Last week’s storm left up to six feet of snow on the peaks of mountains at upper elevations in the Sierra and White Mountains. Easy vehicle access to Long Valley fly fishing waters is over until the snow melts. The Sierra is going to be in a warming trend next week. Owens Valley dirt roads are full of mud puddles. Caddis, midges, mayflies and winter skwala stoneflies are the insects that are feeding the trout. As daylight lengthens fly fishers will find more trout coming to the surface to feed on the hatching insects. Sierra Bright Dot guides are available to teach fly fishers the techniques that produce trout in Eastern Sierra waters.
The White Mountains are tipped with snow while fly fishers ply the waters of the lower Owens River.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Flows have dropped to 100 CFS. At these flows the lower Owens River is very wadable. Mid-day hatches of blue wing olive mayflies have the trout actively feeding on the nymphs and the hatching mayfly duns. If you’re on the right hole during the hatch you will be able to fish with size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, Adams parachutes and olive sparkle duns on the surface. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of catching wild trout in the lower Owens River. Concentrate your effort on where the riffles dump into the holes. Fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 SOS nymphs in black and brown, and size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. Winter skwala stone flies are still active in the river and fishing with size 14 copper John’s, size 12 stoner nymphs and size 14 golden/brown Pat’s rubber legs are fooling the wild rainbows and browns.
Fishing with dry flies like a blue wing olive parachute is producing trout for fly fishers who fish the right holes during the mid-day mayfly hatch.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
With two feet of snow on the ground it’s tough walking in on the spur road to the Interpretive Site from Hot Creek Hatchery Road. It will take several fly fishers accessing the road on foot to pack down the snow forming an easy access to the Interpretive Site. For those willing to battle the snow the trout are still feeding on midges and the occasional hatching blue wing olive. Dry fly fishing is tough, but fishing with a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, Adams parachute and olive sparkle dun will produce a few surface feeding trout. Use size 22 or 24 Griffiths gnats, olive midge adults and gray midge adults. Nymphing with size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 22 blood, tiger and zebra midge nymphs or pupae are fooling the wild trout.
Accessing Hot Creek Interpretive Site is easier than accessing the canyon section of Hot Creek.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Accessing the canyon section of Hot Creek is by foot from Hot Creek Hatchery Road where winter plowing stops. Be sure not to park in front of the Hot Creek Ranch driveway. It’s a long hike through the snow to the three entry points into Hot Creek Canyon. For those fly fishers willing to make the hike through the snow they will find wild browns and rainbows willing to take nymphs. This is prime water to be Euro nymphing or tight line nymphing. Success here is thoroughly covering the water with your nymphs. Cover the shallows, the pockets below boulders and deep holes. It does not take a lot of weight to get the flies bouncing off the substrate. Fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 brown SOS nymph, size 20 Jedi master Baetis, size 20 soft hackle brassie, size 22 tiger midge, size 22 zebra midge and size 22 blood midge.
The winter storm left enough snow to keep vehicles from accessing the river beyond the entry way into the upper Owens River above Benton Crossing Bridge.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Parking at Benton Crossing Bridge is limited to a few vehicles at the throat of the dirt road leading up river. Access is by snowmobile, cross country skis, snow shoes or hike in by foot. With limited access to the river fly fishing pressure is minimal and fishing for trophy trout is picking up particularly for those angler fly fishing far up river from Benton Crossing Bridge. Walking an hour upstream from Benton Crossing Bridge will get you into good fly fishing for trophy rainbow trout. Working the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 14 copper John’s, size 14 golden/brown Pat’s rubber legs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears variations are producing trophy rainbow trout. A mid-day blue wing olive hatch has the resident trout feeding on size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 Adams parachutes.
Surface runoff from the snow and rain storm last week have turned the waters of Bishop Creek Canal muddy, but the fish are still taking a well fished nymph pattern.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
Directly after the storm the waters of Bishop Creek Canal were extremely off color. This allowed fly fishers to fish the waters without spooking trout. Fishing with dark colored nymphs is fooling the wild rainbows and browns in the deep holes of the canal. Nymph under an indicator, tight line or with a Euro rig with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 12 stoner nymph, size 16 SOS nymph in black, size 18 tiger midges and size 18 zebra midge to fool the trout.