Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-08-2021

The first storm of the winter season, even though it’s Fall, is headed to the Eastern Sierra this weekend. We need all the precipitation we can get. Eastern Sierra streams and lakes are at their lowest levels of the year. Hatches are moving to more of a mid-day time frame. You do not need to be in a hurry to get on the water.

Fall in the west is now fire season. Smoke is a problem on any given day. When the winds blow right, or is that wrong, the Eastern Sierra fills with smoke. If you’re lucky you will be here on a day that the skies are blue and we are reminded that there are mountains in the horizon. The Aberdeen Fire south of Big Pine is being mopped up and should not present any problems. Cold nights are turning the leaves yellow. Now is the time to enjoy the turning leaves of Fall while you enjoy fly fishing on one of the Eastern Sierra waters.

Smokey days do not affect the fly fishing, but it does take away the views we are all use to seeing when fly fishing our favorite Eastern Sierra water like the upper Owens River.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Water flows are at 400 CFS as DWP sends water to Los Angeles. Once water holding reservoirs south of the Owens Valley are filled back up the river should go to winter flows of between 100 CFS and 200 CFS. For now, the flows are too high to fly fish. You can put lots of lead on your leader to get your flies down and catch and a few fish. Working the banks with heavy nymph outfits produce fish, but for the loss of tackle is not worth the return for me. I will fish the river again when the flows go below 300 CFS and I can wade the river.

I’m waiting for the opportunity to wade the lower Owens River when flows get below 300 CFS.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches of mayflies, and caddis are offering fly fishers good dry fly action each day. The morning starts off with trico mayflies hatching around 10:00 A.M. Then gray caddis show up and the morning hatch finishes in the early afternoon with blue wing olive mayflies hatching. The trico hatch is present, but the fish are not feeding on it aggressively. Size 22 female parachute tricos, size 22 trico parachutes, and size 22 trico spinners are fooling the wary trout. Size 20 gray caddis patterns like X-caddis, elk hair caddis, EC caddis, and partridge spent caddis are producing trout mid-morning. Late morning into early afternoon is when the blue wing olive may flies begin to hatch. The trout are keying in on this hatch until it ends in the early afternoon.

Upland, California fly fisher Irv Voorheis used sized 20 gray spent partridge caddis to fool wild trout.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Cool weather has thinned out the fly fishers in the canyon. It is still crowded, but not elbow to elbow anglers like in the middle of summer. Gray caddis and blue wing olive mayflies are providing morning hatches that fly fishers can imitate. A dry and dropper in the morning before the hatch gets going is producing wild trout. The trico hatch is not very abundant in the faster water sections of Hot Creek Canyon. Dark winged caddis in size 20 are hard to see on the water. I’m using a dry and dry to make the flies more visible. I use a size 16 parachute Adams with a size 20 gray partridge spent caddis tied onto a three feet tippet of 6X. If I lose sight of the caddis, I can see the Adams and use it like an indicator. I also set to any rising trout that is within three of the Adams. Trout are taking gray size 20 X-caddis, elk hair caddis, EC caddis, and partridge spent caddis

 Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

While most streams and lakes in the Eastern Sierra are at their lowest levels of the year, the upper Owens River flows were increased to 120 CFS this week. I find the river fishes best at 100 CFS. This influx of water should get the trophy trout of Crowley Lake to start migration up the river. Fishing with nymphs and streamers in the deep holes and runs is producing trophy trout for anglers willing to cover water looking for pods of trophy trout. Fly patterns need to be fished right on the bottom and this requires lots of weight in the flies or on the leader. Size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs are productive trophy trout producers. Leeches, matukas, wooly buggers, and muddler minnows are producing trophy trout for fly fishers pulling streamers.

At 120 CFS the low spots on the bank of the upper Owens River are flooded and waders are needed to stay dry.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

The increase in flows have new trophy trout from Crowley Lake entering the river system. The fish are resting in the deep holes as they migrate up river. Fishing nymphs on the bottom with a Euro nymph rig is fooling these trout. Fish with gold ribbed hares ears, brown quilldigons, Butano nymphs, Frenchies, gold/green Prince nymphs, and stoner nymphs. I’m seeing more fish up river in the monument area than in the Mouth of Crowley area.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

The tiny black mayfly know as a  trico is hatching late morning starting around 9:00 A.M. and ending by 10:00 A.M. I’m fishing with a size 16 Adams parachute and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph on three feet of 5X tippet. I’m not sure which is more fun, having the trout attack the Adams on the surface or watching the slight movement in the Adams and setting on a wild brown trout that has taken the nymph. This is my go to spot when I only have an hour or two to fly fish.

The flats have been producing trout that are feeding on hatching mayflies mid-morning.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 10-01-2021

Fall has arrived in the Eastern Sierra with the leaves turning yellow, overnight temperatures freezing, and brown trout spawning. This is my favorite time of the year to be fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. Fly fishing pressure is low and the fish are feeding. This is a great time of the year to be on the rivers and streams working nymphs and streamers for trophy trout.

