Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-27-2021

Day light is getting shorter, the steams are cooling off, and the light snowpack is showing up in the form of low stream flows and low lake levels. Fly fishing pressure has slowed up as a lot of fly fishers are tied up with kids back in school. Smoke from California fires continues to fill Long Valley and the Owens Valley. It depends on the way the winds flow how heavy the smoke is on any given day. The hopper hatch this season has been dismal at best. Trico mayflies have stepped up and is what’s on the menu for trout in a number of moving waters in the Eastern Sierra. Fall is around the corner and the perfect time to chase trophy trout.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flows have stabilized at 225 CFS for the summer and should remain at these flows through fall. Mid-day temperatures of the mid 90’s is cool enough to fish to noon or to fish in the evening. Mornings have been the best with nymphs. Czech nymphing continues to be the most productive method of nymphing the wild trout section of the lower Owens River. Evening caddis activity has been slowing down.

Wild brown trout are the dominant species in the wild trout section of the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The trico hatch seems to be like the energizer bunny, going, and going, and going. This hatch is providing a couple of solid hours of dry fly activity every morning tell 10:30 or 11:00 A.M. Trico parachutes, trico spinner parachutes and trico spinners in size 24 are fooling the wild trout that are feeding on the trico mayflies. As the trico hatch wanes there is a sporadic caddis hatch. Once the hatches are over the surface activity comes to a halt and the creek is devoid of fly fishers by noon.

The Interpretive site is crowded in the mornings, but by noon the creek is devoid of fly fishers.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Morning caddis and trico activity is keeping fly fishers busy tell late morning. By noon hatches are over for the morning and fly fishers have left the creek in pursuit of other mid-day fly fisheries. Size 20 caddis including gray elk hair caddis, gray X-caddis and spent partridge caddis are producing trout mid-day. Mornings are all about trico’s with parachutes and spinners in size 24 producing wild trout. Weed beds are fully grown and fly fishers need to learn how to drift there flies in the narrow channels between the weed beds. 

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

With the cooler mornings, some freezing mornings already on the upper Owens, hatches of trico mayflies are coming off a little later in the morning. The trico hatch is over by 11:00 A.M. Size 24 trico spinners are being taken for the real flies and producing fish up to 20 inches. The few hoppers still around on the upper Owens River are not getting active until late morning or early afternoon. I’m finding that bigger foam hoppers are spooking more trout than fooling trout. I’ve been throwing size 14 cream bodied parachute hoppers. This fly lands softer on the water and is fooling fish. The bulk of the trout are not taking the hopper flies so the key to success is to cover the water with just a couple of casts and keep moving until you can find a trout that knows what a hopper is. Best success has come from drifting the parachute hopper right next to the cut banks.

Smokey horizons are common every afternoon on the upper Owens River.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

With cooler morning temperatures the trout in the Bishop Creek Canal have been feeding on the trico hatch witch is over by 9:30 A.M. The fish have been ignoring the trico dun and concentrating on the trico spinner. The spinner fall is short live, but the trout are coming to the surface to feast on the dead spinners. Nymphing with the Czech rod is producing wild brown trout and stocker rainbows. By mid-day the fly fishing action is over.

The faster moving sections of Bishop Creek Canal are a great place to practice your Euro nymphing skills.

San Joaquin River:

The San Joaquin River is a free stone river that is suffering from the low snow pack of last winter. The water levels are low and the bigger fish are concentrated in the pools. A dry fly or a dry and dropper rig is still the best way to fish this watershed. In this low water conditions fly fishers need an accurate cast and a drag free drift. Size 14 and 16 elk hair caddis, royal Wulff, and Adams parachute are my go to dry fly. A size 14 or 16 gold ribbed hare’s ear is my preferred dropper fly.

Wading upstream casting to the pocket water with a dry fly is the most productive method for fly fishing the San Joaquin River.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-20-2021

Smoke from the fires in California seem to find their way into Bishop and the Eastern Sierra. We had one day where we traded heavy winds for clear skies. Day time temperatures have dropped offering a hint of fall. It will not be long until the trees turn colors and the fish feed heavy in preparation for winter. There are still lots of warm days wet wading and throwing dry flies in particular hoppers. Water temperatures seem to be holding at or below 67 degrees in most Eastern Sierra waters.

Wild brown, rainbow and brook trout will readily take a dry fly drifted without drag on Bishop Creek.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Mid-day temperatures are cool enough to fish, but it will heat back up before it cools off for fall  and winter. Early and late is still the best time to be on the lower Owens River fishing. Early morning caddis activity has a few fish coming to the surface in the mornings. Evenings sees the greatest caddis activity. Mornings are a good time to nymph with a euro nymphing rig or an indicator rig.

