Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-18-2021

We’re moving into summer this weekend and the weather has heated up. Was 105 in the Owens Valley this week. Hatches of mayflies, stone flies, and caddis have the fish feeding on the surface. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method in most waters. Crowley Lake is starting to produce consistent fly fishing for those midging the lake.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

There is little fly fishing pressure on the lower Owens River despite the flows back at 300 CFS. This the upper limit of safely wading the river. Fishing from the banks is limited to places where the tulles and willows have not invaded the banks. Gates one and two have the most bank accessible water in the wild trout section. Nymphing with lots of weight will produce fish for the nymphing fly fisher. Look for caddis on the water in the evenings.

At 300 CFS fishing the margins of the river is the way to get to the best drift for your flies.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

By 8:30 A.M. the trico hatch is well underway. The trout are taking the hatching duns and the spinners. Fishing is best once the spinners are on the water. The pale morning dun hatch starts around 10:00 A.M. During the pale morning dun hatch there is a caddis hatch. Fish pale morning dun parachute in size 16, trico parachute in size 20, and gray Kings River caddis or gray partridge caddis, gray parachute caddis,  gray Hemingway caddis, and gray Henryville caddis in size 20. 

Hatches of trico mayflies, pale morning duns, and gray caddis have kept fly fishers busy all morning.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

A dry and dropper is a great set up to fish Hot Creek with the low flows in the creek right now. A size 16 pale morning dun with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph has been the productive setup. Mid-morning is a good time to switch out the nymph for a size 20 gray caddis adult imitation. Gray parachute caddis, gray elk hair caddis, and gray partridge caddis are fooling the trout. Pale morning duns have been hatching late morning and use a size 16 pale morning dun parachute.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Fly fisherman are targeting the resident and juvenile trout in the upper Owens River. The fish are feeding on trico mayflies first thing in the morning. Then they have a choice between pale morning duns and gray caddis. Nymphing is producing the most fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 stoner nymphs, and size 14 green gold wire Prince nymphs. Hopper nymphs continue to hop into the river offering the fish a calorie filled morsel. Fish size 16 or 18 parachute hoppers in tan.

Iris and a fly fishers just go together on the upper Owens River.

Owens River Gorge:

Summer temperatures in the low 100’s, rattle snakes, and stinging nettles are a good reason to leave the Owens River Gorge fly fishing alone until late September.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Day time temperatures over the 100 degree mark makes for hot fishing during the middle of the day. The wild brown trout continue to feed on nymphs. If you’re looking for rising trout try fishing with size 16 elk hair caddis from 7:00 P.M. to dark. Euro nymphing with perdigons, stoners, rainbow warriors, and flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears are producing trout all day long.

Bishop Creek Canal is a great place to learn fly fishing techniques like Euro nymphing for the wild brown trout that inhabit the canal.

Backcountry lakes and springs represent a huge fishery with little fly fishing pressure. I recently spent a day on a small creek fly fishing for golden trout. What they lack in size they make up for in beauty.

A golden trout from a small creek in the Eastern Sierra.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-11-2021

The wind continues to be the nemeses of fly fishers this season. We have had few windless days this spring. Pale morning duns and little yellow stones are hatching in Eastern Sierra waters. Hoppers have hatched and the nymphs are starting to grow. The hoppers should reach maturity, grow wings, in about a month. Euro nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing in rivers, streams, and creeks throughout the Eastern Sierra.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

There is little fly fishing pressure on the lower Owens River now that flows are at 350 CFS. Fishing from the banks is limited to places where the tulles and willows have not invaded the banks. Nymphing with lots of weight will produce fish for the nymphing fly fisher.

Fishing from the bank is the only safe way to fish on the lower Owens River now that flows are at 350 CFS.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

For the fly fisher getting on the water early in the morning trout have been feeding on both hatching mayflies and spinners. Mid-day hatches of PMD’s have the trout continuing to feed on the surface. This area has been the most crowded.

Harvey Freed of Pacific Palisades is hooked up in Hot Creek Canyon using a size 16 PMD parachute and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph.

