Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-21-2023

Hot weather continues to heat up the Owens Valley with the occasional afternoon rain shower. Upper elevations are feeling the heat too. I’m thinking we’ve turned the corner on runoff, but I’m going to wait one more week to be sure we’ve seen the peak of runoff. Moving water is still raging and fly fishers need to be careful when fly fishing around the streams, creeks and canal in the Eastern Sierra. Mosquitoes are everywhere and fly fishers should be using lots of repellent if they don’t want to be scratching bites days after they were fly fishing their favorite water. Nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. Midges, pale morning dun mayflies, blue wing olive mayflies, scuds and stoneflies are what the trout are feeding on. Hatches are taking place on a number of waters, but few trout are coming to the surface to feed on the newly hatched adults.

Weir Pond on the south fork of Bishop Creek is one of the few safe places fly fishers can fish on Bishop Creek.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Looking at the flows on the Department of Water and Power Los Angeles Aqueduct webpage show flows are down to 450 CFS coming out of Pleasant Valley Reservoir. At these levels fly fishers can work the banks looking for the wild brown trout that call the wild trout section home. Access is from Five Bridges upstream by foot. There is no parking allowed off of Chalk Bluff Road at this time. Nymphing is the most productive way of fly fishing the river at these flows. Fly fishers should be cautious as the banks are still unstable from the high flows during runoff.

At 450 CFS the lower Owens River is fishable from the banks, but eroded banks should be avoided.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

This continues to be the spot to be nymphing on Hot Creek. Working the slower shallower spots, and behind instream obstacles like boulders and weed beds is producing wild trout up to 18 inches. This has become a quality fishery as fly fishers are working hard for a few trout. The good news is the few fish being landed are trophy sized trout in the 16 to 20 inch range. These fish are taking bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, midge pupae and scuds. Be sure to fish with enough weight to bounce the flies of the substrate. I’m fishing an indicator six feet above the bottom nymph with on to two BB shot on the line. Water is flowing high and clear.

Hot Creek Canyon with it steeper gradient is a hard place to fish in the high flows that are moving through Hot Creek right now.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With the steeper gradient in the canyon it’s tough to find spots to drift nymphs that the trout can take. Fishing behind obstacles like weed beds and rocks is going to result in fish. Fishing the slow water sections at the top and bottom of the canyon is the other spot that is producing trout. I’ve been using my Euro rod with a hot spot pheasant tail nymph, stoner and gold ribbed hare’s ear with success. The fish are few and far between making it necessary to cover lots of water for that one or two trophy trout.

Philip Gold from Redlands hooked up to a trophy brown trout on the Upper Owens River that took a well drifted bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Horse flies and mosquitoes are the negative factor to an otherwise great fly fishing experience on the upper Owens River. I’m seeing nesting mallard ducks, hatching mayflies, flower, clouds and lots of green grass. Every once in a while, I just look up from my fly fishing to enjoy the scenery around me. The trout are feeding throughout the river despite the high off color water running in the river. The fish are primarily taking blue wing olive mayfly nymphs, pale morning dun mayfly nymphs, midge pupae and stonefly nymphs. I’ve had my best success with the Euro rod fishing with a hot spot pheasant tail nymph, stoner nymph and gold ribbed hare’s ears. Under an indicator I’m fishing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. I’m finding fish in the shallow riffles and the slow deep holes. I’m making sure I’m covering all the water with my nymphs.

I seem to only check the hook points of my Crowley midges when I’ve missed several trout.

Crowley Lake:

As lake levels stabilize and water begins to warm up the midges are hatching again. Fly fishing on the lake from boats, kayaks and float tubes is picking up as fly fishers are able to take advantage of a predictable trout feeding pattern. Finding a weed free bottom is where you will have your best success. Trout are being caught in 15 to 25 feet of water. McGee Bay, Sandy Point and the north arm of the lake are seeing concentrations of fly fishers. While the standard patterns of tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s are producing fish, a few anglers are have success with bright colored midge patterns.

Bishop Creek Canal swollen from an afternoon rain shower that came through the Eastern Sierra.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

Afternoon rains have swollen an already full Bishop Creek Canal. As the flows subside the fishing will pick back up. Though the river is high and off color the trout continue to take bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs. I’m methodically covering the water moving three steps upstream once I’ve thoroughly worked each spot. This tactic is producing lots of trout for me. I’m finding trout in all but the fastest sections of the canal. This continues to be a very productive spot for me to fish when I only have an hour or two to fly fish. Starting to see a few trout feeding on the surface.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-14-2023

Hot weather continues to bake the Owens Valley and keep temperatures above freezing in the upper elevations. The snow pack above 9,000 feet continues to slowly melt. Some waters have stabilized at high flows. Other waters are increasing flows and pushing outside of their banks. Pale morning duns, blue wing olives and callibaetis mayflies are hatching and the trout are feeding on the nymphs and a few trout are coming to the surface for the adults. Mosquitoes are in force throughout most of the Eastern Sierra and in particular in Long Valley. Still waters are a great alternative to fly fishing the moving waters. Backcountry streams and lakes are slowly opening up. A lot of these waters still have considerable amounts of snow around them. All of the freestone creeks draining the east side of the Sierra are at abnormally high flows and should be approached with the utmost caution.

