I usually go kicking and screaming into winter not wanting to give up my shorts. This year the change in the weather has me glad I’m wearing a sweat shirt and pants. The key to this time of year is to have layers that allow you to be warm early and late in the day and take off layers during the warmth of mid-day. The regular fishing season is coming to an end. Soon it will be time for winter regulations. Hatches of mayflies, caddis and midges are happening mid-day. Crowley Lake Marina is closed for the season. Crowley Lake is open to fishing through November 15, 2026.
Fall colors have arrived in the Owens Valley and Bishop Creek Canal is offering dry fly and nymphing opportunities to fly fishers who stop by on their way to other Eastern Sierra waters.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
This time of the year most fly fishers are looking for trophy rainbow and brown trout. These fish are not in the river in concentrated numbers yet. Fishing streamers an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset in the deep holes and cutbanks is the most consistent method of catching the few trophy trout in the river. Nymphs fished in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks are fooling a few trophy trout for fly fishers covering lots of water. For the streamers use wooly buggers, matukas, slumpbusters, mini dungeon, sculpzilla and mini peanuts. For the nymphs use size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 Richard’s gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 14 copper John’s, and size 14 Duracell nymphs. A late morning hatch of mayflies have the juvenile trout feeding on nymphs and dry flies. Use size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 16 E/C caddis and size 18 elk hair caddis. Cows are gone from the upper Owens and the spur roads still have small puddles of water and mud.
The upper Owens River in the fall is such a pretty water to fly fish and when the trophy trout are in it’s a place to catch a personal best rainbow or brown trout.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Blue wing olive mayflies and caddis are hatching in the early afternoon. These hatches are taking place at the same time. This is a perfect opportunity to fish a dry and dry rig of size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 E/C caddis, size 20 gray X-caddis, size 20 olive sparkle duns, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 Adams parachutes. The trout have been taking the caddis emergers as they rise to the surface and fly fishers should use a size 20 sparkle caddis nymph.
Weed beds in Hot Creek Canyon are just starting to break up from the cold weather and a lack of sunlight as we head deep into fall.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Less day light and cooler weather is slowly breaking up the weed beds in the Canyon Section of Hot Creek. Nymph fishing is still tough as there is little water to fish nymphs in that is not occupied with weed beds. The caddis hatch is starting in the early afternoon with the trout feeding on size 20 gray sparkle pupae, size 20 gray parachute caddis, size 20 gray elk hair caddis and size 20 gray E/C caddis. As the caddis hatch comes to an end there is a caddis migration. During the caddis migration use dry fly caddis imitations. As the caddis hatch starts there is a blue wing olive mayfly hatch that begins to hatch. Start the hatch fishing with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Adams parachutes and size 20 olive sparkle duns. Once the hatch is at its peak start fishing with size 20 sparkle duns, size 20 olive quill RS2’s and size 20 olive WD40’s. These flies imitate the mayfly spinners laying their eggs on the substrate.
Sierra Bright Dot guide Richard Lancaster is reriging a dry and dropper rig in the middle of the river.
Owens River Gorge:
Six to 12 inch brown trout are feeding on nymphs and dry flies. There are hatches of caddis and mayflies. A dry and dropper is the perfect way to fish for the opportunistically feeding trout. For the dry fly use a size 16 Adams parachute, size 14 stimulator and size 14 Chernobyl ant. For the nymphs fish with a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 16 green/gold brassie, size 16 tiger midge and size 16 zebra midge. Key to success is to fish upstream with a drag free drift. Avoid rattle snakes, rose bushes and stinging nettles that are in the Owens River Gorge.
At 275 CFS it is hard to wade and get to those portions of the river that are lined with tulles and willows.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Flows will dictate if fly fishers can wade safely in the lower Owens River. Flows are down to 175 CFS. Fly fishers need to check the flows before heading out to the lower Owens River. For wading anything at 225 CFS or less is good. Check the flows at https://www.sierrabrightdot.com/water-flows-owens-river-east-walker-river. Nymphing with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 12 olive burlap caddis, size 18 zebra midges and size 18 tiger midges.
A mid-day blue wing olive hatch is bringing the wild brown trout to the surface to feed on the hatching duns.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
Summer crowds have put a lot of fishing pressure on the canal. As that pressure slows down fly fishing is improving. Look for a mid-day blue wing olive hatch. The trout are feeding on both the nymphs and the hatching mayfly duns. For the dry flies fish with size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns. For the emerger fish with size 18 olive quill RS2’s, size 18 olive WD40’s and size 18 olive sparkle duns. For the nymphs fish with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 olive SOS nymphs, size 18 tiger midges and size 18 zebra midges.