Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-26-2022

A heat wave is moving through the Eastern Sierra this week with temperatures in the 100’s this week in the Owens Valley. Mornings are fine, but by mid-morning it’s  time to head up the hill and find an altitude with a temperature that is comfortable for people and trout. Trico mayflies is the hatch that is getting the trout to feed on the surface. Hopper hatch has been minimal at most high altitude streams in the Eastern Sierra. Fall is right around the corner and so is trophy trout season. 

David Hernandez from Imperial Valley is hooked up to a stocked rainbow trout that fell for a size 14 olive wooly bugger.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

This is a great creek to fly fish in the afternoons when other waters at lower elevations get too hot to safely practice catch and release. Dry flies or dry and a dropper will fool the opportunistically feeding trout. Fly fish with your favorite dry fly. The trout in the slow still water sections are super spooky and hard to catch if you don’t have a stealthy approach and a well placed cast. Even when I think I do everything right the trout still spook. The pocket water and riffles in the steeper sections are much more for giving as the trout are not as spooky.  

A wild rainbow trout took a size 16 bed head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph fished three feet under a size 16 Adams parachute.

Bishop Creek

Middle Fork:

I’ve been exploring this section of Bishop Creek between Intake Two and Lake Sabrina. Lots of good pocket water and pools that hold wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. I’m using my standard dry dropper rig of a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph. This rig produces lots of trout in this section of the creek.

Bush whacking and wadding in Bishop Creek is how you have to fish this creek for the wild brown trout and brook trout that are found in the pools and pocket waters.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

With the heat wave we’re having fly fishers need to be on the water early and off the water by late morning before the water temperatures get into the danger zone of  above 70 degrees. There is a short lived morning bite when the trico mayflies are hatching. The trico mayflies go from emerger to dun to spinner in a very short amount of time. Usually within a couple of hours. It’s the spinner fall that the trout key in on. A trico spinner pattern in a size 22 will fool the wild brown trout that are feeding on the dead trico spinners. Late evening there is caddis activity that has the trout actively feeding again.

Wading early in the morning when the trico mayfly hatch is on is producing wild trout for fly fishers wading the river.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Fly fishing here has been consistent with a trico mayfly hatch in the morning. It’s followed by a blue wing olive hatch that is followed by a gray caddis hatch. By 1:00 P.M. most days the activity is over until the late evening caddis hatch starts up. Fly fishing here is usually really good or terrible depending on your skill set. If you can match the stage of the insect that is hatching, the trout are feeding on, and present the fly pattern on a drag free drift you will have success. If you can’t do both of these, the fly fisher will be extremely frustrated. 

Unlike spring on Hot Creek the weed beds are now fully mature and making fly fishing tough in the canyon.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Mature weed beds makes this the toughest time to be fly fishing in the canyon section. To be successful fly fishers need their flies to float or drift in the tiny channels between the weed beds. Easiest way to fish this is with dry flies. Trico mayflies, bluewing olive mayflies, and gray caddis are hatching. Fishing dry flies in these channels will produce wild trout if you can get a drag free drift. Getting a drag free drift is easier said than done.

Cheyne Skasick with a rainbow trout caught on a Euro nymph rig while fly fishing a morning on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

With the warmer weather fly fishers need to be diligent about monitoring the water temperature. Seventy degrees is the break point for safe catch and release fly fishing. Be sure to quit fishing when the water temperatures exceeds 70 degrees. A morning trico mayfly hatch has the trout actively feeding on the surface for a couple of hours. Following the trico hatch is a caddis hatch. Once these two hatches are done the fly fishing comes to a standstill. With no significant number of hoppers around to bring the trout to the surface after noon flyfishing is nonexistent. There has been an evening mayfly hatch and caddis activity starting around 6:00 P.M. Mosquitoes have been a problem early and late in the day on the Owens River.

The trico mayfly hatch was all but over by 9:00 A.M. on Bishop Creek Canal. 

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

With 100 degree days in the Owens Valley I’m off the canal by mid-morning as the water temperatures are too high to safely practice catch and release. Be sure to monitor the water temperature and quit catch and release fishing when the temperatures exceed 70 degrees. The trico hatch is starting early in the morning and has been over by 9:00 A.M. This is a great hatch to fish in the morning and then head up the hill to find one of my favorite freestone creeks to fish for opportunistically feeding wild trout. I’m using size 24 trico spinners on 6X tippet. To fool these trout fly fishers need to time there drift so it’s in tune to the rhythm of the feeding trout. The trout will ignore your imitation if you do not present it on a drag free drift.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-19-2022

Fly fishers, particularly at higher elevations, need to be on the water earlier in the day as afternoon thunderstorms are building up and raining on the Eastern Sierra from noon to evening. This added water is needed in these drought years. The rains wash terrestrial insects and drowns adult aquatic insects putting added food into the streams and lakes. I find the fishing to be better when we have these conditions. While most fly fishers head home, I don my rain jacket and head out to spend time on the water fly fishing. In the Owens Valley anglers should be aware of the waters temperatures as some trout waters are exceeding 70 degrees. 

