Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-23-2022

I know Fall is here when I have the heater on during my morning commute out to the water. The air conditioner on middle of the day. In the evening if I’m cold the heater is on. If I’m hot the air conditioner is on. This week I wet wadded on Rock Creek while wearing a sweatshirt. Wet wading season is over for me. Trico mayfly hatches are wanning. Caddis are still hatching and ovipositing which have the trout feeding on them on the surface. Fall spawning is starting on a number of waters and in particular on the tributaries to Crowley Lake. Pay attention to the regulations on Eastern Sierra waters as several creeks and rivers will close to fishing starting October 1. Traditionally this is the time of year to throw meat fly patterns. Those patterns that offer trophy trout a big mouthful of calories. I think the voluntary hoot owl is over for another hot summer season.

Fall is in the air, but the foliage has not turned yet.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

As is normal in fall, water levels have dropped and fly fishers need to approach the creek with stealth. Dry flies are still producing trout. Nymphing has been hit and miss. I need to lighten up a couple of my nymph patterns because the ones I have tied up are just too heavy for these reduced flows. I’m using Adams parachutes, elk hair caddis, and gold ribbed hare’s ears. Rock Creek is a great place to fly fish when the wind is whipping through Long Valley or the Owens Valley.

Bush whacking, boulder hopping and dabbling flies is what it takes to successfully fly fish on Rock Creek.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

Mornings have been cold and I’ve been fly fishing here once things warm up a bit. A dry and dropper is still my preferred method of fly fishing the creek.  I’m using Adams parachutes, elk hair caddis, flash back pheasant tail nymphs and gold ribbed hare’s ears. I start out on Weir Pond and work my way down stream. I drive down canyon looking for a spot that has no angling pressure and fish that spot. Then I drive farther down canyon fly fishing spots until I run out of spots or run out of time to fly fish.

Fall colors in Bishop Canyon are just getting started and the wild brown and brook trout are feeding on properly presented dry flies.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Water flows are dropping and I expect the flows to reach 100 CFS for this winter. Flows are perfect for wading the river. Mornings have been good for nymphing. I’m Euro nymphing with olive burlap caddis, stoner nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, olive quilldigons, and Butano nymphs. I’m concentrating my efforts in the wild trout section of the lower Owens River. I’m carrying blue wing olive parachutes and brown caddis patterns in anticipation of these hatches which will appear end of September to middle of October.

Wild brown trout are taking nymphs in the mornings on the lower Owens River in the wild trout section.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning caddis hatches have the trout feeding up on the surface. I’m using size 20 gray X-caddis, elk hair caddis, and spent wing partridge caddis. There are a few tricos mixed in with the caddis, but the trout have not been interested in them. Once the hatch is over around 11:30 try throwing terrestrial patterns like beetles and hoppers. I’m off the water by noon or 1:00 P.M. looking for a different water to fly fish.

Getting a ride on dads shoulders out to the fly fishing spot on Hot Creek Ranch.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Fly fishing here is just down right tough. The weed beds have taken over most of the stream making it hard for fly fishers to get a drag free drift. Getting a drag free drift is easier with a dry fly than a nymph. If you’re going to nymph, be prepared to get tangled up in the weeds. I would fish this in the morning with a size 20 gray caddis pattern and leave as soon as the trout quit rising to the naturals or my fly pattern.

The fall spawning trout from Crowley Lake are just starting their migration into the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout are just starting to show up in the system and are staging in the deep holes, runs and cut banks. These fish are feeding and will take bigger nymphs dead drifted on the substrate. For the trophy trout I like nymphing with my Euro rig using size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 gold/green wire Prince nymphs. The trico hatch is waning and the juvenile trout are taking size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 16 and 18 Adams parachutes.

The fall spawning trout from Crowley Lake are just starting their migration into the upper Owens River.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Cooler temperatures and the canal has settled down from Department of Water and Powers dredging project has led to an increase in the catch rate. The wild brown trout and stocked rainbows are taking stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, olive quilldigons, Butano nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. There are a few trico hatching, but this hatch is pretty much over for the year.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-16-2022

We are starting to have fall like weather in the Eastern Sierra. It will not be long when the trees will be turning colors. Experienced the first cool morning when I came back from my southern California PowerPoint presentation tour. Fall spawning trout are starting to show up in some of the creeks and rivers of the Eastern Sierra. Mayflies and caddis are providing most of the action in the area. I’m still checking water temperatures in a few Eastern Sierra waters like Crowley Lake, lower and upper Owens River, and Bishop Creek Canal. Water temperatures over 70 degrees, fly fishers should not be catch and release fly fishing.

Fall colors are just starting to pop in the upper elevations of the Eastern Sierra like Weir Pond on south fork of Bishop Creek.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

Early mornings are finally cold. Don’t need to show up early to fish Rock Creek. Mid-morning fishing with Adams Parachute and gold ribbed hare’s ears is a fun way to spend a morning on the creek. Water flows are starting to recede as we head into Fall. As water flows drop the trout are getting spookier and require fly fishers to make a stealthy approach on the trout.

The slow flat pool sections of Rock Creek are tough to fish as the wild brown trout are very spooky.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

It’s cold enough to be wearing a sweatshirt first thing in the morning. Weir Pond on the south fork of Bishop Creek is full of wild brown trout and brook trout. These trout are taking both dries and nymphs. The fish are spooky in the area of Weir Pond, but in the creek above and below the pond It’s easier to fish as the trout are feeding opportunistically and not spooky. 

Jason Fleenor from Murrieta is hooked up on a wild brook trout in the run of south fork Bishop Creek directly above Weir Pond.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

Flows are continuing to drop as they decrease from the flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge. The flows are down to 225 CFS and when they get to 200 CFS or less the fishing and wading will pick up. I like the flows around 200 CFS. It provides deeper holes and runs which protects the wild brown trout from predation from animals and birds from above. I’m fishing the Euro rig in this water with olive burlap caddis, stoner nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and Butano nymphs. I’m still monitoring water temperatures and am not fly fishing when the water temperature gets above 70 degrees.

Stream side vegetation of tulles and willows makes it hard to fish from the banks.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:
Caddis activity is providing most of the action at the interpretive site. By mid-morning throwing a foam hopper is producing a few trout. The decreased water flows and the increase weed bed growth is making fly fishing tough on the creek. Fly fishing the deeper holes and the slots between the weeds is were to work your flies. Fly fishing here is tough!

Low water and increased weed beds makes it very tough to fly fish in Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Fly fishing in the canyon is for the brave and expert fly fisher. There is very little open water for fly fishers to properly drift their flies. Size 20 gray caddis patterns like spent partridge caddis, X-caddis, and elk hair caddis are producing a few wild trout. Nymphing in these conditions is tough, but for fly fishers willing to work their nymphs in and around the weed beds there are a few trout willing to take nymph patterns. 

Early morning trio mayfly hatches have been fun to fish during the spinner fall for juvenile rainbow and brown trout on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Early morning trico mayflies and caddis hatches are getting the juvenile trout to come to the surface to feed. The trico spinner fall has been producing the best action in the mornings. After the spinner fall the trout start feeding on the caddis. There are a few trophy trout starting to show up in the river system as fall spawning trout start their migration. For the trophy trout I like to Euro nymph with size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs. These are my two most productive trophy trout flies. 

Early morning trico mayfly hatches have been sporadic at best on Bishop Creek Canal. 

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Euro nymphing mid-morning has been producing stocked rainbow trout and wild brown trout. I’m using size 12 stoner nymphs and two tone green/gold wire Prince nymphs. The trico hatch has been sporadic at best. Water flows have been fluctuating and this has slowed down the bite.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-09-2022

The heat wave continues, but it’s supposed to break this weekend. We might even get some rain particularly in the higher altitudes. Flushing flows in the gorge are over, but the lower Owens continues to flow above safe wading at 325 CFS. Volunteer hoot owl restrictions are still in effect. A hoot owl is a voluntary stopping of catch and release fly fishing when water temperature exceed 70 degrees.

Every day I’m on the water I pick up any all trash that I see around the water I’m fly fishing. This is from Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop markets its self as the little town with the big back yard. If visitors and locals will not clean up after themselves than I will. I found a Rite Aid bag out along one of the streams and now use it to collect the trash I pick up. I empty the bag twice a week or every other week depending on how much trash I pick up. I pick up everything from little too big.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

This heat wave warming up California has me searching out cool waters of high country creeks. Rock Creek is the perfect spot to fish in the afternoon when other favorite spots get too warm to safely practice catch and release fly fishing. Dry and a dropper is my preferred method to fish the creek. I recommend fly fishing with your favorite dry fly and nymph. For me my favorite dry flies for opportunistic feeding trout is an Adams Parachute, elk hair caddis, or a Royal Wulff. I fish these in size 14 or 16. For the nymphs I like bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and bead head Prince nymphs in size 16 or 18.

Working a dry and dropper in sections that have some gradient to them is producing more fish than the flat slow water sections of Rock Creek.

Bishop Creek

South Fork:

Lots of pan sized browns and brook trout are hanging out in Weir Pond happy to take a dry fly or a nymph. After playing around with these trout I like to work my way down stream and find a pull out to park my truck at that has few if any anglers fishing the creek. I like to work my way up stream fishing the pools and pocket water that is holding rainbows and browns. I’m fishing a dry and dropper rig in this area.

Jared Rogers from Palm Springs missed several brook trout before being able to land this wild brown trout on a size 16 Adams Parachute.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

I would check the DWP site at https://wsoweb.ladwp.com/Aqueduct/realtime/norealtime.htm for up to the minute flows. Right now the flows are at 325 CFS and slowly coming down. I’m waiting until the flows get to 200 CFS before I start fly fishing it again. If these hot temperatures persist, I will be fly fishing early and getting off the water by noon for the safety of the trout in the lower Owens River.

I’m waiting for the lower Owens River flows to drop back down to wadable levels of 200 CFS or less.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Low water and weed beds that are fully mature are making fly fishing on Hot Creek tough. The interpretive site has some open water areas that the fly fisher can get their fly to drift through. Trico mayfly hatches in the morning have been consistent. I’m fishing the female trico parachute and the trico spinner pattern. After the trico hatch look for hatches of blue wing olive mayflies, and gray caddis. The hatches are over by noon.

Because the weed beds are at full majority it is tough to find a spot you can drift you flies through in Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Fly fishing in the canyon section is tough. There is little open water areas for fly fishers to drift their flies. Weeds are thick and everywhere. Trico mayflies in the morning followed by gray caddis are providing action for fly fishers fishing on the surface. Nymph fly fishers willing to put up with getting tangled in the weeds are pulling out a few fish if they are covering lots of water to find the few places, they can get their flies down to the trout.

The Tenkara rod and a size 24 trico spinner fooled this wild brown trout from the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trico mayflies are hatching in the mornings. Morning temperatures are cool and the trout are feeding once the air temperature gets up into the 70s. There is a caddis hatch after the trico hatch. By noon the insect activity comes to a standstill. I’ve been quitting by noon and heading home or heading up high to fish one of the cooler creeks like Convict Creek or Rock Creek. I’m seeing a few trophy trout that are starting to migrate up into the upper Owens River system.

City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have been dredging Bishop Creek and Bishop Creek Canal East of Hwy 6.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have been dredging Bishop Creek and Bishop Creek Canal East of Hwy 6 behind the Ford Dealership. This has effected the trico hatch. There is a trico hatch in the mornings, it’s just a few trico mayflies hatching here and there. I’m producing most of my fish on the Euro rig fishing with Butano nymphs, stoner nymphs, and two tone wire green/gold Prince nymphs. Bishop Creek Canal is under a voluntary hoot owl restriction. Fly fishers practicing catch and release fly fishing should be off the water when temperature exceed 70 degrees.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-02-2022

The heat wave continues to assault the Eastern Sierra this week. A hoot owl is a voluntary stopping of catch and release fly fishing when water temperature exceed 70 degrees. A hoot howl refers to fishing early and late in the day when anglers can hear the owls hooting. The Owens River Gorge is closed due to a flushing flow regiment. This will impact the gorge and the lower Owens River from August 29 to September 6, 2022. Trico mayflies and caddis hatches continue to provide action for fly fishers. Midging on the lakes is improving.

The Owens River gorge is closed from August 29, to September 6 for flushing flows.

