As we reach the middle of August is the heat ready to break? Let’s hope that the worse of the heat is behind us. It’s been a hot one this summer in the Owens Valley. A voluntary Hoot Owl restriction is in place for catch and release fishing on several Eastern Sierra waters including Crowley Lake, upper Owens River, lower Owens River, Bishop Creek Canal, Bridgeport Reservoir and East Walker River. Carry a thermometer and take the temperature for the water you are fishing. Fish in the creeks high up the canyons that drain the Eastern Sierra when the waters heat up on the rivers and streams at lower altitudes. Trout in the backcountry and in the front country are feeding on the substrate and on the surface on mayflies, caddisflies and midges. Starting to see hoopers on a few Eastern Sierra waters.
Summer rain storms help cool off the rivers and the anglers fly fishing for wild trout in the waters of the Eastern Sierra.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
Use your thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the river as it’s prone for breaking the 70 degree mark. Getting out on the water early is a way to avoid the rising temperatures in the river. Start the morning with size 20 trico female dun parachutes, size 16 Adams parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 EC caddis. Before and after the hatch fish with size 18 tiger midges, size 18 zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons to fool the trout feeding on the substrate. Fly fishers pulling size 8 wooly buggers, slumpbusters and Sculpzilla are turning some trophy brown and rainbow trout.
Sometimes the best part of the day is spending time with your friends eating lunch and discussing the mornings fly fishing.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site:
Hot Creek offers the most consistent dry fly fishing opportunities in the Eastern Sierra. Start the morning by being rigged and ready to fish either the caddis migration or the female trico hatch at 8:00 A.M. For the caddis hatch fish with size 20 gray EC caddis, size 20 gray X-caddis and size 20 gray parachute caddis. For the trico hatch use a size 20 female dun trico parachute, size 20 Adams parachute, size 20 blue wing olive parachute. Use a nine to 12 foot 5X leader with three to six feet of 6X tippet. A drag free drift is what is going to fool the picky trout of Hot Creek Interpretive Site.
Weed beds are hiding the trout and fly fishers need to drift their flies in the tiny lanes between the weed beds.
Hot Creek
Canyon Section:
Learning to cast your flies in and around the weed beds in Hot Creek Canyon is how fly fishers successfully fly fish the canyon section. Start the morning off by fishing the caddis migration. The caddis fly upstream of where they emerged to lay their eggs. Fish with size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray EC caddis. The trico mayfly hatch happens simultaneously with the caddis migration. Start fishing with a size 20 trico female trico parachute, size 20 Adams parachute and size 20 blue wing olive parachute. Cast your flies in the tiny lanes between the weed beds.
Learning to fly fish while wading the edges of the lower Owens River with Sierra Bright Dot Guide Richard Lancaster.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Day time temperatures cooled off middle of the week, but look for them to climb back up into the 90’s. Monitor the water temperature with your thermometer and quit catch and release fly fishing when the temperature approaches the 70 degree mark. With flows in the 500 CFS range be very careful if you are wading in the river. Fish the banks where you can find access to the river with caddis imitations in the evening and nymphs in the morning. Fish with size 12 stoner nymphs, 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 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 EC caddis.
Grass hoppers are showing up in the fields next to Bishop Creek Canal, but afternoon water temperatures have been to warn to practice catch and release fly fishing.
Bishop Creek Canal
Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:
Watch the water temperatures here as the water is creeping over that 70 degree mark. Remember to quit catch and release fly fishing as the water temperature approaches the 70 degree mark. Adult hoppers are showing up in good numbers in the grasses along the sides of Bishop Creek Canal. If water temperatures are fishable in the afternoons and the winds come up try fishing with size 12 and 14 Dave’s hopper, tan stimulators and Chernobyl ants. In the morning between 8:00 and 10:00 A.M. look for the may fly hatch and fish with size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 sparkle duns. Mosquitoes have been active early and late in the day so be sure to carry insect repellant with you.
Wild brown trout are the rewards for fly fishers fishing the pools and pockets in Bishop Creek.
Bishop Creek Canyon:
This is a freestone creek that fishes well with a dry and dropper rig. Walk the banks of the creek looking for the holes and pockets where you can cast your rig into. The key to fishing freestone creeks is getting your fly - flies on the water so the fish can take them. This is not typical fly casting. It’s dabbling, roll casting and water load casting. Fish your favorite dry fly since you have lots of confidence in it. I like fishing with a high floating high visible fly like size 14 stimulators, size 14 Royal Wulff’s, size 16 elk hair caddis, and size 14 Adams parachutes. For nymphs use size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 Prince nymph, size 16 green/gold brassie, size 16 zebra midge and size 16 tiger midge.