Fly fishers need to be on the water in the morning to avoid afternoon rain storms.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

Fly fishing the slow flat sections of the creek requires stealth in the approach and with the cast. I’m spooking more fish than I’m getting to cast to. The sections with some gradient, turbulent white water, are producing more fish as the trout in these sections do not spook as easy. Wild brown trout continue to take Adams parachutes and bead head gold ribbed hare’s ears nymphs. 

Trout in the low clear sections of Rock Creek are very skittish and spook easily.

Bishop Creek

Middle Fork:

If you’re not prepared to be fly fishing in the rain, be sure to fish in Bishop Creek Canyon in the mornings. Wet wading up stream casting a dry and dropper rig continues to produce wild brown trout, brook trout, and stocker rainbows. I’m fishing with a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 16 gold ribbed hare’s ear. The key to success in fishing these freestone streams is the ability to accurately cast your files to the pockets that are holding trout. Look for the trout in pools and the pockets around rocks in the stream bed. 

Roll casts and dabbling are required on creeks with heavy vegetation to present the fly to the pocket holding water above and below the rocks in the creek.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Afternoon buildup of clouds is helping to cool off the lower Owens River. Starting around 11:00 A.M. fly fishers should be checking water temperatures every hour. Once it get to 70 degrees it’s time to head up the hill and fly fish a water in the mountains that’s in the 65 degree range or less. Fishing in the morning with nymphs is producing fish as the water level has come down to 150 CFS which opens up more water to wading fly fishers. I’m Euro nymphing this water with a gold ribbed hare’s ear, stoner nymph, and a Butano nymph.

Flows have dropped from 250 CFS to a very wadable 150 CFS.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The trico hatch continues to offer lots of dry fly action in the mornings. I start fishing the hatch with a trico parachute pattern. Once the tricos begin to oviposit, lay their eggs, I switch to a trico spinner pattern. The trico hatch ends mid-morning and is followed by blue wing olives and caddis. These hatches have been sporadic and due not occur every day. When you see rises of trout where the trout are coming out of the water, this is trout feeding on caddis emergers. I’m using size 22 and 24 trico parachutes, female trico parachutes, trico spinners, size 20 gray partridge spent caddis, and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes.  

Weed beds have made fishing the canyon section of Hot Creek tough for all but expert fly fishers.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

This is the hardest time of the year to be fly fishing in the canyon. The weed beds make it tough to present the flies to the trout. The trout are there feeding on nymphs and dries. Getting a drag free drift will produce trout, but getting a drag free drift is darn near impossible. The key to success is to drift your flies in the narrow lanes between the weed beds or to fish in the few open holes on the creek. Fishing with size 20 blue wing olives and size 20 gray caddis patterns are producing a few fish for fly fishers who can cast accurately and get a drag free drift.

Euro nymphing during the morning trico hatch produces rainbows and brown trout on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

I’m checking water temperatures starting mid-morning and they have been staying in the safe zone of under 65 degrees. Morning hatches of trico have the trout coming to the surface to feed on trico spinners. I’m fishing a dry and dry rig here so that I can see the small trico spinner as it floats on the creeks surface. I’m using a size 16 Adams parachute as my indicator fly. It allows me to know when a trout has taken my imitation when I can’t see the fly on the water. I also set the hook when I see any trout rises within three feet of my indicator fly. By noon the action is over on the river. There are a few trophy trout in the system taking nymphs off the substrate in the deeper holes, runs, and cutbanks. I’m Euro nymphing for the trophy trout with stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs in size 12.

Bishop Creek Canal is a great place for beginners to learn how to cast without worrying about getting tangled in stream side vegetation.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

This is another Owens Valley trout water that I’m monitoring water temperatures starting late in the morning. Once water temperatures get to or above 70 degrees, I quit practicing catch and release. Usually by noon I’m heading up the hill to go fish one of the freestone creeks that drain the eastern side of the Sierra. I’m Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing with gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, and pheasant tail nymphs. 

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-12-2022

Afternoon thunderstorms continue to keep things cool, particularly in the higher elevation waters. A voluntary hoot howl is in effect to protect trout when water temperatures are over 70 degrees as trout mortality greatly increases beyond that point. Crowley Lake cooled off enough that a few guides that quit fishing to protect the fish are back to guiding on the lake as surface water temperatures are below 70 degrees. Freestone creeks are fishing well with dry flies. Trico mayflies and caddis hatches are providing action for fly fishers on spring creeks and tail water fisheries in the Eastern Sierra.

Fly fishers should continue to monitor water temperatures on Eastern Sierra streams and lakes through the end of August.

Freestone Creeks:

Rock Creek:

If you can find secluded spots that are relatively flat you will find good fly fishing for wild brown trout and rainbow trout. Fish your favorite dry fly here as you will fish it with confidence. I like to use fly patterns that are visible on the water and float well. Stimulators in size 14 or 16 is a fly that I use when I need to suspend a heavy nymph below the dry fly. The closer you get to South Lake the more brook trout you will find taking your favorite dry fly.

While bush whacking along Bishop Creek, Richard Standridge found a hole to dab his dry and dropper rig in.

