Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-10-2026

The summer heat wave is behind us. A voluntary Hoot Owl Regulation continues for Eastern Sierra waters. Be sure to check water temperatures in the afternoons and quit catch and release fly fishing when the temperatures approach the 70 degree mark. Fall is right around the corner and offers the best fly fishing of the year. Trophy trout are entering the rivers to reproduce. High country trout are putting on weight and will eat almost any fly properly presented to them. The trees will be turning shades of yellow, orange and the occasional red. Hatches of mayflies, caddis and midges will bring trout to the surface. Hoppers are finding their way into the waters and the trout are feeding on them. The first frost of the year will remove the mosquitoes. Fall offers the best fly fishing opportunities of the whole year.

Fall colors represent the best time of the year to be fly fishing on the waters of the Eastern Sierra.

San Joaquin River

At Reds Meadows:

Access is limited to Thursday through Sunday and there is only one campground open. Fishing for wild rainbow, brook and brown trout is fun using a dry fly or a dry and dropper rig. Be prepared to hike to the river as you have to park outside the campgrounds and walk into the river. What the fish lack in size they make up for in quantity. Expect 10 to 30 six to 10 inch trout, with anything over 10 inches a big trout. Use size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 14 Adams parachutes, size 14 elk hair caddis and size 14 stimulators for dry flies. Size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 14 Prince nymphs, size 16 stoner nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 midges in zebra or tiger coloration are the nymphs that consistently produce trout. The best fly to use on the San Joaquin River is your favorite dry fly as you will fish it with confidence and catch more trout because of your confidence.

The San Joaquin River is open on weekends and offers a solitude fly fishing experience for wild brown, brook and rainbow trout.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Water temperatures have cooled off, but still check the water temperatures in the afternoons and quit catch and release fly fishing when water temperatures climb over 70 degrees. There is a morning trico hatch that the wild young of the year trout are feeding on. Use a size 20 female trico dun parachute pattern and switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern if the trout refuse your trico parachute pattern late into the hatch. There is a blue wing olive hatch on at the end of the trico hatch. Switch to a size 16 blue wing olive parachute, size 16 Adams parachute and a size 16 olive sparkle dun. There are a few trophy trout being caught, but they are not in the river in consistent numbers yet. Early mornings and late evenings are a great time of the day to be pulling streamers for trophy trout. Use size 10 wooly buggers, size 10 slumpbusters, size 6 sclupzilla and size 10 muddler minnows.

Morning mayfly hatches are offering consistent dry fly action for fly fishers making a drag free drift for six to 10 inch wild rainbows and browns on the upper Owens River.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches are offering fly fishers good dry fly fishing opportunities with hatches of blue wing olive mayflies and trico mayflies. Most mornings start off with a caddis migration quickly followed by the trico mayflies and then as the trico hatch subsides the blue wing olive mayflies start to hatch. Start your morning fishing with a size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray elk hair caddis and size 20 gray E/C caddis. Then switch to a size 22 trico female dun parachute to imitate the hatching trico duns. As the mayflies molt into the spinner switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern. You will know when to switch to the spinner pattern when the trout quit feeding on your parachute pattern. Late in the morning when you see bigger mayflies on the water switch to a size 20 Adams parachute, size 20 blue wing olive parachute and a size 20 sparkle dun in olive. The morning hatches are done before noon. Once the winds come up try presenting a hopper pattern gently on the water. Hot Creek trout spook if you slap the hopper on the water. Fish with a size 12 tan parachute hoppers, size 12 tan stimulator and size 12 tan Chernobyl ants casting the hoppers into the wind against the banks.

Hot Creek can be fun in the afternoons when hoppers are being blown onto the water in the Canyon Section.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Full growth weed beds make fishing the canyon section tough. The key to success is to drift dry flies in the tiny channels between the weeds. Fish with size 22 trico spinners and size 22 female trico dun parachutes to imitate the trico mayflies. Mornings start off with the caddis migration and getting a drag free drift with a size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray elk hair caddis and size 20 gray E/C caddis will fool the trout feeding on the migrating caddis. When the hoppers make their way onto the water in the afternoon winds it’s time to put on a size 12 tan parachute hoppers, size 12 tan stimulator and size 12 tan Chernobyl ants. When fishing hoppers be sure to land your hopper patterns gently on the water not spooking the skittish trout of Hot Creek.

The key to fly fishing the lower Owens River at flows over 300 CFS is to find banks that are not inundated with willows and tulles to fly fish from.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

The lower Owens River is still flowing high and is under voluntary Hoot Owl restrictions. Still check the water temperatures in the afternoons and quit catch and release fly fishing when water temperatures climb over 70 degrees. Nymphs are hard to fish in the river at high flows as they tend to hang up on debris on the substrate. Fish the first and last hour of the day with streamers to find bigger trout. Use size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, slump busters, matukas and a size 6 sclupzilla articulated streamer. Evening caddis hatches bring the trout to the surface and fly fishing with size 18 elk hair caddis, size 18 parachute caddis and size 18 E/C caddis will fool the caddis feeding trout. Look for flows to come down end of this month or beginning of October.

Labor Day Crowds flocked to the Canal with little success and afternoon water temperatures over 70 degrees.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Bishop Creek Canal is still under voluntary Hoot Owl regulations as afternoon water temperatures are over the 70 degree mark. Late in the morning before water temperatures climb to unfishable temperatures try fishing with a size 12 tan parachute hoppers, size 12 tan stimulator and size 12 tan Chernobyl ants. Early in the morning fish with size 20 female dun trico parachutes, size 20 trico spinners, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 Adam parachutes.

Pockets and pools is where fly fishers want to fish there dry and dropper rig for wild brown trout from eight to 12 inches in Bishop Creek.

Bishop Creek Canyon

Middle Fork:

Adult grasshoppers are flying away as you walk along the banks of Bishop Creek. Fishing with size 12 tan parachute hoppers, size 12 tan stimulator and size 12 tan Chernobyl ants is fooling the wild brown trout and the stocked rainbow trout. The best fly to use on Bishop Creek is your favorite dry fly as you will fish it with confidence and catch more trout because of your confidence. Fishing a dry and dropper rig is a great way to fool the trout in the creek. Use a size 14 stimulator, size 14 Royal Wulff, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 Adams parachute for the dry fly. For the nymphs in the dry and dropper rig use a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph, size 16 Prince nymph, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, a size 16 green/gold brassie and size 16 midges in zebra and tiger coloration. Fall colors are still a week or two away in the upper reaches of Bishop Canyon.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-03-2026

This yeas Labor Day Weekend looks to be cooling off with a chance of rain. We need the water and it has been a hot summer. Look for water temperatures to drop to acceptable levels and the removal of the voluntary Hoot Owl regulations as we head into Fall. Hoppers are active throughout Eastern Sierra waters in the afternoons. The well-known Eastern Sierra fly fishing spots will be crowded this week end. Do some exploring and find some out of the way spots with fewer fly fishers. Mayflies, caddisflies, grass hoppers and midges are feeding the trout in lakes and streams of the Eastern Sierra

Fall is quickly coming to Eastern Sierra high country waters like Weir Pond on the south fork of Bishop Creek.

