Updated 10/4/2024 I get asked all the time when is the best time to come to the Eastern Sierra to fly fish. The answer is now! My favorite month of the year in the Eastern Sierra starts on Sunday. The month is Sept-Oct. The 15th of September to the 15th of October. This time of the year offers the opportunity to catch spawning brook trout and trophy brown trout. It’s time for the trees to change from everyday green to brilliant colors of yellow, orange and red. Summers heat is behinds us and winters cold is on the horizon, but not yet here. Hatches of caddis, mayflies and midges are fueling the feeding trout. This is the time to fish meat. Big streamer patterns that big trout just cannot say no to. Before you know it snow will be on the ground making it impossible or very tough to fly fish lots of waters in the Sierra. So if you can get up here, now it’s the time to be fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra.
Lucky winners took home nice prizes including float tubes, Yeti coolers, rod & reel combos and tons of other great gear provided by the event’s ever-generous co-sponsors. The derby is an important tradition for visitors as well as locals. “We want to make sure that it’s sustainable so upcoming generations can enjoy the fishing fun. We’ve added a category for catch & release and a special raffle prize for those who pick up trash while they are out fishing. And we always purchase and plant far more fish than are usually caught at the derby
Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome Tips To All Our Foreign Visitors
Each year, the Eastern Sierra’s lakes, streams, and various bodies of water receive a generous stocking of 650,000 pounds of trout. All courtesy of Bishop, Inyo County, Mono County, Mammoth Lakes and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. In fact, fishing is so intertwined with the community that opening day of fishing season is locally dubbed “Fishmas,” rivalling the anticipation of Christmas. Why not make this fishing season extend beyond those dates by entering a fishing derby in the High Sierra.
Instead of sitting in the car for hours upon hours, you’ll now have the opportunity to fly into Bishop Airport, also known as the Bishop/Mammoth or Eastern Sierra Regional Airport via San Francisco, and Denver. Each of these routes will operate daily through winter giving you access to world class climbing, skiing, and even golf at the Bishop Country Club and fishing on the Owens River.
The 54th edition of the Blake Jones Trout Derby is now “in the books” and it was a good one! Despite rescheduling the event from March to May then to September, there was a good turnout, and everyone had a great time. There were 233 registered participants this year,... 
Just six miles northwest of town, this 120-acre park has a bit of everything for anyone just looking for some outdoor fun in a tranquil setting. Millpond Recreation Area is known by many for one thing – the Millpond Music Festival. Check it out this September!
I still remember growing up my Dad saying the same thing over and over and over – “I don’t want anything for Father’s Day.” And do you know what’s the best gift I ever got him? An experience! Instead of buying him something that will collect dust, create a memory that... 
Even with such high volume of fish flowing through the Owens river, this body of water is known for providing a challenge without the proper knowledge. We recommend checking out our Bishop Fishing Report which is updated weekly.
With this year’s record setting snowfall, anglers need to be aware that the Eastern Sierra will have record setting snow runoff. Staying safe will require anglers to know when to stay away from their favorite streams and what to do if you find yourself suddenly in the... 
Imagine someone loading a mountain lion into a station wagon and taking it to a trade show, such as the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle Show.It would never happen today, of course, and not just because there are no more station wagons around.But that’s what Blake Jones did... 
The alpine lakes in the Eastern Sierra are beautiful. They’re home to world-class fishing and an opportunity to cool off from the summer heat. It’s up to us as residents and visitors alike to do our part by recreating responsibly so that future generations can enjoy... 
Chief Seattle once said, “If you want civilization to flourish, you must think seven generations ahead.” On your visit here, we hope you embrace our community and its big backyard in the same way Chief Seattle thought. That your great, great grandchildren... 
When you go out for a hike, it’s nice to have a goal and one of the easiest is to visit a lake. There’s something about an alpine lake with no road access that makes them enchanting. Maybe it’s the price of admission that you need to walk to see them. Or that... 
INYO COUNTY TO AUGMENT 2022 SEASON STOCKING EFFORTS BY CDFW, BISHOP CHAMBER Some of anglers’ favorite fishing holes along U.S. Highway 395 should be extra enticing this season thanks to supplemental stocking events sponsored by the County of Inyo. Throughout the 2022... 
Don’t buy another box of chocolates and skip the flowers. So, what should you get Mom on Mother’s Day that she’ll cherish more than anything? Spending time with her family! Make it a full day of fun or better yet a weekend of activities that she’ll remember forever.... 
Fishmas is fabulous! We know you love fishing in the Eastern Sierra. So do we. We also know that we love to do lots of other fun, fantastic things out here and perhaps you do too. If you’re a member of a fishing family, but you don’t fish OR you find that you need a... 
Bishop Trout Rodeo scores big numbers in inaugural event Now that it appears the pandemic is winding down, the idea of fishing a new and exciting competition has been made reality by Southwest Council, Fly Fishers International. Getting out in the Beautiful Bishop... 
The 53rd edition of the Blake Jones Trout Derby is now “in the books” and it was a good one! Nearly 400 registered participants weighed in 527 fish on Saturday, March 12th. The largest was 5 pounds and most were in the 1 pound range. The weather was picture perfect... 
This is an angler’s dream event where fishing comes first!
We’re driving home. The hills roll out before me, Mono Lake glistens in the distance, a light dusting of snow splatters the tops of the mountains that define the landscape. This drive, this view, is always a little different, but today it feels like something entirely new. I’ve just learned more about the landscape and begun to understand the science behind it. What I used to look at and think of as hills, are now the lateral and terminal moraines of massive glaciers that stretched from Yosemite into Mono Lake. The sudden rise of the Sierra comes from faulting, the erratic boulders are from ancient massive glaciers, the Bishop Tuft is from one of the most immense recorded volcanic explosions. All the little pieces of a view I see so often, come into focus with entire histories behind them.
The best things to do in Bishop CA in January translates to ALL season fun. Or as we like to call it, “Juneuary” is your chance to have your cake and eat it too in a mountain getaway. Be it snow-free or an all-weather variety vacation, Bishop’s big backyard is THE place to visit in winter.
While everyone up the hill is buried in snow, here are some alternatives to enjoy beautiful exhibits, galleries, bowling, arcades, hot springs, and snow free walks and auto tours.
Climbing Rangers are here! Shining a light on what you need to know to travel safely, protecting the small town of Bishop, California, all while helping preserve the places we love to climb. The Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association (ESIA) has hired two climbing... 
