Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 12-03-2021

Warm days with caddis and mayfly hatches makes this a great time to come to the Eastern Sierra fly fishing. Mid-day temperatures are in the mid 70’s making it hot. Mid-day hatches of blue wing olive mayflies and caddis are creating enough activity to keep the trout rising and feeding on nymphs. It’s December and I’m fishing in a T-shirt complaining it’s too hot out for this time of year. Most of the moving waters in Eastern Sierra are open to catch and release fishing with barbless lures or flies. These waters offer all kinds of fly fish opportunities with little to no fly fishing pressure. As always be sure to consult with California Fish and Wildlife regulations for the water you plan on fly fishing. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations.

Elise Minichiello from Ventura enjoying an unseasonably warm afternoon fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Low flows, warm days, an abundance of hatching mayflies and caddis makes the lower Owens River my top choice of Eastern Sierra waters to fly fish. A mid-day blue wing olive hatch has the wild brown trout on the bite. Before and during the hatch nymphing is producing good numbers of wild trout. If you’re in the right spot during the hatch the trout are coming to the surface to take the hatching mayflies. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, comparaduns and sparkle duns are good imitations of the hatching mayflies. Before, during, and after the hatch I’m nymphing with a Euro nymph rig or under an indicator with a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 thread Frenchie, and a size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph. The sporadic caddis hatch has been producing fish when I fish elk hair caddis and X-caddis in size 20.

Fly fishers wanting to fish dry flies during the blue wing olive mayfly hatch need to search out those pockets that have trout feeding on the surface.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

It’s winter hatch time for Hot Creek. Sporadic hatches of mayflies and caddis offer surface action for fly fishers that are on the creek on the right day. Most consistent fly fishing is nymphing with mayfly nymphs and midge nymphs. A size 20 bead head flashback pheasant tail nymph is my go to pattern for imitating mayfly nymphs in Hot Creek. There are a multitude of midge nymphs that produce in the creek. Tiger midges, zebra midges, soft hackle brassies, secret midges, and blood midges in sizes 18 to 22 all produce trout for me.

Hot Creek is in winter mode without its blanket of snow.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

With winter approaching the weed beds in Hot Creek Canyon are slowly disappearing. This is opening up channels and pools that can be nymph fished with a dry and dropper or an indicator. With the low levels in the creek I’m running the nymph about 18 to 24 inches below the fly or indicator. I like using a size 16 Adams parachute as my dry fly. The trout will occasionally take this fly even though the bulk of my takes come on the nymph. For nymphs I’m fishing olive quilldigons, thread Frenchies, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and midge nymphs. I bring along the size 18 and 20 blue wing olive dry flies and a few size 20 gray midges for those days when there is a hatch and the trout will be feeding on the surface.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The upper Owens River is completely accessible as there is no snow or mud from rain on the roads to inhibit fly fishers from accessing the Owens River from Benton Crossing to Longyears. Fly fishers looking for trophy trout, size 18 or bigger rainbows and browns, migrating up from Crowley Lake are finding it tough fly fishing. For the fly fisher dragging nymphs and streamers in the deep pools and runs and covering miles of river to find those few holes that have trophy trout inhabiting them, they are catching a few fish. Fishing bigger nymphs, size 10 or 12, dredged right on the bottom is what is producing trout. I’m fishing with stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, and Rainbow Warriors. For the few fly fishers wanting to  streamer fish the river, fish with standard streamers like wooly buggers, matukas, marabou muddlers, and hornbergs. There is a small group of fly fishers looking for that once in a life time trout that are throwing what I classify as supper streamers. Things like game changers, sex dungeons, baby gonga, dirty hippy, and the boogie man. These flies produce best right at the end of legal fishing time.

Fly fishers plying the waters of the upper Owens River need to cover lots of ground to find the few trophy trout that are in the river right now.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Crowley Lake and the upper Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Bridge are closed to fishing. They will open on the last Saturday in April, 2022.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer: 

With the new regulations in play the canal is open to catch and release fly fishing from November 16 to the Friday preceding the last Saturday in April. There has been very little fishing pressure on the canal. A mid-day blue wing olive hatch has the trout feeding on nymphs and dries. There are caddis on the water and the trout are reacting to them. Nymphing in the mornings is good with bead head pheasant tail nymphs and olive quilldigons. I’ve been concentrating my effort with dry flies through the peak of the hatch. Fishing with size 16 Adams parachutes, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 comparaduns, size 20 sparkle duns and size 20 olive X-caddis is producing wild brown trout to 10 inches. I’ve been fly fishing the canal from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

Chris Bowman and Bob Semerau fly fishing the Bishop Creek Canal which is still open with catch and release regulations.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 11-19-2021

The general fishing season ended on Monday November 15, 2021. I rarely close out the season on a water that is closing. I don’t want to be stuck with a bad memory until the season opens the end of April. This year found me fly fishing Crowley Lake. I decided to pull streamers all day. Shane and I started out at six bays. Nothing, nada for us and three other anglers working the bays with indicators. Took a quick lunch break at Crowley Lake Store. Had to have a piece of peperoni pizza and a Dr. Pepper. Fishing the south end of Whiskey Bay paid off. Shane hooked up with the indicator. I got three follow ups to the shore by trophy browns that attacked the balanced perch pattern right at my feet. Managed one nice brown. This was a great day to end the season on.