San Joaquin River

At Reds Meadows:

This is the third year that the road into the San Joaquin River is being worked on. Due to the ongoing road construction access to the river is restricted to Thursday through Sunday. This is classic freestone fly fishing for rainbows, browns, brook and golden trout with dry flies or a dry and dropper rig. This is quantity fly fishing not quality. Expect 10 to 30 fish days for fish from six to 10 inches. Waders keep fly fishers warm, but if you wet wade you will need to get out of the water to warm up. For dry flies use size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 14 Adams parachutes, size 14 elk hair caddis and size 14 stimulators. For nymphs use size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 14 Prince nymphs, size 16 stoner nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 midges in zebra or tiger coloration.

Mammoth and Bishop Chamber of Commerce marketing girls enjoying a little fly fishing time on the San Joaquin River at Devils Post Pile.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

With cooling temperatures fly fishers should be able to fish the river all day. Carry your thermometer and take water temperatures in the afternoons to make sure the water temp are not approaching the 70 degree mark or higher. Mornings have been good with nymphs and dries. For nymphs use size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 14 Duracell nymphs and size 18 midges in zebra and tiger coloration. For dry flies use size 20 trico female dun parachutes, size 20 trico spinners, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes,  size 16 elk hair caddis, size 16 E/C caddis, size 12 parachute caddis, size 12 Dave’s hopper and size 12 tan stimulators. Early mornings and late evenings are a great time of the day to be pulling streamers for trophy trout. Use size 10 wooly buggers, size 10 slumpbusters, size 10 sclupzilla and size 10 muddler minnows.

Afternoons are perfect for an after lunch grass hopper session as long as the water temperatures are around 65 degree or less.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Hot Creek offers the most consistent dry fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. Tricos are the mayflies that are hatching and the trout are coming to the surface to feed on the trico duns. Start off fishing a size 22 trico female dun parachute pattern. The trico dun is what is hatching on the water in the morning before becoming the sexual mature spinner. When the trout quit taking you parachute switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern. When the trico spinners are dun laying their eggs they die on the water offering the trout an easy meal. If you have trouble seeing the tiny flies on the water use a dry and dry rig. I like using a size 16 Adams parachute for the big dry in the dry and dry rig.

A day on Hot Creek Interpretive Site starts with a walk on the trail through the grasses leading to the pools on Hot Creek.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Weed beds are still at full growth and making it hard for fly fishers to get a good drag free drift. The key to success in the canyon section is to get your dry flies to float through the tiny channels between the weeds. Fish with size 22 trico spinners and size 22 female trico dun parachutes to imitate the trico mayflies. Afternoons are usually slow in the canyon, but when the wind comes up and there are grass hoppers around it’s a good time to gently cast a size 12 parachute caddis, size 12 Dave’s hopper and size 12 tan stimulators.

At flows of 500 CFS fly fishers need to find places to fish from the banks to present dry flies and streamers to the brown trout of the lower Owens River.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

With temperatures expected to be in the high 80’s to low 90’s it will be time to fly fish the lower Owens River in the middle of the day. With the high flows and lots of sticks on the substrate to hang up on nymphing can be tough. An hour before sunrise and an hour before sunset is the perfect time to be on the river throwing streamers for trophy brown trout. For streamers use size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, slump busters, matukas and a size 6 sclupzilla articulated streamer. For dry flies use size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olives, size 18 elk hair caddis and size 18 EC caddis.

Bishop Creek Canal has been tough to fly fish as the water temperatures have been too high in the middle of the day when hoppers would be producing trout.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

A volunteer hoot owl regulation has been in effect for the afternoons. Be sure to check the water temperatures starting around noon and quit catch and release fly fishing when the temperatures are approaching the 70 degree mark. Grass hoppers have been very active in the afternoons, but the water temperatures have been too hot to catch and release fish. With cooler temperatures in the forecast afternoon hopper fly fishing should be good. Fish with size 12 Dave’s hopper, size 14 tan stimulator, size 12 chubby Chernobyl and tan size 12 parachute hopper. Fly fish in the mornings with size 20 trico spinners, size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 blue wing olive mayflies and size 20 Adams parachutes.

Bush whacking and finding the pools and pocket waters where the trout are living is where to fish a grass hopper pattern or a dry and dropper rig.

Bishop Creek Canyon

South fork:

Fall colors are still a few weeks off and the flows in the creek are perfect for fly fishing with dries and a dry dropper rig. Walking along the banks is kicking up grass hoppers. The trout are feeding on the hoppers and fly fishers should use a size 12 parachute hopper, size 14 tan stimulator and a size 12 Dave’s hopper. A dry and dropper rig is fooling lots of wild browns, rainbows and brook trout. For the dry fly use a size 14 stimulator, size 16 Adams Parachute, size 14 Royal Wulff and a size 16 elk hair caddis. For the nymphs use a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 Prince nymph, size 16 green/gold brassies and size 16 midges in tiger and zebra coloration.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-27-2026

As we head into September and Labor Day the heat of August continues. A voluntary Hoot Owl restriction is in place for catch and release fishing on several Eastern Sierra waters including Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, lower Owens River, Bishop Creek Canal, Bridgeport Reservoir and East Walker River. Carry a thermometer and take the temperature for the water you are fishing. Hatches of mayflies, caddisflies and midges are feeding trout on the surface and on the substrate. Grass hoppers can be found in the vegetation and meadows around the waters in the Eastern Sierra. Some of the hopper waters are too hot in the afternoons to fish hopper patterns. Creeks in the Long Valley area are worth fishing in the afternoon winds with hopper patterns on creeks whose water temperatures are under 68 degrees.

Fall float tubing is quickly approaching on Crowley Lake as we head into the best fly fishing time in the Eastern Sierra, the 15th of September through the 15th of October.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Mornings and cloudy afternoons are offering good fly fishing on the upper Owens River with mayflies and caddis flies. In the mornings fish with size 16 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 female dun trico parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis, size 16 EC caddis and size 16 parachute caddis. Before and after the hatches nymph with size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 tiger midges and size 18 zebra midges. Fly fishers pulling streamers an hour before sunset and an hour before sunrise are taking trophy rainbows and browns. Fish with size 10 wooly buggers, size 10 slumpbusters, size 6 sclupzilla and size 10 muddler minnows to fool the trophy trout. Hoot owl voluntary regulations are still in effect. Watch the temperature on sunny days in the afternoons.

