Indian summer has come to the Eastern Sierra for a week or so. Day time temperatures in the high 60’s to low 70’s makes fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra pleasant. Looks like a storm will be hitting the Sierra over the weekend. Hatches of midges, mayflies and caddis are feeding the trout on the surface and on the substrate. Starting on Monday November 16th, 2026 most moving waters in the Eastern Sierra go to winter fishing regulations. Lakes with associated business like marina’s will be closing after sunset on the 15th of November, 2026. Some of the significant lake closures for the season are Convict Lake, Crowley Lake, the June Lakes, South Lake and Sabrina Lake.
A morning of fly fishing on the upper Owens River turned into a proposal to be together for the rest of their lives.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Lots of anglers have been fly fishing the upper Owens River with little to know luck with the trophy trout. Still looking for the next run of trout migrating out of Crowley Lake into the upper Owens River. Working nymphs and streamers in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks is what’s producing the few trophy trout that are being caught. A blue wing olive mayfly hatch is what the juvenile trout are feeding on. Using size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns are fooling the trout feeding on the hatching duns. On the substrate fish with size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 18 gasolina and size 18 MSG emergers.
Upper Owens River needs an influx of new trophy trout to allow fly fishers the opportunity to catch a trophy trout.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Blue wing olive mayflies are hatching mid to late morning and the trout are feeding on the nymphs and the duns. On the surface fish with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Adams parachutes, and size 20 olive sparkle duns. Under an indicator fish with size 20 olive quilldigon, size 20 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 18 gasolina and size 18 MSG emergers.
The blue wing olive hatch allows fly fishers in Hot Creek Canyon to fish on the surface next to the ever present weed beds.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Fishing with nymphs in and around the weed beds is almost impossible. This limits fly fishing in the Canyon section to fishing with dry flies. On the surface fish with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Adams parachutes, and size 20 olive sparkle duns. This is a great spot to fish with a dry and dry. Use a size 16 Adams parachute or a size 14 stimulator for the large dry fly with a three foot tippet attached at bend. To the 6X tippet attach a size 20 blue wing olive imitation.
Fishing the pockets in the middle gorge from the banks produces wild brown trout to 12 inches.
Owens River Gorge:
Fishing the gorge is worth the effort required to reach the river at the bottom of the gorge. Rose bushes, stinging nettles, rattle snakes and a 20 minute hike into the gorge is the price of fly fishing in the gorge. For those fly fishers willing to put in the effort the gorge is worth the effort to fish a dry and dropper rig. Use size 14 stimulators and size 16 Adams parachutes for the dry fly in the dry and dropper rig. For the nymph fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 gasolina’s, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and size 16 tiger and zebra midges. There is a blue wing olive hatch that the trout are feeding on. Use size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 WD40’s and size 18 olive quill RS2’s.
Wading into holes and runs not fishable from the banks with mayfly nymphs is producing wild rainbows and browns to 12 inches.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
A mid-day hatch of blue wing olives have the trout actively feeding on the surface and on the substrate. Nymph fishing is producing wild brown and rainbow trout from six to 12 inches on size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 gasolina’s, size 18 Frenchie’s and size 18 MSG emergers. Surface feeding trout has been inconsistent. For dry flies try fishing with size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns. Trout are feeding on midges and size 18 midges in zebra and tiger coloration is producing trout when fished on the substrate. The online flows for the lower Owens River are off line or showing 0 CFS.
With a back drop of fall colors and trout feeding on mayfly nymphs and duns in the early afternoon Bishop Creek Canal is fun to fish for wild brown trout.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
An early afternoon hatch of mayflies is feeding the trout of Bishop Creek Canal. Blue wing olives and trico mayflies are the mayfly species the trout are feeding on. Fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s size 18 SOS nymphs and midges in size 18 in zebra and tiger colorations.