With the new fishing regulations that went into effect on March 1, 2021 there are waters in the Eastern Sierra that are now closing. All of the tributaries to Crowley Lake close to fishing on October 1, 2021 except the upper Owens River. Rush Creek between Silver Lake and Grant Lake closes October 1, 2021. Robinson Creek above and between Twin Lakes will close October 1, 2021. Be sure to check the regulations for exact closures of Eastern Sierra waters.

McGee Creek closed to fishing on Thursday September 30, 2021.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Water flows continue to be at 375 CFS as DWP sends water to Los Angeles. This is unsafe levels to be wading in the lower Owens River. Anglers willing to find spots to fly fish off the banks are finding fish willing to take streamers and nymphs. At these flows the trout do not feed on the surface for hatching insects vary often. It requires more effort to feed on insects on the surface than the trout are gaining from eating the insects.

Mark Rosen of Bishop works the banks of the lower Owens River as flows of 375 are too high to safely wade.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The Eveready bunny of mayflies, the trico, continues to offer fly fishers good surface activity in the morning. The trout are feeding on the female trico, spinner, and the spinner fall. Savvy fly fishers will be able to determine which form the trout are feeding on. I used the stomach pump to determine that the trout were feeding on the female trico. A switch from a trico spinner to a parachute trico female produced fish when the trico spinner did not produce trout. Blue wing olive mayflies, and caddis continue to provide surface activity after the trico hatch. Six X tippet is necessary to land trout but is fragile and will break if you over set the hook when the trout take your dry fly pattern.

Hatching trico may flies, caddis, and blue wing olive mayflies are providing steady dry fly action for fly fishers fishing Hot Creek in the morning tell noon.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Freezing nights will help thin out the weed beds, but for now fly fishers need to cast their flies in the tiny four to six inch channels between the weed beds. It’s hard to get a good drift with a nymph, but when you do the trout will take it. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears nymphs in sizes 16 to 20 fished two feet under a dry fly like an Adams parachute is producing trout. Caddis are hatching in the morning and the trout are coming to the surface to feed on the freshly hatched caddis. Gray bodied partridge spent caddis, parachute caddis and X-caddis in size 20 match the hatching caddis. Blue wing olive mayflies are hatching mid-morning and are providing the last of the surface activity for the morning hatch. I’m using size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and floating them in the holes and channels between the weed beds.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

A fall storm cleared out the smoke from the fires in California and made for a great day on the upper Owens River. Trophy trout migrating up the river from Crowley Lake are just starting to move into the river. They are spread out and fly fishers need to hunt for the small pods of trophy trout that are in the river. The trophy trout can be found in the deep pools and runs. Successful angles are covering miles of river to find fish willing to take nymphs or streamers. Stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs in size 12 are my go to nymph patterns for trophy trout. Wooly buggers, marabou muddler minnows, and Hornbergs fished on the bottom of the deep holes and runs will fool the trophy trout. Pan sized trout are taking mayflies and caddis mid-morning. Fish with Adams parachutes and elk hair caddis.

Fall is the time to fly fish the upper Owens River for migrating browns and rainbows from Crowley Lake.

Upper Owens River:

Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Under the new fishing regulations that went into effect March 1, 2021 the Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Crossing Bridge is open to trout fishing through November 15. It’s an 18 inch or bigger two fish limit with lures or flies. The exposed lake bottom section of the river is not producing trophy trout at this time. The run is just starting. I’ve observed trophy trout in the monument area of the lower section of the upper Owens River. Fishing with nymphs and streamers will produce trout if you can find them. Look for the trophy trout to be resting in the deeper holes and runs as they migrate up the river towards the spawning beds.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Fly fishers can now fly fish the canal all day as mid-day temperatures are mild now. The trico hatch is wanning but there are still a few hatching and the trout are keying in on the trico spinners. I’m using a size 24 hackle tip spinner to fool the wild brown trout and hatchery rainbow trout. Don’t overlook the short section of Bishop Creek that forms the headwater of the canal. This section does not get much fly fishing pressure. Mid-morning a size 16 Adams parachute with a size 16 gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph for the dropper on three feet of 5X tippet is fooling the wild and hatchery trout .

Wayne Berlie of Bishop casting a dry and dropper rig in Bishop Creek Canal right below where it leaves Bishop Creek.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-24-2021

Fall weather is finally here as daytime temperatures are only reaching up into the high 80’s middle of the day in the Owens Valley. Early mornings and late afternoons is time for an extra layer or two of clothing. Mid-day is still perfect shorts and T-shirt weather. The fish are preparing for spawning season and the upcoming winter. This is my favorite time of the year to be out fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. The fish know to bulk up before winter gets here. This is a perfect time to be fishing the lakes and in particular the tributaries to the lakes that the trout use to spawn in.

