With higher flows fly fishers using nymphs need to be sure they have the right amount of weight in their flies or on their tippets in the form of a split shot. The early afternoon blue wing olive mayfly hatch is bringing trout to the surface to feed on the hatching mayflies. Use size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 olive sparkle duns and size 18 Adams parachutes. Under an indicator or with a Euro rig use a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 12 stoner nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 Frenchie and size 16 Duracell nymphs.
Fishing Report
Eastern Sierra Fishing photos compiled by our local guide staff and the rest of the information sourced from their crew and our wonderful guests. Thank You!!!
Photo @CarterMurphyPhoto
Lower Owens River
Flows are fluctuating daily from 185 CFS to 250 CFS. At 250 CFS you better be a good wader to handle the water flows. I’m done with the lower Owens unless it stay consistently under 200 CFS. For those that have battled the higher flows are finding trout willing to take their nymphs when using enough weight in the flies or on the line as split shot. Nymph under an indicator or a Euro rig with size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 16 rainbow warriors and size 16 Duracell’s.
To stay up with the changing flows check out Eastern Sierra water flows.
DWP has started to take water out of Crowley Lake to make room for this year’s snow melt and ship it to reservoirs south of Crowley Lake. The lower Owens River will be up to 185 CFS by the weekend and expect it to go up higher next week. Nymphing will continue to produce trout as they acclimate to the rising water. Over 300 CFS is the level of unsafe wading conditions for the lower Owens River. Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing will be the most effective methods of fooling the wild trout of the lower Owens River. If you see consistently rising trout definitely switch to a dry fly. On the surface use size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 olive sparkle duns and size 18 Adams parachute. On the substrate use size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 16 rainbow warriors, size 16 Duracell nymphs, size 14 olive burlap caddis, size 16 olive quill RS2 and size 16 Butano nymphs. Key to success in the rising water will be to have enough weight in the flies or on the tippet in the form of split shot to keep the nymphs on the substrate. Plan on fishing with a size BB split shot or more.
>> Complete Lower Owens Fishing Report by Sierra Trout Fly Shop
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge
June like weather makes fly fishing the upper Owens River in April a joy. Wore a T-shirt all day and was not to hot and not to cold. The trophy rainbow trout are just about done for the season. For fly fishes willing to work lots or water with nymphs or streamers are finding a few trophy rainbow trout. Use size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 14 copper John’s and size 12 Richard’s variation of a gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 10 olive wooly bugger, size 10 olive matuka, size 10 olive slumpbuster, size 10 muddler minnow and size 10 Hornberg. There is a mid-day hatch of blue wing olive mayflies that the resident six to 12 inch rainbows and browns are feeding on. For dry flies fish with size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 elk hair caddis and size 18 X-caddis. For nymphs use size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 16 Duracell’s, size 18 Frenchie’s and size 16 rainbow warriors.
The Owens River below Benton Crossing Bridge is closed until APRIL 24.
>> Complete Fishing Report by Sierra Bright Dot
Invasive Golden Mussel !
Prevention is the only solution! Watercraft inspection is MANDATORY.
New ordinances in Mono and Inyo Counties require inspections before launching any trailered watercraft, including boats and jet skis, into any body of water.
Trailered watercraft must stop at a Watercraft Inspection & Decontamination (WID) station and receive an Eastern Sierra mussel sticker before launching.
Launching without an inspection may result in fines, misdemeanor charges, and/or boat impoundment.
Resident watercraft (Mono or Inyo County): Inspected once per year before the first launch of the season.
Visiting watercraft: Inspected when entering Mono or Inyo County before launching.
Watercraft inspected in Inyo County or Mono County: That inspection is valid in Mono or Inyo County for the same month.
Any boat that launches outside Mono or Inyo County: Must be inspected again before launching locally.
Hot Creek
Interpretive Area: The weather is bringing out the fly fishers to enjoy what feels like a June day not an early April day. The warm weather has the midges and mayflies hatching. Fish with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 olive sparkle duns and size 20 Adams parachutes, size 20 CDC midges and size 20 Griffiths gnats. Key to success is to be on the water before the hatches start and fish your dry fly with a drag free drift targeting rising trout.
The Canyon:
Nymphing in the Canyon Section of Hot Creek produces more and bigger wild brown and rainbow trout. The key to success is working your nymphs on the substrate, but not spooking the trout. Using a dry and dropper instead of an indicator will allow the dry fly to land on the surface gently without spooking the trout. A Euro rig also allows the fly fisher to get a drag free drift and not spook the trout from the splashing of the indicator on the creeks surface. For the dry fly use a size 16 Adams parachute, size 14 stimulator, size 16 elk hair caddis and a size 16 royal Wulff. For the nymph use a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 Frenchie, size 16 Duracell, size 18 green/gold brassie, size 18 soft hackle brassie, size 18 thread midges in tiger and zebra coloration.
Bishop Creek Canal
Now until Fishing Opener in April, the canal is catch and release fishing with barbless lures and flies.
> Complete Bishop Creek Canal Fishing Report by Sierra Bright Dot
Crowley Lake
OPENING APRIL 24th!!
Please keep the fish in the net and let them have a chance to revive before releasing them. These warmer water temperatures can really put a lot of stress on the fish.
https://www.crowleylakefishcamp.com/fishing-reports
All boats entering Crowley Lake will need to be inspected.
Fishing Reports by top ranked Fishing Guides – Owens River, Hot Creek, Bishop Creek and Eastern Sierra Lakes
- Local Fishing Report by Sierra Trout Magnet
- Weekly Fly Fishing Report by Sierra Bright Dot
- Bishop Creek Fishing Report by Parchers Resort
Fishing Maps
Bishop Creek
CLOSED FOR THE SEASON.
Courtesy of Parchers Resort and South Lake Landing
Storm’s past, snow’s melting, and the color keeps coming. It’s so pretty out here.
BOOK ONLINE
Sabrina Boats – www.VisitLakeSabrina.com
South Lake Boats & Parchers Cabins– www.ParchersResort.net
Latest about fishing Bishop
It’s acting like spring in the Eastern Sierra. No that’s not right. We normally have cold and windy springs in the Eastern Sierra. This week feels more like June than April. It’s been in the 80’s in the Owens Valley and the mid-70’s at upper elevation waters. Remember almost every opening weekend it snows or is very windy and cold. With the warm weather has come hatches of midges, mayflies and caddis. Nymphing continues to be the most consistent method of fly fishing. When the trout are consistently rising to the emerging insects put away the nymphs and tie on a dry fly rig. North Landing Road, the road that allows access to Green Banks, Sandy Point and the north side of McGee Bay, will continue to be closed through June. Expect this to be lifted when the lake levels recede probably sometime in June.
Year-Round Fishing
