Fly Fishing Report 7/12/2023
Welcome to my Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing Report. It has been an incredible summer so far as the high sierra melts quickly and plenty of cold water fills up our tributaries and lakes. Lakes have been the best fly fishing options this last month, but eventually our rivers will come into play and it wont be long. Overall things are shaping up and we are looking at an amazing late summer, early fall. We are excited to announce our Golden Trout Trip this year (Sept 7th-10) in partnership with McGee Creek Pack Station and Eastern Sierra Sport fishing. This has been a goal of mine ever since I started G.T.G.C and we are beyond excited to offer this incredible trip package. Give me a call or email to line up a guided fly fishing trip or reserve a spot for our Golden Trout Trip this year! Wishing everyone bent rods and big smiles.
Phone; (858) 750 9820 //// Email; goldentroutguiding@gmail.com
There is no better feeling than being deep in the back country with no cell service and no obligations other than fly fishing. Here’s one of many beautiful Golden Trout found in the high sierra.
Luke Kinney is an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide
Fly Fishing Report
Bishop Canal; The Bishop Canal has been producing some awesome fly fishing over the last few weeks. High flows have pushed some nice sized fish into the canal from Bishop Creek and the Lower Owens. Certain sections of the canal fish better than other, so don’t be afraid to explore. Temps are getting HOT in the valley so I recommend starting early and finishing by 10 or 11am. Keep an eye out for water temps, once things get above 65 degrees its best to stop fishing and let the trout be. Ive been seeing some top water action around 9:30am with small Blue Wing Olives and Midges being the main food source. It’s not a bad idea to carry two rods with you incase you see the hatch start to pop off, as they are short lived. Euro Nymphing with heavy tungsten headed flies is producing most of the action. Fishing under an Indicator will also lead fish to the net. For nymphs I recommend, (Prince Nymph, Size 16) (Flash Back Pheasant Tail, Size 16-18) (Various Czeck Nymphs or Perdigons, Size 16-18) (Zebra Midge, Size 16-18) (Rainbow Warrior, Size 16-18) (Flashback Baetis Nymph, Size 16-20). For dry flies I recommend (Pale Morning Dun Size, 16-18) (Blue Wing Olive, Size 16-18) (Stimulator, Size 14-16) (Grass Hopper, Size 12-16) (Parachute Adams, Size 16-18). For locals or someone who is driving through Bishop the canal is a great place to make a quick stop and do a little fly fishing. Its fun and accessible fly fishing!
Bishop Creek; Bishop Creek is very high and swift right now, please exercise extreme caution. That being said there are still some decent spots to get your line wet as you make your way up towards the mountains. Areas that pool up near the road are a great place to throw a dry fly or do a little nymphing. Weir Pond near south lake is fishing well, with a good variety of stocked and wild trout. Mid day hatches of small baetis and midges have trout rising for a well presented dry fly. Word of advice, let your dry fly sit longer than your use to, those fish will swim 20 ft to take it with a little patience! We are in peak melt but I predict that Bishop Creek will be getting better going into late July and August. Recommended nymphs (Copper John, Size 16-18) (Hares Ears, Size 16-18) (Zebra Midge, Size 16-20) (Prince Nymph, Size 16-18) (Duracell, Size 16-18) as for dry flies you really cant beat Elk Hair Caddis (Size 16-18) or a Parachute Adams (Size 16-18). Fish are feeding all day as the water is cold and swift. If it looks dangerous it probably is, even if it’s shallow it will take you out. Below is a video of Weir Pond (Bishop Creek) looking as beautiful as ever.
Lower Owens- The Lower Owens has dropped in CFS and has become somewhat fishable. CFS is currently around 550 and wont be optimal until its below 300 CFS. Main thing to look out for on the Lower Owens is warm water temps. During peak summer the Lower Owens will consistently get above 70 degrees at surface level and trout are having a hard enough time surviving. If you decide to fish the Lower Owens start early and finish early by 10am. Watch out for collapsing banks! Chalk Bluff Road remains closed. With the massive amount of water flowing through the Lower Owens it will take quite a while for things to clean up. I will not be getting on the Lower Owens to guide or fish until the valley cools down and flows drop, most likely around October. Should be an incredible fall on the Lower Owens.
Rock Creek- Similar Story to Bishop Creek, very high flows with peak runoff but still some accessible spots to fly fish. Some of the slower meadow sections of rock creek are fishable but are overflowing creating a mosquito infested war ground haha. As much as I support using the natural stuff, I recommend Deet and the strong stuff! Its call Mosquito Flats for a reason, this year really supports the name. Plenty of fish in the higher lakes to target on the float tube, stand up paddle or kayak. For nymphs I recommend (Copper John, Size 16-18) (Hares Ears, Size 16-18) (Zebra Midge, Size 16-20) (Prince Nymph, Size 16-18) (Duracell, Size 16-18) for Dry Flies I recommend (Elk Hair Caddis, Size 16-18) (Parachute Adams, Size 16-18) (Small Grass Hopper, Size 16) (Sierra Bright Dot, Size 16-18) (Black Ant, Size 14-18). Running a dry dropper will increase your chances on a hook up! I like running a Grass Hopper to a black or olive Zebra Midge. Thinner tippet (5 or 6X) highly recommended on rock creek as those fish see a lot of flies, lures, worms, you name it!
Hiking near Rock Creek looking for some dry fly eaters.