Sierra Bright Dot owner Fred Rowe with a trophy brown trout that took a balanced perch minnow imitation in Crowley Lake’s Whiskey Bay.

Starting on Tuesday most of the Eastern Sierra moving waters are going to catch and release barbless flies or lures. The resort lakes like Crowley Lake, South Lake, Sabrina Lake, the Mammoth Lakes, and June Lakes are closed tell the last Saturday in April. All other still waters that are not associated with a resort are open to year round fishing. In Bishop Canyon that would be Intake Two and North Lake. As always be sure to consult with California Fish and Wildlife regulations for the water you plan on fly fishing. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

As of Tuesday November 16, 2021 the wild trout section of the lower Owens River went to catch and release barbless lures or flies. Fly fishing on the river has been outstanding with easy access to the entire river and hatches of blue wing olive mayflies and micro caddis. Best fly fishing has been middle of the day with dry flies and nymphs. Blue wing olive nymphs like olive quilldigons and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 18 or 20 are producing lots of brown trout before and during the hatch. The fish are not feeding on the surface during the hatch in all locations. Dry fly enthusiasts need to search out those area where the trout are actively feeding on the surface. Late afternoon after the hatch the fly fishing slows way down. Casting a dry fly to rising trout is producing a few trout. Working nymphs under an indicator or on a Euro rig are producing a few wild brown trout after the hatch. 

Cheyne Skasick from Long Beach working a Euro rig in the late afternoon trying to add a few more trout to the days catch.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Dry fly activity is slowing down. Midges, blue wing olive mayflies, and gray caddis are offering sporadic hatches. Mid-morning to early afternoon is the best time to be throwing dry flies for the selectively feeding trout of Hot Creek. Midges and blue wing olives are offering the most consistent hatches. Drag free drifts, the correct imitation of the stage of the insect that is hatching, and 6X tippets are required to fool these selectively feeding trout.

A drag free drift with the right fly pattern is needed to fool the selectively feeding trout of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

The weed beds are breaking up and there is more available water for nymph fishers to drift their nymphs through. Fishing with tiger midges, zebra midges, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs is producing lots of wild trout for fly fishers fishing a dry and dropper or under an indicator. Mid-day a blue wing olive parachute or a Griffiths gnat are fooling the surface feeding trout.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout are in the river and have the attention of fly fishers. Trophy trout are in the Owens River system from Benton Crossing Bridge to Howard Arcularius Cabin on the River. The fish are spread out and successful fly fishers are covering lots of water to find concentrations of the trophy trout. The trophy trout that are actively spawning on redds should be left alone. The deep pools and runs are where fly fishers will find they have the best luck fly fishing with nymphs and streamers. I prefer to fish nymphs on a Euro rig for the trophy trout. I fish with stoner nymphs, green/gold wire Prince nymphs, Butano nymphs, rainbow warrior, and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. 

Alex Ceji  from Ventura hooked up with a trophy trout on the upper Owens River that was fooled with a nymph on a Euro rig.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Crowley Lake and the upper Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Bridge are closed to fishing. They will open on the last Saturday in April, 2022.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

On Tuesday November 16, 2021 Bishop Creek Canal went to catch and release with barbless flies and lures. A mid-day blue wing olive mayfly hatch is providing all the action for fly fishers fishing nymphs and dries. Before and during the hatch a size 18 olive quilldigon and a size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph fished under and indicator or a dry fly is producing lots of wild brown trout to 12 inches. At the peak of the hatch a size 20 blue wing olive parachute is fooling the brown trout feeding on the surface. The best time to be on the water is from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

John Cary with a wild brown trout from Bishop Creek Canal.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 11-12-2021

The Eastern Sierra weather is perfect right now with cold nights and warm days. Some waters are having lots of fly fishing pressure, while other waters are devoid of fly fishers. Blue wing olive mayflies are hatching and are offering lots of action for fly fishers. Brown trout and rainbow trout are starting to spawn in Eastern Sierra streams. I prefer to leave actively spawning trout on redds alone. All resort lakes including Crowley Lake, the Mammoth Lakes, the June Lake Loop Lakes, and Bridgeport Reservoir close to fishing starting November 16. Streams and rivers in the Eastern Sierra switch to winter regs on November 16. For most waters this is catch and release barbless lures or flies. As always be sure to consult with California Fish and Wildlife regulations for the water you plan on fly fishing. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations.

A warm day on the upper Owens River had no fly fishers close, but the river was crowded with fly fishers.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Low flows, great weather, an abundance of wild brown trout and a blue wing olive hatch is making fly fishing the lower Owens River great. A lack of fly fishing pressure over the summer and early fall mean most of the trout are willing to take a well drifted dry fly or nymph. I’m nymphing with a size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph five feet under an indicator with a size 1 split shot 12 inches above the fly. This rig is producing wild trout before and during the hatch. Once the hatch is over, I leave the river and head home. If you’re in the right stretch of the river during the hatch the trout are taking size 20 blue wing olive parachutes off the rivers surface fished on a nine foot 5X leader. Best fly fishing has been between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M.