Bishop Creek

Middle Fork:

I fished between Intake Two and Aspendale with a dry and dropper rig. Turned out that the creek had been stocked recently and I fooled several rainbows into taking the bead head gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph. A few wild brown trout took the Adams parachute off the top as well as a few that took the nymph. Wet wading working upstream is the way to fish this section of the creek. Worked the pocket water and pools.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

By noon water temperatures are above 70 degrees and fly fishers should not be practicing catch and release fly fishing. Early in the morning and late in the evening the water temperatures are cool enough to safely catch and release trout. Evening caddis activity have the trout coming to the surface. Mornings have been the time to nymph fish. I’m using my Euro rig to dredge the deeper holes and runs that the fish are hanging in. They’re feeding on caddis nymphs and mayfly nymphs.

Getting out early on the Owens River with an indicator rig will produce wild brown trout.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches of trico mayflies continue to keep the trout actively feeding on the surface. Start off with a trico female parachute. When the hatch has been going for a while, the spinner fall will be starting and fly fishers should switch to a trico spinner pattern. After the spinner fall look for either a blue wing olive hatch or a caddis hatch. Both insects have been hatching sporadically. Hatch activity will be over by noonish.

Afternoon thunderstorms are cooling off the water and increasing insect activity.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Weed beds are making fishing hard for some fly fishers. The key is to get a drag free drift in the narrow slots between weed beds or fish the few open pools or riffles. Fishing a dry fly in these narrow windows of opportunities is easier than drifting a nymph. Tricos and caddis are the two insects the trout are feeding on. Fishing is over by noon as the hatch activity stops. Evening caddis activity is worth spending an evening on the creek.

Trico spinners were on the menu for the 10-inch wild brown trout caught on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Water temperatures are staying below 70 degrees. Mornings start off with a trico hatch. Start fishing with a female parachute pattern. Once the hatch is in full swing switch to a trico spinner as the spinner fall is short lived. After the spinner fall the caddis start hatching. Fish a size 18 elk hair caddis or an X-caddis. I’ve been doing better with nymphs in the deep pools, runs and cut banks. Success comes from thoroughly covering the water and getting the nymphs down on the substrate where the trout are feeding. Bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and stoner nymphs have been my most successful flies nymphing the upper Owens River.

Fly fishers practicing catch and release fly fishing on Bishop Creek Canal are off the water by noon because of water temperatures over 70 degrees.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

By noon water temperatures are over 70 degrees and fly fishers should quit fishing if they are practicing catch and release. Nymphing continues to be the most productive way of fly fishing the canal in the mornings. I’m using the Euro rig and catching wild brown trout and stocked rainbows on stoner nymphs, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs.

 [FAR1]But why?

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-05-2022

Well summer’s heat took a back seat to cool rainy weather this week. The rain is cooling the streams making some waters under the volunteer hoot howl fishable all day. Be sure to use a thermometer to check the waters temperatures starting around 11:00 A.M. or noon. The heavier rains are pushing terrestrial and aquatic insects into the water turning them into wet flies – drowned insects of ants, grasshoppers, caddis, mayflies etc. The freestone creeks that drain the eastern slopes of the Sierra have been offering good dry fly and dry and dropper fly fishing opportunities for stocker rainbows, and wild brown trout, brook trout, and brown trout.

Tuesday Talks with Fred:

I have been meeting clients, locals, and social media followers every Tuesday from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at Mahogany Smoked Meats on 2345 N. Sierra HWY. I just hang out with everyone talking about fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra and munching on a burrito. The only time I’m not there is when I’m off guiding. Check my Facebook page or Instagram on Monday’s as I post if I’m going to be there or not. Please join me so we can talk fly fishing. All levels of anglers are welcome.

Walking into Mahogany Smoked Meats where Tuesday Talks with Fred are held every Tuesday from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M .

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

Campers and hikers are making a last effort to enjoy the fly fishing and backcountry before summer comes to an end. The fly fishing continues to be good with dry flies and a dry and dropper rig, my preferred method. Water levels continue to drop and fly fishers need to make stealthy approaches to the stream if they want to catch trout. As the water levels drop the trout get spookier to the approach of fly fishers. I’m fishing with a size 16 Adams parachutes and a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears.

Wading upstream in Rock Creek allows fly fisher Charles Phillips to sneak up on the holes the trout are inhabiting.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

I’m bush whacking into areas that few fly fishers have tried fly fishing. Sometimes I find wide open spots where I can wade up the stream and cast to the boulder formed pocket water and pools the trout are inhabiting. Most of the time I’m inhibited by the stream side vegetation and can only roll cast or dabble the flies to the spots that I think the trout are inhabiting. I’m fishing with size 16 Adams parachutes and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears that the wild brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout readily take.

The closer you get to South Lake the more brook trout you will find taking your favorite dry fly.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

The clouds and rain have cooled things off enough that fly fishers can fly fish all day. Insect activity has been early and late making it the best time to be on the river fly fishing. I’m working my Euro rig in here in the mornings through the holes and riffles that are holding trout. I’m fishing with a Butano nymph, a stoner nymph, and a gold ribbed hare’s ear. Evening caddis activity have the trout feeding, but the mosquitoes are out and their feeding on me. 