Rock Creek should be approached with the utmost caution as only the slower water flats are safe to fish at this point in the fishing season.

 Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows in the lower Owens River have stabilized at 550 CFS. The flows here could go up over 1,000 CFS depending on how much snow is melting at higher elevations with temperatures in the Owens Valley in the upper 90’s to low 100’s. Banks are unstable and fly fishers should use extreme caution when fly fishing from the banks. There are a few caddis hatching in the evening providing action for fly fishers if you can put up with the mosquitoes. Nymphing is the most productive method of fly fishing the river. The only access is from Five Bridges as there is no parking beyond the gravel plant off of Chalk Bluff Road. Pleasant Valley Campground continues to be closed.

A few fly fishers are fly fishing the lower Owens River particularly in the evenings for the caddis hatch.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Flows have stabilized over the last 10 days. Water is clear, high and running fast. There are a few select spots where the trout are coming to the surface to feed on hatching adults. Nymphing with lots of weight on the tippet or heavy tungsten beads on the Euro flies is needed to get the nymphs down on the substrate where the trout are feeding. This has become a quality fishery not it’s normal quantity fishery. Fly fishers are working hard for a few trout, but the trout that are taking flies are in the 16 to 20 inch range. The trout are taking blue wing olive nymphs, midges, gray caddis and scuds. Mosquitoes are letting up a bit and are worse at twilight.

This is the highest flows I’ve seen in the canyon since I’ve been fishing it in the mid-70’s.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With the steeper gradient in the canyon it’s tough to find spots to drift nymphs that the trout can take. Fishing behind obstacles like weed beds and rocks is going to result in fish. Fishing the slow water sections at the top and bottom of the canyon is the other spot that is producing trout. I’ve been using my Euro rod with a hot spot pheasant tail nymph, stoner and gold ribbed hare’s ear with success. The fish are few and far between making it necessary to cover lots of water for that one or two trophy trout.

Steven Needham from Thousand Oaks fooled this 12 inch wild brown trout with a hot spot pheasant tail nymph.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Armed with Cutters repellant and head nets I fended off the mosquitoes on the upper Owens River. Hatches of pale morning duns, callibaetis nymphs and midges have the cutthroat, brown and rainbow trout feeding on nymphs. A bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph fished six feet below an indicator with a BB shot or a hot spot pheasant tail nymph on the point of a three fly Euro nymph rig is producing six to 18 inch wild trout. The trout are in the deep holes and margins of the fast water. A lot of the trout are in the shallow water next to the runs that they normally inhabit. I’m catching rainbows, browns and cutthroats.

Trout are spread out all over Crowley Lake from the Owens River arm of the lake to McGee Bay and in the Crooked Cree arm of the lake.

Crowley Lake:

Fishing has slowed down as the lake is filling up from the record snow fall in the Eastern Sierra. With the increase in the lakes size the trout have spread out in search of food. Midges are the primary food source of the Crowley Lake trout. Key to success is moving around looking for feeding trout. Boat electronics is what is making the difference between catching trout and just staring at a bobber. Tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s in size 18 are the productive flies. Fly fishers in boats, kayaks and float tubes are searching the lake for todays hot spot. Successful anglers are trying multiple spots before finding that one productive location. As they say in real estate location, location and location.

Elsie Minichiello from Ventura is nymphing a pheasant tail nymph under an indicator for the wild brown trout that inhabit the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

It’s hot middle of the day making it uncomfortable for anglers to be on the water fly fishing. If you can put up with the heat the trout are feeding all day. The canal has had lots of fishing pressure and successful fly fishers are covering lots of water with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. There is not a selective hatch going on at the canal, but there is a fish here and there taking adult aquatic insects of the surface. Wild brown trout are averaging eight to 12 inches. Stocked rainbows have been up to 18 inches.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-07-2023

We’ve had a week of hot weather in the Owens Valley. Snow is melting at the higher elevations which is causing snow runoff. So far, it’s not overpowering the water ways. In fact it’s opening up waters for us to fly fish. Creeks running out of the Sierra are fishable in the flat sections. These creeks should be approached with caution as one slip will put you into the icy cold water and could spell disaster. High elevation lakes and roads to them are icing out and offering additional waters to fly fish. Backcountry lakes and streams are just starting to thaw out. With all the standing water throughout the Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra there is an abundance of mosquitoes everywhere.