Aaron Broughton from Corona casting an indicator rig with a size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph on the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning midge hatches are followed by mid-day blue wing olive mayfly hatches and gray caddis hatches. Cool mornings are delaying the hatches tell mid-morning starting around 10:00 A.M. The fish are keying into different hatches each day depending on which insect is in abundance. One day it will be the blue wing olives. A day or two latter it will be the caddis. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes are working during the mayfly hatch. For the caddis hatch I’ve been using size 20 parachute caddis in gray and size 20 X-Caddis in gray.

Michael Cooke of Bishop was fishing the caddis hatch when the deer crossed right below him.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Best fly fishing is from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. each day. Nymphing before the hatch with gray caddis emergers and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs is producing wild trout for fly fishers working their nymphs in the lanes between the weed beds and in the open pocket waters. When the hatch is in full swing, I switch to either a gray caddis or a blue wing olive parachute. Fishing slows by early afternoon and it’s worth quitting at that point.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Nice weather last weekend and trophy rainbow trout and brown trout in the river brought out the fly fishers on the upper Owens River. Fishing nymphs was the most productive method of fishing for the trophy trout. Working nymphs under an indicator or on a Euro rod was producing trophy trout for fly fishers working the deep holes and runs. A lot of fly fishers were nymphing with no success. To be successful fly fishers need to cover lots of water and get a good presentation to the trout. I’m working my Euro nymph rig right on the bottom of the pools and holes that the trophy trout are feeding and resting in. Most holes I’m sight fishing to the trophy trout. Stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, Pat’s rubber legs, hothead Frenchie’s, and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs are producing trophy trout.

Alex Ceji  from Ventura fooled this and four other trophy trout while Euro nymphing the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Crowley Lake and the upper Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Bridge will close to fishing at the end of Monday November 15, 2021. This weekend will be fly fishers last chance to fly fish this section of the upper Owens River. Trophy trout continue to migrate out of the lake into the upper Owens River heading up river to their spawning grounds. Fly fishers nymphing from the lake to the monument area are finding trophy trout willing to take stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, and hot head perdigons. Fly fishers pulling wooly buggers and slump busters are hooking up with the trophy trout.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

From 10:00 to 2:00 the blue wing olive hatch and warm weather, into the upper 70’s, is making the canal one of the best fly fishing spots in the Owens Valley. Lots of wild brown trout to 10 inches are taking nymphs and dries. I’ve been nymphing with a Euro rig, dry and dropper, and an indicator rig. Blue wing olive nymphs like olive quilldigons in size 18, and  bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 20 are fooling these wild brown trout. A size 20 blue wing olive parachute floated over the trout with a drag free drift will fool the browns that are feeding on the surface.

Any size 20 nymph or dry fly that will match the size 20 blue wing olive mayflies hatching on Bishop Creek Canal will produce wild brown trout to 10 inches.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 11-05-2021

Indian summer has taken hold of the Eastern Sierra. Cold nights and early mornings turn to warm days that requires no additional clothes to stay warm like that sweat shirt or jacket you’re wearing at night. Brown trout are in the rivers and streams spawning. There is no law against fishing for actively spawning trout. I prefer to leave the actively spawning trout alone on their spawning beds and fish for them in the deep holes or runs where they are resting and feeding. While San Juan worms and egg patterns produce trophy trout, I find that bigger nymphs like a stoner nymph, gold/green wire nymph, and a cooper John produce as much or more trophy trout than egg and worm patterns.

No jackets needed as fly fishers are still wearing long sleeve shirts to protect them from the sun’s harmful rays.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

The words out and lots of fly fishers are tossing flies on the catch and release section of the lower Owens River. Fly fishing will be good for another week or two until most of the wild trout have been caught and released at least once. Flows on the lower Owens River continue to drop and presently are at 85 CFS. At these flows most fly fishers have complete access to the river channel and hidden spots that are not available at higher flows. A blue wing olive mayfly is offering great fly fishing middle of the day as these insects hatch. Nymphing before and during the hatch with a good match for the emerging mayflies like a size 18 olive quilldigons and size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. If you’re on the right pool when the hatch comes off you can fish a size 20 blue wing olive parachute.

Noah Fortes from San Diego learning how to get a drag free drift while fishing a gold ribbed hare’s ear under an indicator.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Mid-day hatches of caddis and blue wing olive mayflies are offering good fly fishing opportunities for dry fly fishers. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 gray parachute caddis are the flies I’m fishing to fool these finicky trout. A drag free drift with 6X tippet is what is needed to fool these wary wild rainbow and brown trout. It can take a lot of casts to get that one perfect drag free drift that will reward the fly fisher with a finicky wild trout.

Lance Aguilar from Rancho Palos Verdes showing the results of a drag free drift with a size 20 blue wing olive parachute.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Freezing nights and less daylight is causing the weed beds to begin their annual break up. This makes fishing with nymphs in the low water of fall easier. Working gray caddis nymphs in size 20 and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 20 is fooling the wild trout before and during the hatch. Once the hatch is in full swing, I switch to dry flies using size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and gray size 20 partridge spent caddis or gray size 20 parachute caddis.

 Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout from Crowley Lake have made their way up from Crowley Lake and can now be found in the entire Owens River System. Trophy trout are stacked up in deep holes and runs. They have seen a lot of flies already and a good drift with the right fly is needed to fool these wary trophy trout. I like fishing with size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs. Copper Johns in red and copper both work well. There are a few resident trout taking bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in size 14 and 16.