Casting your nymph rig to the drop off and letting it float naturally through the hole will produce wild brown trout and the occasional rainbow trout.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Hatches of mayflies and caddis are keeping the trout actively feeding on the surface. The trout start of the morning feeding on size 22 female tricos. Then they switch to spinners when the spinner fall happens. I’m fishing with a size 22 trico spinner pattern. After the tricos the caddis hatch may or may not happen. Be prepared for this hatch with size 20 X-caddis, size 20 parachute caddis, or size 20 partridge spent caddis. I’m fishing all these caddis with gray bodies.

You never know what the weather will be like when you’re fly fishing on Hot Creek.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

The canyon has had plenty of fly fishing pressure. Fishing is toughest in August when the weed beds are fully mature. A well-presented, a drag free drift, dry fly during the hatch is going to allow the fly fisher to present the fly in the narrow channels between the weed beds. I’m fishing with trico parachutes and gray bodied caddis. Nymphs are tough to fish in between the weed beds, but a well drifted nymph well produce some nice browns from under the matts of weeds.

Rebeca Vizcaino from La Selva Beach is learning to cast a fly rod in the parking lot on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Cloud cover and rain most of the week as kept water temperatures in the safe zone. Morning hatches of trico mayflies have the trout feeding on the surface. I’m using a size 22 trcio spinner three feet behind a size 16 Adams parachute. This dry and dry technique allows the fly fisher to see the bigger fly and then set the hook if the Adams moves or if you see any rises within three feet of the Adams Parachute. After the trico hatch there is a size 18 caddis hatching. I’m using size 18 brown bodied elk hair caddis. By noon the hatches are done and the fly fishing grinds to a halt. Late afternoon hatches of mayflies and caddis bring the trout back out to feed. By evening the mosquitoes show up to feed on the anglers.

Fly fisher Richard Standridge is being watched by Wife Dolly as he indicator nymphs Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

The cloud cover and rain have cooled off the water in the canal increasing the trout activity. I’m mostly nymphing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, green/gold wire Prince nymphs, and stoner nymphs. Best fishing has been in the mornings and in the evenings. I’m using my Euro nymph rod and finding lots of wild brown trout willing to take my flies. 

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-29-2022

I feel like the summer doldrums are here. But I’m still finding fish to catch in a number of Eastern Sierra Waters. Owens Valley waters have been showing signs of heat by noon and I quit fishing them and head up the hill to fish one of the many freestone streams that drain the mountains of the Eastern Sierra. This past week has seen lots of cloud cover in the afternoons in the upper altitude areas like Mammoth and the upper Owens River. Hoppers are starting to show in a few waters, but so far in not enough numbers to bring the trout to the surface.

Afternoon showers have cooled off the rivers allowing fly fishers to fly fish all day without worry about the streams water temperature.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

Dry flies or dry and droppers are the perfect way to fly fish freestone streams like Rock Creek. Your favorite dry fly will produce lots of fish if fished on a drag free drift. My three favorite dry flies for opportunistic feeding trout are Adams parachutes in size 14 or 16, elk hair caddis in size 14 or 16, and Royal Wulff’s in size 12 and 14. All these flies are very visible on the water to the angler and the trout. For nymphs I like fishing with Prince nymphs in size 14 or 16, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in sizes 14 and 16, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 16 and 18.

Wild brown trout will readily take a dry fly or a nymph when fished in the pocket water that they inhabit in Rock Creek.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

The key to fishing the south fork is to find places that you can access and fly fish the creek. A lot of time this requires the fly fisher to bush whack his way around the creek. It is impossible to get an aerialized cast in a lot of the creek. I dabble or roll cast to get the fly into the spots that I think is inhabited by the trout. I’ve been successful with Adams parachutes and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. These flies are producing brown trout and brook trout.

Fishing a dry and dropper in the pocket water in Bishop Creek produces wild brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

There is a voluntary Hoot Owl in effect on the lower Owens River and most Owens Valley trout streams. A hoot Owl is fishing the trout stream when you can hear the owls hooting. This means fly fishing early and late in the day. This water needs to be temperature monitored as the water temps have been exceeding 70 degrees in the afternoon. Euro nymphing in the mornings has been productive with gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, Butano nymphs, brown quilldigons, and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. By noon the water is approaching temperatures unsafe for catch and release fly fishing and the air temperatures are hot enough to get me off the water. Time for me to find lunch or head up high to fly fish one of the freestone creeks.

With a voluntary hoot howl in effect fly fishers on the lower Owens River need to be fishing early and late in the day.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Trico mayflies, blues wing olive mayflies, and gray bodied caddis are hatching from morning to early afternoon. Knowing which insect and which stage of the insect the trout is feeding on is imperative to success on the creek. The trico mayflies are hatching in the morning. The blue wing olive overlap the end of the trico hatch and are hatching mid-morning. The caddis are the last to hatch and are over by early afternoon.

Afternoon storms cleared fly fishers of off Hot Creek offering fly fishers who wanderer out to the creek the opportunity to fly fish this crowded section by themselves.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Fishing in the canyon is at its toughest this time of year as the weed beds are at full maturity. The key to fishing in this area is to get your flies to drift in the tiny channels or open holes around the weed beds. This is easier said than done. Persistence with your casts will eventually get a drift that will produce a trout. I fish both nymphs and dries at this time of the year. It’s easier to drift a dry through the tiny windows of opportunity in the weed beds. Trico mayflies, blue wing olive mayflies, and caddis are hatching and the trout are feeding on them. 