McGee Creek is one of the Crowley Lake tributaries that will be closed to fishing starting October 1st.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

LADWP is sending water south at a rate of 375 CFS in the lower Owens River. This is a rate of flow too high for me to allow clients to wade the river. Under 300 CFS is wadable flows for clients. For the few hardy anglers fly fishing from the banks, nymphing is producing wild brown trout up to 16 inches. Euro nymphing is the most productive method on the lower Owens River right now. Fluorocarbon leaders and the right fly weight will get your offering down to the fish. Size 12 to 16 stoner nymphs, olive burlap caddis, gold ribbed hare’s ears, Butano nymphs, quilldigons, olive micro mayflies, and perdigons with 3.0 to 4.0 mm tungsten beads fooling the trout.

Flows of 375 are too high to safely wade the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Morning hatches of trico may flies, caddis and blue wing olive may flies are providing surface action for fly fishers. The trico hatch comes off first sometime before 9:00 A.M. Followed by the caddis hatch and ends late morning with the blue wing olive hatch. I’m fishing size 24 trico spinners, size 20 gray partridge spent caddis, and size 20 blue wing olive parachutes. The fish are very selective in this section and productive fly fishing is over by 11:00 A.M. Fly selection is only half the formula on this section. Proper presentation with light tippets, 6X or 7X, on 12 foot leaders is needed to fool the wary brown and rainbow trout of the interpretive site of Hot Creek.

Glenn Mayer of Foothill Hill Ranch works a dry and dry, size 16 Adams Parachute and size 20 blue wing olive parachute, in the canyon section of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The trico mayfly hatch is hard to fish in the faster water sections of Hot Creek Canyon. The slower sections right below Hot Creek Ranch offer good fishing in the mornings. Caddis and blue wing olive mayflies offer consistent fly fishing action all morning. Size 20 gray, partridge spent caddis, parachute caddis and X-caddis are fooling trout. By 10:00 A.M. the blue wing olive mayfly hatch is in full swing and floating a size 20 blue wing olive parachute on a drag free drift will produce lots of wild trout. I use a dry and dry method in the canyon when I’m using small dry flies size 20 to 24 that are hard to see on the creek’s surface.  I use a size 16 Adams parachute as my indicator fly and attach the tiny dry fly on three feet of 6X tippet attached to the bend of the Adams. This allows me to find my smaller fly on the creeks surface. When I lose sight of  the small dry fly, I set the hook on any rise within three feet of my indicator fly.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Trophy trout are starting to migrate into the upper Owens River. Nymphing and pulling streamers through the deep pools and runs is producing a few trophy trout. Successful fly fishers are covering lots of ground to find the pockets of trophy trout that are in the river right now. I’m using stoner nymphs and green/gold Prince nymphs on jig hooks on my Euro nymph rig to fool the trophy trout. The run will continue through March when the rainbows will finish their spawning in the upper Owens River.

Walking the bank of the upper Owens River looking for pods of trophy trout is how successful fly fishers are catching trophy trout.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Weather is changing and early morning is cold on the canal. By 9:00 A.M. it’s hot again. The trico hatch is starting to fade away. There is still a short time window where the trout are keying in on the trico spinner fall. Mid-morning the fish are feeding on a size 16 Adams parachute and are taking a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear three feet under the Adams on 5X tippet. Mid-day is hot and a good time to head up in elevation looking for a cooler place to fish. For determined fly fishers throwing a hopper in the middle of the afternoon will produce a few trout.

A blue sky morning on Bishop Creek Canal using a size 16 Adams parachute for the dry and a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-17-2021

Forest Service lands closure was lifted on Thursday at midnight. Forest Service lands are getting used by locals and guests alike.

The spring of wind turned to the summer of heat. We are supposed to cool off starting next week to normal September temperatures. Trout on Inyo National Forest lands have had almost two weeks of no fishing pressure. If you’re lucky enough to get up this weekend to fish you will find trout willing to take a well presented fly. This was true for several fly fishers that fly fished Hot Creek this morning. The 15th of September to the 15th of October is my favorite time of the year to be fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra. The fish seem to know that summer is coming to a close and go on a feeding frenzy. This is a great time to chase trophy trout in the lakes and the tributaries to those lakes.

Trophy trout are moving out of the lakes and into the tributaries offering fly fishers a chance to land a trophy trout.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge are completed and as of Thursday September 16 flows in the lower Owens River are at winter flows of 100 CFS. These flows are almost too low and allows fly fishers uninhibited access to the river and congregates the fish in the deeper holes. Look for trico and black fly hatches in the mornings. Nymphing will be the most productive method of fly fishing. Caddis continue to offer evening fly fishing opportunities for fly fishers looking for a spot to finish out their day of fly fishing. Fly fish with elk hair caddis, X-caddis, California mosquitos, gold ribbed hare’s ears, pheasant tail nymphs, and burlap caddis.

Getting ready to land a wild brown trout when the flows were at 225 in the catch and release section of the lower Owens River.