The Canyon Section:

A mid-day PMD hatch is providing lots of action for fly fishers fishing the Canyon Section of Hot Creek. Size 16 PMD parachutes with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph is producing lots of wild brown trout and rainbow trout to 14 inches. There are size 16 cream bodied caddis buzzing around the water that the trout are taking when the caddis land on the water. Mid-week has less crowds than the weekends.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The cutthroat spawning season is coming to an end. There have been a number of mature cutthroats that have not survived the rigors of spawning. There are 12 inch cutthroat trout still in the Owens River System. The stoner nymph continues to be the top producing nymph. Size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and size 14 gold ribbed hare’s ears have been producing for nymph fly fishers. Size 16 olive elk hair caddis have been producing fish middle of the day.

Twelve to 14 inch cutthroats are still in the upper Owens River system.

Owens River Gorge:

Summer temperatures in the low 100’s, rattle snakes, and stinging nettles are a good reason to leave the Owens River Gorge fly fishing alone until late September.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Nymphing continues to be the most effective method of fly fishing in the Bishop Creek Canal. Fish size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 stoner nymphs, and size 18 tiger midges. There are mayflies and caddis flies hatching in the evening. Best time to be dry fly fishing is from 7:00 P.M. to dark. 

Working the faster sections of Bishop Creek Canal with an indicator setup is a productive method of fishing the canal.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-04-2021

Summer is here as the Owens Valley had its first triple digit days getting in to the low 100’s. We’ve had a couple of days of thunder storms at the upper elevations. Rained for five to 20 minutes depending on where in the Eastern Sierra you were. June brings the largest hatches of aquatic insects in the Eastern Sierra. Pale morning duns, blue wing olives, caddis, and little yellow stones are hatching.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flows on the lower Owens River are up to 375 CFS. This is above the safe wading limit for the lower Owens River. It’s time to be fly fishing from the banks if you can find access to the river between the willows and the tulles. Pale morning duns and caddis are providing action for the few fly fishers working the river in the late afternoon and evening. There is very little fly fishing pressure on the lower Owens Right now.

Wading at 275 CFS was the upper limit of safe wading. At 375 CFS it is time to fish from the bank.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

This is the hardest section of Hot Creek to fish. The water is clear and slow giving the trout plenty of time to find faults in your casts and fly patterns.  Mayfly and caddis hatches have the fish feeding on nymphs and adults. Size 16 olive or brown bodied elk hair caddis dead drifted or skittered has been productive. Size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs fished on a 24 inch dropper off the bend of a size 16 elk hair caddis is a deadly combination to fish. Also fish size 18 olive or gray sparkle duns, and size 18 X-caddis in olive or gray.

Afternoon thunder storms was the catalyst for some great afternoon caddis hatches on the middles section of Hot Creek Canyon.

The Canyon Section:

Mid-week post-holiday crowds on Hot Creek Canyon were pleasant. Fly fishing pressure will increase over the weekend. Stomach samples from trout revealed caddis adults and mayfly nymphs were on the menu. A drag free drift is required to get the trout to feed on both nymphs and adults. Elk hair caddis in size 16 or 18, and blue wing olive parachutes in sizes 18 are producing wild brown and rainbow trout. Fishing with 5X tippet is working as the fish are not spooky yet.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The cutthroat migration run is coming to an end. There are a few beat up spawners left in the system. June hatches of pale morning duns, little yellow stones, hoppers, and caddis will be feeding the trout. The hoppers are too small to imitate at a size 20 or 22. Nymphing with size 14 or 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, La Fontaine’s caddis emergers and green/gold wire prince nymphs in the mornings is productive. Mid-day hatches is time to tie on a size 14 or 16 pale morning dun parachute, elk hair caddis, or little yellow stone. Fishing the cut banks with nymphs will produce trophy brown trout.

A dead drifted nymph next to a cut bank can produce trophy browns like this one in the upper Owens River.