Nathan Seaman from Ontario learned to nymph fish under an indicator and landed a 22 inch brown trout.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Cloud cover and afternoon rainstorms have kept the rivers water temperature in the fishable range. Up to 67 degree fishing is fine. From 67 to 69 anglers should leave trout in the water, land trout as quickly as possible, and release them as soon as the trout is recovered from the strain of being landed. At 70 degrees and above fly fishers should quit fly fishing and find a cooler water to go fly fish. I like to head up in the mountains in the afternoons to fish the opportunistic feeding trout that inhabit the Eastern Sierra creeks. Morning hatches of trico mayflies and caddis are keeping the trout active. Evening hatches of mayflies and caddis have the trout active once again. Starting to see a few hoppers bouncing around on the banks, but the trout are not reacting to them yet.

Cloudy and rainy days means that fly fishers can fish the canal all day long.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Early mornings are the best times to be on the water. Nymph fishing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing the canal. I’ve been using my Euro rig with green/gold wire Prince nymphs, stoner nymphs, and gold ribbed hare’s ears. Fishing under an indicator with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs have been producing wild brown trout to 12 Inches.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-22-2022

When is the best time to go fly fishing? Whenever you have time. Insect hatches are most prolific when you are the most comfortable during the day. Right now the best time to be on the water fly fishing is early and late in the day. A lot of waters are getting too warm by noon to successfully practice catch and release fly fishing. I head to the creeks high up in the Eastern Sierra during the middle of the day. I carry a digital thermometer and continually check the water temperatures of the waters I’m fishing during the middle of the day in the summer months.

Carrying a thermometer and monitoring the water temperatures in the afternoon is needed to protect the trout once water temperatures get above 70 degrees fly fishers need to stop catch and release fly fishing.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

As we go through summer the creeks are starting to loose water. Fly fishers need to make stealthy approaches if they want to catch trout. The fish are feeding opportunistically and your favorite dry fly will produce lots of trout. I like a dry and dropper rig to fish in Rock Creek. I fish a size 16 Adams parachute or size 16 elk hair caddis. For the nymphs I like to fish bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, Prince nymphs, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.

With low clear water fly fishers need to make a stealthy approach when fly fishing Rock Creek.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

The water temperature is perfect for trout all day. No worry about warm water up high in Bishop Creek Canyon. Dry flies continue to produce wild brown, rainbow, brook trout, and hatchery rainbows. Any dry fly will work. My favorites have wings that are white or tan making them easy to see on the water. I like to fish with size 16 Adams parachutes and size 16 elk hair caddis. I quite often fish a nymph under these dry flies on two to three feet of 5X fluorocarbon tippet.

Weir Pond on the south fork of Bishop Creek is a great place to learn how to fly fish in the summer.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

I’m off the water no later than noon. Not only is the water warming up, it’s just too hot to fish in the Owens Valley middle of the day. I prefer to fish early or late when I’m comfortable and there are trout feeding on hatching insects. Caddis and mayflies offer fly fishers insect hatches early and late in the day. Nymphing, particularly with my Euro rig, has been the most productive method of fishing the river. I’m fishing with a green/gold Prince nymph, a stoner nymph, and a Butano nymph.

Fly fishers need to be off the lower Owens River by noon to protect the trout from afternoon high temperatures.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches of trico mayflies continue to bring the wild trout of Hot Creek to the surface. I’m fishing with size 22 trico spinners, size 22 trico parachutes, and size 22 trico parachute females. After the trico hatch look for blue wing olive mayflies and caddis flies. The tricos have been consistent. The blue wing olive hatch and caddis hatch has been inconsistent.

Working a nymph in the narrow slot between the weed beds produce trout.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

The weed beds are at full growth and the creek flows are at a minimum. This makes for tough fly fishing in the canyon. Fishing with nymphs or dries in the narrow slots between weed beds or the open holes is where to concentrate your effort. I’m using size 20  and 22 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges, and scuds. For dries I’m fishing with elk hair caddis, gray parachute caddis, blue wing olive parachutes, and trico spinners.

Scott Martin from Hollister showing off a rainbow he caught while fishing a bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear under an indicator.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Early mornings have been pleasant and the trout are feeding on nymphs. Mid-morning hatches of trico mayflies and caddis are bringing pan sized rainbow trout and brown trout to the surface. Afternoon clouds and winds are slowing down the fly fishing. The grass hoppers have not shown up yet.

Bishop Creek Canal is a great place to learn how to Euro nymph for wild brown trout.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Fishing pressure on the weekends has been heavy. Mid-week there is lots of water to fly fish with few anglers to contend with. Nymphing has been the best method of fooling the wild brown trout that inhabit the canal. I’m fishing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. By noon it just to hot to be fishing and few fish are feeding. Evening have been perfect when the wind lies down. There has been some caddis activity late in the evening.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-01-2022

Summer is here in the Owens Valley with day time temperatures in the high 90’s or low 100’s. It’s time to head up the hill and fish the waters at 7,000 to 9,000 feet elevation where the day time temperatures are in the 80’s. The freestone waters like Bishop Creek and Rock Creek continue to offer good dry fly fishing opportunities. The lakes are warming up and the fishing is good through mid-morning. Dry fly fishing is starting to increase and nymphing has been consistent.