Lower Owens River Gorge Section:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in conjunction with California Department of Fish and Wildlife completed flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge. I don’t start fishing the Owens River Gorge until October. This will give this area a couple of weeks to stabilize after the flushing flows. With temperatures back in the 80’s this will become a spot to explore with the fly rod all day long.

Flushing flows create habitat for big browns like this one taken while elector shocking with CDFW.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

First day Hot Creek opened up after the Inyo National Forest closure and trico spinners provided lots of opportunities for fly fishers fishing with size 24 trico spinners. The blue wing olive hatch was sparse and only provided a few fish. There were half a dozen fly fishers working the creek from 8:30 A.M. to noon. Caddis were sparse on the river and did not provide much opportunity  for fly fishers. Tippets down to 6X and drag free drifts were needed to fool the wary trout of the interpretive site.

A smoky day on the interpretive site of Hot Creek the first day the Inyo National Forest opened after the closure.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The water in the canyon section of Hot Creek is steeper with quicker moving water causing the trout to react to the fly as it passes by them. This makes it easier for the fly fisher to fool the trout. Unlike the slower sections of Hot Creek where the trout can discern the littlest of mistakes in the cast or the fly pattern. Fly fishing in the late morning to early afternoon is tough as few insects are rising. Fishing a size 20 blue wing olive parachute fooled a few wild browns and rainbows. The morning caddis hatch was weak at best.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Euro nymphing with bigger nymphs is producing a few trophy trout for fly fishers willing to work hard for their fish. Covering lots of deep holes and deep runs will produce a few trophy trout willing to take size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs, and green/gold wire Prince nymphs. Trico hatch in the morning is offering good dry fly action for wild rainbow and brown trout to 12 inches. Caddis activity has been sparse in the mornings, but better in the evenings. The next 30 days is my favorite time to be fishing on the upper Owens River.

Working nymphs in the deeper runs and pools is producing a few trophy trout.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Trico mayflies in the morning continue to offer fly fishers great dry fly fishing opportunities. A drag free drift is necessary to fool the wild and stocked trout. The fish are keying in on the spinner fall and a size 24 hackle tip spinner with a drag free drift is fooling the trout. After the trico hatch is a good time to fish a size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear three feet under a size 16 parachute Adams. There are a few grass hoppers lurking around the banks offering an opportunity to throw hopper patterns in the afternoon.

A wild brown trout from Bishop Creek Canal is fooled by a size 24 hackle tip trico spinner fished with a drag free drift.

San Joaquin River:

Opened to the public on Thursday September 16. No fish report yet as I haven’t fly fished the San Joaquin River since it opened.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-10-2021

Forest Service lands closure continues through 11:59 P.M. on September 17. No recreation on forest service lands. No fishing, hiking, water activities, climbing or hiking.

Where can you fish? On any Bureau of Land Management, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, or private land (you will need permission). The following waters are open to fishing and are located between Mammoth and Bishop. You can fish on Hot Creek on the ranch, need to be a guest, or where it is on DWP land. All of the Owens River below Big Springs is open, private ranches are closed to the public except for Howard’s Arcularius on the River, need to be guest to fish on the ranch. This includes the upper Owens River, Owens River Gorge, and lower Owens River. Crowley Lake is open. Mammoth Creek in the town of Mammoth. Mammoth Creek Below HWY 395 to Hot Creek, no access on the ranch.  Convict Creek from about a half mile above HWY 395 to McGee Creek, McGee Creek from about a half mile above HWY 395 to Crowley Lake. Hilton Creek and Whiskey Creek from the town of Crowley to Crowley Lake. Crooked Creek from Tom’s Place to Crowley Lake. Rock Creek from just above Paradise to Lower Control Power Plant. Pine Creek from above Rovana to Rock Creek. The forks of Bishop Creek below plant 5 to the Owens River. Bishop Creek Canal from the Owens River to Big Pine. 

There are lots of fly fishing opportunities for trout on lands off of the Inyo National forest.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

The flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge have caused the lower Owens River to temporarily rise. As of this report the flows are up to 375 CFS. This increase in flows will push fish around and effect the fishing. Flows will be back down to 225 CFS by Tuesday September 14. Flows over 300 CFS are too high to safely wade. I’ll be back on the lower Owens River fly fishing next week. I expect to see the same insect acidity as I did before the flushing flows.

Flows on the lower Owens River will return to flows of 225 CFS on Tuesday September 14.