Cloudy afternoons are keeping river water temperatures down and allowing fly fishers to fish all day. on the upper Owens River

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Hot Creek at the end of summer is a tough place to fish if you cannot get a drag free drift in the tiny slots between the weed beds. In the interpretive Site fish with size 22 female trico dun parachutes, size 22 trico spinners, size 20 Adams parachutes and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes in the open runs and deeper pools. During the morning caddis migration fish with size 20 gray EC caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray X-caddis. On windy afternoons try fishing with a size 12 Dave’s hopper, size 14 tan stimulator, size 12 chubby Chernobyl and tan size 12 parachute hopper.

Hot Creek Canyon is tough to fly fish with dry flies as fly fishers need to get a drag free drift in between the narrow lanes between the weeds.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

End of August is a tough time to be fly fishing in the canyon with the weed beds at full growth. The keys to successfully fly fishing in the canyon section is to get a drag free drift and drift dry flies in the tiny lanes between the weed beds. It’s easier to drift dry flies in the deeper holes and weedless runs which are few and far between. Fish with size 20 gray EC caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 22 gray X-caddis, size 22 trico spinners and size 22 female trico dun parachutes. The grass hoppers have been active in the afternoon on the canyon walls. When fly fishing with hoppers on Hot Creek do not plop them on the water. The trout of Hot Creek spook easily. Land your hoppers gently like you do with a size 20 Adams parachute.

The key to successfully fly fishing the lower Owens River in summer is to find places where you can fly fish from the banks of the river.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Hot afternoon water temperatures, hot air temperatures, water flows over 500 CFS and lack of river bank fly fishing spots makes fly fishing the lower Owens River tough right now. Day time air temperatures are climbing up into the upper 90’s and fly fishers should monitor the water temperatures starting around noon. Fish early and late in the day with streamer and dry flies. For dry flies use size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olives, size 18 elk hair caddis and size 18 EC caddis. For streamers use size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, slump busters, matukas and muddler minnows. Nymph with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears.

Bishop Creek Canal dredgings have been removed from the banks of the canal opening up parking along the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

CDFW has been stocking Bishop Creek and some of these trout end up in Bishop Creek Canal. . A volunteer hoot owl regulation is in effect for the afternoons. Be sure to check the water temperatures after noon. There has been a good population of grass hoppers in the fields next to the canal. When water temperatures are cool enough and the wind is up try fish with size 12 Dave’s hopper, size 14 tan stimulator, size 12 chubby Chernobyl and tan size 12 parachute hopper. There has been a morning hatch of mayflies. Fish with size 20 trico spinners, size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 blue wing olive mayflies and size 20 Adams parachutes.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-20-2026

Summer showers are a great way to cool off a hot summers day. I’ve had a couple of days of having rain, snow, wind, sun and heat all in a matter of a few hours in a single day. So be prepared for everything, but expect it to be warm to hot depending on the altitude you are fly fishing at. We are approaching meat season and throwing a few streamers will turn some unexpected trophy trout. There are grasshoppers in the vegetation surrounding waters, but they are not being blown onto the water and the trout are not reacting to hoppers yet with any consistency. Hatching insects represent the dinner bell for most trout in the waters you are fly fishing. Look for hatches of mayflies, caddis flies and midges to be feeding the trout on the substrate and on the surface. It’s been a relatively dry summer, but there are still mosquitoes out there looking to feed on unexpecting fly fishers. A voluntary Hoot Owl restriction is in place for catch and release fishing on several Eastern Sierra waters including Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, lower Owens River, Bishop Creek Canal, Bridgeport Reservoir and East Walker River. Carry a thermometer and take the temperature for the water you are fishing.

Summer days of dry fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra are quickly coming to an end as fall is approaching.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Hoot owl voluntary regulations are still in effect. Watch the temperature on sunny days in the afternoons. Mornings have been fishing good for six to 10 inch wild rainbow and brown trout that are feeding on emerging mayflies and caddis that are being blown onto the water. Using size 14 and 16 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 EC caddis are fooling the surface feeding trout. Euro nymphers dredging the deep holes and deep runs with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 14 copper John’s and size 14 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear thoroughly covering each spot are producing a few trophy rainbows and browns. Fly fishers using streamers early and late in the day and on overcast days are connecting with a few trophy trout. Use size 10 wooly buggers, size 10 slumpbusters, size 6 sclupzilla and size 10 muddler minnows to fool the trophy trout.

How quickly the heat of summer dissipates when summer rain shower are in the horizon.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Weed beds are thick, but fly fishing in the deep holes and in the tiny lanes between the weeds is producing wild brown and rainbow trout during the hatches. Hot Creek trout rarely feed when there is not a hatch. Start the mornings with a size 20 gray EC caddis, size 20 parachute caddis, size 20 gray X-caddis, size 22 female dun trico parachutes and size 22 trico spinners to imitate the migrating caddis and the hatching trico mayflies. Afternoons are windy and hatch less making the fly fishing tough. If you see late morning or early afternoon fish feeding definitely fish for them. Once the hatch is over it’s time to go fly fish one of the plentiful freestone creeks of the Eastern Sierra.

Hot Creek is inundated with weed beds and fly fishers need to find the tiny holes and lanes to float their dry flies to the fish hiding in the cover of the weed beds.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Fly fishing in the canyon is tough with all the weeds in the river. Successful fly fishers learn how to drift their dry flies in the tiny lanes between the weeds when the trout are feeding on the emerging trico mayflies and migrating caddisflies. Fish areas with a steeper gradient as the trout are feeding with a reactionary bite. They do not have time to discern if your fly is a perfect match for hatching insects. Fish with size 22 trico spinners, size 22 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 gray EC caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 22 gray X-caddis.

Willows and tulles on both banks of the lower Owens River makes it tough to fish from shore and with flows around 500 CFS it’s unsafe to wade.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Day time temperatures are climbing up into the upper 90’s and fly fishers should monitor the water temperatures starting around noon. Stop catch and release fly fishing when the temperatures approach the 70 degree mark. With flows in the area of 500 CFS it is not safe to be wading in most parts of the river. Fish early and late in the day with streamer and dry flies. For dry flies use size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olives, size 18 elk hair caddis and size 18 EC caddis. For streamers use size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, slump busters, matukas and muddler minnows. Nymph with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears.