Shannon Chastain from Laguna Hills is enjoying a morning on Intake Two trolling small olive wooly buggers and catching rainbow trout.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

The little bit of snow runoff that came out of the mountains is over for the year. The creek is starting to recede and there is increased fishing pressure from the campers enjoying the fishing. Fly fishing is requiring anglers to show some stealth in their approach to the stream. Casting dry flies 30 feet upstream is fooling wild browns and rainbows. I’m using Adams parachutes and elk hair caddis.

Charles Phillips from Apple Valley is casting caddis patterns upstream to pocket water that is holding trout.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

This is a great place to escape the heat of the Owens Valley. The water flows are holding consistent and offering good dry fly and dry and dropper fishing for wild browns, rainbows and brook trout. These fish are feeding on Adams parachutes and elk hair caddis on the surface. These trout are taking midges, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears.

A size 14 Sierra bright dot fooled a wild rainbow trout from a freestone creek up in the Eastern Sierra.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Fishing here is best done in the mornings before noon or in the evenings after 6:00 P.M. If you’re fly fishing in the evenings, be sure to use insect repellant. Nymphing has been the most successful method of fishing the river as the hatches are not strong enough to bring the trout to the surface during the day. The caddis hatch has fish feeding on the surface. Euro nymphing with stoner nymphs, brown quilldigons, Butano nymphs and Frenchie’s is producing brown trout.

Fly fishers not wanting to wade will find spots along the river offering places they can catch trout from the bank.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Trico mayflies have made an early appearance and are offering fly fishers dry fly opportunities. Trico dun and trico spinners patterns are fooling this early morning hatching mayflies. Mid-morning the caddis are in abundance, but the trout are not keying in on them most days. Fly fishers are working hard for a few trout. The trout being landed are nice fish in the 14 to 17 inch range.

The steeper gradient of Hot Creek Canyon is a great place to fish nymphs under a dry fly.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

The weed beds in the canyon are growing and starting to make it hard to drift a dry fly or nymph through the small channels between the weed beds. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and black perdigons fished under an Adams parachute or a mini Chernobyl ant is producing wild brown trout and rainbows. Success in the canyon is covering lots of water to find the fish that are feeding on the flies the fly fisher is offering.

Casting dry flies to rising fish is a great way to spend a morning on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Pan sized browns and rainbows are feeding on nymphs and dries. Best fishing has been in the morning when there are mayfly and caddis fly hatches. Bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, brown quilldigons, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs have been working under an indicator or on a Euro rig. When the trout are actively feeding on the surface blue wing olive parachutes, Adams parachutes, elk hair caddis, and parachute caddis are fooling the trout.

Staring at an indicator waiting for it to go down is the hardest part of midging on Crowley Lake.

Crowley Lake:

Fly fishing on Crowley Lake has picked up when the wind is not blowing at gale force. The fish are in 15 to 30 feet of water. Zebra midges, tiger midges, gray midges, and Albino Barron’s, wine and black, are the four main color of midges for fly fishing on Crowley Lake. Fish these midges at three inches to three feet off the bottom as where you fish the midges in the water column varies as the day progresses. Having a top end fish finder makes it easy to know what level the trout are feeding on. If you’re not getting a lot of hookups move to a new location.

Vegetation is beginning to grow up around Bishop Creek Canal making it hard to present a fly between the banks of the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have not mowed the stream side vegetation yet and it’s getting tall enough to get in the way of fly fishers casting their flies into the canal. Euro nymphing continues to produce wild brown trout to 14 inches. The trout are taking green/gold Prince nymphs, stoner nymphs, and Butano nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-24-2022

A low messed up the weather with cooler temperatures and lots of winds with some gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range. When the winds not blowing the fishing has been good. I’ve been doing my best fly fishing on freestone streams like Bishop Creek and Rock Creek. Nymphing, particularly with the Euro rod has been the most productive. Have had some good dry fly days on the mountain creeks

The wildflowers in the Easter Sierra are so fragile. Four days after this photo the iris froze and were gone for the year.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

The creek is definitely seeing the effects of runoff even if there is not much of a runoff this year. I’ve been concentrating my efforts on the edges and slow water sections about half way up the canyon. We’re catching rainbows and browns. Fly fishers fishing above the lake are finding brook trout willing to take their dry flies. I’m fishing with elk hair caddis, Adams parachutes, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and bead head Prince nymphs.

Brown trout in Rock Creek were willing to take an Adams parachute on a drag free drift for Garrett McEllhannon from Leona Valley.

Bishop Creek South Fork:

The cold front slowed down the surface bite. The browns, rainbows, and brook trout were taking pheasant tail nymphs, and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. I’m fishing the pocket water with a dry and dropper technique. I’m suspending the nymph on three feet of 5X fluorocarbon under an Adams parachute or an elk hair caddis. The water is cold and I would wear thermals under the waders if you want to stay warm. I froze up there last weekend.