Lower Owens River Gorge Section:

September 7 to 13 Gorge closure:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in conjunction with California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be doing flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge from September 7 to September 13. Starting on Tuesday September 14 fly fishers will be able to enter the Owens River Gorge to fly fish. I would give it a week to settle down before I try fly fishing in the Owens River Gorge. The air temperature needs to come down to the high 80’s or very low 90’s before I will fish in the Owens River Gorge

 Flushing flows will create better habitat for trout in the Owens River Gorge.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Hot Creek:

Hot Creek Ranch:

The ranch is private property and the guests of the ranch are allowed to fish on the section of Hot Creek on their property. Best fly fishing has been in the mornings when the trico mayflies, caddis, and blue wing olive mayflies are hatching. Anglers need to approach the creek with new eyes each time they get on the creek and pattern the trout’s eating habits. On Sunday the trout did not want anything to do with the mass of caddis buzzing above the creek. On Tuesday the trout ignored the trico mayflies and attacked the caddis. Both days as the first hatch subsided the blue wing olive mayfly hatch kept the trout active to almost 1:00 P.M. I’ve been fishing with size 24 female trico parachutes, trico spinner parachutes, and trico spinners. A size 20 gray partridge spent caddis has been fooling the caddis eating trout. A size 20 blue wing olive was the perfect fly mid-morning. Being prepared for changes in the trout’s selection of insects to eat is how to be successful.

Mayfly and caddis hatches are providing lots of action for fly fishers fishing on Hot Creek Ranch. 

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Early morning are the best time to be fishing on the upper Owens River. The trico mayfly hatch continues to offer fly fishers the most activity of the day. The caddis hatch has been sporadic and shows up at the tail end of the trico hatch. Mid-day continues to be extremely slow. A few trophy rainbows have begun their migration up the Owens River. This will continue through March when the rainbow run ends. The brown trout migration is not as concentrated as the rainbow trout and cutthroat trout migration. To find the trophy brown trout fly fishers need to cover the deep pools and runs with nymphs or streamers and have a little luck on their side. Fly fishers should continue to monitor afternoon water temperatures and quit fishing when the temperatures reach 70 degrees.

Best action on the upper Owens River have been in mornings with trico mayflies and caddis.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Day time temperatures makes fishing on the canal middle of the day brutal due to the 100 degree days we have been experiencing. The fish feed in the mornings on the trico hatch. The trout are ignoring the hatching duns and are feeding exclusively on the trico spinners. I’ve been using a size 24 trico spinner. Before and after the hatch nymphing with bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, and  bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs three feet under a size 14 royal Wulff, elk hair caddis or Adams parachute is producing both hatchery rainbows and wild brown trout. This is a fun section to fish with the Euro nymphing rig. I’ve been fishing three fly patterns. A gold ribbed hare’s ear in size 14, a stoner nymph in size 12, and a Butano nymph in size 16.

Bishop Creek Canal is fishing good in the mornings for fly fishers fishing with trico mayflies or fishing a dry and dropper rig.

San Joaquin River:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Hopefully fly fishers will be allowed back on the San Joaquin River to fly fish on September 18.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 09-03-2021

All US Forest Service lands in California are closed including the Inyo National Forest through 11:59 P.M. on September 17. I expect to see this closure extended unless the fires in California are controlled. In the Eastern Sierra from Lone Pine to the Nevada border north of Bridgeport there are three main land owners. US Forest Service, Bureau of land Management, and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. At this time Bureau of land Management and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power lands continue to be open for outdoor recreation. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power campgrounds in Inyo and mono county are closed through September 17. An Inyo National Forest Service map will show forest service boundaries. There continues to be fishing opportunities in a number of waters in the Eastern Sierra. While the skies are not devoid of smoke, they’re looking really good right now on waters throughout the Eastern Sierra.

US Forest Service lands, like Weir Pond on the south fork of Bishop Creek will be closed for fishing through September 17.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Mid-day temperatures are hovering in the upper 90’s to low 100’s depending on the day. Mornings have cooled of and are cool enough for a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt. Temperatures warm up quickly and I like to be off the water by noon. Hatches and fish activity has been consistent through noon. Euro nymphing in the mornings is good with gold ribbed hare’s ears, olive quilldigons, olive micro mayflies, stoner nymphs, and Butano nymphs. These fish are not getting a lot of fishing pressure and when hooked put up a great fight in the 225 CFS current. A crowded day is when I see two to three other anglers in the entire wild trout section of the lower Owens River. Flows in this section will go up between September 7 and 13 due to flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge.

Jim Weil from Fremont is hooked up on a rainbow in the lower Owens River during the mid-morning hatch of mayflies and caddis flies.

Lower Owens River Gorge Section:

September 7 to 13 Gorge closure:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in conjunction with California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be doing flushing flows in the Owens River Gorge from September 7 to September 13. The Owens River Gorge from Long Valley Dam, Crowley Lake Dam, to Control Gorge Power Plant, just above Pleasant Valley Reservoir will be closed during the flushing flows. These flows will fluff the river. This essentially lifts the river bed and sets it back down. This moves sediment around and creates habitat for fish, insects, and riparian zone.