Bruce Downs from Tehachapi with a typical trophy trout from the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

A school of trophy trout went through this area last week. There are still trophy trout heading up the river from the lake. These migrating fish are moving through this area on their way upstream to their spawning beds. Fly fishers covering water will find schools of migrating fish moving up river. Fishing with stoner nymphs, green/gold wire Prince nymphs is working for Euro nymphers. Fly fishers throwing black wooly buggers, black slump busters, and black zonkers through the deep holes and runs are fooling the trophy trout in the river.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

A mid-day blue wing olive mayfly hatch is providing action for fly fishers fishing the canal with a dry and dropper rig, a Euro nymph rig, and a dry fly. A size 20 blue wing olive parachute is the pattern of choice during the emergence. Before and after the hatch nymphing is producing lots of wild brown trout. The warm days of fall watching a dry fly get sucked in by a wild trout is what the canal is offering right now. Great time to be on the canal fly fishing.

Michael Pohl of La Quinta working a dry and a dropper rig in Bishop Creek Canal.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-29-2021

Fall colors are ephemeral and move down in altitude and are now in the Owens Valley. Every tree is colored in yellow with a few red leaves here and there. The first winter storm left snow on the peaks of the White Mountains and the Sierra. Makes a beautiful back drop for the waters bathed in the yellow from the trees. The trout fishing in the Owens Valley is going off. Now is the time to get up here and do a little fall fly fishing before winter settles in.

Bishop Creek Canal is lit up with the yellow of the trees boarding the canal and the trout are feeding on blue wing olive mayflies.

.Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flows are be down to 110 CFS and will be there for the winter. At these levels fly fishers have wading access to the entire river except for those holes that are deeper than the fly fisher is tall. A blue wing olive hatch is providing great action from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. The fish are concentrating on the nymphs prior to the hatch and during the hatch. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig with size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 20 hot spot pheasant tail nymph size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 Butano nymphs, and size 18 thread Frenchie’s is yielding wild brown trout and rainbow trout to 16 inches. In the right pools during the hatch enough trout are feeding on the hatching blue wing olives to make it worth throwing a size 20 blue wing olive parachute.

Mike Pohl from La Quinta hooked up during the mid-day blue wing olive hatch on the lower Owens River with flows at 110 CFS.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Low clear water and selectively feeding trout make the interpretive site a tough spot to fly fish. The morning trico mayfly hatch have the trout feeding, but it’s tough to get the trout to take an imitation. Size 24 female trico parachutes and size 24 trico spinners are fooling a few trout. About noon the blue wing olive hatch and the gray caddis hatch starts and the trout are feeding on the hatching insects until 2:00 P.M. Blue wing olive parachutes in size 20 and gray partridge spent caddis are fooling wild brown trout and rainbow trout up to 16 inches.

Justin Tierney from San Pedro getting a drag free drift with a size 20 gray spent partridge caddis to fool the selectively feeding trout.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Fly fishing in the morning with  baetis nymphs is producing wild trout for fly fishers willing to drift nymphs through the weeds. At noon the blue wing olive mayflies begin to hatch and the trout are taking the emergers. Fishing with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 pheasant tail paranymphs are fooling the wild brown trout. The gray caddis continues to be fed on by the trout in the early afternoon. Fishing with a gray spent partridge caddis, gray parachute caddis, and a gray X-caddis is fooling the trout.  

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

It’s the end of October and trophy trout are starting to show up in the river. I prefer to leave the spawning trout on redds alone and fish the migrating trout in the deep pools and holes where they are resting and feeding. Instead of throwing egg patterns and San Juan worms I throw stonefly imitations. My best two trophy trout flies for the upper Owens River are the stoner nymph and the green/gold wire prince nymph in size 12. These flies need to be drifted right on the substrate to get the trophy trout to take. The river has stabilized at 120 CFS and the resident trout are taking size 20 pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 gold ribbed hare’s ears.

Bailey Miller from Salt Lake City working nymphs in the deep holes and runs where the trophy trout rest and feed on their migration up river from Crowley Lake.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout are finally leaving Crowley Lake and migrating up river to their spawning grounds. As the fish move up river they are resting and feeding in the deep pools and runs. The fish in the river just above the lake are on a mission and it’s hit or miss finding them. Covering lots of water will allow fly fishers to find pods of fish moving through the river system. These fish are here today and gone up river tomorrow. Fishing with streamers and nymphs is the most productive. Size 12 stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs are the most productive nymphs to use. For streamers size 6 or 10 black slumpbusters, and black wooly buggers are fooling the trout. Fish the streamers right down on the substrate in the deep holes, cut banks, and deep runs. 

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Middle of the day a small blue wing olive mayfly hatch is causing the trout to feed heavily on nymphs and emergers. The dry and dropper method with a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph on three feet of 5X under a size 16 Adams parachute is fooling a bunch of wild brown trout from six inches to 10 inches. A nymph indicator with a pheasant tail or olive quilldigon five feet under the indicator is fooling the wild trout. The action slows down in the late afternoon even though there are the occasional trout feeding on the nymphs.