Afternoon clouds and wind is a break from the smoky days in the Owens Valley.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The consistency of the trico hatch is making the interpretive site of Hot Creek one of the best fly fishing opportunities in the Eastern Sierra right now. Fly fishers need to be on the water early to get a good spot. The hatch starts by 9:00 A.M. each morning and is over by 10:00 A.M. Trico parachutes, and trico spinners are fooling wild brown trout and the occasional rainbow from eight to 14 inches. The caddis hatch takes place as the trico hatch wans. By noon all but the hardiest of fly fishers have called it a day. With nothing hatching mid-day there is no reason to be fly fishing here. Evening caddis activity is worth coming back to the creek to fly fish.

Noon and there is only one devoted fly fisher left on the creek, while everyone else left after the hatch ended.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Middle of the day and Hot Creek Canyon is devoid of fly fishers as there is no mid-day hatch to bring the fish to the surface. Even nymphing is limited mid-day. I’m tempted to call it dog days of summer, but the morning trico and caddis hatch and evening caddis activity is keeping fly fishers connected to fish taking their fly patterns. Trico spinners, trico parachutes, gray elk hair caddis, gray X-caddis and spent partridge caddis are all fooling trout at the right time of the morning or evening.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Smoke makes the views nonexistent and winds have made the fly casting tough. Pick your poison or more aptly stated deal with what the day gives you. Wind has messed up the morning trico hatch, but has helped with the mid-morning to afternoon hopper hatch. The trico hatch is the best thing going and is done by 10:00 A.M. A few trout can be enticed to take caddis after the trico hatch. The hopper hatch this year is very weak. I watched two hoppers get blown into the river and nothing ate them. I’m thinking that with so few hoppers landing on the water the trout don’t know to eat them. Fly fishers covering lots of water in the afternoons are getting a few trout to come to the surface and take a hopper patterns. Use parachute hoppers, foam hoppers, or Dave’s hopper in sizes 12 or 14.

Matthew Reed from Washington state releasing a brown trout that took a well-placed hopper pattern.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

There is a morning trico hatch that is over by 9:00 A.M. Mid-day, when day time temperatures are under 90, is a good time to throw hoppers. The key is to only make a couple of casts to each fish holding spot. If the trout do not come up to eat the hopper move on looking for a trout that wants the hopper. This section of the canal has both wild and stocked trout.

Middle of the day finds few anglers fishing even though this is a good time to present a hopper.

San Joaquin River:

The San Joaquin River is my favorite water to fish. Its abundance of trout and technical casting to every pocket holding trout water makes it a great spot for beginner to advanced fly fishers. The trout are taking dry flies. This is a spot to fish with your favorite dry fly as you will fish it with confidence. I like Adams parachutes, royal Wulff’s and elk hair caddis in sizes 14 to 16. This is a great water to fish the dry and dropper technique. I like to add three feet of 5X tippet to the bend of my dry fly with an improved cinch knot. I fish copper John’s, gold ribbed hare’s ears and pheasant tail nymphs under my dry fly.

Brook trout and golden trout are the two hardest fish to catch on the San Joaquin River to get a Sierra grand slam.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-13-2021

Shorter days of sunlight is helping to cool waters to allow fly fishers to fish popular waters in the Eastern Sierra. Carrying and using a thermometer is the best way to insure the mortality rate of catch and release trout is kept around 10 %. Fly fishers should avoid catch and releasing  trout in waters warmer than 70 degrees. Waters over 68 degrees cause an increase in stress on trout. Free stone streams above 9,000 feet have cool waters and wild brown, rainbow and brook trout for fly fishers to catch.

A great escape from the mid-day temperatures in the Owens Valley is to head up Bishop Canyon and fish one of the forks of Bishop Creek.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Best fly fishing opportunities continues to be early in the morning and late in the evening. Caddis activity in the evenings is offering the best dry fly opportunities for fly fishers. Fishing with elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and parachute caddis is producing wild rainbow and brown trout from 6:00 P.M to dark. Use elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and E/C caddis dead drifted or skittered. Nymphing in the morning from 8:00 A.M. to noon with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, Butano nymphs, stoner nymphs, and quildigons is fooling the feeding trout. When fishing under an indicator the flies should be one and half to two times the average water depth below the indicator.

Czech nymphing in the mornings tell noon is producing wild brown trout to 14 inches.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The early morning trico hatch continues to provide fly fishers with the best fly fishing of the day on Hot Creek. The hatch starts out with female trico on the water. Than the spinners show up. Followed up by the spinner fall. Start out fishing with a female trico parachute in a size 24. Than go to a size 24 trico parachute followed by a size 24 trico spinner. The hatch has been lasting until 10:00. Caddis have been sporadically hatching at the end of the trico hatch. Fish with a size 20 gray parachute caddis, X-caddis or gray spent partridge caddis.

