Opening weekend use to represent the opportunity to get out and fly fish waters that had been closed since October 31st of the previous year. These days most moving waters and some still waters are open to year round fishing. Where I use to get excited to go fly fish the opening of these waters it no longer holds that special excitement. Spring means snow will start melting in upper elevations allowing fly fishers access to waters that have been buried in snow since the snow started falling in late Fall or early Winter. These waters are now the waters I get excited about fly fishing. My routine for opener has been to attend the Bishop Chamber of Commerce Press Reception Dinner on the Friday night before opener. It’s an opportunity to meet with writers, fishing show promoters, fishing personalities and locals. For the last 13 years I’ve been a part of Fish Camp put on by Bishop Park and Recreation. This is a fly fishing school for six to 12 year old’s to learn to cast a fly rod, tie a fly, fly fishing etiquette and the chance to fly fish Bishop Park Pond. So this opening weekend like the last 18 years I will be at Bishop Park teaching 21 six to 12 year old’s about fly fishing.
Spring in the Sierra is a time of things starting a new like this hen mallard on Bishop Creek Canal with her ducklings.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
The increase in flows on the lower Owens River was put off by three or four weeks while the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP ) finished repair work on Haiwee Dam. Time is up and by Monday April 29th, 2024 flows on the lower Owens River are scheduled to be at 325 CFS. Safe wading is at 300 CFS or less. Flows are expected to increase to 500 to 600 CFS. Now we wait for the flows in the lower Owens River to decrease to under 200 CFS. This normally happens in October when DWP decrees the summer flows. See you on the lower Owens in October.
Rick Delmas working a deep hole on the wild trout section of the lower Owens River in the afternoon before the flows start increasing.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
The trout are looking up and taking dry flies and feeding on nymphs under the surface. Fly fishing with a dry and dropper is a great way to produce trout on Hot Creek. For the dry fly try size 16 Adams parachutes, size 12 mini Chernobyl ants and size 14 stimulators. For nymphs fish with olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges and zebra midges. Best fishing has been from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Systematically working the creek from the near bank to the far bank and then move up three steps and repeat is how you successfully fish Hot Creek.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
This is a great place to fly fish with a dry and dropper or with a Euro rig. The trout are actively feeding on mayflies and midges. For the dry and dropper use a size 16 Adams parachute, a size 14 elk hair caddis, a size 14 foam caddis and a size 14 stimulator for dry pattern. When nymphing under a dry fly or with a Euro rig fish with olive scuds, olive burlap caddis, tiger midges, zebra midges, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and olive quilldigons. Cover lots of water being sure to concentrate on the holes and obstructions in the creek.
An olive quill RS2 nose pierced cutthroat trout from the upper Owens River in May when the trophy cutthroat trout migrate into the upper Owens River.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The river is in between the trophy rainbow trout of winter and the spring run of trophy cutthroat trout. While there are a few trophy rainbows and browns being caught most fly fishers are catching juvenile rainbows and browns to 10 inches. For the trophy trout use size 12 stoner nymphs, green/gold wire Prince nymphs, copper Johns and gold ribbed hare’s ears. For the juvenile trout fish with Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes, elk hair caddis and foam caddis in size 16. For nymphing use size 16 gold ribbed hares ears, size 18 tiger or zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons.
Flows in Bishop Creek Canal are low, but high enough to allow fly fishers to fish the canal without spooking the trout.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
Water levels are low but very fishable for wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. Working nymphs on a Euro rod is very productive. Working the deeper holes, runs and fast riffle sections is where the trout are hanging out looking for food. Mayfly nymphs, scuds and midges are the insects the trout are feeding on. Use olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges, zebra midges and tan scuds.