 The Owens River Gorge from Crowley Lake Dam to Control Gorge Power Plant will be closed from September 7 to 13 for flushing flows.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Hot Creek in the Canyon and the interpretive site are on Inyo National Forest land and are closed to fishing through September 17.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The early morning trico mayfly hatch continues to offer the best fly fishing opportunity of the day. This hatch is over by 10:30 A.M. It starts with the mayfly duns hatching. Then they become spinners. After egg laying the spinners die on the water making an easy meal for the wild trout in the upper Owens River. There is a sporadic caddis hatch that starts as the trico’s are fading away for the day. Mid-day hopper fishing well produce a few fish, but it is nothing like a normal hopper hatch on the river. I’ve been covering lots of river for only a few hits. I would leave the river alone mid-day and come back around 6:00 P.M. and fish tell dark with a caddis pattern or nymph. The upper Owens is in the middle of the dog days of summer and is fishing really slow middle of the day. Fly fishers should continue to monitor water temperatures particularly below the Hot Creek confluence.

Mid-day fly fishing on the upper Owens River has been slow as hopper action is almost nonexistent.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

The canal has been dredged and the holding spots for trout have been reduced. The weed beds that were removed during the dredging operation provided a lot of habitat for the trout. Flows have been decreased in Bishop Creek Canal. I’m concentrating my efforts on the deeper holes and riffle type areas below Los Angeles Department of Water and Power weirs. Fishing middle of the day is hot and tough. For the fly fisher diligently working the water there are wild and stocked trout willing to take a fly. I’ve been fishing this section with Euro nymphing techniques. Butano nymphs and stoner nymphs have been my most productive fly patterns. The morning trico hatch is still worth getting on the water early to fly fish. The fish have been keying in on the spinners during the spinner fall. The trico hatch is over by 10:00 A.M.

San Joaquin River:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

The San Joaquin River from Thousand Islands Lake downstream to the end of Inyo National Forest Service land is closed to fly fishing through September 17.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-31-2021 Inyo National Forest Stage II Fire Restrictions

All Forests in California that are not already closed will close tonight August 31 at 11:59 P.M. through 11:59 P.M on September 17. Closure notice for Inyo National Forest may be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/inyo/. Waters on BLM land, City of Los Angeles land, and private land continue to be open. Waters open would include Owens River, Crowley Lake, Bishop Creek in the Owens Valley, and Bishop Creek Canal. This is not a complete list of waters not affected by the forest service closure. 

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Open to fishing. No restrictions.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Hot Creek Ranch:

Open to fishing. No restrictions.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Upper Owens River:

Big Springs:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Upper Owens River:

Above and Below Benton Crossing Bridge:

Open to fishing. No restrictions.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Open to fishing. No restrictions.

San Joaquin River:

Closed to fishing per Inyo National Forest closure.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-27-2021

Day light is getting shorter, the steams are cooling off, and the light snowpack is showing up in the form of low stream flows and low lake levels. Fly fishing pressure has slowed up as a lot of fly fishers are tied up with kids back in school. Smoke from California fires continues to fill Long Valley and the Owens Valley. It depends on the way the winds flow how heavy the smoke is on any given day. The hopper hatch this season has been dismal at best. Trico mayflies have stepped up and is what’s on the menu for trout in a number of moving waters in the Eastern Sierra. Fall is around the corner and the perfect time to chase trophy trout.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Flows have stabilized at 225 CFS for the summer and should remain at these flows through fall. Mid-day temperatures of the mid 90’s is cool enough to fish to noon or to fish in the evening. Mornings have been the best with nymphs. Czech nymphing continues to be the most productive method of nymphing the wild trout section of the lower Owens River. Evening caddis activity has been slowing down.

Wild brown trout are the dominant species in the wild trout section of the lower Owens River.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The trico hatch seems to be like the energizer bunny, going, and going, and going. This hatch is providing a couple of solid hours of dry fly activity every morning tell 10:30 or 11:00 A.M. Trico parachutes, trico spinner parachutes and trico spinners in size 24 are fooling the wild trout that are feeding on the trico mayflies. As the trico hatch wanes there is a sporadic caddis hatch. Once the hatches are over the surface activity comes to a halt and the creek is devoid of fly fishers by noon.

The Interpretive site is crowded in the mornings, but by noon the creek is devoid of fly fishers.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Morning caddis and trico activity is keeping fly fishers busy tell late morning. By noon hatches are over for the morning and fly fishers have left the creek in pursuit of other mid-day fly fisheries. Size 20 caddis including gray elk hair caddis, gray X-caddis and spent partridge caddis are producing trout mid-day. Mornings are all about trico’s with parachutes and spinners in size 24 producing wild trout. Weed beds are fully grown and fly fishers need to learn how to drift there flies in the narrow channels between the weed beds. 

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

With the cooler mornings, some freezing mornings already on the upper Owens, hatches of trico mayflies are coming off a little later in the morning. The trico hatch is over by 11:00 A.M. Size 24 trico spinners are being taken for the real flies and producing fish up to 20 inches. The few hoppers still around on the upper Owens River are not getting active until late morning or early afternoon. I’m finding that bigger foam hoppers are spooking more trout than fooling trout. I’ve been throwing size 14 cream bodied parachute hoppers. This fly lands softer on the water and is fooling fish. The bulk of the trout are not taking the hopper flies so the key to success is to cover the water with just a couple of casts and keep moving until you can find a trout that knows what a hopper is. Best success has come from drifting the parachute hopper right next to the cut banks.