A size 24 trico parachute is the perfect imitation for this trico mayfly that hatched in the interpretive site of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The steeper gradient in the canyon section of Hot Creek offers fly fishers quicker moving water than the interpretive site or Hot Creek Ranch. The trout in this section do not have the opportunity to give the flies as thorough a look as they do in the flatter water sections of Hot Creek. A dry or dry and a dropper is a great way to fish in this section. Parachute mayflies and elk hair caddis patterns are great flies to imitate the hatching trico may flies and gray caddis that are coming off in the mornings. A dry and a dropper is a great way to fish Hot Creek with the low flows that we are seeing this year. I fish a size 16 Adams parachute with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph under it.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Water temperatures on the upper Owens River are right at the top of the fishable level in the afternoons. I check the water temperatures often when I’m on the water after noon. There is a very small sized trico hatch in the morning starting around 9:00 A.M. A size 24 female trico parachute was bigger than the hatching insects, but the trout still took it. When the hatch ends, I put on a foam hopper and start covering water looking for trout that will take the hopper. It takes covering a lot of water to find trout that will take the hopper and get hooked. I get a lot more takes than I get hook ups. I love hopper season. It’s not as good as the last two years, but trout are starting to take the hoppers.

Cows munching away as wild brown and rainbow trout rise to the hatching trico mayfly in the morning.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Water continues to be full of debris and off color as LA DWP finishes up dredging Bishop Creek Canal. There is a trico hatch in the morning that is done by 9:00 A.M. The trout are ignoring the duns and feeding exclusively on the trico spinners. A size 22 trico spinner presented on a drag free drift will fool the trout into taking the fly. At the height of the hatch the trout feed rhythmically on the spent spinners and your fly needs to be presented to the trout in rhythm to the fishes feeding. 

The advantage of fishing a three fly Euro nymph rig in Bishop Creek Canal is that you get doubles like this wild brown trout and stocker rainbow trout.

San Joaquin River:

Water levels are getting low on the San Joaquin River. Water temperatures have not been a problem. This is a free stone stream that the trout feed opportunistically on whatever dry fly you offer the trout. My favorite dry flies for the San Joaquin River are a royal Wulff in a size 12 to 16, an elk hair caddis in size 16, and an Adams parachute in a size 14 or 16. I like to fish a dry and dropper rig in the San Joaquin River. I tie off a three foot tippet on the bend of the dry fly and put either a bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph or bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph on the end of the tippet.

Wading upstream casting to the pockets, pools and runs produces wild brown , brook, rainbow and hybrid golden trout.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-06-2021

Hot weather and warm afternoon water temperatures continue to haunt fly fishers on Eastern Sierra waters. A volunteer hoot owl by California Fish and Wildlife is still in effect for waters that are exceeding 70 degrees. East Walker river, upper Owens River, Crowley Lake, and lower Owens River are effected by warm mid-day water temperatures. Heading up in elevation to fish freestone streams like Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek, Pine Creek, Rock Creek, and Mammoth Creek is a great alternative for fly fishers to fish mid-day.

Freestone streams high up in the mountains offers cool water fly fishing for those fly fishers looking to avoid high water temperatures in other Eastern Sierra waters.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Mid-day temperatures in the upper 90’s to low 100’s are heating up waters in the Owens Valley. Fly fishers should be checking water temperatures and stop fly fishing when stream temperatures exceed 70 degrees. Mornings have been cool and offering good nymphing for the few fly fishers getting out on the water. Nymphing with a Euro nymphing set up or fishing nymphs under an indicator continues to produce fish. Fly fishers are have success with Butano nymphs, Stoner nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, and Prince nymphs. Working the deep holes and runs are producing wild brown and rainbow trout. Evening caddis activity offers fly fishers a great way to end the day.

Nymphing on the lower Owens River in the mornings is good until noon when air temperatures are just too hot to enjoy fly fishing.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The trico hatch is showing no signs of slowing down. It starts each morning after 8:00 A.M. and ends by 10:00 A.M. The female trico duns start first, then the spinners are on the water. If you’re in the right section when the spinner fall starts the action is tremendous. I start fishing with a size 24 female trico parachute. Then I switch to a trico dun parachute in a size 24. Then when the trout start keying into the spinner fall, I put on a size 24 trico spinner. There are a few pale morning duns still around mid-morning. A size 20 gray caddis has been hatching at the end of the trico hatch.

