Fly Fishing Report 6/26/2024
Welcome to my Eastern Sierra Fly FIshing report for the end of June. We are officially in our summer season and in the warmest time of year. It’s a great time to get on the water at sunrise or sunset, enjoy our lakes, and move higher up in elevation. The fly fishing has been awesome, and the flows on our rivers this year are healthy! Right now I am mostly doing half day trips as the water is temping 70+ degrees in certain areas in the heat of the day. Once the water gets that warm it’s hard on the fish, we call it voluntary hoot owl restrictions. Water temps up higher are absolutely perfect right now, so there is plenty of awesome fly fishing all day if you know where to go!
We are getting excited for our 2024 backcountry golden trout trip this year, we are fully booked up and prepping for the trip at this point! Cant wait to get back there. We are partnering with McGee Creek Pack Station and Eastern Sierra Sport Fishing to provide the most excellent backcountry experience possible! It’s going to be a blast.
Lastly we are currently booking for our 2024 Fall Fly Fishing Clinic. The dates are the last weekend of October 26th & 27th. The fall clinic will be focused this year on nymphing and streamer fishing, which I’m excited about. I’ve been wanting to do a more streamer specific clinic for a while and feel like fall is a great time to dive deep into that world. It’s going to be two full days of immersive learning from classroom to river. We have 7 spots left as of now, here is some more info on the clinic, reach out to talk more in detail or book today!
I still have availability in July! Reach out to line up a guided fly fishing trip. Not only do I love getting folks on fish, I love teaching them how and why so that they can come back empowered and find success on their own. All levels of experience are welcomed and all gear is provided.
-Luke Kinney, Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide.
Call- (858) 750 9820
Email- goldentroutguiding@gmail.com
Join us for our 2024 Fall Fly FIshing Clinic
Luke Kinney is an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide, which means professionalism, quality trips and gear, and learning while getting into the action. Read Reviews Here
Fly Fishing Report
Lower Owens River- The Lower Owens is currently flowing around 500 CFS so flows have come up substantially. It is also hot on the valley floor right now with temps in the high 90s in Bishop. With the warm temps and high flows I will be giving the Lower a rest until things cool down usually late september early october… If you want to get out early on the Lower Owens or don’t mind the heat, nymphing deep with some heavier flies will get you into some fish. Sunset sessions right before sunset can provide some nice rising trout opportunities as well. Elk Hair Caddis (size 16-18) or Parachute Adams (size 16-18) are good choices. Best to move higher up in elevation for better fishing options.
Lower Owens from the top of the bluff
Bishop Creek/Rock Creek- We are just getting past peak melt on our higher elevation streams and mountain tributaries. Both bishop creek and rock creek are really fun right now with trout rising to a well presented dry fly or smaller nymph. Its dry dropper season up there, giving two options for the fish to feed on. With both creeks not being so deep and things warming up they are feeding all over the water column. I like to do plenty of sight fishing for trout in the clear water, look for actively feeding trout just under the surface film and get your flies 2 feet above. If you get a good cast and presentation they usually take it first cast, which is always rad! If trout are glued to the bottom you can try nymphing to get them to move but identifying the more active feeders will help you have a productive day. Anywhere where you can find a break in the current, behind boulder, little pools, or on the edge of seems trout are usually there. Bishop Creek and Rock Creek are by no means trophy fisheries although there are some big fish hanging out in there, it’s all about being sneaky and the reward of foolin em and watching sip the fly is the beauty of small stream fly fishing. I learned how to fly fish on small streams and it still remains one of my favorite ways to fly fish, not to mention I love fishing dry flies! If you don’t spook the fish they are willing to take a variety of flies and patterns, keep it simple. You can’t go wrong with Elk Hair Caddis (size 14-18), or Mayflies like Blue Wing Olive, Or Pale Morning Dun (size 16-18) and the king of dry flies when in doubt hit em with a Parachute Adams (size 16-18). Something about the parachute adams they way it floats, the general shape, and the color, seems to work on most hatches or no hatch in these parts. As far as nymphs/midges on the creeks, I recommend smaller flies, Zebra Midge, black or olive (size 18-20), small baetis nymph (size 18-20), mini prince nymph (size 18), copper john (size 18). I have been guiding a lot on these creeks and having really fun and productive days!
Bill and I had a crazy good day fishing a dry dropper! Most of the fish were taking the dry which was epic.
Angler Brian working some cascading pools on Bishop Creek. He caught his first trout on a size 14 Caddis.
Local angler Max was gifted a guided trip for his 18th Birthday and we had an amazing outing!
Max and Tate doubled up on North Lake near Bishop Creek! Most of the trout were taking a size 16 Caddis Dry Fly.