Sierra Bright Dot guide Richard Lancaster casting Adams parachutes to rising brookies at the inlet of North Lake.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows in the lower Owens River are fluctuating around 550 CFS. The river can be fished at these flows, but it is not wadable. I would use extreme caution fishing along the banks as they are still unstable from the previous high flows. Access is limited to the aera of Five Bridges as Chalk Bluff Road is closed at the bluff and there is no parking from the gravel plant to the bluff. Nymphing with lots of weight and mayfly nymphs or caddis pupae are producing a few trout for the diehard fly fishers plying the waters of the lower Owens River.

With flows in the lower Owens River down to 550 CFS fly fishers are exploring the wild trout section in the area of Five Bridges.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

If you can put up with the mosquitoes the trout are biting on Hot Creek. This is quickly becoming one of the most consistent waters to fish in the Mammoth Lakes area. There are hatches, but few trout are coming to the surface to feed. Successful anglers are nymphing under an indicator, using a Euro rig, or pulling streamers. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs,  bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, midges and scuds are fooling a few wild trout.

Hot Creek is flowing high and clear and is offering consistent nymph fishing in the interpretive site and the canyon.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The canyon is my favorite spot to fly fish. High flows are making it tough for a lot of anglers to successfully fly fish. I’m using nymphs on my Euro rig or fishing nymphs under an indicator with lots of weight to keep the flies in touch with the substrate. The fish need to eat and with the rich aquatic diet offered to them by the insects in the creek the trout are feeding on blue wing olive nymphs, caddis nymphs and pupae, scuds and midge nymphs. I like throwing a size 6 olive wooly bugger particularly during runoff. I fish it around obstacles in the stream like weed beds and rocks.

Young  fly fisher Knox Trucksess from San Clemente is casting his indicator rig upstream and watching the indicator for any movement to know when to set the hook as he fly fishes off the bank on the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Mosquitoes are taking the fun out of fly fishing the upper Owens River. I’m going to buy enough head nets for my customers and myself to keep the pesky biting bugs off my face and neck. Fishing is tough as the trophy fish are no longer in the river system and juvenile trout are feeding if you can find where there calling home out of the fast current. Nymphing is the best method of fly fishing the river right now. I’m using stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. Work these flies in the slower pools and runs where the trout are feeding out of the main current. Cover lots of water to find the few spots that have consistently feeding trout.

Working midges three inches to three feet of the substrate is producing trout for fly fishers who move around Crowley Lake to find schools of feeding trout.

Crowley Lake:

Fishing is up and down as water levels are changing. Successful fly fishers are fishing in 15 to 25 feet of water in McGee Bay. With rapidly changing water levels fly fishers are searching for the trout every day. Good electronics or your boat, float tube or kayak makes it easier to find the trout. The same flies have been doing the job. The trout are taking tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s.

Las Vegas fly fisher Randy Meservey nymph fished under an indicator in Bishop Creek Canal with a gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:\

Mid-day temperatures in the low 100’s makes it hot to be out fishing middle of the day. My schedule has me out fishing middle of the day and catching trout. I’m getting a mixed bag of 14 to 18 inch stocked rainbows and eight to 12 inch wild brown trout. I like fishing my Euro rig in the canal and the trout are taking my hot spot pheasant tail nymph, stoner nymph and green/gold Prince nymph. Under the indicator the trout are taking bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, copper and red copper John’s and red San Juan worms.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-30-2023

Looks like July is going to come in hot with the Owens Valley seeing are first temperatures of the summer in the high 90’s to low 100’s. This should start melting the snow in the 9,000 to 13,000 foot range. If these temperatures persist there will be peak runoff in most streams and creeks in the Eastern Sierra in the next week or two. Backcountry is snowed in and there have been avalanche warnings. Long Valley, from Crowley Lake to the head waters on the Owens River, is inundated with mosquitoes and no see ums. I can’t believe I got two mosquitoes bites through my hair into my scalp. Nymphing is the primary method of fly fishing right now as few trout are feeding on the surface of Eastern Sierra streams.

Now is a great time of the year to learn how to fly fish like the Trucksess family leaning to fly cast at Browns on the River Campground.

 Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

The flows have dropped from 750 CFS to 550 CFS. Fly fishers have been fishing in the wild trout section. It’s still too high to safely wade. I don’t wade customers over 300 CFS. Fly fishers fishing from the banks need to careful as a lot of the banks are unstable from the high flows. Nymphing has been the successful way of fishing the wild trout section. Be sure to us enough weight in the flies or on the leader to get the flies to bounce the substrate where the trout are feeding.

Lower Owens River flows have come down to 550 CFS and fly fishers are exploring the wild trout section of the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Mosquitoes and no see ums are taking the fun out of fly fishing on Hot Creek. The mosquitoes are finding any unprotected skin or places where repellant did not get applied. Fishing nymphs with lots of weight down on the substrate is getting hookups for fly fishers. Stoner nymphs, olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs,  bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and scuds are fooling the wild trout.