Fishing the pools and pockets of the south fork of Bishop Creek with a dry and dropper produced rainbow, brown, and brook trout for Daniel Manzer of Somis.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Weather has cooled down making it enjoyable to be on the river mid-day. Nymphing particularly with the Euro rig has been productive. I’m fishing with stoner nymphs, Butano nymphs, Frenchie’s, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. Success is getting the flies down on the bottom. With the Euro rig I’m using size 3.5 mm and 4.0 mm beads. With an indicator system I’m using one to two BB split shot to get the flies on the bottom of the river. Fly fishing pressure has been light.

Alyce Saito of Seal Beach use a nymph on her Tenkara rod to fool the wild trout of the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

When the winds not blowing hatching gray bodied caddis and blue wing olive mayflies are bringing the trout to the surface. The key to success is to find pods of selectively rising trout and cast your flies over them with a drag free drift. Using 5X or 6X tippet will increase your success.

A well placed elk hair caddis under the bank provided a nice rainbow for Matt O’Brian of Los Angeles.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Fishing in the canyon has been tough as the hatches of caddis and mayflies have been sporadic. Working lots of water to find the few fish that want to feed has been my method of success. I’m working a dry and dropper rig with a size 14 mini Chernobyl ant or Adams parachute on top. For the nymphs I’ve been fishing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive scuds, and midges. Winds have been hampering the fishing in the canyon.

.

Hatches of caddis and pale morning duns are just starting on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Pale morning dun mayflies and caddis are emerging and have the trout on the bite. Nymphing has been more consistent than fishing dry flies. Wind and gusts have been limiting the amount of time I’ve been able to fly fish on the upper Owens River. Pan sized rainbows and brown trout are providing the action. I’ve been fly fishing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, caddis nymphs, and caddis pupae.

Standing and staring at the mountains will not allow the fly fisher to know that his indicator has gone down.

Crowley Lake:

The fishing has been better on the nonwind days. The trout have moved into deeper water and are in the 15 to 30 foot range. Black and silver, black and copper, gray, and Albino Barron’s have been the colors of preference for the midges.  Fish these midges from three inches to three feet of the bottom. The boat flotilla has been in McGee Bay.

Teaching John Sacco of Las Vegas, NV how to Euro nymph on Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Euro nymphing has been very productive for me. I’m fishing with green/gold Prince nymphs, stoner nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, Frenchie’s, and Butano Nymphs. I like to work my nymphs through the faster riffle sections that can be found in a few spots along the canal. Brown trout to 14 inches continue to offer lots of fun for fly fishers plying the waters of the canal.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-17-2022

Wind continues to hamper fly fishers plying the waters of the Eastern Sierra. Some of the winds have been strong enough to temporarily close a few lakes. When the wind does not blow fishing is enjoyable. Hatches on most Eastern Sierra waters are not as strong as I would expect for this time of year. Hatches on the spring creeks seems to be slow. Hatches on the freestone streams seems to be strong and bringing lots of trout to the surface for fly fishers fishing with dry flies. On opportunistic waters like freestones fly fishers should be fishing their favorite dry fly pattern.

The winds on Sunday were strong enough to blow my favorite hat off my head and into Rock Creek never to be seen again.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

Spring runoff has the creek running bank to bank. The water is very fishable if you concentrate your efforts on the edges and wider sections of the river. This is a great place to fish your favorite dry fly. My favorite dry flies are Adams parachute, elk hair caddis, and a royal Wulff. These flies have been fooling good numbers of pan sized browns, rainbows, and stocker rainbow.

Rock Creek is a freestone stream that offers fly fishers opportunistic fly fishing with their favorite dry fly.

Bishop Creek South Fork:

This area is producing wild brook trout, wild brown trout, and hatchery rainbows. I’m fly fishing upstream with dry flies that I’m casting to the softer spots on the sides of the creek and in the pocket water. The flows in Bishop Creek are not affected by the runoff. This is a great spot to fish a dry and dropper rig. For the nymph I’m using bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. Creek fishing is fly fishing for opportunistic trout that are looking up for insects on the surface film. This makes for excellent dry fly fishing.

Wild brook trout of the south fork of Bishop Creek offer fly fishers a seldom seen trout species in the front country.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Flows are at 225 CFS and daytime temperatures are in the low 90’s. This is not ideal conditions. For those anglers willing to brave the heat and the high flows are finding unpressured trout willing to take flies. On the windy days fly fishers can get some relief fly fishing on the lower Owens River by using the willows as a wind break. Getting nymphs down on the bottom where the trout are feeding is the most productive method. Euro nymphing is the perfect method for working nymphs on the bottom of the river. Be sure to use enough weight in your flies to keep your nymphs in contact with the substrate. Gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, Butano nymphs, caddis nymphs, and caddis emergers are fooling the wild brown trout.

The lower Owens River is flowing at 225 CFS in the wild trout section of the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Where you can find concentrations of selectively feeding wild trout, I would work those areas thoroughly with size 20 gray caddis patterns and size 20 blue wing olive patterns. The hatch has been over quickly each morning being done by noon or 1:00 P.M. Use 6x tippet and a drag free drift to catch the wary trout that call the interpretive site home.

