Winter Fly Fishing for Wild Brown Trout - Lower Owens River Bishop, CA

Fly Fishing the Lower Owens from a wooden Drift Boat Feb. 2011

 

Brown Trout caught on Lower Owens while nymph fishing before the Hatch – Bishop, CA

The Lower Owens continues to flow at a very fishable 85cfs. The new news here is that the awaited BWO hatch is here and happening! Anglers on some parts of the river will experience lots of topwater action while others will see BWO’s floating without getting eaten by wild browns. The action seems to be getting more riverwide as the hatch can be seen from the PV dam down to Big Pine, though not all trout are willing to surface.  Most anglers are sticking above the Hwy. 6 bridge for success.  For fly patterns try:  Crack and Split Back emergers #18-20, Bubble Back emergers #18-20, Pheasant Tails #16-20,  Hares Ears #18,  Barrs Style emergers #18-20.  Zebra and Tiger Midges #18-20, Soft Hackle Peacock #14-16,  Electric Rock Worm #16-18… For the surface try; Extended Body BWO’s #18-20, Thorax BWO’s #16-20, Etha Wing BWO #18-20 Ect… This should only get better as the hatch seems to be getting generally thicker.