Jack Gallizio of Bishop hooked up with a wild brown trout that took a size 20 olive quilldigon under a size 16 Adams parachute.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-22-2021

Fall is quickly turning to winter as winter storms are heading to the Eastern Sierra this weekend. Fly fishers fishing freestone streams draining the Eastern Sierra have been treated to great fly fishing and great fall colors. The fall colors are now in the Owens Valley. With the cooler day time temperatures and lack of sunlight on the streams, hatches are now middle of the day to late afternoon. Mayflies and caddis flies are offering good surface action during the hatch, and good nymphing opportunities before and after the hatch. Mid-day has been gorgeous on Eastern Sierra waters this fall. 

Rock Creek above Big Meadows campground produced wild brown trout that took nymphs in a dry and dropper rig.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flows in the lower Owens River should be at 170 CFS by the weekend and at 100 CFS by the end of the month. The euro nymph rig with Butano nymph, stoner nymph, and burlap caddis have been fooling wild brown trout to 14 inches. There are some mid-day mayfly hatches that the trout have been ignoring. With the lower flows the trout should be feeding on the surface of the river. Sporadic caddis activity is providing some action for fly fishers fishing dries. 

A typical wild brown trout from the catch and release section of the lower Owens River that took a stoner nymph fished on a Euro rig.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The insects have been most active late morning to early afternoons. The trico hatch is on the water but the trout have been finicky on what fly patterns they will take. One day it’s the female trico parachute, the next day they will only take the trico spinners, and other days they just are not interested in the trico patterns being drifted over them. The blue wing olive mayflies and the gray caddis are offering much more consistency in fooling the trout with dry flies. I’m using size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, and size 20 gray partridge spent caddis from noon to 2:00 P.M. to fool wild rainbow trout and wild brown trout. The wind has been coming up in the afternoon and that’s the time I call it a day and head home.

Lance Aguilar from Rancho Palos Verdes learning to fly fish on the interpretive site of Hot Creek just above Hot Creek Ranch.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Best action has been from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Nymphs are hard to work around the weed beds, but have been productive. I’m using size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 20 gray caddis emergers like the gray La Fontaine emerging caddis. Once the trout are actively feeding on the hatching mayflies and caddis I switch over to dry flies. A size 20 blue wing olive parachute and a size 20 gray spent partridge caddis are fooling the rising browns. I’m fishing the smaller fly three feet behind a size 16 Adams parachute. This allows me to see where the little fly is on the water. When I can’t see the caddis or mayfly on the water, I set the hook on any rise close to the Adams.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Flows in the upper Owens River will be at 120 CFS for the winter. This amount of water makes for good resting areas in the deep pools and runs for the migrating trout heading up the river from Crowley to spawn. Nymphs and streamers are producing a few trophy trout for fly fishers willing to cover lots of water in search of the trophy trout that are in the system. Bouncing these flies on the bottom of the deep pools and runs is offering the flies to the fish where they are resting on their migration up the river. There have been mid-day hatches of caddis that the resident trout have been feeding on. I expect to see a significant increase in the migrants in the river every time I’m on the water. They just have not shown up yet.

Jim Sadd from Sierra Madre learning to Euro nymph one of the deep holes that the trophy trout like to rest in on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout are spread out throughout this section of the river. There are lots of weeds in the shallow riffle sections. I’ve been fishing Euro nymphs in the deep holes and runs allowing the flies to bounce along the substrate. I’ve been concentrating my effort in the area of the monument. A few trophy trout have been hooked from the lake to the monument. Stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, black slumpbusters, and black wooly buggers are fooling the few trophy trout in the area.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Fishing here has become a mid-morning affair with a dry and dropper. I’ve been successful with size 16 Adams parachutes, and size 16 elk hair caddis for the dry flies. I’ve been using size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail. Right around noon there has been a good blue wing olive hatch on the water. I’m using a size 20 blue wing olive parachute.

Bob Semerau of Oxnard practicing his Euro nymphing techniques on the canal just below the outflow from Bishop Creek.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-15-2021

A winter storm hit the Sierra first part of the week leaving the peaks of the Eastern Sierra frosted with snow. The canyons of the Sierra mountains up high at roads end are full of photographer’s shooting fall colors. Some of the photographers have been lucky enough to have a fly fisher or two in their photos of the stream surround by trees of yellow and green. Minimal hatches and low water are affecting a number of Sierra Streams. Over all fishing is tough right now. Good fly fishing waters are the exception not the rule. Fall is definitively here in the Eastern Sierra.

South fork of Bishop Creek has perfect fall colors as a backdrop to fly fishing with nymphs and dry flies for the wild brook trout and brown trout.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flows are dropping and should be at 100 CFS by the end of the month. Right now the flows are at 225 CFS. These are wade able flows, but caution needs to be taken. There are hatches of blue wing olives and caddis happening mid-day. I’ve been observing ovipositing October caddis on the water from mid-afternoon to evening. I’ve not observed fish taking them, but I’m thinking I need to fish some size 12 orange bodied stimulators in the late afternoon. Euro nymphing with stoner nymphs, Frenchies and olive quilldigons are fooling the wild brown trout. Most of the action has been in the deeper slower pools.

Flows are at 225 CFS which is wade able, but are expected to be down to 100 CFS by the end of October.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The mornings are cold and the insects are not active tell 9:00 or 10:00 A.M. It starts with tricos, then the gray caddis show up followed by the blue wing olive hatch which is over by 1:00 or 2:00 P.M. I’m fishing size 20 to 22 on 6X tippet of female trico parachutes, trico parachutes, trico spinners, gray partridge spent caddis, gray elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and blue wing olive parachutes. A good presentation with the insect that is hatching will produce fish for fly fishers. Observing which insect is hatching and which stage the trout are feeding on is crucial to success.

