Typical spring weather in the Eastern Sierra with storms moving through and a few nice days in between. Before you know it summer will be here with temperatures in the high 90’s and low 100’s. The cool weather is delaying the snow melt for at least a week or two. Insect activity is up and down with the weather. Mayflies and midges are the active insects the trout are feeding on. Carry a few caddis adults as the caddis are starting their late spring early summer emergence. Only good thing with the cooler weather is no mosquitoes.
When dressed right fly fishing in the snow and wind can be a productive time on the water as most anglers don’t like to fly fish in foul weather.
Owens River Gorge:
Depending on the access point used the Owens River Gorge is an easy or hard hike into the canyon. Hatching midges and mayflies are bringing the wild brown trout to the surface. The wild trout are taking size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 sparkle duns and size 18 Adams parachutes. Nymphing with size 16 gold ribbed hares ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 butano nymphs and size 16 rainbow warriors. Stinking nettles are growing quickly along the river and there are lots of wild roses to contend with along the banks of the Owens River in the gorge.
Nymphing the long runs in the Owens River Gorge produces brown trout to 12 inches on Tenkara rods.
Owens River Gorge:
Depending on the access point used the Owens River Gorge is an easy or hard hike into the canyon. Hatching midges and mayflies are bringing the wild brown trout to the surface. The wild trout are taking size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 sparkle duns and size 18 Adams parachutes. Nymphing with size 16 gold ribbed hares ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 butano nymphs and size 16 rainbow warriors. Stinking nettles are growing quickly along the river and there are lots of wild roses to contend with along the banks of the Owens River in the gorge.
This was probably my last guide trip on the lower Owens River as flows are going up and are expected to get over safe flows for wading the river.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Hard to believe this area got a couple of inches of snow from the last storm that moved through the Eastern Sierra. The snow only lasted a few hours and is not going to inhibit access to the Interpretive Site. The wind that is associated with these storms is going to affect the dry fly fishing. Nymphing with size 22 tiger midges, size 22 zebra midge, size 20 soft hackle brassies, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons is producing wild brown and rainbow trout.
The riffle sections of Hot Creek Canyon offers good nymphing opportunities with Euro nymphs.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
This area continues to produce trout for fly fishers nymphing with a dry and dropper rig or Euro nymphing. Cover all the water in the canyon thoroughly with your nymphs. The riffles produce just as well as the deep holes. It’s getting tougher to nymph as the weed beds are growing with the warm spring days. Nymph with size 20 gray La Fontaines caddis emerger, size 20 zebra midge, size 20 tiger midge, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon and size 18 SOS nymph.
David Cooke showing off a brown trout he caught nymphing under an indicator while fishing for trophy cutthroat trout.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Cutthroats are in the river, but are still not in concentrated numbers and you have to move around to find the trophy cutthroat trout. There are a few trophy rainbows and browns being caught by fly fishers working their nymphs in the deep runs, deep holes and cutbanks while working there flies for the trophy cutthroats. For the trophy trout try nymphing with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears variations and size 14 copper John’s. On the Euro rig use a stoner nymph, green/gold wire Prince nymph and size 18 olive quilldigon. The quilldigon will produce six to 12 inch resident rainbows and browns. Streamers are producing a few trophy cutthroat for fly fishers striping with wooly buggers, slumpbusters and balanced leeches.
Craig Gibson caught a bass on Bishop Creek Canal while taking a Euro Nymphing Techniques Seminar which he’s proving taught him a lot about Euro nymphing.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
While there is a lot of fishing pressure on the canal the fly fisher knowing how to work nymphs in the lanes between the weeds is being rewarded with rainbows and browns. Working size 20 tiger midge, size 20 zebra midge, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 16 SOS nymph, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs on the open water between the weed beds is fooling the trout. Working the faster riffle sections always seems to produce trout. On the surface cast size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 16 elk hair caddis.