John Cookson of La Cresenta is hooked up on a wild rainbow that took a size 20 trico parachute.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The flat water like that in the upper canyon section right below Hot Creek Ranch is a good place to fly fish the morning trico hatch. Mid-morning pale morning duns and caddis hatches have the trout feeding on the surface tell about noon. Nymphing under a dry fly is a great way to catch wild trout. I run the tippet to the nymph at about 20 inches. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, gray caddis emergers, and drowned trico spinners. Pale morning dun parachutes, Adams parachutes, trico parachutes, trico spinners, elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and parachute caddis will fool the rising wild trout of Hot Creek.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The volunteer hoot howl is in effect for the upper Owens River. Fly fishers fishing early mornings and late evenings will find water temperatures conducive to catch and release fly fishing. Early morning hatches have been weak. Nymphing is the most productive method for fly fishing the upper Owens River. Nymphing under an indicator with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and midge nymphs is producing eight to 12 inch wild rainbow and brown trout. Nymphing with bigger nymphs like size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs, copper Copper John’s, and stoner nymphs is producing trophy trout. The hopper hatch has been fair at best.

The hopper hatch has been dismal this year with nymphing the best option for fly fishers fishing early or late in the day on the upper Owens River.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

The water in Bishop Creek Canal continues to be off color and full of debris as City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power continues to dredge the canal upstream of Bishop Creek. The fishing early or late in the day when air temperatures are cooler has been good for wild brown trout and hatchery rainbow trout. There is an early morning mayfly hatch that the trout are feeding on off of the surface. For nymphs use Butano nymphs, stoner nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. I’ve been fishing these flies three feet under an elk hair caddis or an Adams parachute. Euro nymphing is another great way to nymph the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal continues to offer good fly fishing despite the debris floating in the canal and the off color water.

San Joaquin River:

The San Joaquin River is my favorite freestone stream to fly fish. Fishing the pocket water requires accurate casts. The best fly to fish is your favorite dry fly. The fish feed opportunistically and will take a variety of dry flies. I’ve been fishing with royal Wulff’s, elk hair caddis and Adams Parachutes. I like to fish a gold ribbed hare’s ear, a copper John, or a yellow stone on three feet of tippet tied to the bend of the dry fly. The dry and dropper is my favorite fly fishing technique for fly fishing the San Joaquin River.

Accurate cast to each pocket of water formed by the boulders with your favorite dry fly will produce wild rainbow, brown, brook, and golden trout hybrids.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-30-2021

Fly fishers fishing in the afternoon should be monitoring the waters temperature and quit fishing when water temperatures reach or go above 70 degrees. California Department of Fish and Wildlife is requiring anglers to voluntarily quit fishing in catch and release waters in the afternoons, it’s called a hoot howl. Freestone streams in the Eastern Sierra like Bishop Creek, Rock Creek, Mammoth Creek, and Rush creek, are a good alternative to fly fish when other waters get to hot. These waters are a great place to fly fish with a dry and dropper rig like a size 14 Adams parachute and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear.

Josh Beck of Bishop throwing an E/C caddis into the pocket waters of south fork of Bishop Creek.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Lower Owens River flows have stabilized at 225 CFS. This is a perfect flow to be wading the river and fishing with nymphs in the morning. Euro nymphing from 7:00 A.M. to noon has been producing wild brown trout up to 16 inches. Gold ribbed hare’s ears, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, Butano nymphs, stoners, and olive quilldigons have been producing on the Euro rig. Nymphing under an indicator is producing wild browns with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, caddis nymphs, and copper John’s. This is a water to leave alone in the afternoons, but is offering good caddis activity in the evening. 

Euro nymphing on the lower Owens River in the mornings has been fun as few fly fishers are on the water this time of the year.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

An early morning hatch of trico mayflies continues to offer fly fishers great dry fly fishing from 8:00 A.M. to about 10:00 A.M. Female trico parachutes and trico spinners in sizes 22 and 24 have been fooling the wild brown and rainbow trout that are feasting on this morning hatch. There are a few pale morning duns, and blue wing olive mayflies hatching after the trico’s and some caddis hatching as well. There is not a lot of water to fish in this section and most fly fishers are fishing on the bottom end of the interpretive site right above Hot Creek Ranch. Nine foot leaders tapered to 5X with three feet of 6X tippet is the minimum I would use in this section. Dog days of summer require using 7x tipper to increase the number of takes a fly fisher gets.

