Kenji and Christine S. Happily work a prime trout run

The Lower Owens has been flowing a steady 275 cfs add or subtract a few cfs (cubic feet/second) for the last few weeks. This makes for a steady fishy environment, clear water and happy fish! Most of the river is fishing well for everbody with wild browns in the upper sections below the dam with a few wild rainbows mixed in. As you head miles below you start to see more of the recently added fish in the river from Hwy. 6 downstream. Isolated pockets of rising trout can be found here and there throughout the day with the most intense dry fly action happening in the hours before dark.  Caddis, Mayflies and some midges are still on the menu. During the day BubbleBack emergers and Trigger Nymphs have been producing fish all times of the day in sizes #16-20, Crawling Caddis, Caddis Emergers, and The Ticket in sizes #14-18  are also on the Lower Owens menu these days. Midge emergers in various dark colors #18-20 are also a great choice for your bottom fly on your nymph setup. On the surface of the water good ol’ Elk Hair Caddis #16-20, Stallcups Adult Caddis #16, Hemingway Caddis and other Turkey Winged caddis in #18’s. BWO thorax #16-20, Ext. Body BWO #16-20, Good old Adams and Para BWO in the same sizes will also produce. At these flows the fish are able to spread out and not get put off and spooked as easily as other lower flows. Wading is a little bit more difficult but very doable for people of any size.

Kenji holds up a prize from the waters of the Lower Owens River