A nice rainbow trout caught on a size 16 Elk Hair Caddis
Crooked Creek- Crooked Creek off highway 395 is a small and beautiful meandering creek. What is usually a trickle is now full of cold clear water with a good amount of juvenile rainbows, and browns and the occasional 20 inch lake fish. I like to tight line crooked creek with no indicator and a prince nymph (Size 14-18) or flash back pheasant tail (Size 14-18). Other than listening to the freeway and limited parking options Crooked Creek is a fun small stream to explore this time of year as you can work the whole thing in about 2 hrs. I like to blind cast as these fish will spook easily, Im constantly taking a knee while approaching the bank and making sure Im not seen. You can dry running a dry dropper, but flows are too high to get a good presentation. Once again the meadow is flooded and full of skeeters. Be prepared, Id even recommend wearing waders. Best time to fish Crooked is early in the morning or late in the evening. Fish within the CDFW signage, fly fishing by the dam is Illegal. It is well marked but its always good to double check.
Crowley Lake- Crowley Lake has been hit and miss the last few weeks, a good day would be 5-10 fish. The lake is filling up quickly and will reach full capacity in the next few weeks. I can only guess but this constant change of water has the fish spread out. We are seeing trout move into shallower water near the inlets, from 9-14ft. We are also still catching them anywhere between 25-37ft. It is extremely helpful to have a guide at this point as we are on the water 3-5 days a week following these trout around. Although the bite has slowed down the quality of the fish have not. Last week almost every fish we brought to the boat was over 20 inches with a few 24 inch cutthroat’s. Crowley can turn on at any moment, and McGee Bay is going to be the spot very soon. It is always worth going for it, as you never know how the fishing will be especially now as the perch fry will be targeted by ambushing trout. It is amazing to see Crowley Full this year and the algae bloom is minimal with the incoming water. I am having an absolute blast guiding on Crowley this year, meeting and teaching new anglers, and fighting some of the biggest and baddest trout in CA. Recommended Flies (Albino Barron, Size 16-18) (Copper Tiger, Size 16-18) (Blood Midge, Size 16-18) (Punk Perch, Size 14-18) (Mini balanced leech, Size 12-16). Crowley Lake is great for all levels of anglers and a great introduction to fly fishing. Reach out to line up a guided fly fishing trip today!
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Angler Halley Baggins caught this gorgeous Brown Trout on the 4th of July. The colors are stunning.
Angler Bill Lewis caught this 20’ buck, one of many 20+ inch fish during our day.
Local angler Nate Ostrander had a slow morning but by 10am the bite picked up and he managed a Crowley Grand Slam catching a rainbow, brown, and cutthroat. Nice job brotha!
Call to book a date on Crowley Lake!
(858) 750 9820
Upper Owens River- The Upper Owens river is flowing around 340 CFS below the Hot Creek confluence and around 144 CFS above. The road is accessible all the way to the private section and top water fly fishing is heating up! I have guided a few days on the Upper Owens this month and will start booking more trips going into summer. Hatches of Pale Morning Dun, Blue Wing Olive, and Trico’s are starting around 9am and lasting till around 11:30. I like to focus on dry fly fishing this time of year on the Upper Owens as its a great place to practice your technique and presentation. Reading the water ahead of time as you work the stream is beneficial, look for the edges of the seems, and the slower back eddy pools for sipping trout. Rising juvenile trout will hold in the shallower water nestled behind rocks and small obstructions in the river. Try to focus more on targeting exactly where the fish is rising and get multiple cast in that zone to increase your chance of hooking up. Getting a drag free drift with all of this water is extremely challenging so narrow down the area you are working and hammer it. Recommended dry flies (BWO, Size 16-18) (PMD, Size 16-18) (Elk Hair Caddis, Size 14-18) (Para Hopper, Size 14-16) (Purple Haze, Size 16-18). As far as the mega Hopper Hatch we are all hoping for I have yet to see anything that can back it up at this point. Hopefully by August/September we will start seeing the Hoppers Hatch! Say you’re grass hopper prayers please, it seemed to work for the snow…. Euro Nymphing is also producing fish on the Upper Owens. Using heavier flies and some weight will help you get your line down faster and deeper. I like working the cut-banks and tail ends of larger pools with my Euro Rod, as I find most of my hook ups in those zones. The common theme for all of the rivers right now is Mosquitos, it is pretty bad on the Upper right now as everything is wet and marshy. If you have a pair of lightweight waders, I strongly recommend wearing them to protect not only from the mud but also the blood suckers. I would love to guide you on the Upper Owens, and especially if you want to work on your top water game! Dry Fly casting and fishing is my absolute favorite way to fly fish and to me the most rewarding.
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Angler Jeff Mccallum learning how to cast a dry fly and read the stream on the Upper Owens.
East Walker River- The mighty East Walker has come down in flows to 900 CFS which is still too high to safely guide and fly fish. We will be running trips as soon as flows get to 300 CFS. I will be primarily guiding on the East Walker when that happens and will keep you all posted.
Myself and Bill Lewis after a killer day on the Lake!
Thanks for stopping by for my Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing Report! I wish you all a happy summer and tight lines. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions on the report or would like to fill me in on what you have been seeing. We are all apart of an amazing group of anglers and lucky to be able to fly fish these incredible areas. Summer gets crowded so lets share the stream and help each other out!
