We have a week left of Sept-Oct, the 15th of September through the 15th of October. Fall colors are peaking at the 8,000 foot range and higher. Brook trout are in full spawning colors and can be caught at upper elevation waters. A dry and dropper rig is producing wild brown, rainbow and brook trout in freestone streams. Articulated streamers are producing trophy trout in the rivers of the Eastern Sierra. All the Crowley Lake tributaries closed to fishing on October 1st, 2026 except the upper Owens River. Mayflies, caddis flies and midges are hatching and the trout are feeding on them.
North Lake offers fly fishers reflections of fall colors and wild brown and brook trout willing to take dry flies and nymphs.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
There are two sizes of fish to be caught in the upper Owens River right now. The trophy rainbow trout are 18 to 24 inch trout feeding on nymphs and streamers in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks. 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. Fish streamer the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset and cover lots of water only making a few casts into the spots you think are holding trophy trout. For streamers use size 6 and 10 wooly buggers, matukas and slumpbusters. Articulated streamers like mini dungeon, sculpzilla and mini peanut envy will move the big fish to chase your streamer. Hatches of blue wing olive mayflies and tricos are bringing three to six inch juvenile rainbow and browns to the surface. Fish with size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 16 and 18 Adams parachutes, size 20 female dun trico parachutes, size 20 trico spinners. In the afternoon winds fish with size 14 tan parachute hoppers, size 16 E/C caddis and size 16 elk hair caddis.
Early mornings are for chasing trophy trout and mid-mornings are for dry fly fishing for juvenile rainbows and brown trout.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Fishing has been tough especially with dry flies. The river is in between hatches. The trico mayfly hatch is coming to an end and the blue wing olive mayfly hatch is just starting. Start your mornings with a size 22 female trico dun parachute. Then switch to a size 22 trico spinner pattern when the trout start feeding on the trico spinners. As the trico hatch ends the blue wing olive hatch starts. Fish with a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 Adams parachute and size 20 olive sparkle duns. Nymphing with a dry and dropper rig in the holes and runs without weed beds is producing fish. Use size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 RS2’s.
Weed beds are still thick in the Hot Creek Canyon Section making it hard to fish with nymphs.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Weed bed have not broken up yet and it’s still tough to be nymphing in the Canyon Section. Fishing is very tough in the Canyon Section right now. Fish with size 22 trico female dun parachutes, size 22 trico spinners, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Adams parachutes and size 20 olive sparkle duns.
Wading upstream in the Owens River gorge casting a dry and dropper rig into the holes and pockets is producing wild brown trout from six to 12 inches.
Owens River Gorge:
A dry and dropper rig is fooling fish on the surface and on the substrate. There are two ways to fish the gorge. One is to fish those sections of the river right next to road and look for entry points to fish the hole or run. Work your way upstream fishing the hole and then returning to the road to find the next spot to fly fish. The other is to put on waders and get in the river and work your way upstream casting your dry dropper rig into the holes and pockets. Use size 16 Adams parachutes, size 14 stimulators, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 14 Royal Wulff’s for the dry flies. Use size 16 green/gold brassies, size 16 tiger midges, size 16 zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. There are rattle snakes, rose bushes and singing nettles that fly fishers need to avoid.
With flows declining, it will not be long for the flows to be at a level fly fishers can wade into sections inundated with tulles and willows.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Water flows are fluctuating and fly fishers should check out the flows before heading out to the river at https://www.sierrabrightdot.com/water-flows-owens-river-east-walker-river. Flows at 250 CFS or less are wadable. Summer hatches are done and winter hatches are just starting. Fish the river with nymphs on a Euro rig or under and indicator. Fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 16 Duracell nymphs and size 12 olive burlap caddis.
The girls from Texas getting Tenkara instruction from Peter Veasey as part of Tenkara Tunuki boot camp on Bishop Creek Canal.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
There is a morning hatch of blue wing olive mayflies starting around 9:30 A.M. Fish with a size 18 blue wing olive parachute, size 18 Adams parachute, size 18 olive sparkle dun, Barr’s olive emerger and size 18 RS2’s. In the afternoon winds fish with size 12 tan stimulators, size 12 tan Chernobyl ants and size 12 tan parachute hoppers.
Finding a spot in the parking lot is tough because of all of the people enjoying the fall colors on Weir Pond.
Bishop Creek Canyon
South Fork:
Fall colors are bringing out the leaf peepers and the photographers. Bishop Creek Canyon is crowed on the weekends. If you can find a parking spot the crowds are keeping the fly fishers out of the canyon. In the fall North Lake and Weir Pond are good spots to fish with a backdrop of fall colors. Fish the flatter sections of Bishop Creek with a dry and dropper rig. Fish with a size 16 Adams parachute and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph. Weir Pond and North Lake is midge fishing under a dry fly. Use a size 14 stimulator on top and a size 16 green/gold brassie, size 16 zebra midge and size 16 tiger midge.