Elise Minichiello showing off a typical brown trout she got in Hot Creek Canyon nymphing a riffle section. Photo from Elise Minichiello.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The water is clear, high and fishable. The mosquitoes and no see ums are atrocious. Put on lots of clothes and insect repellant. Working your nymphs in the slower sections of the creek is providing the best action. It takes a lot of weight and the right drift to catch fish in the fast riffle sections. When I think of fishing Hot Creek this time of the year, I’m thinking lots of eight to 14 inch wild brown and rainbow trout. Right now I’m only landing a few trout, but they are in the 14 to 18 inch range. I figured out a long time ago that pulling streamers through the creek during runoff is a great way to entice the trout of Hot Creek to take flies. I like throwing a size 6 olive wooly bugger. I fish it around obstacles in the stream like weed beds and rocks.

First time fly fisher Scarlett Trucksess from San Clemente is fly fishing the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Fishing is tough and the mosquitoes are thick. Walking the banks of the upper Owens River I was pushing up hunderds of mosquitoes. I’m buying a head net just to keep the mosquitoes off my face. Yes, they are that thick up on the river. Success here is working your flies on the bottom with enough weight on the flies or on your tippet to allow your nymphs to work on the substrate. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs and green/gold wire Prince nymphs are fooling a few wild and stocked trout.

A typical Crowley Lake midge eating brown trout.

Crowley Lake:

Water levels are coming up and fly fishers are working hard for their fish. McGee Bay and Sandy Point is where most of the boats, float tubers and kayaks are fishing the lake. Successful fly fishers are moving around finding where the trout are concentrated and feeding. The trout are taking tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s. Fish these midge pupae patterns from three inches above the substrate to several feet.

Randi Pritchard from Eastern Sierra Reality hooked up to a wild brown trout that took a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph fished under an indicator in Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

This spot is getting a lot of fishing pressure from spin fishermen and fly fishermen. It’s been one of the few consistent spots to catch trout in moving water. This is a great spot for both seasoned and beginner fly fishers. The trout have been taking a variety of nymphs including bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, Prince nymphs, San Juan worms in red and copper John’s six feet under an indicator. The Euro rod is producing lots of fish on stoner nymphs, perdigons, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-23-2023

It looks like the snow in the 9,000 to 13,000 foot level is starting to melt. The creeks running out of the mountains from Lone Pine to Bridgeport are all swollen with this year’s record snow melt. For now I would stay out of the creeks as they are unsafe to be around and unfishable. Nymphing and pulling streamers is working in the streams and rivers that are at not blown out by the snow runoff. Still waters offers the fly fisher the perfect place to fly fish when their favorite moving water is blown out due to the snow runoff. Eastern Sierra lakes under 9,000 feet that are thawed out are offering fly fishers an alternative fly fishing opportunity. Bass, bluegill and carp are a great fish to fly fish for as they require all of your trout skills and then some to get them to take a fly. Definitely be carrying your insect repellant as the mosquitoes and no see ums are out in force.

Warm, water fish put a bend on typical trout tackle like this five weight set up hooked up to a bluegill.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Unsafe to fish until  flows recede. Maybe flows will be fishable in October.

With expected peak runoff flows of 1,300 CFS Five bridges has been fortified to protect it from being washed out.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

With clear water and trout needing to feed, fishing nymphs under an indicator or with the Euro rod is producing trout for fly fishers able to work their nymphs on the substrate. With the high water it’s taking two to four AB or BB sized split shots and up to 11 mm of tungsten beads on the Euro rig. The trout are feeding on midges and mayfly nymphs. I’m finding that the slower sections of the creek is where my rig is working the substrate and the trout are taking olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs, copper Johns, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and perdigons in a variety of colors.

I’m finding it tough to nymph my favorite fast runs in Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The water in the canyon is running fast and my usual spots are not producing. I’m working my nymphs in the slower water sections where I can get my nymphs to bounce off the substrate. I’m using lots of weight to keep the flies in contact with the substrate. This is a great place to pull streamers like an olive wooly bugger around obstacles in the stream like weed beds and rocks. The trout are not feeding on the streamers, but being territorial and chasing the intruder, your streamer, away from their hangout.  

With high water, wind and mosquitoes the upper Owens River is a tough place to fly fish .

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

High, cold, clear water is making it hard to get trout in the upper Owens River to take flies. Afternoon or all day winds are hindering fly fishers. This adds up to tough fly fishing conditions on the upper Owens River. Nymphs and streamers are producing for fly fishers putting in the effort. Lots of casts and covering lots of water is yielding a few trout. The trout being landed have been in the 16 to 20 inch range. These fish are just few and far apart. Continue to show caution driving the dirt roads around the upper Owens River as vehicles are still getting stuck in the mud. This place is inundated with mosquitoes.

