The East Walker has patches of snow here and there adding beauty to the desert/mountain landscape. Flows are healthy and perfect for this time of year at around 112 cfs. Fish are hungry and being caught. Some larger bows and browns have been on the prowl recently! This year sets up to be a great year as a lot of snow runoff is poised above the Walker drainage.  Look for a higher CFS (riverflow) this year..but do not fear it! This will push many baitfish (meat) into the river system allowing the EW residents to grow at higher rates than eating larvae and nymphs alone! As of now the river is fishing great. Patterns to try are: Miracle Nymph #18-20, T-Midge emerger in olive and pearl #18-20, Flash Bang and JuJu Bee Midges in #’s 18-20, Barrs, poxyback, and Halfback Baetis emergers in sizes #16-20.  Different types of San Juan Worms can be fished with success as well.  Streamers will get attention but as spring rolls in we will see more action on our meaty offerings (slumpbusters, double bunnies, rock knocker sculpins, muddlers, Big head todds and Buggers just to name a few)….  A definate fishing destination for any angler no matter where they call thier home water.

Hot Creek continues to flow at a low winter rate.  The recent warmer winter weather seemed to spur the fish on to be less selective about patterns thrown once the bite is on. The half alive weeds have remained and there seem to be a few more than last year. That being said, there is still way less foliage then one would see in the summer months. A baetis hatch can come off Strong on some days anywhere from late morning to late afternoon. This hatch usually lasts 45 minutes to one hour.  Midges will be present most of the day with varied responses from the trout.  Many things can be fished here at this time.  For suggestiong on the surface try: Thorax BWO #18-22, Etha Wing BWO #18-22, Classic BWO #18-20, and CDC BWO #20. Under the water go to: WD-40’s #18-22, Tiger and Zebra Midges #18-22, Red Disco Midges #20-22, Half Back Baetis emergers #18-20, Epoxy Back Baetis #18-22, Loop wing Emergers #18-20, T-midge Emergers #18-22, Pheasant Tails #16-20 and even some small green caddis worm imitations will do here.

The Upper Owens is flowing at 130cfs and the fish are getting more hungry. A few people have been walking up from the Benton Crossing Bridge and getting into some action with very large Rainbows. Access by vehicle is limited for the moment because of the snowy roads conditions. We will see what this next storm will dump to determine when we can enter by vehicle. People have been taking fish of all sizes on: San Juan Worms #12-14, Prince Nymphs (peacock and purple) #14-18, Pheasant Tail Nymphs #16-20,  All sorts of Zebra and Tiger Combos in #’s 16-20.  Emerging BWO patterns (bubbleback, trigger, splitback) #16-20 and Copper Johns in copper, red and greens have all taken fish recently. Streamers of your favorite varitey fished correctly will also do well (large buggers, slumpbusters, zonkers, bunny strips and Grey Ghosts) fish these deep in black holes and close to the deeper undercuts for action.  One must move more when fishing streamers in this water at the moment.

Hot Creek is accessable by a small snowy hike of about 15-40 minutes from the entrance of Hot Creek Ranch. Once down there one can expect to find midge activity and BWO activity on warmer days. Water is low and probably as weedless as it will be this year. Small midge patterns in sizes #18-22 (tiger, zebras, poly-wing emergers) fish these in blacks- olives. Baetis (BWO) emergers (Epoxy back BWO, Split Back BWO and Half Back BWO’s are just a few of the patterns to try all in sizes #18-20. On the surface fish: Thorax BWO #20, Cut-Wing BWO patterns in #18-22, CDC Baetis and Para BWO’s in sizes 18-22 are a few suggestions that work well for this hatch.

The East Walker is running at a low winter flow of around 22-25 cfs. Temperatures are down and snow is up but whats important is the fish continue to eat, a lot! The thing is one must present the right flies to get these highly selective trout to take our carefully placed fly patterns. Look to nymph shallow and light in most holes and runs, a minimum amount of shot is needed to arrive at the bottom where the fish live. The same patterns hold true as in my last report:  #18-22 pearl T- Midge poly wing emergers, Poly Wing Emergers in lighter and darker shades in sizes #18-22, Miracle Nymphs #18, WD-40′s in browns and grey in sizes #18-20. Recently, Flash Bang midges have really shined in cream and red colours in sizes #18, see these at the shop, they are very similar to JuJu Bee’s. Baetis Emerger patterns such as; halfback emergers and poxy back BWO emergers also take fish. Fish these in #s 18-20.  On the surface,for a suggestion, try a  cut wing BWO or Extended Body BWO in #’s 18-20 to trick these fish on top. Flash bang midges continue to get a ton of
attention on the east walker. Look for great fishing and some big fish on the move  from this water.

Large Fish continue to reside in most of the deeper holes and runs of the Upper Owens river. Snowy is one way to describe the experience up there at this moment. Walking up from Benton Crossing bridge is a way to fish the Upper O with a 2 wheel drive vehicle. 4- wheelers will have to enter based on their own experience driving in snow, although you probably will not make it far. Fish the same flies suggested in previous post. Going under the water for the BIG trout nymph with #14-18 PT nymphs of different styles (robo, crystal, sparkle), Hares Ears Bead Head and Flash Back in sizes #14, 18,  Tiger and Zebra Midges in a variety of colours in sizes #16-20, Poly Wing Midge emergers #’s 18-20, Trigger Nymphs #16-20.  A San Juan worm is also always a good choice for these oversized river inhabitants.  For surface activity expect to see baetis (BWO) and small caddis over the water. Streamers sunk deep will also get you large fish.. Try Slumpbusters, Double Bunnies and large Wooly Bugger style streamers to bring out the larger inhabitants of the river after you have put a decent array of nymphs by their lips. Some people prefer to fish streamers all day in these situations…

The winter wild brown trout fly fishing jewel of the Eastern Sierra, the Lower Owens is now into prime form! Down to a low and easy wading level of 100cfs, the Lower Owens is on for the winter! With mid-high fifties temperatures in the Winter in the Lower Owens valley fishing the river is a pleasure. BWO’s have been coming off late morning and this hatch is somewhat predictable. It can be found in the upper reaches of the river as well as a few select runs and riffles down lower.  Before and after the hatch event all sorts of baetis emergers and nymphs will take fish when nymphed properly in the correct locations.  At 100 cfs one must read the river correctly as it will tell you the correct place to find holding trout.   For success on the Lower Owens try: Try a Throax BWO in sizes #18-20, etha wing (cut wing) BWO’s, Para BWO and Classic BWO patterns all in #16-20 will get fish as they are surfacing to adult BWO mayflies. On the underwater side try; Robo PT’s #16-20, Sparkle Trigger #16-20, Crystal PT, #18-20, Bubble Back Emergers and Half Back emergers in #18-20, Poly wing emergers, and Zebra and Tigers Midges  in sizes #18-20.  For attractor patterns a Red Copper John, Red Chironocone,  Red Disco Midge, or a Red Tiger/Zebra in sizes #16-20 is also a good addtion for your fly arsenal on The Lower Owens.  Red seems to be a colour attracting fish besides the other obvious bugs around.   Look for frequent updates on this river as we see what unfolds this December.  Wanna see the Lower Owens from a different perspective?  Try one of your drift boat trips.  Look for a December special to unfold soon.