Bishop, CA Fly Fishing Report – JULY 26, 2024
Weekly California Fly Fishing Report to the Bishop and Mammoth Lakes area, brought to you by Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Guides
It’s summer time in the Eastern Sierra and the trout are feeding on nymphs and dries. Midges, mayflies, caddis and stoneflies are hatching. Little yellow stoneflies, pale morning dun mayflies, blue wing olive mayflies, trico mayflies, callibaetis mayflies, olive midges, gray midges, olive caddis and brown caddis are the insects the trout are feeding on. Adult hoppers are starting to show up on Eastern Sierra waters. It’s hot out there and wet wading is the way to go. Been monitoring water temperatures and they have not approached the 70 degree level that would require fly fishers to voluntarily stop fly fishing. High country trails and waters are devoid of snow and offering good fly fishing opportunities. Now is the time to make those memories fly fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section: Flows of 575 CFS continue to keep fly fishers off the river. A dry fly fished on the surface might yield a fish or two if your fishing the spots accessible from the banks of the lower Owens River. Wading is unsafe at these flows.
Middle Gorge Power Plant: Rattlesnakes and stinging nettles makes this a tough place to fly fish from June to September. It’s June and the stands of stinging nettles, high day time temperatures and the increased rattle snake activity is enough to keep me out of the gorge till Fall. Dry and dropper rig is the way to fly fish in the gorge for the hearty angler willing to make the trek into the gorge this time of the year. For the dry fly in the dry dropper rig use a size 14 or 16 elk hair caddis or Adams Parachute, or a size 14 stimulator. I run the nymphs on three feet of 4X or 5X fluorocarbon tippet. These fish are feeding opportunistically and will take a number of nymphs. I like size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 14 copper John’s.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Site: Consistent hatches of mayflies, caddis and stoneflies have the trout feeding on the surface from early morning to early afternoon. Fishing with size 16 Adams parachute, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 16 pale morning dun (PMD) parachutes, size 16 PMD sparkle duns, size 22 olive female trico dun parachutes, size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 X-caddis in gray are the dry flies that will imitate the hatching insects of Hot Creek. Fly fishers should be on the water by 8:30 for the trico hatch and the day is over by 2:00 P.M. when the pale morning duns are done hatching.
Canyon Section: Fly fishing in the canyon is fun if you know how to work your flies around the weed beds that are at full growth in the creek. The tiny slots between the weeds is where fly fishers need to drift their nymphs and dries. Drifting a dry fly in these narrow slots is much easier than drifting a nymph. During the hatch the trout are easy to find as they give up their location when they rise to the surface to feed on the adult hatching insects. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 12 stoner nymphs, and size 20 gray La Fontaine’s sparkle nymphs are producing trout if you can keep the nymphs from snagging on the weeds. Dry fly fishing with size 16 pale morning dun (PMD) parachutes, size 16 PMD sparkle duns size, 16 Adams parachute, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 22 olive female trico dun parachutes, size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray parachute caddis and size 20 gray X-caddis are fooling the surface feeding trout when the fly fisher can get a drag free drift.
Crowley Lake
North Landing: The North Landing Road continues to be closed. No word on when it will open. Lake levels continue to be high and the North Landing Roads around the lake are flooded in places. McGee Creek inlet continues to produce lots of fish for the boating flotilla working the flats in this area with midges, callibaetis nymphs and damsel fly nymphs. Gray midges, tiger midges, zebra midges, blood midges and albino Barron’s suspended from three inches to three feet of the mud bottom is producing 16 to 22 inch hatchery rainbows, browns and cutthroats. Stripping size 10 marabou damsel nymphs, a size 10 olive wooly buggers, a size 14 callibaetis nymphs and a size 14 olive gold ribbed hare’s ear is producing trout when stripped around the weed beds.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The Fourth of July crowds are gone and the upper Owens River continues to produce juvenile and adult trout from three inches to 14 inches. The trout are feeding on size 16 elk hair caddis, size 16 pale morning dun parachutes, size 22 female dun trico parachutes and size 18 blue wing olive parachutes. Nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 rust La Fontaine’s sparkle nymphs and size 16 peacock soft hackles has been consistently producing rainbows from three inches to 16 inches.