A typical Crowley Lake midge eating rainbow trout.

Crowley Lake:

The trout are still in 15 to 25 feet of water and feeding on midges. The fleet of guide boats is targeting the north arm of Crowley Lake from Sandy Point to Green Banks. A few boats are starting to show up in Hilton Bay and McGee Bay. The trout are taking the usual suspects of tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s. Sacramento perch have moved into the shallows to spawn and are a fun fish on the fly rod. They make great eating. I like to eat mine as beer battered, tempura fried, fish tacos and ceviche.

The green/gold Prince nymph fooling a typical wild 8 inch brown trout on Bishop Creek Canal fished on a Euro rig.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

This continues to be my go to spot to fly fish for trout as the trout are feeding on nymphs. I’ve been fishing with both an indicator and my Euro rig. Olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, stoner nymphs, copper Johns, green/gold Prince nymphs and hot spot pheasant tail nymph are what’s working for me. Running into a number of fly fishers working the canal and learning how to properly fly fish it.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-16-2023

It must be summer! I ran into mosquitoes on Hot Creek today. When the afternoon clouds rolled in the mosquitoes came out of the grass. The afternoon rain showers are slowing down the snow runoff which means some of the rivers and creeks are starting to run clear, but still high. Water is cold and fish are not feeding voraciously like they should at this time of the year. I’m seeing hatching caddis, mayflies and midges, but for the most part the trout are feeding on the larvae not the hatching adults. Bass, bluegill and carp offer a fun alternative to the blown out stream fly fishing. Still waters that are iced out are another alternative for fly fishing.

Bluegill are a fun fish on the fly rod and the Buckley Ponds is a great spot to fly fish in the afternoon after chasing trout.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Unsafe to fish until  flows recede. Maybe flows will be fishable in October.

Lower Owens River at 750 CFS is unfishable and not safe to be around.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Water is high and flowing clear. A mayfly hatch has a few trout coming to the surface. Most of the trout are feeding on nymphs. I’m fishing a heavy Euro nymph rig with 10.5 mm of tungsten beads. I’m using a pheasant tail, stoner nymph and Mark’s UV hare’s ear. This has been a quality fishery not a quantity fishery right now. I’m hooking rainbows and browns in the 16 to 20 inch range, but only a few of them.

Upper Hot Creek Canyon flats offers slower water for fly fishers to get their nymphs down on the substrate.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Water is high and fast, but at least its clear. Lots of weight in the nymphs or on the line in the form of split shot. Two size BB split shot was not enough to keep my pheasant tail nymph on the substrate under the indicator. I’ve been fishing the slower water sections like the flats below Hot Creek Ranch. Brown trout to 16 inches have been taking my nymphs on the Euro rig. Bright colored flies like rainbow warriors, eggs and San Juan worms are fooling a few trout. Success is hanging up on the bottom and covering lots of water to find that one or two trout that are willing to take the flies you are fishing.

Upper Owens is flowing high, cold and clear, but is not producing many trout .

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The water is still up but it is no longer running muddy. The roads are slowly drying out and most roads are accessible. I would still use the utmost caution where you are driving on the dirt roads. A few cutthroats are in the system, but they never showed up in fishable quantities this spring. For fly fishers nymphing on the substrate a few large resident trout are taking bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, stoners, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and green/gold Prince nymphs. Successful anglers are covering lots of water for a few trout.

Fishing from Alligator Point to the mouth of the upper Owens River is where most fly fishers are concentrating their efforts.

Crowley Lake:

The north arm of the lake is where most of the fly fishers are midging. The fish are in 15 to 20 feet of water and are taking midges three inches to four feet off of the substrate. As the sun gets higher over the water the midge bite seems to move up off  the bottom. Tiger midges, zebra midges, albino Barron’s and balanced leeches in pearl, black and blue and perch are fooling rainbows, browns, cutthroats and Sacramento Perch. A couple of 2.8 pound perch have been landed in the last week or two.

Wild brown trout are taking size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs fished under an indicator.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

Water is still high and dirty. Despite the way the water looks nymphs fished on the substrate are producing browns and stocked rainbow trout. Green/gold Prince nymphs, stoner nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons and rainbow warriors are producing wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-09-2023

Cool weather and thunder storms has slowed down the snow melt at elevations above 9,000 feet. This is good as several waters in the Eastern Sierra have stabilized and are offering fly fishing opportunities. Waters are still high and cold and anglers should approach streams with care as it only takes one slip to be in the cold high water. Nymphing and streamers are the most productive method for moving waters right now. Still waters offer an alternative to the blown out streams. Midging and pulling streamers are working in a number of still waters. Warm water fish, bass, bluegill and carp, are offering fly fishers some good opportunities as they are spawning in the shallows of several Owens Valley ponds.

