Hard to believe how warm the Eastern Sierra has been this week. With the increase in water temperatures the trout’s caloric needs have increased exponentially. For fly fishers this means hungry trout ready to feed on the flies that imitate the hatching insects. Upper elevation waters are slowly becoming accessible with vehicles. Stoneflies, mayflies, caddis flies and midge are the insects that the trout are feeding on. Sierra Bright Dot guides are available to teach fly fishers the techniques that produce trout in Eastern Sierra waters.
With spring like weather in the Eastern Sierra the upper Owens River snow is melting fast and fly fishers with four wheel drive vehicles can drive up the mud puddle and snow covered road.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Spring like weather makes fly fishing the lower Owens River very enjoyable. With afternoon temperatures in the mid-70’s insect activity has increased along with an increase in the trout’s feeding activity. Along with the insects trout eat there are mosquitoes out and about feeding on fly fishers. Skwala stoneflies are hatching and the trout are continuing to feed on the nymphs. If you want to fish with dry flies try fishing with size 10 yellow olive stimulators late in the afternoon. Fish them in the slow water under the willows. Nymphing with size 12 stoner nymphs continues to be the most productive way of catching trout with skwala patterns. The blue wing olive hatch is just getting started. If you are on the right spot when the trout are feeding on the hatching blue wing olive mayfly duns you can fish blue wing olive parachutes in size 18, Adams parachutes in size 18 and olive sparkle duns in size 18. When the hatch is sparse and the trout are not feeding on the emerging blue wing olive mayfly duns fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 SOS nymphs and size 18 Jedi master Baetis. Fishing with midge nymphs and pupae in tan, zebra and tiger coloration continues to produce trout.
Steve Lee from Arcadia was working on his Euro nymphing techniques when this 17 inch lower Owens Rainbow took a size 18 olive quilldigon fished off a riffle into a pool where the trout were feeding on hatching blue wing olive mayfly emergers.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Vehicles with high clearance and or four wheel drive can drive into the parking area of the Interpretive Site of Hot Creek. The word has gotten out and fly fishers are driving into to fly fish on Hot Creek. Mid-day hatches of midges and the occasional blue wing olive mayfly are bringing the trout to the surface. The midges are small and using a size 22 Griffiths gnat or size 24 gray midge adult will fool a few of the surface feeding trout. Nymphing with size 20 tiger midges, size 20 zebra midges, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs is fooling the wild trout of Hot Creek Interpretive Site. While most fly fishers fish with nymphs and dries throwing a streamer like a size 6 olive wooly bugger will produce lots of hits from 10 to 20 inch wild rainbows and brown trout
Fly fishing pressure has increased on the Interpretive Site of Hot Creek now that fly fishers can access the area with their vehicles.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
It requires a long walk into Hot Creek Canyon as fly fishers have to park their cars at the end of the pavement as snow is not plowed beyond this point. Once the snow berm melts fly fishers will be able to drive into the Canyon parking lots. Be sure not to park in front of the Hot Creek Ranch driveway. For fly fishers willing to make the mile plus hike into the canyon nymphing is good with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Jedi master Baetis, size 20 soft hackle brassie, size 20 tiger midges and size 20 zebra midges. Nymphing with a dry and dropper or Euro nymph rig is the successful methods of presenting nymphs in the canyon section of Hot Creek.
The snow on the upper Owens River is melting fast and fly fishers in four wheel drive vehicles can access the river by driving up the dirt road on the north side of the river.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Snow has begun to melt and some brave fly fishers have been driving up the dirt roads in four wheel drive vehicles to access waters above Benton Crossing Bridge. A blue wing olive hatch has resident 6 to 12 inch trout coming to the surface to feed on size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns. Dry fly fishing on the upper Owens River in winter is rare. Fly fishers fishing the upper Owens River should take advantage of this rare dry fly opportunity. Fly fishers looking for the end of the trophy rainbow trout season will find the trout in the area of the confluence of Hot Creek tributaries and the Owens River. Fish the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks where the trout are resting and feeding. Use size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs and size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears variations. Thoroughly work the flies before moving onto the next place to fish your nymphs.
Working nymphs in Bishop Creek Canal is producing rainbow trout to 12 inches.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
Fishing in the canal while keeping your shadow off the water allows fly fishers to present their nymphs to the trout without spooking them. Rainbow and brown trout are feeding on size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 SOS nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 tiger midges and size 18 zebra midges. Work the nymphs in deep holes and fast riffle sections where your casts or shadows will not spook the trout.