It is that time of the year where the weed beds have grown up to the point that fly fishers have narrow four to six inch lanes to drift their flies through.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Hot Creek Canyon is just short of a mile of spring creek fly fishing. This section offers fly fishers the best chance of catching a wild rainbow or brown trout on a fly. Nymphing this time of the year is tough with all of the weed beds in the stream offering little open water to fish. Fishing with pale morning dun parachutes, Adams parachutes, trico parachutes, trico spinners, elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and parachute caddis on the surface will fool the fish when they are feeding on the hatching insects. Success is having the right size and pattern for the insect that is hatching when you are on Hot Creek.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

This is a morning or late evening fishery due to afternoon water temperatures equal to or over 70 degrees. Early mornings are good with nymphs and dries. Fishing bigger nymphs like size 12 green/gold wire prince nymphs, stoner nymphs and copper John’s are producing trophy trout from the deeper holes and runs. Fishing olive quilldigons, pheasant tail nymphs, and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears are fooling the pan sized trout. Trout are coming to the surface to take foam hoppers, parachute hoppers, and tan bodied Madam X in size 12 and 14. There has been caddis activity which is easy to imitate with size 16 or 18 elk hair caddis or X-caddis.

The Dexter fire rages in the background as a fly fisher works a run with a hopper imitation.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Department of Water and Power city  of L.A. have dredged the canal. They have removed sediment and weed beds. This has not slowed down the fly fishing despite the canal running very dirty with lots of debris in the water. Euro nymphing and dry and dropper nymphing have been producing wild brown trout and stocker rainbows to 14 inches. Stoners and olive quilldigons have been working for Euro nymphing. Adams parachutes with three feet of 5X tippet tied in at the bend of the hook with either a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s or size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph attached has been fooling the trout. This section has been fishing the best early in the morning. I like to be off the water by 10:00 A.M.

Debris from Bishop Creek Canal is stacked up next to the dirt road paralleling the canal.

San Joaquin River:

Access to the San Joaquin River is a mandatory bus ride leaving from Mammoth Mountain each day from 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. This is the best pocket water fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. Technically a west side stream. Dry flies placed behind each obstacle, forming the pocket, will produce wild rainbow, brown, brook, and golden trout hybrids. Add a nymph three feet under the dry fly and you will double your opportunity to catching wild trout. Use your favorite fly patterns here and they will produce. A good way to use the bus to you advantage is have them drop you off at one of the many campgrounds in the area and fly fish you way upstream until you’re ready to come out of the river. This way you do not have to walk back to your vehicle.

Fishing a dry and dropper is a productive method of fly fishing the San Joaquin River.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-23-2021

California Department of Fish and Wildlife has initiated a voluntary hoot howl. This is where anglers are asked to fish first thing in the morning and last think at night when water temperatures are good for catch and release fishing. Anglers need to be aware that water temperatures over 68 degrees presents a risk to trout in a catch and release fishery. From 68 degrees to 70 degrees fish should be landed quickly and released without taking them out of the water. Water temperatures over 70 degrees and fly fishers should stop fishing. Two waters in the Eastern Sierra that are suffering from high water temperatures middle of the day are Crowley Lake and the East Walker River. 

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Morning water temperature are conducive to fly fishing. The days are heating up and I like to be off the water by noon. Nymphing in the mornings has been the most productive. The river continues to flow at 225 CFS which is a perfect level for wading the river. Though some like to wet wade, I’ve been using waders because I’m in hip deep water for a couple of hours at a time. The willows and tulles have been providing shade for both fly fishers and fish. For nymphs I’ve been using bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, copper and red Copper John’s, Butano nymphs, and quildigons.

Bill Sidenfaden of Dana Point getting ready to lob a three fly Euro rig upstream on the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

While springs create a constant water temperature for Hot Creek, insect activity in the mornings is only lasting tell about 11:00 A.M. The insect activity picks up again in the evening when caddis become active. The morning trico mayfly hatch continues to offer fly fishers great morning fly fishing with duns and spinners. A good drift will produce lots of fish for fly fishers working the creek with trico spinners in size 24, trico spinner parachutes in size 22, and trico parachutes in size 22. Blue wing olive parachutes in size 22 and blue wing olive emergers in size 22 have been fooling the aggressively feeding trout.

With a pattern that matches the hatching trico’s or the dead trico spinners, anglers are hooking up on wild brown trout and rainbow trout in the interpretive site of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Mornings have been offering the best fly fishing of the day. Fishing with trico nymphs, duns, and spinners is producing wild brown and rainbow trout. I like to fish with a size 16 Adams parachute as my indicator. Before the hatch I use a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph 20 inches below the Adams parachute on 20 inches of 6X tippet. When the hatch is going strong, I switch to a size 22 trico parachute. The Adams Parachute helps me find the tiny fly floating on the surface. When I lose sight of the trico pattern I set the hook on any rise within 20 inches of Adams Parachute. Once the trout start taking the trico spinners I change my fly to a size 24 trico spinner pattern. Mid-day, 11:00 to noon or 1:00 P.M. I switch back to the bead head flash back pheasant tail or fish with a bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear. By noon the fishing is over and I head to Mammoth or Crowley Lake looking for lunch.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

By Mid-afternoon water temperatures are at a level that fly fishers need to practice good catch and release techniques, land fish quickly and do not remove trout form the water. Late afternoon temperatures are hot enough that fly fishers should consider quitting and coming back in the evening to fish if the water temperature drops below 68 degrees.