Owens Valley ponds like Saunders Pond offers fly fisher warm water opportunities for bass, bluegill and carp.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

This section of the river is closed to vehicle access and is unsafe to fly fish. I will be fishing here this fall, probably October, when the flows slow down to 300 CFS or less.

Due to high flows and flooding Pleasant Valley Campground area is closed to access.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Water flows have stabilized and fly fishers fishing with nymphs and streamers are producing wild trout. With the high flows fly fishers need to be increasing the amount of weight they are using in their nymph rigs. Best flies have been bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and olive wooly buggers.

Hot Creek offers fly fishers good nymphing and streamer fishing during spring runoff.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Access into the canyon is wide open as all three parking areas are accessible. Pulling streamers is something only a handful of fly fishers do in Hot Creek. This is a very productive method for fly fishers fishing the canyon section during runoff. My favorite streamer continues to be the olive wooly bugger in size 6. Nymphing is very productive in the canyon with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, olive quilldigons and stoner nymphs.

Fly fishers need to be careful where they are driving on the dirt roads leading to the upper Owens River or they will be spending the afternoon digging out their car. .

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Lots of water, particularly on the dirt roads off the main dirt road, is making driving up to your favorite fly fishing spot impossible in some locations. Be sure where you’re driving can support your vehicle or you will find yourself stuck in the mud. Fishing is starting to pick up as flows have stabilized. A few cutthroats in the river are offering trophy trout opportunities to fly fishers covering lots of water to find the trophy trout. I like fishing size 12 Euro jig style stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs in the deep holes, runs and cutbanks for the resting and feeding trout.

Finding secluded areas on Crowley Lake to midge fish by yourself can lead to a great day of pressure less  fly fishing.

Crowley Lake:

This is a good alternative fly fishing spot during runoff. Fly fishers are constantly moving location in search of the trout. Sandy Point to Layton Springs offers spots for fly fishers to find the ever moving schools of trout. Sacramento Perch have moved into the five to 15 foot level to spawn. The perch have been taking a number of fly patterns including balanced perch, black and blue balanced leeches, and silver wooly buggers. These are a fun fish on the fly rod and make great ceviche or fish tacos.

Bishop Creek Canal continues to produce trout for fly fishers nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

Nymphing flies on the substrate continues to produce wild browns and the occasional stocked rainbow trout. I’m running an indicator six feet above my bottom fly. I’m using a two fly rig of bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and a stoner nymph. I’m using a BB split shot to keep the flies down on the substrate where the trout are feeding. The Euro rod is my preferred method of fly fishing the canal. Green/gold Prince nymphs, stoner nymphs and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs are the three flies producing for me.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-02-2023

Afternoon thunder clouds have been slowing the amount of runoff entering streams. This is good for the snowpack as we do not want it to melt all at once. Unfortunately over the Memorial Day weekend there were a couple of water related incidents and one of them was a fatality. I cannot stress enough the seriousness of the stream conditions during this record snow runoff. I fished McGee Creek this week and was more cautious than ever walking the banks and wading in the stream. This is a creek that I normally wade in the water anywhere I want. The water was high and extremely cold. I’m continuing to find spots to fly fish and catch fish. Nymphing or pulling streamers have been the productive methods. Owens River Gorge will be closed for three weeks for springtime riparian flows from June 6 to June 25, 2023. Long Valley Dam to Control Power Plant will be closed.

Heading back to the vehicles on 395 from the confluence of McGee Creek and Convict Creek as the storm roles in.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

This section of the river is closed to vehicle access and is unsafe to fly fish. I will be fishing here this fall, probably October, when the flows slow down to 300 CFS or less.

The left bank of the lower Owens River was graded and straightened out leading into the Five Bridges Crossing to keep the lower Owens River form eroding the bank and taking out Five Bridges Road.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

This is one of the few creeks that fly fishers will be able to access and fly fish during runoff. Nymphing will be the primary method of fishing the creek. I’m using bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and gray caddis pupae. Key to success here is fishing in the mornings before the wind comes up and using enough weight to get the flies bouncing on the substrate. I find heavy snow runoff a great time to be throwing olive streamers.

Hot Creek is high and off color, but is offering the best spot for fly fishers to catch trout during the runoff with nymphs and streamers.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

This section is being the most effected by the runoff and spring conditions. I would be in the canyon in the morning and gone as soon as the wind comes up in the early afternoon. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro nymph rig is the most productive method. Some riffles in the canyon require two to three BB shop to keep the flies on the substrate where the trout are feeding. I like throwing a size 6 olive wooly bugger across the stream and strip it back making it work around instream structures like boulders where the browns are hanging out. The fish are not feeding on the wooly bugger, but being territorial and hitting the fly to get the bugger out of their territory. Expect lots of hits, but not necessarily a lot of hookups.