Crowley Lake; Crowley Lake is fishing well depending on your location and how fast you can set the hook. Fish are still generally holding deep from 20-35+ ft so rigging correctly and getting on top of those hooksets will make or break your day out there. We should hopefully start seeing fish move into more condensed shallower water within the next month, getting ready to ambush the small perch fry patterns. As of now the trout are spread out but if you can get those flies placed well and off the bottom you will get into some nice ones! Most of the bigger fish are holding deep where the water is cold, and certain areas there are plenty of fun sized fish and recent stocked fish to catch if your looking for a numbers day. Its quality over quantity right now but soon we will have both heading into july. Right now midges are the fly, Blood Midge (size 14-18), Albino Barron (size 14-18), Copper Tiger (size 14-18), Assassin (size 14-18) are all good patterns. I’m running a leech above my midge and starting to get hit on them as well, purple, olive and black are all good colors. Days are getting warm on the lake and the water is temping 70+ degrees on the surface so I am only booking half days for now until things cool down. Crowley lake is iconic, beautiful, and offers an experience to catch trophy trout from all of our species in the front country. Big rainbows, browns, and cutthroats are all on the ticket, and the last few trips Ive had we have caught all three in one half day which is the absolute best! Crowley is a great place to learn how to use a fly rod and play fish, and fun for all levels. Having a local guide out there who knows the water and is keeping an eye on the fish will give you the best shot at having the most productive day possible, it is a big lake!
Angler Bill Lewis and I have had many adventures together, he was on fire this day at Crowley Lake!
Beautiful thick cutthroat trout caught and safely released on Crowley Lake.
The Crowley Lake rainbow trout are some of the finest fighters on the Eastern Sierra. This one have us an amazing aerial show.
Sometimes the fish see the net and take you back off! Haha, it’s a beautiful thing actually.
Upper Owens- The Upper Owens is currently flowing around 80 CFS below the Hot Creek confluence and 110 CFS above. These flows are great for holding trout, keeping the temps cooler, and ultimately for the rest of the warm season. The water is getting warmer in the middle of the day around 68-70 degrees, so I will be doing voluntary hoot owl restrictions (sunrise-noon) on the Upper Owens and only guiding half days until things start to cool down. It is a great time to get up early catch those fish rising at first light and nymph those deeper holes for trout feeding on the bottom. Nymphing, Dry Fly, Dry-Dropper, Streamers are all working right now, and that is the beauty of fly fishing during the summer! The fish are feeding throughout the whole water column and at times will even chase a fly to get some nutrients for the day. Nymphing has been the most productive way. to catch fish, especially those bigger residentials. Some nice browns making it to the net lately on the Upper Owens, from 12-20 inches, i’m getting most of them on heavier czech nymphs (size 14-18) , or Wooly Buggers, Olive or Black (size 10-14). Others nymphs such as the flashback pheasant tail (size 16), Duracell (size 16-18), Perdigon (size 16-18), Hares Ears (size 16-18) are all solid and consistent fly choices on the Upper. Plenty of juvenile fish willing to take a dry fly, and the occasional trophy trout. I spent an hour once casting to a monster brown feeding on tiny trico mayflies hoping to hook up, he missed my size 20 fly a few times.. it was heartbreaking but fun. Elk Hair Caddis (size 16-18), Parachute Adams (size 16-18), Purple Haze (size 16-18), Stimulator (size 16-18), Hoppers (size 12-14), Pale Morning Dun (size 16-20) and Blue Wing Olive (size 16-20) are all good dry flies to play around with on the Upper Owens. Make each cast count out there, a drag free drift and a good mend goes a long way on the Upper Owens.
Summer Time on the Upper Owens. Still to this day one of the most beautiful stretches of water I know.
Angler Carly Euro Nymphing a nice run and finding some fish!
East Walker River- The flows on the East Walker are running high and solid right now! 265 CFS and have been holding in this range for the last few weeks, which is great for the watershed. The water temps are getting warmer, especially the further down you go towards nevada state line so keep an eye on temps and if it gets past 70 degrees I recommend waiting for the evening sesh and for things to cool down. With these higher flows there is plenty of room in the river for those fish to spread out, good oxygenated pools, and plenty of baitfish and smaller insects to feed on. There has been a lot of angling pressure this year but with good knowledge of the river and patience there are still plenty of nice ones to target. I have mostly been Euro Nymphing with clients or under the indicator with these higher flows getting those flies down deep and adding the appropriate amount of weight to give the right presentation. There are also chances for top eater action usually first thing in the morning and lasting through till noon. They are feeding on bigger terrestrials like Hoppers (size 10-14) Olive Foam Caddis (size 14-18), Parachute Adams (size 16), Stimulator’s (size 12-14), and small BWO (size 18-20). As far as nymphs, the biggier flies have been working for me… Hares Ears (size 16-18), Duracell (size 16-18), Prince Nymph (size 14-16) and other flies like the wire worm (size 10) squirmy worm (size 14) mini jig leech (size 12-14) are all good patterns right now. Get an early start or hit it when the sun starts going down! Having a guide on this river is extremely beneficial, I would love to show you around. I’ve spent years on the East Walker getting to know it intimately. Bring the bug spray and watch for rattlesnakes!
Keeping this 20 inch brown wet after a solid fight!
Watch were you step on the East Walker! My friend Eric took this photo last week
Thanks for stopping by for my Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing Report for the end of June! It’s been such an awesome summer so far and we are just getting started. Wishing everyone bent rods and big smiles. Reach out to line up a guided trip I look forward to chatting with you and putting something excellent together.
-Luke Kinney
Psalm 32:8 The Lord says “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