Owens River Gorge:

Summer temperatures in the low 100’s, rattle snakes, and stinging nettles are a good reason to leave the Owens River Gorge fly fishing alone until late September.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

With the lower Owens flows over 300 CFS it’s time to concentrate fly fishing efforts on Bishop Creek Canal. Nymphing the fast water sections with a size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph five feet under an indicator is producing wild browns to 16 inches. Evening hatches of mayflies and caddis flies have the trout feeding of the surface. Size 16 peacock and grizzly elk hair caddis, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, and size 16 olive X-caddis are fooling the wild trout in the canal

Nick Gavitte from Napa showing off a typical Bishop Creek Canal brown trout caught while fishing

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-28-2021

The wind continues to hamper fly fishers in the Eastern Sierra. Some mornings have been flat, but wind is up every afternoon. Spawning Cutthroats are in the upper Owens River. Insects are hatching making for great days of fly fishing. I’ve seen my first hopper eating trout of the summer season.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

As of March 1, 2021 the catch and release section was expanded to include the Owens River from the walking bridge at the lower end of Pleasant Valley Reservoir Campground to Five Bridges Road.

An afternoon pale morning dun mayfly hatch has the trout taking nymphs, but not coming to the surface for the hatching adults.

Flows on the lower Owens River have stabilized at 275 CFS. This is at the top end of safe wading. There is a late afternoon hatch of pale morning duns. The swallows have been eating almost every pale morning dun that is hatching. Nymphs have been the most productive with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Butano nymphs, rainbow warriors, and midges. Euro nymphing and nymphing under an indicator is producing for fly fishers nymphing.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Hatches in the interpretive site makes it easier to catch fish if you have the right fly to match the hatching insects. Caddis and mayflies are hatching. Anglers on the water early might catch the mayfly spinner fall. The fish are keying in on the spinners when the hatch is strong. Caddis are starting to show up in this flat water section.

The upper section of Hot Creek is getting tough to fish as the weed beds are growing and the angler pressure is intense.

The Canyon Section:

The upper section of the canyon has been getting the bulk of the fly fishing pressure. Streamer fishers are finding it tough to fish as the weed beds are growing and limiting the amount of open water to fish. May flies and caddis fly hatches have the fish feeding on the surface when there is not a lot of wind to blow the hatching insects off the water. Fish the pockets around the weed beds and rocks. Get a drag free drift and the fish will take your imitations. Nymphs and dries are producing. For nymphs fish size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 12 scuds, and size 12 olive burlap caddis nymphs. For dries fish size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 gray elk hair caddis, size 18 Adams parachutes, and size 16 gray sparkle duns.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Lots of spin fishers have been taking advantage of the new fishing regulations by fishing below Benton Crossing road. The cutthroats are moving through this section, but not many of them have been caught by fly fishers or spin fishers.

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The cutthroat trout are spread out from Benton Crossing Bridge to Longyears. The key to fishing these fish is to find them. Avoid the actively spawning fish as these are the future of the cutthroat fishery in the Owens River. Fish the deep holes and runs for the fish that are resting and feeding. These fish will readily take a well drifted size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymph, and size 12 copper John’s. Resident rainbows and browns have been feeding on size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 zebra midges, and size 18 tiger midges. Micro hoppers, size 20, blown into the Owens River were being attacked by the trout for a couple of hours in the afternoon wind.

Jeremy Sells of Haydon, Idaho drifted a stone nymph right next to a cut bank to get this 16 inch wild brown trout.

Owens River Gorge:

A dry and dropper is a great way to fish in the Owens River Gorge. An elk hair caddis skittered along the surface with a bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears on 5X tippet two feet below the dry fly is a productive set up in the gorge. Also try a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph under a size 18 blue wing olive parachute.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Bishop Creek Canal has been stocked with hatchery rainbows. Fly fishers nymphing with Euro rigs and an indicator have been fooling the wild browns that inhabit the canal. This is a great spot for beginners to learn fly fishing techniques. Euro nymph patterns that have been producing are hot spot pheasant tail nymphs in size 16, rainbow warriors in size 14, Butano nymphs in size 16, and flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears size 14, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs in size 12. Under an indicator run a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 tiger midge, size 16 zebra midge and a size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears.

Amy Weurdig from Bishop learning to fly fish with an indicator and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph in Bishop Creek Canal caught six wild brown trout.