Afternoon water temperatures continue to be high and should be checked before catch and release fly fishing in Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Best fly fishing has been in the mornings between 8:00 and 10:00 A.M. Fish on the surface with size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 elk hair caddis, size 18 EC caddis and size 18 parachute caddis. Throwing small streamers and working them in the deeper holes and along the banks are fooling a few trout. Fish with size 10 Mayer’s mini leech, balanced leeches and size 14 wooly buggers. A volunteer hoot owl regulation is in effect for the afternoons. Be sure to check the water temperatures after noon.

Midges under a dry fly is what is fooling the wild brown trout in Bishop Creek in Bishop Canyon.

Bishop Creek Canyon:

Now is the perfect time to escape the heat of summer and head up Bishop Creek Canyon looking to fish a dry and dropper rig for wild brown trout and rainbow trout in Bishop Creek. This is not open meadow fly casting 20 to 30 feet of fly line to rising trout. This is walking the banks of the creeks hunting for those spots you think are holding wild trout. You are looking for pools and pockets where the trout are living out of the fast current. Now comes how do I get the flies on the water. The answer quite often is dropping your fly from the end of your fly rod with just five to 10 feet of tippet out the end of your fly rod. Or you are roll casting your flies into the pools or pockets with fish. Use size 16 Adams parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis, size 14 Royal Wulff’s and size 14 stimulators, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead heads flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 gold/green brassies, size 16 tiger midges and size 16 zebra midges.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-13-2026

As we reach the middle of August is the heat ready to break? Let’s hope that the worse of the heat is behind us. It’s been a hot one this summer in the Owens Valley. A voluntary Hoot Owl restriction is in place for catch and release fishing on several Eastern Sierra waters including Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, lower Owens River, Bishop Creek Canal, Bridgeport Reservoir and East Walker River. Carry a thermometer and take the temperature for the water you are fishing. Fish in the creeks high up the canyons that drain the Eastern Sierra when the waters heat up on the rivers and streams at lower altitudes. Trout in the backcountry and in the front country are feeding on the substrate and on the surface on mayflies, caddisflies and midges. Starting to see hoopers on a few Eastern Sierra waters.

Summer rain storms help cool off the rivers and the anglers fly fishing for wild trout in the waters of the Eastern Sierra.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Use your thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the river as it’s prone for breaking the 70 degree mark. Getting out on the water early is a way to avoid the rising temperatures in the river. Start the morning with size 20 trico female dun parachutes, size 16 Adams parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 EC caddis. Before and after the hatch fish with size 18 tiger midges, size 18 zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons to fool the trout feeding on the substrate. Fly fishers pulling size 8 wooly buggers, slumpbusters and Sculpzilla are turning some trophy brown and rainbow trout.

Sometimes the best part of the day is spending time with your friends eating lunch and discussing the mornings fly fishing.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Hot Creek offers the most consistent dry fly fishing opportunities in the Eastern Sierra. Start the morning by being rigged and ready to fish either the caddis migration or the female trico hatch at 8:00 A.M. For the caddis hatch fish with size 20 gray EC caddis, size 20 gray X-caddis and size 20 gray parachute caddis. For the trico hatch use a size 20 female dun trico parachute, size 20 Adams parachute, size 20 blue wing olive parachute. Use a nine to 12 foot 5X leader with three to six feet of 6X tippet. A drag free drift is what is going to fool the picky trout of Hot Creek Interpretive Site.

Weed beds are hiding the trout and fly fishers need to drift their flies in the tiny lanes between the weed beds.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Learning to cast your flies in and around the weed beds in Hot Creek Canyon is how fly fishers successfully fly fish the canyon section. Start the morning off by fishing the caddis migration. The caddis fly upstream of where they emerged to lay their eggs. Fish with size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray EC caddis. The trico mayfly hatch happens simultaneously with the caddis migration. Start fishing with a size 20 trico female trico parachute, size 20 Adams parachute and size 20 blue wing olive parachute. Cast your flies in the tiny lanes between the weed beds.

Learning to fly fish while wading the edges of the lower Owens River with Sierra Bright Dot Guide Richard Lancaster.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Day time temperatures cooled off middle of the week, but look for them to climb back up into the 90’s. Monitor the water temperature with your thermometer and quit catch and release fly fishing when the temperature approaches the 70 degree mark. With flows in the 500 CFS range be very careful if you are wading in the river. Fish the banks where you can find access to the river with caddis imitations in the evening and nymphs in the morning. Fish with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 EC caddis.

Grass hoppers are showing up in the fields next to Bishop Creek Canal, but afternoon water temperatures have been to warn to practice catch and release fly fishing.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Watch the water temperatures here as the water is creeping over that 70 degree mark. Remember to quit catch and release fly fishing as the water temperature approaches the 70 degree mark. Adult hoppers are showing up in good numbers in the grasses along the sides of Bishop Creek Canal. If water temperatures are fishable in the afternoons and the winds come up try fishing with size 12 and 14 Dave’s hopper, tan stimulators and Chernobyl ants. In the morning between 8:00 and 10:00 A.M. look for the may fly hatch and fish with size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 sparkle duns. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day so be sure to carry insect repellant with you.

Wild brown trout are the rewards for fly fishers fishing the pools and pockets in Bishop Creek.

Bishop Creek Canyon:

This is a freestone creek that fishes well with a dry and dropper rig. Walk the banks of the creek looking for the holes and pockets where you can cast your rig into. The key to fishing freestone creeks is getting your fly - flies on the water so the fish can take them. This is not typical fly casting. It’s dabbling, roll casting and water load casting. Fish your favorite dry fly since you have lots of confidence in it. I like fishing with a high floating high visible fly like size 14 stimulators, size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 16 elk hair caddis, and size 14 Adams parachutes. For nymphs use size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 Prince nymph, size 16 green/gold brassie, size 16 zebra midge and size 16 tiger midge.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report for 08-06-2026

The heat of summer continues with temperatures in the Owens Valley in the low 100’s and temperatures at the 8,000 to 9,000 foot level in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. Fishing under the canopy on freestone streams is a great way to escape the heat of summer. A voluntary Hoot Owl restriction is in place for catch and release fishing on several Eastern Sierra waters including Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, lower Owens River, Bishop Creek Canal, Bridgeport Reservoir and East Walker River. Carry a thermometer and take the temperature for the water you are fishing every half hour if it looks like the temperature is climbing towards 70 degrees. Mayflies, caddis flies and midges are feeding the trout in the backcountry and the front country. A big advantage of the Eastern Sierra is the ability to go up in elevation to find the temperature that suits you. Now is prime time to be exploring the backcountry with day hikes and overnight hikes.

