The first winter storm of the year passed through the Eastern Sierra this week leaving snow at upper elevations and rain in the Owens Valley. For now I put away the shorts, flip flops, wet wading boots and the wet wading pants. I’ve replace them with jeans, tennis shoes, waders and wading boots. It looks like we will be back to normal temperatures in the Eastern Sierra by the start of next week. These storms have a bigger effect on the fly fisher than the trout. It may take a day or two for the streams to clear all the extra water running into them. This should be a great opportunity for fall color photos of your favorite water with fresh snow on the mountain tops. The trout are feeding on mayflies, caddis flies and midges on the surface and on the substrate. If you’re into throwing those meat pattern streamers now is the time to use them looking for a big trophy trout.
Hot Creek Canyon and mountain tops in the foreground with fresh snow from a storm that moved through the Eastern Sierra this week.
East Walker River:
Fly fishers continue to have good days fly fishing the East Walker River below the miracle mile section. Nymphing with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 SOS nymphs, size 16 green/gold brassies and size 16 midges in tiger and zebra coloration are producing six to 12 inch wild brown and rainbow trout. For fly fishers looking for trophy brown trout try pulling streamers through the water. Cover lots of water and be ready for the fight from a big trout. The takes on the streamer are few, but the size makes up for it.
For fly fishers looking for a quantity day on six to 12 inch trout fish with nymphs or dries below the bridge on the East Walker River .
Owens River Gorge
Upper Power Plant:
This is a great place to fly fish if you’re willing to deal with stinging nettles, wild rose bushes, rattle snakes, wading in the river with big rocks and hiking in and out of the gorge. For those willing to put up with the Owens River Gorge will find lots of wild brown trout willing to take flies. Best way to fly fish the gorge is with a dry and dropper rig. For the dry fly use a size 16 stimulator, size 16 Adams Parachute, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 Royal Wulff. For the nymphs fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back peasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 green/gold brassies and size 16 midges in zebra and tiger coloration. Now is the time to fish in the gorge as summer’s heat is turning to falls mild days and cold nights.
Wading and fishing with a dry and dropper rig is the way to fly fish in the Owens River Gorge.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
The ability to wade the river safely is what makes fly fishing the river at 100 CFS good. There are lots of fish willing to take flies. Nymphing has been producing six to 12 inch wild rainbows and browns on size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 SOS nymphs, size 12 stoner nymphs and size 18 midges in tiger and zebra coloration. There are a few trophy rainbow and brown trout being landed by fly fishers fishing the right places in the river. The mid-day mayfly hatch is bringing a few fish to the surface for fly fishers looking to fish with dry flies. Use size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Adams parachutes, size 20 olive sparkle duns and size 18 elk hair caddis.
Wild brown trout are taking drag free drifted size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs under an indicator.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
California Fish and Wildlife conducted electro shocking surveys on Hot Creek from October 14th to the 17th. So be aware that certain sections might not fish as good as expected. The storm brough out the blue wing olive mayflies. Start the morning with size 22 trico female parachutes and switch to a size 20 blue wing olive parachute mid-morning when the blue wings show up. Have some size 20 gray caddis in your box if the trout start feeding on the caddis as they migrate up river in the mornings. Look for the hatches latter in the morning as the sun needs time to warm up the insects.
Setting up the block net before electroshocking the upper section of Hot Creek Canyon on Wednesday October 15, 2025.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
California Fish and Wildlife conducted electro shocking surveys on Hot Creek from October 14th to the 17th. So be aware that certain sections might not fish as good as expected. The weed beds are just starting to dissipate a little bit. Start the morning with a size 22 trico female parachutes. Be ready to switch to a size 20 blue wing olive parachute when the blue wing olive mayflies show up. Working a size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 X-caddis and size 20 parachute caddis before and after the mayfly hatches to bring a few trout to the surface. Working the open riffles and deeper pools with nymphs will produce trout with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 green/gold brassie and size 18 tiger and zebra midges. With the cold weather the insects have not been active tell late morning to mid-day.
This trophy trout took a size 14 Adams parachute dry fly which is rare for a big fish to feed on the surface.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
For fly fishers looking for lots of action fish with a size 20 trico parachute in the morning and switch to a size 18 elk hair caddis in the afternoon. Catching a trophy trout on the surface with a dry fly is hard to do. John Hislop of San Ramon was learning to get a drag free drift with his size 14 Adams parachute. He saw a good size trout rise and was able to make a perfect cast with a soft presentation of the parachute onto the water. The trout almost instantly took the dry fly. John did everything right when fighting this trout with help from fellow fly fishing guide Dylan Eastridge who was enjoying an afternoon of fly fishing on the upper Owens River. For those looking for trophy trout fish with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 14 cooper John’s, size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears variations, size 10 olive wooly buggers and size 10 olive slumpbusters in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks. Wearing waders and fishing both side of the river so you’re fishing the outside corners of the deep holes on both sides of the river is producing the trophy trout. The snow has melted and look for insects to be active mid-morning.
Bishop Creek Canal is a great place to learn new fly fishing techniques with little to no stream side vegetation to inhibit fly casting.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
For the dry fly aficionadothere is a mid-morning trico hatch that is bringing trout to the surface. Fish with a size 20 trico spinner with an upstream cast and a perfect drag free drift. After the short live spinner fall switch to a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 SOS nymph and size 16 tiger and zebra midge drifted in the clear lanes between the weed beds. Temperatures should be back to normal for this time of the year by the weekend. In the meantime fishing a little latter in the day will give the insects a chance to become more active.