Morning temperatures have been good for fly fishing and nymphing has been productive for quality and trophy brown and rainbow trout. Working Euro nymph rigs and indicator nymph rigs in the deeper holes and slots is productive. Green/gold wire Prince nymphs, stoner nymphs, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, Butano nymphs, and olive quilldigons are fooling the Upper Owens River trout. Hopper activity has been weak so far this season. Fish are taking hoppers, but not with the ferocity that they have in the last two years.

Euro nymphing the deep slots and holes is producing wild rainbows and browns.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

The Bishop Creek Canal is a great spot to fish for a few hours in the morning before the outside temperature sail up to the high 90’s or low 100’s. Fishing with a Euro nymph rig or a dry and dropper is producing wild brown trout and stocker rainbows. A size 14 Adams parachute with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph is producing good numbers of trout for fly fishers that can get a good drift and set the hook when a fish takes the Adams parachute or when it gets pulled under the water from a trout taking the nymph. 

Casting a dry and dropper rig into Bishop Creek right above the outflow of Bishop Creek Canal first thing in the morning produced lots of wild brown trout and stocker rainbows.

San Joaquin River:

The San Joaquin River is my favorite spot to fly fish. The casting is technical, but the wild rainbow, brook, brown, and hybrid golden trout are abundant. This is pocket water fly fishing at it’s best. I like throwing Adams parachutes, Royal Wulff’s, and elk hair caddis in sizes 14 and 16. I quite often add a bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph or bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear in size 14 or 16. This is a quantity fishery for six to eight inch trout.

The San Joaquin River is prime pocket water fly fishing for wild trout.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-16-2021

Got through the heat wave at the beginning of the week with a few lightning caused fires in the Eastern Sierra. The 2000 acre Dexter Fire on the back side of Bald Mountain has been burning since Monday July 12.  The 15 acre Glacier Fire between Glacier Lodge and Baker Creek in the Big Pine drainage area has been burning since Wednesday July 14. Day time temperatures are still hot in the Owens Valley and Long Valley area and fly fishers should be fishing early and late in the day.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Euro Nymphing in the morning tell noon has been good with gold ribbed hare’s ear, stoner  nymphs, Butano nymphs and brown or olive perdigons. Water flows have been at 225 CFS all week and is a perfect level to wade and fly fish the river. Water temperatures have been in the upper 50’s. Evening fly fishing has been good with Euro nymphs.

Euro nymphing the riffle into the pool produced brown trout for Bill Sidenfaden of Dana Point.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Above normal temperatures has made fly fishers fish early and late in the day to find trout feeding on hatching mayflies and caddis. The weed beds are chocking the stream forcing fly fishers to fish the narrow slots between the weed beds or the few deep holes. Trico’s continue to offer good fly fishing in the mornings. Parachute trico’s and trico spinners in size 22 and 24 are producing trout on the surface. Evening caddis activity has been sporadic.

Key to success on the interpretative sight is to find areas not chocked with weeds where trout are actively feeding on trico’s in the morning.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Mornings have been offering the best fly fishing opportunities with hatches of trico’s and caddis buzzing around. Fishing a mayfly nymph under an Adams parachute has been productive. Caddis nymphs in cream and gray have been fooling the wild trout. The water levels are low and the weed beds are increasing forcing fly fishers to drift their flies in the narrow channels between the wed beds. It takes lots of casts to get a good drift. When you get the right drift you will be rewarded with trout.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Early mornings are offering fly fishers the best opportunities for fly fishing the upper Owens River. Morning hatches of may flies and caddis have been providing the trout with a consistent food source. Afternoon water temperatures are pushing the upper limits of safe catch and release fishing. Hoppers are starting to become active and fly fishers are fooling fish with parachute hoppers, Joe’s hoppers, and foam hoppers. Euro nymphing the river in the mornings has been producing trophy rainbows and brown trout.

A dry and dropper or a hopper and dropper is a great way to work the upper Owens River in the mornings before the water temperatures get too high.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Owen Valley temperatures have been as high as 106. This makes for a hot mid-day of fly fishing. Best fishing has been early or late in the day. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing. Fishing a dry and dropper, a hopper and dropper or Euro nymphing has been productive. Fish with foam hoppers, royal Wulff’s, and Adams parachutes on top. For the nymph fish with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Butano nymphs, stoner nymphs, and green/gold Prince nymphs.

