Warm weather is going to be here for a while. Middle of the day will offer good fly fishing opportunities in Eastern Sierra waters. Midges and mayflies are hatching and trout are feeding on them on the substrate and on the surface. There is still lots of snow to deal with in the Long Valley area. Layers are the norm for fly fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra as one moment you need a jacket and an hour later you’re in a T-shirt.
High elevation waters are covered in snow with temperatures 10 to 30 degrees cooler than the waters of the Owens Valley. Photo by Kim Espinosa @visistmammoth
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Roads are drying out. Insects are hatching. Weather is perfect with mid-day temperature 10 degrees above normal. If you are in the right hole mid-day there will be blue wing olive mayflies hatching and trout feeding on size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns. Nymphing is the most productive way of fly fishing the lower Owens River. Wading upstream casting with a Euro rig or under an indicator rig with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head Flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 Duracell’s, size 16 Frenchie’s, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 18 green/gold brassies and size 18 midges in zebra and tiger colorations is producing wild rainbows and browns from six inches to 16 inches.
Switching to a dry fly middle of the day will produce trout on the surface if you’re in the right hole during the mid-day hatch of blue wing olive mayflies.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Twenty to 36 inches of snow on the road out to the Interpretive Site makes access tough without cross country skies or snow shoes. For fly fishers willing to put in the effort to access the Interpretive Site of Hot Creek they will find trout feeding on the surface when the blue wing olive mayflies and midges are hatching. Fish with size 20 Adams parachutes, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 olive sparkle duns, size 20 CDC midges and size 20 Griffiths gnats. Nymphing the deeper holes with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 20 green/gold brassies, size 20 tiger midges and size 20 zebra midges is producing wild trout.
While there are tire tracks on the road out to the geothermal site of Hot Creek walking out to the canyon with snow shoes is better than walking through the knee deep snow or getting your vehicle stuck.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
The snow is 18 to 36 inches deep on the road out to the geothermal site and not enough vehicles have driven out to pack down the snow. Cross country skis or snowshoes offer the best access to the canyon. The big advantage to winter fly fishing on Hot Creek is the solidarity that is offered to fly fishers willing to make the trek into the canyon. As the weed beds continue to break down fly fishers will find more water accessible to fly fish. Nymphing with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 18 Croston’s bead baetis, size 18 green/gold brassies, size 18 soft hackle brassies, size 18 tiger midge and size 18 zebra midges is fooling trout feeding on the substrate. Nymphing is the most productive method, but when the fish feed on the surface be sure to have some size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 Adams parachutes to fool the surface feeding trout.
Cold temperatures on the upper Owens River requires fly fishers to bundle up when nymphing the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks for trophy trout. Photo by Kim Espinosa @visistmammoth
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The dirt roads above Benton Crossing Bridge are accessible for four wheel drive vehicles that have lots of clearance. A lot of fly fishers are parking at the first parking lot above the bridge and walking up stream looking for the trophy rainbow trout that are in the river. Work nymphs in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 12 Richard’s variation of a gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 14 copper John’s, size 18 olive quilldigons and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs will produce trophy rainbows and resident trout. Squirmy wormies in size 14, peach tungsten tacos in size 14 and size 10 mop flies are flies that produce trophy trout for a lot of fly fishers working the upper Owens River for trophy trout.
Euro nymphing, indicator nymphing and dry fly fishing is producing rainbow and browns to 12 inches on Bishop Creek Canal.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
Trout rising mid-day are feeding on hatching midges and mayflies. Fish with size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Griffith’s gnats and size 20 CDC midges for the rising trout. Nymphing with size 12 stoner nymphs, size 16 Frenchie’s, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 20 tiger midge pupae and size 20 zebra midge pupae is fooling the substrate feeding trout. Shadows cast by fly fishers can spook the trout so watch where your shadow lands on the water.