Hot Creek Canyon is providing trout for fly fishers that can drift their flies between the narrow slots of open water between the weed beds.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Morning are offering good action with nymphs and dry flies that imitate blue wing olive mayflies and gray caddis. The action starts around 10:00 A.M. and is over by 2:00 P.M. Blue wing olive parachutes in size 20 or 22 are matching the hatching mayflies. Partridge spent caddis in gray, X-caddis in gray, and gray parachute caddis are matching the hatching caddis flies. Fly fishers fishing nymphs have to put up with hanging up on the weeds in the creek. For anglers willing to ply the waters with size 18 or 20 bead head pheasant tail nymphs and size 20 gray La Fontaine emerging caddis the trout are readily taking the nymphs if presented on 5X tippet. This is a perfect place to be fishing with a dry and dropper.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Fly fishing for trophy trout has been tough as there are few trout in the river and lots of anglers have been fishing nymphs and streamers over the trout in hopes of fooling one of these trophy trout. Successful anglers have been covering a mile or two of river looking for trophy trout and fly fishing deep holes and runs. Successful anglers are catching one to two trophy trout per outing. Euro nymphing with stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, egg patterns, San Juan Worms in red, and gold ribbed hares ears with lots of weight in the flies to get them down on the bottom are fooling the few trophy trout that are in the river right now. I keep expecting a big run of fish to show up any day now. I’m fishing the river once or twice a week expecting it to break loose each time I drive up the hill to fish the upper Owens River.

Covering a mile or two of river working streamers and nymphs through the deep holes and runs is how successful fly fishers are fooling one or two trophy trout a day.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

The fish are still stagging at the mouth of the river in preparation for migrating up river to their spawning grounds. Fish that have entered the river are resting in deep holes or slots after travelling up river. The area of the monument is a great area to find trophy trout. Working black streamers like wooly buggers, zonkers, and slump busters on the bottom of the deep pools and streams is enticing a few trout to hit. There just are not many trophy trout entering the Owens River yet this season.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Fishing here has become a mid-morning affair. Size 20 blue wing olive mayflies are hatching and the wild and stocked trout are feeding on the nymphs and the adults. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes are a good imitation of the hatching blue wing olive mayflies. For the nymph fish a size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph. I’m fishing the nymph three feet under an Adams Parachute on 5X fluorocarbon tippet.

The blue wing olive mayflies have been providing action for fly fishers middle of the day.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-08-2021

The first storm of the winter season, even though it’s Fall, is headed to the Eastern Sierra this weekend. We need all the precipitation we can get. Eastern Sierra streams and lakes are at their lowest levels of the year. Hatches are moving to more of a mid-day time frame. You do not need to be in a hurry to get on the water.

Fall in the west is now fire season. Smoke is a problem on any given day. When the winds blow right, or is that wrong, the Eastern Sierra fills with smoke. If you’re lucky you will be here on a day that the skies are blue and we are reminded that there are mountains in the horizon. The Aberdeen Fire south of Big Pine is being mopped up and should not present any problems. Cold nights are turning the leaves yellow. Now is the time to enjoy the turning leaves of Fall while you enjoy fly fishing on one of the Eastern Sierra waters.

Smokey days do not affect the fly fishing, but it does take away the views we are all use to seeing when fly fishing our favorite Eastern Sierra water like the upper Owens River.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Water flows are at 400 CFS as DWP sends water to Los Angeles. Once water holding reservoirs south of the Owens Valley are filled back up the river should go to winter flows of between 100 CFS and 200 CFS. For now, the flows are too high to fly fish. You can put lots of lead on your leader to get your flies down and catch and a few fish. Working the banks with heavy nymph outfits produce fish, but for the loss of tackle is not worth the return for me. I will fish the river again when the flows go below 300 CFS and I can wade the river.

I’m waiting for the opportunity to wade the lower Owens River when flows get below 300 CFS.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches of mayflies, and caddis are offering fly fishers good dry fly action each day. The morning starts off with trico mayflies hatching around 10:00 A.M. Then gray caddis show up and the morning hatch finishes in the early afternoon with blue wing olive mayflies hatching. The trico hatch is present, but the fish are not feeding on it aggressively. Size 22 female parachute tricos, size 22 trico parachutes, and size 22 trico spinners are fooling the wary trout. Size 20 gray caddis patterns like X-caddis, elk hair caddis, EC caddis, and partridge spent caddis are producing trout mid-morning. Late morning into early afternoon is when the blue wing olive may flies begin to hatch. The trout are keying in on this hatch until it ends in the early afternoon.