East Walker
Below Bridgeport Reservoir:
Nymphing and dry fly fishing is producing fish in the East Walker River. Middle of the day heat is slowing the bite. Water flows are perfect for wading the river to present the flies to the trout. Caddis, mayflies and stoneflies are the hatches that are producing the trout. Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig 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 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold wire Prince nymphs and size 16 rust La Fontaine’s sparkle nymphs. Size 16 Adams parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis, size 16 X-caddis and size 16 Lawson’s little yellow stone fly are the dry fly patterns the trout are taking of the surface of the East Walker River.
Rock Creek
Iris Meadow Campground: The creek continues to flow high and cold. The trout are looking for food. Fly fishing in the slow water pools and runs is where fly fishers can catch trout with a dry and dropper rig. The best dry fly to fish with is the one you have the most confidence in. I like to use size 16 Adams parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 16 royal Wulff’s because their very visible on the water. Any nymphs will work but I use size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.
Bishop Creek Canyon
North Lake: Mosquitoes are out in full force particularly when fishing from the flooded shore line at the inlet into North Lake. This is a great spot to fish with a dry and dropper. For the dry fly fish with a size 14 olive stimulator, size 16 Adams parachute and a size 14 elk hair caddis. For the nymphs use size 18 or 20 tiger midge, zebra midge, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph or size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear. There are olive damsel nymphs and olive scuds in the lake. Stripping a size 12 olive wooly bugger on a dry fly line or trolling the wooly bugger behind a float tube on a full sink line will produce trout. The stocked rainbows love to grab the wooly bugger.
Bishop Creek
Middle Fork: Working up the creek looking for the spots where you can find the trout hanging out in the slower pools and runs and casting an Adams parachute with a bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear on three feet of fluorocarbon tippet will produce wild brown trout and rainbow trout. Key to success right now is covering lots of water looking for those spots where the fish can see your flies drift by them. The water is still high and cold. The trout are looking for any insect that floats by them to eat.
As always be sure to consult with California Fish and Wildlife regulations for the water you plan on fly fishing: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations
Tuesday Talks with Fred:
Fred Rowe has been meeting clients, locals, and social media followers every Tuesday from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at Mahogany Smoked Meats on 2345 N. Sierra HWY. They just hang out with everyone talking about fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra and munching on a burrito. The only time he’s not there is when he’s off guiding. All levels of anglers are welcome.
Bishop Creek Canyon – Fish & Trail Report
JULY 5th, 2024
–Fishing Reports–
–Business Opportunity–
STM Fly Fishing Report
Call or text the STM Fly Shop at 760-873-0010 for more details on this dynamic fishery or to book a guided tour for a worthy fish!
ROAD ACCESS UPDATES
- Inyo County: Ready Inyo (inyocounty.us)
- Mono County: Ready Mono (ready.mono.ca.gov)
- BLM – Bishop Field Office: www.blm.gov/office/bishop-
field-office - CalTrans: QuickMap (ca.gov)
- Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power (LADWP): https://ladwpeasternsierra.com/runoff2023
BE GOOD STEWARDS
Below are helpful links to responsible recreation programs.
- Mammoth Lakes Recreation: Tangle Free Waters Station Locator
- Visit Bishop: Know Before You Go | Wilderness Permits
- Eastern Sierra Dispersed Camping Collaboration: Camp Like A Pro
So, whether you’re a seasoned fly chucker or just starting to explore the world of wet wading and dry flies, Bishop has something for you. With its stunning scenery, crystal-clear rivers, and abundance of feisty fish, it’s no wonder this Eastern Sierra paradise is a magnet for anglers from all over. So dust off your gear, pack your sense of adventure, and get ready to make a splash in Bishop this year!
Here are some additional tips for planning your Bishop fishing trip:
- Book your accommodations early: Bishop is a popular destination, especially during the spring and summer months, so be sure to snag your spot well in advance.
- Get your fishing licenses: You’ll need a California fishing license to participate in any of the events or fish in the local waters.
- Check the weather conditions: The Eastern Sierra can experience a variety of weather conditions, so be sure to pack accordingly.
- Respect the environment: Leave no trace and practice responsible fishing etiquette.
With a little planning and a whole lot of enthusiasm, your Bishop fishing adventure is sure to be one for the books (or the fly box, as it were). Tight lines!
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