Eastern Sierra Summers are fly fishing freestone creeks for wild brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout high up in the canyons that drain the Eastern Sierra.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Afternoon water temperatures are pushing above the 70 degree mark so catch and release fly fishers need to stop fly fishing once the river hits the 70 degree mark. Morning mayfly and afternoon caddis hatches have the trout feeding on the surface. Fish with size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 elk hair caddis and size 18 parachute caddis. Nymphing before the hatch with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 sparkle pupae, size 18 tiger midge and size 18 zebra midge will fool the wild trout.

Afternoons have been hot and fly fishers need to monitor the water temperature and quit catch and release fly fishing when the temperatures get to 70 degrees or more on the upper Owens River.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Be on the water rigged and ready to fish by 8:00 A.M. with a caddis pattern or a trico pattern. The hatches are happening almost simultaneously on the water. Start with a size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray X-caddis, size 20 female dun trico parachute pattern and size 20 blue wing olive parachute. The trico spinner fall starts about an hour after the female trico duns start hatching. When the trout quit taking your trico parachute switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern. Trico spinner patterns can be hard to see on the water so fish your trico spinner pattern as part of a dry and dry rig. Use a size 16 Adams parachute, size 16 stimulator and size 16 elk hair caddis for the big fly in your dry and dry fly rig.

The right leader, fly pattern and drag free drift is how you fool the wild rainbows and brown trout of Hot Creek Interpretive Site.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The Canyon Section is inundated with weeds from the annual summer growth of the weed beds. This is dry fly time in the canyon. Working small dry flies on long light leaders in between the four to six inch lanes between the weed beds is how fly fishers are successful in the summer time in the canyon. Matching the hatch, getting a drag free drift and setting the hook on the fish that take your dry flies is how to be successful Use nine foot 5X leaders with three to six feet of 6X tippet tied to size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 female trico sparkle duns, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 gray X-caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray elk hair caddis.

Finding places where the fly fisher can fish from the banks is how you need to fish the lower Owens River is the summer time.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Day time temperatures in the low 100’s makes it uncomfortable to fly fish during the day on the wild trout section of the lower Owens River. Fish the river early or late when the air temperature is comfortable to the fly fisher and the river temperature is under 70 degrees. Fishing in those places where the fly fisher can fish from shore with a size 18 elk hair caddis is producing wild rainbow and brown trout in the evening when the sun has gone behind the mountains. Fishing an hour before sunrise with size 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters matukas and muddler minnows will turn some trophy trout and the fly fisher will be fishing the coolest part of the day. Fly fishers should be sure to have insect repellant with them when fly fishing early and late in the day on the lower Owens River.

Evening is the perfect time to be fly fishing Bishop Creek Canal with caddis patterns.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

There has been a morning hatch of mayflies coming off between 8:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M. Fish with size 18 elk hair caddis, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 12 yellow stimulators. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 12 stoner nymphs is producing trout. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day so be sure to carry insect repellant with you.

As summer heads into fall the flows in the forks of Bishop Creek are at a perfect flow to be fishing with a dry and dropper rig.

Bishop Creek Canyon:

Heat on the creek middle of the day is about 15 degrees cooler than in the Owens Valley. Fishing under the canopy of riparian vegetation is keeping fly fishers cooler. Heading up into the canyon to fly fish in the middle of the day is great way to escape the heat of the Owens Valley right now. The fish in the creek feed opportunistically and will take almost any size 14 or 16 dry fly. The best dry fly to fish with is your favorite dry fly as you will fish that fly with the most confidence. I like high visible, high floating dry flies like elk hair caddis, stimulators, Royal Wulff’s and Adams parachutes. I’m tying no more than three feet of 5X fluorocarbon tippet to the dry fly and tying a nymph to the fluorocarbon tippet. From dry fly to nymph should be 1.5 to 2 times the average depth of water. Most of the time I’m fishing in two feet or less of water depth. For the nymphs fish with size 16 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 Prince nymph, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 green/gold brassie, size 16 tiger midge and size 16 zebra midge.

The key to success on freestone creeks is walking the banks looking for those pockets that have the room to cast and are holding the golden trout that you are seeking to catch.

High Altitude Creeks

With Golden Trout:

August is hot in the Eastern Sierra and a perfect time to be fly fishing above 9,000 feet for golden trout in high mountain creeks. This is not typical fly fishing as fly fishers need to walk the banks of the creeks searching out those little pools and pockets that hold golden trout and dab their flies on the surface of the creek. On these tiny creeks it’s rare that I have fly line out the end of the fly rod. Fly fishing for goldens is with bright attractor style patterns like a size 14 Sierra bright dot, size 14 Sierra Adams, size 14 Royal Wulff and size 14 orange stimulator. Standard dry flies like a size 14 Adams Parachute, size 16 elk hair caddis, size 14 ants and size 12 beetles work great when the golden trout are not taking the attractor patterns. These fish are small, but make up for it in their beauty and abundance. Contact Sierra Bright Dot Guide Service if you are looking to hook up with some golden trout in the Eastern Sierra.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-30-2026

Dog days of summer are here. A lot of Eastern Sierra waters are under voluntary Hoot Owl restrictions. This means you need to quit fly fishing  - catch and release fishing - when water temperatures reach 70 degrees or more. Waters that you need to be monitoring the temperature include Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, lower Owens River, Bishop Creek Canal, Bridgeport Reservoir and East Walker River. This is prime time to be fishing lakes and creeks above 9,000 feet where water temperatures stay under 65 degrees. Mosquitoes are prevalent and fly fishers should be sure to have insect repellant with them. Be prepared for hot afternoons, but be sure to have a rain jacket and a light jacket for afternoon showers. Trout on the surface and on the substrate are feeding on mayflies, caddis flies and midges.

Upper Owens River in the summer time is fishing mayflies in the mornings and caddis in the evenings on the surface for six to 14 inch wild brown and rainbow trout.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Be sure to test water temperatures every afternoon as the river has been in the upper sixties and low seventies every sunny afternoon. Best time to be fly fishing the river is in the morning when the water temperature is in the mid-sixties and there is a hatch bringing trout to the surface. Fish with size 18 Adams Parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 female dun trico parachutes and size 16 elk hair caddis on the surface. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 14 copper John’s and size 16 Duracell nymphs is producing wild rainbows and browns up to 16 inches. Fish with size 10 balanced leeches, Landon Mayers jigged pine squirrel leeches, wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddler minnows and matukas early and late in the day in deep holes, deep runs and next to cut banks.