Upland, California fly fisher Irv Voorheis used sized 20 gray spent partridge caddis to fool wild trout.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Cool weather has thinned out the fly fishers in the canyon. It is still crowded, but not elbow to elbow anglers like in the middle of summer. Gray caddis and blue wing olive mayflies are providing morning hatches that fly fishers can imitate. A dry and dropper in the morning before the hatch gets going is producing wild trout. The trico hatch is not very abundant in the faster water sections of Hot Creek Canyon. Dark winged caddis in size 20 are hard to see on the water. I’m using a dry and dry to make the flies more visible. I use a size 16 parachute Adams with a size 20 gray partridge spent caddis tied onto a three feet tippet of 6X. If I lose sight of the caddis, I can see the Adams and use it like an indicator. I also set to any rising trout that is within three of the Adams. Trout are taking gray size 20 X-caddis, elk hair caddis, EC caddis, and partridge spent caddis

 Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

While most streams and lakes in the Eastern Sierra are at their lowest levels of the year, the upper Owens River flows were increased to 120 CFS this week. I find the river fishes best at 100 CFS. This influx of water should get the trophy trout of Crowley Lake to start migration up the river. Fishing with nymphs and streamers in the deep holes and runs is producing trophy trout for anglers willing to cover water looking for pods of trophy trout. Fly patterns need to be fished right on the bottom and this requires lots of weight in the flies or on the leader. Size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs are productive trophy trout producers. Leeches, matukas, wooly buggers, and muddler minnows are producing trophy trout for fly fishers pulling streamers.

At 120 CFS the low spots on the bank of the upper Owens River are flooded and waders are needed to stay dry.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

The increase in flows have new trophy trout from Crowley Lake entering the river system. The fish are resting in the deep holes as they migrate up river. Fishing nymphs on the bottom with a Euro nymph rig is fooling these trout. Fish with gold ribbed hares ears, brown quilldigons, Butano nymphs, Frenchies, gold/green Prince nymphs, and stoner nymphs. I’m seeing more fish up river in the monument area than in the Mouth of Crowley area.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

The tiny black mayfly know as a  trico is hatching late morning starting around 9:00 A.M. and ending by 10:00 A.M. I’m fishing with a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph on three feet of 5X tippet. I’m not sure which is more fun, having the trout attack the Adams on the surface or watching the slight movement in the Adams and setting on a wild brown trout that has taken the nymph. This is my go to spot when I only have an hour or two to fly fish.

The flats have been producing trout that are feeding on hatching mayflies mid-morning.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-01-2021

Fall has arrived in the Eastern Sierra with the leaves turning yellow, overnight temperatures freezing, and brown trout spawning. This is my favorite time of the year to be fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. Fly fishing pressure is low and the fish are feeding. This is a great time of the year to be on the rivers and streams working nymphs and streamers for trophy trout.

With the new fishing regulations that went into effect on March 1, 2021 there are waters in the Eastern Sierra that are now closing. All of the tributaries to Crowley Lake close to fishing on October 1, 2021 except the upper Owens River. Rush Creek between Silver Lake and Grant Lake closes October 1, 2021. Robinson Creek above and between Twin Lakes will close October 1, 2021. Be sure to check the regulations for exact closures of Eastern Sierra waters.

McGee Creek closed to fishing on Thursday September 30, 2021.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Water flows continue to be at 375 CFS as DWP sends water to Los Angeles. This is unsafe levels to be wading in the lower Owens River. Anglers willing to find spots to fly fish off the banks are finding fish willing to take streamers and nymphs. At these flows the trout do not feed on the surface for hatching insects vary often. It requires more effort to feed on insects on the surface than the trout are gaining from eating the insects.

Mark Rosen of Bishop works the banks of the lower Owens River as flows of 375 are too high to safely wade.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The Eveready bunny of mayflies, the trico, continues to offer fly fishers good surface activity in the morning. The trout are feeding on the female trico, spinner, and the spinner fall. Savvy fly fishers will be able to determine which form the trout are feeding on. I used the stomach pump to determine that the trout were feeding on the female trico. A switch from a trico spinner to a parachute trico female produced fish when the trico spinner did not produce trout. Blue wing olive mayflies, and caddis continue to provide surface activity after the trico hatch. Six X tippet is necessary to land trout but is fragile and will break if you over set the hook when the trout take your dry fly pattern.

Hatching trico may flies, caddis, and blue wing olive mayflies are providing steady dry fly action for fly fishers fishing Hot Creek in the morning tell noon.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Freezing nights will help thin out the weed beds, but for now fly fishers need to cast their flies in the tiny four to six inch channels between the weed beds. It’s hard to get a good drift with a nymph, but when you do the trout will take it. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears nymphs in sizes 16 to 20 fished two feet under a dry fly like an Adams parachute is producing trout. Caddis are hatching in the morning and the trout are coming to the surface to feed on the freshly hatched caddis. Gray bodied partridge spent caddis, parachute caddis and X-caddis in size 20 match the hatching caddis. Blue wing olive mayflies are hatching mid-morning and are providing the last of the surface activity for the morning hatch. I’m using size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and floating them in the holes and channels between the weed beds.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

A fall storm cleared out the smoke from the fires in California and made for a great day on the upper Owens River. Trophy trout migrating up the river from Crowley Lake are just starting to move into the river. They are spread out and fly fishers need to hunt for the small pods of trophy trout that are in the river. The trophy trout can be found in the deep pools and runs. Successful angles are covering miles of river to find fish willing to take nymphs or streamers. Stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs in size 12 are my go to nymph patterns for trophy trout. Wooly buggers, marabou muddler minnows, and Hornbergs fished on the bottom of the deep holes and runs will fool the trophy trout. Pan sized trout are taking mayflies and caddis mid-morning. Fish with Adams parachutes and elk hair caddis.