Smokey horizons are common every afternoon on the upper Owens River.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

With cooler morning temperatures the trout in the Bishop Creek Canal have been feeding on the trico hatch witch is over by 9:30 A.M. The fish have been ignoring the trico dun and concentrating on the trico spinner. The spinner fall is short live, but the trout are coming to the surface to feast on the dead spinners. Nymphing with the Czech rod is producing wild brown trout and stocker rainbows. By mid-day the fly fishing action is over.

The faster moving sections of Bishop Creek Canal are a great place to practice your Euro nymphing skills.

San Joaquin River:

The San Joaquin River is a free stone river that is suffering from the low snow pack of last winter. The water levels are low and the bigger fish are concentrated in the pools. A dry fly or a dry and dropper rig is still the best way to fish this watershed. In this low water conditions fly fishers need an accurate cast and a drag free drift. Size 14 and 16 elk hair caddis, royal Wulff, and Adams parachute are my go to dry fly. A size 14 or 16 gold ribbed hare’s ear is my preferred dropper fly.

Wading upstream casting to the pocket water with a dry fly is the most productive method for fly fishing the San Joaquin River.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-20-2021

Smoke from the fires in California seem to find their way into Bishop and the Eastern Sierra. We had one day where we traded heavy winds for clear skies. Day time temperatures have dropped offering a hint of fall. It will not be long until the trees turn colors and the fish feed heavy in preparation for winter. There are still lots of warm days wet wading and throwing dry flies in particular hoppers. Water temperatures seem to be holding at or below 67 degrees in most Eastern Sierra waters.

Wild brown, rainbow and brook trout will readily take a dry fly drifted without drag on Bishop Creek.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Mid-day temperatures are cool enough to fish, but it will heat back up before it cools off for fall  and winter. Early and late is still the best time to be on the lower Owens River fishing. Early morning caddis activity has a few fish coming to the surface in the mornings. Evenings sees the greatest caddis activity. Mornings are a good time to nymph with a euro nymphing rig or an indicator rig.

Afternoon clouds and wind is a break from the smoky days in the Owens Valley.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The consistency of the trico hatch is making the interpretive site of Hot Creek one of the best fly fishing opportunities in the Eastern Sierra right now. Fly fishers need to be on the water early to get a good spot. The hatch starts by 9:00 A.M. each morning and is over by 10:00 A.M. Trico parachutes, and trico spinners are fooling wild brown trout and the occasional rainbow from eight to 14 inches. The caddis hatch takes place as the trico hatch wans. By noon all but the hardiest of fly fishers have called it a day. With nothing hatching mid-day there is no reason to be fly fishing here. Evening caddis activity is worth coming back to the creek to fly fish.

Noon and there is only one devoted fly fisher left on the creek, while everyone else left after the hatch ended.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

Middle of the day and Hot Creek Canyon is devoid of fly fishers as there is no mid-day hatch to bring the fish to the surface. Even nymphing is limited mid-day. I’m tempted to call it dog days of summer, but the morning trico and caddis hatch and evening caddis activity is keeping fly fishers connected to fish taking their fly patterns. Trico spinners, trico parachutes, gray elk hair caddis, gray X-caddis and spent partridge caddis are all fooling trout at the right time of the morning or evening.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Smoke makes the views nonexistent and winds have made the fly casting tough. Pick your poison or more aptly stated deal with what the day gives you. Wind has messed up the morning trico hatch, but has helped with the mid-morning to afternoon hopper hatch. The trico hatch is the best thing going and is done by 10:00 A.M. A few trout can be enticed to take caddis after the trico hatch. The hopper hatch this year is very weak. I watched two hoppers get blown into the river and nothing ate them. I’m thinking that with so few hoppers landing on the water the trout don’t know to eat them. Fly fishers covering lots of water in the afternoons are getting a few trout to come to the surface and take a hopper patterns. Use parachute hoppers, foam hoppers, or Dave’s hopper in sizes 12 or 14.

Matthew Reed from Washington state releasing a brown trout that took a well-placed hopper pattern.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

There is a morning trico hatch that is over by 9:00 A.M. Mid-day, when day time temperatures are under 90, is a good time to throw hoppers. The key is to only make a couple of casts to each fish holding spot. If the trout do not come up to eat the hopper move on looking for a trout that wants the hopper. This section of the canal has both wild and stocked trout.

Middle of the day finds few anglers fishing even though this is a good time to present a hopper.