Fishing the upper Owens River in the summer time is wet wading and fishing dries and nymphs for wild trout in a high mountain meadow.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Hot Creek Interpretive Site offers some of the most consistent dry fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. The trico hatch and caddis migration starts things off in the mornings around 8:00 A.M. Look for a good trico spinner fall around 9:00 A.M. Start the morning off with a size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray X-caddis and size 20 elk hair caddis. Fish the caddis while the migration is taking place and switch to a size 20 female dun trico parachute pattern when the trout stop hitting the caddis. Fish the female dun trico parachute until the trout quit hitting and have switched to feeding on the trico spinner fall. Use a size 22 trico spinner pattern fished three feet below a size 16 Adams parachute fished on 6X tippet. This is a dry and dry rig and should be fished just like a dry and dropper rig. Fly fishers need to set the hook on any movement in the leader-tippet or the Adams parachute. 

Hot Creek and surrounding waters are in danger once again from KORE Mining resubmitting a drilling permit. Your voice is needed to stop KORE Mining from moving forward with exploratory drilling. For more information contact nohotcreekmine.com.

With weed beds at full growth fly fishers need to fish with dry flies in Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Fly fishing with nymphs in the Hot Creek Canyon area is tough as nymphs hang up on the weed beds that are full growth this time of the season. Now is the time to be dry fly fishing with size 20 gray X-caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 female trico sparkle duns and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes. Key to success is getting your dry fly or your dry and dry fly rig to float in the tiny three to four inch lanes between the weeds. Start your morning by being on the creek by 8:00 A.M. and fish with either a caddis imitation or a trico parachute. Somewhere around 9:00 A.M. switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern.

With flows on the lower Owens River holding around 400 CFS, fly fishers need to find unobscured banks to fly fish from in the morning and evenings.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

With temperatures in the Owens Valley being in the 100’s, it’s tough to be fly fishing in the middle of the day. Pulling streamers first thing in the morning and last thing at night will produce some nice sized wild trout. Use size 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters matukas and muddler minnows. Early and late in the day fish with mayflies and caddisflies on the surface of the river. Use size 16 elk hair caddis, size 18 blue wing olive mayflies and size 20 trico parachutes. Flows have been hovering around the 400 CFS range and at these levels fly fishers need to be fly fishing from the  banks. Mosquitoes are in full force early and late in the day on the lower Owens River. Fly fishers should be sure to have insect repellant with them.

With a voluntary hoot howl in effect fly fishers will find trout feeding in the evening on Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Eight to 10:00 A.M. is the time to be on the water with caddis and mayfly imitations. Mid-day temperatures in the low 100’s is making it too hot to be fly fishing on the canal. Use size 18 elk hair caddis, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 14 stimulators to fool the wild brown trout and stocked rainbows. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 12 stoner nymphs is producing trout. Use size 10 balanced leeches, Landon Mayer’s jigged pine squirrel leeches, wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddler minnows and matukas for pulling streamer for bass, carp and trout. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day.

Wild brown trout are the rewards for fishing a size 14 stimulator with a size 16 green/gold brassie as a dry dropper rig in Bishop Creek.

Bishop Creek Canyon:

This is where you can fly fish middle of the day to escape the heat of the middle of the day. The trout are feeding opportunistically on your favorite dry fly. Size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 14 stimulators, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 14 Adams parachute are high visibility flies that float high on the water making it easy for fly fishers to see their flies. A dry and dropper is a great way to be fly fishing for opportunistically feeding trout in a freestone creek. For the nymphs fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 Prince nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 tiger midges, size 16 zebra midges and size 16 green/gold brassies.

Golden trout are sitting in the pools around the logs and under the willows looking for insects to float by to feed on.

High Altitude Creeks

With Golden Trout:

Summer is the time to be chasing golden trout in high Sierra streams. It’s a perfect way to escape the heat of the Owens Valley. Golden trout like dry flies particularly ones that are bright in color. Fish with size 14 Sierra bright dots, size 14 Sierra Adams, size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 14 stimulators. A dead drift is a great way to present a dry fly to actively feeding trout. Golden trout like flies that are bouncing and moving on the waters surface. If you’re not getting hits on a drag free drift try a little movement in the flies. These fish are small, but make up for it in their beauty and abundance.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report for 07-23-2026

Summers are hot in the Owens Valley. The cure is to go up in elevation and find an altitude that is comfortable to fish. For me this is fishing the creeks that drain every canyon from Lone Pine to the Nevade border north of Bridgeport. It’s the time to be fishing with dry flies and dry and dropper rigs. Be prepared for summer showers by carrying a rain jacket and a warm layer or two to keep you warm when the wind blows through your wet clothes. Mosquitoes are prevalent on these high altitude creeks so be sure to have insect repellant with you. Caddis, mayflies and midges are the insects feeding the fish on the surface and on the substrate. Volunteer hoot owl regulations are in effect on Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, East Walker River and Bishop Creek Canal.

Summer flowers, small stream trout and three to four weight fly rods is summer fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra mountains.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Afternoon water temperatures are hitting the 70 degree mark. At these temperatures mortality rates for catch and release fly fishing increases greatly. So do not fish the river in the afternoons when the river temperatures reach 70 degrees or more. Best time to be fly fishing the river is in the mornings when there is a mayfly hatch that is bringing rainbow and brown trout to the surface. Afternoon showers help keep the river cool enough to fish all day. Fish with size 18 Adams Parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 female dun trico parachutes and size 16 elk hair caddis on the surface. Nymphing is working before and after the hatch. Fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 14 copper John’s and size 16 Duracell nymphs. Pulling streamers in the deep holes, deep runs and cutbanks are producing a few trout on size 10 balanced leeches, Landon Mayers jigged pine squirrel leeches, wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddler minnows and matukas. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day.

Afternoon rain storms cool off the Owens River allowing fly fishers to fish all afternoon without harming trout while catch and release fishing.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Morning are when you will find hatches of trico mayflies and a caddis migration. Start the morning with a size 20 gray X-caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray elk hair caddis to imitate the caddis migration. Once the caddis migration is in full swing look for the start of the female trico hatch. This starts with the female dun tricos. Fish with size 20 female dun trico parachute, size 20 female trico sparkle duns and size 20 Adams parachutes. Once the trout start refusing the dun parachute pattern switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern

Hot Creek and surrounding waters are in danger once again from KORE Mining resubmitting a drilling permit. Your voice is needed to stop KORE Mining from moving forward with exploratory drilling. For more information contact nohotcreekmine.com.

The flats of Hot Creek Interpretive Site is perfect for fishing tiny dry flies for rainbow and brown trout feeding on trico mayflies and gray bodied caddisflies.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The weed beds provide protection from predators above the water. This is where the trout are living and where the fly fishers needed to fish their dry fly patterns. There is a learning curve to learning how to fish tiny dry flies in the two to four inch channels between the weed beds. Fly fishers that have learned how to fish in and around the weed beds will be successful with size 20 gray X-caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 female trico sparkle duns and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes.