Upper Owen River is tough to fly fish right now with high off colored water and no concentration of cutthroats in the river.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Roads are not totally dried out yet and I would be careful where I’m driving. I’ve gotten stuck in the mud on the upper Owens River is the past and do not want to dig myself out again or call Frosty 4 Wheeler to recover my truck. Cutthroats are not in the river in any kind of concentration. Water levels continue to be high and off color. Tough fly fishing here right now.

Fly fishing with midges in 20 feet of water in the north arm of Crowley Lake  produces hookups.

Crowley Lake:

While the streams are dealing with runoff problems the lake has stabilized and is offering good fly fishing with midges and balanced leeches in 15 to 20 feet of water. The bulk of the guides and boats are fishing in the north arm of the lake from Sandy Point to Green Banks. Tiger midges and zebra midges are consistently producing trout when fished three inches to three feet off the lake bottom. I’ve been using a balanced leech to help get the midges down on the lakes substrate. Perch balanced leeches and black and blue balanced leeches are producing perch, browns and cutthroats. Most fly fishers are quitting by early afternoon when the wind comes up.

High dirty water is not keeping the trout from feeding on nymphs like the brown trout  Marco Chu is hooked up to.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

The water is high and off color and looks unfishable. I guided on the canal twice last week and was surprised to be catching trout in these runoff conditions. I’m fishing the Euro rod and using 9 to 11 mm worth of tungsten beads on three fly patterns in the canal. Stoner nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, and rainbow warriors are the flies producing trout for me and my clients. Key to success is having the right weight to keep the flies in contact with the substrate and fishing slow and deliberately covering all the water. The canal is a great water to learn new techniques.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-26-2023

As I’ve been expecting the warm weather has started the runoff and most moving waters are unfishable. The waters are full of debris and running chocolate milk color or they are high and some shade of brown. I haven’t seen a clear running water in my travels fly fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra. The still waters that are ice free are offering fly fishers an opportunity to fly fish. I expect the moving waters to be out of commission for 30 to 60 days. Owens River Gorge will be closed for three weeks for springtime riparian flows from June 6 to June 25, 2023. Long Valley Dam to Control Power Plant will be closed. DWP has set up a 2023 runoff site at https://ladwpeasternsierra.com/runoff2023 to monitor this year’s snow runoff.

In preparation for the record snow runoff the lower Owens River at Five Bridges was rechanneled to try and  prevent the bridge from being washed out.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

The Owens River is running between 750 to 1,000 CFS depending on where you are on the lower Owens River. It is expected to peak somewhere around 1,400 CFS sometime in June or Early July. Due to erosion of banks and high flows the lower Owens River is unsafe to fish for the next month or two. Chalk Bluff Road is expected to wash out in one or two spots during this year’s runoff. This will effect winter fishing access to the lower Owens River. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews are working to minimalize the impact of this year’s snow runoff.

At 750 CFS the lower Owens River is flooding its banks and is expected to double in volume  to 1,500 CFS  at the peak of the runoff.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Fly fishers can drive right up to the interpretive site parking lot. The water is high and off color from the water coming down Mammoth Creek. Nymphing has been tough. Fly fishers need enough weight to get the nymphs down on the substrate where the trout are feeding. The right combination of euro nymph flies with 4.0 mm and 3.5 mm beads or a couple of BB split shots under an indicator is what’s needed. Stoner nymphs, olive quilldigons, scuds, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears are catching a few trout. Pulling streamers is getting lots of action with a few hits and less hookups. For streamers try using olive wooly buggers in size 6, olive marabou muddlers in size 6 or one of the articulated streamers.

Mammoth Creek is a tributary to Hot Creek and is responsible for the high dirty water.

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

The water and wind is more concentrated in the canyon. This section fly fishes best in the morning to early afternoon. Nymphing is producing a few fish if the nymphs have enough weight to get them down on the substrate where the trout are feeding. Working streamers around instream structures like rocks is getting brown trout to hit the flies more out territorial strikes than trying to feed on the streamers. Olive has always been the best streamer color for me.

The upper Owens River is flowing high and dirty from this year’s record runoff.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The river is up and off color. When the sun is full on the water you can make out some structure in the water like shallows and weed beds. Walking the banks showed no fish in the dirty colored water. I saw no spawning activity by any cutthroats. Two 4.0 mm bead flies with a 3.0 mm bead fly was the correct weight combination to get the flies bouncing on the substrate. I was surprised that there was no fishing pressure on the river until early afternoon the other day when I fished the upper Owens River. There are a few trophy brown trout in the river that are feeding on nymphs and offering fly fishers an opportunity to catch a trophy trout. The main dirt road upstream of Benton Crossing Bridge is drivable. The side spur roads have water and mud that fly fishers could get their vehicles stuck in. Be careful where you drive up there and I would not drive in a vehicle other than a four wheel drive.

Fly fishers are in the north arm of Crowley Lake fly fishing with midges in 20 feet of water.