Fall is the time to fly fish the upper Owens River for migrating browns and rainbows from Crowley Lake.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Under the new fishing regulations that went into effect March 1, 2021 the Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Crossing Bridge is open to trout fishing through November 15. It’s an 18 inch or bigger two fish limit with lures or flies. The exposed lake bottom section of the river is not producing trophy trout at this time. The run is just starting. I’ve observed trophy trout in the monument area of the lower section of the upper Owens River. Fishing with nymphs and streamers will produce trout if you can find them. Look for the trophy trout to be resting in the deeper holes and runs as they migrate up the river towards the spawning beds.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Fly fishers can now fly fish the canal all day as mid-day temperatures are mild now. The trico hatch is wanning but there are still a few hatching and the trout are keying in on the trico spinners. I’m using a size 24 hackle tip spinner to fool the wild brown trout and hatchery rainbow trout. Don’t overlook the short section of Bishop Creek that forms the headwater of the canal. This section does not get much fly fishing pressure. Mid-morning a size 16 Adams parachute with a size 16 gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph for the dropper on three feet of 5X tippet is fooling the wild and hatchery trout .

Wayne Berlie of Bishop casting a dry and dropper rig in Bishop Creek Canal right below where it leaves Bishop Creek.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-24-2021

Fall weather is finally here as daytime temperatures are only reaching up into the high 80’s middle of the day in the Owens Valley. Early mornings and late afternoons is time for an extra layer or two of clothing. Mid-day is still perfect shorts and T-shirt weather. The fish are preparing for spawning season and the upcoming winter. This is my favorite time of the year to be out fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. The fish know to bulk up before winter gets here. This is a perfect time to be fishing the lakes and in particular the tributaries to the lakes that the trout use to spawn in.

McGee Creek is one of the Crowley Lake tributaries that will be closed to fishing starting October 1st.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

LADWP is sending water south at a rate of 375 CFS in the lower Owens River. This is a rate of flow too high for me to allow clients to wade the river. Under 300 CFS is wadable flows for clients. For the few hardy anglers fly fishing from the banks, nymphing is producing wild brown trout up to 16 inches. Euro nymphing is the most productive method on the lower Owens River right now. Fluorocarbon leaders and the right fly weight will get your offering down to the fish. Size 12 to 16 stoner nymphs, olive burlap caddis, gold ribbed hare’s ears, Butano nymphs, quilldigons, olive micro mayflies, and perdigons with 3.0 to 4.0 mm tungsten beads fooling the trout.

Flows of 375 are too high to safely wade the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches of trico may flies, caddis and blue wing olive may flies are providing surface action for fly fishers. The trico hatch comes off first sometime before 9:00 A.M. Followed by the caddis hatch and ends late morning with the blue wing olive hatch. I’m fishing size 24 trico spinners, size 20 gray partridge spent caddis, and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes. The fish are very selective in this section and productive fly fishing is over by 11:00 A.M. Fly selection is only half the formula on this section. Proper presentation with light tippets, 6X or 7X, on 12 foot leaders is needed to fool the wary brown and rainbow trout of the interpretive site of Hot Creek.

Glenn Mayer of Foothill Hill Ranch works a dry and dry, size 16 Adams Parachute and size 20 blue wing olive parachute, in the canyon section of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The trico mayfly hatch is hard to fish in the faster water sections of Hot Creek Canyon. The slower sections right below Hot Creek Ranch offer good fishing in the mornings. Caddis and blue wing olive mayflies offer consistent fly fishing action all morning. Size 20 gray, partridge spent caddis, parachute caddis and X-caddis are fooling trout. By 10:00 A.M. the blue wing olive mayfly hatch is in full swing and floating a size 20 blue wing olive parachute on a drag free drift will produce lots of wild trout. I use a dry and dry method in the canyon when I’m using small dry flies size 20 to 24 that are hard to see on the creek’s surface.  I use a size 16 Adams parachute as my indicator fly and attach the tiny dry fly on three feet of 6X tippet attached to the bend of the Adams. This allows me to find my smaller fly on the creeks surface. When I lose sight of  the small dry fly, I set the hook on any rise within three feet of my indicator fly.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout are starting to migrate into the upper Owens River. Nymphing and pulling streamers through the deep pools and runs is producing a few trophy trout. Successful fly fishers are covering lots of ground to find the pockets of trophy trout that are in the river right now. I’m using stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs on jig hooks on my Euro nymph rig to fool the trophy trout. The run will continue through March when the rainbows will finish their spawning in the upper Owens River.

Walking the bank of the upper Owens River looking for pods of trophy trout is how successful fly fishers are catching trophy trout.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Weather is changing and early morning is cold on the canal. By 9:00 A.M. it’s hot again. The trico hatch is starting to fade away. There is still a short time window where the trout are keying in on the trico spinner fall. Mid-morning the fish are feeding on a size 16 Adams parachute and are taking a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear three feet under the Adams on 5X tippet. Mid-day is hot and a good time to head up in elevation looking for a cooler place to fish. For determined fly fishers throwing a hopper in the middle of the afternoon will produce a few trout.

A blue sky morning on Bishop Creek Canal using a size 16 Adams parachute for the dry and a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear.