Large Rainbow Trout held over the cold water on a snowy landscape near mammoth lakes california on the upper owens river

Upper Owens Fly Fishing Report : Mammoth Lakes, CA – 2.8.23

Upper Owens fly fishing report for Mammoth Lakes California. The Upper Owens is not far from the year around resort town of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Meandering through Long Valley Caldera, void of trees or shrubbery, the Upper Owens is worth it based on it amazing scenery alone. As you can imagine, after all the snow Mammoth Lakes received the banks of the Upper Owens river are snow covered with some deep drifts over its vast meadows.

Access, for the moment is limited to; cross country skies, snow shoes, and snowmobiles. The last round of storms has pushed a fresh run of very fresh and large trout up from the famous Crowley Lake. This indeed places it worthwhile for any angler to navigate her snowy banks in search of the trout of a lifetime from a smaller river. Its no secret the fish are found in the deepest and darkest of places of the curves, riffles and runs of the Upper O.

A good variety of flies can be fished down to these beasts from large San Juan Worms to smaller Midge patterns, Rubber Legs to Pheasant tails and Soft hackles and a little of everything in between. Sometimes a bright colored bead or a hint of flashy spawning colors can help induce a strike on slower days. Streamers fished down and deep disappearing down into dark waters can provoke an unforgettable hook-up. We mostly utilize darker colors for tugging our streamers. Streamer fishing with a fly rod ends up being a lot more work and requires patience and precise casting along with an understanding of what your presentation is doing while down in the water. But the payoff of the strong tug is a heart stopping experience!

Two anglers stand on the banks of the upper owens river near mammoth lakes california

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Mammoth Lakes, CA – 5.10.22

The Upper Owens is going through its seasonal changing as the days warm up while the grass greens up and the flowers boom. Flowing just below Mammoth Lakes, California, the Upper Owens is always a fishery to keep in mind when visiting the Eastern Sierra of California. The majority of the larger winter specimens have returned to the lake for the season. You can now find them by fishing Crowley lake. As for now there is a few Cutthroat that have moved up the river. These fish can bee seen paired up in shallow water. DO NOT FISH TO THESE SPAWNERS! There is no sport in it. If you fish it, try for the predatory fish that can be found in the deeper holes and runs a riffles. Nymphs and Streamers are pretty much the game here. Attractor patterns, Midges, PTs, and Peridons have been doing the job here. Some fish eggs and SJ worms with success as well. Random dry fly action can be found throughout the system. We hope the Hopper season is going to be wide open this year as the fish of the Upper Owens put on substantial weight eating these terrestrial snacks.

large rainbow trout from Upper Owens River in the snow

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Bishop, CA – 1.25.22

A quick video update from last week we did on the Upper Owens River for the Backcast; conditions hold pretty much the same as the snow remains along the banks with big fish in the water. Fish are moving around but they generally find the larger and darker runs and holes to reside in for longer periods of time. San Juan worm & egg variations, Peridons, PT,s, and Balanced leeches are just a few flies we have been offering to the bulky fish of the Upper Owens with great success. Give the shop a call for more information and stay tuned; we are up there the next couple of days as well.

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Call the STM Fly Shop in Bishop CA @ 760-873-0010 for more details on how to fish this amazing area

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best trout fishing near mammoth lakes

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing Report : 1.23.21

The Upper Owens River below Mammoth Lakes is at its prime time of the year! Water continues to flow clear and cold as the very large fish continue to inhabit the amazing holes, runs, and deep riffles of the Upper Owens this January. Small dustings of snow have been seen upon early arrival in the morning on the river which melts away as the sun rises leaving a completely changed landscape from just moments before. The fish have continued to infiltrate the river system with seemingly new members showing up on each visit. Fish the patterns that I have mentioned in my last post. Do not be afraid to try your own new patterns though, it just may be what these unbelievable fish want in that moment. Upon hooking up be ready for the possibility of a screaming run, just when you think they are done they give that last unexpected run leaving you without a fly and speechless all at the same time.

fly fishing report

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Mammoth Lakes, CA – 10.4.20

The majestically formed bends of the Upper Owens River near Mammoth Lakes are absolutely filled with fish right now. The river is flowing around 70 cfs and is as clear as it gets. All deep holes hold a good population of fish thst can been seen upon peering down into the clear waters. Be careful though, fish you can see usually have already seen you! Hoppers are still being eaten during the warmer parts of the day! Before the hopper weather one can fish many of your favorite nymph and streamer patters through the riffles, bends, runs and deepest darkest holes of the Upper Owens for satisfying success.

Lower Owens River

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Bishop, CA – 9.25.20

The Lower Owens River Fly Fishing near Bishop could be happening soon! The river is getting some positive signals that it may be returning to fishable levels in the near future. it is now down to 470cfs, A few days ago she was flowing 600+cfs. We will closely watch this amazing fishery as the water drops and she reveals what lies below.

Crowley Lake Fly Fishing

Crowley Lake Fly Fishing Report : Mammoth Lakes, CA – 9.12.20

Crowley Lake Fly Fishing near Mammoth Lakes has been as good as we can remember. Never the exact same, but great. Size and variety of fish are unmatched. Lahonton Cutthroats, masculine Browns, and absolute HOG Rainbows are what you can expect here. Fish are now being located and caught in anywhere from 6′ to 30′ of water. Most anglers appreciate the shallower depths for casting, some have been rewarded for going deeper. Perch Fry, Damsels and Chironomids have been on our lines taking fish recently. Some algae is forming in some areas of the lake and changes daily due to wind and weather. The lake continues to drop slowly as the LADWP flows water down the hill. We imagine this should come to an end relatively soon. All spots seem to have their moments from the North Arm, around to Macgee, back to Hilton and even Crooked. Well defined weed lines are great places to get started and possibly hook the trout of a lifetime!

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Upper Owens River

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Mammoth Lakes, CA – 9.12.20

The Upper Owens River Fly Fishing near Mammoth Lakes, CA has changed a bit since the Canadian cold sweep earlier this week. The river still flows at a late summer subtle level. Water clarity is as usual always fishable, and water temps remain within healthy levels. The Hoppers are still there but they struggle to get moving until the sun warms them at a later time depending on the day. Before that anxiously awaited moment we end up going down under the water with all sorts of attractor nymphs and streamers. The entire river holds fish, read the water to appropriate your time wisely and spend it in the fishiest looking holding water. As we feel the cooler mornings rolling in we look forward to the fish of the Fall that come up river.

Bishop Fly Fishing Guide

East Walker River Fly Fishing Report : Bridgeport, CA – 3.18.20

The current news on the East Walker River flowing out of Bridgeport California, is that the flows are now a decent 50cfs, this is up from slightly less that half of this current number to put it into perspective. The current flow rate is definitely still low but render the East Walker morally fishable. Water temperatures hover in the low to mid 40’s. Sporadic trout rising to Midges in very slow water during the warmer parts of the day can get the fly angler into some sketchy surface action. These fish are usually smaller, but the bigger varieties have been seen making an appearance occasionally when it suits them on the surface. All sorts of Midge Larvae, and Midge Adult patterns have been taking fish. Caddis Worms, Baetis patterns, and Streamers lightly weighted can provide for the best action on certain days. Lightweight indicator and and dry -dropper set-ups can be successfully used on the East Walker at these flows as well. Stay tuned for these flows to eventually be bumped up to the next level very soon.

wild brown trout held over the lower owens river near bishop california caught while fly fishing

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Bishop, CA – 2.10.20

The Lower Owens is more than heating up, we are now seeing some amazing Fly Fishing here in Bishop with dry fly action on the surface as well as great nymphing and streamer fishing. A long time awaited, this weekend we saw the trout of the Lower looking up and keying in on insects on top of the water for a good part of the mid-day hatch. If you are not in the section of the Lower Owens where they are looking up your nymphs will give you success when dropped in appropriate parts of the river. Squallas! Squallas, an inch long emergent bug, the first big meat hatch of the spring were spotted this weekend. All these factors combined with the warmer weather is all adding up for some great fly fishing, now and this entire year.

a stone fly on a mans thumb on the Lower Owens River near Bishop California
The prelude to an amazing fishing season to come. Squalla Stoneflies are out.
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