San Joaquin River:

The San Joaquin River is my favorite water to fish. Its abundance of trout and technical casting to every pocket holding trout water makes it a great spot for beginner to advanced fly fishers. The trout are taking dry flies. This is a spot to fish with your favorite dry fly as you will fish it with confidence. I like Adams parachutes, royal Wulff’s and elk hair caddis in sizes 14 to 16. This is a great water to fish the dry and dropper technique. I like to add three feet of 5X tippet to the bend of my dry fly with an improved cinch knot. I fish copper John’s, gold ribbed hare’s ears and pheasant tail nymphs under my dry fly.

Brook trout and golden trout are the two hardest fish to catch on the San Joaquin River to get a Sierra grand slam.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 08-13-2021

Shorter days of sunlight is helping to cool waters to allow fly fishers to fish popular waters in the Eastern Sierra. Carrying and using a thermometer is the best way to insure the mortality rate of catch and release trout is kept around 10 %. Fly fishers should avoid catch and releasing  trout in waters warmer than 70 degrees. Waters over 68 degrees cause an increase in stress on trout. Free stone streams above 9,000 feet have cool waters and wild brown, rainbow and brook trout for fly fishers to catch.

A great escape from the mid-day temperatures in the Owens Valley is to head up Bishop Canyon and fish one of the forks of Bishop Creek.

Lower Owens River Wild Trout Section:

Best fly fishing opportunities continues to be early in the morning and late in the evening. Caddis activity in the evenings is offering the best dry fly opportunities for fly fishers. Fishing with elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and parachute caddis is producing wild rainbow and brown trout from 6:00 P.M to dark. Use elk hair caddis, X-caddis, and E/C caddis dead drifted or skittered. Nymphing in the morning from 8:00 A.M. to noon with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, Butano nymphs, stoner nymphs, and quildigons is fooling the feeding trout. When fishing under an indicator the flies should be one and half to two times the average water depth below the indicator.

Czech nymphing in the mornings tell noon is producing wild brown trout to 14 inches.

Hot Creek:

Interpretive Site:

The early morning trico hatch continues to provide fly fishers with the best fly fishing of the day on Hot Creek. The hatch starts out with female trico on the water. Than the spinners show up. Followed up by the spinner fall. Start out fishing with a female trico parachute in a size 24. Than go to a size 24 trico parachute followed by a size 24 trico spinner. The hatch has been lasting until 10:00. Caddis have been sporadically hatching at the end of the trico hatch. Fish with a size 20 gray parachute caddis, X-caddis or gray spent partridge caddis.

A size 24 trico parachute is the perfect imitation for this trico mayfly that hatched in the interpretive site of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek Canyon Section:

The steeper gradient in the canyon section of Hot Creek offers fly fishers quicker moving water than the interpretive site or Hot Creek Ranch. The trout in this section do not have the opportunity to give the flies as thorough a look as they do in the flatter water sections of Hot Creek. A dry or dry and a dropper is a great way to fish in this section. Parachute mayflies and elk hair caddis patterns are great flies to imitate the hatching trico may flies and gray caddis that are coming off in the mornings. A dry and a dropper is a great way to fish Hot Creek with the low flows that we are seeing this year. I fish a size 16 Adams parachute with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph under it.

Upper Owens River:

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Water temperatures on the upper Owens River are right at the top of the fishable level in the afternoons. I check the water temperatures often when I’m on the water after noon. There is a very small sized trico hatch in the morning starting around 9:00 A.M. A size 24 female trico parachute was bigger than the hatching insects, but the trout still took it. When the hatch ends, I put on a foam hopper and start covering water looking for trout that will take the hopper. It takes covering a lot of water to find trout that will take the hopper and get hooked. I get a lot more takes than I get hook ups. I love hopper season. It’s not as good as the last two years, but trout are starting to take the hoppers.

Cows munching away as wild brown and rainbow trout rise to the hatching trico mayfly in the morning.

Bishop Creek Canal Behind the Ford Dealer:

Water continues to be full of debris and off color as LA DWP finishes up dredging Bishop Creek Canal. There is a trico hatch in the morning that is done by 9:00 A.M. The trout are ignoring the duns and feeding exclusively on the trico spinners. A size 22 trico spinner presented on a drag free drift will fool the trout into taking the fly. At the height of the hatch the trout feed rhythmically on the spent spinners and your fly needs to be presented to the trout in rhythm to the fishes feeding. 

The advantage of fishing a three fly Euro nymph rig in Bishop Creek Canal is that you get doubles like this wild brown trout and stocker rainbow trout.

San Joaquin River:

Water levels are getting low on the San Joaquin River. Water temperatures have not been a problem. This is a free stone stream that the trout feed opportunistically on whatever dry fly you offer the trout. My favorite dry flies for the San Joaquin River are a royal Wulff in a size 12 to 16, an elk hair caddis in size 16, and an Adams parachute in a size 14 or 16. I like to fish a dry and dropper rig in the San Joaquin River. I tie off a three foot tippet on the bend of the dry fly and put either a bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph or bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear nymph on the end of the tippet.

Wading upstream casting to the pockets, pools and runs produces wild brown , brook, rainbow and hybrid golden trout.