Finding spots you can fish from the banks of the lower Owens River with caddis adult patterns and mayfly nymphs is how to catch the wild rainbows and brown trout that inhabit the river.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Middle of the day is too hot to be fly fishing on the lower Owens River. Be on the river around 7:00 A.M. and be off the river by 10:00 A.M. or be on the river when the sun goes behind the Eastern Sierra Mountains. Best fly fishing has been in those spots where there are two channels. This way you are not fly fishing in the full force of the 400 CFS current in the main channel. First thing in the morning and last thing at night is a good time to be fly fishing with size 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters matukas and muddler minnows for trophy trout. In the mornings fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and size 12 stoner nymphs. Mosquitoes are in full force early and late in the day on the lower Owens River.

Evening fly fishing on Bishop Creek Canal is cooler for fly fishers, water temperatures are cooler and the trout are feeding on caddis as the sun goes behind the Eastern Sierra Mountains.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Mid-day temperatures are in the low 100’s and not comfortable for fly fishers and afternoon water temperatures are too warm for catch and release trout fly fishing. So fly fishers need to fish first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. Fly fishers need to check water temperatures in the afternoons. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 12 stoner nymphs is producing wild brown trout and the occasional stocked rainbow trout. Use size 10 balanced leeches, Landon Mayer’s jigged pine squirrel leeches, wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddler minnows and matukas for pulling streamer for bass, carp and trout. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day.

Bushwhacking through the streamside vegetation looking for that pool or pocket holding wild brown trout is how to fish on Bishop Creek.

Bishop Creek Canyon:

Bush whacking is walking along the banks of the creek looking for a spot that will hold trout and allow the fly fisher to drift a dry fly or a dry and dropper rig. This is not casting 20 to 40 feet of fly line. It’s fishing the leader and tippet or maybe a few feet of fly line out of the rod tip. The trout are holding in the pools and pockets that allow the trout to stay out of the main current. The fly fisher needs to present the fly or flies with a drag free drift. For dry flies use size 16 elk hair caddis, size 14 Adams parachute, size 14 Royal Wulff’s and size 14 stimulators. For the nymphs fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 Prince nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 tiger midges, size 16 zebra midges and size 16 green/gold brassies.

Sometimes the best way to fish a hole tightly covered in vegetation is to sit on the banks and dabble Sierra Bright Dots for golden trout.

 High Altitude Creeks

With Golden Trout:

Catching golden trout in the summer time in creeks that drain the Eastern slope of the Sierra is a treat for fly fishers. This is bush whacking at its best for tiny, abundant and brightly colored trout at 9,000 feet and above. The fish are not in the fast water sections. They are in the pools and in the pockets. Finding these spots hidden in stream side vegetation is where you want to drift your flies. Golden trout love brightly colored flies in size 12, 14 and 16 like Sierra bright dots, Sierra Adams, Royal Wulff’s, elk hair caddis and stimulators. The fish are not big, but they make up for it in abundance and beauty.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-16-2026

Summer rain storms are a great way to get out of the summer heat in the Owens Valley The creeks that drain the Eastern Sierra are a great place to be fly fishing in a summer rain storm. The rain washes terrestrial and aquatic adult insects into the water offering the trout a feast. I get  to use my rain jacket maybe once or twice a year in a rain storm. I used my rain jacket this week.  One of the advantages of fishing in the Eastern Sierra are the opportunities to fish at different elevations to find a temperature that is comfortable for the fly fisher. Summer hatches of caddis, mayflies and stoneflies are what brings the trout to the surface and feeds the trout on the substrate. Summer is the perfect time to be a dry fly fisher.

Stream side flowers just add a pretty touch to fishing the freestone creeks of the Eastern Sierra with a dry and dropper rig like a size 14 stimulator and a size 16 tiger midge.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The water of the upper Owens River is low and clear and the trout are spooky. Fly fishers need to approach the stream with a stealthy method to their steps. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig is the way to present nymphs to the trout feeding on the substrate. Nymph with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 14 copper John’s and size 16 Duracell nymphs. Pulling small streamers through the deeper holes and cut banks, particularly the first and last hour of legal fishing time is fooling bigger wild brown and rainbow trout. Use size 10 balanced leeches, Landon Mayers jigged pine squirrel leeches, wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddler minnows and matukas. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day.

Casting dries and nymphs upstream and letting them drift with a drag free drift is how you fool the finicky trout of the upper Owens River.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Fly fishers need to be on the water rigged and ready to fish because the caddis emergence and trico hatch are underway by 8:00 A.M. Start your morning fishing with a size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray X-caddis. As the caddis migration is in full swing look for the trout to start feeding on the trico mayflies. Start fly fishing with a size 20 female dun trico parachute. An hour or so into the hatch or when the trout quit taking your trico parachute switch to a size 20 trico spinner pattern. Fish with nine to 12 foot 6X leaders with three feet of 6X or 7X tippet. A drag free drift is necessary to fool the spooky brown and rainbow trout of Hot Creek Interpretive Site. If you can’t see the tiny caddis and mayfly patterns on the water use a dry and dry method. Fish with a size 16 Adams parachute and three feet of 6X tippet attached to the bend of the Adams and tied to the tiny dry fly pattern.

Hot Creek and surrounding waters are in danger once again from KORE Mining resubmitting a drilling permit. Your voice is needed to stop KORE Mining from moving forward with exploratory drilling. For more information contact nohotcreekmine.com.

The middle and lower section of Hot Creek is separated by bedrock so fly fishers have to climb up and over to reach the next section of Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With its stepper gradient the trout of Hot Creek Canyon feed more reactionary then the trout of the Interpretive Site. The weed beds form a natural protection from predators for the trout. For fly fishers willing to learn how to drift dry flies in the tiny lanes between the weed beds will find trout ready to grab their flies. The weed beds are growing with the summer weather are at full size. The dry fly hatch starts around 8:00 and is over before noon and fly fishers should fish with size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 X-caddis, size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 female trico sparkle duns and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes.

Fishing from the banks of the lower Owens River early or late in the days with elk hair caddis and streamers is how to fool the wild brown trout.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

With day time temperatures in the 90’s it’s best to fish early and late in the day for the comfort of the fly fisher. An hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset is a good time to be fly fishing with streamers looking for bigger trout. Use size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters matukas and muddler minnows. Almost every evening there is a caddis hatch and fly fishers fishing when the sun goes down with size 16 and 18 elk hair caddis will find trout willing to take their dry flies. Mosquitoes are in full force early and late in the day on the lower Owens River.