The fast water sections of the canal is a great place to learn the techniques of Euro nymphing.

San Joaquin River:

There is a mandatory bus ride to access the San Joaquin River from Agnew Meadows to Reds Meadows. The river is low making wading through out the system easy. This is a prime spot to fish a dry and dropper. I like to fish a size 14 or 16 elk hair caddis, Adams parachute or Royal Wulff for the dry fly. For nymphs I use a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, or a size 14 copper or red copper John. There are wild rainbows, browns, brook trout, and hybrid golden trout from 8 to 10 inches that will take  well placed flies. This is pocket water fishing requiring the fly fisher to accurately place the flies behind the structure in the river. Mosquitoes are abundant.

Fly fishers need accurate casts to place the fly behind the structure in the San Joaquin River.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-09-2021

Summer has showed up with a vengeance as a heat wave envelopes the Eastern Sierra. This time of the year the best fishing is early in the morning and late in the evening. This is when the insect activity is at its peak. Best time to be on the water is 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M and 6:00 P.M to dark. Mayflies, caddis flies and midges continue to hatch and provide fly fishers with hatching insects to imitate.

Catch and release for trout is effected by high water temperatures. Sixty five degrees and below is good for catch and release trout fishing. From 65 to 68 is the danger zone for trout. They can handle being caught and released, but the fight needs to be short and quick. They need to be released quickly. No time for photos or poor handling. From 68 to 70 your pushing your luck with the catch and release. Over 70 and the mortality rate increases greatly. You should not be fishing

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

The flows on the lower Owens River are slowly heading to 150 CFS. As of today the flows are at 225 CFS. This is a perfect level to be wading and fly fishing the river. Day time temperatures are in the low 100’s and is expected to stay here for a while. Middle of the day fishing has been slow. Early and late is the time to be on the water. Nymphing in the morning is productive. Try fishing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and tiger midges. In the evenings caddis have been providing the action from when the sun goes behind the Sierra mountains tell dark.

Best times to be fishing the lower Owens River is early in the morning or late in the evening.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

A lack of mid-day insect activity has slowed fly fishing in the interpretive site. Best fishing is in the morning from 8:00 to 10:00 A.M. when the trico may flies are hatching. Or in the evening when the caddis are active and the trout are feeding on them. Size 22 to 24 trico parachutes, and trico spinners are fooling the wary trout in Hot Creek from the hatchery to Hot Creek Ranch.

The upper section of Hot Creek Canyon gets the most pressure of the three canyon sections.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Most fly fishers have been concentrating their efforts in the top section of Hot Creek Canyon from Hot Creek Ranch to the first up and over. This section has both fast and slow water sections. In the slow water sections below the ranch fish trio spinners and parachutes in the morning. Later in the morning fish a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph 20 to 24 inches under a size 16 or 18 Adams parachute in the fast water section where the parking lot trail meets the river. There is an abundance of 12 to 14 inch wild brown trout willing to take a properly presented fly.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The hoppers have not matured into flying adults yet. They should be out and about any day. Early morning nymphing is producing quality brown and cutthroat trout. These trout are taking stoner nymphs, green/gold wire Prince nymphs, perdigon nymphs, butano nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hares ears, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. Mid-day is seeing little insect activity. Evenings are good with the caddis activity.

Working the cut banks and riffles in the morning with nymphs is producing quality wild brown trout and cutthroat trout.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Mid-day temperatures in the low 100’s makes fishing Bishop Creek Canal during the day intolerable. An early morning Diptera hatch has the fish working the surface. This small fly is of a size smaller than the smallest commercially available hook. Try nymphing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, perdigons, Butano nymphs, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.

Fly fishers working Bishop Creek Canal from Wye Road to Bishop creek are catching pan sized wild brown trout and hatchery rainbow trout.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-02-2021

Summer rain showers have been blowing into the Eastern Sierra every afternoon this week. There has been lightning along with isolated rain showers.  The afternoon cloud cover is a nice brake from the heat. Good hatches of trico’s, pale morning duns, midge pupae and caddis are keeping the trout active for fly fishers plying Eastern Sierra waters.

For those heading to the Eastern Sierra for 4th of July weekend remember to police the areas you are utilizing and pick up all the trash left by you and others. If we all clean up, the mess will be gone.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

The lower Owens River flows are dropping from 300 CFS to 150 cfs. As of today the flows are at 250 CFS. These are perfect flows to be fly fishing and wading the lower Owens River. Day time temperatures in the 90’s makes for hot days on the water. Evenings in the Owens Valley cool off and is a great time to be fishing the evening caddis activity. For those willing to brave the heat of day try nymphing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and tiger midges. For evening caddis hatch try fishing with elk hair caddis or X-Caddis in olive.

