creek. Fish with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and Frenchie’s.
The snow on the north facing side of Hot Creek Canyon does not melt as fast as the south facing side of the canyon.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Time and warm weather will open the road up to tourist and fly fishers giving access to the three canyon section parking areas. Fly fishing pressure increases in the afternoons as skiers spend their afternoons on the creek fly fishing. Fly fishers will find the creek almost deserted in the mornings and mid-day when the best fly fishing is taking place. Mayflies and caddis are hatching mid-day and this is when the trout are most active. To imitate the blue wing olive mayflies fish with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quill nymphs, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, and Frenchie’s. For the caddis fish with LaFontaine’s sparkle emerger, olive burlap caddis, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and Butano nymphs.
Melting spring snow means off color water and muddy roads.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Warm spring days with fresh snow on the ground means lots of mud for vehicles to get stuck in. I would drive this area with the utmost of care. It’s much better to walk aways to access the river then spend the day digging out of the mud. Trophy rainbow trout season on the upper Owens River is coming to an end. There are still trophy trout to be found, but fly fishers are going to work really hard to find them. Key to success this time of year is thoroughly covering lots of trophy trout holding water in a day. Proven flies are stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, Richard’s gold ribbed hare’s ear variation, egg patterns, squirmy wormies, mop flies and San Juan worms. Bishop Creek Canal
Spooky trout and low clear water makes fly fishing the canal tough right now.
Behind the Old Ford Dealer:
This continues to be a tough water to fish as low clear flows have the trout spooking. Fly fishers can try a stealth approach of crawling in to the holes on their hands and knees. Not worth the return for the amount of effort to fish the canal right now. As soon as flows go up fishing with pick up.