Crowley Lake:

With the runoff starting and making the moving waters unfishable it’s time to look towards the still waters to fly fish until the runoff recedes. Crowley Lake is just starting to produce trout. It’s hard to believe that the lake was frozen for opener and opened to fishing on May 10, just 16 days ago. Crowley Lake is the premier fly fishing still water in the Eastern Sierra. It has taken a few days for the midge fishing to get going, but the trout are feeding on the midges in the north arm of the lake in 20 feet of water. Fishing from Sandy Point to Green Banks is producing trout. Fly fishers are fishing with balanced perch, balanced black and blue leeches, zebra midges, tiger midges and albino Barron’s. Best fishing has been in the mornings to early afternoon.

Teaching fly casting in the field next to Bishop Creek Canal before fly fishing the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Old Ford Dealer:

Runoff out of the Owens River and Bishop Creek has the canal high and mud colored. There is a lot of debris floating down Bishop Creek and some of it is making its way into the canal. Fishing is tough and the slower straight sections are the best area to fish right now. Success here is a few fish for fly fishers covering lots of water with the right amount of weight to keep the flies down on the substrate. Pheasant tail nymphs, gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs and copper John’s are fooling wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout.

Fishing the Euro rig is producing wild brown trout on Pine Creek if you can get your flies down on the substrate.  

Pine Creek Weir

Pine Creek above Rovana:

The creek is blown out from runoff like all the other streams and creeks. Fishing is tough and fly fishers need to be persistent and make sure their flies are working on the substrate. I’m considering this spot done tell runoff is over for the year.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-12-2023

Spring has finally come to the upper elevation waters in the Eastern Sierra, Crowley Lake opened to boating on Wednesday May 10, 2023. Waters in the mid-7,000 foot elevation are opening up. Lakes are icing out and snow on roads are melting. As the snow melts the dirt roads are now muddy roads, Not much in the way of hatches right now, Most fly fishers are nymphing. Midges and blue wing olive mayflies are providing the bulk of the trout’s diet right now.

Bishop Creek has not blown out from runoff yet and is offering fly fishers a place to fly fish.

 Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Lower Owens River in  the wild trout section is closed to access at Pleasant Valley Campground and at the chalk bluff on Chalk Bluff Road, Flows are being maintained at 750 CFS. Due to erosion of the river banks the wild trout section is unsafe to fish at this point in time. Pleasanton Valley Reservoir is open to fly fishing and can be accessed at the Gorge Control Plant. This is a great float tube water for fly fishers to explore.

At 750 CFS the banks of the lower Owens River are getting eroded and are unsafe to walk on..

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Snow has melted and fly fishers can access the creek. Blue wing olive mayfly nymphs and midge nymphs are the insects the trout are feeding on. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and sparkle duns are fooling the surface feeding trout, the few that are coming to the surface. Nymphing in the high off color water is producing with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and midge nymph patterns

Hot Creek:

Canyon Section:

Snow is melting and leaving muddy dirt roads for fly fishers to drive over. Be careful where you are driving as it is easy to get a four wheel drive vehicle stuck. Nymphing in the canyon is the most productive way to fish. I like to pull streamers, particularly in olive color, in and around the obstructions in the creek.

Most of the snow has melted from the banks of the upper Owens River and fly fishers are starting to drive up the dirt roads to the river well upstream of Benton Crossing Bridge Road,.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The snow has melted and left the dirt roads a muddy mess. I’m very cautious driving my four wheel drive off of the main dirt road. I hate getting stuck! Cutthroats are just starting to move into the upper river. They are not in the river in any quantity yet. That should change any day now. I’m working heavy 4.00 mm bead head stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs in the deep holes, slow runs and cutbanks for the trophy trout that are resting and feeding.

Bishop Creek above the weirs of Bishop Creek Canal behind the old Ford Dealer is a great piece of water to fly fish..

Bishop Creek Canal:

Behind the Ford Dealer:

This continues to be my go to spot to fly fishing spot when the lower Owens River is flowing over 500 CFS. The Euro nymph rig is producing for me every time I fish it. I’m using the olive quilldigon, stoner nymph and the hot spot pheasant tail nymph. All three flies are producing fish with the stoner producing the largest trout of my outing.

Nymphing under an indicator is producing wild brown trout in Pine Creek.

Pine Creek Weir:

Pine Creek continues to offer fly fishers an alternative spot to nymph fish until the creek blows out from the snow runoff. Indicator nymphing or the Euro rod is producing wild brown trout with pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, midges and prince nymphs.

Owens River

In the Gorge:

When Department of Water and Power are not fixing things and running high flows through the gorge the Owens River Gorge is a place for fly fishers to fish during runoff. Flows have been around 75 CFS and nymphing is the most productive method to fish. A dry and dropper is one of my favorite ways to fly fish the gorge.