Flow are decreasing to 150 CFS which is a great level to fish and wade the river.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The morning trico hatch is in full swing from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00. Trico parachutes in sizes 20 and 22 and trico spinners in size 22 and 24 have been fooling the wild rainbows and browns. Twelve foot leaders tapered to 6X and drag free drifts are required to fool the wary Hot Creek trout. By mid-morning the pale morning duns are hatching. The hatch has been sporadic but the trout are feeding on the emerging pale morning duns. Mid-day slows down as there is little insect activity to entice the trout to eat.

The interpretive sight right below Hot Creek Hatchery requires exact imitations of the hatching insects and a drag free drift.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The canyon section is a steeper gradient and is more forgiving than the interpretive sight. Nymphing with scuds, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, under a size 16 or 18 Adams parachute is a very productive method of fly fishing Hot Creek. Caddis have not been active during the day.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

It’s July and everyone is looking for the start of the hopper hatch. The hoppers have not matured into winged adults yet. They should be on the water in the next week or two. Early morning hatches of trico's have the trout feeding on the surface. Best method of fly fishing the upper Owens River has been to nymph. Euro nymphing with stoner nymphs (how to tie the pattern is on my YouTube page), Butano nymphs, flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs. Mid-day floating a size 16 elk hair caddis or a size 16 Adams parachute will produce browns and rainbows if you cover lots of water with drag free drifts.

Fly fishers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of adult grass hoppers which brings all the trout to the surface to feed.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

The afternoon cloud cover has made fly fishing Bishop Creek Canal in the afternoon tolerable. Stocker rainbows and wild brown trout have been feeding on nymphs and emergers. A dry and dropper is a good technique for producing trout in the canal. Fish with Adams parachutes, royal Wulff’s, stimulators or elk hair caddis for the dry fly. For the nymph fish with perdigons, copper Johns, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, rainbow warriors, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.

Fishing the edges and open water holes between the weed beds with nymphs produces wild brown trout and hatchery rainbows .

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-25-2021

Summer weather and light snow pack is making for extreme fire conditions in the Eastern Sierra. There are two fires in the Lone Pine area. The Creek fire has shut down the Whitney Portal area west of Lone Pine. Hatches of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddis flies have trout feeding on nymphs and adults. Hoppers will be showing up in July on Eastern Sierra meadow streams like the upper Owens River.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Day time temperatures have been hovering in the upper 90’s and low 100’s. Makes for a hot day on the water. Have lots of water to drink on these hot days. The lower Owens River is flowing around 300 CFS and there are few fly anglers fly fishing the river. The hearty few that are fly fishing the river with nymphs are being treated to actively feeding fish. Stoner nymphs in size 12, Butano nymphs in size 16, rainbow warriors in size 14, perdigon nymphs in size 16 and 18 have been producing trout.

Wet wading the lower Owens River on a 90 degree day produced a few fish on nymphs.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Hatches of trico mayflies, pale morning duns, and caddis flies have Hot Creek trout rising to the surface. This surface action is keeping the dry fly enthusiast busy in the morning from 8:00 A.M. to noon each day. Productive flies include size 16 pale morning duns, size 20 trico parachutes, and size 20 gray caddis patterns like Hemingway caddis, and parachute caddis. 

Fly fishers are finding good hatches of trico mayflies, pale morning duns, and gray caddis to imitate with their flies to fool the trout.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Weed beds are dominating the canyon section of the creek. Anglers that can get a drag free drift through the narrow channels between the weed beds will find trout willing to take dries and nymphs. Little yellow stone fly nymphs are getting active and should be hatching soon. Caddis and pale morning duns are providing the bulk of the surface activity in the canyon section. Fishing tapers off mid afternoon when the hatches are over. Activity picks up again in the evening when the caddis are on the water.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Afternoon winds are hampering fly fishers fishing the upper Owens River. Fly fishers getting on the water early have a few hours of windless fishing. Grass hopper nymphs continue to grow in size and are still hopping into the river offering the trout an easy meal. Fishing size 16 or 18 tan parachute hoppers are fooling the wild trout. Nymphing with stoner nymphs, green/gold wire Prince nymphs, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears is producing rainbows, browns and cutthroats to 16 inches.

There are precocial male cutthroats in the upper Owens River system that are taking nymphs.

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 during the day is a very productive way to fly fish Bishop Creek Canal. The wild brown trout and hatchery rainbow trout are taking bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, green/gold wire prince nymphs, Butano nymphs, and rainbow warriors. Fishing from when the sun goes behind the Sierra mountains tell dark skittering a size 16 elk hair caddis is a fun way to end a hot day in the Owens Valley.

Euro nymphing Bishop Creek Canal is a very productive method of fly fishing the canal.