Freestone Streams:

Rock Creek:

Labor Day weekend is the last hoorah for campers to end out the summer. It will be crowed this weekend. The dry and dropper technique continues to produce trout on the creek. The slow pools and runs require lots of stealth to be successful. Riffles and pocket water in the steeper reaches offer easier fly fishing for trout that are not as wary. I’m fishing with Adams parachutes, elk hair caddis, and Royal Wulff’s for the dry fly. These are my favorites and I fish them with lots of confidence. I use bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and bead head prince nymphs for the nymphs.

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

Bishop Creek

Middle Fork:

There will be lots of campers and tourist in Bishop Canyon on Labor Day weekend. It’s the last hoorah for a lot outdoor recreationists. Finding spots that are not crowded with anglers will be the key to success for the weekend. Fly fish the pocket water and pools that require you to bush whack your way into and you will find you have the creek to yourself. Using your favorite dry fly is the best way to fish this creek. You will fish it with more confidence than any other pattern. An Adams parachute and a gold ribbed hare’s ear is my confidence rig.

Fishing the riffles and pocket water in the steeper areas allows fly fishers to get closer to the trout without spooking them.

Lower Owens River:

Wild Trout Section:

This section of the river is blown out due to the flushing flows in the Owens River gorge and will be closed through September 6, 2022. Flushing flows emulate the spring runoff. The technical term for what happens to the river bed is fluffing. It’s like fluffing a comforter on your bed. It creates lots of air pockets in the substrate. This creates habitat for insects and increases spawning habitat. It moves silt around and creates deeper pools which are need for bigger trout to survive. Trout over 12 inches need a carnivorous diet. Trout eat their prey by ambushing them from below the prey. Flushing flows also help distribute vegetation along the riparian zone. I hope it decreases the stinging nettle patches. 

The lower Owens River has gone from 150 CFS in this photo and is expected to peak at over 500 CFS.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Trico mayflies, blue wing olive mayflies and gray bodied caddis continue to hatch offering fly fishers three to five hours of good surface fly fishing in the mornings. The trico hatch can be tricky to fish. There are three stages of the trico to imitate. The female trico dun has a greenish olive body and a black thorax. There is an all-black trico dun. Generally the best fly fishing in a trico hatch is during the spinner fall. This is when the tricos die on the water and the trout gorge themselves on the helpless trico spinners. 

Fully mature weed beds in Hot Creek Canyon make it hard for fly fishers to get drag free drift which is needed to catch trout.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Weed beds continue to make fly fishing tough for all fly fishers. If you can get a drag free drift with a dry fly you will catch fish. It’s tough to get a good drift with the weed beds at full maturity. Trico mayflies, blue wing olive mayflies, and gray bodied caddis are hatching and bring trout to the surface. Nymphing will produce trout but it will take an expert cast to properly present the nymphs to the trout. 

Cows are allowed to graze a small amount of grass inside the riparian zone of the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The upper Owens River is under a voluntary hoot owl restriction. If you do not have a thermometer to monitor the water temperatures then be sure to fly fish early in the morning and late in the day. The times you might hear an owl hoot while you’re on the water. I’m off the water by 10:00 A.M. and back on the water around 6:00 P.M if I’m not monitoring the temperature. There has been a consistent trico hatch on the water that lasts tell about 10:00 A.M. It’s followed by a caddis hatch. I’m using size 22 and 24 trico spinners with success during the trico hatch. After the hatch I switch to a size 16 Adams parachute or a size 18 gray caddis pattern like an elk hair caddis, X-caddis, or parachute caddis.

With the heat wave that is creating air temperatures of over 100 degrees fly fishers practicing catch and release fly fishing need to be off Bishop Creek Canal by 10:00 A.M. or when the water temperature exceeds 70 degrees. 

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

Bishop Creek Canal is under a voluntary hoot owl restriction. Fly fishers practicing catch and release fly fishing should be off the water when temperature exceed 70 degrees. If you do not have a thermometer fly fishers should be off the water by 10:00 A.M. and can return to the water after 6:00 P.M. Fishing in the early morning with tricos has been good. I’m using size 24 trico spinners during the spinner fall. The spinner fall has been over by 9:00 A.M. Fishing with green/gold Prince nymphs, and stoner nymphs has been producing hatchery rainbows and wild brown trout. 

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.