Forest Service lands closure continues through 11:59 P.M. on September 17. No recreation on forest service lands. No fishing, hiking, water activities, climbing or hiking.
Where can you fish? On any Bureau of Land Management, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, or private land (you will need permission). The following waters are open to fishing and are located between Mammoth and Bishop. You can fish on Hot Creek on the ranch, need to be a guest, or where it is on DWP land. All of the Owens River below Big Springs is open, private ranches are closed to the public except for Howard’s Arcularius on the River, need to be guest to fish on the ranch. This includes the upper Owens River, Owens River Gorge, and lower Owens River. Crowley Lake is open. Mammoth Creek in the town of Mammoth. Mammoth Creek Below HWY 395 to Hot Creek, no access on the ranch. Convict Creek from about a half mile above HWY 395 to McGee Creek, McGee Creek from about a half mile above HWY 395 to Crowley Lake. Hilton Creek and Whiskey Creek from the town of Crowley to Crowley Lake. Crooked Creek from Tom’s Place to Crowley Lake. Rock Creek from just above Paradise to Lower Control Power Plant. Pine Creek from above Rovana to Rock Creek. The forks of Bishop Creek below plant 5 to the Owens River. Bishop Creek Canal from the Owens River to Big Pine.
There are lots of fly fishing opportunities for trout on lands off of the Inyo National forest.
Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:
The flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge have caused the lower Owens River to temporarily rise. As of this report the flows are up to 375 CFS. This increase in flows will push fish around and effect the fishing. Flows will be back down to 225 CFS by Tuesday September 14. Flows over 300 CFS are too high to safely wade. I’ll be back on the lower Owens River fly fishing next week. I expect to see the same insect acidity as I did before the flushing flows.
Flows on the lower Owens River will return to flows of 225 CFS on Tuesday September 14.
Lower Owens River Gorge Section:
September 7 to 13 Gorge closure:
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in conjunction with California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be doing flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge from September 7 to September 13. Starting on Tuesday September 14 fly fishers will be able to enter the Owens River Gorge to fly fish. I would give it a week to settle down before I try fly fishing in the Owens River Gorge. The air temperature needs to come down to the high 80’s or very low 90’s before I will fish in the Owens River Gorge
Flushing flows will create better habitat for trout in the Owens River Gorge.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.
Hot Creek:
Hot Creek Ranch:
The ranch is private property and the guests of the ranch are allowed to fish on the section of Hot Creek on their property. Best fly fishing has been in the mornings when the trico mayflies, caddis, and blue wing olive mayflies are hatching. Anglers need to approach the creek with new eyes each time they get on the creek and pattern the trout’s eating habits. On Sunday the trout did not want anything to do with the mass of caddis buzzing above the creek. On Tuesday the trout ignored the trico mayflies and attacked the caddis. Both days as the first hatch subsided the blue wing olive mayfly hatch kept the trout active to almost 1:00 P.M. I’ve been fishing with size 24 female trico parachutes, trico spinner parachutes, and trico spinners. A size 20 gray partridge spent caddis has been fooling the caddis eating trout. A size 20 blue wing olive was the perfect fly mid-morning. Being prepared for changes in the trout’s selection of insects to eat is how to be successful.
Mayfly and caddis hatches are providing lots of action for fly fishers fishing on Hot Creek Ranch.
Hot Creek Canyon Section:
Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.
Upper Owens River:
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Early morning are the best time to be fishing on the upper Owens River. The trico mayfly hatch continues to offer fly fishers the most activity of the day. The caddis hatch has been sporadic and shows up at the tail end of the trico hatch. Mid-day continues to be extremely slow. A few trophy rainbows have begun their migration up the Owens River. This will continue through March when the rainbow run ends. The brown trout migration is not as concentrated as the rainbow trout and cutthroat trout migration. To find the trophy brown trout fly fishers need to cover the deep pools and runs with nymphs or streamers and have a little luck on their side. Fly fishers should continue to monitor afternoon water temperatures and quit fishing when the temperatures reach 70 degrees.
Best action on the upper Owens River have been in mornings with trico mayflies and caddis.
Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:
Day time temperatures makes fishing on the canal middle of the day brutal due to the 100 degree days we have been experiencing. The fish feed in the mornings on the trico hatch. The trout are ignoring the hatching duns and are feeding exclusively on the trico spinners. I’ve been using a size 24 trico spinner. Before and after the hatch nymphing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs three feet under a size 14 royal Wulff, elk hair caddis or Adams parachute is producing both hatchery rainbows and wild brown trout. This is a fun section to fish with the Euro nymphing rig. I’ve been fishing three fly patterns. A gold ribbed hare’s ear in size 14, a stoner nymph in size 12, and a Butano nymph in size 16.
Bishop Creek Canal is fishing good in the mornings for fly fishers fishing with trico mayflies or fishing a dry and dropper rig.
San Joaquin River:
Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.
Hopefully fly fishers will be allowed back on the San Joaquin River to fly fish on September 18.