It takes a considerable amount of time for the canal echo system to fully recover, but the trout need to eat and will take dries, nymphs and streamers.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Post dredging the trout are feeding on nymph drifted on the substrate. For nymphs fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 12 stoner nymphs. Pulling streamers is producing trout, bass and the occasional carp. Use size 10 balanced leeches, Landon Mayers jigged pine squirrel leeches, wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddler minnows and matukas. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day.

Bishop Creek flows are high and fly fishing the slower pools and side pockets with a dry and dropper is producing wild brown trout to 12 inches.

Bishop Creek Canyon:

Bishop Creek is flowing high and fast. Fly fishers working nymphs and dries in the pockets and pools will find wild brown trout willing to take their flies. This is the perfect water to be fly fishing with a dry and dropper rig. For the nymphs use size 16 tiger midges, size 16 zebra midges, size 16 green/gold brassies, size 14 Prince nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. For the dry fly you want to fish with a high visible fly and high floating fly like size 14 Adams parachutes, size 14 stimulators, size 14 Royal Wulff’s and size 14 elk hair caddis. Key to success is to walk along the banks of the creek looking for the quitter spots in pockets and pools. When you find these spots slowly and quietly walk up to where you can cast your rig of flies upstream into the spots holding trout. This approach to creek fishing applies to all the creeks in the Eastern Sierra from Lone Pine to Bridgeport.

High Altitude Creeks:

Dabbling flies on the water around the willow and in the tiny pockets will yield golden trout for fly fishers fishing high up in the canyons of the Eastern Sierra.

Attractor dry flies, tiny creeks that requires bush whacking and golden trout make for a great summers day of fly fishing. This is bush whacking and dabbling dry flies for small golden trout that make up for their size with their beauty. These streams are located high up in the canyons that drain the Eastern Sierra. Think of starting at the 8,000 to 10,000 foot level and higher. This is pleasant fishing days as the Owens Valley is heating up to the mid 90’s. Fish with size 14 Sierra bright dots, size 14 Sierra Adams, size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 14 orange stimulators and size 14 Adams parachutes. There is so little casting room that the primary way of presenting the fly is to pick the fly off the water, pull the rod tip upstream and gently drop the fly back in the pool you are fishing in. Be patient and don’t set the hook to early when the golden trout take your dry fly.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 07-09-2026

Dry flies, float tubing, wet wading, mosquitoes and bushwhacking freestone streams is what summers in the Eastern Sierra is all about. If it’s too hot where you are fly fishing go up in elevation until you find a temperature that is comfortable. Caddis and mayflies are hatching, ants and beetles are falling into the creeks and the trout are feeding on the substrate and the surface. It’s hot middle of the day in the Owens Valley. It’s cold at upper elevations when the sun is gone for the day.

Afternoon winds make it hard for most fly fishers to cast, but if you know how to cast in the wind you can catch trout on the upper Owens River in the afternoons with caddis and mayfly imitations.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Mornings have been calm and there is a mayfly hatch coming off that the trout are inconsistently feeding on and a few caddis skittering around the surface. Use size 16 elk hair caddis, size 18 blue wing olives, size 20 trico female dun parachutes and size 18 Adams parachutes. Nymphing has been the most consistent producer of trout on the upper Owens River. Nymph under an indicator or with a Euro rig with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 14 copper John’s and size 16 Duracell nymphs. Looking for a trophy trout, fish streamers an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset. Fish with size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, slumpbusters, muddlers and matukas. Afternoons have been windy and most fly fishers have been giving up in the wind. Learning to cast in the wind will produce trout for those fishing with nymphs.

The gate on the main dirt road above Benton Crossing Road is closed and fly fishers need to open and close the gate as they drive through this gate to access waters upstream.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Easy access and early morning hatches have fly fishers dry fly fishing the Interpretive site. Be on the water by 8:00 A.M. or earlier to fish the caddis migration and the female dun trico hatch. For the caddis migration fish with a size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 X-caddis. The trico hatch starts with the female trico duns coming off the water by 8:30. Fish with size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 female trico sparkle duns and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes. The key to success on the Interpretive site is to be on the water early, be rigged up when you get there and cast to rising fish with a drag free drift and set the hook when the trout take your flies.

Hot Creek and surrounding waters are in danger once again from KORE Mining resubmitting a drilling permit. Your voice is needed to stop KORE Mining from moving forward with exploratory drilling. For more information contact nohotcreekmine.com.

The Interpretive Site of Hot Creek is the perfect place to cast dry flies to rising trout.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

This time of the year is dry fly fishing time in Hot Creek Canyon. Be on the creek early rigged up with a dry and dry rig. Use a size 16 Adams parachute, size 16 elk hair caddis and a size 14 stimulator for the big dry fly. For the small caddis and mayflies fish with size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 X-caddis, size 20 female trico dun parachutes, size 20 female trico sparkle duns and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes. Fish the dry and dry rig in the tiny lanes in between the weed beds.

At high flows fly fishers cannot safely wade the lower Owens River and must fish from banks that are not inundated with tulles and willows.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Hot days of July on the lower Owens River is time to be on the river early and be done fly fishing by 10:00 A.M. or start fly fishing in the evening when the sun goes behind the Eastern Sierra. Fish with size 16 elk hair caddis, size 16 X-caddis and size 16 stimulators. For streamers use olive, tan and black streamers in size 6 or 10. Use wooly buggers, slumpbusters and muddler minnows. The only safe way to fish the river right now is to fish from the banks in those areas without willows and tulles.

DWP has dredged Bishop Creek Canal and created some deeper runs and have removed a lot weed beds from the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

DWP has dredged the canal and piled up the vegetation and mud along the dirt road that parallels the canal. If you are on the water early or late in the day be prepared for the mosquitoes. Caddis in the evening and mayflies in the mornings are the insects the trout are feeding on. For nymphs fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 12 stoner nymphs. Steamers are fooling bass, stocked trout and wild brown trout. Use size 10 brown Landon Mayer’s jigged pine squirrel leeches, size 10 balanced leeches and size 10 wooly buggers.

High Altitude Creeks:

Golden trout are prized by fly fishers as they require an effort to access the high altitude waters that these fish inhabit.

Summer is the time to be exploring high altitude creeks for golden trout. The golden trout live in creeks above 8,000 feet. Days are much cooler at these elevations. This is bush whacking style of fishing with attractor dry flies. Fish with size 14 Sierra bright dots, size 14 Sierra Adams, size 14 orange stimulators and size 14 Adams parachutes. This is perfect water to be fishing with a Tenkara rod. This rod allows the fly fisher to easily dabble the dry fly on the surface of the water where the trout are looking for food. The golden trout are small, six to nine inches, but they are the prettiest trout found in the Eastern Sierra.