Mammoth Fly Fishing: Upper Owens 5/12/09

May 12, 2009
Fishing Reports

The Upper Owens is fishing pretty decent with midges coming off in the AM hours and a decent BWO hatch appears on the surface of the water as the temperature warms up… Both hatches have come off every time I have been there in the past couple of weeks. Streamers fished with a strip and stop fashion will catch fish all day.. Above the Hot Creek confluence water remains gin clear and dries, or dry droppers seem to be the best technique here.. Below Hot Creek one can go a bit deeper and use some sort of an indicator or a high sticking technique depending on how you like to fish… WD-40’s, various styles of PT’s, Tiger midges, hares ears and small trigger nymphs will get you into some fine looking fish…try them all in a sizes #16-18s.. CDC BWO patterns and griffiths gnats will bring up fish on the dries… Using a large foam hopper or club sandwich over the nymphs will also get some attention.

Bridgeport Fly Fishing: East Walker River 4/03/09

April 4, 2009
Fishing Reports


EW is fishing great right now.. Weather is nice and flows are very fishable.. I believe it is up to 80 cfs as I type this. The meadows section crowds a bit as the days roll on, but, one can find more solitude below the bridge where the trout seem to be just as big, just farther in between where they live.. San Juan worms of any style fished properly will take fish.. Small disco style midges are also a must on this water… Fishing seems to be good all day.. Expect some large fish amoung the smaller ones while nymphing and keep the flies on the bottom or just suspended above the bottom.. Put on as large of a Streamer as you want and watch what comes to the end of your line!! It will shock you! I fished this water with clients and family six days out of the last week and we landed many many fish over 20′, some much larger than that….

Dont discount any possible holding water of having fish… The EW is healthy this year beyond other years I have seen it…The fish have been eating lots and lots of carne and showing it! I look forward to hitting this water days in advance.. If you have not tried the EW now is the time as it has been featured in two very popular fly fishing magazing very recently.. Time to book!

Bishop Fly Fishing: Lower Owens River 4/03/09

April 4, 2009
Fishing Reports



The Lower Owens is a place one can count on some solid dry action for a good few hours.. Bring your EHC’s and BWO’s with a lightweight rod and prepare to lose yourself amoung the masses of bugs and splashes of wild brown trout.. Weather has been perfect and the flows have stabalized at 150cfs, this is really perfect for floating the sections I prefer.. Under the surface try soft hackle PT’s and SH caddis will get you into fish consistently and all day.. Also for the underwater nymphing, the trusty hares ear and robo PT’s shoud also be players in your fly box.. Tiger type midges also work all day here..

For the streamer Tug is the Drug addicts these have been good days.. Whites and lighter coloured streamers seem to attract more fish recently.. Use smaller streamers than on the Upper Owens.. For the nymphs and drys stick to #’s 14 – 18…

Bishop Fly Fishing

Mammoth Fly Fishing : Hot Creek 4/3/2009

April 4, 2009
Fishing Reports

The gate has been open and Hot Creek canyon has been seeing some slightly increased pressure. The kiosk area seems to usually have a few cars around with fly fishers scattered everywhere. The tokyo hole has some of the most educated trout on the Continent.. In spite of it all Hot Creek continues to be one of the greatest places a fly fisher can practice his art.. Small caddis and BWO’s are coming off as the day warms up with Midges coming off in the AM.. Some very exciting and challenging dry fly activity can be found on Hot Creek in most spots on most days.. Be prepared for a lot of casting and short precise drifts.. For the underwater menu.. try the usual small midges and WD 40’s ,as well as a variety of small PT’s, hares ears, and small caddis worms usually imitated by a green midge larva or a small soft hackle.. Dean Endress’s Robo PT in a #18 really got us into a ton of fish one afternoon.. Be prepared for a great experience on this stream!

Mammoth Fly Fishing : Upper Owens 4/3/2009

April 3, 2009
Fishing Reports

The Upper O continues to be a well visited area.. And for good reason, its still fishing well! The fish are slow moving cold creatures until the sun hits the water then the bite is on until it cools down or the sun sets.. Midges and baetis continue to be the active bugs on the Upper O.. Small parachute patterns with long casts to unspooked fish will find an angler action topwater.. Small klinks and griffiths knats will also bring fish up off the bottom… Disco type midges and really getting some great action as well as a variety of small PT’s, hares ears, and small caddis worms.. Streamers as always are eaten on the Upper Owens, pick your streamer of choice, find the deeper holes, and get it down there..think larger on the streamers.., …. Everything else around a size #16 – #18 in colours from black to olives..