The middle section of Hot Creek is a great place to learn how to nymph fish under an indicator or with a dry and dropper technique.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Nymphing has been more productive than dry fly fishing as there has not been much of a hatch in the canyon section. I’m using size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 olive scuds, and size 12 olive burlap caddis in the open zones between the weed beds. The fish are not feeding like I would expect and I’m covering a lots of water to find a few trout willing to take my nymphs under a size 16 parachute Adams or a size 14 mini Chernobyl ant.

Jeff Duran from Corona leaning how to indicator nymph on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Nymphing under an indicator or nymphing a Euro nymph rig has been the most productive method of fly fishing the river. The hatches are just starting to become prolific enough to bring trout to the surface. Pale morning duns, little yellow stones, and caddis are the insects hatching bringing the trout to the surface. The water upstream of the irrigated cattle fields are clearer than the water down stream of the irrigated fields. I’m hoping this will be a good hooper season on the upper Owens River. We will know by mid to late July.

Boaters and float tubers on Crowley have moved out to 30 feet of depth and are having a hard time finding trout to consistently take midges.

Crowley Lake:

Fish have moved into deeper water; an algae bloom is starting and the daphnia hatch is in full swing. This has slowed the midge fly fishing on the lake. Most boats and or float tubers are getting a few fish per morning session. The fish have been in 30 feet of water and taking tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges, and Albino midges. Most fly fishers are fishing these midges under an indicator. A few fly fishers are fishing midge imitations on a full sink line. The fishing should pick back up in a week or two.

Bishop Creek Canal is a great spot to learn how to fly fish.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

The canal is affected by the heat and the wind. Best bet is to get out early and beat the heat and the wind. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing the canal. Fish your nymphs in the slots between the weed beds. I like fishing the sections below the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power weirs as these fast moving oxygenated areas produce more trout for me. I’m fishing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-10-2022

The days, particularly in the Owens Valley, are starting to heat up. We are still dealing with windy days in the Eastern Sierra. When the wind lays down the days have been nice, really nice! Hatches of mayflies, caddis flies, and stone flies are starting, but are not sufficient yet for really good days of selectively feeding trout on the surface. Nymphing continues to offer the bulk of the fly fishing opportunities in the Eastern Sierra.

The cows have been moved to summer pasture and it’s time to hit the high country in search of trout feeding on the surface.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

The lower Owens River has stabilized at 225 CFS for over a week now. The river is wade able, but fly fishers need to be cautious at these flows.  The increased flows have slowed down the fish feeding on the surface on the hatching mayflies, caddis flies, and stone flies. Nymphing with the Euro nymph rod has been the most productive. I’ve increased the weights on my middle and upper fly on my three fly rig. This is to get the flies down on the bottom where the trout are feeding. Fishing under an indicator requires the use of at least one or maybe two BB sized weights. Try fishing size 16 bead head gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 12 stoner nymphs, and size 16 Butano nymphs. 

Hooked up on the lower Owens River while nymphing a deep hole from the opposite bank.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Hatches of gray caddis, and blue wing olive mayflies have started but are not strong enough yet to bring lots of wild trout to the surface. Fishing a nymph on the bottom is still the best producer. I’ve been fly fishing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and gray caddis emergers. I’ve been fishing these under an Adams Parachute or a mini Chernobyl Ant. I’m using size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, and size 20 gray partridge spent caddis on the surface when I can cast to rising trout. 

The iris are blooming along the bank of Hot Creek, but they never last long enough for me.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

The canyon section of Hot Creek has been the most productive area on Hot Creek. The trout are taking nymphs under a dry fly. I’ve been fly fishing with olive scuds, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and olive burlap caddis. I’m using a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 14 mini Chernobyl Ant for the dry fly. The hatches in the canyon have been sporadic, but if you see rising trout trying throwing a size 20 blue wing olive parachute to them.

Jeff Duran from Corona indicator nymphing the pale morning dun hatch on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Hatches are just getting started on the upper Owens River. Pale morning duns, and caddis are on the water and trout are rising to them. Nymphing has been the better producer. I’m fishing bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears size 16, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs size 18, stoner nymphs size 12, and green/gold Prince nymphs size 12. I’m working the riffles and the pools. There are trout in both habitats taking flies. 

Floating midges under indicators in McGee Bay on Crowley Lake with the mountains as the backdrop.

Crowley Lake:

Water temperatures are starting to warm up and the trout are starting to move into deeper water. Try fly fishing your midges in 15 to 30 feet of water. Hilton Bay, north west corner of McGee Bay, and Six bays are producing trout. Not all spots are created equal  and it pays off to move around if you’re not catching trout. Grey, tiger, zebra and Albino Barron midges fished three inches to three feet off the bottom are producing bobber downs.

Bishop Creek Canal is full of water and the weed beds are mature and offering hiding spots for the trout.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Water levels are full in the canal and the weed beds are fully developed. These two habitats are making for good trout habitat and the trout are feeding on nymphs. Bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs are fooling wild brown trout to 12 inches.