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
Invasive Golden Mussel !
The discovery of these new golden mussels present threats to more local waters than the Quaggas and Zebras because they need less calcium in the water and can survive higher and lower temps. Bottom line, we need your help to spread the word to keep the invasive species from spreading into our lakes and streams. Best practice for boats, trailers and gear is Drain, Clean & Dry.
www.wildlife.ca.gov/mussels
866-440-9530
Lower Owens
Warm spring days and hatches of midges and mayflies are offering fly fishers fun days on the lower Owens River. I’ve seen a couple of little yellow stones hatching. If this is the start of the little yellow stone hatch it’s at least a month early. Lower Owens River flows are expected to stay steady at around 100 CFS through the end of April. Nymphing with a Euro rig or under an indicator is the most productive method of fly fishing the river right now. Nymph with a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 SOS nymph, size 18 gasolina nymphs and size 20 tiger and zebra midges. Hatches of blue wing olive mayflies are infrequent, but if you are on the right hole when the hatch comes of you can fish with size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 18 Adams parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns. To stay up with the changing flows check out Eastern Sierra water flows.
>> Complete Lower Owens Fishing Report by Sierra Trout Fly Shop
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge
Trophy cutthroat trout will begin their migration up the Owens River at the end of April. The migration starts with a few fish moving into the river from Crowley Lake. Look for the cutthroat run to be in full swing by mid-May. By memorial day the cutthroat trout run is mostly fishing for beat up down streamers. These are the fish that have completed their spawning and are headed back to Crowley Lake. Sierra Bright Dot guides still have openings for fly fishers wanting to catch a trophy cutthroat trout. Fishing has slowed down as there is little insect activity to entice the resident trout to feed. Nymphing is producing a few fish for fly fishers nymphing with size 18 tiger midges, size 18 zebra midges, size 16 gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons. Fishing dry flies has been slow, but fishing with a size 18 olive sparkle duns, size 18 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 elk hair caddis is producing a few rainbows and brown trout to 12 inches.
>> Complete Fishing Report by Sierra Bright Dot
Hot Creek
Easy access to Hot Creek makes the Interpretive site a busy spot for fly fishers looking to walk right out from the parking area to fly fish. Mid-day hatches of very small midges are bringing the trout to the surface. There are a few blue wing olive mayflies hatching in the middle of the midge hatch. The midges are too small to imitate as an individual midge. Success is fishing a Griffiths gnat in size 22 which imitates a cluster of midges. To imitate the blue wing olive duns fish with a size 20 blue wing olive parachute, size 20 Adams parachute and size 20 olive sparkle dun.
Bishop Creek Canal
Low clear water is making the trout spooky in Bishop Creek Canal. Easiest way to catch a few trout in the canal is to fish in the deeper holes and riffle sections where the fish are not as spooky. Nymphing under a dry fly or with a Euro rig is the productive way to fly fish the canal. Nymph with a size 16 SOS nymph, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 18 olive quilldigon and size 20 zebra and tiger midges.
>> Complete Bishop Creek Canal Fishing Report by Sierra Bright Dot
Crowley Lake – Ready for Fishmas ’25?
Crowley Lake and the Owens River from Crowley Lake to Benton Crossing Bridge is closed for the season. Crowley Lake will open to fishing on Saturday April 26th, 2025. 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
Courtesy of Parchers Resort and South Lake Landing
Get ready! Fishmas starts April 26, 2025. Season ends November 15
Latest about fishing Bishop
I spent 15 years in Mammoth Lakes. Every fall the talk around town centered on when it would snow. I always answered with the last Saturday in April, trout opener. April 26, 2025 is the general trout opener in the Eastern Sierra. Time will tell if it will snow on Saturday April 26, 2025, but I’ve been right a lot more times than I’ve been wrong. For now the Eastern Sierra is having a great spring with warm weather and very little wind. Nymphing and dry fly fishing imitating hatching midges, mayflies and caddisflies are producing trout for fly fishers fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra.
Year-Round Fishing