Sierra Trout Magnet

Bishop Fly Fishing: Lower Owens River 2/24/09

February 25, 2009
Fishing Reports

The Lower Owens has some of the best wild brown trout fishing an angler could ask for. Consistent dry fly action tops it off to make for a day that passes you by far too quickly.. Weather has been up past 65 degrees here recently on the Lower O mixed with sun and overcast, though the last few days have been more on the sunny side.. Flows have stabilized for the moment at around 100cfs.

Streamers and nymphs continue to produce fish with choice streamers being in colours of green and blacks… Some whites can also create trout interest..Use smaller streamers here than those of the Upper O.. Nymphs are still PT’s and baetis emergers, hares eares also do good as an emerging baetis as their colour lightens as they emerge.. Trigger nymphs and all sorts of midge larva and emergers still take fish.. Green caddis worms tied in soft hackle patterns seems to be a fish favorite as well. Soft hackels in general seem to be fine choices. Sizes are #14-18

The dry fly hatch comes off like clockwork every afternoon and it is a blast to fish out of my driftboat.. Size 14 Bwo’s casted in the path of rising brown trout will be eaten .. Parachutes and classic hackle patterns both take fish.. 6x seems to get more attention to the fly instead of the usual 5x… Here is an example of a BWO on my Winston IIx… About a size #14

Putting a bend on the bamboo during a hatch…

The hatch dies off after around 3:00 pm and then back to your nymphs to continue your fish count for the day.. Around dark the river slows down a bit but the avid nympher will contine to feed his need for trout.. Great weather and 7000-11000 fish per mile @ 100cfs with reliable dry fly hatches and drift boats make the Lower O a great winter destination…

Mammoth Fly Fishing: Upper Owens River 2/24/09

February 25, 2009
Fishing Reports

The Upper Owens just seems to be a good choice for any anglers destination on any trip up to the Bishop area.. Dries, streamers, and nymphs continue to take fish no matter what temperature or condition the Upper O seems to be experiencing. Currently at midday the midges come off and fish can be found feeding around almost every corner, try a griffiths gnat behind a small baetis pattern for top water success here. ..Small midge patterns continue to provide success. Tiger midges and midge emergers are good choices for nymph patters. Small PT’s and hares ears nymphs are also good choices.. For streamers pick your favorite one.. Technique for streamers is more important here.. The Upper Owens fish also do not mind very large streamers… Fishing has been solid here and one can expect to have a great fishing day up here with relative solitude.. Here below is a cuttbow hybrid I caught out of the Upper O in the last week..

Mammoth Fly Fishing: Hot Creek 2/24/09

February 25, 2009
Fishing Reports

Hot Creek has proved to be a great indicator of a fly fishermans skill; Bug selection, precision casting, absolute proper presentation, reading water, and the list goes on.. I am referring to down in the canyon and not the meat hole..(some of you will know what I mean) The same nymphs as my last report suggested are still taking fish.. use small WD-40’s and midge patterns once again in dark greens and blacks. Experiment with different pattern variations beyond what I have suggested here. Very small PT’s and small baetis emergers also get some attention, sometimes later in the day for the dries.. (BWO’s).. If the dry hatch stops suddenly go back to technical nymphing.. Try all of these patterns in sizes #18-#22. Snow is plowed to the gate which is still locked… Ever fished Hot Creek where you are the only one?

Bishop Fly Fishing: Lower Owens River 1/13/2009

January 13, 2009
Fishing Reports

The Lower Owens flows have been adjusted to 147 cfs of water coming out of PV dam.. This level is great for floating and it will be interesting to see how long it stays here. The warmer weather has done nothing but good for the bug activity and the fishing. The hatchs come off strong in certain parts of the river allowing an angler to catch many fish without moving from one spot. It can happen around the bend and not on another bend right out of sight. Midge patterns and very small mayflies will catch the rising fish.. CDC patterns and small parachute patterns will be a good bet for the mayfly lunch. CDC adult midges and griffiths gnats are great places to start for midge imitations. Nymphing and streamers still continue to pull fish out of the depths. The # 16 midge emerger in dark green, olive or black continues to produce, hares ears and PT’s in similar sizes, The rob0 PT #14-18, and any sort of bright green caddis worm is a standard for this time of year. Steamers fished low and slow or swung off the banks will be chewed. Most colours of streamers have been working; greys, olives, browns,blacks and sometimes whites. The water contines to warm the river making the fishing conditions and the comfort level as good as anywhere in the country for winter fly fishing…!!

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